Preparation of nano-sized silica with solar energy conversion and storage function by immobilization of norbornadiene moieties to hyperbranched poly(amido amine)-grafted nano-sized silica

The immobilization of norbornadiene (NBD) moieties onto nano-sized silica surface by the direct condensation of the surface terminal amino groups of hyperbranched poly(amido amine) (PAMAM)-grafted silica with 3-phenyl-2,5-norbornadiene-2-carboxylic acid is examined. It is found that the immobilization of NBD moieties onto the silica successfully proceeds in the presence of N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) as a condensing agent. The immobilized NBD moieties onto the silica surface increases with increasing amount of amino groups of hyperbranched PAMAM-grafted silica, but the percentage of amino groups used for the immobilization of NBD moieties is decreased. The immobilized NBD moieties on the silica surface are readily isomerized to quadricyclane (QD) by photo-irradiation in n-hexane. Stored thermal energy by QD-immobilized silica is released as thermal energy by heating. The stored thermal energy of QD-immobilized silica increases with progress of the photo-irradiation time and became constant, about 30 J/g-silica, after 2 h.     

Orientational ordering from molecular polarizabilities and an odd-even effect in nCB homologous series

The molecular polarizabilities of the homologous series of cyano-alkyl-biphenyl (C _n H_2n+1.φφ.CN for n = 5 to 9) have been calculated using two different internal field models. From these values the orientational order parameters have been obtained. The orientational ordering exhibits an odd-even alteration along the series. The variations of different parameters with the increase of alkyl chain length are discussed. The relative stabilities of the alkyl-cyano-biphenyls are also discussed in terms of the molecular parameters.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of lead-halide based organic–inorganic layered perovskite compounds (CnH2n+1NH3)2PbI4 (n=4, 5, 7, 8 and 9)

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of organic–inorganic layered perovskite compounds, (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbI₄ (n=4, 5, 7, 8 and 9). The effect of the number of carbon atoms on luminescence properties has been examined. Thin films of microcrystalline (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbI₄ fabricated by spin-coating are highly oriented, with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. Temperature-dependent optical absorption spectra reveal that (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbI₄ films (n=4, 7, 8 and 9) show the structural phase transitions. The excitonic structures of (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbI₄ vary with the number of carbon atoms of the alkyl chain length. At low temperatures below 100 K, the lowest-energy free-exciton band of (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbI₄ (n=7, 8 and 9) split into three fine-structure levels. In contrast to (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbBr₄ films, (C_nH_2n+1NH₃)₂PbI₄ (n=7, 8 and 9) shows no triplet exciton emission, but it shows the Stokes-shifted emission from bound excitons.     

Solvatochromic properties of long alkyl chain π* indicators: comparison of N,N‐dialkyl‐4‐nitroanilines and alkyl 4‐nitrophenyl ethers

Hydrophobic forms of the N,N‐dialkyl‐4‐nitroaniline (DNAP) (p‐O₂NC₆H₄NR₂) ( 1a–f ) and alkyl‐4‐nitrophenyl ether (p‐O₂NC₆H₄OR) ( 2a–c ) solvatochromic π* indicators have been characterized and compared with respect to: (a) solvatochromic bandshape, (b) sensitivity expressed as ?s , ( / d π * ), and (c) trends in ? s with increasing length of alkyl chain(s) on the probe molecule. ? Octyl 4‐nitrophenyl ether (p‐O₂NC₆H₄OC₈H₁₇) ( 2b ) and ? decyl 4‐nitrophenyl ether (p‐O₂N C₆H₄ OC₁₀H₂₁) ( 2c ) were synthesized and their solvatochromic UV/Vis absorption bands were found to maintain a Gausso‐Lorentzian bandshape for the indicators in non‐polar and alkyl substituted aromatic solvents, for example, hexane(s) and mesitylene. Corresponding absorption bands for 1a–f display increasing deviation from a Gausso‐Lorentzian shape in the same solvents as the alkyl chains on the indicator are increased in length all the way to C₁₀ and C₁₂, for example, N,N‐didecyl‐4‐nitroaniline (p‐O₂NC₆H₄N (C₁₀H₂₁)₂) and N,N‐didodecyl‐4‐nitroaniline (p‐O₂NC₆H₄N (C₁₂H₂₅)₂) ( 1d–f ). A plot of ? s versus C_n follows a 1st order decay for the DNAP indicators but is linear for the alkyl 4‐nitrophenyl ethers. A discussion of how the long alkyl chains on the two types of indicators affect the orientation and overlap of n and π * orbitals, and resulting solvatochromic bands is presented. For DNAP, overextending the alkyl chains to obtain greater hydrophobic character may cause the alkane component to dominate solute‐solvation processes at the expense of the probe's fundamental solvatochromic character. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation of well-structured organosilane layers on silica

