Hydrogen-bonding-directed layer-by-layer assembly of poly(4-vinylpyridine) and poly(4-vinylphenol): effect of solvent composition on multilayer buildup

This paper describes the buildup of hydrogen-bonding-directed poly(4-vinylpyridine)/poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVPy/PVPh) multilayer film that was fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of PVPy and PVPh from an ethanol solution. UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy revealed a uniform deposition process. The interaction between PVPy and PVPh was identified as hydrogen bonding through FT-IR spectroscopy and temperature-dependent IR spectral changes of the hydrogen-bonded multilayer. Notably, we discussed the effect of solvent conditions on the growth of PVPy/PVPh multilayer films monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy. It was found that increasing the ratio of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in the mixed ethanol/DMF solvents resulted in a marked decrease of the amount of polymers adsorbed, which was attributed to the increased polarity of the adsorption solutions. Furthermore, the solvent stability of PVPy/PVPh multilayer film in mixed ethanol/DMF solvents with different DMF ratios was also investigated. As a result, a new method for tuning the structure of hydrogen-bonding-directed multilayer film was developed.     

Steric‐Structure‐Dependent Gel Formation,Hierarchical Structures,Rheological Behavior,and Surface Wettability

A series of bicholesteryl‐based gelators with different central linker atoms C, N, and O (abbreviated to GC , GN , and GO , respectively) have been designed and synthesized. The self‐assembly processes of these gelators were investigated by using gelation tests, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, field‐emission transmission electron microscopy, UV/Vis absorption, IR spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, rheology, and contact‐angle experiments. The gelation ability, self‐assembly morphology, rheological, and surface‐wettability properties of these gelators strongly depend on the central linker atom of the gelator molecule. Specifically, GC and GN can form gels in three different solvents, whereas GO can only form a gel in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). Morphologies from nanofibers and nanosheets to nanospheres and nanotubes can be obtained with different central atoms. Gels of GC , GN , and GO formed in the same solvent (DMF) have different tolerances to external forces. All xerogels gave a hydrophobic surface with contact angles that ranged from 121 to 152°. Quantum‐chemical calculations indicate that the GC , GN , and GO molecules have very different steric structures. The results demonstrate that the central linker atom can efficiently modulate the molecular steric structure and thus regulate the supramolecular self‐assembly process and properties of gelators.     

Effects of aprotic solvents on the stability of metal‐free superoxide dismutase probed by native electrospray ionization–ion mobility–mass spectrometry

Considering that aprotic solvents are often used as cosolvents in investigating the interactions between small molecules and proteins, we assessed the effects of five aprotic solvents represented by dimethylformamide (DMF) on the structure stabilities of metal‐free SOD1 (apo‐SOD1) by native electrospray ionization–ion mobility–mass spectrometry (ESI‐IM‐MS). These aprotic solvents include DMF, 1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐imidazolidinone (DMI), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), acetonitrile (ACN), and tetrahydrofuran (THF). Results indicated that DMI, DMSO, and DMF at low percentage concentration could reduce the average charge and the dimer dissociation of apo‐SOD1. By contrast, ACN and THF at low concentration have no similar effect. DMF was selected as a representative solvent to further investigate the detailed effects on the structure stability of apo‐SOD1 by using collision‐induced dissociation and unfolding. The results reveal that the addition of minimal DMF to an aqueous protein solution can protect against the unfolding and dissociation of dimer, even under destabilizing conditions (such as low pH or high cone voltage). When the different percentage concentrations of DMF were added, the average collision cross section of apo‐SOD1 showed that apo‐SOD1 became compacted when the DMF concentration increased from 0% to 1% and eventually started extending when increased from 1% to 20%. The results indicated that DMF has similar effects to DMSO in native mass spectrometry (MS) and it can also be used as a cosolvent besides DMSO in investigating the stabilities of proteins and the interactions between small molecules and proteins.     

