Electrochemiluminescence of tris(2,2 '-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) immobilized in poly(p-styrenesulfonate)-silica-Triton X-100 composite thin-films

The electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(ii) [Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)] immobilized in poly(p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-silica-Triton X-100 composite films was investigated. The cooperative action of PSS, sol-gel and Triton X-100 attached Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) to the electrode strongly, and the presence of Triton X-100 prevented drying fractures of the sol-gel films during gelation and even on repeated wet-dry cycles. The modified electrode was used for the ECL detection of oxalate, tripropylamine (TPA) and NADH in a flow injection analysis (FIA) system with a newly designed flow cell. The detection scheme exhibited good stability, short response time and high sensitivity. Detection limits were 0.1, 0.1 and 0.5 mu mol L-1 for oxalate, TPA and NADH, respectively, and the linear concentration range extended from 0.001 to 1 mmol L-1 for the three analytes. Applications of the flow cell in ECL and electrochemical detection, as well as the immobilization of reagents based on the cooperative action, are suggested.

Processible nanostructured materials with electrical conductivity and magnetic susceptibility: Preparation and properties of maghemite polyaniline nanocomposite films

We here present a versatile process for the preparation of maghemite/polyaniline (gamma-Fe2O3/ PAn) nanocomposite films with macroscopic processibility, electrical conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility. The gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are coated and the PAn chains are doped by anionic surfactants of omega-methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) phosphate (PEOPA), 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA), and 10-camphorsulfonic acid (CSA). Both the coated gamma-Fe2O3 and the doped PAn are soluble in common organic solvents, and casting of the homogeneous solutions gives free-standing nanocomposite films with gamma-Fe2O3 contents up to similar to 50 wt %. The morphology of the gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. The gamma-Fe2O3/PAn films prepared from chloroform/m-cresol solutions of DBSA-coated gamma-Fe2O3 and CSA-doped PAn are conductive (sigma = 82-237 S/cm) and superpapamagnetic, exhibiting no hysteresis at room temperature. The zero-field-cooled magnetization experiment reveals that the nanocomposite containing 20.8 wt % gamma-Fe2O3 has a blocking temperature (T-b) in the temperature region of 63-83 K.

Characterization and ionic conductivity of an amorphous comblike polymer - II: Based on ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer backbone with monoethyl ether of poly(ethylene glycol) of M-W=550 as side chain

Using a graft modification method, a comblike polymer host (CBPE550) was synthesized by reacting monomethyl ether of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGMA) with ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymer (EMAC) and endcapping the residual carboxylic acid with methanol. The product was characterized by IR and elementary analysis. Result showed that the product was amorphous and semi-ester product is accord with reaction equation. There were two peaks in the plot of the ionic conductivity against Li salt concentration. The plot of log a against 1/(T - T-0) shows a dual VTF behavior when using the glass transition temperature of PEO of side chain as T beta. The comblike polymer is a white rubbery solid. It can be well-dissolved in acetone. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Miscibility and crystallization of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(p-vinylphenol) blends

The miscibility and crystallization behavior of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(p-vinylphenol) (PVPh) blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy (OM). The blends exhibit a single composition-dependent glass transition temperature, characteristic of miscible systems, A depression of the equilibrium melting temperature of PHB is observed. The interaction parameter values obtained from analysis of the melting point depression are of large negative values, which suggests that PHB and PVPh blends are thermodynamically miscible in the melt. Isothermal crystallization kinetics in the miscible blend system PHB/PVPh was examined by OM. The presence of the amorphous PVPh component results in a reduction in the rate of spherulite growth of PHB. The spherulite growth rate is analyzed using the Lauritzen-Hoffman model, The isothermally crystallized blends of PHB/PVPh were examined by wide-angle X-ray diffraction and smell-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The long period obtained from SAXS increases with the increase in PVPh component, which implies that the amorphous PVPh is squeezed into the interlamallar region of PHB.

Photoluminesence and electroluminescence of the blue emission of devices based on poly(p-phenylenevinylene) copolymers

Bright blue polymer light-emitting diodes have been fabricated by using the poly(p-phenylenevinylene)-based copolymers with 10 C long aliphatic chains as the electroluminescent layers, PBD in PMMA and Alq(3) as the electron-transporting layers, and aluminum as the cathode. The multilayer structure devices show 190 cd/m(2) light-emitting brightness at 460 nm, 15 V turn-on vol- tage. It is found that the intensities of photoluminescence and electroluminescence (EL) increase with increasing aliphatic chain length, the EL intensity and operation stability of these polymer light-emitting diodes can be improved by reasonable design of the structure.

Tension-tension fatigue failure behaviour of poly(phenylene ether ketone) (PEK-C)

Tension-tension fatigue tests were conducted on unnotched injection moulded poly(phenylene ether ketone) (PEK-C) specimens with two stress ratios, R. The fatigue behaviour of this material is described. The S-N curves (S = alternating stress, N = number of cycles to failure) for different R values have the same general shape, but the curve for bigger R is shifted to long cycles. A fatigue lifetime inversion is observed from constructed S-N curves. Examinations of failure surfaces and analyses of the fatigue data reveal that the fatigue failure mechanism of the material studied is crack growth dominated. But the manner of the fatigue crack initiation and propagation depends on the maximum cyclic stress applied. At higher stresses, the fatigue crack originates at the corner of the specimen and propagates inward; at lower stresses, the fatigue crack nucleates at an internal flaw of the specimen and propagates outward. The fatigue lifetime inversion corresponds to the transition of crack initiation and propagation from one mode to the other. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.

