Heterochain model for simultaneous long‐chain branching and crosslinking. III. Multicomponent polymerization

The matrix formula developed in the context of heterochain theory, M?_w = M?_wp + WF ( I ? M )^?1 S , was applied to describe the molecular weight development during free‐radical multicomponent polymerization. All of the required probabilistic parameters are expressed in terms of the kinetic‐rate constants and the various concentrations associated with them. In free‐radical polymerization, the number of heterochain types, N, needs to be extrapolated to infinity, and such extrapolation is conducted with only three different N values. This matrix formula can be used as a benchmark test if other approximate approaches can give reasonable estimates of the weight‐average molecular weights. The moment equations with the average pseudo‐kinetic‐rate constants for branching and crosslinking reactions may provide poor estimates when the copolymer composition drift during polymerization is very significant. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2801–2812, 2004     

High-throughput characterization of local conductivity of Nd0.9Ca0.1Ba2Cu3O7−δ thin film by the low-temperature scanning microwave microscope

We developed a scanning microwave microscope (SμM) designed for high-throughput electric-property screening as well as for rapid construction of electronic phase diagrams at low temperatures. As a sensor probe, we used a high-Qλ/4 coaxial cavity resonator to which a thin needle with ball-tip end was attached. The sensor module was mounted on the low-temperature XYZ stage, which allowed us to map out the change of resonance frequency and quality factor due to the local tip-sample interaction at low temperatures. From the measurements of combinatorial thin films, such as Ti_1−xCo_xO_2−δ and Nd_0.9Ca_0.1Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ (NCBCO), it was demonstrated that this SμM system has enough performance for the high-throughput characterization of sample conductance under variable temperature conditions.     

Development and features of hydro-membrane gas chromatography.

Hydro-membrane gas chromatography (HMGC) is achieved by the annular condensation of water in a capillary column at less than 70 degrees C. The annular membrane of water is formed as a result of the wettability of the stationary phase, which is induced at a water contact angle ranging from 75 degrees to 79 degrees, as derived from a solubility parameter (delta) range of 15.7 +/- 0.3 MPa(1/2) of the coated resin. The range of the liquid to gas volume ratio (beta) required to support the annular membrane should be kept between 0.00005 and 0.0003. In the case of a 0.25-mm i.d. column, the ratio can be set by the combination of a 0.1 to 0.2 microl min(-1) water supply rate and helium gas flow rate. Separation by HMGC develops not only a gas-solid partition but also a focusing effect on the water membrane. One feature of HMGC is that it gives a non-adsorption chromatogram based on the blocking effect of pre-adsorbed water; furthermore, despite the presence of a relatively large quantity of water, the electron impact ionization efficiency is kept the same as in the usual GC/MS condition. The detection limit with the injection of 1 microl of aquatic solution was estimated to be less than 0.1 ppb of low-molecular-weight fatty acids with s/n = 5 on a mass chromatogram at m/z 45. The HMGC/EI-MS system can be applied to the trace analysis of C1 to C3 volatile acids, volatile inorganic acids, and halogenated organic acids in water.     

Superhydrophobic perpendicular nanopin film by the bottom-up process

We first fabricated the superhydrophobic film with a water contact angle of 178 degrees based on a perpendicular nanopin fractal structure by a bottom-up process. Until now, only materials with an original water contact angle larger than 90 degrees , which is classified as hydrophobicity, could be used to fabricate the superhydrophobic film (>170 degrees ) according to the possible fractal structure by a top-down process. Now, in this work, a water contact angle of about 178 degrees can be achieved using a lauric acid-coated film with an original contact angle of 75 degrees , which is classified as hydrophilicity, based on an ideal fractal structure for the superhydrophobic surface which is fabricated by the nanosize pin with 6.5 nm diameter.     

