Self-assembled discotic nematic liquid crystals formed by simple hydrogen bonding between phenol and pyridine moieties

New discotic nematic liquid crystals have been prepared through intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the core of 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene (phloroglucinol, PG) or 1,3,5-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)benzene (THPB) and the peripheral molecules of stilbazole derivatives. The various nematic phases formed by new hydrogen bonding building blocks were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The first discotic complexes of PG and trans-4-alkoxy-4′-stilbazoles exhibited nematic columnar (N_C) and hexagonal columnar phases depending on the length of alkyl chains, which were considered as the basic discotic structure. Several structural variations on the building blocks were attempted to examine their effects on the liquid crystalline properties of discotic complexes. The nematic lateral phase (N_L) with enhanced intercolumnar order was observed for the complexes of PG and trans-4-cyanoalkoxy-4′ stilbazoles due probably to the strong dipole interactions between cyano groups at the end of alkoxy chains. By introducing the nonlinear structure in three arms of supramolecular discotic mesogen, a discotic nematic phase (N_D) was observed for the complex of THPB and trans-4-octyloxy-4 -stilbazole. The single hydrogen bonding between phenol and pyridine moieties in this study provides a simple and effective method for preparing the rarely found discotic nematic liquid crystals.     

Self-constructed stable liquid crystal alignment in a monomer-liquid crystal mixture system

Here, we demonstrate excellent liquid crystal (LC) vertical alignment without using an alignment layer printing process by introducing octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) into the LC mixture. Further, we investigated the alignment mechanism by analysing the surfaces of the substrates. The optimum concentration of OTS was found to be about 0.03 wt%, which is 1/100 of that in the previously reported polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)–LC system. Moreover, the OTS–LC system exhibited a more stable LC alignment compared with the POSS–LC system. These differences may arise from the different strengths of surface–dopant interactions; that is, the covalent bond in the OTS–LC system and the van der Waals interactions in the POSS–LC system. We also demonstrated that the method can be used in a capillary tube, which may serve as a new method facilitating the application of LCs with curved surfaces.     

Etching Characteristics and Mechanisms of Mo and Al2O3 Thin Films in O2/Cl2/Ar Inductively Coupled Plasmas: Effect of Gas Mixing Ratios

An investigation of etching behaviors for Mo and Al₂O₃ thin films in O₂/Cl₂/Ar inductively coupled plasmas at constant gas pressure (6 mTorr), input power (700 W) and bias power (200 W) was carried out. It was found that an increase in Ar mixing ratio for Cl₂/Ar plasma results in non-monotonic etching rates with the maximums of 160 nm/min at 60 % Ar for Mo and 27 nm/min at 20 % Ar for Al₂O₃. The addition of O₂ in the Cl₂/Ar plasma causes the non-monotonic Mo etching rate (max. 320 nm/min at 40–45 % O₂) while the Al₂O₃ etching rate decreases monotonically. The model-based analysis of etching kinetics allows one to relate the non-monotonic etching rates in Cl₂/Ar plasma to the change in the etching regime from the ion-flux-limited mode (at low Ar mixing ratios) to the neutral-flux-limited mode (for high Ar mixing ratios). In the Cl₂/O₂/Ar plasma, the non-monotonic Mo etching rate is probably due to the change in reaction probability.     

Synthesis of Poly(benzothiadiazole‐co‐dithienobenzodithiophenes) and Effect of Thiophene Insertion for High‐Performance Polymer Solar Cells

We describe herein the synthesis of novel donor–acceptor conjugated polymers with dithienobenzodithiophenes (DTBDT) as the electron donor and 2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole as the electron acceptor for high‐performance organic photovoltaics (OPVs). We studied the effects of strategically inserting thiophene into the DTBDT as a substituent on the skeletal structure on the opto‐electronic performances of fabricated devices. From UV/Vis absorption, electrochemical, and field‐effect transistor analyses, we found that the thiophene‐containing DTBDT derivative can substantially increase the orbital overlap area between adjacent conjugated chains and thus dramatically enhance charge‐carrier mobility up to 0.55 cm² V^?1 s^?1. The outstanding charge‐transport characteristics of this polymer allowed the realization of high‐performance organic solar cells with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.1 %. Detailed studies on the morphological factors that enable the maximum PCE of the polymer solar cells are discussed along with a hole/electron mobility analysis based on the space‐charge‐limited current model.     

Rational Perturbation of the Fluorescence Quantum Yield in Emission‐Tunable and Predictable Fluorophores (Seoul‐Fluors) by a Facile Synthetic Method Involving C?H Activation

Fluorescence imaging enables the uniquely sensitive observation of functional‐ and molecular‐recognition events in living cells. However, only a limited range of biological processes have been subjected to imaging because of the lack of a design strategy and difficulties in the synthesis of biosensors. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of emission‐tunable and predictable Seoul‐Fluors, 9‐aryl‐1,2‐dihydrolopyrrolo[3,4‐b]indolizin‐3‐ones, with various R¹ and R² substituents by coinage‐metal‐catalyzed intramolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition and subsequent palladium‐mediated C H activation. We also showed that the quantum yields of Seoul‐Fluors are controlled by the electronic nature of the substituents, which influences the extent of photoinduced electron transfer. On the basis of this understanding, we demonstrated our design strategy by the development of a Seoul‐Fluor‐based chemosensor 20 for reactive oxygen species that was not accessible by a previous synthetic route.     

