Distributed feedback multipeak laser emission in Rhodamine 6G doped organic-inorganic hybrids

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials were prepared from an ureasil precursor (ureapropyltriethoxysilane designated as UPTES) and acrylic acid modified zirconium (IV) n-propoxide. Thin films containing rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) were prepared by spin-coating on glass substrates with different Zr:Si molar ratios (Zr:Si = 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75). Refractive index, thickness, number of propagating modes and attenuation coefficient were measured at 543.5, 632.8 and 1550 nm wavelengths by the prism coupling technique. Distributed feedback (DFB) laser effect was observed and studied as a function of films thickness and refractive index.     

Preparation of dye-loaded SiO2 nanoparticles

A room temperature method for the encapsulation of pyrene in SiO₂ nanoparticles is described. The relation between alkoxysilane surfactant chain length, reactant molar ratios and the uptake of dye, sample morphology, photophysical properties, and the ability of the silicate matrix to protect the encapsulated dye was examined. The synthesis can easily be adapted for the encapsulation of other hydrophobic and thermolabile substances, and used in the development of nanostructured optically active coatings, films and monoliths.     

Sugar-anionic clay composite materials: intercalation of pentoses in layered double hydroxide

The intercalation of non-ionized guest pentoses (ribose and 2-deoxyribose) into the Mg-Al and Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) was carried out at 298 K by the calcination-rehydration reaction using the Mg-Al and Zn-Al oxide precursors calcined at 773 K. The resulting solid products reconstructed the LDH structure with incorporating pentoses, and the maximum amount of ribose intercalated by the Mg-Al oxide precursor was approximately 20 times that by the Zn-Al oxide precursor. The ribose/Mg-Al LDH was observed to have the expanded LDH structure with a broad (003) spacing of 0.85 nm. As the thickness of the LDH hydroxide basal layer is 0.48 nm, the interlayer distance of the ribose/Mg-Al LDH is 0.37 nm. This value corresponds to molecular size of ribose in thickness (0.36 nm), supporting that ribose is horizontally oriented in the interlayer space of LDH. The maximum amount of ribose intercalated by the Mg-Al oxide precursor was approximately 5 times that of 2-deoxyribose. Ribose is substituted only by the hydroxyl group at C-2 position for 2-deoxyribose. Therefore, the number of hydroxyl group of sugar is essentially important for the intercalation of sugar molecule into the LDH, suggesting that the intercalation behavior of sugar for the LDH was greatly influenced by hydrogen bond between hydroxyl group of the intercalated pentose and the LDH hydroxide basal layers.     

Synthesis of silanized polyether urethane hybrid systems. Study of the curing process through hydrogen bonding interactions

Different types of silanized polyurethanes (SPUR) were prepared in two ways: the first type (a), by reacting a polyether diol with an isocyanatesilane and the second type (b) by reacting it with diisocyanate (IPDI) and afterwards with aminosilane. These systems are able to cure with atmospheric moisture and, as a consequence, a tridimensional hybrid structure is formed where the inorganic and organic phases are bonded with covalent bonds. The evolution of the curing process in both systems has been monitored by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, through the changes observed in the carbonyl stretching vibration region. The results obtained show that the SPURs of kind (b) present stronger hydrogen bonding interactions as a consequence of urea groups present in the final structure. Moreover, given the proximity of both urethane and urea groups to alkoxysilane end groups, during the alkoxysilane curing process these groups are forced to approximate themselves even further and therefore the reticulation process leads to an increase of the self association of urethane and urea groups.Finally, DSC has been used to measure T_g values of the systems studied before and after the curing process. The obtained results have confirmed the main conclusions obtained in FTIR analysis.     

Immobilization of copper in organic-inorganic hybrid materials: a highly efficient and reusable catalyst for the Ullmann diaryl etherification

The immobilization of copper in organic-inorganic hybrid materials catalyzing the Ullmann reaction has been described. Phenols reacted with aryl iodides, aryl bromides and aryl chlorides smoothly in the presence of a 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl functionalized silica gel immobilized copper catalyst. The protocol involved the use of DMSO as the solvent, and potassium fluoride as the base. The reactions generated the corresponding cross-coupling products in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, the silica-supported copper could be recovered and recycled by a simple filtration of the reaction solution and used for 10 consecutive trials without loss of its reactivity.     

