Microwave‐assisted polycondensation of 4‐octylaniline with dibromoarylene

The Pd‐catalyzed polycondensation of 4‐octylaniline with various dibromoarylenes was carried out under microwave heating. Microwave heating led to a decrease in the reaction time and an increase in the molecular weight of the polymers as compared to conventional heating. Microwave heating also allowed the catalyst loading to be reduced to 1 mol %, yielding polymerization results that were comparable to those under conventional heating and 5 mol % catalyst. Investigations regarding field‐effect transistors and organic photovoltaic cells using the obtained poly(arylamine) with azobenzene units revealed that increasing the molecular weight of the polymer led to improved device performance, including hole mobility and power conversion efficiency. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 536–542     

Measurement of intense microwave field patterns using a neon glow indicator lamp

A novel method using small neon glow lamps with electrodes is developed for measuring intense microwave field patterns. When the lamp axis coincide with the electric field direction, the lamp discharge starts at the feeblest microwave electric field strength. Therefore, the lamp axis shows the field direction and the discharge starting indicates the field strength. The field strength for starting the microwave discharge is less than the strength for AC discharge, because of its low loss discharge mechanism. In the experiments using a microwave oven, it has been demonstrated again comparing with the simulated results that the method is able to use for measuring the intense electric field strength and direction.     

Simultaneous imaging of the structure and fluorescence of a supramolecular nanostructure formed by the coupling of π‐conjugated polymer chains in the intermolecular interaction

We fabricated a micrometer‐long supramolecular chain in which π‐conjugated polyrotaxane was coupled. A new experimental setup was designed and constructed, and the simultaneous direct imaging of the structure and fluorescent function was achieved. Furthermore, we identified the formation of a polymer intertwined network and observed novel fluorescence due to a long‐range interaction via this intertwined network over a distance of 5 μm or more without quenching over 15 min in the near field. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 801–809, 2006     

Hydration Structure Around the Carboxyl Group Studied by Neutron Diffraction with 12C/13C and H/D Isotopic Substitution Methods

Time-of-Flight (TOF) neutron diffraction measurements have been carried out on aqueous 8 mol% sodium acetate solutions in D₂O. Scattering cross sections that were observed for sample solutions involving ¹²C/¹³C and H/D isotopically substituted acetate ions were used to derive the first-order difference functions, Δ_H(Q) and Δ_C(Q), and corresponding distribution functions, G _H(r;r) and G _C(r;r), which describe the environmental structure around the methyl and the carboxyl groups within the acetate ion, respectively. Structural parameters concerning the first hydration shell of the carboxyl group within the acetate ion were obtained through the least squares fit to the observed intermolecular difference function, Δ_C ^inter(Q). The nearest neighbor C _O...D _W1 (C_O: carboxyl carbon atom, D_W1: water deuterium atom) distance, r(C _O...D _W1 ), and the angle, ∠ C _O ...D _W1 -O _W (O _W : water oxygen atom), were determined to be 2.63(1) Å and 120(1)°, respectively. The coordination number, n(C _O ...D _W1 ), was obtained to be 4.0(1). These results are consistent with the hydration structure in which water molecules in the first hydration shell of the carboxyl group are hydrogen-bonded with oxygen atoms of the carboxyl group.     

Effect of adsorbed water on the electrorheology of silica suspensions

Monodisperse silica particles were formed by hydrolyzing tetraethylorthosilicate in an ethanol solution and the silica suspensions dispersed in a silicone oil were prepared by a different procedure. The effects of adsorbed water on the electrorheological (ER) behavior were studied under oscillatory shear. The amounts of adsorbed water and surface silanol groups were determined by thermogravimetric analysis. The magnitude of the complex viscosity, |η^*|, increases with the application of electric fields. The physically adsorbed water is primarily responsible for the ER effect. However, the fluids containing large amounts of adsorbed water do not always show excellent ER performance. The surface silanol groups have an important role in promoting the ER effect. Not only the amount but also the situation of silanol groups determines the ER activity of adsorbed water.     

Magnesium-butadiene addition compounds: Isolation,structural analysis and chemical reactivity

The magnesium-butadiene 1 : 1 (1), 1 : 2 (II) and 1 : 3 addition compounds obtained by the direct metalation of butadiene with metallic magnesium were isolated. These compounds have a polymeric structure. Structural analysis of these compounds by NMR and IR methods was carried out. The process for the formation of II via I and III via II was investigated. The results of protolysis and alkylation of the above magnesium compounds corresponded well to those of crotylmagnesium compounds.     

Surface Modification of Fine Particles with a SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Film by Using a Polyhedral-Barrel Sputtering System

Fine particles were modified with a thin film of SnO₂ by using a barrel sputtering system that is a dry process. The conditions for the preparation of SnO₂ were studied by reactive sputtering onto a glass plate substrate. The optimal conditions for the preparation of tetragonal SnO₂ were identified as 60% partial oxygen pressure and 1.0 Pa total gas pressure with the substrate at room temperature. Under the optimized conditions, the surfaces of Al flake particles were modified with a thin film of SnO₂. XRD and SEM/EDS analysis of the prepared samples showed that the Al particle surfaces were uniformly modified by a thin film of SnO₂ in all cases. The film thicknesses were 80, 130, and 180 nm at RF outputs of 195, 350, and 490 W. These measured thicknesses coincided with the values estimated from the interference colors of the samples.     

Preparation of Polymer Particles Coated with Hydroxyapatite

Polymer particles coated with hydroxyapatite were prepared by treating Pd0 immobilized polystyrene-co-acrylic acid particles in aqueous CaCl2 and NaH2PO2 solutions. Hydroxyapatite coating took place at neutral to alkaline pH conditions, and the homogeneous growth of the hydroxyapatite layer on the surface of polymer particles was observed at relatively low temperature (30-50 degrees C). The thickness of the hydroxyapatite layer increased with reaction time. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

Distribution of polymer deposition in plasma polymerization. III. Effect of discharge power

Distribution of polymer deposition in an inductively coupled rf discharge system is studied as a function of level of discharge power with acetylene and styrene as monomers. When a fixed flow rate is used, the discharge power has a relatively small effect on the pattern of distribution of polymer deposition as long as values of W/FM, where W is discharge wattage, F is flow rate, and M is molecular weight of monomer, are maintained above a critical level to maintain full glow in the reaction tube. It has been shown that plasma polymerization of two monomers which have different molecular weights can be compared in a fair manner by selecting conditions to yield similar value of W/FM.