Electromechanical effect in surface stabilized and unwound SC* liquid crystals

Applying an A.C. electric field to a planar oriented S_C* liquid crystal sample, a shear flow occurs parallel to the bounding plates and perpendicular to the helical axis. We have investigated this so-called electromechanical effect by applying different D.C. bias electric fields superposed on a constant A.C. field. The amplitude of the mechanical vibration was measured versus the bias field in different samples. From the results, structural models of the surface stabilized and unwound samples were tested.     

Electromechanical effect in surface stabilized and unwound SC* liquid crystals

Applying an A.C. electric field to a planar oriented S_C* liquid crystal sample, a shear flow occurs parallel to the bounding plates and perpendicular to the helical axis. We have investigated this so-called electromechanical effect by applying different D.C. bias electric fields superposed on a constant A.C. field. The amplitude of the mechanical vibration was measured versus the bias field in different samples. From the results, structural models of the surface stabilized and unwound samples were tested.     

Inversion walls in homeotropic nematic and cholesteric layers

We describe the experimental properties of metastable domains associated with the presence of an Inversion Wall (IW ) and observed with homeotropically anchored nematic and cholesteric liquid crystals sandwiched between parallel glass plates. Such a distorted situation, stabilized by the application of an electric field parallel to the plates as described in reference [1], can also be obtained transiently either when filling a sample cell by capillarity or in some studies of directional solidification at the N-I interface [2]. The application of an electric field perpendicular to the plates with Delta epsilon 0 materials allows control of the reversal region thickness in the bulk of the sample and its associated birefringence. This IW can be stabilized in the particular case of low lateral extension globules in which the line tension of the looped disclination separating the pi wall regions from the homeotropic regions counterbalances the unfavourable bulk free energy. Particular attention is devoted to the defects of these walls, whose appearance using polarizing microscopy is similar to the umbilics of the Freedericksz transition. The structure of these 'four brush' defects is nevertheless here singular, corresponding to point defects of a 3D uniaxial nematic medium. In the case of a chiral nematic, these IW undergo a particular undulation instability which is also observed in 2D simulations.     

A push/pull surface-mode liquid-crystal shutter: Technology and applications

The construction, operating principles and electro-optics of a surface-mode liquid-crystal shutter are reviewed. The shutter is composed of two glass plates, the inner surfaces of which are coated with a transparent electrically conductive layer. The substrates are treated to induce parallel director alignment. Polarizers are placed on the front and back of the cell oriented at right angles to each other and at 45° to the director. In the surface mode of operation a sustaining voltage is applied to the cell. This causes the director in the centre of the cell always to be oriented parallel to the electric field. The amplitude of the applied voltage determines the thickness of the surface layer-the layer in which the director orientation varies from parallel to the surface to parallel to the electric field. Light travelling through the cell will encounter retardation only in the surface layers. Hence the voltage controls the retardation of the cell, and by that means the polarization state of the light travelling through the cell. By adjusting the voltage so that the retardation is changed from 0λ to ½λ the shutter can switch from open to closed. It is possible to construct a faster-switching shutter. This so-called push/pull shutter is composed of three elements in optical series. The first two are surface-mode cells oriented such that their directors are perpendicular. The third element is a quarter-wave plate with its axes parallel to the directors. The three elements are placed between orthogonal polarizers, with the directors oriented at 45° to the polarizers axes. The closed state of the shutter is obtained by placing one shutter in the high-voltage 0λ state and the other in the low-voltage ¼λ state. The open state of the shutter is obtained by switching the voltage levels applied to the two cells. The operating principles and the electro-optics of this device are discussed in detail.     

Particle interactions in electrophoresis due to inertia

The inertial forces acting on two cylinders and two spheres have been calculated. The cylinders or spheres are of the same radius and zeta potential, and arbitrarily oriented in an electric field. It is found that when two particles are aligned perpendicular to the direction of the electric field, the force between them along the line of the centers is attractive. When they are along the direction of the electric field, the force between them along the line of the centers is repulsive. On a pair of arbitrarily oriented particles, the force perpendicular to the line of the centers tends to rotate the particles around the midpoint between the particle centers such that the pair is aligned normal to the applied electric field. The stable equilibrium orientation of a pair of particles and the attractive interaction forces between the particles when they are stably orientated may give rise to aggregation of particles during electrophoretic motion of a suspension.     

