Redistribution of photogenerated carriers in neutral and charged InAs quantum dot systems

Time-integrated and time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of neutral and negatively charged self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs) were studied. Obtained spectra have indicated that the redistribution of carriers in QDs occurs in all samples, but the temperature dependence of spectra are quite different for neutral and charged QDs. To clarify the origin of these behaviors, a model calculation based on two possible redistribution mechanisms has been carried out, and compared with experiments to show that the carrier tunneling between neighboring QDs is suppressed in charged QDs.     

Impact of position of electron withdrawing cyano groups on nonlinear optical properties of centrosymmetric donor‐π‐acceptor system

Two symmetrically substituted phenylenevinylene D‐A‐D′‐A‐D type siblings, (2Z,2′Z)‐2,2′‐(2,5‐dimethoxy‐1,4‐phenylene)bis(3‐(4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl)acrylonitrile) (↑‐dscn) and (2Z,2′Z)‐3,3′‐(2,5‐dimethoxy‐1,4‐phenylene)bis(2‐(4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl)acrylonitrile) (↓‐dscn), are prepared. We investigate the effect of different but symmetrical location of these cyano groups in vinylene bridges on the 1‐photon and 2‐photon absorption behaviors. We report that the closeness of CN group on the vinyl group to the central phenyl ring in ↑‐dscn induces an intramolecular geometric distortion between the central phenyl ring and vinylene group, preventing the effective π‐conjugation length in ground and excited states. Thus, the transition energy that is observed in 1‐photon absorption and fluorescence is larger in ↑‐dscn than in ↓‐dscn. This leads to a different intramolecular charge distribution, as a result of which the linear and nonlinear optical properties strongly depend on the position of acceptors. These results are theoretically unraveled in terms of charge transfer pathways, charge distribution, and charge distribution differences on transition.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of new cyclic siloxane with functionalized organic substituents

Octa(2-pyridyloxy)cyclotetrasiloxane was isolated as the product of the reaction between silicon disulfide and 2-hydroxypyridine. The new compound has been characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis, revealing a planar eight-membered ring with functionalized organic substituents on the silicon atoms.     

Siloxane photopolymer to replace polydimethylsiloxane in microfluidic devices for polymerase chain reaction

Herein, we describe the preparation and characterization of a material suitable for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. The material is a silicone acrylic polymer, obtained by photopolymerization. It is polymerase chain reaction (PCR) compatible, resistant to temperature, optically transparent, and dimensionally stable; it has a better water and solvent resistance if compared with polydimethylsiloxane. Production of microfluidic layouts is successfully tested: a simple photolithographic approach allows to accurately control the pattern transfer and to produce PCR compatible microfluidic devices. The polymer characterization suggests that the proposed material satisfies all the characteristics required for an ideal PCR chip, without further treatment. Moreover, the possibility for fast, accurate, and cheap reproducibility of microdevices by liquid phase photopolymerization increases the polymer attractiveness. The material is a good alternative with respect to polydimethylsiloxane for the fabrication of microfluidic chips for biological analysis purposes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystal microgratings: a comparison of polymer network formation and electro-optic properties for mesogenic and non-mesogenic monomers

Polymer-stabilized liquid crystal microgratings are made using a focused Gaussian UV laser beam to photopolymerize 3 wt % reactive monomer in a cholesteric liquid crystal host. In a typical case, round gratings of 300 μm diameter and 10 μm pitch are produced. The microgratings highlight interesting differences between mesogenic and non-mesogenic monomers in the assembly and spatial distribution of polymer networks formed in a cholesteric host. We also observe a corresponding variation in the electro-optical properties of the stabilized gratings. In the mesogenic case, the grating state of the liquid crystal is faithfully captured even for relatively short UV exposures and over regions only a few pitch lengths in size. These findings are consistent with phase separation of the mesogenic monomer into regular domains templated by periodic, macroscopic variations in orientational order of the host. This templating effect is significantly reduced in the non-mesogenic case.     

