Hollow latex particles as submicrometer reactors for polymerization in confined geometries

A method was developed for free‐radical polymerization in the confines of a hollow latex particle. Hollow particles were prepared via the dynamic swelling method from polystyrene seed and divinylbenzene and had hollows of 500–1000 nm. So that these hollow poly(divinylbenzene) particles could function as submicrometer reactors, the particles were filled with a monomer (N‐isopropylacrylamide) via the dispersion of the dried particles in the molten monomer. The monomer that was not contained in the hollows was removed by washing and gentle abrasion. Free‐radical polymerization was then initiated by γ radiolysis in the solid state. Transmission electron microscopy showed that poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) formed in the hollow interior of the particles, which functioned as submicrometer reactors. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5706–5713, 2004     

Polyelectrolyte complexes. VI. Polycation structure,polyanion molar mass,and polyion concentration effects on complex nanoparticles based on poly(sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate)

The formation and characterization of some interpolyelectrolyte complex (IPEC) nanoparticles based on poly(sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonate) (NaPAMPS), as a function of the polycation structure, polyanion molar mass, and polyion concentration, were followed in this work. Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and two polycations (PCs) containing (N,N‐dimethyl‐2‐hydroxypropyleneammonium chloride) units in the backbone (PCA₅ and PCA₅D₁) were used as starting polyions. The complex stoichiometry, (n^?/n⁺)_iso, was pointed out by optical density at 500 nm (OD₅₀₀), polyelectrolyte titration, and dynamic light scattering. IPEC nanoparticle sizes were influenced by the polycation structure and polyanion molar mass only before the complex stoichiometry, which was higher for the more hydrophilic polycations (PCA₅ and PCA₅D₁) and for a higher NaPAMPS molar mass, and were almost independent of these factors after that, at a flow rate of the added polyion of about 0.28 mL × (mL PC)^?1 × h^?1. The IPEC nanoparticle sizes remained almost constant for more than 2 weeks, both before and after the complex stoichiometry, at low concentrations of polyions. NIPECs as stable colloidal dispersions with positive charges in excess were prepared at a ratio between charges (n^?/n⁺) of 0.7, and their storage colloidal stability, as a function of the polycation structure and polyion concentration (from 0.8 to ca. 7.8 mmol/L), was demonstrated. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2495–2505, 2004     

Block copolymer nanoparticles of controlled sizes via ring‐opening metathesis polymerization

This article describes the formation and characterization of self‐assembled nanoparticles of controlled sizes based on amphiphilic block copolymers synthesized by ring‐opening metathesis polymerization. We synthesized a novel hydrophobic derivative of norbornene; this monomer could be polymerized using Grubbs' catalyst [Cl₂Ru(CHPh)(PCy₃)₂] forming polymers of controlled molecular weight. We synthesized amphiphilic block copolymers of controlled composition and showed that they assemble into nanoparticles of controlled size. The nanoparticles were characterized using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Tuning the composition of the block copolymer enables the tuning of the diameters of the nanoparticles in the 30‐ to 80‐nm range. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3352–3359, 2004     

微模塑法制备PMMA/SiO2二氧化硅杂化材料微结构

以摩尔比为 1∶1的甲基丙烯酸甲酯 (MMA)、甲基丙烯酸 (3 三乙氧基硅烷基 )丙酯 (ESMA)单体、0 .2 %(单体总量的质量分数 )的偶氮二异丁腈AIBN引发剂和四氢呋喃 (THF)溶剂 ,及 2 0 % (总质量分数 )的正硅酸乙酯TEOS合成出PMMA/SiO2 有机 无机杂化的杂化溶胶 .将溶胶在洗净的普通光学玻璃基片表面甩膜 .利用软刻蚀中的微模塑法 ,把有机硅弹性印章复制有精细图纹一面轻放在杂化溶胶膜上进行微模塑 ,外加 1N压力于12 0℃下处理 2h使溶胶凝胶化 .印章剥离后在基片表面就形成了PMMA/SiO2 有机 无机杂化材料的微图纹结构 .从微图纹的光学显微镜照片可以看出微模塑方法制备杂化材料复制的图纹精细度高 ,操作简单易行 ,是一类比较理想的微细图纹结构加工的方法 .     

