Electrospinning of a functional perfluorinated block copolymer as a powerful route for imparting superhydrophobicity and corrosion resistance to aluminum substrates

Superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with excellent corrosion resistance were successfully prepared by electrospinning of a novel fluorinated diblock copolymer solution. Micro- and nanostructuration of the diblock copolymer coating was obtained by electrospinning which proved to be an easy and cheap electrospinning technology to fabricate superhydrophobic coating. The diblock copolymer is made of poly(heptadecafluorodecylacrylate-co-acrylic acid) (PFDA-co-AA) random copolymer as the first block and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the second one. The fluorinated block promotes hydrophobicity to the surface by reducing the surface tension, while its carboxylic acid functions anchor the polymer film onto the aluminum surface after annealing at 130 °C. The PAN block of this copolymer insures the stability of the structuration of the surface during annealing, thanks to the infusible character of PAN. It is also demonstrated that the so-formed superhydrophobic coating shows good adhesion to aluminum surfaces, resulting in excellent corrosion resistance.     

Optical waveguides for the evanescent wave-induced cleavage of photolabile linker compounds

Functional surfaces and especially the control of surface properties depending on external parameters such as light illumination have gained increasing importance in the last few years. We present the characterization of polymers from the cycloolefin (co)polymer class (COC/COP) functionalized with an aminosilane as a basis for the further immobilization of compounds. In a first step, an assay using AlexaFluor?647 fluorescent dye was used to assess surface homogeneity and reproducibility. A coefficient of variation of less than 15% for dot-to-dot and less than 25% for chip-to-chip could be achieved. The same amino-functionalized surfaces were then used to immobilize a biotinylated photolabile linker compound, binding AlexaFluor?647-labeled streptavidin. The linker was photocleaved with high efficiency at λ = 365 nm and P = 0.15 mW/cm². Fluorescence measurements show that polymers of the COC/COP class can be used as versatile surfaces for the photoinduced release of compounds immobilized via photolabile linkers.     

Pseudo-unitarizable weight modules over generalized Weyl algebras

We define a notion of pseudo-unitarizability for weight modules over a generalized Weyl algebra (of rank one, with commutative coefficient ring R), which is assumed to carry an involution of the form X^∗=Y, R^∗⊆R. We prove that a weight module V is pseudo-unitarizable iff it is isomorphic to its finitistic dual V^?. Using the classification of weight modules by Drozd, Guzner and Ovsienko, we obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for an indecomposable weight module to be isomorphic to its finitistic dual, and thus to be pseudo-unitarizable. Some examples are given, including U_q(sl₂) for q a root of unity.     

Some estimates of the normal approximation for independent non-identically distributed random variables

In this paper, we generalize some results of [V. Bentkus, A new method for approximation in probability and operator theories, Lith. Math. J., 43(4):367–388, 2003] for independent identically distributed summands to to the case of independent non-identically distributed real summands. We derive the Edgeworth expansion with the first term only. Proofs are given following [V. Bentkus, A new method for approximation in probability and operator theories, Lith. Math. J., 43(4):367–388, 2003].     

A nonclassical dihydrogen adduct of S = ½ Fe(I)

We have exploited the capacity of the "(SiP(iPr)(3))Fe(I)" scaffold to accommodate additional axial ligands and characterized the mononuclear S = ? H(2) adduct complex (SiP(iPr)(3))Fe(I)(H(2)). EPR and ENDOR data, in the context of X-ray structural results, revealed that this complex provides a highly unusual example of an open-shell metal complex that binds dihydrogen as a ligand. The H(2) ligand at 2 K dynamically reorients within the ligand-binding pocket, tunneling among the energy minima created by strong interactions with the three Fe-P bonds.     

Molecular dynamics effects on luminescence properties of oligothiophene derivatives: a molecular mechanics-response theory study based on the CHARMM force field and density functional theory

CHARMM force field parameter values for a class of oligothiophene derivatives have been derived with reference to density functional theory/B3LYP potential energy surfaces. The force field parametrization of these luminescent conjugated polyelectrolytes includes the electronic ground state as well as the strongly light absorbing first excited state. In conjunction with quantum chemical response theory calculations of transition state properties, a molecular dynamical model of the Stokes shift is obtained. The theoretical model is benchmarked against experimental data recorded at room temperature which refer to sodium salts of p-HTAA and p-FTAA with distilled water as a solvent. For p-HTAA the theoretically predicted Stokes shift of 112 nm is in good agreement with the experimental result of 124 nm, given the approximations about exciton localization that were introduced to obtain a force field for the excited state.     

Separation of parasites from human blood using deterministic lateral displacement

We present the use of a simple microfluidic technique to separate living parasites from human blood. Parasitic trypanosomatids cause a range of human and animal diseases. African trypanosomes, responsible for human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), live free in the blood and other tissue fluids. Diagnosis relies on detection and due to their often low numbers against an overwhelming background of predominantly red blood cells it is crucial to separate the parasites from the blood. By modifying the method of deterministic lateral displacement, confining parasites and red blood cells in channels of optimized depth which accentuates morphological differences, we were able to achieve separation thus offering a potential route to diagnostics.     

An experimental and statistical study of the behavior of the vibration field in two coupled lightweight wooden joist floors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the vibration level attenuation of a common wooden floor structure and to present the results together with the statistical precision of the evaluation. Linear regression was used to determine the attenuation rate in the two main directions of the floor structure. The probability for the attenuation rate to be zero was calculated. The attenuation rate was found to be high in the direction perpendicular to the beams with a probability to be zero lower than 0.001. In the direction parallel to the beams the attenuation rate was found to be close to zero.