A novel generation of photoactive comb‐shaped polyamides for the photoalignment of liquid crystals

A new approach to the synthesis of photoactive comb‐shaped homo‐ and copolyamides containing azobenzene, cinnamate, and coumarin side groups for photoalignment of liquid crystals was elaborated. Photooptical properties and photoorientational ability of these polymers with respect to liquid crystals were studied. It was shown that polarized UV irradiation of all spin‐coated polyamides leads to orientation of liquid crystalline molecules deposited on the polyamide thin films. The synthesized polymers containing cinnamate and coumarin side groups as well as azobenzene‐containing cyano‐ and nitro‐substituted polymers demonstrated good orientation ability in relation to liquid crystals displaying photoinduced planar orientation with high dichroism values within the range of 0.68–0.72. Contrary to the above‐mentioned polyamides, azobenzene‐containing fluorosubstituted polymers induced a homeotropic orientation of liquid crystals. It was shown that the synthesized photoactive polyamides can be considered as promising photoalignment materials for application in display technology, photonics, and other “smart” optical devices. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4031–4041     

Supramolecular nanostructures from self‐assembly of T‐shaped rod building block oligomers

T‐shaped coil–rod–coil oligomers, consisting of a dibenzo[a,c]phenazine unit and phenyl groups linked together with acetylenyl bonds at the 2,7‐position of dibenzo[a,c]phenazine as a rigid segment have been synthesized. The coil segments of these new molecules composed of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)–poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) incorporating lateral methyl groups between the rod and coil segment and two flexible alkyl groups connecting with the rigid segment at the 4,6‐position of dibenzo[a,c]phenazine, respectively. The experimental results reveal that the length of the flexible PEO coil chain influence construction of various supra‐nanostructures from lamellar structure to rectangular columnar structure. It is also shown that introduction of different length of alkyl side chain groups in the backbone of the T‐shaped molecules affect the self‐organization behavior to form hexagonal perforate layer or oblique columnar structures. In addition, lateral methyl groups attached to the surface of rod and coil segments, dramatically influence the self‐assembling behavior in the crystalline phase. T‐shaped molecules containing a lateral methyl group at the surface of rod and PEO coil segments, self‐assemble into 3D body‐centered tetragonal structures in the crystalline phase, while molecules without a lateral methyl group based on PEO coil chain self‐organize into 2D oblique columnar crystalline structures. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 5021–5028     

Integrated Devices to Realize Energy Conversion and Storage Simultaneously

Other forms of energy are generally converted to electric energy and then transported to electrochemical devices, where the energy is stored, by external electric wires. To further improve total energy conversion and storage efficiency, interest in simultaneously realize the energy conversion and storage in a single device has increased. This Concept describes recent progress in developing such novel integrated energy devices. Both planar and wire architectures are carefully illustrated with an emphasis on the “energy wire” which has been the focus of past developments due to its unique and promising applications, such as being woven into clothes or other complex structures by conventional textile technology. The current challenges and future directions of the integrated devices, particularly in the wire architecture, are summarized.     

Liquid crystalline banana‐shaped monomers derived from 2,7‐naphthalene: synthesis and properties

Three banana‐shaped monomers, i.e. 2,7‐naphthalene bis[4‐(4‐allyloxyphenylazo)‐benzoate], 2,7‐naphthalene bis[4‐(4‐allyloxy‐3‐fluorophenylazo)benzoate] and 2,7‐naphthalene bis{4‐[4‐(10‐undecenyloxy)phenylazo]benzoate}, containing azobenzene as side arms, 2,7‐dihydroxynaphthalene as central units and terminal double bonds as polymerisable functional groups, were synthesised and their mesophase behaviour investigated. Polarizing optical microscopy and DSC measurements reveal that all compounds exhibit nematic mesophases. The absorption spectrum of the trans‐azobenzene groups displays a high‐intensity π–π* transition at about 365 nm and a low‐intensity n–π* transition at around 450 nm for all compounds. Hence, photochromism can be achieved by the introduction of the azo linkage to banana‐shaped liquid crystals molecules.     

基于3D打印薄层池和流场形电极的镉离子流动检测系统

首次提出了流场形(FFS)电极的概念,并印制了FFS三电极体系.结合3D打印的薄层流通池(TLFC),采用方波溶出伏安法(SWSV),构建了镉离子(Cd2+)流动电化学检测系统.考察了电极形状、测量方式、流速、介质条件、富集时间等条件的影响.结果表明,此检测系统测量灵敏度高,重现性和稳定性好.在优化条件下,Cd2+浓度在2 ～ 100 μg/L范围内与溶出峰电流呈良好的线性关系,相关系数为0.997,检出限为0.5 μg/L.将本方法应用于环境水样和生物甲烷发酵液中痕量Cd2+的检测,结果与ICP-AES无显著性差异,加标回收率为90％ ～ 106％.     

