Flexible transparent fluorinated nanohybrid with innovative heat‐resistance property—new technology proposal for fabrication of transparent materials using “crystalline” polymer

A new technology for the production of transparent material, using a “crystalline” polymer, is proposed in this study. In addition, a heat‐resistant transparent flexible plastic film with a high hydrophobic surface and a thermal decomposition temperature near 400 °C was created. Partially fluorinated crystalline polymer with switchboard‐type lamellae results high transparency as a consequence of the formation of a high‐density amorphous structure based on high‐temperature drawing just below the melting point at 250 °C. Melt‐compounding with montmorillonite modified by the long‐chain quaternary phosphonium with high coverage induces formation of a nanohybrid that retains transparency and also results in an increase in the thermal degradation temperature by over 50 °C. Through this technology, which results in heat‐resistance, transparency, and flexibility, the nano‐micro‐millimeter structures of solid‐state polymers are hierarchically controlled, which enables the creation of new materials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1674–1690     

CODH‐IV: A High‐Efficiency CO‐Scavenging CO Dehydrogenase with Resistance to O2

CO dehydrogenases (CODHs) catalyse the reversible conversion between CO and CO₂. Genomic analysis indicated that the metabolic functions of CODHs vary. The genome of Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans encodes five CODHs (CODH‐I–V), of which CODH‐IV is found in a gene cluster near a peroxide‐reducing enzyme. Our kinetic and crystallographic experiments reveal that CODH‐IV differs from other CODHs in several characteristic properties: it has a very high affinity for CO, oxidizes CO at diffusion‐limited rate over a wide range of temperatures, and is more tolerant to oxygen than CODH‐II. Thus, our observations support the idea that CODH‐IV is a CO scavenger in defence against oxidative stress and highlight that CODHs are more diverse in terms of reactivity than expected.     

Recent advancements in the synthesis of pentafluorosulfanyl (SF5)-containing heteroaromatic compounds

The unique features of the pentafluorosulfanyl (SF₅) group have made it renowned as a “super trifluoromethyl (CF₃)” group. Owing to the big success of CF₃-containing heteroaromatic compounds in medicinal chemistry, agro-chemistry and material sciences, SF₅-substituted heteroaromatic compounds have gained a lot of attention in very recent years as novel and potential candidates in these fields. However, the synthetic methodology for SF₅-substituted heteroaromatic compounds is still highly limited. This digest highlights the recent, rapid, and significant advances made in the synthesis of SF₅-heteroaromatics.     

金属蜂窝夹芯结构抗水下冲击性能

为揭示高强度水下爆炸冲击载荷作用下金属夹芯结构的抗冲击性能,在实验室开展小尺寸水下爆炸加载技术对金属蜂窝夹芯结构性能影响的实验研究。基于实验结果,开展了全尺寸数值模拟金属蜂窝夹芯结构在水下冲击载荷作用下的动态响应和抗冲击性能研究。结果表明,数值模拟、实验和理论模型计算的结果具有良好的一致性。由于蜂窝芯材相对密度对夹芯结构能量耗散方式和载荷传递机制的影响,结构动态响应、失效模式以及抗冲击性能随着冲击强度的变化表现出较为明显的不同。通过抗冲击参数分析,建立了反映金属蜂窝夹芯结构抗冲击性能的结构横向变形、固支反力、透射脉冲和塑性能耗随冲击强度和芯材相对密度变化的结构-载荷-性能量化关系。     

First principles investigation of the spin transport properties in graphene-porphine-graphene nanojunctions

The spin-dependent transport properties of a porphine molecule linking with two zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) electrodes have been investigated by using the density of functional theory (DFT) combined with the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) method. The device shows clearly negative differential resistance (NDR), large tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR) of 10³ magnitude and nearly 100% perfect spin filter efficiency (SFE) properties, respectively. What’s more, the projected density of states (PDOS), molecular projected self-consistent Hamiltonian (MPSH) eigenvalues and transmission eigenstates were carried out to discuss the transport properties of the ZGNR/Porphine/ZGNR nanojunction. These results suggest that the ZGNR/Porphine/ZGNR device is a promising candidate for multi-functional spintronic devices.     

