Synthesis and gas barrier characterization of poly(ethylene isophthalate)

Poly(ethylene isophthalate) (PEI) was synthesized for this research with essentially a condensation polymerization of isophthalic acid and ethylene glycol catalyzed by zinc acetate and antimony trioxide. Several samples were obtained, and their characteristics were observed and compared with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). The synthesized PEI samples were chemically identified by ¹H NMR. Thermal analysis with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) yielded results that indicate the samples were primarily amorphous, with a glass‐transition temperature of 55–60 °C. Molecular weights of these PEI samples were also obtained through intrinsic viscosity measurements (Mark–Houwink equation). Molecular weights varied with conditions of the polymerization, and the highest molecular weight achieved was 21,000 g/mol. Finally, the diffusion coefficient, solubility, and permeability of CO₂ gas in PEI were measured and found to be substantially lower than in PET, as anticipated from their isomeric chemical structures. This is because in PET the phenyl rings are substituted in the para (1,4) positions, which allows for their facile flipping, effectively permitting gases to pass through. However, the meta‐substituted phenyl rings in PEI do not permit such ring flipping, and thus PEI may be more suitable for barrier applications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4247–4254, 2004     

Bio‐based nanocomposites from functionalized plant oils and layered silicate

Some discovery work was done on the synthesis of clay nanocomposites based on renewable plant oils. Functionalized triglycerides, such as acrylated epoxidized soybean oil, maleinized acrylated epoxidized soybean oil, and soybean oil pentaerythritol maleates, combined with styrene were used as the polymer matrix. The miscibility of these monomers and clay organomodifier was assessed by solubility parameters. The formation of nanocomposites was confirmed by both X‐ray data and transmission electron microscopy. The morphology showed a mix of intercalated and partially exfoliated sheets. The flexural modulus increased 30% at only 4 vol % clay content, but there was no significant effect on flexural strength, glass‐transition temperature, and thermal stability. Property enhancement was related to the degree of exfoliation that depends on both the polarity and flexibility of the monomers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1441–1450, 2004     

Preparation and applications of a polymer-supported phosphoryl azide

A polymer-supported diphenylphosphoryl azide was prepared. This polymer-supported version of DPPA is useful due to its lower toxicity, moisture tolerance and ease of workup after reaction. The synthetic application of this solid-phase reagent was explored by conversion of a variety of carboxylic acids to urethanes and ureas through Curtius rearrangement reactions. Carboxylic acids bearing different functional groups (aromatic, aliphatic and heterocyclic carboxylic acids) were subjected to the reaction. The corresponding products were isolated with satisfactory yields.     

线卡通信系统的基本构件

如今高性能通信系统有多种形式，在企业网络中，它也许是路由器，或是将以太局域网(LAN)的数据转发至OC-48 SONET光网络的多业务转换装置；在蜂窝网络中，它可能是第三代宽带无线网络控制器(RNC)，将基站(BTS)的移动蜂窝电话呼叫发送至公共交换电话网(PSTN)；在存储网络中，它可以是将服务器的数据备份至廉价磁盘冗余阵列(RAID)的光纤通道存储转换器。无论何种特殊类型的网络，这些系统的共同用途是接收来自信息源的数据，决定它需要发至何处，并有效地将它传送至目的地。为了支持这些关键功能，需要有一套通用通信元件或“基本构…     

A Low-Power Wide-Dynamic-Range Analog VLSI Cochlea

Low-power wide-dynamic-range systems are extremely hard to build. The biological cochlea is one of the most awesome examples of such a system: It can sense sounds over 12 orders of magnitude in intensity, with an estimated power dissipation of only a few tens of microwatts. In this paper, we describe an analog electronic cochlea that processes sounds over 6 orders of magnitude in intensity, and that dissipates 0.5 mW. This 117-stage, 100 Hz to 10 KHz cochlea has the widest dynamic range of any artificial cochlea built to date. The wide dynamic range is attained through the use of a wide-linear-range transconductance amplifier, of a low-noise filter topology, of dynamic gain control (AGC) at each cochlear stage, and of an architecture that we refer to as overlapping cochlear cascades. The operation of the cochlea is made robust through the use of automatic offset-compensation circuitry. A BiCMOS circuit approach helps us to attain nearly scale-invariant behavior and good matching at all frequencies. The synthesis and analysis of our artificial cochlea yields insight into why the human cochlea uses an active traveling-wave mechanism to sense sounds, instead of using bandpass filters. The low power, wide dynamic range, and biological realism make our cochlea well suited as a front end for cochlear implants.     

