Untersuchungen über ternäre Chalkogenide. XXIV. Zur Struktur des TlGaSe2

On Ternary Chalcogenides. XXIV. The Structure of TlGaSe₂ TlGaSe₂ is monoclinic with a = 10.772(3), b = 10.771(5), c = 15.636(8) Å, ß = 100.6(3)°, Z = 16, space group Cc. The refinement yielded an R value of 0.082 for 1366 unique observed reflections (MoKα). The compound crystallizes with a layer structure with two anion layers perpendicular to c* in the unit cell. The structural motive of the layers are large corner-linked Ga₄Se₁₀- tetraeder consisting of four corner-linked GaSe₄ tetrahedra. Two adjacent layers are turned relative to each other by 90°. They are kept together by Tl¹⁺ ions, which are situated on straight lines parallel to the edges of the Ga₄Se₁₀ groups. They are surrounded by six selenium atoms forming trigonal-prismatic TlSe₆ polyhedra. 4₂ screw-axes within the layers are the reason for a strongly pronounced pseudo tetragonal symmetry. Different possibilities of stacking cause a onedimensional disorder along the c* direction. The relations between the TlGaSe₂ type and the TlSe type and also the high-pressure modifications of some compounds with the TlGaSe₂ structure are discussed.     

Assessing the efficiency of free energy calculation methods

The efficiencies of two recently developed methods for calculating free energy changes along a generalized coordinate in a system are discussed in the context of other, related approaches. One method is based on Jarzynski's identity [Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2690 (1997)]. The second method relies on thermodynamic integration of the average force and is called the adaptive biasing force method [Darve and Pohorille, J. Chem. Phys. 115, 9169 (2001)]. Both methods are designed such that the system evolves along the chosen coordinate(s) without experiencing free energy barriers and they require calculating the instantaneous, unconstrained force acting on this coordinate using the formula derived by Darve and Pohorille. Efficiencies are analyzed by comparing analytical estimates of statistical errors and by considering two numerical examples-internal rotation of hydrated 1,2-dichloroethane and transfer of fluoromethane across a water-hexane interface. The efficiencies of both methods are approximately equal in the first but not in the second case. During transfer of fluoromethane the system is easily driven away from equilibrium and, therefore, the performance of the method based on Jarzynski's identity is poor.     

Thin film platinum cuff electrodes for neurostimulation: in vitro approach of safe neurostimulation parameters

Thin film technology takes more and more importance in the development of biomedical devices dedicated to functional neurostimulation. Our research about the design of implant neurostimulating electrode is oriented toward thin film cuff electrodes based on a polyimide substrate covered by a chromium/gold/Pt film. The chromium/gold sputtered film serves as adhesion layer and current collector whereas platinum acts as an electrochemical actuator. The electrode surface has been designed to obey safe stimulation criteria (i.e. chemically inert noble metal, low electrode-electrolyte impedance, high electrochemical reversibility, high corrosion stability). The electrochemical behaviour of such platinum electrodes has been assessed and compared to a foil of platinum. Extensive in vitro characterisations of the both electrode types were carried out using AFM, SEM and electrochemical techniques. The role of enhanced surface roughness enabling high double layer capacitances to be achieved was clearly highlighted. The obtained results are discussed, with particular reference to thin film electrodes stability under in vitro electrical stimulation in NaCl 0.9% (physiological serum). Therefore, these thin film devices showed reversible PtOH formation and decomposition making them potentially attractive for the fabrication of implant stimulation cuff electrodes.     

Spontaneous dissolution of a single-wall carbon nanotube salt

Upon reduction with alkali metals, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTS) are shown to form polyelectrolyte salts that are soluble in polar organic solvents without any sonication, use of surfactants, or functionalization whatsoever, thus forming true thermodynamically stable solutions of naked SWNTs.     

Selective, controllable, and reversible aggregation of polystyrene latex microspheres via DNA hybridization

The directed three-dimensional self-assembly of microstructures and nanostructures through the selective hybridization of DNA is the focus of great interest toward the fabrication of new materials. Single-stranded DNA is covalently attached to polystyrene latex microspheres. Single-stranded DNA can function as a sequence-selective Velcro by only bonding to another strand of DNA that has a complementary sequence. The attachment of the DNA increases the charge stabilization of the microspheres and allows controllable aggregation of microspheres by hybridization of complementary DNA sequences. In a mixture of microspheres derivatized with different sequences of DNA, microspheres with complementary DNA form aggregates, while microspheres with noncomplementary sequences remain suspended. The process is reversible by heating, with a characteristic "aggregate dissociation temperature" that is predictably dependent on salt concentration, and the evolution of aggregate dissociation with temperature is observed with optical microscopy.     

