Chemical mechanisms in C3F8-H2 radiofrequency discharges

Discharges fed with C₃F₈-H₂ mixtures have been studied by means of mass spectrometry in a tubular reactor operated at 0.5 torr and 50 W. Comparison of the results with those obtained with emission actinometry give additional evidence that emission actinometry and mass spectrometry are powerful diagnostic tools to monitor stable and unstable species in discharges utilized for dry etching and polymer depositions. Mechanisms for end product formation and polymer deposition are also discussed.     

Classical “freezing” of plane rotations: A proof of the Boltzmann-Jeans conjecture

Using simple known methods and results of classical perturbation theory, especially those due to Nekhoroshev and Neishtadt, we study the energy exchanges between the rotational and the translational degrees of freedom in a particular model representing the planar motion of a rigid body in a bounded analytic potential. We prove that, if the angular velocity is initially large, then the energy exchanges are small,O( ^–1), for times growing exponentially with, |t|exp. We also deduce that in a scattering process from a (smooth) potential barrier, the overall change in the rotational energy of the incoming body is exponentially small in, exp(–. The results are interpreted in the light of an old conjecture by Boltzmann and Jeans on the existence of very large time scales for equilibrium in statistical systems containing high-frequency degrees of freedom (purely classical freezing of the high-frequency degrees of freedom); the rotating object is, in this interpretation, a (classical) molecule, which moves in an external field, or collides with the wall of a container. Two different limits of large are considered, namely the limit of large rotational energy, and (as is interesting for the molecular interpretation) the limit of point mass, at finite rotational energy.     

Light Electrospun Polyvinylpyrrolidone Blanket for Low Frequencies Sound Absorption

Light polymeric soundproofing materials(density = 63 kg/m~3) of interest for the transportation industry were fabricated through electrospinning. Blankets of electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone(average fiber diameter =(1.6 ± 0.5) or(2.8 ± 0.5) μm) were obtained by stacking disks of electrospun mats. The sound absorption coefficients were measured using the impedance tube instrument based on ASTM E1050 and ISO 10534-2. For a given set of disks(from a minimum of 6) the sound absorption coefficient changed with the frequency(in the range 200–1600 Hz) following a bell shape curve with a maximum(where the coefficient is greater than 0.9) that shifts to lower frequencies at higher piled disks number and greater fiber diameter. This work showed that electrospinning produced sound absorbers with reduced thickness(2–3 cm) and excellent sound-absorption properties in the low and medium frequency range.     

Effect of the introduction of an alcohol-soluble conjugated polyelectrolyte as cathode interlayer in solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic devices

Interfacial engineering provides an important tool for optimizing the performances of optoelectronic devices. We show that poly[(2,7-(9,9′-dioctyl)fluorene)-alt-(2,7-(9,9′-bis(5″-trimethylammonium bromide)pentyl)fluorene)])], an alcohol-soluble π-conjugated polymer based on polyfluorene backbone and ammonium groups on the alkyl side chains, is capable of modifying the interface between the organic layer and the metal cathode in both organic solar cells and light-emitting diodes based on commercial materials and conventional architectures, improving their performances. The introduction of the cathode interlayer enhances the efficiency of a red-emitting phosphorescent OLED by 15% and decreases its turn-on voltage. The same polymer improves the power conversion efficiency of a PTB7/PC₇₁BM solar cell by 55% and shows a beneficial effect in terms of device stability.     

Colloids for Catalysts: A Concept for the Preparation of Superior Catalysts of Industrial Relevance

Compared to conventional preparation methods for supported heterogeneous catalysts, the use of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) allows for a precise control over size, size distribution, and distribution/location of the NPs on the support. However, common colloidal syntheses have restrictions that limit their applicability for industrial catalyst preparation. We present a simple, surfactant‐free, and scalable preparation method for colloidal NPs to overcome these restrictions. We demonstrate how precious‐metal NPs are prepared in alkaline methanol, how the particle size can be tuned, and how supported catalysts are obtained. The potential of these colloids in the preparation of improved catalysts is demonstrated by two examples from heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis.     

Dissipative Synthetic DNA‐Based Receptors for the Transient Loading and Release of Molecular Cargo

Supramolecular chemistry is moving into a direction in which the composition of a chemical equilibrium is no longer determined by thermodynamics but by the efficiency with which kinetic states can be populated by energy consuming processes. Herein, we show that DNA is ideally suited for programming chemically fueled dissipative self‐assembly processes. Advantages of the DNA‐based systems presented in this study include a perfect control over the activation site for the chemical fuel in terms of selectivity and affinity, highly selective fuel consumption that occurs exclusively in the activated complex, and a high tolerance for the presence of waste products. Finally, it is shown that chemical fuels can be used to selectively activate different functions in a system of higher complexity embedded with multiple response pathways.     

Customizing the Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Nanodots by Using Quinones in Bottom‐Up Synthesis

We show how the redox potentials of carbon nanodots (CNDs) can be modulated by employing quinones as electroactive precursors during a microwave‐assisted synthesis. We prepared and characterized a redox library of CNDs, demonstrating that this approach can promote the use of carbon nanodots for ad hoc applications, including photocatalysis.