Morphology study of Nafion membranes prepared by solutions casting

The structures of Nafion membranes prepared by solutions casting from low aliphatic alcohols/water mixture solvents and N,N′‐dimethyl formamide (DMF) solvent were investigated using differential scanning calorimeter and small angle X‐ray scattering. The aggregation behavior of Nafion molecules in the casting solutions was also investigated using dynamic light scattering. We show that the morphology of membranes was strongly influenced by the conformations of Nafion molecules in the solutions. In aliphatic alcohol/water mixture solvents, which have a worse compatibility with Nafion backbones, the Nafion molecules aggregate and form fringed rod‐like structures. These primary rod‐like structures then aggregate again through fringed side chains to form secondary ionic aggregations. In DMF solvent, owing to its better compatibility with Nafion backbones, less Nafion molecules aggregate. The high degree of Nafion molecular aggregations in aliphatic alcohol/water mixture solvents leads to a high degree of hydrophobic and hydrophilic phase separation for membranes prepared by casting from Nafion/aliphatic alcohol/water solutions. However, the lower degree of molecular aggregations in DMF solvent results in a lower degree of hydrophobic and hydrophilic phase separation for membranes prepared by casting from Nafion/DMF solution. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3044–3057, 2005     

Blood porphyrins in binary mixtures of N,N-dimethylformamide with 1-octanol and chloroform: The energetics of solvation, (solute + cosolvent) interactions and model calculations

This study provides the first accurate analysis of the energetics of solvation of blood porphyrins in binary solvents which are considered as appropriate models for a smooth transition from a polar protein-like phase to an apolar lipid-like environment. Our results do indicate that hematoporphyrin dimethylether dimethylester (HDEDE) and deuteroporphyrin dimethylether (DDE), as well as the model of their ester side-chains ethyl acetate (EtOAc), reveal more exothermic solvation in chloroform (CHCl₃) than in dimethylformamide (DMF) and, especially, in 1-octanol (OctOH). The energetics of pair interaction between dissolved species and cosolvent molecules both in a protein-like and a lipid-like environment are clearly associated with these solvation effects. The interaction between blood porphyrins and DMF in OctOH is accompanied by large negative enthalpy changes at both temperatures, whereas in chloroform, forming strong H-bonds with dissolved species, the interaction is strongly thermochemically repulsive. All solute molecules interact in the energetically unfavorable way with OctOH and CHCl₃ in DMF, the effect being much stronger pronounced for chloroform. The most significant result of this work is that it is possible to connect this pair interaction in a highly diluted solution with the solute behavior in the entire range of the binary mixture. The approach proposed is independent of a solute and solvent structure, it provides a good prediction of the energetics of solvation in mixed solvents and can be extended for a lot of other biologically active solutes.     

Li＋在PC＋DMF混合溶剂中优先溶剂化的13C NMR研究

利用¹³C NMR光谱技术研究了Li^＋在碳酸丙烯酯(PC)＋N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)混合溶剂中的优先溶剂化现象. 根据溶剂分子中碳原子的化学位移随锂盐浓度的变化关系, 确定了与Li^＋发生配位的原子. 碳原子的配位位移值随混合溶剂组成的变化关系表明, 在LiClO₄＋PC＋DMF混合物中, DMF分子对Li^＋的溶剂化作用较PC分子强. 定量计算得到, 在n(PC)∶n(DMF)＝1∶1(摩尔比)的混合溶剂中, PC与DMF分子数在Li^＋第一溶剂化层中的比率为0.12, 说明Li^＋优先被DMF分子溶剂化.     