An efficient grafting process of monofunctional alkylchlorosilanes (general formula: CH₃-(CH₂) _n-1-Si(CH₃)₂Cl with n varying from 4 to 30) onto silica nanoparticules was developed by varying the surface preparation and the solvent used for the deposition process. A vapor phase deposition method was considered as reference and silicon wafers with a native SiO₂ layer were used as a model surface of the silica particles. The grafting method was evaluated by studying the wettability and the grafting densities of the resulting monolayers. The chain conformation of the monolayers was determined by comparing the thickness measured by SE ellipsometry and AFM. By comparing the solvent and vapor phase deposition methods, it was demonstrated that the deposition process had a large influence on the structure of the grafted monolayers. The same structure as from a vapor phase method can be obtained from a solvent deposition process by a suitable choice of the solvent and by a strict cleaning of the surface before deposition. The grafting of much longer chains of such silane-terminated polyethylenes with different molar mass on the silica surface was also investigated in order to study the effects of the chain length on the grafting density and the layer structure. For both the short alkylchlorosilanes and polymeric grafted chains, the proposed organization of the grafted chains at the silica surface is found to be strongly dependent on the length of the alkyl chains.     

Permittivity of liquid crystals of the alkylcyanobiphenyl group in a decimeter wavelength range

The high-frequency dielectric spectra of liquid crystals of the alkylcyanobiphenyl group with various length of the mobile alkyl chain C_nH_2n+1 (n=5–8) are experimentally studied. It is established that a resonance feature is observed in the frequency range of 300 MHz for all the crystals on the high-frequency branch of the orientational part of dielectric spectra. It is shown that the position of the dielectric resonance is virtually independent of the temperature and the degree of crystal dilution by benzene, but its intensity essentially depends on both factors. The nature of the dielectric resonance found is probably caused by the intramolecular motion of methylene fragments, which are strongly bound with a rigid core of molecules.     

SEMICRYSTALLINE AND SUPERLATTICE STRUCTURES IN BINARY MIXTURE OF LONG CHAIN n-ALKANES C194H390 AND C294H590

Binary mixtures of long chain n-alkanes from C₁₂₂H₂₄₆ to C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ have been found to form solid solutions despite their large chain length differences [Zeng and Ungar. Novel Layered Superstructures in Mixed Ultralong n-Alkanes. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2001, 86, 4875–4978]. In this article we describe a study of the binary mixture of C₁₉₄H₃₉₀+C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ (50:50 w/w) using small angle x-ray scattering. The molecular chain length difference between the two components is 100 C-atoms, the largest so far studied. In accordance with the findings on some other binary mixtures, two types of lamellar structures are found: the semicrystalline form (SCF) at high temperatures (>105°C) and the triple-layer superlattice at low temperatures (<95°C). The SCF consists of alternating crystalline and amorphous layers: C₁₉₄H₃₉₀ molecules are fully crystallized in the crystalline layer while C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ molecules traverse the crystalline layer and are only partially crystalline; their protruding tails, or cilia, constitute the amorphous layer. The superlattice is a periodic 1-D array of triple-layer units: the two outer layers in the unit contain a mixture of C₁₉₄H₃₉₀ and C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ while the surplus tails of C₂₉₄H₅₉₀ coalesce and interdigitate in the center and form the third, thinner crystalline layer. In the superlattice form, the unusual diffraction order dependence of the linewidth is interpreted in terms of a particular type of stacking faults.     

