The site distribution of Ti and V and the metal-metal interaction in the ternary system (V,Ti)5S8

The phase relations of the ternary system V_1?xTi_xS_1.57 are presented on the basis of X-ray diffractometry. The site distribution of Ti and V atoms in the structure is clarified through an NMR absorption study at room temperature. The phase relations and the site distribution of Ti and V, which appear to be closely related to each other, are discussed in terms of the metal-metal interaction of the face-shared octahedra in the metal-deficient distorted NiAs structure.     

Direct mono-insertion of isocyanides into terminal alkynes catalyzed by rare-earth silylamides

Rare-earth silylamide complexes, Ln[N(SiMe3)2]3 (Ln = Y, La, Sm, Yb), effectively catalyzed the coupling reaction of isocyanides with both aliphatic and aromatic terminal alkynes under mild conditions.     

Vapor-liquid equilibria for polyisobutylene solutions

Vapor sorption isotherms in binary solutions of polyisobutylene (PIB), (M_η = 4.7 × 10⁶ g/mol) in hydrocarbons (cyclopentane; cyclohexane; n-heptane; 2,2-dimethyl butane; and 2,2,4-trimethyl pentane) and chlorinated methanes [carbon tetrachloride (CCI₄) and chloroform (CHCI₃)] have been determined at 23.5°C using the piezoelectric sorption method. The polymer-solvent interaction parameter χ obtained agrees with previously published values determined by using gas-liquid chromatography and a quartz-helix vapor sorption apparatus. The Flory theory of corresponding-states has been applied to the experimental results through the χ parameter and affords a good prediction of the concentration dependence of χ for solutions of chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, n-heptane, and 2,2-dimethyl butane in PIB. The experimental values of \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ [\partial (a_1 /\psi _1 )/\partial a_1 ]_{T,P} $\end{document} for the PIB solutions are constant over the measured concentration range, for example \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ [\partial (a_1 /\psi _1 )/\partial a_1 ]_{T,P} $\end{document} = ?4.1 for CCI₄, ?3.65 for CHCI₃, ?3.0 for 2,2-dimethyl butane and n-heptane, ?2.7 for 2,2,4-trimethyl pentane, ?2.7 for cyclohexane, and ?1.7 for cyclopentane, where a₁ is the solvent activity and ψ₁ is the solvent segment fraction. The correlations between the values of \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ [\partial (a_1 /\psi _1 )/\partial a_1 ]_{T,P} $\end{document} and the theories of Guggenheim, Miller, Huggins, and Flory are discussed.     

Non-equilibrium thermo-field dynamics for a non-bilinear Hamiltonian

The non-equilibrium thermo-field dynamics proposed by Arimitsu and Umezawa are generalized to the case of a non-bilinear unperturbed Hamiltonian which includes not only a bilinear part but also a non-bilinear part with momentum mixing. The forms of the quasi-particle operators for a semi-free boson field are derived. The form of the two-point Green’s function for the semi-free boson field is evaluated. A form of the admittance for a boson system interacting with its heat reservoir, which includes effects of the initial correlation and memory, is derived using the TCLE method formulated in terms of generalized non-equilibrium thermo-field dynamics. The expressions of the zeroth-order, first-order and second-order parts of the admittance in powers of the boson-boson interaction, are derived.     

Coupling of the phase-field and CALPHAD methods for predicting multicomponent,solid-state phase transformations

The development of an effective microstructure design method for multicomponent alloys is of considerable importance for improving both the design of alloys and the design of processes for producing alloys with unique properties. The coupling of the phase-field method and the calculation of phase diagrams (CALPHAD) method can be used for predicting the evolution of microstructures in multicomponent alloys. Such predictions make use of CALPHAD thermodynamic information with the chemical free energy function in the phase-field method. This article reviews several of these coupling methods, focusing on solid-state phase transformations in multicomponent systems, such as phase separation and disordered or ordered phase precipitation from a matrix. When calculating disordered phase transformations, the Gibbs energy function derived from the CALPHAD database can be used directly in the phase-field method. On the other hand, when dealing with an order/disorder transition, the degrees of freedom of the element site fraction for an ordered phase in the CALPHAD method can be reduced using the Gibbs energy single formalism for constituent phases, by using a database that stores the Gibbs energy and chemical equilibrium conditions, or by obtaining the driving force calculated using the Thermo-Calc software. The current status and future directions for further development of these coupled methods are discussed.     

Hooking Together Sigmoidal Monomers into Supramolecular Polymers

Supramolecular polymers show great potential in the development of new materials because of their inherent recyclability and their self‐healing and stimuli‐responsive properties. Supramolecular conductive polymers are generally obtained by the assembly of individual aromatic molecules into columnar arrays that provide an optimal channel for electronic transport. A new approach is reported to prepare supramolecular polymers by hooking together sigmoidal monomers into 1D arrays of π‐stacked anthracene and acridine units, which gives rise to micrometer‐sized fibrils that show pseudoconductivities in line with other conducting materials. This approach paves the way for the design of new supramolecular polymers constituted by acene derivatives with enhanced excitonic and electronic transporting properties.     

Magnetic structures of exchange bias Ni/FeF2(1 1 0) interface

Electronic and magnetic structures of ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AFM), Ni/FeF₂(1 1 0), with a compensated AFM interface are investigated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method. We find that magnetic structures at the AFM interface are perturbed by a contact with the FM material, where the superexchange interaction through the interface F excites and induces a small net moment at the AFM interface. These results predicted may play an important role for explaining the exchange bias in this system, and rule out the exchange bias mechanisms with the spin-flop coupling and the magnetic moment reorientation.