A multiplex single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping method using ligase‐based mismatch discrimination and CE‐SSCP

Accuracy, simplicity, and cost‐effectiveness are the most important criteria for a genotyping method for SNPs compatible with clinical use. One method developed for SNP genotyping, ligase‐based discrimination, is considered the simplest for clinical diagnosis. However, multiplex assays using this method are limited by the detection method. Although CE has been introduced as an alternative to error prone microarray‐based detection, the design process and multiplex assay procedure are complicated because of the DNA size‐dependent separation principle. In this study, we developed a simple and accurate multiplex genotyping method using reaction condition‐optimized ligation and high‐resolution CE‐based SSCP. With this high‐resolution CE‐SSCP system, we are able to use similar‐sized probes, thereby eliminating the complex probe design step and simplifying the optimization process. We found that this method could accurately discriminate single‐base mismatches in SNPs of the tp53 gene, used as targets for multiplex detection.     

Preparation of Yolk‐Shell and Filled Co9S8 Microspheres and Comparison of their Electrochemical Properties

In this study, we report the first preparation of phase‐pure Co₉S₈ yolk–shell microspheres in a facile two‐step process and their improved electrochemical properties. Yolk–shell Co₃O₄ precursor microspheres are initially obtained by spray pyrolysis and are subsequently transformed into Co₉S₈ yolk–shell microspheres by simple sulfidation in the presence of thiourea as a sulfur source at 350 °C under a reducing atmosphere. For comparison, filled Co₉S₈ microspheres were also prepared using the same procedure but in the absence of sucrose during the spray pyrolysis. The prepared yolk–shell Co₉S₈ microspheres exhibited a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area of 18 m² g^?1 with a mean pore size of 16 nm. The yolk–shell Co₉S₈ microspheres have initial discharge and charge capacities of 1008 and 767 mA h g^?1 at a current density of 1000 mA g^?1, respectively, while the filled Co₉S₈ microspheres have initial discharge and charge capacities of 838 and 638 mA h g^?1, respectively. After 100 cycles, the discharge capacities of the yolk–shell and filled microspheres are 634 and 434 mA h g^?1, respectively, and the corresponding capacity retentions after the first cycle are 82 % and 66 %.     

Dual Sulfide–Disulfide Crosslinked Networks with Rapid and Room Temperature Self‐Healability

Polymer‐based crosslinked networks with intrinsic self‐repairing ability have emerged due to their built‐in ability to repair physical damages. Here, novel dual sulfide–disulfide crosslinked networks (s‐ssPxNs) are reported exhibiting rapid and room temperature self‐healability within seconds to minutes, with no extra healing agents and no change under any environmental conditions. The method to synthesize these self‐healable networks utilizes a combination of well‐known crosslinking chemistry: photoinduced thiol‐ene click‐type radical addition, generating lightly sulfide‐crosslinked polysulfide‐based networks with excess thiols, and their oxidation, creating dynamic disulfide crosslinkages to yield the dual s‐ssPxNs. The resulting s‐ssPxN networks show rapid self‐healing within 30 s to 30 min at room temperature, as well as self‐healing elasticity with reversible viscoelastic properties. These results, combined with tunable self‐healing kinetics, demonstrate the versatility of the method as a new means to synthesize smart multifunctional polymeric materials.

     

Exploring the Role of Surface States in Emissive Carbon Nanodots: Analysis at Single-Particle Level

Fluorescent carbon nanodots (CDs) have been highlighted as promising semiconducting materials due to their outstanding chemical and optical properties. However, the intrinsic heterogeneity of CDs has impeded a clear understanding of the mechanisms behind their photophysical properties. In this study, as-prepared CDs are fractionated via chromatography to reduce their structural and chemical heterogeneity and analyzed through ensemble and single-particle spectroscopies. Many single particles reveal fluorescence intensity fluctuations between two or more discrete levels with bi-exponential decays. While the intrinsic τ₁ components are uniform among single particles, the τ₂ components from molecule-like emissions spans a wider range of lifetimes, reflecting the inhomogeneity of the surface states. Furthermore, it is concluded that the relative population and chemical states of surface functional groups in CDs have a significant impact on emissive states, brightness, blinking, stability, and lifetime distribution of photoluminescence.     

An optimization method for designing SENSE imaging RF coil arrays

An optimization method in RF coil array design for SENSE imaging is described. Using this method the optimized RF coil geometries can be calculated numerically given the required SENSE imaging performance. Although this method can be applied to optimize the RF coil arrays for both 1D and 2D SENSE imaging, to demonstrate the potential applications of this method, we designed RF coil arrays for 2D SENSE imaging and compared their performance by simulation. An optimized 4-channel receive-only RF coil array designed for 2D SENSE imaging was implemented and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique. Imaging results showed reasonable agreement with the simulations, thus the method can be applied to RF coil array designs for SENSE imaging when optimum imaging performance is desired.