True spin and pseudo spin entanglement around Dirac Points in graphene with Rashba spin–orbit interaction

We analytically obtained the Schmidt decomposition of the entangled state between the pseudo spin and the true spin in graphene with Rashba spin–orbit coupling. The entangled state has the standard form of the Bell state, where the SU(2) spin symmetry is broken. These states can be explicitly expressed as the superposition of two nonorthogonal, but mirror symmetrical spin states entangled with the pseudo spin states. Because of the closely locking between the pseudo spin and the true spin, it is found that the orbit curve in the spin-polarization parameter space for the fixed equi-energy contour around Dirac points has the same shape as the $\delta \overrightarrow{k}$-contour. Due to the spin–orbit coupling that cause the topological transition in the local geometry of the dispersion relation, the new equi-energy contours around the new emergent Dirac Points can be obtained by squeezing the one around the original Dirac point. The spin texture in the momentum space around the Dirac points is analyzed under the Rashba spin–orbit interaction and it is found that the orientation of the spin polarization at each crystal momentum $\overrightarrow{k}$ is independent of the Rashba coupling strength.     

Top-down synthesis of polyoxometalate-like sub-nanometer molybdenum-oxo clusters as high-performance electrocatalysts

The top-down fabrication of catalytically active molecular metal oxide anions, or polyoxometalates, is virtually unexplored, although these materials offer unique possibilities, for catalysis, energy conversion and storage. Here, we report a novel top-down route, which enables the scalable synthesis and deposition of sub-nanometer molybdenum-oxo clusters on electrically conductive mesoporous carbon. The new approach uses a unique redox-cycling process to convert crystalline Mo^IVO₂ particles into sub-nanometer molecular molybdenum-oxo clusters with a nuclearity of ∼1–20. The resulting molybdenum-oxo cluster/carbon composite shows outstanding, stable electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction with catalyst characteristics comparable to those of commercial Pt/C. This new material design could give access to a new class of highly reactive polyoxometalate-like metal oxo clusters as high-performance, earth abundant (electro-)catalysts.

The top-down synthesis and deposition of polyoxometalate-like clusters on porous carbon is reported together with the high electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reactivity of the composite.     

Passively Q-switched mode-locking Erbium-doped fiber laser with net-normal dispersion using nonlinear polarization rotation technique

We experimentally demonstrate a passively Q-switched mode-locking (QML) operation in an Erbium-doped fiber ring laser with net normal dispersion by using nonlinear polarization rotation technique. A 2 m long section of dispersion compensating fiber (DCF) with extra large positive dispersion was inserted into the cavity to ensure the fiber laser working in the region of net positive dispersion. By carefully adjusting the polarization controller, both uniform dissipative mode-locking pulses with fundamental repetition rate and QML pulse trains with tunable repetition rate from 71.58 to 98.83 kHz are achieved. It is found that the QML operation is caused by the interaction between the polarization state of the pulse and the intracavity polarizer.     

Deuterium solid echo line shape study of poly(ethylene oxide) dynamics in a blend with poly(methyl methacrylate)

Deuterium solid echo line shapes were measured on deuterated poly(ethylene oxide) (d₄PEO) in a blend with protonated poly(methyl methacrylate) to characterize chain dynamics of this component in the blend. Line shapes were observed as a function of temperature from 183 to 243 K and echo delay times from 10 to 100 μs on a blend containing 20 wt % d₄PEO. The line shapes and the associated relative intensities were quantitatively interpreted in terms of segmental motion and libration. The results of the interpretation are compared to an earlier study of deuterium spin‐lattice relaxation times over the temperature range of 313 to 413 K. A combined interpretation of both sets of data is developed based on bimodal distribution of correlation times that are separated by about 2 orders of magnitude in time. The faster mode is 30% of the correlation function with a stretched exponent near one while the slower mode is characterized by an exponent of 0.5. The source of the bimodal character is not revealed by the line shape and relaxation data but is consistent with the presence of two glass transition temperatures in this miscible blend and anomalous translational diffusion of diethyl ether through the blend. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2433–2444, 2005     

Synthesis and Stereochemistry of α-Aryl-β-Nitroalkylphosphinate

Abstract

Twenty-three new α -aryl-β -nitroalkylphosphinates 3a - g were synthesized in high yields under very mild conditions. Compounds 3 consist of two pairs of diastereomeric isomers (A) and (B)     

Recent Advances of AIE-Active Conjugated Polymers: Synthesis and Application

Conjugated polymers (CPs) have long been recognized as an important class of materials. The highly conjugated backbone of the CPs will facilitate the rapid exciton migration and result in amplification of fluorescence signals. However, CPs are likely to aggregate and form excimers in solid states, directly leading to the fluorescence quenching, namely aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ), hence inhibiting their prospective utilizations in a large degree. Since the effect of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is opposite to that of notorious ACQ, the AIE has raised great attention from scientists. CPs with AIE or aggregation-enhanced emission (AEE) features may help to solve the ACQ problem and meanwhile impart polymers with new properties and practical applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the preparation of CPs with AIE or AEE characteristics, where AIE-active luminogens are located at polymer backbones or pendants. Their potential applications including fluorescent sensors, biological probes, and active layers for the fabrication of light-emitting diodes are also described.     

Demulsification of Solids‐Stabilized Emulsions Under Microwave Radiation

Experimental data are presented to show the influence of solid particles on demulsification. It was found that the solid particles could effectively resist demulsification. Compared with conventional heating, microwave radiation can enhance the demulsification rate by an order of magnitude and increase the demulsification effectiveness. The demulsification effectiveness of the emulsions stabilized by graphite powder can reach 82%–89% in a very short time under microwave radiation, whilst that of the emulsions stabilized by barium sulfate can attain 100% under similar conditions.