Healable dual organic–inorganic crosslinked sol–gel based polymers: Crosslinking density and tetrasulfide content effect

In this article, the first generation of healable sol–gel based polymers is reported. A dual organic–inorganic crosslinked network is developed containing non‐reversible crosslinks and reversible (tetrasulfide) groups. The designed polymer architecture allows thermally induced mesoscale flow leading to damage closure followed by interfacial strength restoration due to reformation of the reversible groups. While the reversible bonds are responsible for the flow and the interface restoration, the irreversible crosslinks control the required mechanical integrity during the healing process. The temperature dependent gap closure kinetics is strongly affected by the crosslinking density and tetrasulfide content. Raman spectroscopy is used to explain the gap closure kinetics in air and dry nitrogen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1953–1961     

Cyano terminated tolane compounds for polymer dispersed liquid crystal application: relationship between cyano terminated tolane based molecular structures and electro-optical properties

ABSTRACT

The structures of the liquid crystal (LC) molecules have a key role in impacting the electro-optical performance of a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film. In this paper, the relationship between the LC molecular structures and the electro-optical properties of PDLC films is investigated based on an unexplored cyano-terminated tolane compounds (CTTCs) doped E8 LCs/UV polymers system. Due to the high polarity of CTTCs, LCs doped with the cyano-terminated tolane (CTT) molecules exhibit high birefringence and large positive dielectric anisotropy. On the whole, PDLC films doped with the CTT molecules exhibit a lower driving voltage than that doped with the pure E8. More excitingly, PDLC films based on CTT molecules with larger length-to-width ratio and longer conjugated system show higher contrast ratio (CR) and faster response time. Eventually, the mechanism of the effects of CTT-based molecular structures and the relationship between the electro-optical performance of PDLC films and CTT molecules are illustrated. This work paves a new way for optimising the electro-optical properties of PDLC films.     

Intrinsically microporous polyimides containing spirobisindane and phenazine units: Synthesis,characterization and gas permeation properties

A new diamine containing spirobisindane and phenazine units, namely, 3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐2,2′,3,3′‐tetrahydro‐1,1′‐spirobi[cyclopenta[b]phenazine]‐7,7′‐diamine (TTSBIDA) was synthesized starting from commercially available 5,5′,6,6′‐tetrahydroxy‐3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐1,1′‐spirobisindane (TTSBI). TTSBI was oxidized to 3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐2,2′,3,3′‐tetrahydro‐1,1′‐spirobi[indene]‐5,5′,6,6′‐tetraone (TTSBIQ) which was subsequently condensed with 4‐nitro‐1,2‐phenylenediamine to obtain 3,3,3′,3′‐tetramethyl‐7,7′‐dinitro‐2,2′,3,3′‐tetrahydro‐1,1′‐spirobi[cyclopenta[b]phenazine] (TTSBIDN). TTSBIDN was converted into TTSBIDA by reduction of the nitro groups using hydrazine hydrate in the presence of Pd/C as the catalyst. A series of new polyimides of intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐PIs) were synthesized by polycondensation of TTSBIDA with commercially available aromatic dianhydrides. PIM‐PIs exhibited amorphous nature, high thermal stability (T₁₀ > 480 °C) and intrinsic microporosity (BET surface area = 59–289 m²/g). The gas permeation characteristics of films of selected PIM‐PIs were evaluated and they exhibited appreciable gas permeability as well as high selectivity. The CO₂ and O₂ permeability of PIM‐PIs were in the range 185.4–39.2 and 30.6–6.2 Barrer, respectively. Notably, polyimide derived from TTSBIDA and 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (PIM‐PI‐6FDA) exhibited high CO₂ and O₂ permeability of 185.4 and 30.6 Barrer with CO₂/CH₄ and O₂/N₂ selectivity of 43.1 and 5.1, respectively. The data of PIM‐PI‐6FDA for CO₂/CH₄ and O₂/N₂ gas pairs were located near Robeson upper bound. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 766–775     

Accuracy and CPU time of JE-TLM,PLRC-TLM and CRC-TLM methods for plasma medium

The current density (JE), the piecewise linear recursive convolution (PLRC) and the constant convolution recursive (CRC) techniques are developed and integrated into the transmission line matrix (TLM) algorithm. A comparison of these three schemes according to the criteria of accuracy and CPU time is presented. Numerical experiments show that JE provides the most accurate solution and requires the least CPU time; PLRC is nearly as accurate but consumes more CPU time than CRC.     

Classroom note: Using the binomial series to prove the arithmetic mean–geometric mean inequality

In 1968, Leon Gerber compared (1 + x) ^a to its kth partial sum as a binomial series. His result is stated and, as an application of this result, a proof of the arithmetic mean–geometric mean inequality is presented.     

Optimality theory for semi-infinite linear programming ∗

This paper presents an exhaustive approach to optimality theory in semi-infinite linear programming, placing a special emphasis on generality. After surveying optimality conditions for general problems, a detailed analysis is made of problems in which the coefficients are continuous functions of a parameter which varies on a compact set, adopting a feasible directions approach. Lastly, the case of analytical coefficients over an interval is considered in some detail.     

An Alternative Way to Generalize the Pentagon

We introduce the concept of a pentagonal geometry as a generalization of the pentagon and the Desargues configuration, in the same vein that the generalized polygons share the fundamental properties of ordinary polygons. In short, a pentagonal geometry is a regular partial linear space in which for all points x, the points not collinear with the point x, form a line. We compute bounds on their parameters, give some constructions, obtain some nonexistence results for seemingly feasible parameters and suggest a cryptographic application related to identifying codes of partial linear spaces.     

High-birefringence nematic liquid crystal for broadband THz applications

Liquid crystals (LCs) have been studied extensively in the visible range for their dielectric tunability, and the characterisation in the terahertz (THz) range has gained increasing interest due to the need for active THz modulation and switching devices. In this paper, we use THz time-domain spectroscopy to measure the frequency-dependent birefringence and the absorption coefficient of a number of commercial and non-commercial nematic LCs, including E7, BL037, MDA-98-1602, LCMS-107, GT3-23001 and 1825, over a range of bias voltages at room temperature. Furthermore, several basic components of LC mixture are analysed to establish their contributions to birefringence and theoretical model is used to fit the absorption spectra. The large tunability and low loss measured for a range of samples show that the LCs are useful tunable dielectrics for compact, efficient and broadband THz devices.