Synthesis and characterization of polymethacrylates containing conjugated oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s as side chains

In order to form suitable systems designed for resonance energy transfer, a series of monodisperse methacrylate‐based monomers containing rigid π‐conjugated oligo(phenylene ethynylenes) with different sizes of the conjugated systems ( M1 – M3 ), and therefore different optoelectronic properties, were synthesized and subsequently polymerized using the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization technique ( P1 – P3 ). In addition, these oligomers were also copolymerized with methyl methacrylate. The obtained polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and analytical ultracentrifugation. The photophysical properties of the polymers were studied by UV–vis absorption and emission spectroscopy in diluted solutions as well as in thin films and compared to the photophysics of the corresponding monomers. Thereby, changes going from monomeric to polymeric systems could be detected in fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes pointing to energy trapping, e.g., energy transfer. Donor–acceptor copolymers containing different numbers of monomeric units within the side chain exhibit differences in the emission spectra, indicating that energy trapping in polymers is very sensitive to structural properties such as the chain length. UV–vis absorption spectroscopy as well as time‐resolved lifetime studies indicate intrapolymer and interpolymer energy transfer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Fabrication of 3D electrospun structures from poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide acid)–nano‐hydroxyapatite composites

The fabrication of three‐dimensional (3D) electrospun composite scaffolds was presented in this study. Layers of electrospun meshes made from composites of poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide acid) (PLGA) and hydroxyapatite (HA) were stacked and sintered using pressurized gas. Three HA concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 wt % were tested, and the addition of the HA nanoparticles decreased the tensile mechanical properties of the meshes with 20 wt % HA. However, after the gas absorption process, the fibers within the mesh sintered, which improved the mechanical properties more than twofold. The fabrication of 3D, porous, electrospun scaffolds was also demonstrated. The resulting 3D scaffolds had open porosity of up to 70% and modulus of ～20 MPa. This technique improves on the current electrospinning technology by overcoming the challenges of depositing a thick, 3D structure. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Efficient Synthesis of Cyclic Block Copolymers by Rotaxane Protocol by Linear/Cyclic Topology Transformation

High‐yielding synthesis of cyclic block copolymer (CBC) using the rotaxane protocol by linear‐cyclic polymer topology transformation was first demonstrated. Initial complexation of OH‐terminated sec‐ammonium salt and a crown ether was followed by the successive living ring‐opening polymerizations of two lactones to a linear block copolymer having a rotaxane structure by the final capping of the propagation end. CBC was obtained in a high yield by an exploitation of the mechanical linkage through the translational movement of the rotaxane component to transform polymer structure from linear to cyclic. Furthermore, the change of the polymer topology was translated into a macroscopic change in crystallinity of the block copolymer.     

Effects of digestion,chemical separation,and deposition on Po-210 quantitative analysis

The purpose of this work was to determine polonium losses from a variety of sample types (soil, cotton fiber, and air filter) due to digestion technique, chemical separation, and deposition method for alpha energy analysis. Results demonstrated that yields from a perchloric acid wet-ash (87 ± 5 %) were similar to that from a microwave digestion (100 ± 7 %), but both were greater than the dry-ash procedure (38 ± 5 %). The polonium was separated from an SRM soil using an AG1X8 ion exchange column and deposited on a Ag disk with a recovery of 83 ± 7 % of polonium-209 (Po-209). Deposition yields without chemical separation averaged 90 ± 5 % of Po-209. The polonium-210 content was successfully measured in the three matrix types and quantitated using alpha spectroscopy.     

Spin-Phonon Coupling and Slow-Magnetic Relaxation in Pristine Ferrocenium

We report the spin dynamic properties of non-substituted ferrocenium complexes. Ferrocenium shows a field-induced single-molecule magnet behaviour in DMF solution while cobaltocene lacks slow spin relaxation neither in powder nor in solution. Multireference quantum mechanical calculations give a non-Aufbau orbital occupation for ferrocenium with small first excitation energy that agrees with the relatively large measured magnetic anisotropy for a transition metal S=1/2 system. The analysis of the spin relaxation shows an important participation of quantum tunnelling, Raman, direct and local-mode mechanisms which depend on temperature and the external field conditions. The calculation of spin-phonon coupling constants for the vibrational modes shows that the first vibrational mode, despite having a low spin-phonon constant, is the most efficient process for the spin relaxation at low temperatures. In such conditions, vibrational modes with higher spin-phonon coupling constants are not populated. Additionally, the vibrational energy of this first mode is in excellent agreement with the experimental fitted value obtained from the local-mode mechanism.     

Rapid method to determine 89/90Sr in steel samples

The sorption and diffusion behavior of cesium was studied to support the interpretation of the ongoing in-situ experiments in the Olkiluoto test site. The distribution coefficients of cesium in the Olkiluoto pegmatitic granite, veined gneiss and their main minerals were obtained by batch sorption experiments and the diffusion of cesium was studied in rock cubes. The results were modelled with PHREEQC and Comsol Multiphysics. The distribution coefficients of cesium were largest in biotite and veined gneiss. The effective diffusion coefficients of cesium from the diffusion model were 3 × 10⁻¹³ m² s⁻¹ for veined gneiss and 4 × 10⁻¹³ m² s⁻¹ for pegmatitic granite.