The synthesis of free-standing films of polymer/nanocarbon composites using the carbon nanopowder's buoyancy

In this work we report the synthesis of free-standing films of polymer/nanocarbon composites. The method consists in forming a thin film of carbon nanoparticles onto the water's surface. Through the free infiltration of the polymer between the nanoparticles which form the film, after the polymer is cured, we obtain free-standing films of polymer/nanocarbon composites. The composite films are homogeneous; they have 5 wt.% carbon nanoparticles within the polymer matrix and are a few micrometers in thickness.     

An Easy Way Toward ε‐Caprolactone Macromonomers by Microwave Irradiation Using Early Lanthanide Halides as Catalysts

Poly(ε‐caprolactone) macromonomers were synthesized under microwave irradiation from commercial caprolactone, using commercial hydrated lanthanide halides as catalysts. The molecular weight of the polymers was in the range 3 000–5 000. Higher molecular weights (5 000–20 000) and lower polydispersity indices were obtained with THF adducts of the lanthanide halides as catalysts and also by applying longer reaction times or using diethylene glycol as a coupling reagent.     

Large Hexagonal Bi‐ and Trilayer Graphene Single Crystals with Varied Interlayer Rotations

Bi‐ and trilayer graphene have attracted intensive interest due to their rich electronic and optical properties, which are dependent on interlayer rotations. However, the synthesis of high‐quality large‐size bi‐ and trilayer graphene single crystals still remains a challenge. Here, the synthesis of 100 μm pyramid‐like hexagonal bi‐ and trilayer graphene single‐crystal domains on Cu foils using chemical vapor deposition is reported. The as‐produced graphene domains show almost exclusively either 0° or 30° interlayer rotations. Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier‐transformed infrared spectroscopy were used to demonstrate that bilayer graphene domains with 0° interlayer stacking angles were Bernal stacked. Based on first‐principle calculations, it is proposed that rotations originate from the graphene nucleation at the Cu step, which explains the origin of the interlayer rotations and agrees well with the experimental observations.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of monodisperse/bidisperse polymer melt crystallization

We use large scale coarse‐grained molecular dynamics simulations to study the kinetics of polymer melt crystallization. For monodisperse polymer melts of several chain lengths under various cooling protocols, we show that short chains have a higher terminal crystallinity value compared to longer ones. They align at the early stages and then cease evolving. Long chains, however, align, fold into lamella structures and then slowly optimize their dangling ends for the remaining simulation time. We then identify the mechanism behind bidisperse blend crystallization. To this end, we introduce a new algorithm (called Individual Chain Crystallinity) that allows the calculation of the crystallinity separately for short and long chains in the blend. We find that, in general, bidispersity hinders crystallization significantly. At first the crystallinity of the long chain components exceeds that of the monodisperse melt, but subsequently falls below the corresponding monodisperse melt curve after a certain “crossover time.” The time of the crossover can be attributed to the time required for the full crystallization of the short chains. This indicates that at the early stages the short chains are helping long chains to crystallize. However, after all short chains have crystallized they start to hinder the crystallization of the long chains by obstructing their motion. Lastly, polymer crystallization upon various thermodynamic protocols is studied. Slower cooling is found to increase the crystallinity value. Upon an instantaneous deep quench and subsequent isothermal relaxation, the crystallinity grows rapidly with time at early stages and subsequently saturates. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 2318–2326     

Synthesis and physico-chemical characterization of coordination compounds of 3d metals with potassium bicyclo[2.2.1]-hept-5-en-endo-2-oyl-hydroxylamine-3-carboxylate

Summary The ligand, potassium bicyclo[2.2.1]-hept-5-en-endo-2-oyl-hydroxylamine-3-carboxylate-monohydrate, KHL·H₂O₂ and its M(HL)₂ complexes, [{Fe(HL)₂}₂SO₄], K[FeL₂] and K₂[ML₂] (M=Mn^II, Fe^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II and Zn^II) were prepared and characterized. For all, except the sulphate complex of iron(III), a monomeric octahedral configuration was postulated and this is realized through the coordination of oxygen atoms of the carboxylic, carbonyl and oxime group of two mono-or di-anion ligands. The dianionic form of the ligand is the result of deprotonation of the carboxylic group and mide-alcohol form of the hydroxamic group. For the sulphate-containing iron(III) complex a dimeric coordination is proposed with two monoanions of the organic ligand (the carbonyl oxygens are not coordinated) and the bridging SO₄ group. The relative degree of covalency of the metal-carboxylic oxygen bond is 10.6–45.2% and increases in the order: Mn^IIIIIIIIIIIII. The complexes have been characterized by elemental and t.g. analysis and i.r. spectra.     

Tensegrity applied to modelling the motion of viruses

A considerable number of viruses’structures have been discovered and more are expected to be identified.Different viruses’symmetries can be observed at the nanoscale level.The mechanical models of some viruses realised by scientists are described in this paper,none of which has taken into consideration the internal deformation of subsystems. The authors’models for some viruses’elements are introduced,with rigid and flexible links,which reproduce the movements of viruses including internal deformations of the subunits.     

Propagation of waves in a piezoelectric layer with a weak horizontal nonhomogeneity

The process of wave propagation along a piezoelectric layer is considered. It is assumed that the properties of the medium vary slowly along the horizontal directions, and the boundaries of the layer are slightly bent. The propagation of the wave along the layer is studied by the ray method. The transport equations, which describe change of the intensity along the rays, are solved.     

Polarization effects on theft values of the beta transitions to155Gd

A good agreement between theory and experiment is achieved if besides the Coriolis force effect, the centrifugal and spin-spin polarization effects are considered in the calculation of the absoluteft values for the ΔN=2 beta transitions¹⁵⁵Eu→¹⁵⁵Gd. An important improvement is also obtained for the first forbidden transitions if the spin-spin polarization effects are taken into account.     

Migration and localization of metal atoms on strained graphene

Reconstructed point defects in graphene are created by electron irradiation and annealing. By applying electron microscopy and density functional theory, it is shown that the strain field around these defects reaches far into the unperturbed hexagonal network and that metal atoms have a high affinity to the nonperfect and strained regions of graphene. Metal atoms are attracted by reconstructed defects and bonded with energies of about 2?eV. The increased reactivity of the distorted π-electron system in strained graphene allows us to attach metal atoms and to tailor the properties of graphene.