Controlling effective interactions and spatial dispersion of nanoparticles in multiblock copolymer melts

The microscopic Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model theory is employed to study, for the first time, the effective interactions, spatial organization, and miscibility of dilute spherical nanoparticles in non‐microphase separating, chemically heterogeneous, compositionally symmetric AB multiblock copolymer melts of varying monomer sequence or architecture. The dependence of nanoparticle wettability on copolymer sequence and chemistry results in interparticle potentials‐of‐mean force that are qualitatively different from homopolymers. An important prediction is the ability to improve nanoparticle dispersion via judicious choice of block length and monomer adsorption‐strengths which control both local surface segregation and chain connectivity induced packing constraints and frustration. The degree of dispersion also depends strongly on nanoparticle diameter relative to the block contour length. Small particles in copolymers with longer block lengths experience a more homopolymer‐like environment which renders them relatively insensitive to copolymer chemical heterogeneity and hinders dispersion. Larger particles (sufficiently larger than the monomer diameter) in copolymers of relatively short block lengths provide better dispersion than either a homopolymer or random copolymer. The theory also predicts a novel widening of the miscibility window for large particles upon increasing the overall molecular weight of copolymers composed of relatively long blocks. The influence of a positive chi‐parameter in the pure copolymer melt is briefly studied. Quantitative application to fullerenes in specific copolymers of experimental interest is performed, and miscibility predictions are made. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 1098–1111     

Parametric oscillation at 2.1 μm in periodically poled RbTiOAsO4

An Nd:YAG laser-pumped periodically poled RbTiOAsO₄ (PPRTA) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) near degeneracy is reported. At a pump power of 3.7 W, a net conversion efficiency of 43% was obtained. These crystals were found to be phase-matchable for the higher order quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation (SHG) in the visible range. Detailed analyses of the phase-matching properties for these processes were made by using the published Sellmeier and thermo-optic dispersion formulas.     

Thermal decomposition of a generation 4.5 PAMAM dendrimer platinum drug conjugate

A nanoscale multivalent platinum drug based on a poly(amidoamine) [PAMAM] dendrimer (generation 4.5, carboxylate surface) has been synthesized and fully characterized using a variety of spectroscopic, chromatographic and thermal methods. Treatment of the dendrimer with an aqueous solution containing an excess diaquo(cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II) produces a conjugate containing approximately forty (diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II) moieties at the surface of the dendrimer. This material undergoes smooth two-stage thermal decomposition to provide residual platinum oxide reflecting the platinum loading in the drug.     

Quark mass corrections to the perturbative thrust and its effect on the determination of αs

We consider the effects of quark masses to the perturbative thrust in e ⁺ e ⁻ annihilation. In particular we show that perturbative power corrections resulting from non-zero quark masses considerably alters the size of the non-perturbative power corrections and consequently, significantly changes the fitted value of α_s.     

Analysis of numerical integration in p-version finite element eigenvalue approximation

We study the effect of numerical integration when the p-version of the finite element method is used to approximate the eigenpairs of elliptic partial differential operators. We obtain optimal orders of convergence for approximate eigenvalues and eigenvectors under a certain set of requirements on the quadrature rules employed. This is the same set of conditions that has been shown (in an earlier work) to be sufficient for the optimal approximation of the solutions of the corresponding source problems.     

Synergistic effect of neutral donors on the extraction of zirconium(IV) by salicylaldoxime in dichloromethane

Liquid-liquid extraction of zirconium(IV) was investigated from dilute hydrochloric acid medium by salicyaldoxime (HA) in dichloromethane. The metal was spiked with ⁹⁵Zr and analyzed by its radioactivity. The effects of different donors, like trioctyl phosphine oxide (TOPO), triphenyl phosphine oxide (TPPO), tributyl phosphine oxide (TBPO), tributyl phosphate (TBP), trioctyl amine (TOA) and Amberlite LA-2 were studied. The adduct formation constants for both binary species (metal-ligand) and ternary species (metal-ligand-donor) were also calculated form the distribution data.One of the authors (S.B.) thanks The University of Burdwan for providing senior research fellowship to her. She also wishes to thank Dr. D. Mukherjee and Dr. S. Bhattacharya, B.U. for their valuable suggestions.     

Dynamic stability of uncertain laminated beams subjected to subtangential loads

Because of the inherent complexity of fiber-reinforced laminated composites, it can be challenging to manufacture composite structures according to their exact design specifications, resulting in unwanted material and geometric uncertainties. Thus the understanding of the effect of uncertainties in laminated structures on their static and dynamic responses is highly important for a reliable design of such structures. In this research, we focus on the probabilistic stability analysis of laminated structures subject to subtangential loading, a combination of conservative and nonconservative tangential loads, using the dynamic criterion. In order to study the dynamic behavior by including uncertainties into the problem, three models were developed: exact Monte Carlo simulation, sensitivity-based Monte Carlo simulation, and probabilistic FEA. These methods were integrated into the existing finite element analysis. Also, perturbation and sensitivity analysis have been used to study nonconservative problems to study the stability analysis using the dynamic criterion.     

Increased Photosensitivity in HL60 Cells Expressing Wild-Type p53

Loss of p53 function has been correlated with decreased sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in a variety of human tumors. Comparable analysis of p53 status with sensitivity to oxidative stress induced by pho-todynamic therapy has not been reported. In the current study we examined photosensitivity in human promye-locytic leukemia HL60 cells exhibiting either wild-type p53, mutated p53 or deleted p53 expression. Experiments were performed using a purpurin, tin ethyl etiopurpurin (SnET2)-, or a porphyrin, Photofrin (PH)-based photo-sensitizer. Total SnET2 accumulation was comparable in all three cell lines. Uptake of PH was highest in cells expressing wild-type p53 but incubation conditions could be adjusted to achieve equivalent cellular PH levels during experiments that analyzed photosensitivity. Survival measurements demonstrated that HL60 cells expressing wild-type p53 were more sensitive to PH- and SnET2-mediated photosensitization, as well as to UVC irradiation, when compared to HL60 cells exhibiting deleted or mutated p53 phenotypes. A rapid apoptotic response was observed following purpurin- and porphyrin-induced photosensitization in all cell lines. Results of this study indicate that photosensitivity is increased in HL60 cells expressing wild-type p53 and that photosensitizer-medi-ated oxidative stress can induce apoptosis through a p53-independent mechanism in HL60 cells .