Synthesis and characterization of tin telluride inorganic/organic composite materials with nanoscale periodicity through solution-phase self-assembly: a new class of composite materials based on Zintl cluster self-oligomerization

In this work, we demonstrate the synthesis of semiconducting tin telluride inorganic/organic composite materials with nanoscale periodicity prepared using solution phase self-assembly. Oligomerization of anionic SnTe ₄ ^4? clusters by halogen-mediated tellurium elimination in the presence of surfactant leads to the formation of a meosotructured composite. The composites initially forms as a mixture of mesophases, usually some combination of a layered phase and a phase based on cylindrical building blocks. Post synthetic treatment leads to a solid-state structural change which converts the composites to a single mesophase architecture with a hexagonal honeycomb (p6mm) morphology on the nanometer length scale. A by product of this reaction, however, is bulk tellurium. Changes in the electronic structure of the materials during synthesis and solid-state restructuring are probed using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.     

Investigation on the drying induced phase transformation of mesoporous silica; a comprehensive understanding toward mesophase determination

Phase transformation of mesoporous silica during the drying process is investigated. As-synthesized hexagonal p6mm obtained under the conditions used in this study is transformed to cubic Ia3d as drying proceeds, even at room temperature. Prolonged synthesis results in the formation of a well-ordered hexagonal mesophase, with almost no phase transformation. Drying at a higher temperature promotes the phase transformation of not only hexagonal to cubic, but also cubic to lamellar mesophases. Release of water is detected during drying, which is followed by the phase transformation of the mesophases. The phase transformations observed here proceed against the direction estimated on the basis of the state-of-the-art understanding. Here, considering the degree of silicate condensation and the amount of residual water in the as-synthesized mesoporous silica, a comprehensive explanation of mesophase determination is proposed including thermodynamic and kinetic aspects to account for the results observed here and those in the literature.     

MCM-48介孔材料相转化合成的形成机制

利用水热合成的方法,使用新型的表面活性剂十六烷基三甲基对苯磺酸盐作为模板剂合成了高质量的MCM-48介孔分子筛,并用X-射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、高分辨透射电镜(HRTEM)以及N₂吸附-脱附进行了表征。合成过程的研究表明该合成体系经历了三相,起始相为具有六方对称性的MCM-41,随着加热时间的延长,生成了具有立方对称性的MCM-48,进一步延长加热时间则生成了层状相MCM-50。三相转变发生的核心驱动力来自于表面活性剂有效堆积参数g因子的改变。另外,XRD、傅立叶变换的红外光谱(FT-IR)以及固体魔角自旋核磁共振(²⁹Si MAS NMR)的表征结果证明：随着晶化时间的延长,相转变的同时伴随着介孔材料的孔壁逐渐由原子无序的非晶态向原子有序的晶态结构转变。最终形成的原子有序层状介孔分子筛可以作为扩孔型微孔分子筛合成的有效前驱体。     

Spectroscopic analysis of post drawing relaxation in poly(lactic acid) with oriented mesophase

Uniaxial deformation of amorphous poly(lactic acid) (PLA) film was performed at 60 °C (around the glass transition temperature). The deformed samples revealed a strain-induced mesophase, and its fraction and thermal stability increased with draw strain. Further annealing was performed in situ at constant length, at the drawing temperature for the films drawn to strains of 100% and 230%. Interestingly, the orientation of amorphous phase relaxed more rapidly for the 100% sample compared with the 230% one. This could be ascribed to the constraint effect of mesophase on the amorphous chains. In addition, the chains of mesophase relaxed slightly for the 100% sample while it retained high orientation for the 230% sample. Meanwhile, the mesophase fraction decreased, and the trend was more significant for the sample drawn to 100%. These effects can be ascribed to the melting of mesophase and the different thermal stabilities of the mesophases.     

