Free-standing urethane/urea elastomer films undoped and doped with ferro-nano-particles

We report on an experimental study of the structures presented by urethane/urea elastomeric films without and with ferromagnetic nanoparticles incorporated. The study is made by using the X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), optical, atomic and magnetic force (MFM) microscopy techniques, and mechanical assays. The structure of the elastomeric matrix is characterized by a distance of 0.46nm between neighboring molecular segments, almost independent on the stretching applied. The shear casting performed in order to obtain the elastomeric films tends to orient the molecules parallel to the flow direction thus introducing anisotropy in the molecular network which is reflected on the values obtained for the orientational order parameter and its increase for the stretched films. In the case of nanoparticles-doped samples, the structure remains nearly unchanged although the local order parameter is clearly larger for the undoped films. NMR experiments evidence modifications in the molecular network local ordering. Micrometer size clusters were observed by MFM for even small concentration of magnetic particles.     

Spectral features of a nematic liquid crystal consisting of biaxial molecules with internal rotation

Expressions for the components of the optical permittivity tensor of a nematic liquid crystal consisting of biaxial π-conjugated molecules with a conformational degree of freedom (internal rotation) are obtained. A relationship between the intensity and dichroism of absorption bands in isotropic and nematic phases and the parameters of conformational, orientational, and mixed conformational and orientational orders of the molecules is established. A distribution function for the molecules is obtained that takes into account the mutual correlation of their conformational and orientational degrees of freedom. The effect of this correlation on the above-noted order parameters, the dichroism of the absorption bands, and the dependence of the measured oscillator strengths of molecular transitions on the character and degree of orientational order of biaxial molecules is studied. On the basis of comparison with experimental data, the relative role of different terms in the distribution function that are responsible for the correlation between the conformational and orientational degrees of freedom of the molecules is ascertained.     

Simultaneous extraction of multiple orientational constraints of membrane proteins by 13C-detected N-H dipolar couplings under magic angle spinning

A 13C-detected N-H dipolar coupling technique is introduced for uniaxially mobile membrane proteins for orientation determination using unoriented samples. For proteins undergoing rigid-body uniaxial rotation in the lipid bilayer, the intrinsic equality between the dipolar coupling constants measured in unoriented samples and the anisotropic coupling measured in static oriented samples has been shown recently. Here, we demonstrate that the orientation-sensitive backbone N-H dipolar couplings can be measured with 13C detection using 2D and 3D MAS correlation experiments, so that maximal site resolution can be achieved and multiple orientational constraints can be extracted from each experiment. We demonstrate this technique on the M2 transmembrane peptide of the influenza A virus, where the N-H dipolar couplings of various residues fit to a dipolar wave for a helical tilt angle of 37 degrees , in excellent agreement with data obtained from singly 15N-labeled samples.     

The Texture of Stretched and Unstretched Polymer Films with and Without Embedded Biological Materials

The stretched polymers with embedded biological samples are widely used as anisotropic matrix uniaxially orienting samples. The texture of a polymer film surface influences the properties of polarized emission and photo thermal spectra. This textural properties for the unstretched and stretched polymer films with and without the embedded biological objects of various dimensions (pigment molecules, photosynthetic bacterial cells, and cell fragments) were established using AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy).     

Simulation studies of bilayers of N2 adsorbed on graphite at 25 and 35 K

Molecular dynamics simulations of bilayers of model nitrogen molecules adsorbed on the graphite basal plane at 25 and 35 K are reported. Systems considered include commensurate bilayers and three uniaxially compressed films, namely, two with different compressions along the X-axis (perpendicular to the herringbone lattice glideline) and one with a compression along the Y-axis, relative to the commensurate spacing. For comparison, commensurate and X-compressed monolayer films were also simulated. Properties simulated include: center-of-mass (COM) molecule-surface densities as a function of separation distance: in-plane COM pair correlation functions; in-plane and out-of-plane distributions of the molecular axis orientations; average potential energies for N₂-surface and for N₂-N₂ interactions; and velocity time-correlation functions for translational and orientational motion perpendicular to and parallel to the surface. These results indicate that the N₂ layers at these temperatures are nearly harmonic oscillator solids, with considerable orientational freedom. Molecules tend to be coplanar with the surface in both layers. The in-plane orientations for the compressed films form a herringbone lattice, in both layers, with variable angles between the molecular axis and the crystal glidliines; the commensurate film does not show herringbone ordering for the potential model used in this work. It is concluded that both the orientational and translational the degrees of freedom strongly coupled, between layers as well as within the layer. It is also shown that the Y-compressed film is unstable and that both layers in the bilayer spontaneously rearrange into a (rotated) uniaxially X-compressed structure.     

