Controlling effective interactions and spatial dispersion of nanoparticles in multiblock copolymer melts

The microscopic Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model theory is employed to study, for the first time, the effective interactions, spatial organization, and miscibility of dilute spherical nanoparticles in non‐microphase separating, chemically heterogeneous, compositionally symmetric AB multiblock copolymer melts of varying monomer sequence or architecture. The dependence of nanoparticle wettability on copolymer sequence and chemistry results in interparticle potentials‐of‐mean force that are qualitatively different from homopolymers. An important prediction is the ability to improve nanoparticle dispersion via judicious choice of block length and monomer adsorption‐strengths which control both local surface segregation and chain connectivity induced packing constraints and frustration. The degree of dispersion also depends strongly on nanoparticle diameter relative to the block contour length. Small particles in copolymers with longer block lengths experience a more homopolymer‐like environment which renders them relatively insensitive to copolymer chemical heterogeneity and hinders dispersion. Larger particles (sufficiently larger than the monomer diameter) in copolymers of relatively short block lengths provide better dispersion than either a homopolymer or random copolymer. The theory also predicts a novel widening of the miscibility window for large particles upon increasing the overall molecular weight of copolymers composed of relatively long blocks. The influence of a positive chi‐parameter in the pure copolymer melt is briefly studied. Quantitative application to fullerenes in specific copolymers of experimental interest is performed, and miscibility predictions are made. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1098–1111     

Optical properties of a high-efficiency glass ceramic X-ray storage phosphor

The turbidity, photoluminescence, and photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL) of fluorozirconate glass containing barium chloride nano- and micro-crystals have been measured for samples prepared by isochronal (70 min) annealing over a temperature range of 220–283°C, and correlated with the microstructure as determined by X-ray diffraction measurements. Crystallization of hexagonal phase barium chloride commences at around 220°C, but until 275°C the material retains excellent transparency although it displays negligible PSL. Between 275°C and 277°C, the hexagonal phase converts to the orthorhombic phase, the transparency abruptly decreases, and the PSL rises to a value of around 13% of that found for the commercial storage phosphor BaFBr:Eu. For a slightly higher temperature of 280°C, new phases appear which correspond to the onset of bulk crystallization, and at 283°C the relative PSL rises to 33%, while the transparency falls further. The trade-off between optical transparency and PSL over this narrow temperature window for X-ray imaging plate applications is briefly discussed.     

New developments in X-ray storage phosphors

We found a significant PSL effect in Eu²⁺-doped fluorozirconate glasses (ZBLAN) which were additionally doped with Br⁻ or Cl⁻ ions. The PSL is attributed to the characteristic emission of Eu²⁺ present in nano-crystallites of BaBr₂ or BaCl₂, which form in the glass upon annealing. The metastable hexagonal form of BaX₂ (X=Br,Cl) is always formed first before it is converted into the stable orthorhombic form. The particle size increases upon annealing and so does the PSL efficiency of the glass ceramic. However, there is a saturation of the PSL efficiency, which is for Br⁻ doping about 9% and for Cl⁻-doping about 80% of the Eu-doped BaFBr standard. The particle size was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM results show a clear tendency for bigger particles for longer annealing at the expense of its number. The particle size for the most efficient phosphor is about 100 nm.     

Deep trench etching in macroporous silicon

We present a method to create at the same time trenches and ordered macropore arrays during photo-electrochemical etching of n-type silicon. This novel method allows in situ separation of single devices with a submicrometer precision. It also enables new device structures in macroporous silicon in the areas of photonics, sensing and electronics. The limits of this new process are simulated using electrostatic models and are verified experimentally. PACS 82.45.Yz; 81.16.-c     

Mixtures are not derivable

A binary operation ø on probability distribution functions is derivable from a binary operation on random variables if there exists a two-place functionV such that, for any distribution functionsF andG, there exist random variablesX andY, defined on a common probability space, such thatF andG are the distribution functions ofX andY , respectively, and ø(F, G) is the distribution function ofV (X, Y). We show that if ø(F, G) =cF + (1 -c)G, 0 <c < 1, then ø is not derivable; similarly, is not derivable.1. Dedicated to the memory of Charles H. Randall, colleague and friend.     

X-Ray Study of the Deformation Density in Tetrafluoroterephthalodinitrile: Weak Bonding Density in the C,F-Bond

A careful deformation density study of tetrafluoroterephthalodinitrile at 98K has been made from X-ray diffraction measurements. Prominent ‘bonding density’ peaks are found at or near the mid-points of the C, C- and C, N-bonds but not for the C, F-bonds, which show only weak density. Similarly weak bonding densities for C, F-bonds are also found for 1, 1, 4, 4-tetrafluorocyclohexane. The possible significance of these results in terms of bonding theory is briefly discussed.