Self-consistent field study of the alignment by an electric field of a cylindrical phase of block copolymer

Self-consistent field theory is applied to a film of cylindrical-forming block copolymer subject to a surface field which tends to align the cylinders parallel to electrical plates, and to an external electric field tending to align them perpendicular to the plates. The Maxwell equations and self-consistent field equations are solved exactly, numerically, in real space. By comparing the free energies of different configurations, we show that for weak surface fields, the phase of cylinders parallel to the plates makes a direct transition to a phase in which the cylinders are aligned with the field throughout the sample. For stronger surface fields, there is an intermediate phase in which cylinders in the interior of the film, aligned with the field, terminate near the plates. For surface fields which favor the minority block, there is a boundary layer of hexagonal symmetry at the plates in which the monomers favored by the surface field occupy a larger area than they would if the cylinders extended to the surface.     

INFLUENCE OF ELECTRIC FIELDS ON FLUORESCENCE QUENCHING OF CHLOROPHYLL a IN NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTAL MATRIX

Abstract— An electric field enhances the yield of fluorescence of chlorophyll in a liquid crystal solvent. The presented data suggest that the electric field effect is caused by the decrease in the efficiency of fluorescence quenching by ions. Quenching of each polarized component of fluorescence of chlorophyll molecules oriented by the liquid crystal matrix is different. The relative increase in fluorescence yield due to the applied electric field is stronger for a fluorescence component polarized parallel to the direction of liquid crystal orientation than for the perpendicular component.     

激光诱导聚酰亚胺纳米微结构中分子链取向排列的研究

通过Nd:YAG偏振脉冲激光辐射聚酰亚胺薄膜,在其表面制得大面积纳米级周期性微线条,线条的周期性为200nm,线条方向始终平行于偏振激光束电场方向,线条横截面为圆形或椭圆形柱状结构.采用偏振反射红外光谱分别在平行与垂直纳米线条的方向上测试聚合物表面分子IR吸收光谱,结果发现,1722和1231cm^-1处的吸收有明显的二向色性,表明微线条内聚合物分子链部分呈现取向排列,且聚酰亚胺分子链方向与微线条方向垂直.     

Concept of Absolute Enantioselective Separation

A novel approach to separations of racemates is described. It is a chromatography-like process in which molecules to be separated are oriented in two directions perpendicular to each other and parallel to the surface. If this requirement is met the opposite enantiomers differ in the energy of interaction with the surface. We call the process Absolute Enantioselective Separation (AES). Surface requirements for resolving a racemate to enantiomers are discussed. AES can be accomplished either by interaction of racemate components with a repeating pattern on the not necessarily chiral surface and interaction with a static electric field or by interaction with two repeating patterns defining the chirality of the surface. Additionally, a multiple use of electric fields to enable a separation in bulk is described. The ease of separation of selected natural compounds (amino acids and monosaccharides) in the AES process is also discussed.     

