Magnetic poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) microspheres by dispersion and inverse emulsion polymerization

The aim of this study was to develop novel thermally responsive polymer microspheres with magnetic properties. Dispersion and inverse emulsion copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) was investigated in the presence of γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The resulting microspheres were characterized in terms of morphology, size, polydispersity, iron content, and temperature‐dependent swelling using optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, QELS, and AAS. The effects of several variables, such as the concentration of γ‐Fe₂O₃, MBAAm crosslinking agent, Span 80 surfactant, 2,2′‐azobis(2‐methyloctanenitrile) (AMON) initiator, and polymerization temperature on the properties of the microspheres were studied. Swelling and thermoresponsive behavior of the microspheres containing γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were also investigated. The microspheres contained about 8 wt % of iron. The presence of magnetic nanoparticles and their concentration changes did not have any significant effect on the temperature sensitivity of the composites. The particles gradually shrink into an increasingly collapsed state when the temperature is raised to 40 °C since the increase in temperature weakens the hydration and PNIPAAm chains gradually become more hydrophobic, which leads to the collapse of the particles. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5884–5898, 2007     

Time structure of iodine laser pulse in the free running mode of operation

Time structure of iodine laser pulse in the free running mode of operation was studied using the power amplifier of laser system PERUN as the laser oscillator. Two characteristic shapes of laser pulse correspond to different regimes of laser operation, the existence of which is ascribed to the critical concentration of I₂ molecules. Simultaneously an additional chemical pumping was proved at least in the initial phase of photodissociation and in a late-time lasing after the end of flashlamps pumping light.     

Expected Reflection Distance in G(r, 1, n) after a Fixed Number of Reflections

Extending to r > 1 a formula of the authors, we compute the expected reflection distance of a product of t random reflections in the complex reflection group G(r, 1, n). The result relies on an explicit decomposition of the reflection distance function into irreducible G(r, 1, n)-characters and on the eigenvalues of certain adjacency matrices.Received December 8, 2003     

The Interaction of Shocks with Dispersive Waves II. Incompressible-Integrable Limit

This is the second in a two-part series of articles in which we analyze a system similar in structure to the well-known Zakharov equations from weak plasma turbulence theory, but with a nonlinear conservation equation allowing finite time shock formation. In this article we analyze the incompressible limit in which the shock speed is large compared to the underlying group velocity of the dispersive wave (a situation typically encountered in applications). After presenting some exact solutions of the full system, a multiscale perturbation method is used to resolve several basic wave interactions. The analysis breaks down into two categories: the nonlinear limit and the linear limit, corresponding to the form of the equations when the group velocity to shock speed ratio, denoted by ε, is zero. The former case is an integrable limit in which the model reduces to the cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation governing the dispersive wave envelope. We focus on the interaction of a “fast” shock wave and a single hump soliton. In the latter case, the ε=0 problem reduces to the linear Schrödinger equation, and the focus is on a fast shock interacting with a dispersive wave whose amplitude is cusped and exponentially decaying. To motivate the time scales and structure of the shock-dispersive wave interactions at lowest orders, we first analyze a simpler system of ordinary differential equations structurally similar to the original system. Then we return to the fully coupled partial differential equations and develop a multiscale asymptotic method to derive the effective leading-order shock equations and the leading-order modulation equations governing the phase and amplitude of the dispersive wave envelope. The leading-order interaction equations admit a fairly complete analysis based on characteristic methods. Conditions are derived in which: (a) the shock passes through the soliton, (b) the shock is completely blocked by the soliton, or (c) the shock reverses direction. In the linear limit, a phenomenon is described in which the dispersive wave induces the formation of a second, transient shock front in the rapidly moving hyperbolic wave. In all cases, we can characterize the long-time dynamics of the shock. The influence of the shock on the dispersive wave is manifested, to leading order, in the generalized frequency of the dispersive wave: the fast-time part of the frequency is the shock wave itself. Hence, the frequency undergoes a sudden jump across the shock layer.In the last section, a sequence of numerical experiments depicting some of the interesting interactions predicted by the analysis is performed on the leading-order shock equations.     

From monomeric to polymeric ferroelectric liquid crystals A comparative study of ferroelectric properties

Two new ferroelectric oligosiloxanes, a cyclic tetramer and a twin, have been synthesized. By a comparative study with their corresponding monomer and side chain polysiloxanes, the influence of oligo- and polymerization on the liquid crystalline and ferroelectric properties have been investigated. Polymerization leads to a stabilization of LC phases through increase of the clearing temperatures and suppression of crystallization. Oligomerization also leads to mesophase broadening, but, due to the low degree of polymerization, the effect is inferior to the linear polysiloxanes. The low viscosity of the oligosiloxanes ensures response times in the microsecond region, thus being comparable with their monomer and conventional LMWFLCs. It is found that polymerization increases the spontaneous polarization P_s. This is attributed to the density increase after polymerization, enhancing the inter-mesogenic interactions. The collective and local dynamics of the OFLCs are influenced differently with respect to their molecular structures. Each oligomer is already a good model for its corresponding polymer concerning the soft mode dynamics. For the local β-relaxation a similar temperature dependence of the relaxation times τ for the cyclic tetramer and for the side chain polysiloxanes is observed. The long axial rotation of the twin, having a very efficient decoupling, is significantly faster, thus resembling the monomer.     

Synthesis and applications of chiral bis-THF in asymmetric synthesis

The synthesis of enantiopure bis-THF is described, starting from d-mannitol. Bis-THF is used as chiral ligand for organolithium reagents in four different reactions. The enantioselectivity provided by this ligand is moderate, and the asymmetric induction is in line with the expected model.     

Bestmögliche innere Schalengleichungen für schubweiche Werkstoffe unter Berücksichtigung von Dickenänderungen

Übersicht Konsistente Schalentheorien lassen sich in einer besonders anschaulichen Weise durch lineare Approximation der Erhaltungssätze eines als Multi-Direktor-Körper beschriebenen, dreidimensionalen Kontinuums herleiten. Im vorliegenden Beitrag entstchen auf diesem Wege bestmögliche, in Geschwindigkeiten formulierte innere Schalengleichungen für beliebig große Deformationen und willkürliche, in eine Leistungsaussage einpaßbare Materialgesetze. Dabei finden Schub- und Querdeformationen Berücksichtigung. Der optimale Charakter der Schalentheorie mit gleichen Unschärfen in allen Einzelbeziehungen wird durch den Herleitungsgang sichergestellt und durch Einschrankungen mittels lokaler Tensornormen bewiesen.

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Best interior shell equations including transverse shear deformations and thickness changes

Summary Consistent shell theories can be derived in a particular correct manner by linear approximation of conservation laws of a three-dimensional continuum, described as a multi-director-body. In the present paper best interior shell equations-formulated in velocities—are developed, valid for arbitrarily large deformations and rather optional material laws, incorporating shear distorsions and thickness changes. The optimal character of the theory is guaranteed by the derivation process and proven by bounding techniques using tensor norms.