Fabrication of cage-like particles via unstable seeded dispersion polymerization: A new concept in the polymerization-induced self-assembly

The formation mechanism of hollow micron-sized polystyrene (PS) particles having numerous dents on the surface, so-called cage-like particles, obtained from seeded dispersion polymerization (SDP) of 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA) with low molecular weight (MW) PS particles stabilized by poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in the presence of hexadecane droplets was investigated. It was found that association of poly(2-ethylhexyl methacrylate) (PEHMA)/hexadecane phases which occurs due to the instability of the obtained composite particles followed by a diffusion of PS ellipsoidal particles into each other is the main process responsible for the production of such unique morphology. Time course monitoring of the SDP showed that diffusion of hexadecane and/or PS and/or PEHMA phase into PS/PEHMA/hexadecane composite particles through PS shell which happens based on Ostwald ripening is the main phenomenon which results in the formation of the dents on the surface of final particles. Moreover, the experimental results revealed that in this reaction system, the polymerization develops in a faster manner rather than the SDP employing seed particles having higher MWs. Furthermore, it was observed that particles with different surface morphologies can be produced by using different hydrocarbons. The elimination of small particles which are produced in addition to the cage-like ones via decreasing the concentration of the stabilizer was another interesting finding of this research. The acquired results showed that unstable SDP is expected to be a new concept in polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) which employs instability of a dispersion for self-assembly of polymeric particles, and therefore, production of polymeric unique objects.     

Programming the Nucleation of DNA Brick Self-Assembly with a Seeding Strand

Recently, the DNA brick strategy has provided a highly modular and scalable approach for the construction of complex structures, which can be used as nanoscale pegboards for the precise organization of molecules and nanoparticles for many applications. Despite the dramatic increase of structural complexity provided by the DNA brick method, the assembly pathways are still poorly understood. Herein, we introduce a “seed” strand to control the crucial nucleation and assembly pathway in DNA brick assembly. Through experimental studies and computer simulations, we successfully demonstrate that the regulation of the assembly pathways through seeded growth can accelerate the assembly kinetics and increase the optimal temperature by circa 4–7 °C for isothermal assembly. By improving our understanding of the assembly pathways, we provide new guidelines for the design of programmable pathways to improve the self-assembly of DNA nanostructures.     

One‐Step Synthesis of Hybrid Liquid–Crystal ZnO Nanoparticles: Existence of a Critical Temperature Associated with the Anisotropy of the Nanoparticles

Zinc oxide nanoparticles were obtained from the hydrolysis of an organometallic precursor in pure hexadecylamine. Interestingly, we demonstrate that the final (anisotropic or isotropic) shape of the nanoparticles is strongly correlated to the existence of a critical temperature. This suggests that the organization of the fatty amines is a paramount parameter in this synthesis. Moreover, the final hybrid ZnO materials systematically exhibit a liquid–crystal smectic phase, whereas no liquid–crystal phase was observed in the pristine reaction media. This simple process is, therefore, a direct and straightforward method to synthesize liquid–crystal hybrid materials.     

Mechanical deformations of a liquid crystal elastomer at director angles between 0° and 90°: Deducing an empirical model encompassing anisotropic nonlinearity

Despite the wealth of studies reporting mechanical properties of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), no theory can currently describe their complete mechanical anisotropy and nonlinearity. Here, we present the first comprehensive study of mechanical anisotropy in an all‐acrylate LCE via tensile tests that simultaneously track liquid crystal (LC) director rotation. We then use an empirical approach to gain a deeper insight into the LCE's mechanical responses at values of strain, up to 1.5, for initial director orientations between 0° and 90°. Using a method analogous to time–temperature superposition, we create master curves for the LCE's mechanical response and use these to deduce a model that accurately predicts the load curve of the LCE for stresses applied at angles between 15° and 70° relative to the initial LC director. This LCE has been shown to exhibit auxetic behavior for deformations perpendicular to the director. Interestingly, our empirical model predicts that the LCE will further demonstrate auxetic behavior when stressed at angles between 54° and 90° to the director. Our approach could be extended to any LCE; so it represents a significant step forward toward models that would aid the further development of LCE theory and the design and modeling of LCE‐based technologies. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019, 57, 1367–1377     

Programming the Nucleation of DNA Brick Self‐Assembly with a Seeding Strand

Recently, the DNA brick strategy has provided a highly modular and scalable approach for the construction of complex structures, which can be used as nanoscale pegboards for the precise organization of molecules and nanoparticles for many applications. Despite the dramatic increase of structural complexity provided by the DNA brick method, the assembly pathways are still poorly understood. Herein, we introduce a “seed” strand to control the crucial nucleation and assembly pathway in DNA brick assembly. Through experimental studies and computer simulations, we successfully demonstrate that the regulation of the assembly pathways through seeded growth can accelerate the assembly kinetics and increase the optimal temperature by circa 4–7 °C for isothermal assembly. By improving our understanding of the assembly pathways, we provide new guidelines for the design of programmable pathways to improve the self‐assembly of DNA nanostructures.     

