Control of the block copolymer morphology in templated epoxy thermosets

It has been found that by the addition of low concentrations of an amphiphilic block copolymer to an epoxy resin, novel disordered morphologies can be formed and preserved through curing. This article will focus on characterizing the influence of the block copolymer and casting solvent on the templated morphology achieved in the thermoset sample. The ultimate goal of this work is to determine the parameters that would control the microphase morphology produced. Epoxy resins blended with a series of amphiphilic block copolymers based on hydrogenated polyisoprene (polyethylene-alt-propylene or PEP) and polyethylene oxide (PEO), specifically, were investigated. In this article, the cure-induced order–order phase transition from the spherical to wormlike micelle morphology will also be discussed. It is proposed that the formation of the wormlike micelle structure from the spherical micelle structure is similar to the phase transition behavior that occurs in dilute block copolymer solutions as a function of the influence of the solvent on micelle morphology. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 3338–3348, 2007     

Numerical Modeling of Solitons in a Low Birefringent Optical Fiber

A numerical investigation, based on the split-step Fourier transform algorithm of all optical switching of solitons in a low birefringent optical fiber is presented. The numerical algorithm is described in detail. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Selected-area growth of carbon nanotubes by the combination of focused ion beam and chemical vapor deposition techniques.

In this article, we report a technique for growing carbon nanotubes in a more controllable fashion, which enables us to synthesize nanotubes directly in various forms of designed patterns. This nanofabrication process is based on a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. In this process, arrays of conductive patterns were first deposited on silicon substrates by directing a gaseous compound (C(9)H(16)Pt) via the capillary needle-sized nozzles within a FIB system. The substrates were then coated with catalyst and further modified by the FIB to localize the position of the catalyst. Finally, the growth of carbon nanotubes on the designed substrates was carried out by CVD of hydrocarbon gases. This fabrication technique has the advantage of positioning carbon nanotubes in selected locations. This may open up opportunities for the direct synthesis of carbon nanotubes onto almost any substrate material, thus allowing fabrication of carbon nanotube-based devices.     

Second Dissociation Constant of Bis-[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]acetic Acid (BICINE) and pH of Its Buffer Solutions from 5 to 55 °C

The values of the second dissociation constant, K ₂, and related thermodynamic quantities of the ampholyte bis[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]acetic acid (BICINE) have been determined at temperatures from 5 to 55 ^∘C. The pH values of six equimolal buffer solutions, and four buffer solutions having ionic strengths (I = 0.16 mol⋅kg⁻¹) similar to those in blood plasma, have been evaluated at 12 temperatures from 5 to 55 ^∘C using the Bates–Guggenheim convention. The liquid junction potentials (E _j ) between the buffer solutions of BICINE and saturated KCl solution of the calomel electrode at 25 and 37 ^∘C have been estimated by measurement with a flowing junction cell. These values of E _j have been used to ascertain the operational pH values at 25 and 37 ^∘C. The pK ₂ values at 25 and 37 ^∘C are 8.333 and 8.156, respectively. The thermodynamic quantities associated with the second acid dissociation have been calculated from the values of pK ₂ as a function of temperature. The zwitterionic buffer BICINE was shown to be useful as a pH standard in the region close to that of blood serum.     

Ammonium hexafluorosilicate salts

The preparation and characterization of the ammonium hexafluorosilicate salts, 2[R]⁺ [SiF₆]²⁻ (where R=piperidinium (2), methylammonium (3), quinolinium (4), acridinium (5), 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinium (6), and propylammonium (7)) is described.The salts were prepared from the reaction of the corresponding alkylammonium fluoride with silica gel. The compounds were characterized by NMR, IR, mass spectrometry and in the case of 1 (piperidinium fluoride), 2-4 by X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1-3 crystallize in the orthorhombic crystal system (space groups Iba2, Fdd2, and Pnnm, respectively), with Z=8, 14, and 4, respectively. Compound 4 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1, with Z=2. Compounds 1-4 exhibit hydrogen bonding.     