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.     

Microwave synthesis of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles used as a precursor of nanocomposites and ferrofluids

Methods to synthesize magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and to modify the surface of particles are presented in the present investigation. Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by the co-precipitation of Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺, NH₃·H₂O was used as the precipitating agent to adjust the pH value, and the aging of Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles was accelerated by microwave (MW) irradiation. The obtained Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The average size of Fe₃O₄ crystallites was found to be around 8–9 nm. Thereafter, the surface of Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles was modified by stearic acid. The resultant sample was characterized by FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), XRD, lipophilic degree (LD) and sedimentation test. The FT-IR results indicated that a covalent bond was formed by chemical reaction between the hydroxyl groups on the surface of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and carboxyl groups of stearic acid, which changed the polarity of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The dispersion of Fe₃O₄ in organic solvent was greatly improved. Effects of reaction time, reaction temperature and concentration of stearic acid on particle surface modification were investigated. In addition, Fe₃O₄/polystyrene (PS) nanocomposite was synthesized by adding surface modified Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles into styrene monomer, followed by the radical polymerization. The obtained nanocomposite was tested by thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and XRD. Results revealed that the thermal stability of PS was not significantly changed after adding Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The Fe₃O₄ magnetic fluid was characterized using UV–vis spectrophotometer, Gouy magnetic balance and laser particle-size analyzer. The testing results showed that the magnetic fluid had excellent stability, and had susceptibility of 4.46×10⁻⁸ and saturated magnetization of 6.56 emu/g. In addition, the mean size d (0.99) of magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles in the fluid was 36.19 nm.     

Ag纳米颗粒的光吸收和透射电镜研究

用硼氢化钠作还原剂,制备出两种相对稳定的含银纳米颗粒的水溶胶,用透射电镜（TEM）和光学吸收谱对这些颗粒进行了表征.当被还原的银离子较少时,所形成的银纳米颗粒较小,吸收峰呈现二极等离子体共振吸收峰.当被还原的银离子较多时,银纳米颗粒尺寸变大,并出现二极和四极共振吸收峰.在Ag纳米颗粒形成后,对其溶液稀释,发现其峰形保持不变,而峰位会出现红移,最大红移量可达到10 nm.透射电镜研究表明,低浓度溶胶中的Ag纳米颗粒尺寸较为均匀,平均直径12 nm.高浓度溶胶中的纳米颗粒尺寸呈双尺寸分布特点,少量颗粒直径小于14 nm,大部分颗粒直径大于20 nm.     

Thermal conductance for single wall carbon nanotubes

We report a theoretical analysis of the phonon thermal conductance, κ(T), for single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCN). In a range of low temperatues up to 100 K, κ(T) of perfect SWCN is found to increase with temperature, approximately, in a parabolic fashion. This is qualitatively consistent with recent experimental measurements where the tube-tube interactions are negligibly weak. When the carbon-carbon bond length is slightly varied, κ(T) is found to be qualitatively unaltered which implies that the anharmonic effect does not change the qualitative behavior of κ(T). Received 12 June 2001     

A system-theoretic framework for a wide class of systems I: Applications to numerical analysis

A system-theoretic framework is proposed, which allows the study of hybrid uncertain systems, which do not satisfy the so-called “semigroup property.” Characterizations of the notion of robust global asymptotic output stability (RGAOS) are given. Based on the provided characterizations, the qualitative behavior of hybrid systems obtained by time-discretization of systems of ordinary differential equations with a globally asymptotically stable equilibrium point, is studied.     

A convection/reaction/switching system

We consider a spatially distributed hybrid system consisting of a convection/reaction system in which the reaction switches discontinuously in time between modes, independently at each spatial point on reaching “switching thresholds”. The model involves a novel formulation for evolution of the free boundary between the modal regions.