Laser spectroscopic investigation of a new precursor-type polyparaphenylenevinylene

Optical, structural and morphological properties of thin films of polyparaphenylenevinylene (PPV) formed by an alkyl sulfinyl precursor route have been studied. Thin films were fabricated on an optical glass and on quartz glass either by spin-coating of the precursor solution or by layer-by-layer deposition using Langmuir–Blodgett technique. PPV precursor films were also spin-coated on gold-coated glass in order to study thin-film optical parameters by surface plasmon spectroscopy. We have been successful in forming about 40 precursor mono layers on quartz glass by Langmuir–Blodgett technique using optimized surface pressure and dipping conditions. After thermal conversion of the precursor layers good quality fluorescent PPV films of yellow colour have been obtained. Optical characterization of the films was carried out by linear absorption and emission spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and surface plasmon spectroscopy. Structural and morphological studies on the thin films were carried out by using X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy. Wave-guided travelling-wave laser action has been achieved in a PPV film on quartz glass. The sample was transversally pumped with picosecond laser pulses (wavelength 347.15 nm, duration 35 ps). Laser emission occurred at 550 nm for pump pulse energy densities above .     

Quantitative characterization of the orientation of macromolecules in intercalated nanocomposites of polyolefins/layered silicates by Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is used to study variations in the orientational order of macromolecules in the uniaxially drawn intercalated nanocomposites based on two polymer matrices (polyethylene (PE) and isotactic polypropylene (PP)) and a filler (modified clay (MC)). The orientation parameters of macromolecules measured using Raman spectroscopy are compared with the X-ray data. It is demonstrated that, for the uniaxially drawn PE-MC and PP-MC intercalated nanocomposites, the filler impedes the orientation along the draw direction for the macromolecules localized in the noncrystalline phase of the polymer matrix. The orientational ability of the PE and PP crystallites in nanocomposites is not affected by the filler.     

Effect of a uniaxially deformed aerogel on the orientation of the order parameter of superfluid 3He

The effect of a uniaxially deformed aerogel on the orientation of the order parameter of ³He has been analyzed with the inclusion of correlations in the positions of the particles forming the aerogel. The minimum strain for the B phase in the uniaxially stretched aerogel that can lead to the orientation of the orbital part of the order parameter different from the bulk case has been estimated. The orientational effect has been estimated for the A-like phase in the uniaxially compressed aerogel has been estimated. It has been shown that the dependence of the orientational effect on correlations in the mutual locations of the aerogel particles is stronger than that of the superconducting transition temperature.     

Determination of Orientational Anisotropy in Glassy Solids by 2D Dipolar Spectra With Sample Flipping

A method is proposed for the quantitative measurement of orientational anisotropy in glassy solids based on 2D dipolar NMR spectra with sample flipping (dipolar DECODER experiment). Purely dipolar spectra are obtained by chemical shift refocusing by a multiple pulse sequence. The experiment is applied to an investigation of a doubly¹³C-labeled sample of bisphenol-A polycarbonate deformed in a channel-die apparatus. The orientational distribution function is determined by an expansion of the distribution in terms of spherical harmonics up to degree four.     

Local-field anisotropy of a light wave in quasi-two-dimensional soft-matter objects

Experimental values of the Lorentz tensor components L _j for uniaxial quasi-two dimensional “soft matter” objects on substrates (bilayer lipid membranes, multilayer Langmuir films, smectics A, hexatic smectics B, submicron films of discotics Col _hd , micron anisotropic films of liquid-crystal comblike polymers and macromolecular polymers, submicron films of conjugated conductive polymers), freely suspended submicron films of smectics A, and uniaxially stretched micron films of conjugated conductive polymers have been determined using dispersion of refractive indices in the visible range. The dependences of the components L _j on the type of orientation (axial, planar) of uniaxial molecules (structural units of the film) with respect to the optical axis of the film, the film thickness, the substrate type, the chemical structure of molecules, and their long-range orientational order are established. It is revealed that the smectic A-hexatic B phase transition and two-dimensional crystallization of the smectic layer lead to changes in the components L _j due to the change in the orientational ordering of molecules as a result of the relation between the orientational and hexatic order parameters. All the above objects are characterized by isotropization of the Lorentz tensor L and the local-field tensor f with a simultaneous decrease in the birefringence of the sample and in the anisotropy of the molecular polarizability due to the change in the electronic structure of molecules. The correction for the anisotropy of the local-field tensor f to the orientational order parameter or the anisotropy of the molecular polarizability increases. The existing model approaches to calculating the components L _j for the objects under consideration are compared with the experimental data.     

