Degradation effects in polymer light emitting devices due to heat treatment

The characteristics of polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) (ITO/PPV/Ca) depend strongly on the conditions during preparation and operation. We studied the effects of heat treatment (during and after preparation) of PLEDs with OC₁C₁₀-PPV as active layer. PLEDs showed a reduction of both the current and the light output to 40 % after annealing for only 30 min at 65 °C. Effects on I-V characteristics were studied by measuring single carrier devices (hole- and electron-dominated devices). The current reduction after heat treatment can be ascribed to degradation of the ITO/PPV and the Ca/PPV interfaces.     

Main‐chain syndioregic nonlinear optical polymers. II. Extended pi conjugation and improved thermal properties

Recent results concerning the synthesis of new main‐chain syndioregic nonlinear optical polymers are presented. In particular, the synthesis of polymers with extended pi conjugation in the chromophore and chromophores with improved thermal stability are presented. The nonlinear optical coefficient of several of the polymers and the optical loss at 1.3 and 1.55 μm were measured and are discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2824–2839, 2000     

Sense and non-sense about polymers

This paper describes the present developments and future opportunities for industrial biopolymer applications.     

A correlation for burn time of aluminum particles in the transition regime

A study of the combustion times for aluminum particles in the size range of 3–11 μm with oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor oxidizers at high temperatures (>2400 K), high pressures (4–25 atm), and oxidizer composition (15–70% by volume in inert diluent) in a heterogeneous shock tube has generated a correlation valid in the transition regime. The deviation from diffusion limited behavior and burn times that could otherwise be accurately predicted by the widely accepted Beckstead correlation is seen, for example, in particles below 20 μm, and is evidenced by the lowering of the diameter dependence on the burn time, a dependence on pressure, and a reversal of the relative oxidizer strengths of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The strong dependence on temperature of burn time that is seen in nano-Al is not observed in these micron-sized particles. The burning rates of aluminum in these oxidizers can be added to predict an overall mixture burnout time adequately. This correlation should extend the ability of modelers to predict combustion rates of particles in solid rocket motor environments down to particle diameters of a few microns.     

Feynman’s Relativistic Electrodynamics Paradox and the Aharonov-Bohm Effect

An analysis is done of a relativistic paradox posed in the Feynman Lectures of Physics involving two interacting charges. The physical system presented is compared with similar systems that also lead to relativistic paradoxes. The momentum conservation problem for these systems is presented. The relation between the presented analysis and the ongoing debates on momentum conservation in the Aharonov-Bohm problem is discussed.     

Electrochemical oxidation of sulfur-containing amino acids on an electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

MWNT-modified electrodes are introduced for the voltammetric determination of sulfur-containing amino acids. The morphology of the electrode surface has been characterized by atomic force microscopy. The MWNT layer consists of deeply intertwined vermicular structures with the average diameter of 25 nm. Cysteine, glutathione and methionine are oxidized on the electrode while only cysteine gives signals on the glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The application of such electrodes leads to a decreased overpotential and increase of oxidation currents for cysteine in comparison with a bare GC electrode. The schemes of oxidation are proposed. A decrease of the lower limit of determination and an enlargement of the analytical range for antioxidants were obtained. A simple, fast and accurate procedure for the voltammetric determination of methionine in pharmaceuticals has been developed and can be recommended for quality control purposes.     

Surface-induced dissociation and chemical reactions of C2D 4 + on stainless steel, carbon (HOPG), and two different diamond surfaces

Surface-induced interactions of the projectile ion C₂D₄⁺ with room-temperature (hydrocarbon covered) stainless steel, carbon highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), and two different types of diamond surfaces (O-terminated and H-terminated) were investigated over the range of incident energies from a few eV up to 50 eV. The relative abundance of the product ions in dependence on the incident energy of the projectile ion [collision-energy resolved mass spectra, (CERMS) curves] was determined. The product ion mass spectra contained ions resulting from direct dissociation of the projectile ions, from chemical reactions with the hydrocarbons on the surface, and (to a small extent) from sputtering of the surface material. Sputtering of the surface layer by low-energy Ar⁺ ions (5–400 eV) indicated the presence of hydrocarbons on all studied surfaces. The CERMS curves of the product ions were analyzed to obtain both CERMS curves for the products of direct surface-induced dissociation of the projectile ion and CERMS curves of products of surface reactions. From the former, the fraction of energy converted in the surface collision into the internal excitation of the projectile ion was estimated as 10% of the incident energy. The internal energy of the surface-excited projectile ions was very similar for all studied surfaces. The H-terminated room-temperature diamond surface differed from the other surfaces only in the fraction of product ions formed in H-atom transfer surface reactions (45% of all product ions formed versus 70% on the other surfaces).     

SAR study of 1-aryl-4-(phenylarylmethyl)piperazines as ligands for both dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors showing varying degrees of (Ant)agonism. Selection of a potential atypical antipsychotic

The syntheses of several 1-aryl-4-(arylpyridylmethyl)piperazines (4) and their affinities for dopamine D(2) and serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptors are described. The compounds were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo, resulting in the identification of the drug candidate SLV313 (4e) with equipotent and full D(2) receptor antagonism and 5-HT(1A) receptor agonism. Minor structural modifications in SLV313 revealed the possibility of designing compounds possessing varying degrees of partial agonism on one or both target receptors.     

The potential of Raman spectroscopy for characterisation of the fatty acid unsaturation of salmon

Raman spectroscopy has been evaluated for characterisation of the degree of fatty acid unsaturation (iodine value) of salmon (Salmo salar). The Norwegian Quality Cuts from 50 salmon samples were obtained, and the samples provided an iodine value range of 147.8-170.0 g I₂/100 g fat, reflecting a normal variation of farmed salmon. Raman measurements were performed both on different spots of the intact salmon muscle, on ground salmon samples as well as on oil extracts, and partial least squares regression (PLSR) was utilised for calibration. The oil spectra provided better iodine value predictions than the other data sets, and a correlation coefficient of 0.87 with a root mean square error of cross-validation of 2.5 g I₂/100 g fat was achieved using only one PLSR component. The ground samples provided comparable results, but at least two PLSR components were needed. Higher prediction errors were obtained from Raman spectra of intact salmon muscle, and this may partly be explained by sampling uncertainties in the relation between Raman measurements and reference analysis. All PLSR models obtained were based on chemically sound regression coefficients, and thus information regarding fatty acid unsaturation is readily available from Raman spectra even in systems with high contents of protein and water. The accuracy, the robustness and the low complexity of the PLSR models obtained suggest Raman spectroscopy as a promising method for rapid in-process control of the degree of unsaturation in salmon samples.     

Electroanalytical applications of boron-doped diamond microelectrode arrays

The electrochemical characteristics of a novel all diamond fabricated boron-doped diamond microelectrode array (BDD-MEA) are critically appraised. The voltammetric response of simple electron transfer processes has been investigated and found to generate sigmoidal voltammetric curves. Furthermore, the device has been utilized for various analytical applications including, the direct detection of 4-nitrophenol over the concentration range 1.8-9.2 μM, manganese over the range 0.1-4.8 μM and the indirect determination of sulfide producing a limit of detection of 23 μM.