Super‐ and Ferroelastic Organic Semiconductors for Ultraflexible Single‐Crystal Electronics

Like silicon, single crystals of organic semiconductors are pursued to attain intrinsic charge transport properties. However, they are intolerant to mechanical deformation, impeding their application in flexible electronic devices. Such contradictory properties, namely exceptional molecular ordering and mechanical flexibility, are unified in this work. We found that bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS‐P) crystals can undergo mechanically induced structural transitions to exhibit superelasticity and ferroelasticity. These properties arise from cooperative and correlated molecular displacements and rotations in response to mechanical stress. By utilizing a bending‐induced ferroelastic transition of TIPS‐P, flexible single‐crystal electronic devices were obtained that can tolerate strains (?) of more than 13 % while maintaining the charge carrier mobility of unstrained crystals (μ>0.7 μ₀). Our work will pave the way for high‐performance ultraflexible single‐crystal organic electronics for sensors, memories, and robotic applications.     

Phytochemical investigation of Euphorbia trigona

Euphorbia species (Family: Euphorbeaceae) have wide applicability in traditional medicines and biofuel sector, and are also rich sources of secondary metabolites, especially terpenoids, attributed with various pharmacological properties. Though 82 Euphorbia species are reported in India, most of the species are uninvestigated for their constituents or potential utilities. Present study reports the isolation and characterization of chemical constituents, estimation of major triterpenoids using a validated HPTLC method and cytotoxicity of plant and latex extracts of Euphorbia trigona. As the secondary metabolites epi-friedelinyl acetate, 3β-friedelinol, taraxerol, rhoiptlenone, stigmasterol and stearic acid were isolated and characterized from E. trigona. HPTLC estimation showed 3β-friedelinol at 0.91 ?± ?0.11% and taraxerol at 1.45 ?± ?0.12% was present in E. trigona plant powder (dry weight). Plant and latex extracts were found non toxic towards normal cell line H9C2 (cardiac myoblasts) and showed insignificant cytotoxic effects towards HeLa (cervical cancer cell line) upto 100 ?μg/ml concentration.     

Advances in late transition metal catalysts for olefin polymerization/oligomerizarion

In this review article, we have consolidated our recent studies on late transition metal catalysts (mainly Fe, Co) for olefin polymerization/oligomerization. A series of bisiminopyridyl Co(II) and Fe(II) complexes were synthesized. These catalysts when activated with MAO in aromatic or aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, oligomerize or polymerize ethylene to α-olefins or high molecular weight polymers with exceptionally high activities and selectivities. The electronic and steric effects of allyloxy and benzyloxy substituted bisiminopyridyl Fe(II) and Co(II) complexes were also investigated. The influence of catalyst structure and temperature on the polymerization activity, thermal properties and molecular weight were discussed. The effects of heterogenization of these catalysts on silica and modified SBA-15 were analyzed. The polymerization of polar monomers such as vinyl ethers and methyl methacrylate was tested and no specific trends in activity and polymer molecular weight with changes in steric bulkiness around the metal center were observed with the same catalyst system.     

Ethylene polymerization by sterically and electronically modulated Ni(II) α‐diimine complexes

A series of highly active ethylene polymerization catalysts based on bidendate α‐diimine ligands coordinated to nickel are reported. The ligands are prepared via the condensation of bulky ortho‐substituted anilines bearing remote push–pull substituents with acenaphthenequinone, and the precatalysts are prepared via coordination of these ligands to (DME)NiBr₂ (DME = 1,2‐dimethoxyethane) to form complexes having general formula [ZN = C(An)‐C(An) = NZ]NiBr₂ [Z = (4‐NH₂‐3,5‐C₆H₂R₂)₂CH(4‐C₆H₄Y); An, acenaphthene quinone; R, Me, Et, iPr; Y = H, NO₂, OCH₃]. When activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO) or common alkyl aluminiums such as ethyl aluminium sesquichloride (EAS) all catalysts polymerize ethylene with activities exceeding 10⁷ g‐PE/ mol‐Ni h atm at 30 °C and atmospheric pressure. Among the cocatalysts used EAS records the best activity. Effects of remote substituents on ethylene polymerization activity are also investigated. The change in potential of metal center induced by remote substituents, as evidenced by cyclic voltammetric measurements, influences the polymerization activity. UV–visible spectroscopic data have specified the important role of cocatalyst in the stabilization of nickel‐based active species. A tentative interpretation based on the formation of active and dormant species has been discussed. The resulting polyethylene was characterized by high molecular weight and relatively broad molecular weight distribution, and their microstructure varied with the structure of catalyst and cocatalyst. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1066–1082, 2008     

Ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of multiple bioactive constituents in fruit extracts of Myristica fragrans and its marketed polyherbal formulations using a polarity switching technique

