Circuit simulation for the dielectric responses of the composites of copper phthalocyanine oligomers and sulfonated polyurethanes by separating the structural elements

The copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) oligomer with high dielectric constant was synthesized by the solution method. The FT‐IR and X‐ray diffraction results revealed its chemical structure. The high dielectric constant of CuPc was proved to result from the free movement of charge carriers along the conjugated orbitals. The composites of CuPc and sulfonated polyurethane (PUI) were prepared and the contents of CuPc in the composites were varied from 10 to 50 wt %. The dielectric performance was greatly enhanced for the composite compared with that of average polymers. Different from the behaviors appeared in a common composite with conductive fillers, there is no percolation phenomenon observed in the CuPc/PUI composite, and the dielectric constants of CuPc/PUI composites decreased with the increase in the CuPc content, which is assumed to due to the strong electrostatic interactions between CuPc and PUI. Considering the many‐body interactions within the bulk sample and the contact effect between the bulk sample and the metallic electrode, an equivalent circuit was established to simulate the dielectric behaviors of the composites and computational curve fitting was done. The results were in good agreement, indicating that the dielectric responses of the composites come from both the extrinsic and the intrinsic contributions. The extrinsic was associated with the Maxwell‐Wagner relaxation at the interface between the electrode and the bulk sample, and the intrinsic was associated with the huge dipoles provided by the mobile charges within the CuPc grains and the interaction among them in the bulk composites. A circuit model concerning the universal dielectric response was proposed in describing the intrinsic contribution, which quantitatively verified the strong interaction among the dipoles with the relaxation time, representing the aggregated structure of CuPc when its content was high in the composites. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1146–1155, 2009     

Convenient Preparation of Self-Assembled Monolayers Derived from Calix[4]resorcinarene Derivatives Exhibiting Resistance to Desorption

Crown conformers of O-carboxymethylated calix[4]resorcinarenes (CRA-CMs) bearing four perfluorooctyl- and octylazobenzene residues at the lower rim of the cyclic skeleton were synthesized to investigate the resistance to desorption of CRA-CMs forming self-assembled monolayers on aminosilylated silica substrates and the surface energy photocontrol based on E- to-Z photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety. In comparison with CRA-CM monolayers on silica substrates, the desorption of CRA-CMs on the aminated substrate was remarkably suppressed even when CRA-CM monolayers were sonicated in polar solvents and even in water. The high desorption-resistance was attributable to multi-point adsorption of CRA-CMs through COOH/NH₂ interactions. UV-Vis spectral studies revealed that CRA-CM substituted with p-octylazobenzene exhibited high E- to-Z photoisomerizability up to 92% in self-assembled monolayers, while less photoisomerizability was observed for CRA-CM bearing p-perfluorooctylazobenzenes due to the steric hindrance of the larger perfluoroalkyl chains. Photoinduced changes of contact angles for water up to 8.3° were observed for a CRA-CM monolayer.     

Initial stage of fiber structure development in the continuous drawing of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The initial stage of fiber structure development in the continuous neck‐drawing of amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers was analyzed by in situ wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, and fiber temperature measurements. The time error of the measurements (<600 μs) was obtained by synchrotron X‐ray source and laser irradiation heating. A highly ordered fibrillar‐shaped two‐dimensional (smectic‐like) structure was found to be formed less than 1 ms after necking. By analyzing its (001′) and (002′) diffractions, the length of the structure 60–70 nm were obtained. A three‐dimensionally ordered triclinic crystal began to form with the vanishing of the structure around 1 ms after necking. The amount and size of the crystal were almost saturated within several milliseconds of necking, during which time a mainly exothermic heat of crystallization was also observed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2126–2142, 2008     

Carotenoids extraction from Japanese persimmon (Hachiya-kaki) peels by supercritical CO(2) with ethanol.

The extraction of carotenoids from Japanese persimmon peels by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), of which the solvent was CO(2), was performed. In order to enhance the yield and selectivity of the extraction, some portion of ethanol (5 - 20 mol%) was added as an entrainer. The extraction temperature ranged from 313 to 353 K and the pressure was 30 MPa. The effect of temperature on the extraction yield of carotenoids was investigated at 10 mol% of the ethanol concentration in the extraction solvent, and a suitable temperature was found to be 333 K among the temperatures studied with respect to the carotenoid yield. With increasing the entrainer amount from 0 to 10 mol% at a constant temperature (333 K), the carotenoid yield in the extraction was improved, whereas the selectivity of the extracted carotenoids was drastically depressed. We also conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses for the carotenoid components in the extract by HPLC, and analyzed the extraction behavior of each individual carotenoid (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin). The selectivity of each carotenoid changed with the elapsed time and its time evolution was dependent on the carotenoid component, indicating that the location profile and the content can be important factors to understand the SFE behavior of each carotenoid in persimmon peels.     