Control of ambipolar thin film architectures by co-self-assembling oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)s and perylene bisimides

Control of thin film morphology by self-assembly of, respectively, p-type oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)s (OPV)s and n-type perylenebisimides (PBI)s in solution prior to processing, results in film architectures consisting of uniform rodlike domains as shown by atomic force microscopy. Such films from self-assembled molecules show superior charge-carrier mobility in comparison with films processed from molecular dissolved molecules. Moreover, connecting the OPV and PBI building blocks through hydrogen-bonding interactions creates dyad complexes that cofacially stack in apolar solvents. Ambipolar field-effect transistors constructed from these dyad complexes show two independent pathways for charge transport. In strong contrast, processing of OPV and PBI, that are not connected by hydrogen bonds, form charge transfer donor-acceptor complexes that show no mobility in field-effect transistors presumably due to an unfavorable supramolecular organization.     

Greffage radiochimique de l'acide methacrylique sur des films de polytetrafluoroethylene

Methacrylic acid was grafted into the bulk of PTFE films 50 μm thick by irradiating the films in aqueous solutions of monomer containing CuCl₂. The influences of radiation dose-rate and of temperature were investigated. The swelling of the grafted films was studied in the following solvents for the grafted branches: water, methanol, DMF and their mixtures. In each case the molar ratios corresponding to the limiting swelling were determined. It was further found that the grafted films swell in carboxylic acids such as methacrylic, acrylic and acetic acids, which are non-solvents for the grafted branches. This swelling is much slower than the swelling in good solvents. It is suggested that it results from a molecular association of the carboxyl groups of the solvent with those of the polymer.     

用~(119)Sn、~(121)Sb及~(13)C NMR研究无水SnCl_4、SbCl_5与Lewis碱的相互作用

无水SnCl_4及SbCl_5是典型的Lewis酸,是有机反应中常用的催化剂。它们的溶剂化热效应早已受到人们的关注,然而用NMR方法来研究它们的溶剂化作用至今未见报道。本工作用~(119)Sn、~(121)Sb及(13)C NMR考察了典型Lewis酸无水SnCl_4、SnCl_5与二十几种Lewis碱的相互作用,直接证实了Lewis酸碱反应为电子的授受过程。     

Directing and sensing changes in molecular conformation on individual carbon nanotube field effect transistors

This study explores how to populate the surface of the carbon nanotubes with functional molecules that can be toggled back-and-forth between different molecular conformations. The molecules synthesized for this study are tagged with a photoswitchable headgroup and a functional group which directs the assembly on the surface of the carbon nanotubes. Single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors switch between high and low conductance as the molecules are switched with light between open and closed conformations. These devices detect the photoswitching of approximately 104 molecules.     

某些萃取剂与C6—C9芳烃相互作用的1H NMR研究

以四氯化碳作为惰性参考溶剂, 研究了N-甲基-2-吡咯烷酮(NMP)、环丁砜、N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)、N,N-二甲基乙酰胺(DMA)和γ-丁内酯(γ-BL)等五种萃取剂在几种芳烃溶剂中的~1H NMR谱。观察到萃取剂分子的化学位移在芳烃溶剂中均大幅度移向高场, 且NMP、γ-BL的共振谱线在芳烃中发生分裂或重叠。在不同的芳烃溶剂中, 以在苯乙烯中NMP、DMF、DMA、环丁砜共振谱线的移动幅度为最大。各萃取剂谱线位移的幅度随着苯环上甲基数目的增多而递减。结合溶液热力学的结果, 推断出NMP等萃取剂和芳烃分子之间存在着弱化学作用。     

Aminonaphthalic anhydrides as red-emitting materials: electroluminescence, crystal structure, and photophysical properties