有机分子超薄膜的结构对摩擦的影响

采用分子动力学方法, 模拟了由脂肪酸C_nH_2n+1COOH}和C₁₇H₃₁COOH (n=12,13,14,15,16,17)组成的混合单层Langmuir-Blodgett(LB)膜间的摩擦特性, 探究了膜结构的变化对超薄膜的摩擦的影响. 结果显示. 在滑动过程中, 随着n的增加, 膜内分子的运动受到邻近分子的约束逐渐增加, 膜结构的稳定性也逐渐增加, 其剪切压逐渐减小, n=17时的剪切压最小. 在两单层膜之间无氢键形成; 而混合膜内的分子之间形成的氢键是单层膜结构稳定的主要因素, 其中n=16时形成的氢键最稳定, 但全部由相同C₁₇H₃₁COOH分子组成的单层膜的滑动效果最好. 分子的弯曲形变能对剪切压影响非常小.     

Luminescence quenching of [Ru(bpy)3] by ruthenium(II) tetraphosphite complexes with different phosphite ligands

The luminescence quenching of excited Tris(2,2-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) ions by trans-[RuCl₂{P(OR)₃}₄] complexes with different alkyl chain ligands (R=C₂H₅, C₂H₅Cl, ⁿC₄H₉, ⁱC₃H₇ o-tolyl and ^tC₄H₉) was investigated. None of the acceptor Ru(II) phosphite complexes were luminescent, and the rate constants of the bimolecular system were determined within the range of 1.15 and 0.28×10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ for R=C₂H₅ and ^tC₄H₉, respectively. The results indicate a direct effect of the alkyl chains in the rate constants, showing a decrease of k_q as a function of increased of the alkyl chains (R) in the ruthenium(II) tetraphosphite complexes. The greater the R group content in the phosphite ligand, the more difficult the electron transfer is.     

RA-IR Studies on the Structure of Mercapto-Ended Azobenzene Derivatives in Self-Assembled Monolayers

Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) were prepared from mercapto-ended azobenzene derivatives with the structure of n-C_nH_2n+1, AzoO(CH₂)_mSH (n=4,6,8,10,12; m=3,5). the structure of these SAMs was thoroughly studied with grazing-angle incident reflection absorption FT1R technique and wettability measurement. the results suggested that the plane of Azobenzene system of the assembling molecules in the SAMs lies on its back with an approximate angle of 22° included between the substrate surface normal and the Azobenzene plane. Tail alkyl groups (n-C_nH_2n+1) in these assembling molecules were considered to be in an all-trans conformation, as if they were in a crystalline-like environment. and the C-C-C plane of these all-trans tail alkyl groups, while n≤8, lies also on its back with an angle about 70° between its plane and the substrate surface normal. the conformation of these head groups (-O(CH₂)_mSH) in SAMs are disturbed by many structural factors. While m=3 or 5, the head group chain was proposed to remain in a gauche conformation to fit the upright orientation of the Azobenzene plane. the packing density was investigated by measuring the contact angle of water on these SAMs. the results showed that the self-assembled monolayer films are perfectly packed and the coverage density might be improved with increasing the length of both tail and head alkyl chains.     

Mesomorphic behaviors of a series of heterocyclic benzothiazole-imine-ester-based liquid crystals

A series of new calamitic liquid crystals, 2-[4-(4-alkoxybenzoyloxy)benzylidenamino]benzothiazoles comprising a heterocyclic (benzothiazole) and two phenyl rings core system, terminal alkoxy chain, imine and ester linkers were prepared and characterized. This series comprises eight members wherein the members vary by the length of alkoxy chain (C_nH_2n+1O-, where n?=?4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18). Spectral analysis results were in conformity with the expected structure. Their thermotropic behaviors were studied by using differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarizing microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction techniques. A single mesophase (nematic) was observed for the first member of the series (n?=?4). As the alkoxy chain increased to n?=?6, 8, 10, 12, 14, the nematic phase appeared together with an additional SmA phase. When moving from n?=?16 until the highest member (n?=?18), the nematic phase disappeared and these compounds only exhibited a single mesophase (SmA).     

