Spin-cast, thin, glassy polymer films: Highly metastable forms of matter

Ultra thin films of glassy polymers such as polystyrene (PS) can show a) anomalously large thickness changes, b) unexpected dewetting properties, c) large shifts in the glass temperature T_g. The present discussion focusses mainly on point a). A certain cascade of metastable states is presented together with (tentative) explanations. Received 1 March 2001 and Received in final form 10 May 2001     

The Physical Tourist¶Vienna: A Random Walk in Science

I provide a guided tour of sites of scientific interest in Vienna with particular reference to the history of physics.     

Measurement of momentum distribution of lightatoms and molecules in condensed matter systems using inelastic neutron scattering

Studies of single-particle momentum distributions in light atoms and molecules are reviewed with specific emphasis on experimental measurements using the deep inelastic neutron scattering technique at eV energies. The technique has undergone a remarkable development since the mid-1980s, when intense fluxes of epithermal neutrons were made available from pulsed neutron sources. These types of measurements provide a probe of the short-time dynamics of the recoiling atoms or molecules as well as information on the local structure of the materials. The paper introduces both the theoretical framework for the interpretation of deep inelastic neutron scattering experiments and thoroughly illustrates the physical principles underlying the impulse approximation from light atoms and molecules. The most relevant experimental studies performed on a variety of condensed matter systems in the last 20 years are reviewed. The experimental technique is critically presented in the context of a full list of published work. It is shown how, in some cases, these measurements can be used to extract directly the effective Born–Oppenheimer potential. A summary of the progress made to date in instrument development is also provided. Current data analysis and the interpretation of the results for a variety of physical systems is chosen to illustrate the scope and power of the method. The review ends with a brief consideration of likely developments in the foreseeable future. Particular discussion is given to the use of the VESUVIO spectrometer at ISIS.

Measurement of momentum distribution of lightatoms and molecules in condensed matter systems using inelastic neutron scattering

All authors

C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, J. Mayers, G. F. Reiter &; R. Senesi

https://doi.org/10.1080/00018730500403136

Published online:

19 February 2007

Table     

Isolation and Characterization of Wax Esters in Fennel and Caraway Seed Oils by SPE-GC

A rapid method for the isolation and quantitative determination of wax esters in vegetable oils was developed. For the first time wax esters in oils were separated from the triglyceride matrix by means of solid-phase extraction, which allows rapid sample preparation in parallel and therefore a high sample throughput. The thus obtained wax ester fractions of fennel and caraway seed oils were analyzed by high temperature gas chromatography. GC-MS analyses were carried out using electron impact ionization in order to characterize the wax ester fraction. With respect to the results of the GC-MS analyses different isomers of saturated wax esters with the same carbon number were observed. Additional monounsaturated wax esters with an unsaturated fatty acid moiety were identified.     

Light scattering and dielectric relaxation studies of glass forming liquids

Extended Abstract: Glass forming organic liquids and polymers exhibit long range density fluctuations with correlation length ξ in the range of 10–300 nm at temperatures above T_g (1 - 6). This follows from dynamic and static light scattering experiments revealing some unexpected features, which cannot be explained on the basis of conventional liquid state theories: (i) In static light scattering the intensity I(q → 0) is no longer proportional to the isothermal compressibility, (ii) This excess scattering I_exc shows a strong q-dependence (q = (4π/Λ.)sin(θ/2)) corresponding to a correlation length ξ in the above mentioned range, (iii) The Landau-Placzek ratio I_Rayleigh/2I_Brillouin is much too high compared with the results of light scattering theories, (iv) In photon correlation spectroscopy a new ultraslow hydrodynamic mode (Γ ˜ q²) is detected with relaxation rates Γ about 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁹ lower than those of the α-process at a given temperature. In order to explain these observations, a two-state fluid model is proposed, which starts from the coexistence of “liquid-like” and “aperiodic solid-like” regions within the liquids. Such ideas have been discussed many times before, so for example A.R. Ubbelohde (7) speculates about “anticrystalline” clusters in liquids. Molecular dynamics simulations of atomic liquids showed that long range orientational fluctuations appear upon supercooling (8). A preferred icosahedral ordering is observed (9) and the number of icosahedral clusters increases with decreasing temperature (10). In connection with the interpretation of the dynamics of supercooled liquids different “two-state” models have been proposed (11 - 15). For the explanation of the light scattering results we propose that the molecules in the different dynamic states (“liquid” or “solid”) aggregate during annealing of the liquid at temperatures above T_g. Experiments showed that the equilibration times can be rather long (3 - 5), but nevertheless the liquids exhibiting long range density fluctuations are in the state of lowest free energy. We claim that our observations are the first experimental proof of the existence of such different dynamic states, which have been discussed many times before. The extended secondary clusters can also be detected by ultra small angle X-ray scattering.     

