Theoretical and experimental investigation of the linear optical response of YBa2Cu4O8 The relevance of LDA calculations

We report results of ellipsometric measurements of the dielectric tensor of YBa₂Cu₄O₈ as well as calculations employing density functional theory in the local density approximation (LDA). For the computation of the one-electron eigenvalues and states the linear-muffin-tin-orbital method (LMTO) was used. Measured and calculated results show good agreement. In particular, the calculation predicts different band structures for YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and YBa₂Cu₄O₈ in the vicinity of the Fermi energy which lead to significant differences in the optical spectra. One such difference is a region of small ε₂ in the near infrared which is a fingerprint of the high (relative to the top of the highest fully occupied band) Fermi energy as compared to the situation in YBa₂Cu₃O₇. Our experimental results confirm the theoretical findings.     

Rod–coil block copolymers: An iterative synthetic approach via living free-radical procedures

A modular approach has been developed for the synthesis of rod–coil block copolymers involving the initial preparation of a macroinitiator based on the rod block followed by the growth of the coil segment with living free-radical procedures. The key feature of this strategy is the utilization of an alkoxyamine group from the beginning of the synthesis, which serves as a solubilizing group and ensures that each rod block contains a single initiating fragment. Using this approach permits block copolymers based on insoluble biphenyl ester oligomers to be conveniently prepared with coil segments that range from styrenes to acrylates to 1,3-dienes. The tendency of the rod segments to crystallize is strongly dependent on the weight fraction of the rod segment and the chemical nature of the coil segment. Rod–coil molecules containing at least 25–35 wt % polystyrene or poly(n-butyl acrylate) coil segments show a two-dimensional hexagonal arrangement of rod aggregates, as characterized by transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering. Polyisoprene block copolymers exhibit a lamellar microstructure with short rigid domains in which the rod units lie in an interdigitated smectic C arrangement. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3640–3656, 2003     

TDPAC studies of Hf doped YBCO

Time differential perturbed angular correlation measurements of the 133–482 keVγ-γ cascade of¹⁸¹Ta in Hf-doped YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x are presented. The¹⁸¹Hf precurser nuclei are incorporated into the sample by thermal neutron irradiation. Two quadrupole interaction frequencies are observed in the as-irradiated sample:v _Q1=161±10 MHz with intensityf ₁=75%, asymmetry parameterη ₁=0.32 and damping parameter Λ₁=0.42, andv _Q2=1108±40 MHz withf ₂=25%,η ₂=0.62, and Λ₂=0.60. On annealing the sample in air at various temperaturesT _a and quenching to room temperature,f ₁ remained nearly constant forT _a<600°C andv _Q1 for all annealing temperatures indicating that these are insensitive to oxygen stoichiometry. This frequency is interpreted to be due to¹⁸¹Hf substitutingY sites. BeyondT _a=600°C,f ₁ increased and reached a constant value of 90% forT _a=800°C. The value ofv _Q2 showed a slight variation between 1086 and 1160 MHz, whilef ₂ remained nearly constant at 25% forT _a<600°C. This component is identified to be due to¹⁸¹Hf substituting Cu 1 sites in the Cu-O chains of YBCO. Above 600°Cv _Q2 decreased and reached a value of 808 MHz beyond 750°C.     

Polymerization of acrylamide initiated by peroxomonosulphate and metal ion catalysis

The kinetics of polymerization of acrylamide initiated by potassium peroxomonosulphate, in the presence and absence of Ag⁺, were studied. Rates of polymerization and oxone disappearance were followed. From the rate law for the polymerization, a mechanism has been proposed.     

Ion-Bearing Propellers: Alkali Metal Complexes of Tris(2-alkoxyphenyl)amine Ionophores

NMR spectroscopic studies reveal that binding of Na(+) by tris(2-methoxyphenyl)amine (3) brings two of these tripod ethers together about the metal ion; the related double-tripod-ether ionophore 1,2-bis[2-(bis(2-methoxyphenyl)amino)phenoxy]ethane (4), in which two triarylamines are covalently attached, binds LiI, LiBPh(4), NaI, NaBPh(4), and KB(4-ClPh)(4). Dynamic NMR puts lower limits on binding free energies of 4 for Na(+) (71.8 kJ mol(-)(1)) and K(+) (66.8 kJ mol(-)(1)) ions. X-ray studies of 3(2).NaBPh(4), 4.NaBPh(4), 4.NaB(4-ClPh)(4), and 4.KB(4-ClPh)(4).CH(3)NO(2) show eight-coordinate M(+) ions bound between crystallographically independent, homochiral triarylamine tripod ethers in structures reminiscent of alkali metal [2.2.2] cryptates. Complexes crystallize as follows: 3(2).NaBPh(4), monoclinic, P2(1)/c, Z = 4, a = 10.701(3) ?, b = 37.593(3) ?, c = 13.774(2) ?, and beta = 98.24(2) degrees; 4.NaBPh(4), triclinic, P&onemacr;, Z = 2, a = 12.157(1) ?, b = 14.811(1) ?, c = 15.860(2) ?, alpha = 105.400(8) degrees, beta = 91.594(9) degrees, and gamma = 95.354(8) degrees; 4.NaB(4-ClPh)(4), monoclinic, P2(1)/n, Z = 4, a = 13.652(5) ?, b = 18.75(1) ?, c = 22.805(5) ?, and beta = 92.21(5) degrees; 4.KB(4-ClPh)(4).CH(3)NO(2), monoclinic, Pn, Z = 2, a = 13.663(4) ?, b = 12.228(3) ?, c = 18.712(8) ?, and beta = 91.45(3) degrees. They show variable N-M-N angles; 3(2).NaBPh(4) is surprisingly bent ( angleN-Na-N = 154.5 degrees ), while the 4.M(+) complexes are normal: nearly linear for Na(+) ( angleN-Na-N = 178.6, 178.1 degrees ) and again bent with the larger K(+) ( angleN-K-N = 164.5 degrees ). Finally, free 4 is structurally similar to 3; it crystallizes in the triclinic space group P&onemacr;, with Z = 2, a = 8.068(1) ?, b = 14.599(2) ?, c = 16.475(3) ?, alpha = 115.43(1) degrees, beta = 92.51(1) degrees, and gamma = 90.40(1) degrees.     

