Complex morphology of melt-spun nylon-6 fibres investigated by 1H double-quantum-filtered NMR spin-diffusion experiments.

The complex morphology of high-speed melt-spun nylon-6 fibres hydrated with D2O was investigated using 1H double-quantum-filtered spin-diffusion NMR experiments. The magnetisation exchange from selected crystalline domains along the fibrils and interfibrils was simulated with the help of a three-dimensional solution of a spin-diffusion equation approximated by a product of one-dimensional analytical NMR signals, which correspond to a lamellar morphology. This allows to measure the sizes of crystalline and less-mobile amorphous domains along the fibrils, as well as the diameter of the fibrils and interfibril distances. A series of nylon-6 fibres with extreme values of winding speed and draw ratio was investigated. The changes detected in the domain size along the fibrils and interfibrils show the same trend in the data obtained from wide-angle X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering.     

Diffusion in flows with a linearly nonuniform velocity profile

Methods of group analysis are applied to determine the Green’s function in the infinite space of the test particle diffusion equation for flows with a linearly nonuniform velocity profile. Using this function, the solutions of the Cauchy problem are obtained for certain particular initial conditions.     

Slow-light enhanced optical detection in liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals

Slow-light enhanced optical detection in liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals is theoretically studied. Using a scattering-matrix approach and the Wigner–Smith delay time concept, we show that optical absorbance benefits both from slow-light phenomena as well as a high filling factor of the energy residing in the liquid. Utilizing strongly dispersive photonic crystal structures, we numerically demonstrate how liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals facilitate enhanced light–matter interactions, by potentially up to an order of magnitude. The proposed concept provides strong opportunities for improving existing miniaturized absorbance cells for optical detection in lab-on-a-chip systems.     

Reverse micellar synthesis and properties of nanocrystalline GMR materials (LaMnO3, La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 and La0.67Ca0.33MnO3): Ramifications of size considerations

Nanoparticles of complex manganites (viz. LaMnO₃, La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃) have been synthesized using the reverse micellar route. These manganites are prepared at 800‡C and the monophasic nature of all the oxides has been established by powder X-ray diffraction studies. TEM studies show an average grain size of 68, 80 and 50 nm for LaMnO₃, La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃respectively. Ferromagnetic ordering is observed at around 250 K for LaMnO₃, 350 K for La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and 200 K for La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃. These Curie temperatures correspond well with those reported for bulk materials with similar composition.     

Technology for producing adsorbents from petroleum residues

Advantage of use residue from thermal cracking and products of its condensation as components of the mixture for manufacturing mechanically rigid (93%) granulated and ground carbon sorbents with extended volume of micropores (up to 0.27 cm³/cm³), showing enhanced sorption activity (E is up to 25.6 kJ mol^?1) and high ability of separation various gas mixtures is demonstrated. As a carrier for medicine preparations these adsorbents show higher performance as compared with industrial samples. Solutions of the cracking residue can be used for impregnation of worked out zeolites for petroleum technology and for production of organomineral adsorbents with high adsorption capacity on extraction mercury from sewages.     

Approximate solution of a mixed problem for a parabolic equation by means of a special basis of functions

Using the eigenfunctions of two Sturm-Liouville problems (with the same operator of the most general form but two different sets of boundary conditions), we propose a method for construction of specific basis functions such that the corresponding expansions of smooth and piecewise smooth functions lead to fast converging series. The last circumstance can be successfully employed for approximate solution of mixed problems for a parabolic equation when the sought function is approximated in the spatial variables by few basis functions. First, the case of one spatial coordinate is elaborated and the two-dimensional case is briefly discussed in Section 5. The method aims primarily at the case when the sought function is piecewise smooth in the spatial variable and the implementation of the method bases on the concept of generalized solution.     

Nanostructured polymetallaynes of controlled length: Synthesis and characterization of oligomers and polymers from 1,1′‐bis‐(ethynyl)4,4′‐biphenyl bridging Pt(II) or Pd(II) centers

The reactivity of square planar palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes in trans or cis configuration, namely trans or cis‐[dichlorobis(tributylphosphine)platinum(II)] and trans‐[dichlorobis(tributylphosphine)palladium(II)] with 1,1′‐bis(ethynyl) 4,4′‐biphenyl, DEBP, leading to π‐conjugated organometallic oligomeric and polymeric metallaynes, was investigated by a systematic variation of the reaction conditions. The formation of polymers and oligomers with defined chain length [? M(PBu₃)₂ (C?C? C₆H₄? C₆H₄? C?C? )]_n (n = 3–10 for the oligomers, n = 20–50 for the polymers) depends on the configuration of the precursor Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes, the presence/absence of the catalyst CuI, and the reaction time. A series of model reactions monitored by XPS, GPC, and NMR ³¹P spectroscopy showed the route to modulate the chain growth. As expected, the nature of the transition metal (Pt or Pd) and the molecular weight of the polymers markedly influence the photophysical characteristics of the polymetallaynes, such as optical absorption and emission behavior. Polymetallaynes with nanostructured morphology could be obtained by a simple casting procedure of polymer solutions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3311–3329, 2007     

New ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystalline materials containing differing numbers of lactate units

A new series of chiral liquid crystalline materials having the same rigid core containing a keto group, and various numbers of ( S )-lactate groups in the chiral segment, has been synthesized and studied. All the compounds contain a branched terminal alkyl chain derived from ( S )-2-methylbutanol. The influence of the number of lactate units on mesogenic behaviour has been studied. All the compounds show the paraelectric SmA phase and the ferroelectric SmC * phase over rather wide temperature ranges. The antiferroelectric SmC * A phase was observed for the compound possessing two lactate groups.