Improving surface quality of polyethylene terephthalate film for large area flexible electronic applications

Lamination is a method utilized to protect flexible electroluminescence device against environmental hazards, such as dust, moisture, and water vapor. The materials are typically joined together using adhesive or cohesion of the materials during the lamination process. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is commonly used as the substrate film where electroluminescence patterns are printed. However, PET film has a relatively low surface energy and high contact angle, which would cause relatively weak laminating strength. This paper discusses the use of atmospheric plasma as a surface treatment method to modify PET and laminating films’ interface to improve bonding and laminating quality. Experimental results revealed that atmospheric plasma process reduced the contact angle of both PET and laminating films. Functional groups favoring hydrophilicity were found on the films’ interface after the atmospheric plasma treatment. These effects consequently increased surface energies of both films and favored bonding between the films. The treated films thus had increased laminating strength by approximately six times without compromising the transparency quality.     

A dynamic density functional theory for particles in a flowing solvent

We present a dynamic density functional theory (dDFT) which takes into account the advection of the particles by a flowing solvent. For potential flows, we can use the same closure as in the absence of solvent flow. The structure of the resulting advected dDFT suggests that it could be used for nonpotential flows as well. We apply this dDFT to Brownian particles (e.g., polymer coils) in a solvent flowing around a spherical obstacle (e.g., a colloid) and compare the results with direct simulations of the underlying Brownian dynamics. Although numerical limitations do not allow for an accurate quantitative check of the advected dDFT both show the same qualitative features. In contrast to previous works which neglected the deformation of the flow by the obstacle, we find that the bow wave in the density distribution of particles in front of the obstacle as well as the wake behind it are reduced dramatically. As a consequence, the friction force exerted by the (polymer) particles on the colloid can be reduced drastically.     

Noble gas anions: a theoretical investigation of FNgBN- (Ng = He-Xe)

Noble gas anions of general formula FNgBN- (Ng = He-Xe) have been investigated by MP2, coupled-cluster, and multireference-CI calculations with correlation-consistent basis sets. These species reside in deep wells on the singlet potential energy surface and are thermodynamically stable with respect to the loss of F, F-, BN, and BN-. They are unstable with respect to Ng + FBN-, but at least for Ng = Ar, Kr, and Xe, the involved energy barriers are high enough to suggest their conceivable existence as metastable species. The stability of FNgBN- arises from the strong F--stabilization of the elusive NgBN. The character of the boron-noble gas bond passes from purely ionic for FHeBN- and FNeBN- to covalent for FXeBN-.     

An inexpensive and versatile technique for wide frequency range surface pressure measurements: an application for the study of turbulent buffeting of a square cylinder

This work presents the development of an inexpensive measurement technique based on miniature microphones for the measurement of pressure fluctuations in a wide frequency range, starting from infrasound up to several kilohertz. Special emphasis has been put on achieving accurate calibration of the system at very low frequencies and good agreement with reference measurements have been achieved at frequencies as low as 1 Hz, therefore opening new low-budget research possibilities in many fields of fluid mechanics. The measurement technique proposed is specially indicated when the number of simultaneous pressure measurements is high since the sensors used are inexpensive, contrarily to common research equipment. One particular area in which this technique results useful is bluff-body aerodynamics. As an example of the potential of the technique, the structural response of a finite-square cylinder immersed in a turbulent flow is studied.     

The adsorption and reaction of vinyl acetate on Au/Pd(100) alloy surfaces

The surface chemistry of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is studied on Au/Pd(100) alloys as a function of alloy composition using temperature-programmed desorption and reflection–adsorption infrared spectroscopy. VAM adsorbs weakly on isolated palladium sites on the alloy with a heat of adsorption of ~ 55 kJ/mol, with the plane of the VAM adsorbed close to parallel to the surface. The majority of the VAM adsorbed on isolated sites desorbs molecularly with only a small portion decomposing. At lower gold coverages (below ~ 0.5 ML of gold), where palladium–palladium bridge sites are present, VAM binds to the surface in a distorted geometry via a rehybridized vinyl group. A larger proportion of this VAM decomposes and this reaction is initiated by CO bond scission in the VAM to form adsorbed acetate and vinyl species. The implication of this surface chemistry for VAM synthesis on Au/Pd(100) alloys is discussed.     

Tautomerisation of 2-substituted pyridines to N-heterocyclic carbene ligands induced by the 16 e- unsaturated [Tp(Me2)Ir(III)(C6H5)2] moiety

The complex [Tp(Me2)Ir(C(6)H(5))(2)(N(2))] reacts with several 2-substituted pyridines to generate N-heterocyclic carbenes resulting from a formal 1,2-hydrogen shift from C(6) to N. In this paper we provide a detailed report of the scope and the mechanistic aspects (both experimental and theoretical) of the tautomerisation of 2-substituted pyridines.     

Measurement of separate cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra with the fermi large area telescope

We measured separate cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra with the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Because the instrument does not have an onboard magnet, we distinguish the two species by exploiting Earth's shadow, which is offset in opposite directions for opposite charges due to Earth's magnetic field. We estimate and subtract the cosmic-ray proton background using two different methods that produce consistent results. We report the electron-only spectrum, the positron-only spectrum, and the positron fraction between 20 and 200?GeV. We confirm that the fraction rises with energy in the 20-100?GeV range. The three new spectral points between 100 and 200?GeV are consistent with a fraction that is continuing to rise with energy.