Monte-Carlo Simulation of Energy Migration in Uniaxially Oriented Polymer Films

Nonradiative electronic energy migration between identical fluorophores is studied numerically in uniaxially oriented polymer films. The reorientation effect of dipole moments induced by film stretching leads to extremely different concentration- and time-courses of emission anisotropy compared to those in disordered system. In particular, the effect of a much weaker concentration depolarization of fluorescence is due to the fact that not only primarily excited molecules contribute to emission anisotropy in oriented films.     

Modification of BPDA-ODA Polyimide Films by Diimides

Diimides 4,4′-oxydiphenylene diphthalylimide (PT-ODA-PT) and diphenylbiphenyltetracarboxyimide (A-BPDA-A) of an evident affinity to polyimides have been dispersed in a matrix of poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene biphenyltetracarboxyimide) (BPDA-ODA). Changes in thermal and mechanical properties of BPDA-ODA films modified by diimides have been found to depend on the amount of diimide added and the conditions of film preparation (stretching). It has been established that diimides can play two different roles. When dissolved in polyimide, they act as plasticizers improving the segment mobility of BPDA-ODA chains, which may be critically needed to achieve the better molecular packing. The films plasticized by diimides show lower T _g and the order–disorder transition temperature; the unstretched films exhibit better tensile properties, compared to unmodified films. However, dispersed beyond the limit of solubility in polyimides, diimides have detrimental effects on mechanical properties of the films. Though changes of the thermal properties of compositions derived from BPDA-ODA polyimide and microparticular diimides are less expressed than those of polyimide films plasticized by diimides, the compositions have poorer ultimate strength and shorter elongation at break. The conclusion may be drawn that the mechanical properties of the films modified by microparticular diimide are mainly controlled not by the interfacial interaction matrix–microparticles, but more likely by the much stronger macromolecular chain–chain interaction.     

Efficient orientational averaging by the extension of Lebedev grids via regularized octahedral symmetry expansion

Gaussian spherical quadrature methods in the guise of the Lebedev sampling grids are highly efficient for some orientational ("powder") averaging problems in solid state NMR. However, their applicability is currently restricted, as the sets of orientations are derived analytically and because they are not well adapted to simulate the broad peakshapes encountered, for example, in the NMR on static powders or on half-integer quadrupolar spins subject to second order quadrupolar interactions under magic-angle spinning conditions. We remedy these problems by (i) introducing the recursive procedure regularized octahedral symmetry expansion (ROSE), to which any existing Lebedev set may be subjected. Each recursive step gives a 9-fold enlarged set of orientations. (ii) We demonstrate that ROSE-expanded grids, in conjunction with spectral interpolation, is well suited for calculating broad peakshapes. These advances combine into the apparently most efficient general-purpose two-angle orientational averaging technique proposed to date for solid state NMR applications.     

预取向半晶态高分子片晶结构形成微观机理及其应力-应变响应特性的分子动力学模拟

通过分子动力学模拟方法对不同预取向聚乙烯醇熔体(polyvinyl alcohol,PVA)形成的半晶态高分子熔体形成核结晶及拉伸过程中的应力-应变响应特性进行了系统地研究.模拟结果显示预取向度高的PVA熔体对应更快的成核动力学.通过追踪全trans伸直链长度(dtt)、成核原子维诺体积(V)和中心对称参数(S)等序参量在不同取向度熔体下的等温成核与结晶演化过程,给出了PVA熔体成核路径及形成半晶态的分子构象;通过对形成的半晶态高分子结构进一步分析,发现随着熔体取向度的增加,晶体和无定型对应的取向度也会增加,但是当应变剪切大于5时,其对应的结晶度、晶体和无定型取向度不再发生变化;通过对无定型区链结构的定义与分析,可知取向度越高的熔体对应越高的Tie链数目,随着熔体取向度的增加,Loop链的数目也会减小;通过恒速拉伸应力测试可知,所形成半晶态高分子结构力学响应会随着取向度及Tie链数增加而增加,当取向及Tie链数目相同时,应力-应变曲线形状大小也基本保持一致.     

Deuteron NMR relaxometry applied to confined liquid crystals

We discuss the capability of deuteron nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and relaxometry to reveal molecular ordering and dynamics in confined liquid crystals. The attention is focused on the high-temperature phase above the nematic-isotropic transition, which is — in the absence of the long-range orientational order — very suitable for the study of surface interactions. Deuteron NMR spectra and relaxation rates are presented for two representatives of confined liquidcrystal systems: 8CB in cylindrical cavities of Anopore membranes and 5CB with an embedded polymer network. A substantial increase in the transverse spin relaxation rate, stimulated by the surface-induced order in enclosures, has been observed. In cylindrical cavities, it exhibits a strong temperature dependence on approaching the phase transition, whereas in the polymer network dispersion it is temperature-independent. The increase of T ₂ ^?1 provides information on the effect of spatial constraints on molecular mobility and on the surface orientational order parameter. Using deuteron relaxometry, one can measure the degree of orientational order in the isotropic phase not only in cylindrical but also in spherical cavities and enclosures of irregular shape, where the standard approach based on quadrupolar splitting of the NMR spectrum fails.     

