Application of polyfluorophenazines to dichroic fluorescent dyes in guest-host liquid crystal displays

Novel dichroic fluorescent 2- and 2,7-disubstituted perfluorophenazines exhibit emission maxima in the range 570-600 nm in MLC-2039. The order parameter of fluorescence was observed in the range 0.29-0.49.     

Preparation of a reflective‐type electrochromic device based on monodisperse,micrometer‐size‐range polymeric microspheres and viologen pendants

A reflective electrochromic device (ECD) based on polymeric microspheres was proposed, and its feasibility for a display was investigated. The viologen moiety was introduced onto the surface of chloro‐functionalized polymeric microspheres via refluxing in toluene. The existence of the viologen pendants was confirmed with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their redox reactions were examined with cyclic voltammetry. The ECD had an inherent white background without an applied potential because the micrometer size range of the substrate particles scattered the light, whereas a deep violet color appeared when 3.0 V was applied to the cell. This color change could have been caused by the reduction of viologen pendants on the surface of the polymeric microspheres. The reflectance values of the ECD were observed with a spectrophotometer, and the response times and cyclic stability of the ECD, depending on the potential, were also examined. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6562–6572, 2005     

Cross-sectional observations of the cholesteric texture in a Cano wedge cell

A novel procedure for an observation of a liquid crystal texture is proposed by using a UV curable liquid crystal. Optical observations from a cross-section of the Cano wedge cell are demonstrated and layered structures of cholesteric LC are visualized clearly. The structures near the Grandjean lines are then revealed in detail from images. From the observations, it is confirmed that the texture near the Grandjean line is similar to fingerprint texture     

Synthesis and characterization of fluorene‐based low‐band gap copolymers containing propylenedioxythiophene and benzothiadiazole derivatives for bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cell applications

The following noble series of soluble π‐conjugated statistical copolymers was synthesized by palladium catalyzed Suzuki polymerization: poly[(9,9‐dioctylfluorene)‐alt‐(4,7‐bis(3′,3′‐dihepyl‐3,4‐propylenedioxythienyl)‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole)] (PFO‐PTBT) derived from poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene) (PFO) and poly[(4,7‐bis(3′,3′‐dihepyl‐3,4‐propylenedioxythienyl)‐2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole)] poly(heptyl₄‐PTBT). The structure and properties of these polymers were characterized using ¹H‐, ¹³C‐NMR, UV–visible spectroscopy, elemental analysis, GPC, DSC, TGA, photoluminescence (PL), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The statistical copolymers, PFO‐PTBT (9:1, 8.4:1.6, 6.5:3.5), were soluble in common organic solvents and easily spin coated onto indium‐tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates. The weight‐average molecular weight (M_w) and polydispersity of the PFO‐PTBT ranged from (1.0–4.2) × 10⁴ and 1.5–2.3, respectively. Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells with an ITO/PEDOT/PFO‐PTBT:PCBM/LiF/Al configuration were fabricated, and the devices using PFOPTBT (6.5:3.5) showed the best performance compared with those using PFO‐PTBT (9:1, 8.4:1.6). A maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.50% (V_oc = 0.66 V, FF = 0.29) was achieved with PFO‐PTBT (6.5:3.5). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6175–6184, 2008     

A total synthesis of (±)-gibberellin A12 via methyl (±)-7,16-dioxo-17-norkauran-19-oate

A formal total synthesis of (±)-gibberellin A₁₂ (1) was achieved by employing methyl (±)-7,16-dioxo-17-norkauran-19-oate (13) as a relay compound.     

Study of boron nitride by electron energy-loss spectroscopy

An interband π plasmon and π* edge have been observed in the spectrum of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). This result is in good agreement with that     

Vibrational relaxation of DF at low temperatures

Temperature dependence of the probability of the deexcitation process DF(ν = 1) + DF(ν = 0) → DF(ν = 0) + DF(ν = 0) has been investigated near and below room temperature based on the model that the vibrational energy is transferred to the hindered rotational (oscillatory) motion as well as the translational motion. The deexcitation probability increases sharply with decreasing temperature; this inverse temperature dependence is attributed to the important contribution of hydrogen-bond attraction.