The h-SbxWO3+2x Oxygen Excess Antimony Tungsten Bronze

We describe the previously unreported oxygen excess hexagonal antimony tungsten bronze with composition Sb_0.5W₃O₁₀, in the following denoted as h-Sb_xWO_3+2x with x=0.167, to demonstrate its analogy to classical A_xWO₃ tungsten bronzes. This compound forms in a relatively narrow temperature range between 580 °C<T<620 °C. It was obtained as a dark-blue polycrystalline powder, and as thin, needle-shaped, blue single crystals. h-Sb_xWO_3+2x crystallizes in the hexagonal space group P6/mmm with the cell parameters a=7.4369(4) Å and c=3.7800(2) Å. The antimony and excess oxygen occupy the hexagonal channels within the network of corner-sharing WO₆ octahedra. h-Sb_xWO_3+2x has a resistivity of ρ_{300 K}≈1.28 mΩ cm at room temperature, with little if any temperature-dependence on cooling. DFT calculations on a simplified model for this compound find a metallic-like electronic structure with the Fermi level falling within rather flat bands, especially around the Γ point.     

Three-dimensional interfacial fracture analysis of a one-dimensional hexagonal quasicrystal coating

In this paper, the three-dimensional (3D) interfacial fracture is analyzed in a one-dimensional (1D) hexagonal quasicrystal (QC) coating structure under mechanical loading. A planar interface crack with arbitrary shape is studied by a displacement discontinuity method. Fundamental solutions of interfacial concentrated displacement discontinuities are obtained by the Hankel transform technique, and the corresponding boundary integral-differential equations are constructed with the superposition principle. Green’s functions of constant interfacial displacement discontinuities within a rectangular element are derived, and a boundary element method is proposed for numerical simulation. The singularity of stresses near the crack front is investigated, and the stress intensity factors (SIFs) as well as energy release rates (ERRs) are determined. Finally, relevant influencing factors on the fracture behavior are discussed.     

Surfactant-Free and Controlled Synthesis of Hexagonal CeVO4 Nanoplates: Photocatalytic Activity and Superhydrophobic Property

Nanomaterials with both superhydrophobic surface properties as well as photocatalytic activities could have important industrial applications. Herein, we synthesized CeVO₄ nanocrystals with hexagonal nanoplate structures from the reaction of decavanadate (K₆V₁₀O₂₈⋅9 H₂O) and CeCl₃⋅H₂O precursors via a hydrothermal method. This synthetic route has four advantages: 1) the reaction condition is relatively mild, 2) it doesn′t need surfactants or templates, 3) it requires no expensive equipment, and 4) products are of higher purity. During synthesis, solution pH, and reaction temperature were found to play important roles in determining the growth process and final morphologies of the CeVO₄ products. These products were characterized spectrophotometrically and via scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the wettability of the as-synthesized film CeVO₄ nanoplates was studied by measuring water contact angle (CA). The largest CA measured was at 169.5 ° for a glass substrate treated with 0.06 g mL⁻¹ CeVO₄ followed by 2 % 1 H, 1 H, 2 H, 2 H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane. Finally, the CeVO₄ nanoplates exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under UV irradiation and was stable even after repeated cycles of use.     

Self-assembly morphology and packing structures depend on the ‘head’ of organic cations anchored on polyoxometalate anions in hybrids

Two organic-polyoxometalates (organic-POMs) hybrids were constructed by fan-shaped 1-methyl-3-[3, 4, 5-tris(octadecyloxy) benzyl]imidazolium salts (labelled as I–Cl) and triethyl-[3, 4, 5-tris (octadecyloxy) benzyl] ammonium salts (labelled as Q–Cl) and Keggin anions [SiW₁₂O₄₀]^4? by electrostatic interaction. Self-assembled behaviours of two aggregates in organic solvent and solid state were investigated in detail by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray analysis. The mixed solution of chloroform–methanol or chloroform–acetone provided the stable environment for aggregates and aggregates showed a uniform micron size. X-ray analysis results showed that flower-like aggregates morphology of I₄[SiW₁₂O₄₀] based on imidazole ring as ‘head’ in organic cations was formed by the stacking of multilamellar discs and kept the lamellar structure in solid state. Bulk thorn spheres appeared in Q₄[SiW₁₂O₄₀] aggregates, which were formed by closely interspersed of lots flatted blocks with hexagonal structure characteristics in solid state. The comprehension for the self-assembly morphology and solid structure of organic-polyoxometalate hybrids would help us to use easily modified organic moiety and functional inorganic polyoxoanions as blocks to build novel and giant supramolecular architecture.     

