Abstandsvergleich M–H/M–D aus Röntgen‐ und Neutronenbeugungsdaten am Beispiel von Na3Rh(H/D)6

Comparison of the Distances M–H/M–D from X‐Ray and Powder Neutron Scattering Data on the Example of Na₃Rh(H/D)₆ Mixtures of NaNH₂, NaN₃ and Rh heated to 600 °C in autoclaves for salt melts show no indication of formation of ternary nitrides, but unexpectedly single crystals of a ternary hydride, Na₃RhH₆, were obtained. These crystals were isolated by washing the reaction product with liquid ammonia at room temperature. During this procedure metallic sodium – formed by decomposition of both the amide and the azide at elevated temperatures – is removed. X‐ray diffraction measurements on single crystals of Na₃RhH₆ allowed to even refine the displacement parameters of the hydrogen atoms and to compare the obtained results with data from powder neutron scattering of Na₃RhD₆ published by Bronger, Gehlen and Auffermann [1]. Only little differences are found between the lattice parameters, atomic positions and, noteworthy, the resulting distances Rh–H and Rh–D, respectively.     

Superfluorinated Ionic Liquid Crystals Based on Supramolecular,Halogen‐Bonded Anions

Unconventional ionic liquid crystals in which the liquid crystallinity is enabled by halogen‐bonded supramolecular anions [C_nF_{2 n+1}‐I⋅⋅⋅I⋅⋅⋅I‐C_nF_{2 n+1}]⁻ are reported. The material system is unique in many ways, demonstrating for the first time 1) ionic, halogen‐bonded liquid crystals, and 2) imidazolium‐based ionic liquid crystals in which the occurrence of liquid crystallinity is not driven by the alkyl chains of the cation.     

The abnormal changes of electrical resistivity in liquid Pb–In alloys

Electrical resistivity of liquid lead and indium (Pb–In) alloys with different compositions has been measured using the four-probe method in a large temperature range. Marked turning points on each resistivity–temperature (ρ–T) curve of the liquid Pb–In alloys can be observed far above the liquidus. The unusual variation of the resistivity of Pb–In melts suggests a structural transition of these melts, for resistivity is a sensitive parameter to the structure. Moreover, the DSC experiment of Pb–In melts supports the existence of a liquid–liquid (L–L) structure transition in Pb–In melts. Such a L–L structural transition can be described in terms of the gradual disappearance of atomic bonds corresponding to the crystal structure and/or to a reduction of the size of pre-formed atomic clusters. This implies an increase of disorder in the high temperature melts. The transition temperatures depend on the composition of Pb–In melts and the onset transition temperatures of the intermediate phase (α) Pb–63%In and Pb–70.6%In melts are higher than that of other compositions.     

Superfluorinated Ionic Liquid Crystals Based on Supramolecular,Halogen‐Bonded Anions

Unconventional ionic liquid crystals in which the liquid crystallinity is enabled by halogen‐bonded supramolecular anions [C_nF_{2 n+1}‐I???I???I‐C_nF_{2 n+1}]^? are reported. The material system is unique in many ways, demonstrating for the first time 1) ionic, halogen‐bonded liquid crystals, and 2) imidazolium‐based ionic liquid crystals in which the occurrence of liquid crystallinity is not driven by the alkyl chains of the cation.     

Nematic reorientation in electric and magnetic fields

Homogeneous reorientation processes of two nematic liquid crystals in electric and magnetic fields have been observed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Using a recently developed experimental set-up, it is possible to study reorientation processes in liquid crystals by means of NMR experiments in a very flexible way. The time constant τ describing these processes has been determined as a function of the applied electric field. It emerges that the electric field cannot only be used to increase the reorientation time but also to slow the director reorientation by approximately one order of magnitude. Experimental data for 5CB and a fluorinated liquid crystal (BCH-5 FFF) are presented. The reorientation time measured as a function of the electric field can be used to calculate the rotational viscosity γ ₁. By repeating these experiments at different temperatures it was possible to investigate the temperature behaviour of γ ₁.     

Liquid crystal chemistry and poetry

This paper comments on a recent article “Revolutionary poetry and liquid crystal chemistry: Herman Gorter, Ada Prins and the interface between literature and science” by Hub Zwart (Foundations of Chemistry, published online: 10 July 2020), in which the author explores the influence of the liquid crystal research of Ada Prins on the epic poem Pan written by her long-time lover Herman Gorter. The present paper reviews the basic science of liquid crystals and explains the connections between the work of Prins and its influence on the poem. Other examples of the use of “liquid crystal” as a literary device are identified from renaissance poetry, and the uses of the metaphor in these poems are analysed from a scientific perspective. From these examples it is suggested that creative concepts from poetry may contain elements of substance that appear in hitherto unrecognised scientific realities.

