Synthesis experiments on B-Sb,Ge-Sb,and Xe-Pd systems using a laser heated diamond anvil cell

Abstract

In an effort to synthesize B-Sb, Ge-Sb and Xe-Pd compounds under high pressure, the respective system was laser-heated in a diamond anvil cell at temperatures above 2500 K and up to a maximum pressure of 51 GPa. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction using rotating anode and synchrotron radiation X-ray sources. No reaction was observed in any of these systems up to pressures of 32, 20 and 51 GPa, respectively. In the case of Ge-Sb, new peaks were observed in the pressurequenched samples, but they were identified with the known metastable phases of Ge. In this regard our results are contrary to the earlier work on Ge-Sb.     

Relation between the rate of convergence of strong law of large numbers and the rate of concentration of Bayesian prior in game-theoretic probability

We study the behavior of the capital process of a continuous Bayesian mixture of fixed proportion betting strategies in the one-sided unbounded forecasting game in game-theoretic probability. We establish the relation between the rate of convergence of the strong law of large numbers in the self-normalized form and the rate of divergence to infinity of the prior density around the origin. In particular we present prior densities ensuring the validity of Erd?s–Feller–Kolmogorov–Petrowsky law of the iterated logarithm.     

Self‐assembly of amphiphilic ABA random triblock copolymers in water

Self‐assembly of amphiphilic ABA random triblock copolymers in water serves as a novel approach to create unique structure micelles connected with flexible linkages. The ABA triblock copolymers consist of amphiphilic random copolymers bearing hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) and hydrophobic dodecyl pendants as the A segments and a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as the middle B segment. The A block is varied in dodecyl methacrylate content of 20%–50% and degree of polymerization (DP) of 100‐200. By controlling the composition and DP of the A block, various architectures can be tailor‐made as micelles in water: PEO‐linked double core unimer micelles, PEO‐looped unimer or dimer micelles, and multichain micelles. Those PEO‐linked or looped micelles further exhibit thermoresponsive solubility in water. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 313–321     

Circulation microchannel for liquid–liquid microextraction

A new method has been developed for liquid–liquid microextraction utilizing a circulation microchannel. A glass microchemical chip having a circular shallow microchannel in contact with a surrounding deeper microchannel was fabricated by a two-step photolithographic wet-etching technique. Surface modification reagent was selectively introduced to the shallow channel by utilizing capillary force, and the surface of the shallow channel was selectively made hydrophobic. With the aid of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic surface patterning, it was possible to keep organic solvent in the circular channel while the aqueous sample solution was continuously flowing in the deep channel. As a result, concentration extraction from sample solution to stationary extractant with a nanoliter scale volume became possible. Concentration extraction has been difficult in a multiphase continuous flow. Function of the newly developed microextraction system was verified with methyl red as a test sample, and concentration extraction to reach equilibrium was successfully carried out. A novel surface modification method utilizing frozen liquid as a masking material was also developed as a reverse process to make the shallow channel hydrophilic and the deep channel hydrophobic. Visualization of circulation motion inside the circular shallow channel induced by flow in the deep channel was observed with a particle tracing method.     

On reducible monodromy representations of some generalized Lamé equation

In this note, we compute the explicit formula of the monodromy data for a generalized Lamé equation when its monodromy is reducible but not completely reducible. We also solve the corresponding Riemann–Hilbert problem.

     

Synthesis of Azacalixarenes and Development of Their Properties

This review focuses on the synthesis, structure, and interactions of metal ions, the detection of some weak interactions using the structure, and the construction of supramolecules of azacalixarenes that have been reported to date. Azacalixarenes are characterized by the presence of shallow or deep cavities, the simultaneous presence of a basic nitrogen atom and an acidic phenolic hydroxyl group, and the ability to introduce various side chains into the cyclic skeleton. These molecules can be given many functions by substituting groups on the benzene ring, modifying phenolic hydroxyl groups, and converting side chains. The author discusses the evidence of azacalixarene utilizing these characteristics.     

Direct observation of phase transitions of polyethylene under high pressure by a PSPC x-ray system

A position-sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) x-ray measuring system is employed to observe directly phase transition processes of polyethylene at high temperature and high pressure. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal important new experimental data. First, an irreversible crystal transition from the hexagonal to the orthorhombic structures occurs in the critical region where the hexagonal structure begins to appear at a pressure of 350 MPa. That is, the (100) hexagonal reflection is observed only on cooling at 350 MPa. At pressures above about 400 MPa, however, the hexagonal phase is stable and the phase transitions melt ? hexagonal ? orthorhombic occur reversibly. Second, during cooling at pressures above 400 MPa, the (100) hexagonal reflection can be observed at temperatures below the hexagonal ? orthorhombic transition temperature. This behavior suggests that all the crystal morphologies of polyethylene, from “highly-extended-chain” crystals to crystals with a low melting point, are formed by the transitions melt → hexagonal → orthorhombic. Third, in heating at elevated pressures above 500 MPa, a shoulder in the peak intensity versus temperature plot for the (100) hexagonal reflection is observed at a higher temperature than the large maximum which occurs immediately after the crystal transition. This behavior indicates melting in two stages of hexagonal structures with different thermal stabilities, and the shoulder at higher temperature may be due to the fusion of the hexagonal phase annealed either below or above the transition point.     

Polarization measurement and configuration analysis of the triplet-triplet absorption spectra of substituted naphthalenes

The polarization of triplet-triplet absorption spectra for 1- and 2-methoxynaphthalene, 1,5-, 1,8-, 2,7-, and 2,3-naphthalenediols, and 1,4-dimethoxynaphthalene was measured by the photoselection method. Calculations of the triplet states of these molecules were made by the Pariser-Parr-Pople method, and the resulting wavefunctions were subjected to the configuration analysis. The T-T absorption spectra of the β-substituted naphthalenes are relatively simple and closely resemble that of naphthalene. In the α-substituted naphthalenes, the T-T absorption spectra are not only remarkably different from that of naphthalene but also different from one another. Comparison of experimental and theoretical results leads to reasonable assignments of the individual absorption bands involving some modification of previous assignments. The apparent complexity of T-T absorption spectra of the α-substituted naphthalenes can be interpreted in relation to the enhanced and transitions of naphthalene.     

Melting and crystallization of poly(vinylidene fluride) under high pressure

Precise melting and crystallization temperatures of extended-chain and folded-chain crystals of form I and folded-chain crystals of form II poly(vinylidene fluoride) under high pressure have been obtained by microdifferential thermal analysis (DTA). Upon heating at pressures above 4000 kg/cm², the micro-DTA thermogram of form II crystallized from the melt at atmospheric pressure shows melting of the form II structure and the melting of the folded-chain and extended-chain crystals of form I, formed through recrystallization processes. These features were clarified by supplemental methods. The bandwidth seen in electron micrographs of the extended-chain crystal of form I obtained by crystallization under high pressure was in the range of 1500 to 2000 Å. At atmospheric pressure, the extended-chain crystal of form I melted at 207°C, approximately 17°C higher than the folded-chain crystal of form I and 31°C higher than the folded-chain crystal of form II.