The red and orange emitters (ANA-1-3) consisting of a 4-amino-1,8-naphthalic anhydride group were synthesized. The lowest absorption band of these ANA molecules centered at approximately 450 nm is assigned to be a charge-transfer transition with emission at 514-536 nm in nonpolar solvents such as n-hexane and at approximately 590-640 nm in polar solvents such as THF and CH(2)Cl(2) and in the solid states. Emission lifetimes are measured with time-correlated single photon counting. Shorter lifetimes are observed for the ANA molecules when dissolved in polar solvents compared with those in nonpolar solvents. Strong dipole-dipole interaction of ANA molecules with solvents is indicated. At high concentrations the measured emission lifetimes, generally shortened from self-quenching, are found to remain about the same order of magnitude in ANAs. This implies that the exciton states of aggregates are formed and they exhibit a relatively long lifetime. Crystallographic data of 4-(phenyl antracen-9-yl) (ANA-2) and 4-(phenyl-2-naphthyl) amino-1,8-naphthalic anhydrides (ANA-3) show that the molecules exist as dimeric structures with antiparallel head-to-tail stacking of naphthalic anhydride planes in addition to other pi-pi stacking. The strong dipole-dipole interactions and the pi-pi stacking account for the observed red-shifted emissions of ANAs in the powders. For films prepared from vacuum sublimation, a structure similar to that in the crystal but with less crystalline order is expected based on the emission wavelength. Several electroluminescent devices based on these ANAs are reported here; they emit orange-red light at 602-628 nm with high brightness and steady external quantum efficiency.     

甲基丙烯酸-苯乙烯嵌段共聚物的XPS研究

对甲基丙烯酸-苯乙烯嵌段共聚物DMF溶液涂制膜(接着经过或不经其它溶剂的处理)的XPS研究表明,共聚物本体组成对膜的表面组成没有明显的影响。从DMF溶液直接涂膜时,按照两相模型,PMAA在表面的面积分数最大可达0.55。在用溶剂处理时,膜表面组成基本上决定于所用溶剂的溶解度参数,PMAA的表面面积分数按下列顺序降低:水>乙醇>环己烷>石油醚。     

High performance organic transistors and phototransistors based on diketopyrrolopyrrole-quaterthiophene copolymer thin films fabricated via low-concentration solution processing

Herein, highly crystalline diketopyrrolopyrrole-quaterthiophene copolymer thin films were achieved by a simple low-concentration solution processing with a little material waste, which exhibit efficient charge transport and optoelectronic properties for constructing high performance OFET and phototransistors.     

Comparison of electron injection dynamics from re-bipyridyl complexes to TiO2 nanocrystalline thin films in different solvent environments

Factors that control photoinduced interfacial electron transfer (ET) between molecular adsorbates and semiconductor nanoparticles have been intensely investigated in recent years. In this work, the solvent dependence of interfacial ET was studied by comparing ET rates in dye sensitized TiO2 nanocrystalline films in different solvent environments. Photoinduced ET rates from Re(LA)(CO)3Cl [LA=dcbpy=4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine] (ReC1A) to TiO2 nanocrystalline thin films in air, pH buffer, MeOH, EtOH, and DMF were measured by femtosecond transient IR spectroscopy. The ET rates in these solvent environments were noticeably different. However, differences between the rates in pH buffer and nonaqueous solvents (MeOH, EtOH, and DMF) were much smaller than the values expected from much more negative TiO2 conduction band-edge positions in the latter solvents under anhydrous conditions. It was suggested that the presence of adsorbed water, which was evident in FTIR spectra, lowered the band edge of TiO2 in these solvents and reduced the rate differences. The important effect of adsorbed water was verified by comparing two samples of Re(LP)(CO)3Cl [LP=2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-bis-CH2PO(OH)2] sensitized TiO2 in DMF, in which the presence of a trace amount of water was found to significantly increase the injection rate.     

Heterocyclic polyamides containing hexafluoroisopropylidene groups

New heterocyclic polyamides have been synthesized by solution polycondensation of aromatic diamines containing phenylquinoxaline units with diacid chlorides having both imide and hexafluoroisopropylidene (6F) groups. These polymers are soluble in polar aprotic solvents, such as N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) or N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and can be cast into flexible thin films from solutions. They show high thermooxidative stability with decomposition temperatures above 400°C and glass transition temperatures in the range of 225-300°C. The polymer films exhibit good chemical resistance towards diluted acids and good electrical insulating properties with dielectric constants in the range of 3.2–3.7.     

