Preparation of Water-Repellent Glass by Sol-Gel Process Using Perfluoroalkylsilane and Tetraethoxysilane

Coating films on glass substrate were prepared by sol-gel process using alkoxide solutions containing perfluoroalkylsilane (PFAS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The physical properties of the coating films were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, and XRD. And their surface properties were investigated by measuring contact angles and atomic compositions. Transparent coating films with smooth surface and uniform thickness could be obtained. The contact angles of the coating films for water and methylene iodide are extremely high, at 118 degrees and 97 degrees, respectively, and their surface free energies are about 9.7 dyn/cm. It was found that the water-repellent glass prepared is very hydrophobic and exhibits excellent water-repellency. Hydrophobic perfluoroalkyl groups are preferentially enriched to the outermost layer at the coating film-air interface, and two layers probably exist in the coating film. The upper layer oriented toward the air is composed of mainly perfluoroalkyl groups originating from PFAS, and the lower layer is composed of mainly -OSiO- groups originating from TEOS. The heat treatment after drying step cannot influence the surface enrichment of the perfluoroalkyl group. The hydrolysis reaction should be more completely done before the dip coating step to obtain lower surface free energy. The burning temperature should be less than 300 degrees C because the perfluoroalkyl group begins to decompose from this temperature. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Effect of van der Waals interactions on the Raman modes in single walled carbon nanotubes

We have measured the Raman spectrum of individual single walled carbon nanotubes in solution and compare it to that obtained from the same starting material where the tubes are present in ordered bundles or ropes. Interestingly, the radial mode frequencies for the tubes in solution are found to be approximately 10 cm (-1) higher than those observed for tubes in a rope, in apparent contradiction to lattice dynamics predictions. We suggest that there is no such contradiction, and propose that the upshift is due rather to a decreased energy spacing of the Van Hove singularities in isolated tubes over the spacings in a rope, thereby allowing the same laser excitation to excite different diameter tubes in these two samples.     

A comparison of extensional viscosity measurements from various RME rheometers

The transient uniaxial extensional viscosity η _e of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) has been measured using the commercial Rheometric Scientific RME and the Münstedt Tensile Rheometer in an effort to compare the performance of available extensional rheometers. The RME indicated a significant strain hardening of the LLDPE, especially at a strain rate of 1 s⁻¹. In contrast, the Münstedt rheometer showed the LLDPE to be only slightly strain hardening. This artificial strain hardening effect in the RME resulted from the strain rate applied to the sample, determined from the sample deformation, being up to 20% less than the set strain rate. These results initiated a round-robin experiment in which the same LLDPE was tested on several RMEs in various locations around the world. All but one of the RMEs indicated a deviation between set and applied strain rates of at least 10%, especially at strain rates above 0.1 s⁻¹. The strain rate deviation was found to depend strongly on the value of the basis length L ₀ , and may result from the upper pair of belts not properly gripping the sample during extension. Thus visual inspection of the sample deformation is necessary to determine the applied strain rate. The most accurate measurements of η _e with respect to the strain rate deviation were obtained when the correct L ₀ value and belt arrangement were used. A list of recommendations for running an RME test is provided. Future work focusing on the fluid mechanics during the test may identify fully the cause of the strain rate deviation, but from a practical point of view the problem can be corrected for in the determination of η _e . Received: 27 September 2000/Accepted: 5 February 2001     

Poly(2,5‐thienylene vinylene) in Nano Shapes by CVD Polymerization

Poly(2,5‐thienylene vinylene) (PTV), an insoluble conjugated polymer, can be readily prepared in various shapes of different nanodimensions by the chemical vapor deposition polymerization of 2,5‐bis(chloromethyl)thiophene. The bischloromethyl monomer in the vapor phase is activated at 600 °C. The activated monomer vapor is deposited at room temperature on the surface of various substrates to prepare polymeric films, fibers, tubes etc., which are then thermally converted into PTV. PTV thin films can be carbonized thermally to produce graphitic compositions that contain sulfur atoms. Electrical conductivities of FeCl‐doped PTV and carbonized films are reported.

     

Novel Hyperbranched Phthalocyanine as a Hole Injection Nanolayer in Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

A novel organic hyperbranched copper phthalocyanine was synthesized for use as a hole injection nanolayer on ITO in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). This material is soluble in organic solvents which allows for processing under anhydrous conditions, unlike water based conventional polymer hole injection layer materials such as poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT)/polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). The hyperbranched layer increased the luminous efficiency and brightness of single layer OLED devices, in addition to reducing current leakage which causes crosstalk in panel devices, compared to devices prepared from PEDOT/PSS. Therefore, this material is more suitable for OLED applications due to its processing and performance advantages over conventional commercial conducting polymer compositions.

     

The thermoelastic Hertzian contact problem

A numerical solution is obtained for the steady-state thermoelastic contact problem in which heat is conducted between two elastic bodies of dissimilar materials at different temperatures with arbitrary quadratic profiles. Thermoelastic deformation causes the initially elliptical contact area to be reduced in size and to become more nearly circular as the temperature difference is increased. There is also a small but identifiable deviation from exact ellipticity at intermediate temperature differences. An approximate analytical solution is obtained, based on approximating the contact area by an ellipse.     

Homoepitaxial growth of 6H–SiC thin films by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition using bis-trimethylsilylmethane precursor

Homoepitaxial silicon carbide (SiC) films were grown on 3.5° off-oriented (0 0 0 1) 6H–SiC by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using bis-trimethylsilylmethane (BTMSM, C₇H₂₀Si₂). A pronounced effect of the growth conditions such as source flow rate and growth temperature on the polytype formation and structural imperfection of the epilayer was observed. The growth behavior was explained by a step controlled epitaxy model. It was demonstrated by high-resolution X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy that high-quality 6H–SiC thin films were successfully grown at the optimized growth condition of substrate temperature 1440°C with the carrier gas flow rate of 10 sccm.     

QR-Submanifolds of (p - 1) QR-Dimension in a Quaternionic Projective Space QP (n+p)/4

The purpose of this paper is to study n-dimensional QR-submanifolds of (p - 1) QR-dimension isometrically immersed in a quaternionic projective space QP ^(n+p)/4 and to give sufficient conditions in order for such a submanifold to be a tube over a quaternionic invariant submanifold.     

Effect of gamma window setting on activity measurement of 134Cs by 4πβ(LS)-γ coincidence method

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The sheared granite of El Sela represents one of the most promising uranium mineralization in the southern part of the eastern desert, in Egypt....