STUDIES ON THE SULFONATION OF POLY(PHENYLENE OXIDE) (PPO) AND PERMEATION BEHAVIOR OF GASES AND WATER-VAPOR THROUGH SULFONATED PPO MEMBRANES .3. SORPTION BEHAVIOR OF WATER-VAPOR IN PPO AND SULFONATED PPO MEMBRANES

Water vapor absorption and desorption by poly (phenylene oxide) (PPO) and sulfonated PPO (SPPO) membranes were studied at a constant temperature of 30-degrees-C and over a broad range of water activity (0.05 less-than-or-equal-to a < 0.8) by the weighing

STUDIES ON THE SULFONATION OF POLY(PHENYLENE OXIDE) (PPO) AND PERMEATION BEHAVIOR OF CASES AND WATER-VAPOR THROUGH SULFONATED PPO MEMBRANES .1. SULFONATION OF PPO AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PRODUCTS

Poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene oxide) (PPO) was sulfonated to varying degrees using different sulfonating agents. Physical properties such as solubility, density, and thermal properties were studied for both PPO and sulfonated PPO (SPPO) with different degree

STUDIES ON THE SULFONATION OF POLY(PHENYLENE OXIDE) (PPO) AND PERMEATION BEHAVIOR OF CASES AND WATER-VAPOR THROUGH SULFONATED PPO MEMBRANES .2. PERMEATION BEHAVIOR OF CASES AND WATER-VAPOR THROUGH SULFONATED PPO MEMBRANES

The permeation behaviors of water vapor and gases were studied for both PPO and SPPO of different sulfonation degree. It was found that the permeability of water vapor increased, and those of oxygen and nitrogen decreased; thus the selectivity for water v

COMPATIBILIZING EFFECT OF POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE)-B-POLYSTYRENE-B-POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) IN PHENOLPHTHALEIN POLY(ETHER ETHER KETONE) POLY(2,6-DIMETHYL-1,4-PHENYLENE OXIDE) BLENDS

The morphology and mechanical behaviour of phenolphthalein poly(ether ether ketone) (PEK-C)/poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) blends has been investigated. A poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PS-PEO) triblock copolymer was used as compatibilizer. It was found that PEO-PS-PEO has a compatibilizing effect on the PEK-C/PPO blends. The addition of PEO-PS-PEO to the blends greatly improves phase dispersion and interfacial interfacial adhesion and also enhances the ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus at compositions ranging from 30 to 70% PEK-C. However, all the values of the ultimate tensile strength within the whole composition range are lower than those expected by simple additivity, probably owing to the poor mechanical properties of PEO-PS-PEO copolymer.

Fractal geometry model for effective thermal conductivity of three-phase porous media

An approximate model, a fractal geometry model, for the effective thermal conductivity of three-phase/unsaturated porous media is proposed based on the thermal-electrical analogy technique and on statistical self-similarity of porous media. The proposed thermal conductivity model is expressed as a function of porosity (related to stage n of Sierpinski carpet), ratio of areas, ratio of component thermal conductivities, and saturation. The recursive algorithm for the thermal conductivity by the proposed model is presented and found to be quite simple. The model predictions are compared with the existing measurements. Good agreement is found between the present model predictions and the existing experimental data. This verifies the validity of the proposed model. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells from a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and TiO2 nanotubes

Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and TiO2 nanotubes or dye(N719) modified TiO2 nanotubes were processed from solution and characterized to research the nature of organic/inorganic hybrid materials. Compared with the pristine polymer P3HT and TiO2 nanoparticles/P3HT solar cells, the TiO2 nanotubes/P3HT hybrid solar cells show obvious performance improvement, due to the formation of the bulk heterojunction and charge transport improvement. A further improvement in the device performance can be achieved by modifying TiO2 nanotube surface with a standard dye N719 which can play a role in the improvement of both the light absorption and charge dissociation. Compared with the non-modified TiO2 nanotubes solar cells, the modified ones have better power conversion efficiency under 100 mW/cm(2) illumination with 500W Xenon lamp. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Electrical control of dynamic spin splitting induced by exchange interaction as revealed by time-resolved Kerr rotation in a degenerate spin-polarized electron gas

Manipulation of the spin degree of freedom has been demonstrated in a spin-polarized electron plasma in a heterostructure by using exchange-interaction-induced dynamic spin splitting rather than the Rashba and Dresselhaus types, as revealed by time-resolved Kerr rotation. The measured spin splitting increases from 0.256 meV to 0.559 meV as the bias varies from -0.3 V to -0.6 V. Both the sign switch of the Kerr signal and the phase reversal of Larmor precessions have been observed with biases, which all fit into the framework of exchange-interaction-induced spin splitting. The electrical control of it may provide a new effective scheme for manipulating spin-selected transport in spin FET-like devices. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2008.

The growth temperatures dependence of optical and electrical properties of InN films

InN films grown on sapphire at different substrate temperatures from 550 degrees C to 700 degrees C by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition were investigated. The low-temperature GaN nucleation layer with high-temperature annealing (1100 degrees C) was used as a buffer for main InN layer growth. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements reveal that the quality of InN films can be improved by increasing the growth temperature to 600 degrees C. Further high substrate temperatures may promote the thermal decomposition of InN films and result in poor crystallinity and surface morphology. The photoluminescence and Hall measurements were employed to characterize the optical and electrical properties of InN films, which also indicates strong growth temperature dependence. The InN films grown at temperature of 600 degrees C show not only a high mobility with low carrier concentration, but also a strong infrared emission band located around 0.7 eV. For a 600 nm thick InN film grown at 600 degrees C, the Hall mobility achieves up to 938 cm(2)/Vs with electron concentration of 3.9 x 10(18) cm(-3).