Synthesis of a novel macroinimer based on thiophene and poly(ε‐caprolactone) and its use in electrochromic device application

Synthesis of a novel macroinimer comprising poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) and thiophene (Th) and its use in electrochromic device (ECD) application have been reported. First, a novel Th monomer ( 5 ) with miktofuntional initiator groups (primary hydroxyl and tertiary bromide at the third position of the thiophene ring) was synthesized in a four‐step reaction sequence. Density functional theory‐predicted bond lengths, angles, and vibrations of 5 were in good agreement with available experimental vibrational spectra. Subsequently, ring‐opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone (ε‐CL) was carried out in bulk using 5 as the initiator and tin(II) 2‐ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)₂) as the catalyst at 115 °C, which led to α‐thiophene end‐capped PCL macroinimer (PCL‐Th). Furthermore, PCL‐Th macroinimer was used in electrochemical copolymerization with pyrrole (Py) and Th. PCL‐Th/PTh copolymer film synthesized on indium tin oxide‐coated glass slide showed electrochromic behavior. Optical analyses of the PCL‐Th/PTh copolymer film indicated that the copolymer film was suitable to be used as an anodically coloring material for ECD applications. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Radiation properties of a uniaxial chiral quadratic inhomogeneous slab under oblique incidence

In this paper, the focussing of the transmitted electromagnetic field through a quadric inhomogeneous slab of lossless uniaxial chiral medium is derived using transmission coefficient under oblique incidence. The inhomogeneity in the uniaxial chiral slab has been incorporated through permittivity parameter. Asymptotic ray theory provides valid field everywhere except at focal point where it gives infinite value. Singularity of the field at focal point is addressed using Maslov's method. The derived analytical field expressions at caustic or focal point of uniaxial quadratic inhomogeneous slab have been solved numerically using MATHEMATICA. The effects of chirality parameter, axial permittivity, transvers permittivity, angle of incidence on the refracted field are discussed and the effects of Brewster angle on the focussed field are also discussed. The results obtained using Maslov's method are compared with Huygens–Kirchhoff's integral which are in good agreement.     

Some radii problems related to certain p-valent meromorphic functions

The purpose of the present paper is to introduce several new classes of p-valent meromorphic functions defined by Ruscheweyh derivative operator for meromorphic multivalent functions. Further, we investigate the radii problems of these analytic classes in the punctured unit disk.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Methacrylate Monomers Having Pendant Oxime Esters and Their Copolymerization with Styrene

New methacrylate monomers, 2‐{[(diphenylmethylene)amino]oxy}‐2‐oxoethyl methacrylate (DPOMA) and 2‐{[(1‐phenylethylidene)ami no]oxy}‐2‐oxoethyl methacrylate (MMOMA) were prepared by reaction of sodium methacrylate with diphenylmethanone O‐(2‐chloroacetyl) oxime and 1‐phenylethanone O‐(2‐chloroacetyl) oxime, respectively. They were obtained from a reaction of chloroacetyl chloride with benzophenone oxime or acetophenone oxime. The free‐radical‐initiated copolymerization of (DPOMA) and (MMOMA) with styrene (St) were carried out in 1,4‐dioxane solution at 65°C using 2,2‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator with different monomer‐to‐monomer ratios in the feed. The monomers and copolymers were characterized by FTIR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectral studies. The copolymer compositions were evaluated by nitrogen content in polymers. The reactivity ratios of the monomers were determined by the application of Fineman–Ross and Kelen–Tüdös methods. The molecular weights (M¯_w and M¯_n) and polydispersity index of the polymers were determined by using gel permeation chromatography. Thermogravimetric analysis of the polymers reveals that the thermal stability of the copolymers increases with an increase in the mole fraction of St in the copolymers. The activation energies of the thermal degradation of the polymers were calculated with the MHRK method. Glass transition temperatures of the copolymers were found to decrease with an increase in the mole fraction of DPOMA or MMOMA in the copolymers. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of the monomers and polymers were also investigated on various bacteria and fungi. The photochemical properties of the polymers were investigated by UV and FTIR spectra.     

An Efficient Route for the Synthesis of 3-(4-Bromophenyl)-2-Phenyl-3,4-Dihydro-2H-Benzo[E][,32,]Oxazaphosphinine,its P-Chalcogenides and Metal Complexes

Abstract

2-[(4-bromophenylamino)-methyl]-phenol (1) gave substantially pure 3-(4-bromophenyl)-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[e][1,3,2]- oxazaphosphinine (2) on cyclization with phenyldichlorophosphine in toluene at 0 °C. Reaction of 2 with H₂O₂ in dichloromethane gave selectively 3. P-chalcogenides (4 and 5) were prepared by reacting 2 with elemental S and Se powder in toluene, whereas the tungsten pentacarbonyl complex 6 was prepared by reacting 2 with [W(CO)₅(CH₃CN)] in tetrahydrofuran at 25 °C.

Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfer, and Silicon and the Related Elements for the following free supplemental files: Additional figures.     

Ultra‐fast heralded single photon source based on telecom technology

The realization of an ultra‐fast source of heralded single photons emitted at the wavelength of 1540 nm is reported. The presented strategy is based on state‐of‐the‐art telecom technology, combined with off‐the‐shelf fiber components and waveguide non‐linear stages pumped by a 10 GHz repetition rate laser. The single photons are heralded at a rate as high as 2.1 MHz with a heralding efficiency of 42%. Single‐photon character of the source is inferred by measuring the second‐order autocorrelation function. For the highest heralding rate, a value as low as 0.023 is found. This not only proves negligible multi‐photon contributions but also represents one of the best measured values reported to date for heralding rates in the MHz regime. These performances, associated with a device‐like configuration, are key ingredients for both fast and secure quantum communication protocols.

     

Nitric Oxide Conversion and Ozone Synthesis in a Shielded Sliding Discharge Reactor with Positive and Negative Streamers

Positive and negative streamer discharges in atmospheric pressure air were generated in a shielded sliding discharge reactor at operating voltages as low as 5 kV for a gap length of 1.6 cm. In this reactor, electrodes are placed on top of a dielectric layer and one of the electrodes, generally the one on ground potential, is connected to a conductive layer on the opposite side of the dielectric. The energy per pulse, at the same applied voltage, was more than a factor of seven higher than that of pulsed corona discharges, and more than a factor of two higher than that of sliding discharges without a shield. It is explained on the basis of enhanced electric fields, particularly at the plasma emitting electrode. Specific input energy required for 50 % removal from ~1,000 ppm initial NO could be reduced to ~18 eV/molecule when ozone in the exhaust of negative streamers was utilized. For sliding discharges and pulsed corona discharges this value was ~25 eV/molecule and it was 35 eV/molecule for positive shielded sliding discharges. Also, the ozone energy yield from dry air was up to ~130 g/kW h and highest for negative streamer discharges in shielded sliding discharge reactors. The high energy density in negative streamer discharges in the shielded discharge reactor at the relatively low applied voltages might not only allow expansion of basic studies on negative streamers, but also open the path to industrial applications, which have so far been focused on positive streamer discharges.     

Some Properties of Sasakian Metrics in Cotangent Bundles

The main aim of this paper is to investigate curvature properties of the Sasakian metrics in the cotangent bundle.     

Dielectric, ferroelectric, magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of PMN-PT based ME composites

A systematic study of magnetoelectric composite system (x) CoFe₂O₄+(1−x) Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)_0.67Ti_0.33O₃ with x=0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 and 1 was carried out. The lattice strain was calculated using Williamson and Hall equation, which depends on the content of constituent phases in composites. The microstructure was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The ferroelectric transition temperature was independent of the content of individual phases, suggesting that the ferroelectric character is maintained in the composite. Observed P–E and M–H loops indicate that the multiferroic nature of magnetoelectric ceramics is dependent on the content of individual phases. The variation of magnetostriction with dc magnetic field was studied. The maximum magnetoelectric voltage coefficient of 7.2 mV/cm Oe is obtained for the synthesized composites. The magnetoelectric measurements are well explained with magnetostrictive behavior of the magnetic phase.     

Porous carbon as electrode material in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) synthesized by the direct carbonization of MOF-5

Porous carbon (PC-900) was prepared by direct carbonization of porous metal-organic framework (MOF)-5 (Zn₄O(bdc)₃, bdc?=?1,4-benzenedicarboxylate) at 900 °C. The carbon material was deposited with PtM (M?=?Fe, Ni, Co, and Cu (20 %) metal loading) nanoparticles using the polyol reduction method, and catalysts PtM/PC-900 were designed for direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). However, herein, we are reporting PtFe/PC-900 catalyst combination which has exhibited superior performance among other options. This catalyst was characterized by powder XRD, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) technique. The electrocatalytic capability of the catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and direct ethanol single cell testing. The results were compared with those of PtFe and Pt supported on Vulcan XC72 carbon catalysts (PFe/CX-72 and Pt/XC-72) prepared via the same method. It has been observed that the catalyst PtFe/PC-900 developed in this work showed an outstanding normalized activity per gram of Pt (6.8 mA/g Pt) and superior power density (121 mW/cm² at 90 °C) compared to commercially available carbon-supported catalysts.