Single-walled carbon nanohorn as new solid-phase extraction adsorbent for determination of 4-nitrophenol in water sample

Single-walled carbon nanohorn (SWCNH) was developed as new adsorbent for solid-phase extraction using 4-nitrophenol as representative. The unique exoteric structures and high surface area of SWCNH allow extracting a large amount of 4-nitrophenol over a short time. Highly sensitive determination of 4-nitrophenol was achieved by linear sweep voltammetry after only 120 s extraction. The calibration plot for 4-nitrophenol determination is linear in the range of 5.0 x 10(-8) M-1.0 x 10(-5) M under optimum conditions. The detection limit is 1.1 x 10(-8) M. The proposed method was successfully employed to determine 4-nitrophenol in lake water samples, and the recoveries of the spiked 4-nitrophenol were excellent (92-106%).

Solvent size effect on the static and dynamic properties of polymer chains in athermal solvents

The static and dynamic properties of polymer chains in athermal solvents with different sizes are studied by molecular dynamics method. With increasing solvent size, the radius of gyration and the diffusion coefficient of the polymer decay fast until a critical solvent size is reached. For the polymer diffusion coefficients, this decay only depends on the solvent size; while for the radius of gyration of polymers, this decay depends on both solvent size and the length of the polymers. The increase of solvent size also makes the polymer tend to be thicker ellipsoid until a critical solvent size is reached. The static scaling exponent of the polymer also shows the solvent size dependence. Moreover, four regions are identified where the polymers show different dynamic behaviors according to the dynamic structure factors of the polymer.

Microphase Separation of Mixed Polymer Brushes: Dependence of the Morphology on Grafting Density, Composition, Chain-Length Asymmetry, Solvent Quality, and Selectivity

Microphase separation of binary mixed A/B polymer brushes exposed to different solvents is studied using Single-Chain-in-Mean-Field simulations. Effects of solvent quality and selectivity, grafting density, composition, and chain-length asymmetry are systematically investigated, and diagrams of morphologies in various solvents are constructed as a function of grafting density and composition or chain-length asymmetry. The structure of the microphase segregated morphologies lacks long-range periodic order, and it is analyzed quantitatively Using Minkowski measures.

Simulation Study of Aggregate Morphologies Formed by ABC Linear Triblock Copolymers in a Selective Solvent Through the Self-Consistent Field Theory

The effect of the hydrophobic properties of blocks B and C on the aggregate morphologies formed by ABC linear triblock copolymers in selective solvent was studied through the self-consistent field theory. Five typical micelles, such as core-shell-corona, hamburger-like, segmented-wormlike, were obtained by changing the hydrophobic properties of blocks B and C. The simulation results indicate that the shape and size of micelle are basically controlled by the hydrophobic degree of the middle block B, whereas the type of micelle is mainly determined by the hydrophobic degree of the end block C.

Effect of Solvent Molecular Size on the Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymer in Selective Solvent

Real-space self-consistent field theory (SCFT) is employed to study the effect of solvent molecular size on the self-assembly of amphiphilic diblock copolymer in selective solvent. The phase diagrams in wide ranges of interaction parameters and solvent molecular size were obtained in present study. The results indicate that the solvent molecular size is a key factor that determines the self-assembly of amphiphilic diblock copolymer. The self-assembled morphology changes from circle-like micelle to line-like micelle, then to loop-like micelle by decreasing the solvent molecular size in a wide range of solvent selectivity. We analyze and discuss this change in terms of the solvent solubility and the entropy contribution.

Enantioseparation of Dioxopromethazine Hydrochloride in Urine with Liquid-Liquid Extraction by CE-ECL Detection

Capillary electrophoresis coupled with electrochemiluminescence detection was developed for the separation and determination of dioxopromethazine hydrochloride (DPZ) enantiomers. Performance parameters of the proposed method were evaluated. An improved separation of DPZ enantiomers could be achieved after adding boric acid to buffer. The enantiomers were completely separated with running buffer of 16.5 mM beta-CD in 25 mM tris-H3PO4-40 mM H3BO3 at pH 2.5. The proposed method was successfully applied to the separation and determination of DPZ enantiomers in human urine with a liquid-liquid extraction procedure.