短10元环孔道片状垂直交错ZSM-5分子筛合成

分子筛酸性位位于其亚纳米孔道中,赋予其独特的择型催化特性,在烃类催化转化中有重要应用.但传统分子筛的晶体尺寸通常在微米尺度,因此狭长的孔道结构使得分子与活性位的接触受到扩散限制.通过控制分子筛晶体生长习性,选择性暴露分子筛孔道开口晶面,截短分子筛孔道长度,可以有效解决扩散问题.例如通过控制ZSM-5分子筛沿b轴的生长,合成了具有单晶胞层厚度(2 nm)的二维片层状分子筛,有效的促进了分子扩散、大大提高了其在甲醇转化中的寿命.但这类ZSM-5分子筛的合成需要使用特殊的多头季铵盐模版剂,且一般SiO2/Al2O3比大于100,不利于其实际应用推广.本文开发了一种使用简单有机胺模版剂(TEDA)合成片状垂直交错结构ZSM-5的新方法,并采用电子显微分析对所制ZSM-5分子筛晶体生长方向进行了表征,测试了其催化甲醇制汽油反应性能.结果表明,所得ZSM-5具有良好的结晶性和典型微孔分子筛吸附特征,微孔表面积和微孔体积分别为251 m2/g和0.12 cm3/g.电镜结果表明,其晶体结构特征为:一簇平行子片垂直生长于一个母片上的交错结构,母片呈现异于常见六边形MFI的八边形结构,大小约3-5μm,子片大小约1-2μm,子片和母片的厚度均约为100-200 nm.母片平行于MFI晶体的(010)平面,因此母片表面暴露直孔道开口,且其直孔道长度约100-200 nm.子片与母片连接处的选区电子衍射(电子束沿[010]方向入射)与母片的选区电子衍射完全一致,子片垂直于[100]方向,且子片相互间以平行方式排列,这些证据均说明子片在母片上的生长方式很可能是外延生长,而非粒子堆积机理.因此,子片平行于MFI的(100)晶面,表面暴露之字形孔道开口,且之字形孔道长度约100-200 nm.进一步通过表征不同水热晶化时间的样品,研究了其可能的生长机制.结果表明,水热晶化72 h后,XRD图出现微弱的MFI晶体特征衍射峰,SEM显示有少量片状晶体生成,但无交错结构;晶化96 h后,XRD衍射峰增强,片状结构比例增加,且有交错结构出现;晶化120 h后,XRD呈现完美的MFI晶体衍射结构,SEM图显示均匀的交错片状结构.72和96 h的样品均为无定形物和片状(或交错片状)物共存,说明片状(或交错片状)结构的形成不是同步进行的;样品从开始结晶到完成结晶所需的时间较长,不同于分子筛结晶中常见的自催化结晶方式.我们推测,交错片状ZSM-5的形成发生在无定形物与溶液相界面处,遵循匀相成核机理.该方法得到的ZSM-5分子筛SiO2/Al2O3约为40,且固体核磁表明,ZSM-5中Al主要以骨架四配位形式存在,HZSM-5催化剂上四配位Al的比例高达95%以上,因此其骨架有丰富的酸性位.甲醇制汽油反应性能显示,在363oC,0.4 MPa条件下,甲醇转化量240 g时催化剂仍未失活,表现出典型纳米ZSM-5分子筛的高稳定性特征,这可能归结于片状ZSM-5具有短的(100-200 nm)直孔道或之字形孔道,可以有效促进反应物和产物的扩散,抑制积碳的生成.     

MECHANISM OF ORIENTATION AND LINEAR DICHROISM OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC PARTICLES IN ELECTRIC FIELDS: CHLOROPLASTS AND CHLOROPHYLL-PROTEIN COMPLEXES

Abstract— The mechanisms of orientation in pulsed and alternating electric fields of thylakoids (derived from the sonication of spinach chloroplasts) and of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complexes (CPII) were investigated by utilizing linear dichroism techniques. Comparisons of the linear dichroism spectra of thylakoids and CPII particles suggest that the latter are oriented with their directions of largest electronic polarizabilities (and thus probably their largest dimensions) within the thylakoid membrane planes. At low electric field strengths (< 12 V cm^?1), and at low frequencies of alternating electric fields (< 0.25 Hz), thylakoid membranes tend to align with their normals parallel to the direction of the applied electric field; the mechanism of orientation involves a permanent dipole moment of the thylakoids which is oriented perpendicular to the planes of the membranes. However, at high field strengths and high frequencies of the applied alternating electric fields, the thylakoids tend to orient with their planes parallel to the applied field, thus exhibiting an inversion of the sign of the linear dichroism as the electric field strength is increased. At the higher frequencies and at higher field strengths, the orientation mechanisms of the thylakoids involve induced dipole moments related to anisotropies in the electronic polarizabilities. The polarizability is higher within the plane than along a normal to the plane, thus accounting for the inversion of the dichroism as the electric field strength is increased. The CPII particles align with their largest dimension parallel to the applied field at all field strength, indicating that the induced dipole moment dominates the orientation mechanisms in pulsed electric fields. The magnitude of the absolute linear dichroism of CPII suspensions increases with increasing dilution, indicating that aggregates of lower symmetry are formed at higher concentrations of the CPII complexes.     

Anomalous anisotropy of the elastic constants in the induced smectic O film

Surface tension is known to induce smectic O (S_O) films at the free surface of isotropic droplets of 1-methylheptyl terephthalylidene-bis-4-aminocinnamate (MHTAC). The S_O film has its molecules disposed in a herringbone fashion, with the layers parallel to the free surface. It constitutes a model of a 2D polar nematic liquid crystal without any contact to solid substrates. The film is oriented uniformly when applying a uniform electric field, except along disclination walls. By measuring the width of the disclination walls in the two configurations with the electric field parallel and perpendicular, we determine the anisotropy of the elastic constants in the induced S_o films. We find the ratio of the 2D bend to splay elastic constants K_b/K_s to be ≃ 0.25 which is anomalously small when compared to the corresponding 3D ratio (K₂ + K₃)/2K₁ usually found for the bulk nematic phase. This experimental result is comparable to measurements performed with 2D suspended S_c films with, however, a different physics.     