Monohalocyclohexanes in liquid crystalline solution: the molecular behaviour of chloro- and iodo-cyclohexane

Dynamic ²H NMR spectroscopy is used to study selectively and perdeuteriated samples of chloro- and iodo-cyclohexane dissolved in a liquid crystalline solution. The equatorial and axial conformers are found to exist in a dynamic equilibrium with relative amounts of about p_e = 0.7 and p_a = 0.3, respectively, as taken from the ²H NMR lineshapes and 2D exchange spectra. The quantitative analysis of variable temperature ²H NMR spectra provides the kinetic parameters of the underlying ring inversion process. The activation enthalpies of this internal process are given by ΔH = 48.1 ± 1.0 and 40.6 ± 2.3 kJ mol^-1 for chloro- and iodocyclohexane, respectively. These values resemble those reported from earlier studies of isotropic solutions. The molecular order parameters, as well as the orientation of the main ordering axis, for the axial and equatorial conformers are determined as functions of temperature. These molecular quantities exhibit a strong dependence on the actual conformational state and size of the substituent, while polar effects of the substituents seem to play no important role.     

Use of an Octapeptide–Guanidiniocarbonylpyrrole Conjugate for the Formation of a Supramolecular β‐Helix that Self‐Assembles into pH‐Responsive Fibers

Peptides that adopt β‐helix structures are predominantly found in transmembrane protein domains or in the lipid bilayer of vesicles. Constructing a β‐helix structure in pure water has been considered difficult without the addition of membrane mimics. Herein, we report such an example; peptide 1 self‐assembles into a supramolecular β‐helix in pure water based on charge interactions between the individual peptides. Peptide 1 further showed intriguing transitions from small particles to helical fibers in a time‐dependent process. The fibers can be switched to vesicles by changing the pH value.     

The alignment of dichroic dyes in a nematic liquid crystal: a molecular dynamics investigation

The absorption properties of a dye molecule depend on its orientation relative to the light source. Thus the ability to predict how well a particular dye aligns with a liquid crystal host will improve the design of smart materials. One measurement of this alignment is the order parameter, which can be calculated from molecular dynamics simulations. The results for three dyes are presented here. The orientation of the long molecular axis of the dye relative to the liquid crystal director can range from perpendicular to parallel, with the dyes studied having an average order parameter of the dye similar to the average order parameter of the host.     

Strain hardening of polycarbonate in the glassy state: Influence of temperature and molecular weight

This study is concerned with the temperature and molecular weight dependence of the strain-hardening behavior of polycarbonate. It is shown that the strain-hardening modulus reduces with increasing temperature and decreasing molecular weight. This result is interpreted in terms of temperature accelerated relaxation of the entanglement network. Moreover, it is shown that frozen-in orientations, induced by homogeneous deformations above the glass transition temperature, lead to anisotropic yield behavior that can be fully rationalized (and modelled) in terms of a superimposed stress contribution of the prestrained network. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2041–2049, 2004     

Chemical interactions between silver nanoparticles and thiols: a comparison of mercaptohexanol against cysteine

The interaction between citrate capped silver nanoparticles and two different thiols, mercaptohexanol(MH) and cysteine, was investigated. The thiols interacted with silver nanoparticles in a significantly contrasting manner. With MH, a sparingly soluble silver(I) thiolate complex AgSRm(Rm = –(CH2)6OH) was formed on the silver nanoparticle surface. Cyclic voltammograms and UV-vis spectra were used to infer that the AgSRm complex on the nanoparticle surface undergoes a phase transition to give a mixture of AgSRm and Ag2S-like complexes. In contrast, when silver nanoparticles were exposed to cysteine, the citrate capping agent on the silver nanoparticles was replaced by cysteine to give cysteine capped nanoparticles. As cysteine capped nanoparticles form, the electrochemical data displayed a decrease in oxidative peak charge but the UV-vis spectra showed a constant signal. Therefore, cysteine capped nanoparticles were suggested to have either inactivated the silver surface or else promoted detachment from the electrode surface.     

Evaluation of the degree of cross-linking of cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogels: a comparison between different techniques

Three different techniques have been applied to the evaluation of the degree of cross-linking of superabsorbent cellulose-based hydrogels obtained from water solutions of carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt (CMCNa) and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), chemically cross-linked with divinyl sulfone. These polyelectrolyte hydrogels are biodegradable and have the same sorption capacity as acrylate-based superabsorbents on the market. A ¹³C solid state NMR analysis was carried out on dry samples of hydrogel to obtain the degree of cross-linking, an important parameter that affects the swelling and mechanical properties of a hydrogel. Dynamic mechanical analysis was performed during the hydrogel cross-linking using a parallel plate rheometer under oscillatory deformations in order to monitor the evolution of the hydrogel viscoelastic properties during the synthesis. The value of |G*| and the slope of the stress-deformation ratio plots from uniaxial compression tests were used to evaluate the elastically effective degree of cross-linking according to classical rubber elasticity theory. Moreover, a dynamic mechanical analysis was carried out on cross-linked hydrogels at different degrees of swelling in order to investigate the influence of the swelling on the mechanical properties and the application of rubber elasticity theory to swollen hydrogels.     

