Strain imaging of a Cu2S switching device

Strain imaging of electrochemical behavior of a solid electrolyte Cu₂S in switching devices for nonvolatile memories is presented. The precipitation and dissolution of Cu, and the nonstoichiometry changes cause changes in volume. Strain imaging we have proposed detects the volume changes through the surface displacements using scanning probe microscopy and provides high resolution images. We observed the distributions of the electrochemical reactions in Cu₂S and located the Cu bridges causing switching.     

Structural factors in deformation of crystalline polymers

The multiple α absorption of bulk-crystallized polyethylene (PE) was separated into the α₁ and the α₂ absorptions on the assumption that this α₂ absorption is associated with shear deformation of lamellar crystals, i.e., has the same characteristics as in single crystal mats. The separated α₁ mechanism is related to the molecular motions in the intermosaic block region. The α₁ process is very sensitive to static and dynamic deformation, whereas the α₂ process is not affected. Plastic deformation of bulk crystallized PE was analyzed in terms of true stress and true strain. The temperature dependence of the critical yield stress below 60°C showed the same magnitude of activation energy (26 kcal/mole) as that of α₁. The leading mechanism of deformation at lower temperatures is the breakdown of lamellar crystals into mosaic blocks. Compressive deformation of solid-state extrudates along the molecular axis, giving rise to kink bands, was analyzed with X-ray goniometry and in terms of the strain-rate dependence of the yield stress. The deformation of the crystals in the kink bands occurred by superposition of intercrystallite slip (α₁) and uniform shear deformation (α₂). It was concluded that consideration of intermosaic slip mechanisms (α₁), in addition to the shear deformation (α₂) and the interlamellar deformation (β), is effective and helpful to understand the deformation process of crystalline polymers.     

Morphological studies of a (self-assembling oil gelator/liquid crystal) composite system

The aggregation structure of a novel (self-assembling oil gelator/liquid crystal) composite was investigated using light scattering studies and morphological observations. The oil gelator forms a self-assembled-networks aggregate in an organic solvent with a low molecular weight liquid crystal (LC). It became apparent from Hv light scattering patterns and polarizing optical microscopy that two types of LC molecular alignments exist in the composite: a random orientation and a spherulite type one in a nematic gel state. Also, optical and atomic force microscopic observations revealed that fibrils which formed bundles in the fibre-like and spherulite-like aggregates, were formed in the composite. The alignment of the liquid crystal molecules was related to the aggregation structure of the self-assembling oil gelator in a liquid crystal gel state.     

Surface and interfacial segregation in blends of polystyrene with functional end groups and deuterated polystyrene

The effect of chain-end chemistry on surface and interfacial segregation in symmetric blends of polystyrene (hPS)/deuterated polystyrene (dPS) has been investigated by X-ray photoelectron and secondary ion mass spectroscopy in conjunction with neutron reflectivity measurements. Alpha,omega-fluoroalkyl- and alpha,omega-carboxy-terminated polystyrenes (alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2 and alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2) were used as end-functionalized polymers; the former possesses chain ends with lower surface energies, and the latter possesses higher surface energies compared with that of the main chain. In the case of an alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2/dPS blend film, alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2 was enriched at the surface owing to the surface localization of the Rf groups, although the surface energy of the hPS segments was slightly higher than that of the dPS ones. On the contrary, in the case of an alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2/dPS blend film, dPS was preferentially segregated at the surface. This may be due to a surface depletion of COOH ends and an apparent molecular weight increase of alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2 produced by a hydrogen-bonded intermolecular association of COOH ends in addition to the surface energy difference between hPS and dPS segments. Interestingly, both Rf and COOH chain ends were partitioned to the substrate interface for the alpha,omega-hPS(Rf)2/dPS and alpha,omega-hPS(COOH)2/dPS blend films, resulting in the segregation of the hPS component at the substrate interface for both blends. The results presented imply that surface and interfacial segregation in polymer blends could be regulated by incorporating functional groups into the end portions of one component.     

