A novel method of nanocrystal fabrication based on laser ablation in liquid environment

Metal nanoparticles can be prepared by a novel technique that consists of the laser ablation of a solid target immersed in a water solution of a metal salt. Silicon was chosen as the most adequate target to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles from a water solution of either AgNO₃ or HAuCl₄. The influence of both the silver nitrate concentrations and the irradiation time of the Si target on the optical properties of the Au and Ag nanoparticles have been investigated. The crystalline nature of the metal nanoparticles has been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Average size and particle size distribution have been measured by means of TEM. The absorbance spectra show the characteristic band of the surface resonant plasmon of silver and gold nanoparticles.     

The chemistry and the stereochemistry of poly(n-alkyliminoalanes) : III. The crystal and molecular structure of the adduct (HalN-i-Pr)6AlH3

The crystal and molecular structure of the adduct (HAlN-i-Pr)₆AlH₃ has been determined from single-crystal and three dimensional X-ray diffraction data collected by counter methods. The cage-type molecular structure consists of two six-membered rings, (AlN)₃, joined together by four adjacent transverse AlN bonds; the loss of two of these bonds allows the complexation of one alane molecule, with five-coordination of the aluminum (trigonal bipyramidal geometry), through two AlN bonds and two AlHAl bridge bonds. The AlN bond lengths range from 1.873 to 1.959 Å; the average AlH bond length is 1.50(1) Å for the four-coordinated aluminum atoms; the average distance of the two apical hydrogens from the five-coordinated aluminum atom is 1.92(5) Å. Colourless prismatic crystals of the compound have the following crystal data: triclinic space group P$\text{1}$; a = 17.13(2); b = 10.78(2); c = 10.20(2) Å; α = 124.3(4), β = 92.0(4), γ = 92.1(5); Z = 2; calculated density 1.157 g/cm³. The structure has been refined by block-matrix, least-squares methods using 4358 independent reflections to a standard unweighted R factor of 4.9%.     

The chemistry and the stereochemistry of poly(N-alkyliminoalanes) : V. The preparation and crystal structure of the pentamer [(HalN-i-Pr)2(H2AlNH-i-Pr)3]

The compound [(HAlN-i-Pr)₂(H₂AlNH-i-Pr)₃] has been prepared and the crystal and molecular structure determined by an X-ray analysis, carried out with three-dimensional data collected on a diffractometer. The molecule is made up of a cyclohexane-type ring, [(HAlN-i-Pr)₂(H₂AlNH-i-Pr)], in skewboat conformation, on each side of which is bonded an -H₂AlNH-i-Pr- bridging unit between a nitrogen atom and an aluminum atom of the ring. The molecule lies on a binary axis of the crystal, but this symmetry is fulfilled only by a statistical orientation of the asymmetric molecular units (the statistical model is not however completely defined). The AlN bond lengths range from 1.901 to 1.985 Å; the average NC bond length is 1.527(9) Å. Main crystal data are: monoclinic space group C2/c; a = 10.15(2), b = 21.64(3), c = 12.84(2) Å, β = 111.9(5)°; Z = 4; calculated density 1.095 g/cm³. The structure was solved by direct methods and block-matrix least-squares converged to an R value of 5.6%.     

Nova methodus adhibendi approximationem molecularium orbitalium ad plures iuxtapositas unitates

Résumé L'étude de la structure électronique d'une chaîne constituée par la répétition d'un motif polyatomique et l'interprétation des propriétés du polymère ainsi formé sont grandement facilités, s'il est possible de ramener les termes d'interaction entre unités voisines à un paramètre d'interaction unique. Ce problème a été traité en méthode des orbitales moléculaires par un procédé qui permet de tenir compte des modifications du monomère à l'intérieur du polymère et ne néglige que de faibles contributions.L'interaction entre deux monomèresi etj est représentée par la sous-matriceB _ij de dimensionn ×n formée par les termes non-diagonaux correspondants de la matrice-énergie. Par des transformations unitaires appropriées, il est possible de mettre sous forme diagonale les sousmatricesB _ij entre monomères voisins. En général, la diagonale de la matrice transformée contient un terme prépondérant qu'on peut considérer comme mesurant l'interaction (i, j). Une application numérique a été effectuée dans le cas d'un polymère fictif formé par des molécules H₂ et dans le cas d'un polymère peptidique formé par des groupements HNCO en interaction par l'intermédiaire de liaisons hydrogène. La validité des approximations introduites selon l'importance de l'interaction peut être vérifiée sur l'exemple d'un dimère dont les deux unités sont placées à des distances variables. Dans le cas d'un polymère les transformations effectuées conduisent à remplacer les orbitales atomiques du monomère par des orbitales s'étendant sur deux unités voisines; en prenant comme motif structural de la chaîne le monomère double formé par deux unités successives, on peut représenter l'interaction entre deux motifs adjacents par un seul terme.La réduction de la matriceB _ij à un seul terme fournit des bandes d'énergie dont la position est en très bon accord avec celles obtenues directement par les techniques classiques de calcul de l'état solide [7].

