Light exposure dependence of molecular orientation of glassy polyfluorene layers formed on photo-aligned polyimide films

We have investigated the molecular orientation of glassy poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO) layers formed on photo-aligned polyimide films with different in-plane anisotropy. The polyimide contains azobenzene in the backbone structure (Azo-PI), allowing us to control the in-plane anisotropy of the film by varying linearly polarized light (LP-L) exposure. The glassy PFO layers (30 nm thick) were obtained by annealing the samples at the liquid crystalline phase of PFO and then quenching them to room temperature. The degree of alignment of PFO was assessed by the polarization ratio of photoluminescence (PL). The PL polarization ratio increased rapidly with the LP-L exposure, and it reached 10 at 2.8 J/cm². Beyond this LP-L exposure, it became almost constant around 10.4. This PL polarization ratio was much higher than the absorption dichroic ratio of the underlying Azo-PI film. This result suggests that the degree of alignment of PFO is determined by its liquid crystalline nature. The saturation dependence of the degree of alignment is very useful for fabricating alignment patterns by a simple photo-mask exposure method. We have succeeded in fabricating 3 μm line-and-space alignment patterns of PFO.     

Overcoming matrix effects using the dilution approach in multiresidue methods for fruits and vegetables

During recent years matrix effects in liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) have quickly become a major concern in food analysis. The phenomenon of ion suppression can lead to errors in the quantification of the analytes of interest, as well as can affect detection capability, precision, and accuracy of the method. Sample dilution is an easy and effective method to reduce interfering compounds, and so, to diminish matrix effects. In this work, matrix effects of 53 pesticides in three different matrices (orange, tomato and leek) were evaluated. Several dilutions of the matrix were tested in order to study the evolution of signal suppression. Dilution of the extracts led to a reduction of the signal suppression in most of the cases. A dilution factor of 15 demonstrated to be enough to eliminate most of the matrix effects, opening the possibility to perform quantification with solvent based standards in the majority of the cases. In those cases where signal suppression could not be reduced, a possible solution would be to use stable isotope-labelled internal standards for quantification of the problematic pesticides.     

NH4F对NH3低温选择性催化还原NO的影响研究

制备了一种新的氟掺杂氧化钒/氧化钛催化剂,探讨了掺杂模式、制备方法对低温SCR活性的影响.结果显示,在120~240℃反应温度下,由溶胶法制得的氟掺杂于钒(F-V)模式下的催化活性最佳,通过与未掺杂催化剂(COM)对比可知,在210℃时,氟掺杂催化剂的活性提高了35%,并于240℃时NO的脱除率达到了98.6%.通过X射线衍射试验(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、比表面积测试(BET)、光电子能谱分析(XPS)以及H_2程序升温还原(H_2-TPR)等表征技术显示氟掺杂引起催化剂SCR活性提升主要与催化剂活性成分的良好分散性、粒子尺寸减小、比表面积及孔容增大、更强的氧化还原能力有关.另外,通过试验研究表明,氟掺杂催化剂不仅提升了SCR活性,拓宽了活性温度范围,而且还增强了抗硫与抗水性能.     

Temperature‐programmed capillary high‐performance liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry for analysis of fatty acid methyl esters

A new capillary high‐performance liquid chromatography method with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry was developed for the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters and long‐chain alcohols. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a Zorbax SB‐C18 HPLC column (0.3 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and formic acid and delivered isocratically at a flow rate of 10 μL/min. The column temperature was programmed simply, using a common column oven. Good reproducibility of the temperature profile and retention times were achieved. The temperature programming during the isocratic high‐performance liquid chromatography run had a similar effect as a solvent gradient; it reduced retention times of later eluting analytes and improved their detection limits. Two atmospheric pressure chemical ionization sources of the mass spectrometry detector were compared: an enclosed conventional ion source and an in‐house made ion source with a glass microchip nebulizer. The enclosed source provided better detectability of saturated fatty acid methyl esters and made it possible to determine the double bond positions using acetonitrile‐related adducts, while the open chip‐based source provided better analytical figures of merit for unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters. Temperature‐programmed capillary high‐performance liquid chromatography is a promising method for analyzing neutral lipids in lipidomics and other applications.     

