Photodegradation of aramids. II. Irradiation in air

A series of isomeric fully aromatic polyamides (aramids) were photodegraded in the presence of oxygen. Films and fibers of these aramids gave carboxylic acids as the major products when measured by infrared spectroscopy and potentiometric titration. These acids probably resulted from the oxygen interception of the radicals generated by photocleavage of the amide bonds. In contrast to results found upon irradiation in the absence of oxygen, carboxylic acid formation was accompanied by a rapid loss in molecular weight, and a decrease in useful mechanical properties. Quantum yields for carboxylic acid formation were ≤5.5 × 10^?5 mole/einstein and decreased along the aramid series roughly in agreement with increases in T_g. The photo-Fries rearrangement product was observed in aramid fibers irradiated in air, whereas no rearrangement product was seen in films irradiated in air.     

Optical and magnetooptical properties of FePt-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> magnetic nanocomposites

The magnetic, optical, and magnetooptical properties of granular (FePt)_1?x(SiO₂)_x nanocomposites in the disordered state and after heat treatment were studied. The magnetooptical response of samples in which the concentration of the metallic component approached the percolation threshold was observed to become considerably enhanced. Modeling transverse Kerr effect (TKE) spectra in a straightforward effective medium approximation provided a qualitative fit to the experimental data over a broad concentration range. The dependences of the Kerr effect on the SiO₂ concentration in the nanocomposite are not monotonic and exhibit a sharp break near the percolation threshold. An analysis of the field dependences of the TKE and magnetization curves revealed that structural changes associated with ordering in annealed FePt films occur only in nanocomposites with fairly large grains.     

Performance analysis of very-small-aperture lasers

The fabrication of very-small-aperture lasers is demonstrated, and their performance is analyzed. Because of strong optical feedback caused by a gold film on the front facet of the laser, its behavior changes: The threshold current decreases, the density of light inside the laser diode and the redshift effect of the spectra are enhanced, and the laser diode's lifetime is shorter than that of common laser diodes with large driving current.     

Double-quantum filtered STMAS

Double-quantum and double-quantum-filtered satellite-transition magic-angle spinning (STMAS) experiments are proposed. The experiments efficiently convert satellite-transition coherence from single- to double-quantum with a central-transition selective pi-pulse. The conversion allows the selection of double-quantum coherence transfer pathways with phase cycling that completely filters out unwanted diagonal and outer satellite-transition peaks. Both experiments are demonstrated with RbNO3 and AlPO4-berlinite as model compounds for obtaining clean STMAS spectra of spins 3/2 and 5/2, respectively.     

Experimental investigation of the two-photon widths of the chi(c0) and the chi(c2) mesons

Using 12.7 fb(-1) of data collected with the CLEO detector at CESR, we observed two-photon production of the cc states chi(c0) and chi(c2) in their decay to pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-). We measured gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c))xB(chi(c)-->pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-)) to be 75+/-13(stat)+/-8(syst) eV for the chi(c0) and 6.4+/-1.8(stat)+/-0.8(syst) eV for the chi(c2), implying gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c0)) = 3.76+/-0.65(stat)+/-0.41(syst)+/-1.69(br) keV and gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c2)) = 0.53+/-0.15(stat)+/-0.06(syst)+/-0.22(br) keV. Also, cancellation of dominant experimental and theoretical uncertainties permits a precise comparison of gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c0))/gamma(gammagamma)(chi(c2)), evaluated to be 7.4+/-2.4(stat)+/-0.5(syst)+/-0.9(br), with QCD-based predictions.     

High-field high-speed MAS resolution enhancement in 1H NMR spectroscopy of solids

Resolution in ¹H NMR spectra of solids can be significantly enhanced with fast magic-angle spinning and high magnetic fields. A variable field and spinning speed study up to 25 T and 40 kHz shows that the homogeneous line broadening is inversely proportional to the product of magnetic field strength and spinning speed. The combination of high field and fast speed yields a ¹H linewidth approaching the intrinsic limit determined by anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility. An analysis of the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility line broadening is presented.     

First observation of the sigma(*+)(c) baryon and a new measurement of the sigma(*+)(c) mass

Using data recorded with the CLEO II and CLEO II.V detector configurations at the Cornell Electron Storage Rings, we report the first observation and mass measurement of the Sigma(*+)(c) charmed baryon, and an updated measurement of the mass of the Sigma(+)(c) baryon. We find M(Sigma(*+)(c))-M(Lambda(+)(c)) = (231.0+/-1.1+/-2.0) MeV, and M(Sigma(+)(c))-M(Lambda(+)(c)) = (166.4+/-0.2+/-0.3) MeV, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively.     

Multi-photon fluorescence microscopy--the response of plant cells to high intensity illumination

Multi-photon fluorescence microscopy has been cited for its advantage in increased depth penetration due to low linear absorption and scattering coefficient of biological specimen in the near infrared (NIR) range. Because of the need of high peak power for efficiently exciting two-photon fluorescence, the relationship between cell damage and peak power has become an interesting and much debated topic in the applications of multi-photon fluorescence microscopy. It is conceivable that at high illumination intensity, non-linear photochemical processes have impacts on cell physiology and viability in ways much different from low illumination in the linear domain. In this article, we discuss some of the issues in two-photon fluorescence microscopy, including the degree of transparency of the specimen, a comparison of single- and two-photon excited fluorescence spectra, and the cell damage under high intensity illumination, using plant cells as a model.     

Fullerene-sensitized

[reaction: see text] Fullerene catalyzes the cycloaddition of dimethyliminodiacetate to maleimides under photolysis to form 2,5-dimethoxycarbonylpyrrolidine derivatives.