Patterned growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays on inorganic substrates at low temperature without catalyst

We report an approach for growing aligned ZnO nanowire arrays with a high degree control over size, orientation, dimensionality, uniformity, and possibly shape. Our method combines e-beam lithography and a low temperature hydrothermal method to achieve patterned and aligned growth of ZnO NWs at <100degreesC on general inorganic substrates, such as Si and GaN, without using catalyst. This approach opens up the possibility of applying ZnO nanowires as sensor arrays, piezoelectric antenna arrays, two-dimensional photonic crystals, IC interconnects, and nanogenerators.     

Quantitative,In Situ Visualization of Metal‐Ion Dissolution and Transport Using 1H Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Quantitative mapping of metal ions freely diffusing in solution is important across a diverse range of disciplines and is particularly significant for dissolution processes in batteries, metal corrosion, and electroplating/polishing of manufactured components. However, most current techniques are invasive, requiring sample extraction, insertion of an electrode, application of an electric potential or the inclusion of a molecular sensor. Thus, there is a need for techniques to visualize the distribution of metal ions non‐invasively, in situ, quantitatively, in three dimensions (3D) and in real time. Here we have used ¹H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make quantitative 3D maps showing evolution of the distribution of Cu²⁺ ions, not directly visible by MRI, during the electrodissolution of copper, with high sensitivity and spatial resolution. The images are sensitive to the speciation of copper, the depletion of dissolved O₂ in the electrolyte and show the dissolution of Cu²⁺ ions is not uniform across the anode.     

Effects of masking noise on vowel and sibilant contrasts in normal-hearing speakers and postlingually deafened cochlear implant users

The role of auditory feedback in speech production was investigated by examining speakers' phonemic contrasts produced under increases in the noise to signal ratio (N/S). Seven cochlear implant users and seven normal-hearing controls pronounced utterances containing the vowels /i/, /u/, /e/ and /ae/ and the sibilants /s/ and /I/ while hearing their speech mixed with noise at seven equally spaced levels between their thresholds of detection and discomfort. Speakers' average vowel duration and SPL generally rose with increasing N/S. Average vowel contrast was initially flat or rising; at higher N/S levels, it fell. A contrast increase is interpreted as reflecting speakers' attempts to maintain clarity under degraded acoustic transmission conditions. As N/S increased, speakers could detect the extent of their phonemic contrasts less effectively, and the competing influence of economy of effort led to contrast decrements. The sibilant contrast was more vulnerable to noise; it decreased over the entire range of increasing N/S for controls and was variable for implant users. The results are interpreted as reflecting the combined influences of a clarity constraint, economy of effort and the effect of masking on achieving auditory phonemic goals-with implant users less able to increase contrasts in noise than controls.     

Triphenylphosphinoxid (L) als Solvens und Ligand für Metallphthalocyaninate; Synthese und Struktur von [{Li(L)}2(μ‐pc)], [Li(L)4][Lipc] · Solvat, [Mg(L)pc] · Solvat und [Zn(L)pc] · Solvat

Triphenylphosphine Oxide (L) as Solvent and Ligand for Metallophthalocyaninates; Synthesis and Structure of [{Li(L)}₂(μ‐pc)], [Li(L)₄][Lipc] · Solvate, [Mg(L)pc] · Solvate, and [Zn(L)pc] · Solvate Triphenylphosphine oxide (L) coordinates to metallophthalocyaninates of Li, Mg and Zn at 300 °C. After purification and recrystallization in different solvents the very soluble and stable title compounds have been isolated and structurally characterized. In [{Li(L)}₂(μ‐pc)], the Li atom lies in a distorted tetragonal pyramid of four isoindole N atoms (N_i) at a distance varying between 2.163(5) and 2.301(5) Å, and an O atom at 1.863(5) Å. In [Li(L)₄] · [Lipc] · S, the Li atom of the cation coordinates four O atoms in a distorted tetrahedral arrangement at a distance varying from 1.887(9) to 1.953(9) Å, while the Li atom of the anion is in a quasi quadratic planar geometry of four N_i atoms (1.951(9)–1.977(9) Å) with the Li atom being displaced by 0.15 Å out of the (N_i)₄ plane. The structural data of the distorted tetragonal pyramidale Mg(N_i)₄O moiety in [Mg(L)pc] and the solvates [Mg(L)pc] · S (S = CH₂Cl₂, thf, 2py) generally do not vary significantly: Mg–N_i/2.035(3) –2.061(3) Å, Mg–O/1.955(2)–2.000(3) Å. The Mg atom is displaced by ca. 0.52 Å out of the (N_i)₄ plane towards the O atom and the Mg–O–P moiety is bent (ca. 153°). [Zn(L)pc] · S crystallizes as a mixed crystal of equal parts of the conformer with a bent (155.1(3)°) and that of a quasi linear Zn–O–P moiety (174.2(3)°). Structural data of the Zn(N_i)₄O moiety: (Zn–N_i)_av: 2.024/2.013 Å; Zn–O: 2.050(4)/2.081(4) Å; Zn–(N_i)₄: 0.40/0.33 Å. In the crystal, the Mg and Zn derivates aggregate in double layers forming pairs. The pc ligands in the triclinic complexes with good overlap of the neighbouring pc ligands are in a waving conformation, while those in the monoclinic complexes with weak overlap are in a concave conformation.     

Material models in principal stretches for elastodynamics

In the present work we deal with the conserving integration of elastic bodies undergoing finite deformations. In particular, we make use of constitutive laws formulated in terms of principal stretches. Most material models for hyperelastic isotropic materials are described in terms of principal stretches (Simo and Taylor [1]), like the Neo–Hooke material which is a special case of the Ogden material, or in invariants. The main advantage of principal stretches is the fact that they can be measured directly, which means that the numerical results can be compared easily with experimental ones, see for example, Ogden [2]. Moreover, it is advantageous to describe viscoelastic material behaviour (e.g. rubberlike materials) in terms of principal stretches. Concerning the discretization in space we apply the enhanced assumed strain (EAS) method, see Simo and Armero [3]. For the discretization in time we aim at numerical integrators which inherit fundamental conservation laws from the underlying continuous system. In particular, we propose an energy and momentum conserving time–stepping scheme which relies on the notion of a discrete gradient (or derivative) in the sense of Gonzalez [4]. The proposed approach starts from our previous developments in [5]. Numerical examples demonstrate the advantageous properties of the present formulation. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pyridine ligands as promoters in Pd(II/0)-catalyzed C-H olefination reactions

Commercially available pyridine ligands can significantly enhance the rate, yield, substrate scope, and site selectivity of arene C-H olefination (Fujiwara-Moritani) reactions. The use of a 1:1 ratio of Pd/pyridine proved critical to maximize reaction rates and yields.     

N,N'-Dicyanoquinone diimide-derived donor-acceptor chromophores: conformational analysis and optoelectronic properties

A formal [2 + 2] cycloaddition-cycloreversion (CA-CR) between N,N'-dicyanoquinone diimides (DCNQIs) and electron-rich alkynes was explored, providing a new class of π-conjugated donor-acceptor chromophores. These DCNQI adducts exist in the solid state as single diastereoisomers, but as two interconverting diastereoisomers in solution. Solid- and solution-state evidence for intramolecular charge transfer (CT) was obtained; additionally, the DCNQI adducts exhibit positive solvatochromism and significant solution-state third-order polarizabilities.