Design of liquid crystals with ‘de Vries-like’ properties: the effect of an ethynyl spacer in the core structure

We investigate the origins of ‘de Vries-like’ liquid crystalline behaviour by introducing an ethynyl spacer in the core of the tricarbosilane-terminated 5-phenylpyrimidine mesogens QL16-6 and QL17-6. The rationale for this structural change is based on the assumption that an ethynyl spacer would create more free volume in the core sub-layer and therefore decrease the orientational order parameter S₂ in the SmA phase. The tricarbosilane-terminated mesogens WL41-5 and WL42-6 with a 5-(phenylethynyl)pyrimidine core in either a normal or inverted orientation were synthesised, and their mesomorphic and ‘de Vries-like’ properties characterised using polarised optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, birefringence measurements, small–angle (SAXS) and 2D X-ray scattering. Reduction factors R derived from SAXS and optical tilt angle measurements suggest that neither WL41-5 (R = 0.49) nor WL42-6 (R = 0.80) exhibit ‘de Vries-like’ properties. The S₂(T) profiles show an increase in orientational order with decreasing temperature and a sharp discontinuity at the SmA-SmC transition, which is consistent with ‘de Vries-like’ behaviour. However, the L_eff(T) profiles suggest an increase in interdigitation that reduces the positive effect of increasing S₂ in compensating for the molecular tilt.     

High performance LCD for augmented reality and virtual reality displays

For augmented reality and virtual reality displays, high-resolution density, high luminance, and fast response time are critically needed. High-resolution density helps eliminate the screen-door effect; high luminance and fast response time enable low duty ratio operation, which plays a key role for suppressing image blurs. By using a low viscosity material and new diamond-shaped electrode configuration, we demonstrate a fringe field switching liquid crystal display, abbreviated as d-FFS LCD, with high transmittance, fast grey-to-grey response time, low operation voltage, wide viewing angle, and indistinguishable colour shift and gamma shift. We also investigate the rubbing angle (α) effects on transmittance and response time. When α = 0°, the virtual wall effect is strong, resulting in fast response time but compromised transmittance. When α ≥ 1.2°, the virtual walls disappear, as a result, the transmittance increases dramatically, but the trade-off is in slower response time.     

联苯类对映体在纤维素类手性固定相上的高效液 相色谱法直接拆分

涂敷纤维素-三(3,5-二甲基苯基氨基甲酸酯)于自制的球形氨丙基硅胶上,制备了手性固定相。用该固定相直接拆分了一系列外消旋联苯类保肝药物。考察了柱温和流动相中乙醇含量对样品的保留和立体选择性的影响,升高柱温或增大流动相中乙醇含量都会使对映体的保留因子和分离因子降低。氨考察榈的分离因子的对数与温度的倒数成线性关系。确定了对映体从流动相传递到固定相的吉布斯自由能变之差值、焓变之差值及熵变之差值。     

Analytical challenges and the development of biomarkers to measure and to monitor the effects of ocean acidification

Changing ocean-carbonate chemistry caused by oceanic uptake of anthropogenic atmospheric carbon dioxide leads to the formation of carbonic acid, thus lowering the pH of the sea with predictions of a decrease from current levels at 8.15 to 7.82 by the end of the century. The exact measurement of subtle pH changes in seawater over time presents significant analytical challenges, as the equilibrium constants are governed by water temperature and pressure, salinity effects, and the existence of other ionic species in seawater.Here, we review these challenges and how pH also affects dissolved inorganic and organic chemicals that affect biological systems. This includes toxic compounds (xenobiotics) as well as chemicals that are beneficial for marine organisms, such as the chemical signals (i.e. pheromones) that are utilized to coordinate animal behavior. We review how combining analytical, molecular and biochemical tools can lead to the development of biosensors to detect pH effects to enable predictive modeling of the ecological consequences of ocean acidification.     

An investigation of microbore reverse-phase columns containing 3 μm packing materials

A procedure for packing 15 cm × 1 mm id reverse-phase microbore columns with 3 μm silicas obtained from different manufacturers is described. The speed of analysis and detection limits are compared to those obtained with a 50 cm × 1 mm id column packed with 10 μm ODS. The effect of detector time constant on the system, and flow rates on column efficiency are also examined.