MCM-48介孔材料相转化合成的形成机制

利用水热合成的方法,使用新型的表面活性剂十六烷基三甲基对苯磺酸盐作为模板剂合成了高质量的MCM-48介孔分子筛,并用X-射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)、高分辨透射电镜(HRTEM)以及N₂吸附-脱附进行了表征。合成过程的研究表明该合成体系经历了三相,起始相为具有六方对称性的MCM-41,随着加热时间的延长,生成了具有立方对称性的MCM-48,进一步延长加热时间则生成了层状相MCM-50。三相转变发生的核心驱动力来自于表面活性剂有效堆积参数g因子的改变,随着反应时间的延长,由于对甲基苯磺酸根离子（Tos^-）的流失,表面活性剂极性头所占的有效面积（a₀）明显减小,g值变大。另外,XRD、傅立叶变换的红外光谱(FT-IR)以及固体魔角自旋核磁共振(²⁹Si MAS NMR)的表征结果证明：随着晶化时间的延长,相转变的同时伴随着介孔材料的孔壁逐渐由原子无序的非晶态向原子有序的晶态结构转变。最终形成的原子有序层状介孔分子筛可以作为扩孔型微孔分子筛合成的有效前驱体。     

Catalysis of O-(para-nitrophenyl) O,O-dimethyl thiophosphate decomposition by chromonic mesophases based on polymerized ionic amphiphiles

The formation of a nematic chromonic mesophase in aqueous solutions of quaternized poly(ethylene imine) has been found using polythermal polarization microscopy. The reaction kinetics of O-(para-nitrophenyl) O,O-dimethyl thiophosphate hydrolysis has been studied by spectrophotometry, and a comparative analysis of the effects of lyotropic liquid crystals constructed as hexagonal and chromonic mesophases on this kinetics has been performed. It has been found that the hydrolysis of the substrate in a nematic chromonic mesophase is accelerated due to the concentration of the reactants.     

Molecular Recognition in Solutions of Rod‐Like Copolymers with Two Different Sequences

Segregation in a solution of rigid copolymeric molecules with two different sequences leading to co‐existence of two smectic mesophases has been studied. Thermodynamic characteristics of these mesophases and their equilibrium compositions were found in the frame of two discrete models. It was shown that the degree of ordering in the mesophase depends on the sequence of units in the identical molecules forming this mesophase. The concentration of “mismatched” molecules in the mesophase (the purity of mesophase) is determined both by the composition and the sequence of such molecules. It was shown, that a difference in the sequences can be sufficient to cause phase separation.

     

One pot synthesis of ordered mesoporous organosilica particles bearing propyl-, octyl- and hexadecyl-chains

New hybrid organic–inorganic materials exhibiting ordered mesoporous structures have been synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and various alkyltrimethoxysilanes with increasing length of the hydrocarbon chain (propyl, octyl, hexadecyl), in water–ethanol solution containing ammonia, in the presence of a cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) as templating agent. The obtained hybrid materials were characterized by using several physico-chemical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption, ²⁹Si MAS NMR, SEM and elemental analysis. It was shown that the direct synthesis procedure allows obtaining ordered hybrid mesoporous silica with various contents of organic functions, from 5 to 20 %. Moreover, increasing the chain length of the organic group, from propyl to octyl and hexadecyl leads to a change of the pore structure from hexagonal p6mm MCM-41 type architecture to cubic Ia3d MCM-48 type mesostructure.     

Phase separation in liquid crystalline mesophases of [Co(H2O)6]X2:P65 Systems (X = NO3-, Cl-, or ClO4-)

