Preparation of single‐walled carbon nanotubes‐induced poly(p‐oxybenzoyl) crystals

Crystallization of oligomers was applied for the preparation of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs)/poly(p‐oxybenzoyl) (POB) crystals using SWNTs as a nucleating agent. Polymerization conditions were investigated to induce the crystallization of POB oligomers through SWNTs. SWNTs/POB plate‐like or lozenge‐shaped crystals were successfully prepared by direct polymerization of p‐hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) in a mixed solvent of DMF/Py with TsCl in the presence of functionalized SWNTs. The size of the plate‐like crystals were ～200 nm to 3 μm. The crystals consisted of some layers, ～3 nm thick plates. Model reactions showed that esterification reactions proceed between functionalized SWNTs and HBA monomers in the polymerization system. The obtained crystals exhibited unique morphology and high crystallinity, producing a novel SWNT/POB hybrid. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1265–1277, 2008     

Semi-smooth Newton methods for the Signorini problem

Semi-smooth Newton methods are analyzed for the Signorini problem. A proper regularization is introduced which guarantees that the semi-smooth Newton method is superlinearly convergent for each regularized problem. Utilizing a shift motivated by an augmented Lagrangian framework, to the regularization term, the solution to each regularized problem is feasible. Convergence of the regularized problems is shown and a report on numerical experiments is given.     

Constituents of Pongamia pinnata isolated in a screening for activity to overcome tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-resistance

In a search for natural products with activity to overcome tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-resistance, we performed the bioassay-guided fractionation of a semi mangrove, Pongamia pinnata, collected from Bangladesh, and isolated a new compound, (2S)-(2″,3″:7,8)-furanoflavanone (1), along with six known flavonoids (2-7). Two of the compounds significantly overcame TRAIL-resistance in human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cell lines.     

Soluble ultra-short single-walled carbon nanotubes

Soluble, ultra-short (length < 60 nm), carboxylated, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been prepared by a scalable process. This process, predicated on oleum's (100% H2SO4 with excess SO3) ability to intercalate between individual SWNTs inside SWNT ropes, is a procedure that simultaneously cuts and functionalizes SWNTs using a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids. The solubility of these ultra-short SWNTs (US-SWNTs) in organic solvents, superacid and water is about 2 wt %. The availability of soluble US-SWNTs could open opportunities for forming high performance composites, blends, and copolymers without inhibiting their processibility.     

Optimal Control of Obstacle Problems by H1-Obstacles

Optimal control of variational inequalities with the controls given by the obstacles is considered. Existence optimal solutions are proved for obstacles with H¹ regularity and first-order optimality conditions are derived which, under additional assumptions, are also sufficient. A numerical algorithm is proposed and its practical feasibility is investigated.     

Optimal control of parabolic variational inequalities

Optimal control of parabolic variational inequalities is studied in the case where the spatial domain is not necessarily bounded. First, strong and weak solutions concepts for the variational inequality are proposed and existence results are obtained by a monotone and a finite difference technique. An optimal control problem with the control appearing in the coefficient of the leading term is investigated and a first order optimality system in a Lagrangian framework is derived.     

Nickel‐Catalyzed Homoallylation of Aldehydes and Ketones with 1,3‐Dienes and Complementary Promotion by Diethylzinc or Triethylborane

Regio‐ and stereoselective homoallylation of saturated aldehydes and ketones to give bishomoallyl alcohols 1,3‐anti‐ 1 is achieved with [Ni(acac)₂] (cat.) and Et₂Zn [Eq. (a)]. This new catalyst system thus complements the previously reported combination of [Ni(acac)₂] with Et₃B, which offers advantages in the homoallylation of unsaturated and aromatic aldehydes. acac=acetylacetonato.     

Approach for growth of high-quality and large protein crystals

Three crystallization methods for growing large high-quality protein crystals, i.e. crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel, top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) and a large-scale hanging-drop method, have previously been presented. In this study the effectiveness of crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel has been further evaluated by crystallizing additional proteins in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) agarose gel, resulting in complete gelification with high mechanical strength. In TSSG the seed crystals are hung by a seed holder protruding from the top of the growth vessel to prevent polycrystallization. In the large-scale hanging-drop method, a cut pipette tip was used to maintain large-scale droplets consisting of protein-precipitant solution. Here a novel crystallization method that combines TSSG and the large-scale hanging-drop method is reported. A large and single crystal of lysozyme was obtained by this method.     

Dendritic, nanosized building block for siloxane-based materials: a spherosilicate dendrimer

A spherosilicate dendrimer ( DMS‐1 ) with closely spaced reaction sites (Si? H groups) on the dendrimer surface has been synthesized by stepwise silylation of double‐four‐ring silicate with chlorotriethoxysilane (ClSi(OEt)₃) and subsequently with chlorodimethylsilane (ClSiHMe₂). DMS‐1 consists of a maximum of 40 Si atoms in the interior frameworks and 24 reactive Si? H groups on the surface. Because DMS‐1 is spherical and about 1.5 nm in diameter, it can be regarded as the smallest well‐defined silica‐based nanoparticle. DMS‐1 also forms molecular crystals and is soluble in typical organic solvents. A molecularly ordered silica‐based hybrid can be prepared by heating a cast film of DMS‐1 at 180 °C for 5 days. The surface of DMS‐1 can be modified by hydrosilylation with 1‐hexadecene, triethoxyvinylsilane, and allylic‐terminated tetraethylene glycol monomethyl ether. More than 20 Si? H groups out of 24 react with these reagents. The solubilities of the products depend on the modification. DMS‐1 is not only a building block for nanohybrids, but also the smallest and most precisely designed siloxane‐based nanoparticle.     

Air-stable n-type organic field-effect transistors based on solution-processable, electronegative oligomers containing dicyanomethylene-substituted cyclopenta[b]thiophene

Solution-processable, electronegative, π-conjugated systems containing dicyanomethylene-substituted cyclopenta[b]thiophene were synthesized as potential active materials for air-stable n-type organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). Electrochemical measurements revealed that these compounds exhibited electrochemical stability and that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) had an energy level less than -4.0 eV. Flash-photolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity (FP-TRMC) measurements were performed, and the value of intradomain electron mobility was determined to be as high as 0.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) . The OFETs were fabricated by spin-coating thin films of the compounds as an active layer. The electron mobility of the OFETs was 3.5×10(-3) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) in vacuum. Furthermore, electron mobility of the same order of magnitude and stable characteristics were obtained under air-exposed conditions. X-ray diffraction measurements of the spin-coated thin films revealed the difference of molecular arrangements depending on the inner conjugated units. Atomic force microscopy measurements of crystalline-structured films exhibited the formation of grains. The accomplishment of air-stability was attributed to the combined effect of the low-lying LUMO energy level and the molecular arrangements in the solid state, avoiding both the quenching of electron carriers and the intrusion of oxygen and/or moisture.