Convenient preparation of tunably loaded chemically converted graphene oxide/epoxy resin nanocomposites from graphene oxide sheets through two-phase extraction

We report a facile method to create the chemically converted graphene oxide/epoxy resin nanocomposites from graphene oxide sheets through two-phase extraction. Great improvements in mechanical properties such as compressive failure strength and toughness have been achieved for the chemically converted graphene oxide/epoxy resin for a 0.0375 wt% loading of chemically converted graphene oxide sheets in epoxy resin by 48.3% and 1185.2%, respectively. In addition, the loading of graphene is also conveniently tunable even to 0.15 wt% just by increasing the volume of the graphene oxide dispersion.

Constructing Thin Polythiophene Film Composed of Aligned Lamellae via Controlled Solvent Vapor Treatment

Thin poly(3-butylthiophene) (P3BT) film composed of aligned lamellae attached to the edge of the original film has been achieved via a controlled solvent vapor treatment (C-SVT) method. The polarized optical microscopy operated at both single-polarization and cross-polarization modes has been used to investigate the alignment of the fiber-like lamellae. A numerical simulation method is used to quantitatively calculate angle distributions of the lamellae deviated from the film growth direction. Prepatterned P3BT film edge acts as nuclei which densely initialize subsequent crystal growth by exhausting the materials transported from the partially dissolved film. The growth of new film upon crystallization is actually a self-healing process where the two-dimensional geometric confinement is mainly responsible for this parallel alignment of P3BT crystals. The solvent vapor pressure should be carefully chosen so as to induce crystal growth but avoid liquid instability which will destroy the continuity of the film.

Solvent Vapor-Induced Self Assembly and its Influence on Optoelectronic Conversion of Poly(3-hexylthiophene): Methanofullerene Bulk Heterojunction Photovoltaic Cells

Nanoscale-phase separation of electron donor/acceptor blends is crucial for efficient charge generation and collection in Polymer bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells. We investigated solvent vapor annealing effect of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/methanofullerene (PCBM) blend oil its morphology and optoelectronic properties. The organic solvents of choice for the treatment have a major effect oil the morphology of P3HT/PCBM blend and the device performance. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectro,;copy shows that specific solvent vapor annealing can induce P3HT self-assembling to form well-ordered structure; and hence, file absorption in the red region and the hole transport are enhanced. The solvent that has a poor Solubility to PCBM Would cause large PCBM Clusters and result in a rough blend film. By combining an appropriate solvent vapor treatment and post-thermal annealing of the devices, the power conversion efficiency is enhanced.

Autophobic Dewetting of a Poly(methyl methacrylate) Thin Film on a Silicon Wafer Treated in Good Solvent Vapor

The wettability of thin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films on a silicon wafer with a native oxide layer exposed to solvent vapors is dependent on the solvent properties. In the nonsolvent vapor, the film spread on the substrate with some protrusions generated on the film surface. In the good solvent vapor, dewetting happened. A new interface formed between the anchored PMMA chains and the swollen upper part of the film. Entropy effects caused the upper movable chains to dewet on the anchored chains. The rim instability depended on the surface tension of solvent (i.e., the finger was generated in acetone vapor (gamma(acetone) = 24 mN/m), not in dioxane vapor (gamma(dioxane) = 33 mN/m)). The spacing (lambda) that grew as an exponential function of film thickness h scaled as similar to h(1.31) whereas the mean size (D) of the resulting droplets grew linearly with h.