In situ UV-visible spectroelectrochemical studies on the copolymerization of diphenylamine with ortho-methoxy aniline

UV-visible spectroelectrochemical studies on copolymerization of diphenylamine (DPA) with ortho-methoxy aniline (OMA) were carried out for different feed ratios of DPA and OMA using indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass as working electrode. The UV-visible spectra show clear dependencies on the molar feed composition of DPA or OMA used in electropolymerization. Derivative cyclic voltabsorptogram (DCVA) was deduced at the wavelengths corresponding to the absorption by the intermediate species and used to confirm the intermediates generated during the electropolymerization. The composition of DPA and OMA in the copolymer for the copolymers synthesized with different molar feed ratios of DPA and OMA was determined by UV-visible spectroscopy. Reactivity ratios of DPA and OMA were deduced by using Fineman-Ross and Kelen-Tudos methods and correlated with spectroelectrochemical results.     

Sizes and interfacial free energies of crystallites formed from fractionated linear polyethylene

Replicas of fracture surfaces of fractions of linear polyethylene, which were crystallized at elevated temperatures for extended time periods, were examined by electron microscopy. Striated. lamella-type crystallites were observed for all molecular weights over the range 3.2 × 10³?5.7 × 10⁵. In agreement with Anderson's previous report, for molecular weights of 12,000 or less, the crystallite thicknesses were comparable to the extended chain length. As the molecular weight increased above this level, however, the crystallite sizes increased only slightly and hence at high molecular weights were very much smaller than the extended chain length. From the measured melting temperatures, crystallite interfacial free energies were calculated from the theory for the melting of finite size crystals comprised of chains of finite length. The crystallite interfacial free energy was found to increase with molecular weight. Based on these results, a crystallization process is outlined which allows for the formation of either extended chain crystallites, or crystallites whose size is much smaller than the extended chain length without any change in nucleation mechanism or arbitrary adjustment in growth mechanism with molecular weight.     

Thermal-Adsorptive Concentration

Methods for concentrating dilute fluids using adsorption followed by partial thermal regeneration were studied using the simulation package ADSIM. The systems studied were NaCl in liquid water on Amberlite XD-2 resin and benzene vapor in nitrogen on activated carbon. Cycles studied included counter-current regeneration with pure hot fluid, co-current regeneration with pure hot fluid, a new process called Hot Feed Addition (HFA) consisting of co-current regeneration with pure hot fluid followed by hot feed, and cycling zone adsorption (co-current alternating hot and cold feeds with no pure regeneration fluid). The optimum system depends upon the conditions of the system and the value function chosen to evaluate the systems. For example, for benzene in nitrogen with hot regeneration gas at 467.4 K, cycling zone adsorption used no carrier gas, had the most concentrated benzene stream and a very pure nitrogen product, but the energy use was greater than the other processes. For liquid systems counter-current operation could produce the purest product, but regenerant requirements were high. With slightly lower purity requirements HFA reduced solvent usage and increased the concentration of the concentrated waste stream. For the liquid system all processes used approximately 3% or less of the energy that would be required for evaporation.     

Star-shaped azo-based dipolar chromophores: design, synthesis, matrix compatibility, and electro-optic activity

Three new azo-benzene-based push-pull chromophores with dendritic architecture were synthesized as active materials for electro-optic applications. These chromophores were synthesized in six or seven synthetic steps with an overall yield of around 80% per step and high purity. UV-vis spectroscopy showed significant influence of the transient dipole moment on the observed r(33) values. The chromophores were stable to photochemical oxidation in ambient light and air. The electrical poling conditions were optimized for each chromophore as the T(g) of the composite material varied significantly. The highest EO coefficient achieved was 22-25 pm/V at 1550 nm wavelength. STEM analysis of the blends enabled the correlation of the activity of these large chromophores with the blend morphology. An amorphous polycarbonate host effectively disperses the chromophores in 2-20 nm aggregates in the active materials. However, macrophase separation into 200-500 nm aggregates was observed in a methacrylate host matrix.