Transition-metal aqua complex salts [M(H2O)6]X2 (where M is Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), or Cd(II) and X is NO3-, Cl-, or ClO4-) can be dissolved in triblock poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers (Pluronics, such as P65) to form homogeneous liquid crystalline (LC) mesophases. However, the [Co(H2O)6]X2:P65 LC mesophases slowly undergo phase separation into a disordered ion-free phase and an ordered ion-rich LC mesophase. The phase separation also takes place in the two-salt systems [Co(H2O)6](NO3):[Co(H2O)6](ClO4)2:P65 in which the ion-free disordered domains separate out from the initially ordered homogeneous mesophase. The phase separation results in a physical mixture of a hexagonal nitrate-rich and cubic perchlorate-rich LC and disordered ion-free domains in the mixed salt systems. The driving force in the phase separation in the [Co(H2O)6]X2:P65 system is Co(II)-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of P65 into ester and/or other oxidation products. The separation of ions in the [Co(H2O)6](NO3)2:[Co(H2O)6](ClO4)2:P65 system is related to the mesostructures of the two-salt systems that are different, hexagonal in the [Co(H2O)6](NO3)2:P65 system and cubic in the [Co(H2O)6](ClO4)2:P65 system. There is no visible phase separation in the other transition-metal salt:P65 systems. The phase separation in the [Co(H2O)6]X2:P65 systems can also be eliminated by keeping the mesophase under a N2 atmosphere.     

The chain conformations of a polyether based on bis(4-hydroxyphenoxy)-p-xylylene and 1,11-dibromoundecane (HPX-c11) in its mesophase states,derived from 13C NMR

A thermotropic main-chain polyether based on bis(4-hydroxyphenoxy)-p-xylylene and 1,11-dibromoundecane has been studied by variable-temperature solid-state ¹³C NMR. Between isotropization and glass transition temperatures, the material can be identified to be semicrystalline, consisting of two conformationally and motionally distinguishable phases. The more mobile component is liquid-like and thus, can be attributed to an amorphous phase. In the more rigid component, the molecules have a conformationally disordered methylene sequence. In the low-temperature ordered phase approximately ? of the carbon-carbon bonds are trans (t). Starting from the bond between the oxygen and the first methylene carbon, the bond conformations are: d? t? d? t? t? t? t? t? t? d? t? d, where d stands for disordered (i.e., it represents the common dynamic interchange between gauche and trans with an overall gauche content of perhaps 40%). The motion of the αα′-diphenoxy-p-xylylene unit consists mainly of 180° ring-flips, which cause no entropy increase relative to ordered phenylene groups in a crystal, but significantly changes the ¹³C NMR spectra. The central p-xylylene ring starts its flipping motion at a lower temperature than the two phenoxy rings. The high-temperature mesophase contains a methylene sequence of the bond conformations: d? t? d? d? d? t? t? d? d? d? t? d. Thus, the difference between the low-temperature and high-temperature mesophases consists of different degrees of conformational disorder. Thermal analysis seems to indicate that additional mesophases may be possible. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Morphology and Conformation Analysis of Self‐Assembled Triblock Copolymer Melts

Summary: We used the dissipative particle dynamics method to simulate the self‐assembly of symmetric triblock copolymers of the type ABA. Depending on the volume fraction of the end blocks f_A, several mesophases including lamellar, perforated lamellar, gyroid, hexagonal cylinders and bcc spherical micelles were obtained. The order‐disorder transition (ODT) at f_A = 0.5 was found to be about χN = 19.8. The ODT for the cylindrical mesophase at symmetrical points on the phase diagram had different values, indicating asymmetry in the phase diagram. We were also able to estimate the bridge fraction in the different mesophases. They range from about 0.44 for the lamellar mesophase to about 0.75 for the spherical micelles. Our simulation results are in good agreement with previously reported theoretical calculations and experimental observations.

The hexagonal cylinders generated with the A₆B₄A₆ copolymer.     

Face-centered-cubic large-pore periodic mesoporous organosilicas with unsaturated and aromatic bridging groups

