Dynamic control of volume phase transitions of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) based microgels in water using hydrazide‐aldehyde chemistry

We demonstrate that the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) of copolymer microgel particles made from N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and methacryloyl hydrazide (MH) can be tailored in a reversible manner upon the reaction of the hydrazide functional groups with aldehydes. The microgels were synthesized by precipitation polymerization in water. Due to the water‐soluble nature of the MH monomer, the VPTT at which the microgel particles contract shifts to higher values by increasing the incorporated amounts of methacryloyl hydrazide from 0 to 5.0 mol %. The VPTT of the copolymer microgel dispersions in water can be fine‐tuned upon addition of hydrophobic/hydrophilic aldehydes, which react with the hydrazide moiety to produce the hydrazone analogue. This hydrazone formation is reversible, which allows for flexible, dynamic control of the thermo‐responsive behavior of the microgels. The ability to “switch” the VPTT was demonstrated by exposing hydrophilic streptomycin sulfate salt incubated microgel particles to an excess of a hydrophobic aldehyde, that is benzaldehyde. The temperature at which these microgels contracted in size upon heating was markedly lowered in these aldehyde exchange experiments. Transformation into benzaldehyde hydrazone derivatives led to assembly of the microgel particles into small colloidal clusters at elevated temperatures. This control of supracolloidal cluster formation was also demonstrated with polystyrene particles which had a hydrazide functionalised microgel shell. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1745–1754     

A fattening principle for fronts propagating by mean curvature plus a driving force

We demonstrate a general situation in which a hypersurface in Rn propagating by mean curvature, plus a nonzero driving force, develops an interior after finite time in the level set formulation of the problem.     

Generic diffeomorphisms with measure-expansive homoclinic classes

We prove that for C¹ generic diffeomorphisms, every measure-expansive locally maximal homoclinic class is hyperbolic.     

Topography and field effects in the inner side of microvia hole using ToF‐SIMS

We have developed a simple and powerful method, which is called ‘angled sample holder method’, to characterize a topographic structured sample such as microsized via hole of ball grid array using time‐of‐flight SIMS. The diameter of via holes was 100 µm and the depth was 70 µm. To remove the shaded area by incidence primary ion beam and to extract secondary ions from the bottom of a via hole, several types of angled sample holders with compensation steering plate were applied on the basis of simulation results using SIMION code. And the analyses using angled sample holder method enabled us to characterize the bottom and side wall of a via hole in clear. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flame Spray Pyrolysis for Finding Multicomponent Nanomaterials with Superior Electrochemical Properties in the CoOx‐FeOx System for Use in Lithium‐Ion Batteries

High‐temperature flame spray pyrolysis is employed for finding highly efficient nanomaterials for use in lithium‐ion batteries. CoO_x‐FeO_x nanopowders with various compositions are prepared by one‐pot high‐temperature flame spray pyrolysis. The Co and Fe components are uniformly distributed over the CoO_x‐FeO_x composite powders, irrespective of the Co/Fe mole ratio. The Co‐rich CoO_x‐FeO_x composite powders with Co/Fe mole ratios of 3:1 and 2:1 have mixed crystal structures with CoFe₂O₄ and Co₃O₄ phases. However, Co‐substituted magnetite composite powders prepared from spray solutions with Co and Fe components in mole ratios of 1:3, 1:2, and 1:1 have a single phase. Multicomponent CoO_x‐FeO_x powders with a Co/Fe mole ratio of 2:1 and a mixed crystal structure with Co₃O₄ and CoFe₂O₄ phases show high initial capacities and good cycling performance. The stable reversible discharge capacities of the composite powders with a Co/Fe mole ratio of 2:1 decrease from 1165 to 820 mA h g^?1 as the current density is increased from 500 to 5000 mA g^?1; however, the discharge capacity again increases to 1310 mA h g^?1 as the current density is restored to 500 mA g^?1.     

Synthesis of a Zn-salen resorcinarene-based cavitand and its fluorescence response to nitro compounds

The synthesis, spectroscopic characterisation, conformational switching and fluorescence quenching efficiency of a resorcinarene-based cavitand containing Zn-salen (Zn-Cav) are reported. Synthesis of Zn-Cav was accomplished by the condensation of a quinoxaline derivatised with Zn-salen and a resorcinarene-based cavitand containing three quinoxalines. ¹H NMR spectroscopy confirmed that in DMSO, chloroform and acetone Zn-Cav resides in the vase conformation. The molecular geometry of Zn-Cav selectively changes from vase to kite under acidic conditions. Detection by fluorescence quenching of nitro-containing molecules, such as 4-nitrotoluene, 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane was explored by spectrofluorimetry. It was found that the fluorescence of Zn-Cav is efficiently quenched by nitroaromatic compounds.     

Rhodium(III), palladium(II), and platinum(II) complexes with 2-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-N-methylhydrazinecarbothioamide: Syntheses,structures, and spectral characteristics

The syntheses and spectral (IR, UV-VIS, XPS, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR) characteristics of the rhodium(III), palladium(II), and platinum(II) complexes with 2-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-N-methylhydrazinecarbothioamide (HBMHCTA) are described. The coordination of HBMHCTA to the central metal ion and its intraligand rearrangement in the complex formation of rhodium(III) ions are studied. The structure of the mixed-ligand complex [Pd(H₂L)PPh₃] is determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.