Silver Nanoparticles in Polyacrylamide and Hyperbranched Polyamine Matrix

Silver nanoparticles have been prepared in a polyacrylamide (PA) matrix, as well as in the presence of a hyperbranched polyamine/polyacrylamide combined system (HB‐PA) by using a reductive technique. The stability of colloidal solution of silver nanoparticles is higher (5 months) in combined matrix compared to PA alone (4 months). The prepared silver nanoparticles were characterized by different spectroscopic and analytical techniques such as FTIR, UV‐visible, X‐ray diffraction, TEM etc. TEM and XRD studies confirmed the formation of well‐dispersed nanoparticles with an average size of 9.91 nm and 8.5 nm for PA and HB‐PA matrices, respectively. The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles in both the matrices was tested against Bacillus Subtilis bacteria by using the diffusion disc technique. The result shows that the antibacterial activity of the active agent, Ag(0) is a little higher in the case of HB‐PA system. The dielectric constant of the matrices decreases with an increase in frequency, but the values increase with an increase of concentration of silver nanoparticles in PA matrix.     

The liquid crystal properties of symmetric and non-symmetric dimers based on the azobenzene mesogenic group

A novel system of symmetric and non-symmetric dimers containing azobenzene groups has been synthesized and studied in an attempt to understand further the molecular origins of the intercalated smectic phases. For the non-symmetric dimers, the lack of symmetry was derived solely from the differences in length of the two terminal alkyl chains. Both the spacer and terminal chain lengths were varied. The spacer length was found to exert a profound influence on the clearing temperatures of these materials and a large odd-even effect was observed for the series. The smectic A phase stability was observed to increase with the terminal chain length, yet decrease with increasing spacer length. X-ray diffraction has revealed the structure of the smectic A phase of both the symmetric and non-symmetric azobenzene dimers to be of the monolayer type and not intercalated. The existence of the intercalated phase has previously been explained in terms of either a charge-transfer interaction, or by an electrostatic quadrupolar interaction. However, it has been thought that it may also be the result of an excluded volume or space filling constraint. For the non-symmetric liquid crystal dimers described here, a charge-transfer interaction should be minimal, as should the stabilization from the quadrupolar interaction between the two mesogens. However, it appears that some sort of specific interaction is required to stabilize the intercalated structure.     

Optical studies of dynamic director configurations in ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

An investigation into the transmission spectrum of a ferroelectric liquid crystal device is undertaken. This is done both for an initial static state and during a switching process. Comparisons are made between experimental data and theoretical predictions. The dynamic internal director configurations in the device is shown to be consistent with a simple model during both monopolar and bipolar addressing pulses.     

Enzyme-free and DNA-based universal platform for the construction of various logic devices based on graphene oxide and G-quadruplex

In the fields of biocomputing and biomolecular, DNA molecules are applicable to be regarded as data of logical computing platform that uses elaborate logic gates to perform a variety of tasks. Graphene oxide (GO) is a type of novel nanomaterial, which brings new research focus to materials science and biosensors due to its special selectivity and excellent quenching ability. G-quadruplex as a unique DNA structure stimulates the intelligent application of DNA assembly on the strength of its exceptional binding activity. In this paper, we report a universal logic device assisted with GO and G-quadruplex under an enzyme-free condition. Integrated with the quenching ability of GO to the TAMRA (fluorophore, Carboxytetramethylrhodamine) and the enhancement of fluorescence intensity produced by the peculiar binding of G-quadruplex to the NMM (N-methylmesoporphyrin IX), a series of basic binary logic gates (AND. OR. INHIBIT. XOR) have been designed and verified through biological experiments. Given the modularity and programmability of this strategy, two advanced logic gates (half adder and half subtractor) were realized on the basis of the same work platform. The fluorescence signals generated from different input combinations possessed satisfactory results, which provided proof of feasibility. We believe that the proposed universal logical platform that operates at the nanoscale is expected to be utilized for future applications in molecular computing as well as disease diagnosis.     

Molecular dynamics in a miscible polyester blend

The dynamic mechanical and dielectric spectra of a miscible polyester and polycarbonate blend are investigated with emphasis on the latter technique. It was found that relaxation spectra for the blends from both techniques are broader than those of the constituent homopolymers. This is ascribed to greater intermolecular coupling and concentration fluctuations within the blends. The composition at which the greatest coupling occurs is dependent on the relaxation technique used and is skewed towards the component which shows the highest degree of intermolecular coupling. A number of parameters, such as relaxation time of the polymer molecules in the blend and relaxation strength, are compared as a function of reduced temperature (experimental temperature scaled by the glass transition temperature). Whereas blend behavior is generally intermediate between that of the homopolymers, it appears as though mobility of compositions with low polyester content have a greater relaxation time and possess a higher activation energy when compared to a simple, weighted average of the corresponding homopolymer values. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Comparison of electron spin resonance probe and dielectric relaxation in physically and chemically crosslinked polymers