     

Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol Oligomers: A Molecular Dynamics Study

MD studies of liquid isopropyl alcohol and melts of short poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) oligomers are described. The specific volume was found to depend inversely on the number N of repeat units. If the chain length is enhanced, the viscosity of the PVA melt increases and the peaks in the radial distribution function become sharper. Additional peaks that appear in melts of PVA chains are of pure intramolecular origin. The calculated radius of gyration was found to depend on the number of formula units via . The orientation correlation functions showed that all molecular vectors of PVA melts with chain lengths N = 1, 2, 3 relax completely within a few nanoseconds. The relaxation times for the O H bond vector as obtained via the Kohlrausch‐Williams‐Watts expression showed an exponential dependence on the number of repeat units.

     

Synthesis of cyclopentyloxy terphenyl liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy

Liquid crystalline materials possessing negative dielectric anisotropy (Δε) have attracted considerable attention because they can be used to formulate eutectic mixture for several display applications. The negative Δε can be achieved by introducing a lateral polar substituent onto the mesogen core of a liquid crystalline material, and fluorine atoms are usually used because of the small size and high electronegativity. 2,3-ortho-Difluoro substituent liquid crystals exhibit stable and profound physical properties such as the low viscosity, strong negative Δε, and high solubility. To avoid the decrease of the mesophase range, 2,3-ortho-difluorophenyl is often placed next to the terminal chain. In this paper, we have synthesised a new series of 2,3-ortho-difluoroterphenyl liquid crystals with a negative dielectric anisotropy. Ether oxygen is introduced to the structure because it can further increase the lateral dipole moment. 3-Alkylcyclopentane end group decreases both the melting point and the viscosity, which makes it an appropriate substituent for negative Δε 2,3-ortho-difluoroterphenyl liquid crystals. The mesomorphic properties as well as the optical anisotropies of the synthesised liquid crystals are discussed in this paper. All compounds in the series are found to possess highly negative dielectric anisotropy, wide mesophase ranges; therefore, they have a great potential to formulate eutectic mixture for liquid crystal displays.     

Dimer liquid crystals with bent mesogenic units

Three series of dimer liquid crystals containing an aromatic and a cholesteryl mesogenic unit were synthesized and investigated The compounds within the series differ in the length of the spacer connecting the mesogenic groups. Two of the three series contain an aromatic mesogenic group that is connected to the spacer at a meta-position instead of the para-position. Due to the presence of this bent mesogenic group, the odd-even effect in the transitional properties that is normally observed for dimer liquid crystals is reversed as compared with that of the third series, which contains a para-substituted aromatic mesogenic group. The reversed odd-even effect is found for the isotropization temperatures, the associated enthalpy changes and also for the optical properties.     

Influence of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate on the lamellar liquid crystal formed by tetraethylene glycol lauryl ether and water

Lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) formed in tetraethylene glycol lauryl ether–water system by the addition of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C _n Mim][BF₄], n?=?2, 4, 6, 8, 10) are characterised by polarised optical microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering techniques. A small number of [C _n Mim][BF₄] molecules can be solubilised in the liquid crystal without changing the lamellar type. These imidazolium salts are considered as an ideal kind of modifiers for the ordered structure. With different lengths of alkyl chains, [C _n Mim][BF₄] molecules appear in various domains of ordered assemblies: in the water layer for [C₂Mim][BF₄], in the water layer as well as in the polar domain for [C₄Mim][BF₄] and in the apolar domain for the other imidazolium salts with long alkyl chains. Diverse distributions of [C _n Mim][BF₄] molecules in the inner structure bring about their specific influence on the lamellar phase. These results enlighten the use of diverse alkyl-substituted imidazolium salts in modulating LLC and other assemblies and also enrich the aggregation behaviour of these assemblies.     

Narrowing of spontaneous emission and lasing in lyotropic and thermotropic liquid crystals

The narrowing of spontaneous emission and lasing are reported for the first time for a dye-doped lyotropic liquid crystal consisting of a methylbenzylamine solution of polybenzylglutamate (PBLG). Lasing was also studied in twisted nematics based on cholesterol derivatives. PBLG produces a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) with selective reflection in the visible region at PBLG concentrations above 55%. A comparison is made of the narrowing of spontaneous emission and lasing in lyotropic vs. thermotropic liquid crystals. In both cases lasing occurs where the selective reflection band overlaps the dye emission band. Thermotropic liquid crystals show a much lower lasing threshold than lyotropic systems. The lasing mechanism and the role of disorder in both systems are discussed.     