Crystal structures ofcatena-[diligatocadmium(II) tetra-μ-cyanocadmate(II)] host clathrates: Diamminecadmium(II) tetracyanocadmate(II)-benzene(1/2), diamminecadmium(II) tetracyanocadmate(II)-aniline(1/2), ethylenediaminecadmium(II) tetracyanocadmate(II)-aniline(1/2), and a novel type bis(aniline)cadmium(II) tetracyanocadmate(II)-aniline(2/1)

The crystal structures of the four title clathrate compounds Cd(NH₃)₂Cd(CN)₄ · 2C₆H₆,I, Cd(NH₃)₂Cd(CN)₄ · 2C₆H₅NH₂,II, Cd(NH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂)Cd(CN)₄ · 2 C₆H₅NH₂,III, and Cd(C₆H₅NH₂)₂Cd(CN)₄ · 0.5C₆H₅NH₂,IV, have been analyzed by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. CompoundI crystallizes in the monoclinic space groupC2/c,a = 12.063(2),b = 12.174(2),c = 14.621(1) Å,β = 90.976(9)°,Z = 4,R = 0.042 for 2388 reflections;II: monoclinic C₂/c,a = 12.1951(9),b = 12.078(1),c = 14.6921(7) Å,β = 93.436(5)°,Z = 4,R = 0.039 for 2374 reflections;III: monoclinicCc,a = 11.027(1),b = 12.0767(9),c = 15.837(1) Å,β = 92.059(9)°,Z = 4,R = 0.041 for 2883 reflections; andIV: monoclinicP2₁/n,a = 15.169(2),b = 16.019(2),c = 8.866(1) Å,β = 95.73(1)°,Z = 4,R = 0.052 for 3612 reflections. The three-dimensionalcatena-[diamminecadmium(II) tetra-μ-cyanocadmate(II)] hosts ofI andII are substantially isostructural to that of the already known Hofmann-Td-type Cd(NH₃)₂Hg(CN)₄ · 2C₆H₆. The three-dimensional en-Td-typecatena-[catena-μ-ethylenediaminecadmium(II) tetra-μ-cyanocadmate(II)] host ofIII, reinforced by the catena-μ-en linking between the octahedral Cd atoms, accommodates the aniline as the guest with a monoclinic distortion from the tetragonal symmetry of the previously reported en-Td-type benzene clathrate. InIV dual behavior of aniline, one as the unidentate ligand in the three-dimensional host and the other as the guest in the cage-like cavity, has been demonstrated.     

Fabrication of mesoporous ZnO nanosheets from precursor templates grown in aqueous solutions

Mesoporous ZnO nanosheets were successfully prepared by pyrolytic transformation of zinc carbonate hydroxide hydrate, Zn₄CO₃(OH)₆·H₂O. The nanosheets were initially formed as assemblies on glass substrates during chemical bath deposition (CBD) in aqueous solutions of urea and zinc acetate dihydrate, zinc chloride, zinc nitrate hexahydrate, or zinc sulfate heptahydrate at 80°C. It was key to induce heterogeneous nucleation of Zn₄CO₃(OH)₆·H₂O by promoting a gradual hydrolysis reaction of urea and controlling the degree of supersaturation of zinc hydroxide species. Morphology of Zn₄CO₃(OH)₆·H₂O was largely influenced by the anions present in the CBD solutions. The Zn₄CO₃(OH)₆·H₂O nanosheets were transformed into wurtzite ZnO by heating at 300°C in air without losing the microstructural feature.     

Nmr spectroscopic studies on the tautomerism in tenuazonic acid analogs

Nmr spectra of structural analogs of tenuazonic acid such as 3-acetyltetramic acid, 3-acetyltetronic acid, 3-acetylthiotetronic acid and others were investigated for elucidation of the tautomeric structures. These compounds have completely enolized β,β′-triketone systems, and the position of the nmr signals for the enolic proton shows that the strength of their intramolecular hydrogen-bonding is weaker than those of acyclic β,β′-triketones and six-membered cyclic triketones. The assignment was made for nmr signals split by the difference of the diamagnetic anisotropic effect in each tautomers. The percentages of each of the tautomers were calculated from the intensities of the corresponding nmr signals. The results were confirmed by means of ¹³C-nmr spectroscopy.