Formulation design of taste-masked particles, including famotidine, for an oral fast-disintegrating dosage form

In this study, the taste-masking of famotidine, which could apply to any fast-disintegrating tablet, was investigated using the spray-dry method. The target characteristics of taste-masked particles were set as follows: the dissolution rate is not to be more than 30% at 1 min and not less than 85% at 15 min, and the particle size is not to be more than 150 microm in diameter to avoid a gritty feeling in the mouth. The target dissolution profiles of spray-dried particles consisting of Aquacoat ECD30 and Eudragit NE30D or triacetin was accomplished by the screening of formulas and the appropriate lab-scale manufacturing conditions. Lab-scale testing produced taste-masked particles that met the formulation targets. On the pilot scale, spray-dried particles with attributes, such as dissolution rate and particle size, of the same quality were produced, and reproducibility was also confirmed. This confirmed that the spray-dry method produced the most appropriate taste-masked particles for fast-disintegrating dosage forms.     

The relationship between the electrospray ionization behaviour and biological activity of some phosphino Cu(I) complexes

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was usefully employed for the characterization of three phosphino copper(I) complexes of medicinal interest. This technique revealed that the original [CuL₄]⁺ pro‐drugs (L = hydrophilic tertiary phosphine) underwent dissociation with production of coordinative unsaturated [CuL₃]⁺ and [CuL₂]⁺ species, which represented key intermediates for the activation of potential biological properties. The more favoured was the displacement of the ligands from the [CuL₄]⁺ parent complex, the more favoured was in turn the possibility for the metal ion to directly interact with biological substrates, including pharmacological targets related to cancer proliferation. An inverse correlation between the stability and the cytotoxic activity of the three copper(I) complexes investigated has been clearly established. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pyrosequencing-based barcodes for a dye-free multiplex bioassay

A novel dye-free labeling method for a multiplex bioassay was proposed by using short sequence-based barcodes consisting of a reporter base and repeats of two stuffer bases; then, the barcodes were quantitatively decoded by a single pyrosequencing assay without any pre-separation.     

Characteristics of photoluminescence, thermoluminescence and thermal degradation in Eu-doped BaMgAl10O17 and SrMgAl10O17

The relation between photoluminescence and thermoluminescence from Eu-doped BAM (BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇) and SAM (SrMgAl₁₀O₁₇) are investigated. The emission peak of SAM:Eu shifts from 463 to 489 nm whereas that of BAM:Eu only shifts 3 nm at 450 nm as temperature decreased from 300 to 50 K under 146 nm excitation. This can be explained by the fact that there are Beevers–Ross (BR) and mid-oxygen (mO) sites for Eu ions in SAM. The emission peak around 463 nm from SAM:Eu is ascribed to Eu ions in the mO site, while the peak around 489 nm is ascribed to ones in the BR site in SAM host. From the result of thermal degradation of SAM:Eu, it is confirmed that the Eu ions located at mO site are easy to degrade compared with those located at BR site. The thermal degradation of BAM:Eu phosphor becomes large with the increase in Eu concentration. We suggest that the thermal degradation of BAM:Eu phosphor is due to the tendency of Eu ions to occupy the mO site.     

The effect of thermal stress on the thermal expansion coefficient and glass transition temperature of glass fiber–polymer composites

The thermal expansion coefficients of glass fiber–polymer composites were calculated applying the solid cylindrical model taking into account the interaction effects among the glass fibers. The stress and displacement in the composite model were determined as functions of the thermal stress. It was found theoretically that the deviation of the thermal expansion coefficient from the linear mixture relationship based on volume additivity appeared at around T_g + 20 K upon cooling. The thermal expansion coefficient of the composite was also found to be markedly dependent on the dispersion state of the glass fibers. An expression for the difference in the T_g of the matrix resin in the composite from that in the unloaded resin was obtained on the assumption that the volume change of the matrix resin caused by mixing was compensated by free volume expansion. The experimental results obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements were found to agree well with the theoretically predicted ones.