Synthesis and optical properties of a poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) derivative and polyfluorenes with bipolar groups along the main chain

A poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) derivative (PPV–TPA)] and a series of statistical copolyfluorenes (PF–TPA)] containing oxadiazole and triphenylamine segments along the main chain were synthesized by the Heck reaction and nickel‐mediated coupling, respectively. The PF–TPA copolyfluorenes with relatively low contents of oxadiazole and triphenylamine units were readily soluble in common organic solvents, whereas the other copolyfluorenes displayed lower solubility. PPV–TPA showed excellent solubility in solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), dichloromethane, chloroform, and toluene. Thin films of the polymers absorbed light in the range of 375–396 nm and had optical band gaps of 2.76–2.98 eV. They emitted blue‐green light with a maximum at 414–522 nm. The fluorescence quantum yields in THF solutions were 0.08–0.53. The copolyfluorene PF–TPA thin films with high contents of oxadiazole and triphenylamine moieties emitted pure blue light that remained stable even after annealing at 150 °C for 4 h in air. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3556–3566, 2006     

Coulometric titration of copper(II) with electro-generated chromium(II)

The current efficiency for the electrogeneration of chromium(II) for use as a coulometric titrant was studied for several supporting electrolytes. With a mercury cathode and a 0.1 M chromic sulfate-0.1 M potassium chloride medium, 0.8 to 2.8 mg of copper (II) in 110 ml of solution can be titrated using potentiometric end-point detection.     

Optical vs. direct sorption and swelling measurements for the study of stiff-chain polymer-penetrant interactions

This work involves interferometric ‘optical thickness’ and refractive index measurements performed in an optical thickness meter (OTM), on supported cellulose acetate (CA) films equilibrated with various activities of methylene chloride (MC) vapor. The relevant equilibrium sorption and volume swelling isotherms were determined by application of the Claussius-Mossotti equation on the assumption that these films swell unidimensionally along the thickness direction, and were compared with corresponding direct equilibrium sorption (weight gain), elongation and thickness dilation measurements on similar free films performed in a vacuum sorption/swelling apparatus (VSA) and complemented with refractive index data. Combined elongation and thickness dilation data from the VSA showed that free glass-cast CA films exhibit pronounced swelling anisotropy. The said anisotropy, although it cannot be completely eliminated, by conditioning at high degrees of swelling, does not appear to affect the extent of volume swelling significantly, thus permitting quantitative comparison of sorption and swelling isotherms determined by the VSA and the OTM. Such comparison showed satisfactory agreement between these two sets of results up to an MC uptake of ca. 0.4 gMC/cm³ of dry CA corresponding to a degree of swelling of ca. 0.2. Increasing discrepancies are observed at higher MC concentrations, which are attributable to breakdown of the assumption used that the supported films swell unidimensionally along the thickness direction. The present CA-MC volume swelling data exhibit the negative deviation from volume additivity on mixing typical glassy polymers.     

The reactions of 4-dicyanomethylene-2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran and some benzologs with nucleophiles

4-Dicyanomethylene-2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran (1) reacts with primary amines under mild conditions to give 4-imino-3-alkyl-5-alkylimino-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-5H-[1]benzopyrano[3,4-c]-pyridine derivatives which, in turn, are hydrolyzed with acid to 4-imino-3-alkyl-2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-5H-[1]benzopyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-5-ones. When more vigorous conditions are employed for the reactions of 1 with primary amines, Dimroth rearrangements take place and the products are derivatives of 4-alkyl- (or aryl)amino-5-alkyl- (or aryl)imino-2-phenyl-5H-[1]benzopyrano-[3,4-c]pyridine. The latter compounds are hydrolyzed by acid to the corresponding 5-pyridone derivatives. The reaction of 1 with piperidine gives 2-phenyl-4-piperidyl-5H-[1]benzopyrano-[3,4-c]pyridin-5-one. Sodium methoxide reacts with 1 to give 3-cyano-2-methoxy-4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-6-phenylpyridine. Two benzologs of 1 have been allowed to react with primary and secondary amines and the products are analogous to those obtained from 1 .     

Fiber optical parametric amplifiers in optical communication systems

The prospects for using fiber optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) in optical communication systems are reviewed. Phase‐insensitive amplifiers (PIAs) and phase‐sensitive amplifiers (PSAs) are considered. Low‐penalty amplification at/or near 1 Tb/s has been achieved, for both wavelength‐ and time‐division multiplexed formats. High‐quality mid‐span spectral inversion has been demonstrated at 0.64 Tb/s, avoiding electronic dispersion compensation. All‐optical amplitude regeneration of amplitude‐modulated signals has been performed, while PSAs have been used to demonstrate phase regeneration of phase‐modulated signals. A PSA with 1.1‐dB noise figure has been demonstrated, and preliminary wavelength‐division multiplexing experiments have been performed with PSAs. 512 Gb/s have been transmitted over 6,000 km by periodic phase conjugation. Simulations indicate that PIAs could reach data rate x reach products in excess of 14,000 Tb/s × km in realistic wavelength‐division multiplexed long‐haul networks. Technical challenges remaining to be addressed in order for fiber OPAs to become useful for long‐haul communication networks are discussed.

     

Bioactive Properties and Phenolic Compound Profiles of Turnip-Rooted,Plain-Leafed and Curly-Leafed Parsley Cultivars

Petroselinum crispum Mill., Fuss., is a culinary vegetable used as an aromatic herb that garnishes and flavours a great variety of dishes. In the present study, the chemical profiles and bioactivities of leaf samples from 25 cultivars (three types: plain- and curly-leafed and turnip-rooted) from this species were assessed. Seven phenolic compounds were identified in all the varieties, including apigenin and kaempherol derivates. Apigenin-O-pentoside-O-hexoside was the major compound in all the tested parsley types (20, 22 and 13 mg/g of extract, respectively) and responsible for its excellent antioxidant activity, also investigated in this study. Antimicrobial activities were also explored, and the results revealed a good bioactivity against specific tested pathogens, such as bacteria and fungi. In conclusion, the leaves of all the types of P. crispum are a good source of natural bioactive compounds that confer health benefits, and thus, they should be part of a balanced and diversified diet.     

Finite size disc gradient coil set for open vertical field magnets

A new analytical approach is used in the design of disc-like gradient coils suitable for magnet geometries with main field direction perpendicular to the surface of the disc. An inverse procedure is used to optimize the coil's characteristics, subject to the restrictions imposed by the desired field behavior over a certain set of constraint points inside a predetermined imaging volume. Excellent agreement between the expected values of the gradient magnetic field and the numerical values generated by applying the Biot-Savart law to a discrete current pattern of the perspective disc coil was found. A Finite Element Analysis package was used to predict the fringe gradient field levels for a non-shielded axial disc coil and for a self-shielded transverse disc coil in the vicinity of the magnet poles. The numerical results indicate that for the self-shielded design the gradient fringe field is 1000 times smaller than the corresponding fringe field for the non-shielded disc case. Also no significant spatial dependence was noticed for the shielded coil's fringe field.     

Light-induced specular-reflectivity suppression at a gallium/silica interface

The reflectivity of a gallium/silica interface formed on an optical flat or at the tip of a cleaved optical fiber can be reduced in a reversible fashion when the interface is excited by a few milliwatts of laser power. This phenomenon occurs at temperatures just below gallium's melting point. We believe that the effect can be attributed to light-induced structuring at the interface.