Large-pore ethenylene-bridged (-CH═CH-) and phenylene-bridged (-C(6)H(4)-) periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) with face-centered-cubic structure (Fm3m symmetry) of spherical mesopores were synthesized at 7 °C at low acid concentration (0.1 M HCl) using Pluronic F127 triblock copolymer surfactant in the presence of aromatic swelling agents (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, xylenes-isomer mixture, and toluene). In particular, this work reports an unprecedented block-copolymer-templated well-ordered ethenylene-bridged PMO with cubic structure of spherical mesopores and an unprecedented block-copolymer-templated face-centered cubic phenylene-bridged PMO, which also has an exceptionally large unit-cell size and pore diameter. The unit-cell parameters of 30 and 25 nm and the mesopore diameters of 14 and 11 nm (nominal BJH-KJS pore diameters of 12-13 and 9 nm) were obtained for ethenylene-bridged and phenylene-bridged PMOs, respectively. Under the considered reaction conditions, the unit-cell parameters and pore diameters were found to be similar when the three different methyl-substituted benzene swelling agents were employed, although the degree of structural ordering appeared to improve for phenylene-bridged PMOs in the sequence of decreased number of methyl groups on the benzene ring.     

Lyotropic liquid-crystalline mesophases of [Zn(H2O)6](NO3)2-C12EO10-CTAB-H2O and [Zn(H2O)6](NO3)2-C12EO10-SDS-H2O systems

The mixture of two surfactants (C12EO10-CTAB and C12EO10-SDS) forms lyotropic liquid-crystalline (LLC) mesophases with [Zn(H2O)6](NO3)2 in the presence of a minimum concentration of 1.75 H2O per C12EO10. The metal ion/C12EO10 mole ratio can be increased up to 8.0, which is a record high metal ion density in an LLC mesophase. The metal ion concentration can be increased in the medium by increasing the CTAB/C12EO10 or SDS/C12EO10 mole ratio at the expense of the stability of the LLC mesophase. The structure and some thermal properties of the new mesophase have been investigated using XRD, POM, FTIR, and Raman techniques.     

Synthesis and characterisation of some new chalcone liquid crystals

A series of new chalcones with four aromatic rings is synthesised and characterised. The chemical structures of chalcones are evaluated by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques. The compounds were investigated for liquid crystalline properties using differential scanning calorimetry and polarising optical microscopy with hot stage. The results indicate that the formation of mesophase type is dependent on the alkyl chain length at one end of the molecule. Compounds 9a–d with relatively shorter chains show SmA and nematic mesophases, whereas 9e–g exhibit SmC and SmA mesophases. Compound 9h having a cyano group at one end, exhibit SmA and nematic mesophases.     

An X-ray diffraction study of the different nematic mesophases of liquid-crystalline poly(urethane-ester)s

An x-ray investigation on powder specimens and stretched oriented fibers of poly(urethaneester)s TDI-CmCn, derived from various mesogenic alkylene di[4-(ω-hydroxyalkyloxy-4-oxybenzoyl)oxybenzoate]s (CmCn; m = 2, 4, or 6, and n = 4, 6, 8, or 10) and 2, 4-toluenediisocyanate (TDI), is reported. Evidence is provided for the formation of two different nematic mesophases in the polymers, namely a cybotactic nematic and a conventional nematic mesophase. Whereas samples TDI-C2C6, TDI-C6C4, and TDI-C6C10 formed one cybotactic nematic mesophase, samples TDI-C4C6, TDI-C6C6, and TDI-C6C8 exhibited both cybotactic nematic and conventional nematic mesophases in a sequence with increasing temperature, which were connected by a first-order transition. The analysis of the various features of the small-angle x-ray diffraction patterns indicates that two structural arrangements, namely smectic C-like and conventional nematic structures, coexist inside the cybotactic nematic mesophase of these poly(urethane-ester)s. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Elektrophorese der halogenokomplexe von Hg(II), Bi(III), Cd(II), Pb(II) und -Cu(II) : Chlorokomplexe in chlorwasserstoffsäure

