Fluorescence properties of riboflavin-functionalized mesoporous silica SBA-15 and riboflavin solutions in presence of different metal and organic cations

Riboflavin was covalently linked to mesoporous SBA-15 silica surface via grafting technique. Then fluorescence properties of the system obtained were analyzed in the presence of several metal and organic cations. Both quenching and strengthening of fluorescence as well as significant changes in the maximum fluorescence wavelength were observed. The results were compared with absorption and fluorescence data obtained for riboflavin water solutions.     

The moduli space of flat SU (2) and SO (3) connections over surfaces

All the connected components of the moduli space of flat connections on SU (2) and SO (3) (trivial and non-trivial) bundles over closed oriented surfaces are determined. The symplectic structure and volumes of the non-maximal strata of the moduli space are also determined.     

Interfacial segregation in Ag-Au,Au-Pd,and Cu-Ni alloys: I. (100) surfaces

Atomistic simulations of segregation to (100) free surface in Ag–Au, Au–Pd, and Cu–Ni alloy systems have been performed for a wide range of temperatures and compositions within the solid solution region of these alloy phase diagrams. In addition to the surface segregation profiles, surface free energies, enthalpies, and entropies were determined. These simulations were performed within the framework of the free energy simulation method, in which an approximate free energy functional is minimized with respect to atomic coordinates and atomic site occupation. The effects of the relaxation with respect to either the atomic positions or the atomic concentrations are discussed. For all alloy bulk compositions (0.05 C 0.95) and temperatures (400 T(K) 1,100) examined, Ag, Au, and Cu segregates to the surface in the Ag–Au, Au–Pd, and Cu–Ni alloy systems, respectively. The present results are compared with several theories for segregation. The resultant segregation profiles in Au–Pd and Ag–Au alloys are shown to be in good agreement with an empirical segregation theory, while in Cu–Ni alloys the disagreement in Ni-rich alloys is substantial. The width of the segregation profile is limited to approximately three to four atomic planes. The surface thermodynamic properties depend sensitively on the magnitude of the surface segregation, and some of them are shown to vary linearly with the magnitude of the surface segregation.     

Orientation and order in thin films of a combined liquid crystalline polymer

The order in thin films of a combined liquid crystalline polymer is studied by X-ray reflection. Films of thicknesses of less than 200 nm on float glass are investigated as a function of temperature. The polymer with mesogenic groups in the main and side-chains exhibits smectic and cholesteric mesophases. Measurements in the smectic phases show a Bragg peak and smectic layers are oriented parallel to the substrate. The sample is thus macroscopically ordered by the influence of substrate and free surface. The film surface is very smooth after spincoating; surface roughness is typically 0.8 nm. First annealing of samples leads to a significant roughening of the free surface; roughness increases to 2.1 nm. Order as a function of film thickness depends on the interaction of the polymer with the substrate and free surface. These interactions give rise to a typical correlation length of perturbations in smectic ordering.     

Noether's Theorem on Surfaces

In this article we prove a version of Noether's Theorem (of Calculus of Variations) which is valid for a general regular (compact) surface. As a special feature, the Lie group of transformations is allowed to act on the Cartesian product of the surface and the functional space. Additionally, we apply the Theorem to a problem in Classical Differential Geometry of surfaces. The given application is actually an example showing how Noether's Theorem can be used to construct invariant properties of the solutions to variational problems defined on surfaces, or equivalently, of the solutions to the associated Euler-Lagrange equations resulting from them.     

Hyperbolic Polygons and Real Schottky Groups

In a work due to Aigon and Silhol (also Buser and Silhol) a construction of 10 genus two closed Riemann surfaces is done from a given right angled hyperbolic pentagon. In this note we construct real Schottky groups uniformizations of the corresponding constructions. In particular, we are able to write down the algebraic curves obtained in the above work in terms of the parameters of the real Schottky group. We generalize such a construction for any right angled hyperbolic polygon and also consider an example for a nonright angled pentagon in the last section.     

Superhydrophobic nickel films fabricated by electro and electroless deposition

In this work, a superhydrophobic nickel surface is fabricated by coupling electro and electroless deposition without chemical modification. SEM study reveals that electrodeposited nickel surface is characterized by nanocone arrays and has a contact angle of about 135°. After adding electroless deposition, as the second step, hemispherically topped nickel nanocone arrays are formed which leads to a high contact angle of 153.6°. That is, nickel surface has successfully transformed from hydrophobic to superhydrophobic. This transition is investigated both from the aspects of chemical composition and surface structure and proves the latter is the dominant factor. The present study inspires us to do more research about the creation of rough surfaces and enriches our comprehension about superhydrophobicity.     

Improvement of hydrophilic properties of electrospun polyamide-imide fibrous mats by atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment

Polyamide-imide (PAI) fibrous mats were fabricated through electrospinning and further treated with atmospheric-pressure plasma. The surface characteristics of the PAI fibrous mats were examined to determine the effect of plasma treatment on the hydrophilic properties. FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact-angle analysis indicated that the hydrophilicity of the PAI fibrous mats increased upon the introduction of hydrophilic groups by plasma treatment. The concentration of functional groups, including oxygen, and the surface roughness of the PAI fibrous mats increased with increasing treatment time. The optimum plasma treatment time for surface modification of the PAI fibrous mats under atmospheric pressure was 120 s.