REDOX DISSOCIATION OF MELTED TETRAPHOSPHORUS DECASULFIDE

Abstract

P₄S₁₀ suffers a fast oxido-reductive dissociation when melted, losing one of its four terminal S atoms to yield P₄S₉, which is characterized by nmr, irand Raman spectroscopy. This dissociated state is largely retained in the cooled melts, which appear to be made up of unaltered P₄S₁₀ crystals embedded in an amorphous matrix containing the dissociation products; such melts give rise easily to supersaturated solutions in CS₂, from which crystals of pure P₄S₉—form I separate on standing.

The same holds true for commercial “P₂S₅,” for which a definite positive correlation was found between the P and P₄S₉ contents.

Examples of redox dissociation of other P/S compounds are quoted for the sake of comparison.     

Optical activity measurements on solids. 6. Solid state optical activity and circular dichroism measurements of sodium thioantimonate nonahydrate

Summary We have demonstrated that optical circular dichroism (CD) measurements can be carried out on powders suspended in a liquid medium. The refractive indices of the powder and the suspending liquid must be matched, the suspending liquid must not interact significantly with the solid to be measured and must not absorb in the region where the measurements are carried out. Sodium thioantimonate nonahydrate (Na₃SbS₄·9H₂O) powders obtained by grinding oflevo- ordextro-rotatory crystals were found to be excellent examples for the demonstration of this technique. Measurements of the optical rotation forlevo- anddextro-rotatory crystals and powders of Na₃SbS₄·9H₂O were also carried out and provided additional characterization of this salt. In the course of developing the CD measurement technique, CD of NaClO₃ and NaBrO₃ crystals was also measured.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Karl Schlögl on the occasion of his 70^th birthday with our warmest wishes     

Polymer films derived from aligned and polymerised reactive liquid crystals

The principles and methods of fabricating thin polymer films with particular optical properties via the process of in‐situ photopolymerisation of reactive liquid crystals are described. The optical properties of these films are described in terms of their retardation profile. Some possible applications, such as compensation films for improving the viewing angle of a TN‐TFT liquid crystal display are discussed. A novel way of combining the properties of a quarter wave foil and a compensation film for a broad band cholesteric brightness enhancement film is also described.     

Study of crystal texture in pvc gels by x-ray diffraction and infrared dichroism

An enquiry is presented into the nature and origin of thermoreversible gelation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). In line with a previous paper it is demonstrated by direct x-ray diffraction evidence that the origin of the gelation is crystallization, and that this crystallinity can be conspicuously apparent even for the usual technological polymer. In addition some unusual diffraction effects become apparent such as do not obviously follow from existing notions of the PVC structure. Combined infrared dichroism and x-ray studies revealed that these new effects are attributable to a two-component nature of the crystallinity where the components are distinguished by their orientation behavior, lateral extension, and possibly morphology of the crystallites. Some of the crystals orient with their a axes (type A crystals) and some with their c axes (type B crystals) along the stretch direction. Other more complex orientability differences are also manifest during film formation. Crystals B are smaller, and are believed to correspond to the network forming junctions, hence to fringed micellar crystals. Crystals A have a less evident connection with the network and are hypothesized to be of lamellar character, the behavior of which is closely simulated by lamellar crystal additives (stabilizer crystals). High-temperature x-ray work revealed no melting of crystals even in the temperature range where endotherms appear in the thermograms.     

Dual quartz crystal microbalance compensation using a submerged reference crystal. Effect of surface roughness and liquid properties

Absolute resonant frequency measurements were made on gold-coated AT-cut quartz crystals with one face in contact with a series of liquids. The effect of surface roughness and liquid properties (viscosity and density) was analyzed in terms of a “trapped liquid” model. In this model, liquid present in surface imperfections is viewed as rigidly coupled mass. In some of the literature this density-dependent, but not viscosity-dependent, term is viewed as being additive to the hydrodynamic shift seen for a smooth surface. Data obtained using 1 μm and 5 μm surface finish crystals are inconsistent with the predictions of the trapped liquid model. This suggests hydrodynamic coupling between liquid internal and external to the crevices. Despite the lack of a theoretical model for the liquid motion, it is possible to compensate for frequency variations resulting from changing liquid properties and for roughness effects by making direct measurements of the resonant frequency difference between two crystals exposed to the same solution. This novel procedure works to the extent that the two crystals have similar surface topographies. Compensation is excellent for 1 μm finish crystals and good for 5 μm finish crystals.     