Crystal Growth Transition from Flat-On to Edge-On Induced by Solvent Evaporation in Ultrathin Films of Polystyrene-b-Poly(ethylene oxide)

The transition of lamellar crystal orientation from flat-on to edge-on in ultrathin films of polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) via solvent vapor (toluene) treatment Was investigated. When the as-prepared film was treated in saturated solvent vapor, breakout crystals could form quickly, and then they transformed from square single crystals (flat-on lamellae) to dendrites and finally to nanowire crystals (edge-on lamellae). Initially, heterogeneous nucleation tit the polymer/substrate interface dominated the structure evolution, leading to flat-on lamellar crystals orientation. And the transition from faceted habits to dendrites indicated a transition of underlying mechanism from nucleation-controlled to diffusion-limited growth. As the solvent molecules gradually diffused into the polymer/substrate interface, it will subsequently weaken the polymer-substrate interaction.

Formation of Two Kinds of Hexagonally Arranged Structures in ABC Triblock Copolymer Thin Films Induced by a Strongly Selective Solvent Vapor

An order-order transition (OOT) in the sequence of a hexagonally arranged core-shell cylinder to a double-hexagonally arranged dot in polystyrene-block-poly(butadiene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (SBV) triblock copolymer thin films is reported to be induced upon exposure to a solvent vapor that: is strongly selective for the two end blocks. These two kinds of hexagonally arranged structures could form when the film thickness is 44, 3.23, and 223 nm. When the film thickness is decreased to 13 nm, the ordered structure is absent. The sizes of the cylinder structures formed with the same annealing time in films of different thickness are compared to address the effects of film thickness on the phase structure. The mechanism is analyzed from the total surface area of the blocks and the effective interaction parameter in the solvent vapor.

Selective hydrogenation of maleic anhydride to gamma-butyrolactone in supercritical carbon dioxide

The reaction rates of the hydrogenation of maleic anhydride (MAH) and succinic anhydride (SAH) were significantly accelerated and the selectivity to gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) was enhanced largely when the reaction mixture was pressurized by a non-reactant of CO2. Above 99% selectivity to GBL was achieved in 14 MPa CO2, the superior selectivity in scCO(2) was attributed to that MAH and/or SAH could be extracted to CO2 phase and separated from H2O, the hydrolysis were thus minimized and so the selectivity to GBL was improved.

Tuning the Energy Level of Organic Sensitizers for High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Cost-effective organic sensitizers will play a pivotal role in the future large-scale production and application of dye-sensitized solar cells. Here we report two new organic D-pi-A dyes featuring electron-rich 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene- and 2,2'-bis(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-conjugated linkers, showing a remarkable red-shifting of photocurrent action spectra compared with their thiophene and bithiophene counterparts. On the basis of the 3-f{5'-[N,N-bis(9,9-dimethylfluorene-2-yl)phenyl]-2,2'-bis(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-5-yl}2-cyanoacrylic acid dye, we have set a new efficiency record of 7.6% for solvent-free dye-sensitized solar cells based on metal-free organic sensitizers. Importantly, the cell exhibits an excellent stability, keeping over 92% of its initial efficiency after 1000 h accelerated tests under full sunlight soaking at 60 degrees C. This achievement will considerably encourage further design and exploration of metal-free organic dyes for higher performance dye-sensitized solar cells.

N-Methyl-N-Allylpyrrolidinium Based Ionic Liquids for Solvent-Free Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

We prepared four new ionic liquids consisting of N-methyl-N-allylpyrrolidinium cation in conjunction with anions including iodide, nitrate, thiocyanate, and dicyanamide, respectively, and measured their physical properties of density, viscosity, and conductivity. Owing to the relatively lower melting point of electroactive N-methyl-N-allylpyrrolidinium iodide, in combination with three other nonelectroactive ionic liquids, we could construct solvent-free electrolytes possessing high iodide concentrations for dye-sensitized solar cells. We correlated temperature-dependent electrolyte viscosity with molar conductivity and triiodide mobility through applying an empirical Walden's rule and a modified Stokes-Einstein equation, respectively. We have further found that these anions (nitrate, thiocyanate, and dicyanamide) have different influences on surface states and electron transport in the mesoporous titania film, resulting in different photovoltages and photocurrents of dye-sensitized solar cells.