Fruits of Myristica fragrans Houtt. are the source of two valuable spices: nutmeg and mace, traditionally used for its flavoring and medicinal properties and found as an ingredient in many marketed polyherbal formulations and food products. In this study, a sensitive and efficient ultra high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the rapid determination of 16 bioactive constituents in different parts of the fruit of M. fragrans and its marketed polyherbal formulations using a polarity switching technique. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Aquity UPLC BEH C₁₈ column in 9.4 min. Quantitative analysis was performed using multiple reaction monitoring mode with continuous polarity switching in a single analysis. The developed method was found to be accurate with overall recovery in the range from 95.95 to 102.07% (RSD ≤ 1.91%), precise (RSD ≤ 1.98%), and linear (r² ≥ 0.9992) over the concentration range of 0.1–200 ng/mL. Quantitative analysis indicated that the total content of the 16 bioactive constituents was highest in the mace of M. fragrans. Thus, this rapid and sensitive method could be utilized as a promising reference method for the quality control of M. fragrans and its marketed herbal formulations/food products.     

Mononuclear Schiff base boron halides: synthesis, characterization, and dealkylation of trimethyl phosphate

A series of mononuclear boron halides of the type LBX(2) [LH = N-phenyl-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine, X = Cl (2), Br (3)] and LBX [LH2 = N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine, X = Cl (7), Br (8); LH2 = N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine, X = Cl (9), Br (10); and LH2 = N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine, X = Cl (11), Br (12)] were synthesized from their borate precursors LB(OMe)2 (1) (LH = N-phenyl-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine) and LB(OMe) [LH2 = N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine (4), N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine (5), N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldimine (6)]. The boron halide compounds were air and moisture sensitive, and upon hydrolysis, compound 7 resulted in the oxo-bridged compound 13 that contained two seven-membered boron heterocycles. The boron halide compounds dealkylated trimethyl phosphate in stoichiometric reactions to produce methyl halide and unidentified phosphate materials. Compounds 8 and 12 were found to be the most effective dealkylating agents. On reaction with tert-butyl diphenyl phosphinate, compound 8 produced a unique boron phosphinate compound LB(O)OPPh2 (14) containing a terminal phosphinate group. Compounds 1-14 were characterized by 1H, 13C, 11B, 31P NMR, IR, MS, EA, and MP. Compounds 5, 6, and 11-14 also were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Super- and Ferroelastic Organic Semiconductors for Ultraflexible Single-Crystal Electronics

Like silicon, single crystals of organic semiconductors are pursued to attain intrinsic charge transport properties. However, they are intolerant to mechanical deformation, impeding their application in flexible electronic devices. Such contradictory properties, namely exceptional molecular ordering and mechanical flexibility, are unified in this work. We found that bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-P) crystals can undergo mechanically induced structural transitions to exhibit superelasticity and ferroelasticity. These properties arise from cooperative and correlated molecular displacements and rotations in response to mechanical stress. By utilizing a bending-induced ferroelastic transition of TIPS-P, flexible single-crystal electronic devices were obtained that can tolerate strains (ϵ) of more than 13 % while maintaining the charge carrier mobility of unstrained crystals (μ>0.7 μ₀). Our work will pave the way for high-performance ultraflexible single-crystal organic electronics for sensors, memories, and robotic applications.     

Green Synthesis of Triangular ZnO Nanoparticles Using Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract and Its Shape Dependency for Significant Antimicrobial Activity: Joint Experimental and Theoretical Investigation

Journal of Cluster Science - The present study reports the green synthesis of triangular ZnO nanoparticles (G-ZnO NPs) using Azadirachta indica leaves extract, and a shape dependent density...     

PolyChemPrint: A hardware and software framework for benchtop additive manufacturing of functional polymeric materials

Additive manufacturing (AM, 3D Printing) of hierarchical polymer structures for a targeted function represents a grand challenge in the field of polymer science and engineering. Because advanced functional materials often do not possess suitable mechanical and rheological properties for conventional fused deposition modeling, a key challenge that researchers face is in integrating custom deposition tool heads that enable printing of non-filamentary materials while preserving synchrony with the motion axes. In this article, we demonstrate a highly versatile hardware and software platform for melt and solution-phase benchtop AM and highlight patterning and post-deposition processing of a series of non-filament forming functional polymers, including PS-b-PLA bottlebrush block copolymers, semiconducting polymer DPP2T-TT, conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS [poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate)], and an SiO₂-PE nanoporous polymer matrix composite. We present a free and open-source Python module, PolyChemPrint, which serves as a research-optimized AM control software. The cross-platform (Windows/Linux) software is designed to be extremely flexible in terms the hardware that can be connected and a detailed user manual and developer guide are provided for use by researchers without extensive computer programming experience. Finally, we provide extensive details of the hardware used for operation of low- and high-pressure pneumatic extruders and a laser module as rapidly interchangeable tool heads.