Dielectric studies of the nematic mixture E7 on a hydroxypropylcellulose substrate

To study the influence of a polymeric substrate, hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), on the dynamics of the nematic mixture E7, the real ( ε') and imaginary ( ε" ) parts of the complex dielectric permittivity of the unaligned composite system (polymeric substrate covered with liquid crystal) were measured as a function of frequency and temperature, and compared with those of unaligned pure E7. The temperature range was extended down to the supercooled region. Three superimposed processes were detected, related to different alignment states in relation to the electric field: (1) a main relaxation mechanism due to the hindered rotation of molecules about their short axis, corresponding to the case where the director is parallel to the electric field in an oriented sample, (2) a low frequency process attributed to molecular aggregates, and (3) a high frequency process due to the tumbling of molecules. Processes (2) and (3) correspond to the case when the director is perpendicular to the electric field in an oriented sample. In the composite system the main relaxation mechanism results in a faster process but the other two processes almost superimpose in the frequency window, the high frequency process being much more intense relative to pure E7. The enhancement of the high frequency process in HPC+ E7 can be interpreted as an increase in the number of dipoles whose director has a component aligned perpendicular to the electric field, due to surface effects. The temperature dependence of the main and high frequency relaxation mechanisms obeys the VFT law, which is a feature of glass-like systems.     

Orientation mechanism of palygorskite and kaolinite derived from the electric reversing pulse technique

Summary The investigation of electrooptical effects (birefringence, light scattering, dichroism) by the electric reversing pulse technique gives information on the directions of the electric moments of the particles. In case of Palygorskite and Kaolinite the experimental curves show a maximum at the instant when the field changes its polarity. The existence of this maximum demonstrates that the electric moments (permanent and induced moment) are oriented perpendicular to each other. The electric polarizability is parallel oriented to the long axis of the particles and the permanent dipole moment perpendicular to it. From the maximum the mean rotational diffusion coefficient of the particles has been calculated and the ratio of both electric moments in the case of Palygorskite after the theory ofI. Tinoco et al. andK. Yoshioka et al. has been obtained.

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Zusammenfassung Die Untersuchung elektrooptischer Effekte (Doppelbrechung, Lichtstreuung, Dichroismus) im elektrischen Feld mit rechteckförmigen Impulsen wechselnder Polarität gibt die Möglichkeit, die Richtung der elektrischen Momente der Teilchen zu ermitteln. Im Fall von Palygorskit und Kaolinit zeigen die experimentellen Kurven der Doppelbrechung ein Maximum beim Wechsel der Polarität des Feldes. Dieses Maximum bedeutet, daß die elektrischen Momente (permanentes und induziertes) senkrecht zueinander orientiert sind. Die elektrische Polarisierbarkeit liegt parallel zur langen Achse der Teilchen und das permanente Dipolmoment senkrecht dazu. Aus dem Maximum der Doppelbrechung ergibt sich für Palygorskit nach der Theorie vonI. Tinoco et al. und vonK. Yoshioka et al. die mittlere Rotations-Diffusionskonstante der Teilchen und das Verhältnis beider elektrischer Momente.

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With 2 figures     

A light-scattering study of deformation of liquid-crystalline spherulites of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) in an electric field

The deformation of liquid-crystalline spherulites of poly(γ-benzyl-L -glutamate) (PBLG) in an electric field was investigated by light scattering, polarized-light microscopy, and birefringence measurements. Under the polarizing microscope, the deformation was found to be dependent upon the field strength. The spherulites deformed perpendicular to the field. Above 75 V/cm in N,N-dimethylformamide or 120 V/cm in 1,1,2-trichloroethane, the deformed spherulites were transformed to rodlike textures. With increasing voltage, the rods gradually oriented parallel to the electric field. On the basis of the experimental results, models for affine deformation are proposed. With these models, light-scattering patterns are calculated. The calculated and experimental patterns agree semiquantitatively.     

Dielectric force and relative motion between two spherical particles in electrophoresis

When two particles close to each other are in electrophoretic motion, each particle is under the influence of the nonuniform electric field generated by the other particle. Two particles may attract or repel each other due to the dielectric force, depending on their positions in the nonuniform electric field. In this work, the dielectric interaction and the subsequent relative motion of the two arbitrarily oriented spherical particles are analyzed. The dielectric force is obtained by integrating the Maxwell stress. The result is valid for arbitrary orientations of the particles under the thin electrical-double-layer assumption. The magnitude of the dielectric force is compared to the so-called inertia-induced force, which shows that the dielectric force is normally much greater than the inertia-induced force. The relative velocity of particles is determined by the force balance between the dielectric force and the Stokes drag. The regions of attraction and repulsion are defined. It is shown that a pair of particles eventually aligns parallel to the externally applied electric field, except in the case where the two particles are initially oriented perpendicular to the electric field. A closed-form analytical solution is obtained for the particle trajectory by using the approximate expression for the dielectric force valid for not-too-closely located particles.     

