Liquid deposition patterning of conducting polymer ink onto hard and soft flexible substrates via dip-pen nanolithography

Ink formulations and protocols that enable the deposition and patterning of a conducting polymer (PEDOT:PSS) in the nanodomain have been developed. Significantly, we demonstrated the ability to pattern onto soft substrates such as silicone gum and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which are materials of interest for low cost, flexible electronics. The deposition process and dimensions of the polymer patterns are found to be critically dependent on a number of parameters, including the pen design, ink properties, time after inking the pen, dwell time of the pen on the surface, and the nature of material substrate. By assessing these different parameters, an improved understanding of the ability to control the dimensions of individual PEDOT:PSS structures down to 600 nm in width and 10-80 nm in height within patterned arrays was obtained. This applicability of DPN for simple and nonreactive liquid deposition patterning of conducting polymers can lead to the fabrication of organic nanoelectronics or biosensors and complement the efforts of existing printing techniques such as inkjet and extrusion printing by scaling down conductive components to submicrometer and nanoscale dimensions.     

Molecular Spintronics Based on Single‐Molecule Magnets Composed of Multiple‐Decker Phthalocyaninato Terbium(III) Complex

Unlike electronics, which is based on the freedom of the charge of an electron whose memory is volatile, spintronics is based on the freedom of the charge, spin, and orbital of an electron whose memory is non‐volatile. Although in most GMR, TMR, and CMR systems, bulk or classical magnets that are composed of transition metals are used, this Focus Review considers the growing use of single‐molecule magnets (SMMs) that are composed of multinuclear metal complexes and nanosized magnets, which exhibit slow magnetic‐relaxation processes and quantum tunneling. Molecular spintronics, which combines spintronics and molecular electronics, is an emerging field of research. Using molecules is advantageous because their electronic and magnetic properties can be manipulated under specific conditions. Herein, recent developments in [LnPc]‐based multiple‐decker SMMs on surfaces for molecular spintronic devices are presented. First, we discuss the strategies for preparing single‐molecular‐memory devices by using SMMs. Next, we focus on the switching of the Kondo signal of [LnPc]‐based multiple‐decker SMMs that are adsorbed onto surfaces, their characterization by using STM and STS, and the relationship between the molecular structure, the electronic structure, and the Kondo resonance of [TbPc₂]. Finally, the field‐effect‐transistor (FET) properties of surface‐adsorbed [LnPc₂] and [Ln₂Pc₃] cast films are reported, which is the first step towards controlling SMMs through their spins for applications in single‐molecular memory and spintronics devices.     

Fluorescence imaging of potassium ions in living cells using a fluorescent probe based on a thrombin binding aptamer-peptide conjugate

When a biotinylated FRET probe based on a peptide-thrombin binding aptamer conjugate was introduced together with streptavidin and biotinylated nuclear export signal peptide into HeLa cells, the resulting ternary complex enabled visualization of K(+) concentration changes in the cell.     

Characterization of magnetic nanoparticles modified with thiol functionalized PAMAM dendron for DNA recovery

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) modified with the thiol functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendron were synthesized to estimate their DNA recovery capabilities. Aminosilane-modified MNPs and MNPs surrounded by a phospholipid (distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE)) bilayer were used as core particles. Cystamine-core PAMAM dendrimers were reduced by dithiothreitol to dendron thiols and chemically conjugated to the core particles. Characterization of the synthesis revealed an increase of the surface amine charge from generation 1 (G1) to G6, starting with an aminosilane initiator. Particle size distribution analysis indicated that G6 PAMAM-modified MNPs exhibited monodispersity in an aqueous solution. G6 PAMAM-MNPs and G6 PAMAM-PE-MNPs synthesized by the proposed method have equivalent DNA recovery abilities to PAMAM-MNPs prepared by the conventional divergent synthesis method. In optimized conditions, 96% of λDNA was recovered using G6 PAMAM-PE-MNPs. Therefore, the method for preparing PAMAM-MNPs and PAMAM-PE-MNPs proposed in this study will be a novel approach for producing DNA carriers for efficient DNA purification by magnetic separation.     

Nonlinear electromechanical fields and localized polarization switching of 1-3 piezoelectric/polymer composites

This paper examines the nonlinear electromechanical response of 1-3 piezoelectric/polymer composites. The piezocomposites contain square or circular piezoelectric rods in an epoxy matrix. Experiments were conducted to measure the displacement versus electric field curves, using the device specimen of the 1-3 piezocomposites. Three dimensional finite element analysis was also carried out to study the electromechanical fields in the 1-3 piezocomposites by introducing a model for polarization switching. Comparison was then made between simulation and experiment.     

Compressing Double [7]Helicene by Successive Charging with Electrons

Chemical reduction of a benzo‐fused double [7]helicene ( 1 ) with two alkali metals, K and Rb, provided access to three different reduced states of 1 . The doubly‐reduced helicene 1 ^2? has been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction as a solvent‐separated ion triplet with two potassium counterions. The triply‐ and tetra‐reduced helicenes, 1 ^3? and 1 ^4?, have been crystallized together in an equimolar ratio and both form the contact‐ion complexes with two Rb⁺ ions each, leaving three remaining Rb⁺ ions wrapped by crown ether and THF molecules. As structural consequence of the stepwise reduction of 1 , the central axis of helicene becomes more compressed upon electron addition (1.42 Å in 1 ^4? vs. 2.09 Å in 1 ). This is accompanied by an extra core twist, as the peripheral dihedral angle increases from 16.5° in 1 to 20.7° in 1 ^4?. Theoretical calculations provided the pattern of negative charge build‐up and distribution over the contorted helicene framework upon each electron addition, and the results are consistent with the X‐ray crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic data.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (−)-elenolic acid and (−)-ajmalicine

A secoiridoid monoterpene (?)-elenolic acid and a representative heteroyohimbine alkaloid (?)-ajmalicine have been synthesized enantio- and stereoselectively using L-ethyl lactate as a chiral starting material.     

Liquid Structure of 1-Propanol by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and X-Ray Scattering

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and X-ray scattering experiments have been carried out on liquid 1-propanol. The radial distribution functions obtained from these two methods were in good agreement with each other. On the basis of the hydrogen-bond number and the angular correlation functions of the four sequentially hydrogen-bonded O atoms derived from the MD calculation, it was found that the hydrogen-bonded O atoms preferentially form a planar zigzag chain structure, but that the plane undulates like a wave.