Nano-electrochemical detection of hydrogen or protons using palladium nanoparticles: distinguishing surface and bulk hydrogen.

The benefits of using nanoparticle-modified electrodes are exemplified through the electrochemical detection of protons and/or hydrogen. It is shown that a palladium-nanoparticle-modified boron-doped diamond allows voltammetric information relating to the relative roles played by the surface and the bulk metal to be obtained for the proton-hydrogen system at palladium surfaces which is not accessible using palladium macroelectrodes or microelectrodes.     

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of two new cobalt selenite halides: Co5(SeO3)4X2 (X=Cl, Br)

Two new isostructural cobalt selenite halides Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂ and Co₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂ have been synthesized. They crystallize in the triclinic system space group P−1 with the following lattice parameters for Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂: a=6.4935(8) Å, b=7.7288(8) Å, c=7.7443(10) Å, α=66.051(11)°, β=73.610(11)°, γ=81.268(9)°, and Z=1. The crystal structures were solved from single-crystal X-ray data, R1=3.73 and 4.03 for Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂ and Co₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂, respectively. The new compounds are isostructural to Ni₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂.Magnetic susceptibility measurements on oriented single-crystalline samples show anisotropic response in a broad temperature range. The anisotropic susceptibility is quantitatively interpreted within the zero-field splitting schemes for Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions. Sharp low-temperature susceptibility features, at T_N=18 and 20 K for Co₅(SeO₃)₄Cl₂ and Co₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂, respectively, are ascribed to antiferromagnetic ordering in a minority magnetic subsystem. In isostructural Ni₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂ magnetically ordered subsystem represents a majority fraction (T_N=46 K). Nevertheless, anisotropic susceptibility of Ni₅(SeO₃)₄Br₂ is dominated at low temperatures by a minority fraction, subject to single-ion anisotropy effects and increasing population of S_z=0 (singlet) ground state of octahedrally coordinated Ni²⁺.     

Quantification of trace elements in human serum fractions by liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

On‐line coupling of LC and ICP‐MS has been used for fractionation and detection of species of Cu, Fe, I, Se and Zn in human serum. It has been shown that anion exchange chromatography provided better separation capability (both intra‐ and inter‐element) than size‐exclusion chromatography. The mobile phases for ion exchange chromatography consisted of Tris–HNO₃ buffer and ammonium salt (nitrate, acetate or formate). Formate was found to be the best mobile phase counter ion, enabling good chromatographic separation, and is acceptable for mass spectrometry too. The quantitative evaluation of element concentrations adhering to individual fractions was performed by the peak area normalization method. The repeatability of results ranged from 3 to 15% (depending on the element concentration level) and represented the main part of the result uncertainty. The accuracy of Cu and Zn fraction determinations was confirmed by comparison with the isotope dilution technique. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

用功放驱动热电致冷器来调节温度

系统设计师设计光纤通信系统时经常会遇到一个问题，那就是如何确保激光系统可在某一温度范围内保持其特性。若温度改变，激光系统的中心频率也会随着改变。为了确保频率保持稳定，新一代的固态激光模块都内置一个热电致冷器(Thermoelectric Cooler, TEC)，以便将热能泵入模块或将热能释出，以调节温度。热电致冷器按照佩尔蒂埃效应(Peltier effect) 的原理运作。每当直流电流经热电致冷器时，热能便会由热电致冷器的一边传送至另一边，令热电致冷器的一边转“热”，另一边则转“冷”。若直流电被逆转，原先热的一边会转冷，冷的一边则会…