Critical points in heavy ion irradiated untwinned YBa(2)Cu3O(7-delta) crystals

The critical points in untwinned YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) crystals with dilute columnar defects are investigated. We find a convergence of a first order vortex melting line with an irreversibility line associated with the onset of the Bose glass critical regime at the lower critical point. In addition, we find that columnar defects raise the upper critical point, implying that vortex line meandering is a basic feature controlling its position.     

Transient heating effects in electromagnetic launchers with complex geometries: A 3D hybrid FE/BE analysis

A time-stepping finite-element (FE) and boundary-element (BE) coupling method was implemented to include 3D transient eddy current under electromagnetic heating effects in electromagnetic launchers. Lagrangian formulations were used to model electromagnetic and thermal diffusive processes with moving conductors. The finite-element formulation was employed for the general diffusion equation in a bounded conductor region including rail and armature; while, in the exterior region, the boundary element method was developed for Laplace's equation. The coupled boundary was employed directly on the surface of conductors and no special treatment on boundary was required. The electromagnetic and temperature fields were coupled through iterative calculations. This method results in considerable time saving in modeling as it eliminates the surrounding air region.     

Trimethylphosphine complexes of tungsten(O) and (IV). X-ray crystal structures of trimethylphosphine tris (phenylacetylene) tungsten(O); bis(trimethylphosphine) tetrakis (methylisocyanide) tungsten(O), and oxodichlorotris (trimethylphosphine) tungsten (IV)

The reduction of WCl₄(PMe₃)₃ by sodium amalgam in presence of phenylacetylene gives W(PMe₃)(PhCCH)₃ (A). Reduction in presence of methylisocyanide gives W(PMe₃)₂(MeNC)₄ (B), while in presence of excess PMe₃ in tetrahydrofuran under hydrogen, WH₂Cl₂(PMe₃)₄ (C) is formed. The reaction of WCl₂(PMe₃)₄ with methanol in tetrahydrofuran gives mixtures of WH₂Cl₂(PMe₃)₄ and WOC1₂(PMe₃)₃ (D).The structures of A, B, and D have been determined by X-ray diffraction.     

Self-assembly and vortices formed by microparticles in weak electrolytes

We carried out experimental studies of the self-assembly of metallic micron-size particles in poorly conducting liquid subject to a constant electric field. Depending on the experimental conditions, the particles self-assemble into long chains directed along the electric field lines and form vortices and other structures. The vortices perform Brownian-type random motion due to self-induced chaotic hydrodynamic flows. We measured the diffusivity constant of the vortices and the conductivity and mechanical stiffness of the chains.     

Lattice boltzmann study on the contact angle and contact line dynamics of liquid-vapor interfaces

The moving contact line problem of liquid-vapor interfaces was studied using a mean-field free-energy lattice Boltzmann method recently proposed [Phys. Rev. E 2004, 69, 032602]. We have examined the static and dynamic interfacial behaviors by means of the bubble and capillary wave tests and found that both the Laplace equation of capillarity and the dispersion relation were satisfied. Dynamic contact angles followed the general trend of contact line velocity observed experimentally and can be described by Blake's theory. The velocity fields near the interface were also obtained and are in good agreement with fluid mechanics and molecular dynamics studies. Our simulations demonstrated that incorporating interfacial effects into the lattice Boltzmann model can be a valuable and powerful alternative in interfacial studies.     

Quantitation of the nearest-neighbour effects of amino acid side-chains that restrict conformational freedom of the polypeptide chain using reversed-phase liquid chromatography of synthetic model peptides with L- and D-amino acid substitutions

Side-chain backbone interactions (or "effects") between nearest neighbours may severely restrict the conformations accessible to a polypeptide chain and thus represent the first step in protein folding. We have quantified nearest-neighbour effects (i to i+1) in peptides through reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of model synthetic peptides, where L- and D-amino acids were substituted at the N-terminal end of the peptide sequence, adjacent to a L-Leu residue. These nearest-neighbour effects (expressed as the difference in retention times of L- and D-peptide diastereomers at pHs 2 and 7) were frequently dramatic, depending on the type of side-chain adjacent to the L-Leu residue, albeit such effects were independent of mobile phase conditions. No nearest-neighbour effects were observed when residue i is adjacent to a Gly residue. Calculation of minimum energy conformations of selected peptides supported the view that, whether a L- or D-amino acid is substituted adjacent to L-Leu, its orientation relative to this bulky Leu side-chain represents the most energetically favourable configuration. We believe that such energetically favourable, and different, configurations of L- and D-peptide diastereomers affect their respective interactions with a hydrophobic stationary phase, which are thus quantified by different RP-HPLC retention times. Side-chain hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity coefficients were generated in the presence of these nearest-neighbour effects and, despite the relative difference in such coefficients generated from peptides substituted with L- or D-amino acids, the relative difference in hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity between different amino acids in the L- or D-series is maintained. Overall, our results demonstrate that such nearest-neighbour effects can clearly restrict conformational space of an amino acid side-chain in a polypeptide chain.     

Synthesis, photophysical and electrophosphorescent properties of fluorene-based platinum(II) complexes

A series of platinum(II) complexes bearing tridentate cyclometalated C^N^N (C^N^N=6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine and π-extended R-C^N^N=3-[6'-(naphthalen-2'-yl)pyridin-2'-yl]isoquinoline) ligands with fluorene units have been synthesised and their photophysical properties have been studied. The fluorene units are incorporated into the cyclometalated ligands by a Suzuki coupling reaction. An increase in the π-conjugation of the cyclometalated ligands confers favourable photophysical properties compared to the 6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine analogues. The fluorene-based platinum(II) complexes display vibronic-structured emission bands with λ(max)=558-601 nm, and high emission quantum yields up to 0.76 in degassed dichloromethane. Their emissions are tentatively assigned to excited states with mixed (3)IL/(3)MLCT parentage (IL=intraligand, MLCT=metal-to-ligand charge transfer). The crystal structures of these platinum(II) complexes reveal extensive Pt(II)···π and/or π-π interactions. The fluorene-based platinum(II) complexes are soluble in organic solvents, have high thermal stability with decomposition temperature >350 °C, and can be thermally vacuum-sublimed or solution-processed as phosphorescent dopants for the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). A monochromic OLED with 3d as dopant (2 wt%) fabricated by vacuum deposition gave a current efficiency of 14.7 cd A(-1) and maximum brightness of 27000 cd m(-2). A high current efficiency (9.2 cd A(-1)) has been achieved in a solution-processed OLED using complex 3f (5 wt%) doped in a PVK (poly(9-vinylcarbazole)) host.