Liquid crystal electrohydrodynamics in the presence of a magnetic field: the dynamic scattering transition

We have studied electrohydrodynamic convection in the nematic liquid crystal MMBA in the conduction regime in the presence of a competing magnetic field. This field substantially alters the behaviour of the system, causing a metastable surface deformation and travelling waves. The magnetic field also alters the transition between the two dynamic scattering modes so that both states retain anisotropic ordering. A scaling relation is found describing this hysteretic transition. We report the existence of a stable mixed state of DSM 1 and DSM 2.     

Kinetics of the surface tension of micellar solutions: Comparison of different experimental techniques

The kinetics of the surface tension of micellar solutions of nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 is measured experimentally by means of three different techniques: oscillating jet, maximum bubble pressure and inclined plate. They allow to study the micellization kinetics at various time scales (from a few milliseconds to a few seconds) in fairly large concentration region up to 50 times CMC. The experimental data are satisfactorily explained by a theoretical model accounting for the kinetics of micellization, diffusion of surfactant species and expansion of the bubble interface. By this model are computed the characteristic times of diffusion and micellization, which are of comparable magnitude (about 5 to 200 ms), and the Gibbs' elasticity. The micellization time constant corresponds to the slow relaxation process known to coincide with the disintegration of micelles. Comparing our data with other data from literature one can conclude that more realistic information for the micellization kinetics is obtained by the maximum bubble pressure and the oscillating jet method. The inclined plate seems too slow to measure the relaxation processes in micellar solutions of this surfactant.     

Regular microstructures in gel–surfactant complexes: Influence of water content and comparison with the surfactant structure in water

Interaction of slightly crosslinked hydrogels of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMACI) and of copolymer DADMACI/acrylamide (AAm) with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfate (SDBS) results in significant shrinking of the gels due to the formation of polymer-surfactant complexes. Jump-wise transitions in the collapsed state were observed for the networks with the content of cationic groups 100 and 75 mol %. The structure of complexes was studied by means of X-ray scattering method. The scattering curves for collapsed gels, where most chloride anions were replaced by anions of SDS, show a set of well-pronounced narrow diffraction maxima. Fully charged “wet” complexes studied at the equilibrium swelling conditions exhibit high degree of ordering, which diminishes upon drying with the simultaneous transition from hexagonal to lamellar type of ordering. In contrast to this, for DADMACl/AAm copolymer gels (75 mol % of DADMACl monomers in the initial polymerization mixture) the ordering is less pronounced in the “wet” state and becomes more perfect upon drying. The SDS aqueous solutions of the same concentration in the absence of gel do not show such high degree of ordering, while the system of SDS/neutral AAm gel exhibits lamellar ordering typical for low-temperature phases of SDS solutions. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

On the application of ICP-MS techniques for measuring uranium and plutonium: a Nordic inter-laboratory comparison exercise

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) techniques are widely used for determination of long-lived radionuclides and their isotopic ratios in the nuclear fields. Uranium (U) and Plutonium (Pu) isotopes have been determined by many researchers with ICP-MS due to its relatively high sensitivity and short measurement time. In this work, an inter-laboratory comparison exercise among the Nordic countries was performed, focusing on the measurement of U and Pu isotopes in certified reference materials by ICP-MS. The performance and characters of different ICP-MS instruments are evaluated and discussed in this paper.     

The solid‐state structure of the β‐blocker metoprolol: a combined experimental and in silico investigation

Metoprolol {systematic name: (RS)‐1‐isopropylamino‐3‐[4‐(2‐methoxyethyl)phenoxy]propan‐2‐ol}, C₁₅H₂₅NO₃, is a cardioselective β₁‐adrenergic blocking agent that shares part of its molecular skeleton with a large number of other β‐blockers. Results from its solid‐state characterization by single‐crystal and variable‐temperature powder X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry are presented. Its molecular and crystal arrangements have been further investigated by molecular modelling, by a Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) survey and by Hirshfeld surface analysis. In the crystal, the side arm bearing the isopropyl group, which is common to other β‐blockers, adopts an all‐trans conformation, which is the most stable arrangement from modelling data. The crystal packing of metoprolol is dominated by an O—H…N/N…H—O pair of hydrogen bonds (as also confirmed by a Hirshfeld surface analysis), which gives rise to chains containing alternating R and S metoprolol molecules extending along the b axis, supplemented by a weaker O…H—N/N—H…O pair of interactions. In addition, within the same stack of molecules, a C—H…O contact, partially oriented along the b and c axes, links homochiral molecules. Amongst the solid‐state structures of molecules structurally related to metoprolol deposited in the CSD, the β‐blocker drug betaxolol shows the closest analogy in terms of three‐dimensional arrangement and interactions. Notwithstanding their close similarity, the crystal lattices of the two drugs respond differently on increasing temperature: metoprolol expands anisotropically, while for betaxolol, an isotropic thermal expansion is observed.