Micropatterning of semicrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solutions

Micropatterning of a semicrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution was performed by a temperature controlled capillary micromolding where the rate of solvent evaporation was controlled by substrate temperature. In order to choose proper solvents for micropatterning, we have investigated the solubility of PVDF in various organic solvents and crystal structures of the PVDF bulk films cast from the solvents. The films prepared from the polar solvents such as dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) dominantly showed γ type crystals regardless of preparation temperature, while the films from tetrahydrofuran (THF) exhibit α type crystals and the ones from acetone and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) show the characteristics of both α- and γ-PVDF. The quality of micropatterns and shapes of the PVDF crystals in the patterns significantly depend on solvent evaporation rates. Micropatterns of PVDF formed in DMF at 120 °C showed the best uniformity in shape. Crystals of the PVDF nucleated at the center regions of microchannels tended to be elongated with the b-axis of γ-PVDF crystals along the channels as the concentration of the solution decreased. In contrast, crystals nucleated at the corner regions of the channels had their b-axis oriented perpendicular to the channels. In line patterns with the width of 2 μm, the corner nucleated crystals were dominant and a resulting bamboo-like crystalline microstructure was observed in which the b-axis of γ-PVDF crystals, fast growth direction, is oriented normal to the microchannels. The crystal structures of the bulk films and the micropatterns were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope in Attenuated Total Reflection mode, Polarized Optical and Scanning Electron Microscope.     

用119Sn、121Sb及13C NMR研究无水SnCl4、SbCl5与Lewis碱的相互作用

无水SnCl₄及SbCl₅是典型的Lewis酸,是有机反应中常用的催化剂。它们的溶剂化热效应早已受到人们的关注,然而用NMR方法来研究它们的溶剂化作用至今未见报道。本工作用¹¹⁹Sn、¹²¹Sb及(13)C NMR考察了典型Lewis酸无水SnCl₄、SnCl₅与二十几种Lewis碱的相互作用,直接证实了Lewis酸碱反应为电子的授受过程。     

A pi-stacking terthiophene-based quinodimethane is an n-channel conductor in a thin film transistor

A terthiophene-based quinodimethane, 3',4'-dibutyl-5,5' '-bis(dicyanomethylene)-5,5' '-dihydro-2,2':5',2' '-terthiophene (1) was synthesized and crystallized. Compound 1 has a planar quinoid geometry that is stabilized by dicyanomethylene groups at each end of the molecule. In the crystal each molecule is part of a dimerized face-to-face pi-stack, with intermolecular spacings of 3.47 and 3.63 A, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry showed that 1 could be reversibly reduced and oxidized in methylene chloride solution. Thin film transistors (TFTs) were prepared by vacuum evaporation of 1 onto SiO2(300 nm)/Si substrates, followed by evaporation of Ag source and drain contacts. The doped Si substrate served as the gate electrode. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy indicate the films are polycrystalline, with the long axes of the molecules approximately perpendicular to the substrate. The TFT measurements revealed n-channel conduction in films of 1, with room-temperature electron field effect mobilities as high as 0.005 cm2/Vs. The butyl side chains give 1 appreciable solubility in a range of common solvents, and preliminary TFT results on films cast from chlorobenzene show electron mobility as high as 0.002 cm2/Vs. These results indicate that pi-stacked quinoidal thiophene oligomers are a promising new class of soluble n-channel organic semiconductors.     

Polyaromatic ether-ketones from o,o′-disubstituted diphenyl ethers

Polyaromatic ether-ketone resins with potentially open structures which are possibly useful as membranes were prepared from diphenyl ethers with alkyl substitutions in the ortho positions and isophthaloyl or terephthaloyl chloride by Friedel–Craft-type polymerization. These polymers are soluble in such solvents as DMF, DMA, and CHCl₃, and can be cast into colorless transparent films.