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy in the frequency range from 10⁻² Hz to 10⁶ Hz and electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments are employed to study the dynamics in chemically and physically crosslinked networks. As examples for physically crosslinked networks ortho- and para-cresol novolacs were investigated. Dielectrically these materials show low-temperature β- and high-temperature α-relaxation. Both relaxation regions differ for both types of novolacs. This is also reflected by the ESR measurements and is discussed in terms of different hydrogen bonds found to be stronger in para-cresol novolac. For the chemically crosslinked poly(triallyl isocyanurate) only a β-peak is found by the dielectric measurements. Also in the ESR experiment the slow motion regime is characterized up to high temperatures. This means that the segmental motion is strongly suppressed by chemical crosslinking. Nevertheless the obtained change in the formal T_50G value can be used to characterize the glass transition in highly crosslinked systems by the ESR method.     

Dielectric Properties of Colossal-Dielectric-Constant Na1/2La1/2Cu3Ti4O12 Ceramics Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering

In the current study, we report on the dielectric behavior of colossal-dielectric-constant Na_1/2La_1/2Cu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (NLCTO) ceramics prepared by mechanochemical synthesis and spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 850 °C, 900 °C, and 925 °C for 10 min. X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that all the ceramics have a cubic phase. Scanning electron microscope observations revealed an increase in the average grain size from 175 to 300 nm with an increase in the sintering temperature. SPS NLCTO ceramics showed a room-temperature colossal dielectric constant (>10³) and a comparatively high dielectric loss (>0.1) over most of the studied frequency range (1 Hz–40 MHz). Two relaxation peaks were observed in the spectra of the electrical modulus and attributed to the response of grain and grain boundary. According to the Nyquist plots of complex impedance, the SPS NLCTO ceramics have semiconductor grains surrounded by electrically resistive grain boundaries. The colossal dielectric constant of SPS NLCTO ceramics was attributed to the internal barrier layer capacitance (IBLC) effect. The high dielectric loss is thought to be due to the low resistivity of the grain boundary of SPS NLCTO.     

交变电场作用下骨表面温升的实验研究

骨具有力电性质,这一性质可促进骨组织生长。骨既是生理器官又是介电材料,在交变电场作用下,其表现行为可能有生理作用。为此,本文测量了骨悬臂梁试样在交变电场下的表面温升与顶端挠度。发现在电压70V,频率为10~70kHz的交流电场下,最大表面温升达到2~4℃,最大挠度变化为9.0~78.7μm;在频率10kHz,电压为70~175V的交流电场下,最大表面温升达到4~6℃,最大挠度变化为13.0~114.3μm。同时测量了两种经典介电材料有机玻璃和聚乙烯在交变电场下的温升与顶端挠度,最大温升低于0.5℃,但是挠度与骨试样相当,所以相对高温升是骨特有的性质。将交流电压有效值替换成相同幅值的直流电压时,最大温升也低于0.5℃,基本没有挠度变化,所以相对的高温升反映了骨的交流性质。分析后认为,骨在交变电场作用下的温升由胶原的介电损耗引起。实验数据显示,骨在交变电场下,表面温度变化与加载电压的平方成正比,且在实验加载的10~70kHz频段内,骨的介电常数随频率的变化明显。     

基于互连线电容耦合的SR锁存电路研究

通过对线间电容耦合模型的研究, 提出了一种基于互连线电容耦合的SR锁存电路设计方案. 该方案首先分析互连线间电容耦合关系, 利用MOS管栅极电容模拟互连线电容; 然后利用电容耦合结构与线计算特性, 设计或非逻辑门电路, 在此基础上实现基于互连线电容耦合的SR锁存电路; 最后在TSMC 65nm Spectre环境下仿真验证. 结果表明 所设计的电路逻辑功能正 确, 且具有低硬件开销特性.     

Partially crystallized Pd nanoparticles decorated TiO2 prepared by atmospheric-pressure cold plasma and its enhanced photocatalytic performance

TiO2 decorated with partially crystallized Pd nanoparticles （Pd/TiO2-P） was successfully prepared by atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge cold plasma. The XRD and XPS analyses proved that Pd ions were reduced to partially crystallized metallic Pd nanoparticles in Pd/TiO2-P. The XPS spectra also indicated that an enhanced metal-support interaction was formed due to the existence of partially crystallized Pd nanoparticles with lower coordination number in Pd/TiO2-P. Photocatalytic activity of Pd/TiO2-P was much higher than that of TiO2 samples decorated with well crystallized Pd nanoparticles.