Self-dual Chern–Simons Vortices on Bounded Domains

In this Letter we consider the Abelian Chern–Simons vortices on a bounded simply connected domain. We establish the existence of solutions for the self-duality equations. We prove the uniqueness of solutions when all the vortex points are equal and the domain is star-shaped. We also show the radial symmetry of solutions on balls centered at the vortex point.     

Synthesis and characterization of soluble polyimides containing trifluoromethyl groups in their backbone

A series of polyimides were synthesized from 2,2‐Bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane, 2,2‐bis(3‐amino‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐hexafluoropropane, and 4,4′‐oxydianiline by chemical imidization. The effects of the diamine ratios on the properties of the films were evaluated through the study of their thermal, electrical, and morphological properties. All the polymers exhibited better solubility in most of the organic solvents and hence were easily processable. Polyimides with more 2,2‐bis(3‐amino‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐hexafluoropropane exhibited better solubility and a low refractive index, which is highly desired for microelectronic applications. The dielectric constant and birefringence were strongly dependent on the fluorine content. With an increase in the fluorine substitution, both the dielectric constant and birefringence decreased. All the polymers exhibited high thermal stability (>400 °C). The absence of crystalline melting in differential scanning calorimetry and broad wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction patterns revealed the amorphous nature of the polymers, which was due to the presence of bulky CF₃ groups and hinged ether linkages of the diamine component. The residual stress values decreased with an increase in the 4,4′‐oxydianiline content, and the results were in agreement with the dielectric constant. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4303–4312, 2004     

Coverage dependent magnetic properties of Co chain-coated carbon nanotube

Magnetic properties of Co chain-coated carbon nanotube (CNT) were investigated using a first-principles calculation. Binding energy between Co chain and CNT increased with the coverage ratio, and the adsorption of Co chains on CNT enhanced the conductance channel. Total magnetic moment of Co chains coated on CNT increased with the coverage ratio, while the magnetic moment per Co atom decreased due to spin flip of majority spin states in Co atoms. Spin polarization at the Fermi level of the Co chains was calculated to converge to that of bulk fcc Co.     

Effect of biotransformation on multispecies plume evolution and natural attenuation

Biological transformation of volatile organic compounds is one of the key factors that influence contaminant-plume evolution and thus natural attenuation. In this study we investigate the effect of biological transformation on the transport of contaminants in the aqueous and gaseous phases. The analysis includes the study of the effect of density-driven advection of contaminants in the gaseous phase on multiphase and multispecies flow, fate and transport modeling in the subsurface. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and its two byproducts, dichloroethylene and vinyl chloride, are analyzed as the target contaminants. Our results indicate that density-driven advection of the gaseous phase, which is initiated by evaporation of TCE as a nonaqueous phase liquid, increases the downward and also the lateral migration of TCE within the unsaturated zone. This process also influences the location of high-concentration zones of the byproducts of TCE in the unsaturated and the saturated zones. Biotransformation of TCE contributes to the reduction of dissolved TCE plume development as expected. The daughter byproducts, which are introduced into the subsurface system, show distinct transport patterns as they are affected by their independent degradation kinetics and density-driven advection. These observations, which are based on our simulation results for biotransformation and transport of TCE and its byproducts, are useful in evaluating the natural attenuation processes, its potential health hazards and also the evaluation of potential plume development at contaminated sites.     

Irradiation-induced reduction and luminescence properties of Sm doped in BaBPO5

Usually, Sm²⁺ ions could be reduced by heating the materials in reducing atmospheres. Exposure to ionizing radiations is also known to cause Sm³⁺→Sm²⁺ conversion. In this work, BaBPO₅ doped with the samarium ion was prepared by high temperature solid-state reaction. Sm²⁺ ions were obtained by two different reduction methods, i.e., heating in H₂ reduced atmosphere and X-ray irradiation. The measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were investigated. It is found that the conversion of Sm³⁺→Sm²⁺ is very efficient in BaBPO₅ hosts after X-ray irradiation. Sm²⁺ ions under these two reduction methods exhibit different characteristics that were studied by measurements of luminescence and decay. The results showed that the luminescence properties of Sm²⁺ ions in BaBPO₅ were highly dependent on the sample preparation conditions.     

