Optical pattern simulations for closed cylinders of liquid crystals

Abstract

Optical patterns for the polarizing microscope textures of closed cylinders of liquid crystals (CCLCs) are studied by the Jones vector formulation. The simulated director configuration diagram of a CCLC with normal orientation at the walls contains four kinds of stable director configurations. The resulting texture under some approximations depends only on phase shifts. The patterns are characterized by dark brushes that coincide with the directions of the crossed polarizers. Additionally, there are concentric circle fringes. For the ring defect structure, the centre region of the cylinder exhibits a black extinction. However, this is not distinguishable as between the hyperbolic and radial structures for both the point and the ring defect patterns. Comparing the observed patterns with the simulated ones, we find that the dark cross brushes and the centre black extinction of simulated patterns are similar to those that are observed. However, the concentric circle fringes of the observed pattern are not in accordance with the simulated pattern.     

Surface anchoring energy and the first order Fréedericksz transition of a NLC cell

Many authors have suggested new forms to describe the surface anchoring energy of the liquid crystal-wall interface, replacing the Rapini-Papoular (RP) formula g s = (1/2) A sin2 theta. If the RP function is considered as the primary approximation, and a lowest order modification is included, then the surface anchoring energy can be represented by g s = (1/2) A sin2 theta(1 + zeta sin2 theta). zeta characterizes the modification to the RP formula and varies for the different energy forms. It is well known that the RP formula predicts a second order Freedericksz transition. This paper points out that the transition can be first order if the modification is taken into account, in which case at the threshold point the tilt angle of the director at the middle layer of the cell, thetam, is finite. The conditions for the existence of the first order transition are obtained; zeta < 0 is required for a first order transition. The approximate expression of the threshold field is also given.     

Poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐pentaerythritol tetraacrylate‐co‐butyl methacrylate)‐g‐polystyrene: Synthesis and high oil‐absorption property

Well‐defined high oil‐absorption resin was successfully prepared via living radical polymerization on surface of polystyrene resin‐supported N‐chlorosulfonamide group utilizing methyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate as monomers, ferric trichloride/iminodiacetic acid (FeCl₃/IDA) as catalyst system, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate as crosslinker, and L ‐ascorbic acid as reducing agent. The polymerization proceeded in a “living” polymerization manner as indicated by linearity kinetic plot of the polymerization. Effects of crosslinker, catalyst, macroinitiator, reducing agent on polymerization and absorption property were discussed in detail. The chemical structure of sorbent was determined by FTIR spectrometry. The oil‐absorption resin shows a toluene absorption capacity of 21 g g^?1. The adsorption of oil behaves as pseudo‐first‐order kinetic model rather than pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Diethyl phenylphosphonite contributing to solid electrolyte interphase and cathode electrolyte interphase for lithium metal batteries

Lithium metal batteries have obtained increasing interest due to their high specific capacity.Nonetheless,the growth of lithium dendrites brings safety risks to...     

Unexpectedly ligand-free copper-catalyzed C–S cross-coupling of benzothiazole with aryl iodides in aqueous solution

A novel synthetic protocol for 2-aminophenyl sulfide derivatives via the reactions of benzothiazole with aryl iodides was reported for the first time. The reactions were catalyzed by CuCl with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as the base and water as the solvent without ligand at 50 °C or room temperature. A variety of aryl iodides underwent the C–S cross-coupling reaction with benzothiazole to afford smoothly the corresponding products in excellent yield.     

Novel ether-functional spiro-tetronic acid derivatives: molecule design, convenient synthesis and biological evaluation

A novel series of ether functionalization of spiro-tetronic acid derivatives have been designed and conveniently synthesized via three steps, including esterification, one-pot heterocyclization, and etherification reactions. The target molecules have been identified on the basis of analytical spectra data. All newly synthesized compounds have been screened for their potential insecticidal activity against Heliothis armigera and Plutella xylostella compared with spirodiclofen by standard method.     

The millimeter-wave spectrum of acetaldehyde in its two lowest torsional states

A large number of new millimeter-wave spectral lines of gaseous acetaldehyde have been measured at frequencies up to 250 GHz. These lines arise from rotational transitions of acetaldehyde in its two lowest (v_t = 0,1) torsional states and involve angular momentum quantum numbers J ≤ 12 and K ≤ 10. A global data set consisting of 562 lines has been obtained by combining the millimeter-wave lines with previously measured lower frequency data involving the two lowest torsional states. This data set has been analyzed via an internal axis method previously used to study the spectra of CH₃OH and CH₃SH. The root-mean-square deviation of the fit is only 685 kHz. An analogous least-squares fit to 335v_t = 0 lines yields a root-mean-square deviation of 269 kHz.