Columnar liquid crystalline benzenetrisamides with pendant 1,3,4-oxadiazole groups

Novel liquid crystal materials based on 1,3,5-benzenetrisamide derivatives with three pendant 2-phenyl-5-(mono-, di-, and/or tri-n-alkoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole arms (Ia–c, IIa–c) were prepared. The mesomorphic properties of these compounds were characterised and studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The formation of a columnar mesophase was found to be dependent on the number of alkoxy side chains. The compounds Ib and IIb, with a total of six alkoxy chains, and compounds Ic and IIc, with nine alkoxy chains, exhibited an enantiotropic hexagonal columnar (Col_h ) phase with high isotropisation temperatures; however, compounds Ia and IIa with a total of three alkoxy chains formed a crystalline phase. Compounds IIb and c were room temperature liquid crystals.     

Cubic phases of binary systems of 4′-n-tetradecyloxy-3′-nitrobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ANBC-14)-n-alkane

The phase behaviour of the binary systems 4′- ⁿ -tetradecyloxy-3′-nitrobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ANBC-14)- ⁿ -alkane ( ⁿ -tetradecane or ⁿ -hexadecane) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The phase behaviour was a function of temperature ( ^T ) and the effective carbon number of the system ( ^n*), where ^n* involves carbon atoms both from the alkoxy group of ANBC-14 and from the ⁿ -alkane added. ANBC-14 shows no cubic phase, but the addition of ⁿ -alkane induced cubic phases when ^n*≧c. 15. An interesting point is that the type of cubic phase is ^Ia 3 ^d for 15^≦n*≦17, while an ^Im 3 ^m type is formed for 18^≦n*≦20. Furthermore, for ^n* = 22, two types of cubic phase, one with ^Im 3 ^m symmetry in the low temperature region and the other with ^Ia 3 ^d in the high temperature region, were observed both on heating and cooling. The phase diagram with respect to ^T and ^n* is very similar to that of pure one-component ANBC- ⁿ , which is a function of ^T and the number of carbon atoms in the alkoxy group ⁿ .     

六方氮化硼薄膜对石墨烯-碳化硅结构近场热辐射的增强

六方氮化硼(hBN)具有跟石墨烯类似的层状结构和晶格参数,研究发现hBN薄膜具有良好的热传导、电绝缘、光学和力学等性能。本文从理论上研究了hBN薄膜对石墨烯-碳化硅(G/S)结构的近场热辐射的影响。研究发现在红外频段.hBN薄膜在低频率区和高频率区会增强G/S结构的近场热辐射,经计算在G/S结构中加入厚度为10 nm的hBN薄膜时获得的辐射热流是同物理条件下G/S结构的1.5倍;而在中频率区hBN薄膜的厚度阻碍了石墨烯表面等离激元和碳化硅表面声子极化激元的耦合,使得近场热辐射热流随hBN薄膜厚度增加而逐渐减弱。本研究的结果可为下一步实验与应用中对hBN薄膜厚度的选择提供理论基础。     

Hexagonal columnar mesophases of polycatenar para-phenylene connected bis-oxadiazole-based liquid crystals

In this article polycatenar liquid crystals containing two 1,3,4-oxadiazoles interconnected by a para-substituted benzene ring as the central linking unit and three alkoxy chains at each terminal have been synthesised, and investigated by polarising microscopy, DSC and XRD scattering. Molecules with medium chain length form exclusively hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline phases.