Direct UHV-TEM observation of palladium clusters on a silicon surface.

About 1 monolayer of palladium was deposited onto a silicon (111) 7 x 7 surface at a temperature of about 550 K inside an ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscope, resulting in formation of Pd2Si nanoislands and a 1 x 1 surface layer. Pd clusters created from an excess of Pd atoms on the 1 x 1 surface layer were directly observed by in situ plan view high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. When an objective aperture was introduced so that electron diffractions less than 0.20 nm were filtered out, the lattice structure of the 1 x 1 surface with 0.33 nm spacing and the Pd clusters with a trimer shape were visualized. It was found that image contrast of the 1 x 1 lattice on the specific height terraces disappeared, and thereby an atomic structure of the Pd clusters was clearly observed. The appearance and disappearance of the 1 x 1 lattice was explained by the effect of the kinematical diffraction. It was identified that a Pd cluster was composed of three Pd atoms without a centered Si atom, which is consistent with the model proposed previously. The feature of the Pd clusters stuck at the surface step was also described.     

Polymer-Supported dicyanoketene acetal as a pi-acid catalyst: monothioacetalization and carbon-carbon bond formation of acetals

Polymeric dicyanoketene acetals (DCKA) were synthesized by copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. These novel polymers could be used successfully as recyclable pi-acid catalysts in monothioacetalization or carbon-carbon bond forming reaction of acetals.     

Estimation of frequency- and time-dependence of polymer composite system by viscoelasticity in three dimensions

This paper is concerned with the comparison between mechanical properties of polymer composite system and those of each individual constituent. The comparison is mainly performed with respect to the viscoelastic Young's modulus and the relaxation Young's modulus. These mechanical constants may be obtained from the correspondence principle by applying the Laplace transform to the constitutive equation. The calculated results exhibit that the mechanical property of polymer composite system strongly depends on that of matrix with respect to frequency- and time-dependences. That is, as for the vibration and dynamic response in the steady state, the frequency-dependence of peak position about imaginary part of dynamic modulus of composite system is similar to that of matrix, while the magnitude of dynamic modulus depends on volume fraction of dispersed particles to total volume. As for the stress relaxation, the time-dependence of the relaxation Young's modulus of composite system resemble that of matrix each other, while the magnitude depends on the volume fraction of dispersed particles to total volume. This is due to the calculating condition that particle is assumed to be very rigid in comparison with matrix in this paper.     

Synthesis of sodium-polystyrenesulfonate-grafted nanoparticles by core-cross-linking of block copolymer micelles

Sodium poly(styrenesulfonate)(polySSNa)-grafted polymer nanoparticles were synthesized by core-cross-linking of block copolymer micelles and subsequent chemical transformation. Block copolymers, poly(p-((1-methyl)silacyclobutyl)styrene-block-poly(neopentyl p-styrenesulfonate)s, polySBS-b-polySSPen, were synthesized by nitroxy-mediated living radical polymerization. The block copolymers formed micelles (R_h=15-23 nm, where R_h represents the hydrodynamic radius) with a polySBS core and polySSPen shell in acetone. The micelle core was cross-linked by ring-opening polymerization of silacyclobutyl groups in polySBS. Hydrolysis of the neopentyl groups provided polySSNa-grafted nanoparticles. The R_h of the particles before the hydrolysis ranged from 12 to 21 nm in acetone, while they varied to the range from 50 to 110 nm in water after the hydrolysis.     

1,3,8,10-Tetrahydro-2,9-diazadibenzo[cd,lm]perylenes: synthesis of reduced perylene bisimide analogues

A unique family of 1,3,8,10-tetrahydro-2,9-diazadibenzo[cd,lm]perylenes (THDAP) was prepared through a new synthetic strategy. Completion of the synthesis was achieved in several steps from commercially available perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride via reactions between 3,4,9,10-tetra(chloromethyl)perylene and primary amines. The successful use of a variety of primary amines in the reactions indicated that the synthetic approach provides a rich opportunity to produce new functionalized perylene derivatives.     

Volumetric study on the inclusion complex formation of α- and β-cyclodextrin with 1-alkanols at different temperatures

The partial molar volumes (V_a) of 1-alkanols (carbon number, m=5, 6, 7) in - and -cyclodextrin (CD) solutions at 5.00 mmol kg^–1 have been determined as a function of alkanol concentration (C_a) between 293.2 and 308.2 K by using a dilatometer. It has been observed that with an increase in C_a, V_a increased in -CD solution but decreased in -CD solution, asymptotically to a value of V_a in CD-free water. The dependence of V_a on C_a provided the binding constant (K) of 1:1 complex, the volume change in complex formation, and the partial molar volume of complex itself. The complex formation mechanism has been discussed on the basis of these values and their carbon number dependences in the respect of geometric behavior, hydrophobic interaction, and van der Waals interaction. It is concluded that the CD cavity in water is not rigid but flexible for fitting in nicely with guest molecule.