A 1 × 4 polarization and wavelength independent optical power splitter based on a novel wide-angle low-loss Y-junction

A 1 × 4 polarization and wavelength independent optical power splitter is reported. This device is based on a novel wide-angle low-loss Y-junction structure which can give a theoretical TE junction excess loss of 0.26 dB at a branching angle of 16°. To the best of our knowledge, it is so far the lowest reported loss at such a large angle. The detailed design of the device and its fabrication are described. Our experimental results show the measured TE excess loss to be 1.2 dB and TM excess loss 1.8 dB for the whole splitter over the wavelength between 1.47 μm and 1.57 μm.     

Hydrogen and oxygen generation with polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM)-based electrolytic technology

With dwindling liquid fuel resources, hydrogen offers a credible alternative. The use of hydrogen in a fuel cell offers the highest fuel conversion efficiency compared with all other technologies and it also has the potential to substantially reduce greenhouse gas and particulate emissions at least at the end-user sites. One of the major barriers to the introduction of the hydrogen economy and its wider acceptance is the lack of the rather costly hydrogen generation, transportation and distribution infrastructure to meet the local transport fuel demands. On-site or distributed hydrogen generation would remove the need for this up-front infrastructure requirements and assist with the early large-scale trials of the fuel cell technology for both transport and stationary applications and also introduction of the hydrogen economy. In this paper, the development of polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis technology for on-site, on-demand hydrogen generation has been discussed. The major emphasis is given on reducing catalyst cost; interface design and modifications; interconnect materials, design and fabrication; and investigation of the sources of degradation. Stacks to 2 kW_{H 2} capacity have been constructed and tested and show initial efficiencies of >87% at 1 A cm⁻².     

新型成膜法的SAW气体传感器聚合物膜的粘弹性分析

分析了一种基于自组装和分子印迹技术的声表面波气体传感器的响应模型。首先利用Martin理论和Auld的摄动方法分析金膜对于声表面波的扰动效应,然后将其扩展至覆盖于金膜上的聚合物膜对于声波的扰动分析。以剪切模量的实部为参量,可以将聚合物分为三种状态,即玻璃状膜、玻璃状-橡胶态膜和橡胶态膜。最后模拟分析了聚合物膜对于气体的吸附特性。结果表明由于聚合物膜的粘弹特性,传感器响应与其工作频率并不完全呈线性。通过实验获得了不同膜厚的采用新型成膜方法的聚合物对SAW的扰动效应并与理论计算结果进行对比,结果显示相对不考虑活性表面金膜的Martin理论,对于衰减扰动的分析与实验结果更加一致。但是对速度的扰动与实验结果有一定偏差。另外还模拟了基于新型成膜方式的气体传感器聚合物敏感膜对于气体的吸附效应,结果显示对于玻璃状膜,传感器的响应随着敏感膜厚的增加而递增,并与气体浓度呈现良好的线性特性,但是对于橡胶态膜,传感器灵敏度与膜厚之间的关系相对复杂。     

Polymer‐supported 4‐aminoformoyldiphenylammonium triflate (PS‐AFDPAT): An efficient,recoverable and recyclable catalyst for esterification of carboxylic acids with equimolar amounts of alcohols

Polymer‐supported 4‐aminofonnoyldiphenylammonium triflate (PS‐AFDPAT) is an efficient catalyst for the esterification between equimolar amounts of carboxylic acids and alcohols under mild conditions, which can be recycled without loss of activity.     

Time-scale through-thickness interphase in polymer matrix composites including hygrothermal treatment

For the first time, the physical effects of long-term environmental conditions on through-thickness interphase in polymer matrix composites (PMCs) were studied. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) -based Peak Force Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping (PF QNM) technique was utilized to study the effects of heat and humidity on the mechanical properties of interphase at nanometer resolution. Samples were aged with a heat of 60 °C and relative humidity of 90% for up to 2 years. The width of the interphase is uneven and ‘river-like’ through the thickness in unaged and aged composites. The width of interphase depends on its location and the degree of moisture saturation. The difference in thickness of the interphase, through the thickness, reduces with exposure time. While the mechanism of expansion and shrinkage of interphase is different through-thickness, the range of material modulus is almost the same through-thickness in unaged and aged conditions. Rate of debonding increases from unaged to one-year aged and reduces in the second year of exposure.     

