Pressure and temperature dependence of the gas‐transport properties of dense poly[2,6‐toluene‐2,2‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxylphenyl)hexafluoropropane diimide] membranes

The gas‐transport properties of poly[2,6‐toluene‐2,2‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxylphenyl)hexafluoropropane diimide] (6FDA‐2,6‐DAT) have been investigated. The sorption behavior of dense 6FDA‐2,6‐DAT membranes is well described by the dual‐mode sorption model and has certain relationships with the critical temperatures of the penetrants. The solubility coefficient decreases with an increase in either the pressure or temperature. The temperature dependence of the diffusivity coefficient increases with an increase in the penetrant size, as the order of the activation energy for the diffusion jump is CH₄ > N₂ > O₂ > CO₂. Also, the average diffusion coefficient increases with increasing pressure for all the gases tested. As a combined contribution from sorption and diffusion, permeability decreases with increases in the pressure and the kinetic diameter of the penetrant molecules. Even up to 32.7 atm, no plasticization phenomenon can be observed on flat dense 6FDA‐2,6‐DAT membranes from their permeability–pressure curves. However, just as for other gases, the absolute value of the heat of sorption of CO₂ decreases with increasing pressure at a low‐pressure range, but the trend changes when the feed pressure is greater than 10 atm. This implies that CO₂‐induced plasticization may occur and reduce the positive enthalpy required to create a site into which a penetrant can be sorbed. Therefore, a better diagnosis of the inherent threshold pressure for the plasticization of a glassy polymer membrane may involve examining the absolute value of the heat of sorption as a function of pressure and identifying the turning point at which the gradient of the absolute value of the heat of sorption against pressure turns from a negative value to a positive one. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 354–364, 2004     

Synthesis and optoelectronic properties of silole‐containing polyfluorenes with binary structures

2,5‐Bis(2‐bromofluorene‐7‐yl)silole was prepared by a modified one‐pot synthesis with a reverse addition procedure, from which novel silole‐containing polyfluorenes with binary random and alternating structures (silole contents between 4.5 and 25% and high M_w up to 509 kDa were successfully synthesized. The well‐defined repeating unit of the alternating copolymer comprises a terfluorene and a silole ring. Optoelectronic properties including UV absorption, electrochemistry, photoluminescence (PL), and electroluminescence (EL) of the copolymers were examined. The different excitation energy transfers from fluorene to silole of the copolymers in solution and in the solid state were compared. The films of the copolymers showed silole‐dominant green emissions with high absolute PL quantum yields up to 83%. EL devices of the copolymers with a configuration of ITO/PEDOT/copolymer/Ba/Al displayed exclusive silole emissions peaked at around 543 nm and the highest EL efficiency was achieved with the alternating copolymer. Using the alternating copolymer and poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene) as the blend‐type emissive layer, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 1.99% (four times to that of the neat film) was realized, which was a high efficiency so far reported for silole‐containing polymers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 756–767, 2007     

An algorithm for three-way data analysis that alternatively minimizes coupled vector (COV) resolution error and PARAFAC error.

A novel algorithm, alternatively minimizing coupled vector (COV) resolution error and PARAFAC error algorithm, is proposed in this paper. This algorithm can overcome the problem of slow convergence and is insensitive to the estimation of component number, such problems are unavoidable while using the traditional parallel factors analysis (PARAFAC) algorithm. In other words, this algorithm is capable of improving the computing speed and providing accurate resolutions provided that the number of factors used in the computation is no less than that of the actual underlying ones. The characteristic performances were demonstrated with a novel fluorescence data array.     

Synthesis of optically active poly(N‐propargylsulfamides) with helical conformation

A novel chiral N‐propargylsulfamide monomer ( 1a ) and its enantiomer ( 1b ) were synthesized and polymerized with (nbd)Rh⁺B^?(C₆H₅)₄ as a catalyst providing poly(1) (poly( 1a ) and poly( 1b )) in high yields (≥99%). Poly(1) could take stable helices in less polar solvents (chloroform and THF), demonstrated by strong circular dichroism signals and UV–vis absorption peaks at about 415 nm and the large specific rotations; but in more polar solvents including DMF and DMSO, poly(1) failed to form helix. Quantitative evaluation with anisotropy factor showed that the helical screw sense had a relatively high thermal stability. These results together with the IR spectra measured in solvents showed that hydrogen bonding between the neighboring sulfamide groups is one of the main driving forces for poly(1) to adopt stable helices. In addition, copolymerization of monomer 1a and monomer 2 was conducted, the solubility of poly(1) was improved drastically. However, the copolymerization had adverse effects on the formation of stable helices in the copolymers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 500–508, 2007     

Single Atom Alloy Preparation and Applications in Heterogeneous Catalysis

There have been remarkable progresses in manipulating heterogeneous catalysts' nanostructures in the past decade. The concept of single atom alloy (SAA) was firstly proposed in 2012 when researchers successfully stabilized single Pd atoms on the Cu(111) surface. However, earlier work in 2009, which focused on replacing one Au atom with a Pd atom in thiolate protected Au₂₅ nanoclusters, could also be considered as the pioneer work of single atom alloy. Both kinds of single atom alloys exhibited the potential of maximum utilization of scarce elements and attractive catalytic performances. The well‐defined structures of SAA catalysts make accurate modeling possible, which further realizes the rational design of single atom alloy catalysts. In this review, we summarize the research trajectory of single atom alloys as well as recent achievements in this field. We also introduce several commonly adopted characterization methods for SAA catalysts such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), temperature programmed reaction (TPR), extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra, matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrum (MALDI‐MS) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Through discussing recent progresses in SAA catalysts, we propose that future researches in this filed should be focused on exploring new kinds of metal nanocrystals and controlling the nanostructure of SAA even more precisely.     

Coriatone and corianlactone, two novel sesquiterpenes from Coriaria nepalensis

Both coriatone (1). a novel highly oxygenated picrotoxane-type sesquiterpene, and corianlactone (2). with an unprecedented sesquiterpene basic skeleton, named coriane, were isolated from Coriaria nepalensis Wall. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by analysis of their two-dimensional NMR data, and the structure of 2 was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 showed no remarkable inhibitory activity toward K(562) cells. They are cytotoxic with IC(50) > 50 microg/mL (cis-platinim: IC(50) = 0.49 microg/mL).