Hamaker constants in integrated circuit metalization

A new method for determining Hamaker constants was examined for materials of interest in integrated circuit manufacture. An ultra-high vacuum atomic force microscope and an atomic force microscope operated in a nitrogen environment were used to measure the interaction forces between metals, dielectrics, and barriers used during the metalization portion of integrated circuit manufacturing. The materials studied included copper, silver, titanium nitride, silicon dioxide, poly(tetrafluoroethylene), and parylene-N. Spheres coated with a material of interest were mounted on AFM cantilevers and brought into contact with substrates of interest. The interaction force was measured as the cantilever approached the substrate but before the two surfaces came into contact, and also when the particle was pulled out of contact with the substrate. The Hamaker constant calculation from the contact measurement is based on an adhesion model that quantifies the contribution of geometrical, morphological and mechanical properties of materials to the measured adhesion force. Hamaker constants determined with this new approach were compared with values found by using the Derjaguin approximation for a sphere to describe the interaction force as the cantilever approaches the surface. Both approaches produced similar values for most of the systems studied, with variations of less than 10%.     

The alpha-helix folds more rapidly at the C-terminus than at the N-terminus

The helix-coil dynamics of different sections of an alpha-helical model peptide were observed separately by nanosecond temperature jump experiments with IR detection on a series of isotopically labeled peptides. The results show that the helix-coil dynamics of the alpha-helical C-terminus are faster than those of the N-terminus.     

A computational study of the LiH dimer

A theoretical study of the properties of the linear LiH dimer was undertaken. In this dimer, an unusual type of hydrogen bonding (termed "inverse" hydrogen bonding by some authors), which involves the hydrogen bonded molecule acting as an electron donor (rather than as a proton donor), is exhibited. The optimized geometry, dipole moment, interaction energy, atomic charges, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and frequency shifts for the dimer are computed at the SCF, MP2, and QCISD levels of theory using mainly a 6-31++G(d,p) basis set. We also examined the relative stability of the mono-deuterated isotopomers of linear (LiH)(2), i.e., Li-H...Li-D and Li-D...Li-H. Analysis of the normal vibrational modes, changes in the partial atomic charges, and changes in the vibrational frequencies of LiH on complexation were used to gain insight into the bonding and properties of the linear LiH dimer and its isotopomers.     

Salen Supported Molecular Borosilicates

Various Salen ligands (Salen( ^t Bu)H₂=N, N-ethylenebis(3,5-di-tertbutyl(2-hydroxy)benzylidenimine) were used to prepare borosilyl and -O bridged borosilyl compounds having the formula, L{B(OSiMe₃)₂}₂ (L=Salen( ^t Bu) (1), Salpen( ^t Bu) (2), Salben( ^t Bu) (3), Salhen( ^t Bu) (4) and L(BOSiMe₃)₂(-O) (L=Salen( ^t Bu) (5) and Salben( ^t Bu) (6)). In the case of 5 and 6 the formation of the B–O–B linkage takes precedence over the formation of a B–O–Si linkage. All of the compounds were characterized by Mp, elemental analysis, ¹H and ¹¹B NMR, IR, MS and in the case of 1, 2, and6 by X-ray crystallography.     

Synthesis and characterization of water-soluble phenylene-vinylene-based singlet oxygen sensitizers for two-photon excitation

[reaction: see text] The synthesis and characterization of water-soluble singlet oxygen sensitizers with a phenylene-vinylene motif is presented. The principal motivation for this study was to better understand specific features of a water-soluble molecule that influence the photosensitized production of singlet oxygen upon nonlinear, two-photon excitation of that molecule. To achieve water solubility, sensitizers were synthesized with ionic as well as nonionic substituents. In the ionic approach, salts of N-methylated pyridine, benzothiazole, and 1-methyl-piperazine moieties were used, as were aryl-substituted sulfonic acid moieties. In the nonionic approach, aryl-substituted triethylene glycol moieties were used. Selected photophysical properties of the compounds synthesized were determined, including singlet oxygen quantum yields. Of the molecules examined, the most efficient singlet oxygen sensitizers had triethylene glycol units as the functional group that imparted water solubility. Molecules containing the ionic moieties did not make singlet oxygen in appreciable yield nor did they efficiently fluoresce. Rather, for these latter molecules, rapid charge-transfer-mediated non-radiative processes appear to dominate excited state deactivation.