Effect of hypercrosslinking conditions on pore size distribution and efficiency of monolithic stationary phases

Three dihalogenic solvents differing in the length of alkyl chain (1,2‐dichloroethane, 1,4‐dichlorobutane, and 1,6‐dichlorohexane) with three Friedel–Crafts alkylation catalysts varying in reactivity (AlCl₃, FeCl₃, and SnCl₄) have been used to prepare hypercrosslinked poly(styrene‐co‐vinylbenzyl chloride‐co‐divinylbenzene) columns. Hydrodynamic characteristics as well as column efficiency and mass transfer resistance were tuned by the combination of swelling solvent and alkylation reaction catalyst in the modification mixture. The column swelled in 1,6‐dichlorohexane and hypercrosslinked in the presence of AlCl₃ provided the highest column efficiency and enabled fast isocratic separations of small molecules in a RP mode. To uncover factors controlling the efficiency of hypercrosslinked monolithic columns, we have studied pore volume distribution of prepared columns. We found that column efficiency increases with the higher pore volume of pores smaller than 2 nm.     

Trace analysis of anions in organic matrices by ion chromatography coupled with a novel reversed-phase column for on-line sample pretreatment

An ion chromatography(IC) system coupled with on-line column-switching technique was used to determine anions ofμg/g levels in organic chemicals of analytical reagent grade.A novel polystyrene-divinylbenzene-carbon nanotube(PS-DVB-CNT) stationary phase was utilized for matrix elimination.A calibration study was conducted by preparing and analyzing eight concentrations(between 10 and 5000μg/L) of eight standards in deionized water.The linearity was between 0.9978 and 1.And the detection limits ranged from 1.54μg/L to 10.02μg/L.A spiking study was performed on two representative organic chemicals.The recoveries were between 84.3%and 119.6%.     

Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Polyamide 6/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Blends Containing Carbon Nanotubes

The blends of polyamide 6/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PA6/ABS), with added styrene-maleic acid copolymer (SMA) compatibilizer, were prepared through melt mixing in an internal mixer. The effects of blend composition and various process conditions, as well as the addition of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to the blends, on the morphology and mechanical properties were investigated. The morphology of the blends and blend nanocomposites were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analyzed using an image analysis technique. The mechanical behavior of the blends was investigated by tensile and also impact testing. The results showed that the blend composition as well as the processing conditions significantly affected the morphology and mechanical properties of the PA6/ABS blends. Among the various compositions, the blend with 36?wt.% of ABS and 4?wt.% of SMA compatibilizer exhibited the best mechanical properties. Comparing various speeds and times of mixing, it was found that less mixing speed and longer mixing times resulted in the favorable morphology and conditions for achievement of the desired toughness for the polyamide 6. By adding different amounts of MWCNTs to the blends, it was found that the presence of the carbon nanotubes changed the viscosity of the resulting nanocomposite and thus changed the morphology. These nanocomposites also showed an improvement in mechanical properties. The MWCNTs acted as a second compatibilizer, resulting in a synergistic effect on the mechanical properties of the PA6/ABS blend nanocomposites.     

Optical manipulation in conjunction with photochemical/photothermal responses of materials

This article reviews optical manipulation coupled with photochemical/photothermal responses of nanometer sized materials including molecular systems, polymers, and inorganic nanoparticles. After the introduction, section 2 overviews the optical trapping of nanometer sized molecular systems including early-stage studies, such as trapping of polymer chains, micelles, and molecular aggregates in solution at room temperatures. Then, the conformation control of macromolecule assemblies and gels by optical force are introduced, followed by micro-fabrications achieved by combining optical trapping and photochemical reactions. Section 3 summarizes studies on the evaluation of optical force acting on nanometric molecular systems using fluorescence correlation techniques. Approaches to control optical force by using photochemical reactions are show in section 4, where the absorption band of target materials are modified through photochromic reactions, leading to micromechanical motion of small particles synchronizing with the photochemical reactions. Section 5 overviews photothermal effect in optical manipulation such as natural convection, Marangoni convection and thermophoresis, and applications of the thermal effects to develop new methods of micromanipulation achieved by combining optical force and photothermal responses.     

点击化学合成具有聚集诱导荧光特性的双响应性聚合物凝胶

本文合成了巯基功能化的四苯基乙烯并利用thiol-ene点击化学合成得到聚合物凝胶. 基于四苯基乙烯的聚集诱导发光特性，聚合物凝胶的合成过程可以通过四苯基乙烯荧光发射性能的变化进行监测. 此外，由于凝胶的还原和酸性环境响应性，在二硫苏糖醇和三氟乙酸存在下，凝胶的荧光发射会被猝灭，这种双重刺激响应性使其在荧光传感成像、癌症诊断和自愈合材料方面具有潜在的应用价值.