Approaches to improve the film ductility of colorless cycloaliphatic polyimides

This study described approaches for improving the film ductility of colorless cycloaliphatic polyimides (PIs). An unexpected toughening effect was observed when a PI derived from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′‐methylenebis(cyclohexylamine) was modified by copolymerization with a low isophoronediamine (IPDA) content of 5 to 30 mol%, despite there being no film‐forming ability in the homo PMDA/IPDA system. For example, at an IPDA content of 20 mol%, the copolymer showed significantly improved film toughness (maximum elongation at break, ε_{b max} = 57%), excellent optical transparency (light transmittance at 400 nm, T₄₀₀ = 83.7%), and a high glass transition temperature (T_g = 317°C). This toughening effect can be interpreted on the basis of the concept of chain slippage. In this study, the PIs derived from bicyclo[2.2.2]octane‐2,3,5,6‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride (H‐BTA) with various diamines were also systematically investigated to evaluate the potential of H‐BTA‐derived systems. The combinations of H‐BTA with ether‐containing diamines led to highly tough PI films (ε_{b max} > 100%) with very high T_gs, strongly contrasting with the results of an earlier study. The observed excellent properties are related to the steric structure of H‐BTA. Our interest also extended to the solution processability. A copolyimide derived from H‐BTA with a sulfone‐containing diamine and an ether‐containing diamine achieved a very high optical transparency (T₄₀₀ = 86.8%), a very high T_g (313°C), and good ductility (ε_{b max} = 51%) while maintaining solution processability. Thus, these approaches enabled us to dramatically improve the ductility of cycloaliphatic PI films that have, to date, been considered brittle.     

In situ electrical resistance and activation energy of solid C6o under high pressure

The in situ electrical resistance and transport activation energies of solid C60 fullerene have been measured under high pressure up to 25 GPa in the temperature range of 300-423 K by using a designed diamond anvil cell. In the experiment, four parts of boron-doped diamond films fabricated on one anvil were used as electrical measurement probes and a W-Ta thin film thermocouple which was integrated on the other diamond anvil was used to measure the temperature. The current results indicate that the measured high-pressure resistances are bigger than those reported before at the same pressure and there is no pressure-independent resistance increase before 8 GPa. From the temperature dependence of the resistivity, the C60 behaviors as a semiconductor and the activation energies of the cubic C60 fullerene are 0,49, 0.43, and 0.36 eV at 13, 15, and 19 GPa, respectively.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Acrylonitrile-EPDM-1-Vinylnaphthalene Graft Terpolymer

Abstract

The graft copolymerizations of acrylonitrile (AN) and 1-vinyl-naphthalene (1-VN) onto ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) were carried out with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator in toluene. The effects of the mole ratio of 1-VN to AN, initiator concentration, reaction time, reaction temperature, and EPDM concentration on the graft copolymerizations were examined. The synthesized graft terpolymers, acrylonitrile-EPDM-1-vinylnaphthalene (AEV₁), were identified by IR spectra. The thermal stability and tensile strength of AEV₁ were greatly improved compared with those of ABS. The light resistance and weatherability of AEV₁ were better than those of ABS when subjected to UV light for longer than 96 hours.     

Synthesis and characterisation of rubbing-resistant polyimides with naphthalimide side-chain for liquid-crystal alignment layers

A novel diamine with a side-chain containing naphthalimide ring and non-polar alkyl end group, N-octyl-4-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-amido-1,8-naphthalimide (N8), was synthesised and its chemical structure was confirmed by FTIR (fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR). Then, a new family of polyimides (PIs) containing naphthalimide unit in the side-chains has been successfully synthesised by reaction of 4,4′-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-methylenediamine (DMMDA) with the novel functional diamine N8. The obtained polymers showed excellent solubility in a broad range of solvents, including tetrahydrofuran. Thermal properties of polymers were good enough to permit the use of these PIs on liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) applications. Alignment films obtained by casting offered outstanding rubbing-resistant ability, meanwhile kept the pretilt angle high above 89°. The PI seems to be prospective materials for alignment layers in LCDs.