Synthesis of grafted poly(p‐phenyleneethynylene) with energy donor–acceptor architecture via atom transfer radical polymerization: Towards nonaggregating and hole‐facilitating light‐emitting material

In this contribution, we demonstrate a new effective methodology for constructing highly efficient and durable poly(p‐phenyleneethynylene) (PPE) containing emissive material with nonaggregating and hole‐facilitating properties through the introduction of hole‐transporting blocks into the PPE system as the grafting coils as well as building the energy donor–acceptor architecture between the grafting coils and the PPE backbone. Poly(2‐(carbazol‐9‐yl)ethyl methacrylate) (PCzEMA), herein, is chosen as the hole‐transporting blocks, and incorporated into the PPE system as the grafting coils via atom transfer radical polymerization. The chemical structure of the resultant copolymer, PPE‐g‐PCzEMA, was characterized by NMR and gel permeation chromatography, showing that the desirable copolymer was obtained with the narrow polydispersity. The increased thermal stability of PPE‐g‐PCzEMA was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry along with its macroinitiator. The optoelectronic properties of this copolymer were studied in detail by ultraviolet‐visible absorption, photoluminescence emission and excitation spectra, and cyclic voltammogram (CV). The results indicate that PPE‐g‐PCzEMA exhibits the solid‐state luminescent property dominated by individual lumophores, and also the energy transfer process from the PCzEMA blocks to the PPE backbone with a relatively higher energy transfer efficiency in the solid‐state compared to that of the solution state. Additionally, the hole‐injection property is greatly facilitated due to the presence of PCzEMA, as confirmed by CV profiles. All these data indicate that PPE‐g‐PCzEMA is a good candidate for use in optoelectronic devices. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3776–3787, 2007     

AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL POLARONS IN AN ASYMMETRIC QUANTUM DOT

Within the framework of Feynman-Haken path integral theory, we calculate the ground-state energy of two-dimensional polarons in asymmetric quantum dots for arbitrary electron-phonon coupling constants. From a general three-dimensional Hamiltonian, some interesting problems, such as polarons in quasi-one-dimensional quantum wires and quasi-zero-dimensional asymmetric or symmetric quantum dots can be easily discussed only by taking different limit in the whole coupling regime. After the numerical calculation, we find that the relative polaronic correction increases monotonically with the decrease of effective dot size, and it becomes more pronounced with increasing dimension and asymmetry. Moreover, despite the insensitivity of relative polaronic enhancement to the variation of coupling constant at weak coupling, the correction is related to the coupling constant as the latter becomes larger.     

A functional modulus of continuity for Brownian motion

In this paper, we prove a sharpening of large deviation for increments of Brownian motion in (p,r)-capacity and Hölder norm case. As an application, we obtain a functional modulus of continuity for (p,r)-capacity in the stronger topology.     

First Total Synthesis of 12-Hydroxy-13-methylpodocarpa-9, 11, 13-trien-3-one

12-Hydroxy-13-methylpodocarpa-9, 11, 13-trien-3-one 9 was isolated from the twigs ofCroton salutaris1. Many diterpenes exhibit significant bioactivities, such as antibac-terial and antitumour and 9 has a rare structure. In order to study the relationshipb…     

Crosslinked epoxy materials exhibiting thermal remendablility and removability from multifunctional maleimide and furan compounds

Crosslinked polymeric materials, which exhibit thermal remendability and removability through Diels–Alder (DA) and retro‐DA reactions, were obtained from using multifunctional maleimide and furan compounds as monomers. The synthesized monomers possess low melting points and good solubility in organo solvents to show excellent processing properties. The performance of DA and retro‐DA reactions were demonstrated with DSC and FTIR measurements. High performance of thermal remendablility and removability of the crosslinked materials were observed with SEM and solvent tests. These materials were applicable in advanced encapsulants and structural materials. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 905–913, 2006     

Divinylsiloxane‐bisbenzocyclobutene‐based polymer modified with polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymers

Divinylsiloxane‐bisbenzocyclobutene (DVS‐bisBCB) polymer has very low dielectric constant and dissipation factor, good thermal stability, and high chemical resistance. The fracture toughness of the thermoset polymer is moderate due to its high crosslink density. A thermoplastic elastomer, polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymer, was incorporated into the matrix to enhance its toughness. The cured thermoset matrix showed different morphology when the elastomer was added to the B‐staged prepolymer or when the elastomer was B‐staged with the DVS‐bisBCB monomer. Small and uniformly distributed elastomer domains were detected by transmission electron micrographs (TEM) in the former case, but TEM did not detect a separate domain in the latter case. A high percentage of the polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymer could be incorporated into the DVS‐bisBCB thermoset matrix by B‐staging the triblock copolymer with the BCB monomer. The elastomer increased the fracture toughness of DVS‐bisBCB polymer as indicated by enhanced elongation at break and increased K1c values obtained by the modified edge‐lift‐off test. Elastomer modified DVS‐bisBCB maintained excellent electrical properties, high T_g and good thermal stability, but showed higher coefficient of linear thermal expansion values. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1591–1599, 2006     

Photocrosslinked poly(vinylbenzophenone)‐core micelles via mild Friedel–Crafts benzoylation of polystyrene amphiphiles

Photocrosslinkable poly(vinylbenzophenone)‐containing polymers were synthesized via a one‐step, Friedel–Crafts benzoylation of polystyrene‐containing starting materials [including polystyrene, polystyrene‐block‐poly(tert‐butyl acrylate), polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide), polystyrene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate), and polystyrene‐block‐poly(n‐butyl acrylate)] with benzoyl trifluoromethanesulfonate as a benzoylation reagent. The use of this mild reagent (which required no added Lewis acid) permitted polymers with well‐defined compositions and narrow molecular weight distributions to be synthesized. Micelles formed from one of these benzoylated polymers, [polystyrene_0.25‐co‐poly(vinylbenzophenone)_0.75]₁₁₅‐block‐poly(acrylic acid)₁₄, were then fixed by the irradiation of the micelle cores with UV light. As the irradiation time was increased, the pendent benzophenone groups crosslinked with other chains in the glassy micelle cores. Dynamic light scattering, spectrofluorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were all used to verify the progress of the crosslinking reaction. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2604–2614, 2006     

Probing the use of small‐angle light scattering for characterizing structure of titanium dioxide/low‐density polyethylene nanocomposites

Small‐angle light scattering (SALS) measurements were used to study the structure of titanium dioxide (TiO₂)/low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposites. The results showed that the scattering from LDPE crystalline structures and the scattering from TiO₂ nanoparticles can be resolved and separated. It is shown that the independent effects of crystallization conditions and the presence of nanoparticle aggregates on the spherulitic structure of the LDPE matrix can be determined by analyzing the scattering patterns using the methods proposed. From the SALS results, we conclude that the nanoparticle surface chemistry affects both nucleation of spherulites and their structure particularly under rapid cooling conditions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1084–1095, 2006     

Tunable negative refraction by electro-optical control in two-dimensional photonic crystal

This paper describes a simple hydrothermal procedure for high-yield synthesis of single-crystalline ZnO hexagonal nanoplates in a surfactant-free system at 70 °C. The structures and morphologies of the synthesized ZnO nanoplates are derived from characterisation by X-ray diffraction, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Their optical properties are recorded by Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. These ZnO hexagonal nanoplates exhibit the enhanced photocatalytic activity of phenol photodecomposition, suggesting that they could be served as an active system for the treatment of the waste water, in addition to their common applications. PACS 81.10.Dn; 61.10.Nz; 68.37.Hk; 78.55.Hx