Thermal behavior of selected ferroelectric liquid crystals

Thermal properties of three ferroelectric liquid crystals, namely: 3-octyloxy-6-[2-fluor-4-(fluoroctyloxy)phenyl]-pyridine (FFP), 3-(3-fluor-nonyl)-6[4-heptyloxyphenyl]-pyridine (FNHPh-P), 4-[(S,S)-2,3-epoxyhexyloxy]phenyl 4-(decyloxy)benzoate (EHPhDB) were studied using heat flux differential scanning calorimetry method. All the transitions expected in this compounds, except the SmC^*-SmA^* and SmC^*-S₃ transitions, were detected in the DSC curves. The temperatures of the phase transitions and the enthalpy changes associated with them were determined. The transition from the liquid crystalline to the crystalline state showed significant hysteresis for all three compounds studied. The following transitions: SmA^*-Is, SmG^*-SmC^* for FNHPh-P, N^*-Is for EHPhDB, N^*-Is and SmC^*-N^* for FFP also showed a small hysteresis basing on which first-order character of all the above transitions was implied. All three substances studied in this work are characterized by a complex polymorphism in the solid state.The author is grateful to Dr. Stanislaw Wróbel for his stimulating interest, valuable discussions and supplying the samples. This work has been done in the framework of the KBN grant 2 P302 139 07.     

互通多孔碳/二氧化锰纳米复合材料的原位水热合成及电化学性能

以互通多孔碳（IPC）为载体，水热条件下在碳表面原位反应生成纳米结构的二氧化锰（MnO₂），制备互通多孔碳/二氧化锰纳米（IPC/MnO₂）复合电极材料. 采用扫描电镜（SEM），透射电镜（TEM），X射线衍射（XRD），热重分析（TGA）对其结构进行表征；采用循环伏安法、恒流充放电和交流阻抗对其电化学性能进行研究. 结果表明：生成的MnO₂均匀地负载在碳的表面，形成多层次结构，并且随着温度的升高IPC表面负载的MnO₂由纳米颗粒变为纳米片状结构；MnO₂纳米片具有典型的K-Birnessite 型晶体结构；复合物中MnO₂的含量约为34%（w）. 在100 ℃制备的IPC/MnO₂复合材料在三电极系统中最高比电容达到了411 F·g^-1；随着反应温度的升高,比容量先增长后基本保持不变. 以IPC/MnO₂为正极，活性炭（AC）为负极，1 mol·L^-1 Na₂SO₄溶液为电解液组装成IPC/MnO₂//AC 混合超级电容器，发现IPC/MnO₂电极的电容器其电位窗口从1 V扩展到1.8 V，容量可达86F·g^-1，且表现出良好的电容特性和大电流放电性能.     

互通多孔碳/二氧化锰纳米复合材料的原位水热合成及电化学性能

以互通多孔碳（IPC）为载体，水热条件下在碳表面原位反应生成纳米结构的二氧化锰（MnO₂），制备互通多孔碳/二氧化锰纳米（IPC/MnO₂）复合电极材料. 采用扫描电镜（SEM），透射电镜（TEM），X射线衍射（XRD），热重分析（TGA）对其结构进行表征；采用循环伏安法、恒流充放电和交流阻抗对其电化学性能进行研究. 结果表明：生成的MnO₂均匀地负载在碳的表面，形成多层次结构，并且随着温度的升高IPC表面负载的MnO₂由纳米颗粒变为纳米片状结构；MnO₂纳米片具有典型的K-Birnessite 型晶体结构；复合物中MnO₂的含量约为34%（w）. 在100 ℃制备的IPC/MnO₂复合材料在三电极系统中最高比电容达到了411 F·g^-1；随着反应温度的升高,比容量先增长后基本保持不变. 以IPC/MnO₂为正极，活性炭（AC）为负极，1 mol·L^-1 Na₂SO₄溶液为电解液组装成IPC/MnO₂//AC 混合超级电容器，发现IPC/MnO₂电极的电容器其电位窗口从1 V扩展到1.8 V，容量可达86F·g^-1，且表现出良好的电容特性和大电流放电性能.     

Stabilization of a K+-(bis-Cage-Annulated 20-Crown-6) Complex by Bidentate Picrate

Bis-cage-annulated 18-crown-6 and 20-crown-6 macrocyclic ethers (i.e., 1 and 2, respectively) have been synthesized, and their alkali metal picrate extraction profiles have been determined. Host system 1 proved to be a significantly more avid alkali metal cation complexant than 2 and somewhat more avid than 18-crown-6. Both 1 and 18-crown-6 display modest selectivity toward K⁺ and Rb⁺. A stable host–guest complex was prepared by slow evaporation of a CH₂Cl₂–hexane solution of an equimolar mixture of 2 and potassium picrate. The X-ray crystal structure of this complex reveals that picrate anion functions as a bidentate ligand therein. The gas-phase interaction energy between the 2 K⁺ complex and picrate anion was calculated to be ca. –64.9 kcal mol^–1, thereby indicating that participation of picrate anion as an additional bidentate ligand results in significant stabilization of complex 10.     

