From stabilization strategies to tailor-made lignin macromolecules and oligomers for materials

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Ferroelectric liquid crystal composites based on the porous stretched polyethylene films

Electro-optically active polymer–liquid crystal composites based on ferroelectric liquid crystals and stretched porous polyethylene films were developed. The alignment of ferroelectric liquid crystals incorporated into the porous polyethylene films with average porous diameter of around 200 nm was observed and studied. It was shown experimentally that these samples containing ferroelectric liquid crystals are flexible electro-optical films exhibiting a saturation electric field near 2·10⁷ Vm^?1 and a response time of about 30 μs under the action of the saturation field. A simple theoretical model of ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules' complete reorientation in electric fields inside pores of the films has been proposed and confirmed experimentally.     

A hydrogen pump: Transfer of four hydrogens from a cyclohexane ring to a triple bond during a menthofuran/bromoacetylene adduct rearrangement

The cycloadducts of menthofuran with acylbromoacetylenes, (3-bromo-1,6-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-2,4a-epoxynaphthalen-4-yl)(aryl)methanones, rearrange (CHCl₃, reflux, 1 h) to 2-(2-acylethyl)benzofurans (along with the expected 2-bromo-3-hydroxy-4,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-1-yl)(aryl)methanones) via 2-acylethynylmenthofurans, thus indicating the exceptionally mild and rapid transfer of four hydrogens from a cyclohexane ring to a triple bond through the furan moiety in the key intermediate 2-acylethynylmenthofuran.     

Edge Capping of 2D‐MXene Sheets with Polyanionic Salts To Mitigate Oxidation in Aqueous Colloidal Suspensions

MXenes have shown promise in myriad applications, such as energy storage, catalysis, EMI shielding, among many others. However, MXene oxidation in aqueous colloidal suspensions when stored in water at ambient conditions remains a challenge. It is now shown that by simply capping the edges of individual MXene flakes, Ti₃C₂T_z and V₂CT_z, by polyanions such as polyphosphates, polysilicates or polyborates, it is possible to quite significantly reduce their propensity for oxidation even when held in aerated water for weeks. This breakthrough resulted from the realization that the edges of MXene sheets are positively charged. It is thus an example of selectively functionalizing the edges differently from the MXene sheet surfaces.     

Relationship between Reactivity Ratios and Configuration for Donor—Acceptor Type Copolymers

For binary copolymers from an acrylic monomer (acceptor type, M¹) and an aromatic-substituted monomer (donor type, M₂) a linear relation between log (r₂/r¹) and the probability of “coisotactic” alternating addition is observed. This can be a proof for the influence of monomer polarity on the copolymer configuration.     

Phase modulation and ellipticity of the light transmitted through a smectic C* layer with short helix pitch

A chiral ferroelectric smectic C* liquid crystal (FLC) with the helix pitch p ₀?=?330 nm was developed to avoid any scattering of visible light when the helix is not unwound over a certain limit. Planar cells with different FLC layer thickness (16 and 44 μm) have been assembled with helix axis parallel to the glass plates and aligned along the rubbing direction. The ellipticity of the light passing through the cells vs. the electric field was investigated, and a method for evaluating the electrically controlled birefringence via ellipticity measurements has been established. We have found that the FLC cell is an optical retardation layer driven by the electric field, the effective birefringence being proportional to the square electric field. The physical origin of the electrically controlled phase shift of the light passing through the FLC layer has been analysed.     

High-dimensional model representations generated from low order terms--lp-RS-HDMR

High-dimensional model representation (HDMR) is a general set of quantitative model assessment and analysis tools for improving the efficiency of deducing high dimensional input-output system behavior. RS-HDMR is a particular form of HDMR based on random sampling (RS) of the input variables. The component functions in an HDMR expansion are optimal choices tailored to the n-variate function f(x) being represented over the desired domain of the n-dimensional vector x. The high-order terms (usually larger than second order, or equivalently beyond cooperativity between pairs of variables) in the expansion are often negligible. When it is necessary to go beyond the first and the second order RS-HDMR, this article introduces a modified low-order term product (lp)-RS-HDMR method to approximately represent the high-order RS-HDMR component functions as products of low-order functions. Using this method the high-order truncated RS-HDMR expansions may be constructed without directly computing the original high-order terms. The mathematical foundations of lp-RS-HDMR are presented along with an illustration of its utility in an atmospheric chemical kinetics model.     

Spectral Photoluminescent Parameters of Barley Seeds (Hordéum vulgáre) Infected with Fusarium ssp

We needed effective and sustainable technologies for better microbiological control of crops, including Fusarium. However, photoluminescent UV–Vis methods are potential for diagnosing plant diseases with Fusarium. It has not been sufficiently studied despite the application of these methods for other biological researches. The excitation spectrum of the seeds during infection shifts to the shorter wavelength and a new maximum appears in the region λ ≈ 232 nm. The photoluminescence of infected seeds increases with excitation by radiation of wavelengths λ_e,1 = 232 nm, λ_e,2 = 362 nm and λ_e,3 = 424 nm by 1.33–3.14 times, and λ_e,3 = 424 nm—decreases by 1.1 times. Statistical moments μ₃ and μ₄, asymmetry and kurtosis change only with short-wave excitation. When analyzing the decomposition of the frequency spectrum into Gaussian curves, the most informative ratio is the ratio of right-handed and left-handed Gaussians under excitation λ_e,2 = 362 nm and λ_e,3 = 424 nm. The ratios of their maxima change during infection by 1.36–3.2 times, and for excitation by radiation λ_e,2, the frequency boundaries of Gaussians change. The results of measurements and calculations provide a basis for the development of a method and device for photoluminescence diagnostics of fusarium seeds in UV–Vis ranges.     

Cosmetic Formulations with Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil for the Improvement of Photoaged Skin: A Double-Blind,Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study

This aim of this study was to evaluate the penetration depth, antioxidant capacity and the clinical efficacy of Melaleuca alternifolia pure essential oil and in a nanoemulsion to prevent skin photoaging. For this, 2% of pure essential oil or 2% of this essential oil in a nanoemulsion were vehiculated in a formulation. The skin penetration was evaluated using confocal Raman microspectroscopy. The radical protection factor was evaluated using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. For a clinical study, 40 male participants, aged 18–28 years, were enrolled, being divided into three groups: vehicle formulation, M. alternifolia pure essential oil and M. alternifolia Nanoemulsion. All the participants also received a sunscreen SPF 50 to use during the day. Before and after 90 days of study, skin hydrolipidics and morphological characteristics were performed by skin imaging and biophysical techniques. The nanoemulsion presented a lower antioxidant capacity and a higher penetration through the stratum corneum, reaching the viable epidermis, improving the stratum granulosum morphology. The groups presented an increase in the papillary depth, improving in the dermis echogenicity and the collagen fibers. Melaleuca alternifolia essential provides the potential to improve photoaged skin, being the application of nanoemulsion able to reach deeper skin layers.