Photophysical properties of anthanthrene-based tunable blue emitters

Anthanthrene (1) derivatives substituted at the 4,10 and 6,12 positions (2-6) were synthesized as promising candidates for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The emission of these compounds can be manipulated in the blue region (lambda(max) = 437-467 nm) through structural modifications. Photophysical and electrochemical properties (phi(F) = 0.20-0.47; tau(F) = 2.97-6.06 ns; HOMO-LUMO energy gap = 2.25-2.56 eV) as well as geometry optimized structures of 1-6 are reported.     

Quantum transport in chains with noisy off-diagonal couplings

We present a model for conductivity and energy diffusion in a linear chain described by a quadratic Hamiltonian with Gaussian noise. We show that when the correlation matrix is diagonal, the noise-averaged Liouville-von Neumann equation governing the time evolution of the system reduces to the [Lindblad, Commun. Math. Phys. 48, 119 (1976)] equation with Hermitian Lindblad operators. We show that the noise-averaged density matrix for the system expectation values of the energy density and the number density satisfies discrete versions of the heat and diffusion equations. Transport coefficients are given in terms of model Hamiltonian parameters. We discuss conditions on the Hamiltonian under which the noise-averaged expectation value of the total energy remains constant. For chains placed between two heat reservoirs, the gradient of the energy density along the chain is linear.     

Transition Metal Catalysis Using Functionalized Dendrimers

Dendrimers are well-defined hyperbranched macromolecules with characteristic globular structures for the larger systems. These novel polymers have inspired many chemists to develop new materials and several applications have been explored, catalysis being one of them. The recent impressive strides in synthetic procedures increased the accessibility of functionalized dendrimers, resulting in a rapid development of dendrimer chemistry. The position of the catalytic site(s) as well as the spatial separation of the catalysts appears to be of crucial importance. Dendrimers that are functionalized with transition metals in the core potentially can mimic the properties of enzymes, their efficient natural counterparts, whereas the surface-functionalized systems have been proposed to fill the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. This might yield superior catalysts with novel properties, that is, special reactivity or stability. Both the core and periphery strategies lead to catalysts that are sufficiently larger than most substrates and products, thus separation by modern membrane separation techniques can be applied. These novel homogeneous catalysts can be used in continuous membrane reactors, which will have major advantages particularly for reactions that benefit from low substrate concentrations or suffer from side reactions of the product. Here we review the recent progress and breakthroughs made with these promising novel transition metal functionalized dendrimers that are used as catalysts, and we will discuss the architectural concepts that have been applied.     

Apparent slip due to the motion of suspended particles in flows of electrolyte solutions

We consider pressure-driven flows of electrolyte solutions in small channels or capillaries in which tracer particles are used to probe velocity profiles. Under the assumption that the double layer is thin compared to the channel dimensions, we show that the flow-induced streaming electric field can create an apparent slip velocity for the motion of the particles, even if the flow velocity still satisfies the no-slip boundary condition. In this case, tracking of the particles would lead to the wrong conclusion that the no-slip boundary condition is violated. We evaluate the apparent slip length, compare it with experiments, and discuss the implications of these results.     

Beiträge zur Chemie des Phosphors. 111. 1,2-Dichlor-1,2-di-tert-butyldiphosphan

Contributions to the Chemistry of Phosphorus. 111. 1,2-Dichloro-1,2-di-tert-butyl-diphosphane The reaction of tri-tert-butyl-cyclotriphosphane, (t-BuP)₃, with phosphorus(V) chloride (molar ratio 1:2) leads to the title compound Cl(t-Bu)P? P(t-Bu)Cl ( 1 ), which is remarkably stable against disproportionation reactions. As the first 1,2-dichloro-1,2-diorganyldiphosphane, 1 has been isolated in a pure state and was thoroughly characterized. At room temperature, 1 exists in a mixture of the d,l and meso form (about 20:80). The mutual repulsion of the negative polarized Cl atoms and their preferred gauche arrangement to the free electron pairs of neighboured P atoms leads to a gauche-conformation of the lone electron pairs in the d,l- and to a trans-conformation in the meso-configuration.