Growth of silicon thin film by LPE on porous silicon bilayers

The fabrication of solar cells based on the transfer of a thin silicon film on a foreign substrate is an attractive way to realise cheap and efficient photovoltaic devices. The aim of this work is to realise a thin mono-crystalline silicon film on a double porous silicon layer in order to detach and transfer it on mullite. The first step is the fabrication of a double porous silicon layer by electrochemical anodisation using two different current densities. The low current leads to a low porosity layer and during annealing, the recrystallisation of this layer allows epitaxial growth. The second current leads to a high porosity which permits the transfer on to a low cost substrate. Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) performed with indium (or In+Ga) in the temperature range of 950–1050°C leads to almost homogeneous layers. Growth rate is about 0.35 μm min⁻¹. Crystallinity of the grown epilayer is similar on porous silicon and on single crystal silicon. In this paper, we focus on the realisation of porous silicon sacrificial layer and subsequent LPE growth. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Solvent-free low-dimensional polymer electrolytes for lithium-polymer batteries

The development of solvent-free low-dimensional polymer electrolytes intended for use in solvent-free lithium batteries operating at ambient or sub-ambient temperatures is described. The synthetic routes to the amphiphilic polymers I having 5-alkoxy-3,4-phenylene units connected with oligoethoxy segments via polyester-ether or pure polyether links (abbrev. CmOn, m = 12, 16, 18, n = 1-5) and to the copolymers CmO1-CmOn are described. The structures, thermal properties and SAXS long spacings of their complexes with lithium salts (type A) and with long chain n-alkane or alkyl side chain intercalation (type B) are discussed. However, high ambient conductivities (10(-4)-10(-3) S cm(-1)) are observed in type C systems when a second copolymer based on polytetramethylene oxide segments (II) is incorporated as a microphase between the lamellae of I and serving as an ion bridge or "glue". DC polarization between Li electrodes also gives ambient conductivities >/=ca.10(-3) S cm(-1). In type D systems the I/II interface is stabilized by including a copolymer III, promoting high reproducibility in performance. Copolymers I of CmO1-CmO5 having CmO1 in excess give optimum conductivities with low temperature-dependence. This, together with molecular modeling, suggests uncoupled ion mobilities by hopping between small aggregates in the interlamellar spaces.     

Computer Simulation of the Structure of Porous Electrodes with an Immobilized Enzyme and Nanosized Support Particles

The efficiency of the operation of a porous electrode with an immobilized enzyme is defined, in particular, by a lucky structure of its active layer, which can contain nanosized particles of the support. The composites of such a kind are prepared with the aid of methods of colloidal chemistry. The aim of this particular investigation is to perform a computer simulation of processes of coagulation of particles of the support and their possible heterocoagulation with molecules of the enzyme. Algorithms of the formation of nanocomposite structures in solution are suggested. Calculations show that the concentration of the enzyme molecules in the nanocomposite structures cannot exceed a certain critical value. On the other hand, at a fixed value of the concentration of the enzyme molecules, the concentration of the support particles must not fall below a certain threshold quantity, which provides for the passing of current through the active layer. In order for all the enzyme molecules, rather than for a fraction of these, in the composite to take part in the process of bioelectrocatalysis, the concentration of support particles must be increased even higher, to an optimum value.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 6, 2005, pp. 738–747.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Chirkov, Rostokin.     

Vibrational structure of endohedral fullerene Sc3N@C78 (D3h'): evidence for a strong coupling between the Sc3N cluster and C78 cage.

The vibrational structure of the endohedral cluster fullerene Sc(3)N@C(78) is studied by FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and DFT-based quantum chemical calculations. Remarkably good agreement between experimental and calculated spectra is achieved and a full assignment of the Sc(3)N-based vibrational modes is given. Significant differences in the vibrational structure of the endohedral cluster fullerene Sc(3)N@C(78) and the empty, charged C(78) (6-): 5 (D(3h)') are rationalized by the strong coupling between the Sc(3)N cluster and the fullerene cage. This coupling has its origin in a significant overlap of the Sc(3)N and C(78) molecular orbitals, and causes atomic-charge and bond-length redistributions compared to the neutral C(78) and the C(78) (6-) anion. An ionic model is not sufficient to describe the electronic, geometric and vibrational structure of the Sc(3)N@C(78) nitride cluster fullerene.     

Computationally-assisted approach to the vibrational spectra of molecular crystals: study of hydrogen-bonding and pseudo-polymorphism.

A new computationally-assisted methodology (PiMM), which accounts for the effects of intermolecular interactions in the crystal, is applied to the complete assignment of the Raman and infrared vibrational spectra of room temperature forms of crystalline caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. The vibrational shifts due to crystal packing interactions are evaluated from ab initio calculations for a set of suitable molecular pairs, using the B3LYP/6-31G* approach.The proposed methodology provides an answer to the current demand for a reliable assignment of the vibrational spectra of these methyl-xanthines, and clarifies several misleading assignments. The most relevant intermolecular interactions in each system and their effect on the vibrational spectra are considered and discussed. Based on these results, significant insights are obtained for the structure of caffeine in the anhydrous form (stable at room temperature), for which no X-ray structure has been reported. A possible structure based on C((8))--H...N((9)) and C((1,3))--H...O intermolecular interactions is suggested.