Thermal behavior of some cholesteric esters

Taking into account the importance of thermal stability in the liquid crystals field, the study presents thermal behavior of some cholesteric esters, which differ by the nature of the functional group attached to the cholesteryl unit and the connecting position of the nitro or amino functions to the aromatic ring. The cholesteric esters present liquid crystalline properties, with high melting and clearing points and may be used as intermediates in the synthesis of liquid crystals. Some other kinetic characteristics, such as reaction order (n), activation energy (E_a) and pre-exponential factor (lnA) have been also evaluated. The type of functional units adjacent to the aromatic unit determines thermal stability of the cholesteryl compounds. Groups with a powerful withdrawing effect induce a decreasing of the temperatures at which the material starts to lose mass. An increased thermal stability for the amino esters has been observed, probably because of some intermolecular hydrogen bonds formation.     

Room‐Temperature Synthesis of Bismuth Clusters in Ionic Liquids and Crystal Growth of Bi5(AlCl4)3

The viability of Lewis‐acid ionic liquids for the synthesis of low‐valent bismuth compounds is demonstrated. At room temperature, elemental bismuth and bismuth(III) cations synproportionate in the ionic liquid [BMIM]Cl/AlCl₃ ([BMIM]⁺: 1‐n‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium) within minutes. The existence of bismuth polycations in the dark colored solution was proven by Raman spectroscopy. Dark‐red crystals of Bi₅(AlCl₄)₃ were isolated from the ionic liquid and characterized by Raman spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography (rhombohedral space‐group , a = 1187.1(2) pm, c = 3012.0(3) pm). The method allows the synthesis of bismuth cluster compounds under milder conditions than in high‐temperature melts and more conveniently and environmental friendly than in liquid SO₂ with strongly oxidizing, toxic agents like SbF₅ or AsF₅.     

Unique morphological and thermal behaviors of reorganized poly(ethylene terephthalates)

Bulk poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET has been reorganized both morphologically and conformationally by processing from its inclusion complex (IC) formed with γ‐cyclodextrin (CD). In the narrow channels of its γ‐CD‐IC crystals the included guest PET chains are isolated from neighboring PET chains and the ethylene glycol (EG) units adopt the highly extended g±tg? kink conformations, whose cross‐sectional diameters are ～80% of the diameter of the fully extended, all‐trans crystalline PET conformer, though they are nearly (～95%) as extended. When the highly extended, unentangled guest PET chains are coalesced from their γ‐CD‐IC crystals by exposure to hot water, host γ‐CDs are removed and the PET chains are presumably consolidated into a bulk sample with a morphology and constituent chain conformations not normally found in PET samples solidified from their randomly coiling, possibly entangled, disordered melts and solutions. Observations by polarized light and atomic force microscopies provide visual evidence for widely different semicrystalline morphologies developed in coalesced and as‐received PETs when crystallized from their melts, with possibly chain extended, small crystals and spherulitic, chain‐folded, large crystals, respectively. DSC observations reveal that coalesced PET is rapidly crystallizable from the melt, while as‐received PET is slow to crystallize and is easily quenched into a totally amorphous sample. Analyses of ¹³C‐NMR data strongly indicate that the PET chains in the noncrystalline regions of the coalesced sample remain predominantly in the highly extended kink conformations, with g±tg? EG units, which are required by their inclusion into PET‐γ‐CD‐IC crystals, while the predominantly amorphous PET chains in the as‐received sample have high concentrations of gauche± ? CH₂? CH₂? and trans ? O? CH₂? ,? CH₂? O? EG bond conformations. ¹³C‐NMR T₁(¹³C) and T_1ρ(¹H) relaxation studies show no evidence of a glass transition for coalesced PET, while the as‐received sample shows abrupt changes in both the MHz [T₁(¹³C)] and kHz [T_1ρ(¹H)] motions at T ～ T_g. Preliminary observations of differences in their macroscopic properties are attributed to the very different morphologies and conformations of the constituent chains in these PET samples. Apparently the kink conformers in the noncrystalline regions of coalesced PET are at least partially retained for extended periods even in the melt and are rapidly crystallized upon cooling. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 386–394, 2004     

Relaxation of a liquid-crystalline order induced by an electric field

The influence of a strong electric field on isotropic melts of 6-cyanobiphenyl and comb-shaped polyacrylate with mesogenic groups in its side chains is investigated. It is established that the electric field induces the isotropic liquid-nematic liquid crystal phase transition in melts of these compounds. A relaxation process was discovered that destroys the nematic ordering induced in substances by electric fields. It was established that, for polymer liquid crystals, the time of transition from the ordered state to the isotropic phase is several orders longer then that for low-molecular liquid crystal.