X-ray scattering studies of the structure of aqueous hydroxy-propylcellulose solutions

X-ray diffraction studies have been undertaken on aqueous solutions of hydroxy propylcellulose (HPC) over a wide range of the scattering vector Q. The experiments revealed only modest differences in local structure on a distance scale ca. 5–300 Å despite the fact that they covered concentrations generally interpreted as ranging from the isotropic (35.1 wt %) to the anisotropic liquid crystalline (LC) phase (53.5 wt %). Several models were used to interpret the small-angle scattering data, and each gave similar structural parameters and extrapolated intensities ( Q → 0) for both solutions. Peaks were observed with d-spacings ca. 12–17 Å in both materials. Wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) showed slightly increased local order over a size range ca. 5–20 Å for the anisotropic solution, and this is consistent with a greater intensity of the 13 Å peak in this material. It is difficult to reconcile these findings with an interpretation of the LC state involving major differences with the isotropic phase and a high degree of orientational order extending over long length scales.     

On the dynamics of polymers in dense systems – Results of neutron spin echo spectroscopy

One of the basic problems in the dynamics of polymers concerns the importance of geometrical or topological interactions which are directly related to the large scale molecular structures. In the famous reptation model these constraints are pictured in terms of a tube of localization following the average chain profile and confining the chain motion to the curve‐linear tube. Recently studying the dynamic structure factor of a single labeled chain in a polymer melt by means of neutron spin echo spectroscopy (NSE) led to a direct observation of these tube constraints. Here I shall summarize these neutron spin echo experiments. I shall address the NSE technique, present results on the entropy driven segmental chain dynamics, discuss the dynamics of single chains in the melt where the chain length is increased through the transition to “reptation” dynamics and display NSE measurements on long chain systems which revealed the molecular existence of the entanglement distance. Their magnitudes agree very well with tube diameters derived from dynamical mechanical measurements on the basis of the reptation model proving thereby the basic assumption of this Nobel Price winning concept. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synthesis of dimethylditritiogermane Me<Subscript>2</Subscript>GeT<Subscript>2</Subscript>

A microsynthetic procedure for preparing tritium-labeled alkyl-substituted germanes is developed. The resulting dimethylditritiogermane can be used as a source of dimethylgermylium ions. The synthesis was performed by the reduction of dibromodimethylgermane with lithium tritide in presence of AlBr₃.     

Static polarizabilities for the ne-isoelectronic series using Harbola–Sahni potential

The recently proposed Harbola–Sahni local potential in its exchange-only version [Phys. Rev. Lett. 62 , 689 (1989)] is found to give the static dipole and quadrupole polarizabilities for the Neisoelectronic series in excellent agreement with the corresponding Hartree–Fock estimates. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Multiparameter Polynomial Adaptive Stabilizers

In 1983 Morse proved, for unknown scalar one-dimensional linearsystems, the nonexistence of rational or polynomial universalstabilizers (UAS). In 1983, Nussbaum gave an example of an analyticUAS. In our paper, it is shown that there exist time-invariantpolynomial UAS's with multidimensional gain adaptation. Thedesign procedure is developed for linear, minimum-phase systemsof relative degree one. Convergence of the closed-loop systemis proved. Some numerical simulations are provided.     

The X-ray diffraction crystal structure determination and electron impact fragmentations of the gaseous ions of 3-(p-chlorophenyl)-1-methyltriazene-1-oxide and its 3-methyl derivative

The decomposition of the gaseous positive ions of the title compounds obtained by electron impact have been completely mapped. The X-ray structural determinations of these two substances established their identity definitively and allowed to reveal some interesting features of these molecules of pharmaceutical interest.