The orientational glass transition in pentachloronitrobenzene: a study by differential scanning calorimetry and thermally stimulated currents

The orientational disorder that is a feature of the crystalline pentachloronitrobenzene above ∼−82 °C, can be frozen by cooling to produce an orientational glass. The number of degrees of freedom frozen on cooling, or released on heating, in this orientational glass transition is low, so that the heat capacity change associated with this transition is expected to be small. In the present work, we show that the calorimetric signature of this orientational glass transition is in fact very weak. Conversely, since the molecular motions associated with this relaxation drag strong dipoles, the technique of thermally stimulated depolarisation currents (TSDC) provides a very strong signature of this transition. The orientational glass transition in pentachloronitrobenzene was studied by TSDC and, from this study, it was shown that this orientational glass belongs to the class of very strong glasses in the fragility scale proposed by Angell.     

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Isotactic Polypropylene Films Fabricated via Melt-Extrusion and Uniaxial-Stretching

In this work, isotactic polypropylene (iPP) melt was slowly extruded through a slit die of a single-screw extruder. Once the iPP melt left the die, it was uniaxially stretched at different stretching rates (SRs). Via this process its microstructure can be manipulated, it was subsequently investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, the mechanical properties (including tensile strength, modulus, toughness, and strain-hardening) were investigated. The results showed that the tensile strength and modulus of the melt-stretched iPP films gradually increased with increasing SRs. In addition, the toughness and elongation at break showed maximum values for iPP films melt-stretched at 30 cm/min. Moreover, compared with other melt-stretched films, the iPP films melt-stretched at 90 cm/min exhibited an obvious strain-hardening behavior at lower strain.     

聚酰亚胺LB膜上液晶表面锚定的研究

通过测试光延迟研究了聚酰亚胺ＬＢ膜的光学各向异性，分析了在ＬＢ膜成膜过程中成膜分子的流动取向特性，并研究了液晶的表面锚定能，分析了ＬＢ膜上液晶的取向机制．聚酰亚胺ＬＢ膜的链段的取向程度较强摩擦情形的聚酰亚胺表面的链段取向要差．强摩擦的聚酰亚胺会比聚酰亚胺ＬＢ膜具有更好的排列液晶分子的能力．ＬＢ膜的流动取向模式使得聚酰亚胺成膜分子沿拉伸方向形成一定的有序排列，并诱导液晶分子定向排列，液晶和聚合物分子相互作用是液晶表面排列的主要动力 关键词：     

Some remarks on the chain segment dynamics in confined polymers

Recently, the chain dynamics of molten polymers in confined geometries has been investigated, using NMR. Some of these experiments have been performed on poydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) confined in planar nanolayers involving non-adsorbant solid surfaces. Here the data obtained on various PDMS systems are compared. The common property to these systems is that the local dynamics is anisotropic and the chain segments are undergoing uniaxial fluctuations around the normal n to the layers. Our data clearly show that the sign of the degree of orientational order S ( i.e. the direction of the fluctuations around n) and the broadening of the order distribution P( S) both result from the relative influence of the impenetrable interfaces and anchoring junctions on the segment behaviour.     

Application of angle-resolved fluorescence depolarization in muscle research

Angle-resolved fluorescence depolarization (AFD) experiments have been used for over a decade in studies of fluorescent molecules in macroscopically aligned systems such as lipid bilayers and stretched polymer films. The importance of this technique lies in the fact that it affords the determination of both the second- and the fourth-rank order parameters of the orientational distribution of the probe molecules in the sample. Here we apply the technique to the study of the orientational distribution of crossbridges in muscle fibers. This orientational distribution is particularly relevant in muscle research, as crossbridge rotation is commonly regarded to be the driving mechanism in force development. An unfortunate consequence of the fact that the crossbridges have an average orientation of approximately 45^o relative to the fiber axis is that the values of the second-rank order parameter P ₂ of the crossbridge distribution are close to 0. Therefore, knowledge of P ₄ is essential for a reliable reconstruction of the form of the distribution function. AFD of dyelabeled muscle was measured under rigor and relaxation conditions. The results indicate that no significant changes in depolarization take place upon a transition from the rigor to the relaxed state in the muscle and seem not to support the rotating crossbridge model, which postulates a clear change of orientation of the crossbridges.