Actuating Shape Memory Polymer for Thermoresponsive Soft Robotic Gripper and Programmable Materials

For soft robotics and programmable metamaterials, novel approaches are required enabling the design of highly integrated thermoresponsive actuating systems. In the concept presented here, the necessary functional component was obtained by polymer syntheses. First, poly(1,10-decylene adipate) diol (PDA) with a number average molecular weight M_n of 3290 g·mol⁻¹ was synthesized from 1,10-decanediol and adipic acid. Afterward, the PDA was brought to reaction with 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and 1,4-butanediol. The resulting polyester urethane (PEU) was processed to the filament, and samples were additively manufactured by fused-filament fabrication. After thermomechanical treatment, the PEU reliably actuated under stress-free conditions by expanding on cooling and shrinking on heating with a maximum thermoreversible strain of 16.1%. Actuation stabilized at 12.2%, as verified in a measurement comprising 100 heating-cooling cycles. By adding an actuator element to a gripper system, a hen’s egg could be picked up, safely transported and deposited. Finally, one actuator element each was built into two types of unit cells for programmable materials, thus enabling the design of temperature-dependent behavior. The approaches are expected to open up new opportunities, e.g., in the fields of soft robotics and shape morphing.     

Low Temperature Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence

In this short letter, we describe the effects of low temperature on the Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) phenomenon. Fluorophores close to Silver Island Films (SiFs) show on average two- to ten-fold enhancements in their fluorescence signatures at room temperature. However, at 77 K, we have observed that MEF is even more pronounced as compared to an identical glass control sample. We also demonstrate that the further enhancements in MEF occur at low temperature over a range of visible wavelengths for different fluorophores, for both SiFs and 20 nm surface deposited gold colloids.     

Sulfur doping of AlN and AlGaN for improved n‐type conductivity

Achieving high levels of n‐type conductivity in AlN and high Al‐content nitride alloys is a long standing problem; significant decreases in conductivity are observed as the Al content is increased, a phenomenon that has been attributed to donors such as oxygen or silicon forming DX centers. We address this problem through a comprehensive first‐principles hybrid density functional study of potential n‐type dopants, identifying S_N and Se_N as two elements which are potential shallow donors because they do not undergo a DX transition. In particular, S_N is highly promising as an n‐type dopant because it also has a low formation energy and hence a high solubility. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Mapping of the Photoinduced Electron Traps in TiO2 by Picosecond X‐ray Absorption Spectroscopy

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is the most popular material for applications in solar‐energy conversion and photocatalysis, both of which rely on the creation, transport, and trapping of charges (holes and electrons). The nature and lifetime of electron traps at room temperature have so far not been elucidated. Herein, we use picosecond X‐ray absorption spectroscopy at the Ti K‐edge and the Ru L₃‐edge to address this issue for photoexcited bare and N719‐dye‐sensitized anatase and amorphous TiO₂ nanoparticles. Our results show that 100 ps after photoexcitation, the electrons are trapped deep in the defect‐rich surface shell in the case of anatase TiO₂, whereas they are inside the bulk in the case of amorphous TiO₂. In the case of dye‐sensitized anatase or amorphous TiO₂, the electrons are trapped at the outer surface. Only two traps were identified in all cases, with lifetimes in the range of nanoseconds to tens of nanoseconds.     

Facile Synthesis of Phosphaamidines and Phosphaamidinates using Nitrilium Ions as an Imine Synthon

Readily accessible nitrilium triflates are convenient imine building blocks for the expedient synthesis of a novel class of 1,3‐P,N ligands as demonstrated for the reaction with primary phosphanes. This procedure allows variation of all substituents. X‐ray crystal structures are reported for nitrilium ions, phosphaamidines, and three phosphaamidinate complexes. The lithium phosphaamidinate is N coordinated and its reaction with [AuCl(tht)] (tht=tetrahydrothiophene) gives a unique P‐bridged gold trimer, while a P,N‐bidentate complex results from [{RhCl(cod)}₂]. The nitrilium ion methodology allows extension of the 1,3‐P,N motive to bis(imino)phosphanes, which are the neutral phosphorus analogues of the valuable β‐diketiminate ligand.     

X-Ray Crystallography and Free Energy Calculations Reveal the Binding Mechanism of A2A Adenosine Receptor Antagonists

We present a robust protocol based on iterations of free energy perturbation (FEP) calculations, chemical synthesis, biophysical mapping and X-ray crystallography to reveal the binding mode of an antagonist series to the A_2A adenosine receptor (AR). Eight A_2AAR binding site mutations from biophysical mapping experiments were initially analyzed with sidechain FEP simulations, performed on alternate binding modes. The results distinctively supported one binding mode, which was subsequently used to design new chromone derivatives. Their affinities for the A_2AAR were experimentally determined and investigated through a cycle of ligand-FEP calculations, validating the binding orientation of the different chemical substituents proposed. Subsequent X-ray crystallography of the A_2AAR with a low and a high affinity chromone derivative confirmed the predicted binding orientation. The new molecules and structures here reported were driven by free energy calculations, and provide new insights on antagonist binding to the A_2AAR, an emerging target in immuno-oncology.     

Generation and reactivity of N,N-dimethylaminobenzotriazolylcarbene a new nucleophilic carbene

N,N-Dimethylaminobenzotriazolylcarbene ( 5 ) reacted with phenyl isocyanate in a [1+2+2] cycloaddition and then with nucleophiles to generate various hydantoins 10 in a one-pot procedure. It was also found that this novel carbene reacted with trans-dibenzoylethylene ( 11 ) in a [1+4] cycloaddition, generating 2-dimethylamino-3-benzoyl-5-phenylfuran ( 13 ) and 2-phenyl-3-[benzotriazol-1-yl]-4-benzoylfuran ( 14 ) whose structures were confirmed by ¹H-¹³C long range correlations as well as the structure of furan 14 being confirmed by X-ray crystallography.