Investigation of the Fiban K-1 Sulfocationite by the IR Spectroscopy Method

Using the IR spectroscopy method, we have studied the state of water, sulfogroups, and adsorbed methanol in a Fiban K-1 fibrous cationite under different conditions of preparation of a sample. It is shown that on an air-dried cationite protonation of methanol is performed by the ionic pair [(H_2n+1O _n )⁺·SO₃ ^–] after vacuum treatment at 20°C and by the ionic pair [H⁺·SO₃ ^–] after vacuum treatment at 90°C.     

Mesomorphic behaviors of a series of heterocyclic thiophene-imine-ester-based liquid crystals

The synthesis and characterization of a series of heterocyclic liquid crystal, 4-{[(thiophen-2-yl)methylidene]amino}phenyl 4-alkoxybenzoates possessing even number of carbon atoms at the alkoxy chain (C_nH_2n+1O-, n = 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18) are reported. The molecular structures of title compounds were elucidated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques along with mass spectrometric analysis. The phase behavior of these compounds was characterized and studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. All members exhibited enantiotropic nematic phase except for the highest member (n = 18) which is a non-mesogen. Influence of alkoxy chain length on the transition temperatures of crystal-to-nematic (melting point) and nematic-to-isotropic (clearing point) was studied. Nematic phase range was found to increase from n = 6 to n = 10, then it started to descend from n = 12 to n = 16 and finally the nematic phase disappeared when n changed to 18.     

Electron reorganization in allowed and forbidden pericyclic reactions: multicenter bond indices as a measure of aromaticity and/or anti‐aromaticity in transition states of pericyclic electrocyclizations

The multicenter bond indices (MCI), recently proposed as quantitative measures of cyclic delocalization in aromatic systems, have been applied to characterize the differences in the nature of the electron reorganization in a series of allowed and forbidden electrocyclic reactions of linear neutral polyenes of general formula C_nH_n+2 and related charged systems of formula C_nH_n+2(+) and C_nH_n+2(?) for n ranging from 4 to 7. The proposed methodology, which is based on the monitoring of the variation of the extent of cyclic delocalization along the concerted reaction paths, is shown to be completely consistent with the empirical Evans/Dewar classification anticipating aromatic transition states for allowed and anti‐aromatic transition states for forbidden electrocyclic reactions. Although the study reports the results of the analysis of electron reorganization just for the above‐mentioned particular class of electrocyclic reactions, the proposed approach is completely general and its conclusions remain valid for any pericyclic reaction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optical properties of natural quantum-well compounds (C6H5-CnH2n-NH3)2PbBr4 (n=1-4)

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of self-assembled organic-inorganic layered perovskite compounds, (C₆H₅-C_nH_2n-NH₃)₂PbBr₄ (n=1-4). the effect of the number of carbon atoms of the alkyl chain length (n) on optical properties has been studied. (C₆H₅-C_nH_2n-NH₃)₂PbBr₄ films fabricated by spin-coating are microcrystalline form, single phase and oriented with the c-axis. Crystallinity, the maximum PL intensity and the lifetime of exciton emissions varied with the number of carbon atoms. the lowest-energy exciton splits into a few fine-structure levels at low temperatures. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectra reveal that (C₆H₅-C_nH_2n-NH₃)₂PbBr₄ shows both singlet and triplet excitons. with decreasing temperature, triplet exciton emissions become dominant for (C₆H₅-C_nH_2n-NH₃)₂PbBr₄ (n=1-3), while (C₆H₅-C₄H₈-NH₃)₂PbBr₄ shows mainly singlet exciton emissions. The intersystem crossing from excited singlet state to triplet state plays an important role in the relaxation process of excitons.     