Dissecting the bond-formation process of <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis><Superscript>10</Superscript>-metal–ethene complexes with multireference approaches

The bonding mechanism of ethene to a nickel or palladium center is studied by the density matrix renormalization group algorithm, the complete active space self-consistent field method, coupled cluster theory, and density functional theory. Specifically, we focus on the interaction between the metal atom and bis-ethene ligands in perpendicular and parallel orientations. The bonding situation in these structural isomers is further scrutinized using energy decomposition analysis and quantum information theory. Our study highlights the fact that when two ethene ligands are oriented perpendicular to each other, the complex is stabilized by the metal-to-ligand double-back-bonding mechanism. Moreover, we demonstrate that nickel–ethene complexes feature a stronger and more covalent interaction between the ligands and the metal center than palladium–ethene compounds with similar coordination spheres.     

First principle electric field response of single-walled boron nitride nanotube: a case study of zigzag (4,0) model

Structural and electrical responses of the (4,0) zigzag model of single-walled boron nitride (BN) nanotube (NT) (with edges terminated by H atoms) have been investigated under the external electric fields (parallel and transverse) with strengths 0−2.0 × 10⁻² a.u. using DFT-B3LYP/6-31G* method. Calculated electric dipole moment shows a significant change in the presence of the parallel and perpendicular external electric fields which result in much stronger interactions at higher electric field strengths. Natural bond orbital (NBO) atomic charges analysis shows that the separation of the center of the positive and the center of the negative electric charges of (4,0) zigzag BNNT increase with increase the applied parallel and transverse electric field strengths. The applied fields change the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies and decrease the HOMO–LUMO gap (HLG) values. The calculated electronic spatial extent (ESE) showed small changes of <0.63% and <1.53% over the entire range of the applied parallel and perpendicular electric field strengths, respectively. Results of this study indicate that the properties of BNNTs can be controlled by applying the proper external electric field. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Directional anisotropy of dielectric β-relaxation in oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The dielectric β-relaxation in oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) was investigated over wide ranges of frequency and temperature, with the electric field applied at inclinations of 0°, 45°, and 90° to the draw direction. Pronounced directional anisotropy is observed over the entire range of temperature and frequency. With the external field parallel to the draw direction the dielectric loss is considerably smaller than the value obtained with the field normal to the draw direction. The value obtained with the electric field at 45° to the draw direction is intermediate between the other two. On the other hand, the activation energy is largest for 0° inclination and smallest for 90° inclination. It is suggested that motions of the dipoles involve localized rocking of the molecular chain backbone, particularly when the external electric field is parallel to the chain direction.     

Droplet deformation in dc electric fields: the extended leaky dielectric model

The leaky dielectric model (LDM) was extended to large droplet distortions in dc electric fields. The resulting extended LDM (ELDM) reduces to the LDM for small droplet aspect ratios and to the pure dielectric model when the ratio of droplet and matrix conductivities equals the inverse ratio of their permittivities. The ELDM distinguishes between two types of phenomena possible at high electric fields: continuous deformation and hysteresis. For droplets deforming parallel to the electric field, the relationship that distinguishes between the two phenomena is a function of the droplet and matrix conductivities and viscosities but not of their permittivities. For droplets deforming perpendicular to the electric field, the relationship is a function of the droplet permittivities and conductivities but depends only slightly on the ratio of their viscosities. Some of the predictions of the LDM and the ELDM were compared with our own data and with data from the literature. For the systems that deformed parallel to the field direction, the ELDM not only predicted the data qualitatively but also predicted the data quantitatively when the experimental errors in its input parameters were taken into account, whereas the older LDM did not even predict the qualitative trend of the data. For the systems that deformed perpendicular to the field direction, however, the ELDM predicted the observed the aspect ratios in only one out of the four systems examined. In the other three systems, the LDM appeared to give reasonable predictions when either the ratio of the matrix/droplet viscosities was relatively small or the value of total charge relaxation time was relatively large. Thus, the applicability of the ELDM, as presently formulated, appears to be limited in the case of deformations perpendicular to the electric field.