Effect of tip functionalization on transport through vertically oriented carbon nanotube membranes

Ionic flux through a composite membrane structure, containing vertically aligned carbon nanotubes crossing a polystyrene matrix film, was studied as a function of chemical end groups at the entrance to carbon nanotubes' (CNTs) cores. Plasma oxidation during the membrane fabrication process introduced carboxylic acid groups on the CNTs' tips that were modified using carbodiimide mediated coupling between the carboxylic acid and an accessible amine groups of the functional molecule. Functionalization molecules included straight chain alkanes, anionically charged dye molecules, and an aliphatic amine elongated by polypeptide spacers. Functionalization was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy, and areal functional density was estimated by transmission electron microscopy studies of thiol terminated sites decorated by nanocrystalline gold. The transport through the membrane of two different sized but equally charged molecules (ruthenium bipyridine [Ru-(bipy)3(2+)] and methyl viologen [MV2+]) was quantified in a U-tube permeation cell by UV-vis spectroscopy. Relative selectivity of the permeates varied from 1.7 to 3.6 as a function of tip-functionalization chemistry. Anionic charged functional groups sharply increased the flux of the cationic permeates. This effect was reduced at higher solution ionic strength consistent with shorter Debye screening length. The observed selectivities were consistent with a hindered diffusion model with functionalization at the CNT tip and not along the length of the CNT core.     

Encapsulating bis(beta-ketoiminato) polyethers. Volatile, fluorine-free barium precursors for metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

The synthesis, characterization, and incorporation in volatile metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) precursors of a new class of linked beta-ketoiminate-polyether-beta-ketoiminate ligands is presented. These ligands are designed to encapsulate alkaline-earth cations having low charges and large ionic radii. Barium complexes having the general formula Ba[(RCOCHC(R')N)2(R")] (R = tert-butyl or CF3; R' = tert-butyl, methyl, or CF3; R" = -(CH2CH2O)4CH2CH2- or -(CH2CH2O)5CH2CH2)-) were prepared and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and mass spectrometry. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 2,2,5,25,28,28-hexamethyl-9,12,15,18,21-pentaoxa-4,25-diene-6,24- diimino-3,27-pentacosadionatobarium(II) reveals a monomeric, nine-coordinate, tricapped trigonal prismatic coordination geometry. Single-crystal X-ray structural analysis of 1,1,1,24,24,24-hexafluoro-4,21-ditrifluoromethyl-8,11,14,17- tetraoxa-3,21-diene-5,20-diimino-2,23-tetracosadionatobarium(II).2DMSO reveals a monomeric, ten-coordinate, distorted tetracapped trigonal prismatic coordination geometry. Volatility data are presented for these barium complexes, demonstrating viability as MOCVD precursors. In addition, it is demonstrated that thin epitaxial films of BaTiO3 can be grown on (001) MgO by low-pressure MOCVD techniques using one of these barium complexes and Ti(dipivaloylmethanate)2(isopropoxide)2 as precursors.