Effect of LiClO4 on the radical polymerization of Di-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl itaconate

The effect of LiClO₄ on the polymerization of di-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl itaconate (DMEI) with dimethyl 2,2′-azobisisobutyrate (MAIB) was investigated in methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) kinetically and by ESR. The polymerization rate (R_p) at 50°C, where the concentrations of DMEI and MAIB were 1.00 and 5.00 × 10⁻² mol/L, increased with increasing [LiClO₄]. Marked acceleration was observed at higher [LiClO₄]s than 1.0 mol/L. The molecular weight of resulting polymer (ca. 10,000) was relatively insensitive to [LiClO₄], indicating occurrence of chain transfer. IR analysis of mixtures of LiClO₄/DMEI and LiClO₄/poly(DMEI) indicated complexation of LiClO₄ with DMEI and its polymer. The rate constants of propagation (k_p) and termination (k_t) were determined by ESR. k_p (1.7–10.5 L/mol s at 50°C) increased with [LiClO₄]. k_t (5.2–1.0 × 10⁴ L/mol s at 50°C) showed remarkable decrease at higher [LiClO₄]s than 1.0 mol/L. R_p of polymerization of equimolar complex of LiClO₄/DMEI with MAIB at 50°C in MEK was expressed by R_p = k[MAIB]^0.5[DMEI]^2.4. k_p increased and k_t decreased with [DMEI]. The activation energies of overall polymerization, propagation and termination were estimated to be 34.5, 8.0, and 59.4 kJ/mol. Copolymerization of DMEI with styrene was also profoundly affected by the presence of LiClO₄. Such large effects of LiClO₄ on the homo- and copolymerization of DMEI are explicable in term of association of LiClO₄-complexed DMEI monomers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of silk-like FeS2/NiS2 hybrid nanocrystals with improved reversible oxygen catalytic performance in a Zn-air battery

The development of highly active and stable reversible oxygen electrocatalysts is crucial for improving the efficiency of metal-air battery devices. Herein, an efficient liquid exfoliation strategy was designed for producing silk-like FeS₂/NiS₂ hybrid nanocrystals with enhanced reversible oxygen catalytic performance that displayed excellent properties for Zn-air batteries. Because of the unique silk-like morphology and interface nanocrystal structure, they can catalyze the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) efficiently with a low overpotential of 233 mV at j = 10 mA cm^?2. This is an improvement from the recently reported catalysts in 1.0 M KOH. Meanwhile, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of the silk-like FeS₂/NiS₂ hybrid nanocrystals showed an onset potential of 911 mV and a half-wave potential of 640 mV. In addition, the reversible oxygen electrode activity of the silk-like FeS₂/NiS₂ hybrid nanocrystals was calculated to be 0.823 V, based on the potential of the OER and ORR. Further, the homemade rechargeable Zn-air batteries using FeS₂/NiS₂ hybrid nanocrystals as the air-cathode displayed a high open-circuit voltage of 1.25 V for more than 17 h and an excellent rechargeable performance for 25 h. The solid Zn-air batteries exhibited an excellent rechargeable performance for 15 h. This study provided a new method for designing interface nanocrystals with a unique morphology for efficient multifunctional electrocatalysts in electrochemical reactions and renewable energy devices.     

A first-principles investigation on interactions between various surface-terminated diamond films

To elucidate the influence of different terminations on diamond surface interaction, the geometry and electronic structures of the diamond films modified by different terminations (H, F, O, NH₂, and OH) are studied by using the first principles method. Strong bonding is formed between the clean diamond surfaces, which suggest an obvious interface interaction. Both H and F terminals have significant effects on the reduction of the interface interactions. Due to the larger difference in electronegativity between C and F, the F termination layer has a higher electron density coverage to give a larger repulsive force. Therefore, the interaction between the F-terminated diamond interfaces is stronger than that between the H-terminated diamond interfaces. The O-terminated diamond surfaces are unstable. The NH₂- and OH-terminals have weak interaction due to the presence of large functional group atoms that leads to an electronic offset.     

四丁基碘化铵催化甲基丙烯酸甲酯的可逆-休眠自由基溶液聚合

以四丁基碘化铵(BNI) 为有机催化剂, 碘单质(I₂) 与偶氮二异庚腈(ABVN) 原位生成的碘代异庚腈为引发剂, 进行甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA) 的溶液聚合. 以甲苯为溶剂, MMA:I₂:ABVN的摩尔比为200:1:1.7, 考察了催化剂用量对聚合的影响. 结果表明, 加入催化剂可以缩短诱导期, 当I₂:BNI摩尔比为1:1时聚合反应的诱导期最短(1.7 h); 当BNI:I₂摩尔比为0.25:1~2:1之间时, 聚合物实测分子量与理论值十分接近, 分子量分布较窄, 分子量分布指数(M_w/M_n) 多在1.2以下. 考察了在N,N'-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)、 四氢呋喃(THF)、 苯甲醚、 苯和甲苯5种溶剂中的聚合反应, 发现在苯和甲苯中聚合可控性最佳, M_w/M_n多在1.2以下; 苯甲醚和THF中聚合速率较快, 聚合物分子量分布较苯中的略宽. 以DMF为溶剂时所得聚合物分子量分布很宽, 聚合可控性差. 核磁共振分析聚合物为碘封端结构, 碘原子封端的聚合物链所占比为91.6%.     