Divinylsiloxane‐bisbenzocyclobutene‐based polymer modified with polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymers

Divinylsiloxane‐bisbenzocyclobutene (DVS‐bisBCB) polymer has very low dielectric constant and dissipation factor, good thermal stability, and high chemical resistance. The fracture toughness of the thermoset polymer is moderate due to its high crosslink density. A thermoplastic elastomer, polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymer, was incorporated into the matrix to enhance its toughness. The cured thermoset matrix showed different morphology when the elastomer was added to the B‐staged prepolymer or when the elastomer was B‐staged with the DVS‐bisBCB monomer. Small and uniformly distributed elastomer domains were detected by transmission electron micrographs (TEM) in the former case, but TEM did not detect a separate domain in the latter case. A high percentage of the polystyrene–polybutadiene–polystyrene triblock copolymer could be incorporated into the DVS‐bisBCB thermoset matrix by B‐staging the triblock copolymer with the BCB monomer. The elastomer increased the fracture toughness of DVS‐bisBCB polymer as indicated by enhanced elongation at break and increased K1c values obtained by the modified edge‐lift‐off test. Elastomer modified DVS‐bisBCB maintained excellent electrical properties, high T_g and good thermal stability, but showed higher coefficient of linear thermal expansion values. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1591–1599, 2006     

Effects of the architecture and environment on polymeric molecular assemblies of novel amphiphilic diblock copolynorbornenes with narrow polydispersity via living ring‐opening metathesis polymerization

Diblock copolymers of 5‐(methylphthalimide)bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene (NBMPI) and 1,5‐cyclooctadiene were synthesized by living ring‐opening metathesis polymerization with a well‐defined catalyst {RuCl₂(CHPh)[P(C₆H₁₁)₃]₂}. Unhydrogenated diblock copolymers showed two glass transitions due to poly(NBMPI) and polybutadiene segments, such as two glass‐transition temperatures at ?86.5 and 115.3 °C for poly 1a and ?87.2 and 115.3 °C for poly 1b . However, only one melting temperature could be observed for hydrogenated copolymers, such as 119.8 °C for poly 2a and 121.7 °C for poly 2b . The unhydrogenated diblock copolymer with the longer poly(NBMPI) chain (poly 1a ; temperature at 10% mass loss = 400 °C) exhibited better thermal stability than the one with the shorter poly(NBMPI) chain (poly 1b ; temperature at 10% mass loss = 385 °C). Two kinds of hydrogenated diblock copolymers, poly 2a and poly 2b , exhibited relatively poor solubility but better thermal stability than unhydrogenated diblock copolymers because of the polyethylene segments. Poly[(hydrochloride quaternized 2‐norbornene‐5‐methyleneamine)‐b‐butadiene]‐1 (poly 3a ) was obtained after the hydrolysis and quaternization of poly 1a . Dynamic light scattering measurements indicated that the hydrodynamic diameters of the cationic copolymer (poly 3a ) in water (hydrodynamic diameter = 1580 nm without salt), methanol/water (4/96 v/v; hydrodynamic diameter = 1500 nm without salt), and tetrahydrofuran/water (4/96 v/v; hydrodynamic diameter = 1200 nm without salt) decreased with increasing salt (NaCl) concentration. The effect of temperature on the hydrodynamic diameter of hydrophobically modified poly 3a was also studied. The inflection point of the hydrodynamic diameter of poly 3a was observed at various polymer concentrations around 30 °C. The critical micelle concentration of hydrophobically modified poly 3a was observed at 0.018 g dL^?1. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2901–2911, 2006