Optimization methodology applied to feed‐forward artificial neural network parameters

This article recommends a methodology for developing a neural network with great chances to be an optimal one. The method is based on trial and error in determining the internal parameters of the network considered as having a significant influence over its performance: the number of hidden layers, activation function, number of neurons in the hidden layers, training epochs, learning rate, and momentum term. This optimization methodology is presented in two separate sections: first of them contains a series of practical considerations recommended for neural network modeling, and the second is represented by the proposed optimization algorithm, formulated in six steps and based on the practical statements. Two case studies are chosen to exemplify the use of the algorithm for finding the near optimal neural network: the dependence of the reduced and intrinsic viscosities of the siloxane‐organic copolymers of the solution concentration, temperature, and copolymer type, differing by the siloxane sequence length. The two siloxane‐organic polyazomethines resulted by the reaction of a fully aromatic bisazomethine diol with α,ω‐bis(chloromethyl)oligodimethylsiloxanes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and Characterization of a New UV Cross‐linkable Waterborne Siloxane‐polyurethane Dispersion

A new cross‐linkable waterborne siloxane‐polyurethane dispersion (PEDA‐SiPU) was synthesized by incorporating the acrylate groups into the side chain of the polyurethane using the pentaerythritol diacrylate(PEDA) and introducing polysiloxane groups into the soft segment of the polyurethane using dihydroxybutyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). They can form the cross‐linking structure by UV radiation in the presence of a photo‐initiator. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the chain structure of PEDA‐SiPU. The effect of the PDMS content and the PEDA content on the C?C conversion behaviors under UV irradiation was investigated. Water resistance and the mechanical properties of the UV cured films were also studied. Through the controlling of suitable content of PDMS and PEDA introduced in the chain, the obtained PEDA‐SiPU films were proved to possess both good water resistance and mechanical properties.     

Numerical solutions for isoelectric focusing and isotachophoresis problems

This study combines an adaptive mesh redistribution (AMR) method and the space–time conservation element and solution element (CESE) method to construct a high-resolution scheme for the solution of electrophoresis pre-concentration and separation problems. In the proposed AMR–CESE scheme, the fine mesh points are moved toward the regions of discontinuity within the solution domain in accordance with the equidistribution principle. To reduce the numerical dissipation within the regions of the solution domain with a large spatial mesh, the spatial component of the CESE scheme is treated using a Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) number insensitive scheme. The validity of the proposed approach is confirmed by comparing the results obtained for typical isoelectric focusing (IEF) and isotachophoresis (ITP) problems with those obtained from the conventional CESE scheme and the finite volume method (FVM), respectively. It is shown that the AMR–CESE scheme yields a better accuracy than uniform fixed-mesh solvers with no more than a minor increase in the computational cost.     

Conversion of a Direct Process high-boiling residue to monosilanes by a two-step catalysis approach

The effects of different kinds of catalysts and supports on the conversion of a Direct Process high-boiling residue to monosilanes were evaluated. A new method, a two-step catalysis approach, was used for catalytic decomposition and redistribution reactions. The effects of reaction temperature, volume ratio of starting materials, feeding rate and reaction pressure on the conversion were investigated. While employing activated carbon as the decomposition catalyst and γ-Al₂O₃ for redistribution, which constituted the two-step catalysis approach, improved yield of methylchlorosilanes and dimethyldichlorosilane, and higher conversion of high-boiling components decomposition could be obtained. This two-step catalysis approach could be run under normal pressure or low pressure, which would solve the disadvantageous factors generated from the high-pressure process.     

Morphology of a Poly(imide siloxane) Segmented Copolymer/Silica Hybrid Composite

The role of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a compatibilizer of polyimide/silica hybrid composites was investigated. Introduction of PDMS into a polyimide matrix retards the phase separation of hybrid composites and also prevents the formation of high‐molecular‐weight silicate. PDMS interacts with silica because of the similarity of its structure with the sol‐gel glass matrix of the silica precursor, indicating that poly(imide siloxane)/silica might be a good candidate material for organic/inorganic hybrid composites.