Incorporation of lipid domains in Cerasome, a morphologically-stable organic-inorganic vesicular nanohybrid

To extend the concept of the Cerasome, an organic-inorganic vesicular nanohybrid, this paper investigates the preparation and characterization of a “mixed” Cerasome. The system consists of a Cerasome-forming lipid 1, a cationic synthetic lipid 2, and a zwitterionic phospholipid 3. Lipid mixtures of 1 and 2 or 1 and 3 were used to prepare the mixed Cerasomes. Their lipid distributions were examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which showed that 1 and 2 (or 1 and 3) were phase-separated in the mixed Cerasomes. These results seem to be mainly attributable to the polymerizable nature of 1. Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) showed that 1 and 3 were both incorporated into a single Cerasome, not macroscopically separated to form separate vesicles from each lipid component. Mixed Cerasomes of 1 and 2 showed high morphological stability against a membrane-solubilizing surfactant, incorporating up to 70% of 2. On the other hand, the mixed Cerasomes from 1 and 3 were less stable than the mixed Cerasomes from 1 and 2. This relative instability might be attributable to differences between the mixed Cerasomes from 1 and 2 and 1 and 3 in terms of their vesicular sizes, lipid domain sizes, and their relative effectiveness for siloxane network formation. These results strongly support the formation of mixed Cerasomes that have lipid domains in-plane. Systems described in this study are useful to prepare variously mixed Cerasomes that have different surface functionalities and in-plane lipid distribution, but which have high morphological stability.     

A novel 1D organic-inorganic hybrid based on alternating heteropolyanions [GeMo12O40] and isopolyanions [Mo6O22]

A novel one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymer [{Cu(2,2′-bpy)}₆(Mo₆O₂₂)][GeMo₁₂O₄₀]·H₂O (2,2′-bpy=2,2′-bipyridine), which represents the first example of 1D organic-inorganic hybrid based on a Keggin-type heteropolyanion [GeMo₁₂O₄₀]⁴⁻ and an unprecedented isopolyanion [Mo₆O₂₂]⁸⁻, has been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystal data: C₆₀H₅₀Cu₆GeMo₁₈N₁₂O₆₃, monoclinic, P2₁/c, a=13.9344(3), b=20.0329(3), c=17.2151(3) Å; β=94.0220(10)°, V=4793.70(15) Å³, T=293(2) K; Z=2.     

New and novel organic-inorganic type crystalline ‘polypyrrolel/polyantimonic acid’ composite system: preparation, characterization and analytical applications as a cation-exchange material and Hg(II) ion-selective membrane electrode

A new phase of ‘organic-inorganic’ composite system, polypyrrole polyantimonic acid, prepared by mixing the inorganic precipitate of hydrated antimony oxide with organic conducting polymer i.e., polypyrrole, providing a novel granular form hybrid cation-exchanger suitable for column operation with better chemical and thermal stability, good ion-exchange capacity, reproducibility and selectivity for heavy metals. The physicochemical properties of this material were studied using elemental analyses, AAS, SEM, XRD, FTIR and simultaneous TGA-DTA studies. Ion-exchange capacity, pH-titrations, elution and distribution behavior were also carried out to characterize the material. Distribution studies revealed the cation-exchange material to be highly selective for Hg(II) and its selectivity was performed by achieving some important binary separations like Hg²⁺-Zn²⁺, Hg²⁺-Ni²⁺, Hg²⁺-Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺-Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺-Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺-Mg²⁺ etc. on its column. Using this electroactive composite material, a new heterogeneous precipitate based selective ion-sensitive membrane electrode was fabricated for the determination of Hg(II) ions in solutions. The membrane electrode is mechanically stable, with a quick response time, and can be operated within a wide pH range. The selectivity coefficients for different cations determined by mixed solution method were found to be less than unity The electrode was also found to be satisfactory in electrometric titrations.     

Synthesis and characterizations of anion exchange organic-inorganic hybrid materials based on poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO)

A series of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO)-based organic-inorganic hybrid materials for anion exchange were prepared through sol-gel process of polymer precursors PPO-Si(OCH₃)₃. PPO-Si(OCH₃)₃ were obtained from the reaction of bromomethylated PPO with 3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (A1110). These polymer precursors then underwent hydrolysis and condensation with additional A1110 to generate hybrid materials. The reaction to produce polymer precursors was identified by FTIR; while FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, as well as conventional ion exchange capacity (IEC) measurements were conducted for the structures and properties of the prepared hybrids. TGA results show that this series of hybrid materials possess high thermal stability; XRD and SEM indicate that the prepared hybrid materials are amorphous and the inorganic and organic contents show good compatibility if the ratio between them is proper. The IEC values of the hybrid materials due to the amine groups range from 1.13 mmol/gBPPO (material i) to 4.80 mmol/gBPPO (material iv).     

溶胶-凝胶法制备丙烯酸树脂/TiO2有机-无机杂化材料及其结构表征

通过预水解的二氧化钛(TiO2 )溶胶与丙烯酸树脂共混或原位聚合的方法制备了均匀透明的丙烯酸树脂 TiO2 有机 无机杂化材料.考察了TiO2 溶胶制备方法、聚合物中—COOH官能团含量和杂化材料制备方法对杂化材料结构的影响.索氏抽提实验表明聚合物中的羧酸官能团和无机TiO2 相间发生了交联反应,且随着—COOH官能团含量的增加,交联程度增大.小角X射线散射(SAXS)结果发现,杂化材料中TiO2 为疏松的三维网状结构,且在纳米尺度范围内,但这种三维网状结构随着TiO2 溶胶制备中水或酸的用量增加,其致密度增加,尺寸增大.同原位聚合法相比,共混法可制备出更均匀的杂化体系,且TiO2 为单分散.