On the shape of interlayer vortices in the Lawrence-Doniach model

We consider the Lawrence-Doniach model for layered superconductors, in which stacks of parallel superconducting planes are coupled via the Josephson effect. To model experiments in which the superconductor is placed in an external magnetic field oriented parallel to the superconducting planes, we study the structure of isolated vortices for a doubly periodic problem. We consider a singular limit which simulates certain experimental regimes in which isolated vortices have been observed, corresponding to letting the interlayer spacing of the superconducting planes tend to zero and the Ginzburg-Landau parameter simultaneously, but at a fixed relative rate.

     

Synthesis of hybrid gold-gold sulfide colloidal particles

The nucleation and growth mechanism of nanometer size gold onto gold sulfide colloidal particles by irradiation-induced reduction is reported. The process is characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, electronic diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, allowing for observation of several key intermediates and characteristics of the growth mechanism. The formation mechanism of gold on the surface of the gold sulfide particles is shown to depend strongly on the deposition rate. At low dose rate, gold nucleates preferentially onto specific gold-rich Au2S facets {110}, resulting in epitaxial growth. The gold crystal lattice plastically deforms near the interface to accommodate a substantial lattice mismatch. Upon increasing gold precursor concentration, this low dose rate results in growth of elongated gold island on the gold sulfide surface. At a high dose rate, several randomly oriented gold particles are simultaneously produced on gold sulfide, resulting in a layered structure. The absorption spectra of these particles show a dominant surface plasmon band, whose peak wavelength shifts markedly to the red as layered structure is formed.     

Mangrove trees growing in a very saline condition but not using seawater

Mangrove trees, which develop along tropical coasts, are known to use saline water uptake. In French Guiana, the high salinity condition is the result of seawater evaporation on mud banks formed from the Amazon sediment flumes. In the back mangrove a few kilometres inland, groundwater, soil water and the xylem sap uptake in the trees remain highly salty, and only very tolerant plants like Avicennia germinans can flourish, whereas the less salt-tolerant Rhizophora mangle is more difficult to find. Curiously, the same Avicennia trees propagate on the seafront. However, stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) measurements and ion analysis (high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission (ICP-AES) spectroscopy reveal that the origin of the water in the back mangrove is not seawater. It is freshwater percolating into the sand bars from the inland marshes and rainwater during the wet season that redissolves a marine evaporite and gives a saline groundwater. The absence of barren saltine areas ('tanne') in French Guiana could be explained by this freshwater inflow, the aquifer being no longer linked with the ocean. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from Garcinia brevipedicellata (Clusiaceae)

In our continuous search for alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from plants, four new depsidones named brevipsidones A-D (1-4) were isolated from stem bark of Garcinia brevipedicellata together with known damnacanthal, scopoletin and a mixture of stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol. Structural elucidations were made by spectroscopic analyses including 2D-NMR data.     

Aryl Radical Geometry Determines Nanographene Formation on Au(111)

The Ullmann coupling has been used extensively as a synthetic tool for the formation of C?C bonds on surfaces. Thus far, most syntheses made use of aryl bromides or aryl iodides. We investigated the applicability of an aryl chloride in the bottom‐up assembly of graphene nanoribbons. Specifically, the reactions of 10,10′‐dichloro‐9,9′‐bianthryl (DCBA) on Au(111) were studied. Using atomic resolution non‐contact AFM, the structure of various coupling products and intermediates were resolved, allowing us to reveal the important role of the geometry of the intermediate aryl radicals in the formation mechanism. For the aryl chloride, cyclodehydrogenation occurs before dehalogenation and polymerization. Due to their geometry, the planar bisanthene radicals display a different coupling behavior compared to the staggered bianthryl radicals formed when aryl bromides are used. This results in oligo‐ and polybisanthenes with predominantly fluoranthene‐type connections.     

Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance study on deproteinized human bone

Irradiated samples of deproteinized powdered human bone (femur) have been examined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in X, Q and W bands. In the bone powder sample only one type of CO2- radical ion is stabilized in the hydroxyapatite structure in contrast to powdered human tooth enamel, a material also containing hydroxyapatite, widely used for EPR dosimetry and in which a few radicals are stable at room temperature. It is suggested that the use of deproteinized bone for EPR dosimetry could improve the accuracy of dose determination.     

On the Landau-Levich transition

We discuss here the nature of the Landau-Levich transition, that is, the dynamical transition that occurs when drawing a solid out of a bath of a liquid that partially wets this solid. Above a threshold velocity, a film is entrained by the solid. We measure the macroscopic contact angle between the liquid and the solid by different methods, and conclude that this angle might be discontinuous at the transition. We also present a model to understand this fact and the shape of the meniscus as drawing the solid.     

Infrared camera based on a curved retina

Design of miniature and light cameras requires an optical design breakthrough to achieve good optical performance. Solutions inspired by animals' eyes are the most promising. The curvature of the retina offers several advantages, such as uniform intensity and no field curvature, but this feature is not used. The work presented here is a solution to spherically bend monolithic IR detectors. Compared to state-of-the-art methods, a higher fill factor is obtained and the device fabrication process is not modified. We made an IR eye camera with a single lens and a curved IR bolometer. Images captured are well resolved and have good contrast, and the modulation transfer function shows better quality when comparing with planar systems.     

Highly efficient metal‐free organic catalysts to design new Environmentally‐friendly starch‐based blends

A one‐step process is reported to directly synthesize blends of poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) with a modified granular starch. Trimethylene Carbonate (TMC) ring‐opening polymerization is performed in the presence of native starch particles in bulk conditions at 150 °C and the efficiency of metal‐free organic catalysts (TBD and phosphazene superbases P1‐t‐Oct, P2‐t‐bu, and P4‐t‐bu) are investigated to replace the organo‐metallic stannous octanoate initiator. TMC monomer is successively converted into PTMC and the robustness of organic catalysts is highlighted with significant activities at very low concentrations (<100 ppm), where stannous octanoate is inefficient. Reactivity of starch toward TMC ROP is deeply investigated by NMR techniques and a starch‐graft‐PTMC is indirectly evidenced. Starch substitution degree reaches 0.9% indicating that PTMC grafting only occurs at the surface of swollen granular starch. PTMC graft length from the starch surface remained low in the range 2–12 and model ROP reactions highlight the role of TMC hydrolysis on PTMC graft length. Despite low PTMC grafts, a fine dispersion of intact starch particles into the PTMC matrix is evidenced. Consequently, metal‐free organic catalysts at low concentrations are promising candidates for synthesizing blends of PTMC with high loadings of surface‐modified starch (32% by weight) in 2 min within a one‐step process. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 493–503