On triazoles. VII Synthesis of novel tri- and tetracyclic ring systems

The ring-closure of the 5-amino-1-(2-aminophenyl)-3-methylthio-1H-1,2,4-triazole derivatives 3 and 4 with different simple and cyclic C₁ components lead to the formation of 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-α]-1,3,5-benzotriazepines 5–6 , their 4,5-dihydro- 7 , different 5-spiro-homocyclic- 8–13 , and 5-spiro-heterocyclic- 14-15 analogues. The structure of the compounds obtained was proved with the use of their ir, uv, ¹H-nmr and ¹³C-nmr spectra.     

Chromatographic competitive binding immunoassays: a comparison of the sequential and simultaneous injection methods

Two approaches for performing competitive binding immunoassays by HPLC and other flow-based systems are the simultaneous and sequential injection methods. Both these techniques make use of a column with a limited amount of antibody, onto which is injected a sample and a fixed amount of a labeled analyte analog. An indirect measure of the unlabeled analyte in the sample is then obtained by looking at the amount of analog in either the nonretained or retained peaks. In the simultaneous injection mode, the sample and labeled analog are applied at the same time to the column, while in the sequential mode the sample is injected first, followed by the analog. This results in a difference in the analytical characteristics of these two approaches. This study used chromatographic theory and previous data obtained for injections of human serum albumin (HSA) onto an anti-HSA antibody column to compare the response, detection limits, range, and sensitivity of these methods. Under equivalent conditions, it was found that the sequential method always provided the best lower limit of detection and sensitivity. However, the simultaneous mode had a broader dynamic range and higher upper limit of detection. From these observations, several guidelines were developed regarding the use and selection of such assays for new applications.     

On triazoles XLIX. Synthesis of 5,6‐dihydrothiazolo[3,2‐b]‐[1,2,4]triazol‐2‐yl‐, 6,7‐dihydro‐5H‐[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1‐b][1,3]thiazin‐2‐yl‐, and 5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1‐b] [1,3]thiazepin‐2‐yl‐isoquinolinium salts

5′‐Mercapto‐1′H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3′‐yl‐isoquinolinium salts (6) were synthesised by the reaction of ortho‐acyl phenylacetones (2) or the corresponding pyrylium salts (3) and 5‐amino‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐thione (5) . Treatment of thioles 6 withα,ω‐dibromoalkanes led to type 15, 16 and 17 isoquinolinium salts condensed with thiazole, thiazine and thiazepine rings. When 6 are reacted with dibromomethane (10) 11 type dimeric structures are obtained.     

Calorimetrically measurable enthalpic isotope effect

Calorimetric techniques have revealed that the enthalpy of reaction with water is more exothermic by about 2.2 kcal/mol, for the perdeuteriated naphthalene anion radical (K+C10D8*-(s) + H2O(liq) --> 1/2C10D8H2(s) + 1/2C10D8(s) + KOH(aq)) than it is for the perprotiated system. These results, when coupled with the known enthalpy of electron transfer between naphthalene and its perdeuteriated analogue imply that the heat of hydrogenation of naphthalene decreases by about 1.8 kcal/mol upon perdeuteriation of the naphthalene.