Two-dimensional vortex sheets for the nonisentropic Euler equations: Nonlinear stability

We show the short-time existence and nonlinear stability of vortex sheets for the nonisentropic compressible Euler equations in two spatial dimensions, based on the weakly linear stability result of Morando and Trebeschi (2008) [20]. The missing normal derivatives are compensated through the equations of the linearized vorticity and entropy when deriving higher-order energy estimates. The proof of the resolution for this nonlinear problem follows from certain a priori tame estimates on the effective linear problem in the usual Sobolev spaces and a suitable Nash–Moser iteration scheme.     

Quinones for redox flow batteries

Quinones are electroactive species that have shown great promise for redox flow batteries due to the ability to tune their properties and to act as both negative and positive electrolytes. The following review outlines highlights of work in the last couple of years working to provide materials with higher stability, solubility, and performance. Developments toward stable negolytes have provided opportunities for potential commercial opportunities when paired with alternate chemistries. However, the stability of quinones in high potential electrolytes is still not sufficient and the number of potential quinones limited.     

Mono-Aryl/Alkylthio-Substituted (Hetero)acenes of Exceptional Thermal and Photochemical Stability by the Thio-Friedel–Crafts/Bradsher Cyclization Reaction

The highly substituted mono-aryl/alkylthio-(hetero)acenes prepared in this study have been found to be thermally more stable (T_decomp.=331–354 °C) than the known di-aryl/alkylthio-substituted acenes by an average of 25 °C. They are also much more photostable at 254 and 365 nm (in both argon and air) than the parent anthracene and other reported anthracenes. The most photostable aryl/alkylthio-anthracenes at 254 nm were found to be 60–70 (in air) and 130 (in argon) times more stable in solution than the unsubstituted anthracene, and much more stable than known EDG/EWG-substituted anthracenes (EDG=electron-donating group, EWG=electron-withdrawing group) with an extended aromatic core. Furthermore, the acenes showed significantly higher photostability at 365 nm in both air and argon. The anthracenes were obtained by the novel thio-Friedel–Crafts/Bradsher cyclization reaction of hitherto unknown [o-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)aryl](aryl)methyl thioethers. The developed approach provides a general access to mono-aryl/alkylthio-substituted (hetero)acene frameworks containing at least three fused (hetero)aromatic rings. The characteristic feature of this approach, which leads to highly substituted acenes, is that the substituents, unlike in other methods, may be introduced at an early stage of the synthesis. DFT and TD-DFT calculations confirmed the stabilizing role of the aryl/alkylthio substituent in the mono-aryl/alkylthio-substituted anthracenes, which are the most stable anthracenes prepared to date. Their high photostability is mainly due to the quenching of singlet oxygen by the acene and the quenching of the acene S₁ state by molecular oxygen.     

Rational Molecular Design towards Vis/NIR Absorption and Fluorescence by using Pyrrolopyrrole aza‐BODIPY and its Highly Conjugated Structures for Organic Photovoltaics

Pyrrolopyrrole aza‐BODIPY (PPAB) developed in our recent study from diketopyrrolopyrrole by titanium tetrachloride‐mediated Schiff‐base formation reaction with heteroaromatic amines is a highly potential chromophore due to its intense absorption and fluorescence in the visible region and high fluorescence quantum yield, which is greater than 0.8. To control the absorption and fluorescence of PPAB, particularly in the near‐infrared (NIR) region, further molecular design was performed using DFT calculations. This results in the postulation that the HOMO–LUMO gap of PPAB is perturbed by the heteroaromatic moieties and the aryl‐substituents. Based on this molecular design, a series of new PPAB molecules was synthesized, in which the largest redshifts of the absorption and fluorescence maxima up to 803 and 850 nm, respectively, were achieved for a PPAB consisting of benzothiazole rings and terthienyl substituents. In contrast to the sharp absorption of PPAB, a PPAB dimer, which was prepared by a cross‐coupling reaction of PPAB monomers, exhibited panchromatic absorption across the UV/Vis/NIR regions. With this series of PPAB chromophores in hand, a potential application of PPAB as an optoelectronic material was investigated. After identifying a suitable PPAB molecule for application in organic photovoltaic cells based on evaluation using time‐resolved microwave conductivity measurements, a maximized power conversion efficiency of 1.27 % was achieved.     