Impedance spectra analysis of thermoresponsive poly(acryloyl‐L‐proline methyl ester) gel membrane in LiCl solution

Impedance spectra analysis of a thermoresponsive poly(acryloyl‐L ‐proline methyl ester) (poly(A‐ProOMe)) hydrogel membranes in an aqueous solution of LiCl was carried out using a simple equivalent model. The hydrogel membrane was synthesized by γ‐radiation‐induced polymerization and crosslinking of A‐ProOMe monomer aqueous solution in a glass‐cast. By means of the impedance spectra analysis, a novel method for the calculation of the ionic conductivity of the hydrogel membranes in LiCl solution was proposed. The calculated ionic conductivity was in agreement with the determined value. In addition, effects of temperature and LiCl concentration on the impedance spectra and ionic conductivity of the gel membrane were analyzed. Results indicated that the impedance spectra analysis is a very useful tool for evaluating the electric properties of gel membranes in an electrolyte solution. The poly (A‐ProOMe) gel membrane in 1.0 M LiCl solution showed a high ionic conductivity of about 0.2 S/cm at 14 °C. The temperature‐dependence of the ionic conductivity was a complex nonlinear form due to the volume phase transition of the thermoresponsive poly(A‐ProOMe) gel membrane, and the volume phase transition temperature appeared to be decreased with the increase in the LiCl concentration. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2843–2851, 2005     

Theory for the effect of the tip–surface interaction potential on atomic resolution in forced vibration system of noncontact AFM

We present a perturbation theory which enables us to understand the physics of the cantilever-forced vibration in noncontact atomic-force microscopy (nc-AFM). Analytical expressions of the resonance curve and frequency shift are given. This theory is applied to the model system with a van der Waals tip–surface interaction potential. Based on this case study, it is elucidated how the resonance frequency shift is analytically described by an integral of the tip–surface interaction force. Then nc-AFM image of Si(111) 7×7 surface is calculated by the present theory. It is examined that this theory works as an algorithm for nc-AFM image simulator.     

Global smooth solutions of IBVP to nonlinear equation of suspended string

We shall consider IBVP to a nonlinear equation of suspended string with uniform density to which a nonlinear time-independent outer force works. The nonlinear term is smooth but not monotone. We shall show that IBVP has a unique time-global smooth solution. The regularity of the solutions shall be also studied.     

A model for the temperature dependence of the viscosity in Cu–As–Se system

The microscopic bonding behavior of amorphous Cu_x(As₂Se₃)_1?x (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.20) is studied from the point of view of the viscosity. The model used in this analysis describes the temperature dependence of the viscosity in terms of the mean bond strength E₀, the mean coordination number Z₀, and their fluctuations ΔE, ΔZ of the structural units that form the melt. The model reproduces quite well the temperature dependence of the viscosity of Cu_x(As₂Se₃)_1?x observed experimentally. According to the theory, the fragility of the system increases as the fluctuation of the total bond strength increases. It is shown that the viscous flow is accompanied by the cooperative movements of the structural units and occurs by breaking selectively the weaker parts of the bonds between the structural units. This notion is related to the concept of Cooperatively Rearranging Region (CRR) in the theory of Adam–Gibbs. By analyzing the model, the fluctuation of the total bond strength in Cu–As–Se system is evaluated quantitatively, and the composition dependence of the fragility is discussed in terms of bond strength and the coordination number between the structural units. The analysis suggests that in the Cu_x(As₂Se₃)_1?x system, there must be a strong composition dependence in the bond strength and a weak composition dependence in the fragility and coordination number fluctuation.     

Analysis of heat conduction in a rarefied gas at rest with a temperature jump at the boundary by consistent-order extended thermodynamics

In the context of the first- and second-order theories of consistent-order extended thermodynamics, a systematic approach is established for analyzing the temperature jump at the boundary through studying one-dimensional stationary heat conduction in a rarefied gas at rest. Thereby an approach to the free boundary-value problem in general is explored. Boundary values of temperature are assumed to be in the form of power expansion with respect to the Knudsen number, based on which analytical expressions of the temperature jump aswell as entropy production at the boundary are derived explicitly. Dependencies of these two boundary quantities on both the Knudsen number and accommodation factor are also extensively discussed. The present analysis is expected to be the basis for the study of higher-order theories of consistent-order extended thermodynamics.