Reactivity of mixed organozinc and mixed organocopper reagents. Part 4: a kinetic study of group transfer selectivity in C?C coupling of mixed diorganocuprates

The competitive rate data and Taft relationships for the coupling of bromomagnesium n‐butyl (substituted phenyl) cuprates with alkyl bromides show that selective n‐butyl transfer can be explained by an oxidative addition mechanism. Taft reaction constants also show that the residual group FG‐C₆H₄ in the mixed cuprate n‐Bu(FG‐C₆H₄)CuMgBr changes the ability of the copper nucleophile to react with the electrophile RBr. These results provide support for the commonly accepted hypothesis regarding the dependence of the R¹ group transfer ability on the strength of R²? Cu bond in reactions of R¹R²CuMgBr reagents. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of nanosizing on some properties of one-dimensional polyacetylene chains

Density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G* level is used to calculate equilibrium geometry of the one-dimensional trans polyacetylene chains (C₂H₂)_n from n=2 to 20 which are of nanometer length. The Raman frequencies, intensities, optical absorption , oscillator strength, ionization potential, electron affinity and binding energy per monomer are calculated as a function of the chain length in the nanometer range. The results show with the exception of the oscillator strength of the absorption that there is a small critical length less than 4 nm at which changes of properties become significant and this length is property dependent.     

Laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-TOF-MS) of “nitrogen doped diamond-like carbon (DLN) nano-layers”

Nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) layers (a-C:H:N, N-DLC or DLN) were prepared by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique, using a RF capacitive discharge (13.56 MHz), at low pressures (20 Pa), produced from a mixture of methane, nitrogen and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), deposited on single-crystalline silicon wafers placed on steel samples. The films, of differing deposition times, were subjected to laser ablation time-of-flight (LA-TOF) mass spectrometric measurements, using different commercial instrumentation to characterize their structures. The analysis of mass spectra was made and the following positively singly charged species were detected and identified: C_n⁺ (n=4–30), Si_n⁺ (n=2, 3), Si_nH⁺ (n=2, 3), SiOK⁺, Si₃H₄⁺, Si₂N⁺, Si₂NH₂⁺, and Si₃C⁺. The later three species could reflect the presence of nitrogen–silica and carbon–silica chemical bonds in the structure of the DLN layer. The stoichiometry of all species was confirmed by isotopic pattern simulation. In the negative detection mode, the C_n⁻ (n=2–12) clusters were observed. The findings are discussed in the light of the current research concerning analysis of the DLN thin layers and it is concluded that namely Si₂N⁺, Si₂NH₂⁺ and Si₃C⁺ species are reflecting the chemical structure of the DLN layer. LA-TOF-MS was found useful supplementary method for the characterization of DLN nano-layers.     

Mössbauer spectroscopic studies of (n-C n H2n +1NH3)2SnX6 (n=0-4; X = Cl or Br) and their related complexes

Complexes of the type (n-C _n H_2n +1NH₃)₂SnX₆ (0n 4 and X=Cl or Br) have been investigated with a variety of physico-chemical techniques. The structural phase transitions were found in some of these complexes. The temperature dependence of the Mössbauer spectral absorption area for (C₂H₅NH₃)₂SnCl₆ and (C₂H₅NH₃)₂SnBr₆ changed sharply at phase transition temperatures. The temperature dependences for (n-C₄H₉NH₃)₂SnCl₆ and (n-C₄H₉NH₃)₂SnBr₆ decreased gradually with an increase in temperature. The correlation between the temperature dependence of the spectral absorption area and the motion of n-C _n H_2n+1NH₃ ⁺ ions is discussed.     

Kinetic energy distributions of the fragment ions from multiply ionized C2H6 as functions of the charge state of the intermediate states

Here, we report the kinetic energy distributions (KEDs) of the fragment ions produced from multiply ionized ethane (C₂H₆) molecules in single electron capture collisions with 1.2 MeV C²⁺. To systematically investigate the fragmentation dynamics, the KEDs were obtained as functions of the charge state of the intermediate C₂H₆^r+* ions r transiently generated prior to fragmentation. r was determined from coincidence measurement of the fragment ions and the number of emitted electrons. The KEDs are drastically different depending on the number of broken C–H bonds. The underlying causes are explained by the variation of the relative contributions of the multiply ionized states and preferential fragmentation pathways. For instance, CH_n⁺ fragment ions with smaller n exhibit lower KEs because they are likely to be correlated with H⁺ emission, which carries away a large portion of the KE release. In addition, we report the KEDs of H₃⁺ produced from doubly and triply charged states.