Enhancing the Water Stability of Al‐MIL‐101‐NH2 via Postsynthetic Modification

The resistance of metal–organic frameworks towards water is a very critical issue concerning their practical use. Recently, it was shown for microporous MOFs that the water stability could be increased by introducing hydrophobic pendant groups. Here, we demonstrate a remarkable stabilisation of the mesoporous MOF Al‐MIL‐101‐NH₂ by postsynthetic modification with phenyl isocyanate. In this process 86 % of the amino groups were converted into phenylurea units. As a consequence, the long‐term stability of Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh in liquid water could be extended beyond a week. In water saturated atmospheres Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh decomposed at least 12‐times slower than the unfunctionalised analogue. To study the underlying processes both materials were characterised by Ar, N₂ and H₂O sorption measurements, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and chemical analysis as well as solid‐state NMR and IR spectroscopy. Postsynthetic modification decreased the BET equivalent surface area from 3363 to 1555 m² g^?1 for Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh and reduced the mean diameters of the mesopores by 0.6 nm without degrading the structure significantly and reducing thermal stability. In spite of similar water uptake capacities, the relative humidity‐dependent uptake of Al‐MIL‐101‐URPh is slowed and occurs at higher relative humidity values. In combination with ¹H‐²⁷Al D ‐HMQC NMR spectroscopy experiments this favours a shielding mechanism of the Al clusters by the pendant phenyl groups and rules out pore blocking.     

Simple and Precise Quantification of Iron Catalyst Content in Carbon Nanotubes Using UV/Visible Spectroscopy

Iron catalysts have been used widely for the mass production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with high yield. In this study, UV/visible spectroscopy was used to determine the Fe catalyst content in CNTs using a colorimetric technique. Fe ions in solution form red–orange complexes with 1,10-phenanthroline, producing an absorption peak at λ=510 nm, the intensity of which is proportional to the solution Fe concentration. A series of standard Fe solutions were formulated to establish the relationship between optical absorbance and Fe concentration. Many Fe catalysts were microscopically observed to be encased by graphitic layers, thus preventing their extraction. Fe catalyst dissolution from CNTs was investigated with various single and mixed acids, and Fe concentration was found to be highest with CNTs being held at reflux in HClO₄/HNO₃ and H₂SO₄/HNO₃ mixtures. This novel colorimetric method to measure Fe concentrations by UV/Vis spectroscopy was validated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, indicating its reliability and applicability to asses Fe content in CNTs.     

Novel halogenated cyclopentasilylene-2,4-dienes via DFT

In view of immense importance of silylenes and the fact that their properties undergo significant changes on substitution with halogens, here, we have used B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory to access the effects of 1–4 halogens (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) on four unprecedented sets of cyclopentasilylene-2,4-dienes; with the following formulas: SiC₄H₃X ( 1 _X ), SiC₄H₂X₂ ( 2 _X ), SiC₄HX₃ ( 3 _X ), and SiC₄X₄ ( 4 _X ). In going down from F to I, the singlet (s)-triplet (t) energy gap (ΔE_s-t, a possible indication of stability), and band gap (ΔE_H-L) decrease while nucleophilicity (N), chemical potential (μ), and proton affinity (PA) increase. The overall order of N, μ, and PA for each X is 2 _X > 1 _X > 3 _X > 4 _X . Precedence of 2 _X over 1 _X is attributed to the symmetric cross conjugation in the former. The highest and lowest N are shown by 2 _I and 4 _F . The trend of divalent angle () for each X is 4 _X > 1 _X > 3 _X > 2 _X . The results show that in going from electron withdrawing groups (EWGs) to electron donating groups (EDGs), the ΔE_s-t and ΔE_H-L decrease while N, μ, and PA increase. Also, rather high N of our scrutinized silylenes may suggest new promising ligands in organometallic chemistry.     

Influence of the sulfonate countercation on the thermal stability of nafion perfluorosulfonate membranes

We report a strong dependence of the thermal stability of Nafion® perfluorosulfonate ionomer on the nature of the counterion associated with the fixed sulfonate site. These results were obtained using thermal gravimetric analysis on a series of alkali metal and alkyl ammonium cation-exchanged Nafion films. We have found that the temperature of decomposition of Nafion is inversely dependent on the size of the exchanged cation; i.e., Nafion films show improved thermal stability as the size of the counter cation decreases. We attribute this inverse relationship of thermal stability with counterion size to an initial decomposition reaction which is strongly influenced by the strength of the sulfonate-coun-terion interaction. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Studies of the compositions of Pd(II) hydrolysis products

The characterization of the clusters formed on alkaline hydrolysis of [PdCl₄]^2– was performed using¹⁷O,²³Na,³⁵Cl,¹³³Cs NMR and UV spectroscopy. The chemical composition of the clusters was found to be [Pd(OH)₂] _n ·nNaCl. No mononuclear oxo- or hydroxocomplexes were detected. The spatial structure of the clusters is stabilized by alkali metal cations.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 675–679, April, 1993.     

The destabilizing effect of boundary slip on Bénard convection

We investigate the influence of slip boundary conditions on the onset of Bénard convection in an infinite fluid layer. It is shown that the critical Rayleigh number is a decreasing function of the slip length, and therefore boundary slip is seen to have a destabilizing effect. Chebyshev‐tau and compound matrix formulations for solving the eigenvalue problem are presented. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.