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The study of the electronic structure of a chain formed by repetition of polyatomic monomers and the interpretation of the resulting polymer are made much easier if the interaction terms relating to neighbouring units can be reduced to a single parameter. This problem has been treated in the MO scheme by a procedure which makes it possible to take into account the modifications of the monomer within the polymer and only neglects minor contributions.The interaction between two monomersi andj is represented by then ×n submatrixB _ij formed by the corresponding non diagonal terms of the energy matrix. By appropriate unitary transformations it is possible to bring the submatricesB _ij of neighbouring monomers to a diagonal form. In general, one of the diagonal elements thus obtained is much higher than the others, and can be taken as a measure of thei-j interaction. A numerical application has been made in the case of a fictitious polymer formed by H₂ molecules, and in the case of a polypeptide formed by HNCO groups interacting through hydrogen bonds. The validity of the approximations introduced for different values of interaction can be tested on a dimer whose units are placed at different distances. In the case of a polymer the transformations mentioned above require that the atomic orbitals of a monomer be replaced by orbitals extending over two neighbouring units. Taking as a new unit the corresponding pair of monomers, the interaction between the units can be represented by a single term. The reduction of theB _ij matrices to a single term each gives energy bands whose positions are in perfect agreement with those obtained directly by the classical techniques of solid-state physics [7].

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Zusammenfassung Das Studium der elektronischen Struktur von linearen Polymeren vereinfacht sich sehr, wenn die Wechselwirkung zwischen benachbarten Monomeren durcheinen Parameter beschrieben werden kann. Entsprechend wird im MO-Schema ein Verfahren entwickelt, das auf der Veränderung der Monomeren im Polymeren fußt.Die Wechselwirkung zwischen zwei Monomereni, j des Polymer wird durch eine aus Nichtdiagonalelementen der Hamiltonmatrix bestehende UntermatrixB _ij beschrieben. Für alle benachbarten Monomerenpaare lassen sich diese durch unitäre Transformationen diagonalisieren. I. a. ist eines der so erhaltenen Diagonalelemente vonB merklich größer und dient als Maß für die Wechselwirkung der beiden Monomeren. Angewendet wird die Methode auf ein fiktives Polymer aus H₂-Molekülen und auf ein Polymer aus durch H-Brücken verbundenen Peptidgruppen. Der Einfluß der Näherungen wird zunächst an einem Dinieren für verschiedene Abstände getestet.Im Falle eines Polymeren sind als Monomere Einheiten von zwei benachbarten Molekülen mit entsprechend ausgedehnten Orbitalen zu betrachten. Die Rechnung führt hier auf Energiebänder, deren Lage voll mit der nach klassischen Methoden der Festkörperphysik [7] erhaltenen übereinstimmt.

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Gratias agimus Cl. Vir.Raphaeli Del Re, qui nos, quod ad usum linguae latinae attinet, consilio benigne adiuvit.     

Activation thermodynamic parameters of binary mixtures of propionic acid ando-substituted anilines

Variations of densities and viscosities with temperature and composition are reported for binary liquid mixtures containing propionic acid+aniline (I),+o-toluidine (II),+o-anisidine (III), and+o-chloroaniline (IV). Entropies S _m and enthalpies H _m of activation as functions of the composition of the mixtures, as well as free energies of activation G _m at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50°C and different compositions were calculated by means of Eyring's equation. The formation of activated complexes between the components of these binary mixtures is postulated and claimed to result from acid-base and hydrogen bonding exchange interactions.     

Color Displays with Gel-Glass Dispersed Liquid Crystals

Liquid crystal microdroplets trapped into silica gel-glasses by sol-gel processes may be used for display applications. Gel-glass dispersed liquid crystals (GDLC) are switched between opaque and transparent states by applying external AC-voltage signals; no polarizers are required. The feasibility of applying these materials to colored displays has been explored. A comparative study of different dyes for GDLC color displays, which were either embedded in the sol-gel matrix or dissolved in the liquid crystal microdroplets is presented.