一系列含T-型二维液晶基元的液晶高分子配体的合成

以４,４′ （α,ω 亚烷基二酰氧）二苯甲酰氯和２,４ 二羟基 ４′ 烷氧基偶氮苯为单体,通过溶液聚合,合成了一系列新的含Ｔ 型二维液晶基元的液晶高分子配体．单体的结构通过元素分析、ＩＲ、１Ｈ ＮＭＲ和ＭＳ等方法确证．高分子配体通过ＧＰＣ、ＤＳＣ、ＴＧ、ＷＡＸＤ和偏光显微镜等方法测试表征,发现所有的高分子配体加热至各自的熔点以上都能形成液晶态,在液晶态可以观察到向列型的丝状织构和纹影织构．它们的熔点（Ｔｍ）和液晶态的清亮点（Ｔｉ）随分子中末端烷氧基增大和柔性间隔段长度增加呈规律性变化．特别值得一提的是,发现末端不含取代基的高分子配体也能产生液晶态,这对该类高分子液晶态生成的机制与液晶态的织构提供了一个新的研究课题［１］．     

Synthesis,spectroscopic characterization,thermal behaviour,in vitro antimicrobial and anticancer activities of novel ruthenium tricarbonyl complexes containing monodentate V‐shaped Schiff bases

The interaction of Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with a novel family of monodentate V‐shaped Schiff base ligands (L^1–4; L¹: (E)‐1‐(4‐((4‐bromobenzylidene)amino)phenyl)ethanone, L²: (E)‐1‐(3‐(4‐(dimethylamino)benzylideneamino)phenyl)ethanone, L³: (E)‐1‐(4‐(4‐(dimethylamino)benzylideneamino)phenyl)ethanone, L⁴: (E)‐1‐(3‐(3,4‐dimethoxybenzylideneamino)phenyl)ethanone) in air under atmospheric pressure afforded the novel complexes [Ru(CO)₃(L^1–4)₂]. The parent ligands and their complexes were characterized using elemental analyses and spectroscopic techniques. In addition, the structure of the representative ligand L¹ was determined using single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. The stereochemistry and theoretical optimization of the three‐dimensional geometry of the ligands and their complexes were justified. In vitro antimicrobial screening against bacterial stains Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and fungus Candida albicans was conducted. Cytotoxicity of the compounds as anti‐tumour agents was evaluated against liver carcinoma (HepG2), breast carcinoma (MCF7) and colon carcinoma (HCT‐116) cell lines relative to cisplatin and doxorubicin. The complexes showed variable in vitro cytotoxic activities against the three studied cell lines, with IC₅₀ values less than those of cis‐platin, and thus appear to be building blocks for promising anti‐tumour agents.     

A thermally stable three‐dimensional cobalt(II) coordination polymer based on the V‐shaped ligand 4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)isophthalate

A new cobalt(II) coordination polymer (CP), poly[[bis[μ₆‐4‐(4‐carboxylatophenoxy)benzene‐1,3‐dicarboxylato‐κ⁶O¹:O¹:O³:O^3′:O⁴:O^4′]bis(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ²N,N′)tricobalt(II)] 0.72‐hydrate], {[Co₃(C₁₅H₇O₇)₂(C₁₂H₈N₂)₂]·0.72H₂O}_n, (I), is constructed from Co^II ions and 4‐(4‐carboxyphenoxy)isophthalate (cpoia³⁻) and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) ligands. Based on centrosymmetric trinuclear [Co₃(phen)₂(COO)₆] secondary building units (SBUs), the structure of (I) is a three‐dimensional CP with a (3,6)‐connected net and point symbol (4².6)₂(4⁴.6².8⁷.10²). The positions of four [Co₃(phen)₂(COO)₆] SBUs and four cpoia³⁻ ligands reproduce a Chinese‐knot‐shaped arrangement along the ab plane. (I) has been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) and thermostability analysis. It shows a good thermal stability from room temperature to 673 K. In addition, the temperature dependence of the magnetic properties was measured.     

Reconstruction of cracks of different types from far‐field measurements

In this paper, we deal with the acoustic inverse scattering problem for reconstructing cracks of possibly different types from the far‐field map. The scattering problem models the diffraction of waves by thin two‐sided cylindrical screens. The cracks are characterized by their shapes, the type of boundary conditions and the boundary coefficients (surface impedance). We give explicit formulas of the indicator function of the probe method, which can be used to reconstruct the shape of the cracks, distinguish their types of boundary conditions, the two faces of each of them and reconstruct the possible material coefficients on them by using the far‐field map. To test the validity of these formulas, we present some numerical implementations for a single crack, which show the efficiency of the proposed method for suitably distributed surface impedances. The difficulties for numerically recovering the properties of the crack in the concave side as well as near the tips are presented and some explanations are given. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一维六方准晶中带三条不对称裂纹的圆形孔口问题的解析解

利用复变函数方法,通过构造保角映射,研究了一维六方准晶中带不对称三裂纹的圆形孔口的反平面剪切问题,给出了Ⅲ型裂纹问题的应力强度因子,在极限情形下,不仅可以还原为已有的结果,而且求得一维六方准晶中L裂纹问题在裂纹尖端的应力强度因子.