Preparation of ABA triblock copolymer assemblies through “one-pot” RAFT PISA

Poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide)-block-poly(styrene)-block-poly(N,N-dimethyl acrylamide)(PDMAc-bPSt-b-PDMAc) amphiphilic triblock copolymer micro/nano-objects were synthesized through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer(RAFT) dispersion polymerization of St mediated with poly(N,Ndimethyl acrylamide) trithiocarbonate(PDMAc-TTC-PDMAc) bi-functional macromolecular RAFT agent.It is found that the morphology of the PDMAc-b-PSt-b-PDMAc copolymer micro/nano-objects like spheres,vesicles and vesicle with hexagonally packed hollow hoops(HHHs) wall can be tuned by changing the solvent composition.In addition,vesicles with two sizes(600 nm,264 nm) and vesicles with HHHs features were also synthesized in high solid content systems(30 wt% and 40 wt%,respectively).Besides,as compared with typical AB diblock copolymers(A is the solvophilic,stabilizer block,and B is the solvophobic block),ABA triblock copolymers tend to form higher order morphologies,such as vesicles,under similar conditions.The finding of this study provides a new and robust approach to prepare block copolymer vesicles and other higher order micelles with special structure via PISA.     

Synthesis of zwitterionic block copolymers via RAFT polymerization

A series of poly [2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA)-sodium acrylate (SA)] diblock copolymers were synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The polymerization exhibits controlled characters: well-controlled molecular weight, narrow molecular weight distribution, molecular weight increasing with polymerization time. The zwitterionic diblock copolymers show rich solution behaviors. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) indicated the formation of micelles and reverse micelles of copolymers is affected by net charge density of copolymers. Microcalorimetry studies showed that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) increases with incorporation of hydrophilic segments in buffer.     

An investigation of the deprotonation of hydrazone-based receptors on interaction with anion: develop a colorimetric system distinguishing cyanide from anions

Hydrazone-based receptors, containing fluorene-skeleton substituents, in a THF solution, in the presence of fluoride or cyanide, do not only form H-bond complexes, but mainly undergo deprotonation of the N–H fragments, an event, which is signaled by the color change, the ability of the deprotonation is associated with the fluorene skeleton. The deprotonation process is also reversible by the addition of metal ions, while cyanide from fluoride could be distinguished by the addition of copper (II).     

Fluorescent azophenol-quinazoline dyad as multichannel reversible pH indicator in aqueous media: an innovative concept on diazo based dyads

A novel azophenol-quinazoline dyad 1 has been designed, synthesized and demonstrated as an efficient reversible multichannel pH indicator through distinct signalling in aqueous media. Owing to the competence between highly fluorescent quinazoline moiety and a well known fluorescence quencher diazo group, dyad 1 is moderately fluorescent in nature. Under acidic conditions 1 displays diverse fluorogenic changes (blue emission at pH 4.25; green at pH 1.80) while under basic condition (pH 11.80) chromogenic changes were observed.     

Preparation and partial characterization of a soluble site-to-site directed enzyme complex composed of alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase

A soluble, bifunctional enzyme complex has been prepared by crosslinking lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase with glutaraldehyde. The crosslinking was performed on a solid phase while the active sites of alcohol dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase were held adjacent to one another with the aid of a bis-NAD analog. Subsequently, the enzyme complex was released from the solid phase. The soluble enzyme complex was then purified by using NAD-Sepharose as an affinity adsorbent. Based on gel filtration experiments, the complex was estimated to consist of one of each dehydrogenase. By using a third enzyme, lipoamide dehydrogenase, which competes with lactate dehydrogenase for NADH produced by alcohol dehydrogenase, the effect of site-to-site orientation was studied. It was found that about 83% of the NADH produced by alcohol dehydrogenase was oxidized by site-to-site oriented lactate dehydrogenase compared to a figure of only about 61% obtained in an identical system of separate enzymes. This indicates that given two alternative routes, the preference for the one to lactate dehydrogenase over the one to lipoamide dehydrogenase is enhanced when lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase are site-to-site oriented.