An apparatus for heavy-current and high-tension electrophoresis on filter paper is described This apparatus enables one to avoid the difficulties that occur in electrophoresis in base electrolytes that are highly concentrated or show greater electric conductivity The zones migrate along the paper strips with constant speed and, consequently, it is possible to measure the mobility The effective length of the filter paper strips is 660 mm Correction of the apparent mobility in the porous adsorbent is treated thoroughly.Diagrams of the electrophoretic mobility of the chloro-complexes of Hg(II), Bi(III), Cd(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) in hydrochloric acid, are given in the experimental part The concentration of the hydrochloric acid varied between 0.1N and 6N In 6N HCl all the metals investigated are present asani onic complexes. Hg, Bi.Cd, and Pb chloro-complexes show a pronounced maximum of mobility in the anionic range. The sequence of the zones in the direction anode to cathode is Hg, B1, Cd, Pb, Lu al 0.1–2.3N HCl and B1, Hg, Cd, Pb.Cu at2.3–6N HCl.Finally, the electrophoretic separation of a mixture of Hg, Bi, Cd, Pb, Cu in 1N, 2N and 4N HCl is illustrated Complete separation of the zones was achieved in each experiment     

Chromonic liquid crystals formed by CI Acid Red 266 and related structures

Chromonic liquid crystals are currently receiving increased attention because they have applications in a wide range of products. In this study, we have compared the chromonic mesophase behaviour of four azo dyes with similar chemical structures. Our objective is to determine if there is an obvious link between mesophase formation and dye chemical structure. Orange G does not form mesophases over the concentration range examined (saturated solution > ~20–30 wt%). The other three compounds all form nematic (N) and hexagonal (H) mesophases, but over very different concentration ranges. X-ray diffraction shows that the ordered Edicol Sunset Yellow (ESY) aggregates present in the mesophases have a single molecule cross section, while those of CI Acid Red have a cross section equivalent to six to eight molecules, probably organised in a ‘water-filled pipes’ structure. NMR quadrupole splittings of ²H₂O demonstrate that water binding to the aggregates is similar to that found for surfactant lyotropic mesophases. The sodium (²³Na) quadrupole splittings for Orange II and CI Acid Red are similar to the values found for surfactant hexagonal phases, suggesting that most sodium ions are ‘bound’ to the aggregates. This is unlike the behaviour of ESY where only one of the two sodium ions is bound.     

Synthesis and thermal behavior of Janus dendrimers,part 2

The thermal properties of twelve Janus-type dendrimers up to the second generation were evaluated by termogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Compounds consist of the dendritic bisMPA based polyester moieties, and either 3,4-bis-dodecyloxybenzoic acid, 3,5-bis-dodecyloxybenzoic acid or 3,4,5-tris-dodecyloxybenzoic acid moieties, attached to opposite sides of the pentaerythritol core. The thermal stability of the compounds was evaluated by TGA, displaying onset decomposition temperatures (T_d) at around 250 °C. DSC measurements upon heating and cooling confirmed that OH terminated Janus dendrimers featuring large polarity difference in opposite sides display liquid crystalline phases with exception of 3,5-type G1 dendrimer; while acetonide terminated dendrimers displayed merely melting transitions. Dendrimers having terminal alkyl chains at positions 3,4 or 3,4,5 in aromatic moieties exhibited enantiotropic mesophases. However, the thermal behavior of the dendrimers with 3,5-substitution pattern was different: the 3,5-type G1 dendrimer exhibit a lack of mesomorphic transition, and in the case of the 3,5-type G2 dendrimer, the mesophase was absent in the first heating scan but was observed during the subsequent cooling and heating scans at the rate of 10 °C/min.     

End-chain ordering and even-odd effects in nematic thermotropic liquid crystalline mesophases studied by deuterium magnetic resonance

Deuterium quadrupole splittings are reported for the nematic mesophases of all isomers of 4,4′-di-n-octyl-d₄(d₆)-oxyazoxybenzene with CD₂(CD₃) groups at corresponding segments in the two end chains. These splittings do not decrease monotonically with increasing separation of the chain segment from the aromatic core as has previously been assumed. Comparison with similar measurements for 4,4′-di-n-heptyloxyazoxybenzene reveals an “even—odd” effect in the chain ordering, but only in so far as to reflect differences in the molecular order in the two mesophases. The results are used to test earlier theoretical calculations by Mar?elja.