Nucleation and growth of glycine crystals with controllable sizes and polymorphs on Langmuir-Blodgett films

Control of crystal polymorph and size is very important in many application fields. Herein we demonstrate that Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of stearic acid (SA) and octadecylamine (ODA) can serve as templates and generate different polymorphs of glycine crystals. In the neutral aqueous solutions, gamma-glycine crystallizes on LB films of ODA while the polymorphic outcome becomes the (x-form on LB films of SA. These observed results could be explained by the electrostatic interactions and geometric lattice matching at the LB film/crystal interfaces, respectively. By keeping the appropriate supersaturation, we have successfully controlled the number of crystals grown on LB films; for example, in some certain cases, only one piece of crystal was grown on LB films in solution. Therefore, large crystals of centimeter size could be prepared. These experimental results suggest a new approach to produce an organic crystal with bulk scale.

Supramolecular isomerism in zinc hydroxide coordination polymers with pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid: Two polymorphs with centrosymmetric two-dimensional and acentric three-dimensional coordination networks

Reactions of Zn(BF4)(2) and pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (2,4-pydcH(2)) in the presence of 1,2-bis( 4-pyridyl) ethylene or 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl) propane under hydro(solvo) thermal conditions yielded two polymorphic metal-organic coordination polymers formulated as Zn-2(OH)(2)(2,4-pydc) (1 and 2). Polymorph 1 features a two-dimensional (2-D) layer-like structure that is constructed by 2,4-pydc ligands bridging between the Zn-OH-Zn double-chain units. Each single Zn-OH-Zn chain is composed of mu(2)-OH groups connecting trigonal bipyramidal and tetrahedral Zn centers. Polymorph 2 is a 3-D coordination polymer containing 2-D Zn-OH-Zn sheets that consist of mu(2)- and mu(3)-OH groups and trigonal bipyramidal Zn centers. The sheets are pillared by 2,4-pydc ligands to form an acentric structural architecture. 1 and 2 are rare examples that the two polymorphs exhibit a centrosymmetric 2-D coordination network and an acentric 3-D coordination network, respectively. The different structures lead to differences in photoluminescent properties and thermal stabilities for 1 and 2.

Growth rates of different polymorphs from interspherulitic boundary profiles

Quantitative data on the crystallization kinetics of polymorphic polymers can be derived from the investigation of gross spherulitic morphology formed in isothermal conditions. Depending on distance between centers, and the time lag between their formation and relative growth rates, various types of boundary lines can be generated by the impinging of two spherical bodies whose radii increase linearly with time, In polymorphic polymers, different types of spherulites often develop simultaneously at different rates from sporadic or predetermined nuclei. In same cases, the so-called growth transformation, in which a nucleus of the fast growing specie is formed at the tip of an advancing lamella of the slower crystal form, provides an alternative mode of nucleation, It is shown that if only one event of growth transformation takes place at the front of a slow growing body, the fast growing spherulite swallows the parent one and the resultant shape of interspherulitic boundary is described by two symmetrical logarithmic spirals whose parameters can be extracted from micrographs taken at the end of crystallization. These concepts are applied to determine the radial growth rate of gamma form spherulites of polypivalolactone in a wide range of temperatures through analysis of the alpha/gamma interspherulitic profiles formed in isothermal conditions and direct measurement of the growth rate of the alpha counterparts at the same temperature.

外场诱导的溶液浇铸苯基联苯基呃唑（PBD）单晶及其微观电学性能

本论文以2-（4-叔丁基苯基）-5-（4-二联苯基）-1，3，4-呃唑（PBD）单晶为研究对象，在对溶液浇铸的PBD多晶薄膜的晶体结构的研究基础上，通过调控溶液浇铸PBD单晶生长过程中的溶剂挥发和外加静电场，获得了晶胞轴轴和c轴垂直基板取向的不同的PBD单晶。利用导电探针原子力显微镜考察了与之相对应的电学性能及其各向异性。在空气中溶液浇铸的PBD多晶薄膜表现出c轴垂直基板取向的特征。基于这一现象，我们通过控制溶剂场中溶剂挥发的时间，即控制溶剂挥发的动力学过程，得到了大面积有序排列的c轴垂直基板取向的PBD单晶。在溶剂挥发的过程中，通过原子力显微镜观察到薄膜的形貌发生明显的改变，此现象表明PBD由亚稳态的多形态（Polymorphs）转变为单晶。当在这一过程中施加一个场强为5kV／cm的静电场时，可以得到b轴垂直基板取向的PBD单晶。我们利用导电探针原子力显微镜测量了制备在Au／S基板上这两种不同取向结构的PBD单晶在纳米尺度上的电学性能，观察到了纳米尺度上的PBD单晶的电学各向异性。电荷的传输性能是在导电金探针和Au／S基板之间测量的。在电场诱导作用下得到的b轴垂直基板取向的PBD单晶测量得到其电子迁移率为3*10-3cm2/Vs。而通过动力学控制溶剂挥发得到的c轴垂直基板取向的PBD单晶，在低电压域内测量得到的电子迁移率比电场诱导作用下得到的轴垂直基板取向的PBD单晶要高两个数量级。这么高的电荷各向异性是由于相邻分子之间兀轨道重叠的程度不同而决定的。

Direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase immobilized in calcium carbonate microsphere doped with phospholipids

Protein electrochemistry affords a direct method to study the biological electron transfer processes. However, supplying a biocompatible environment to maintain the native state of protein is all-important and challengeable. Here, we chose vaterite, one of the crystalline polymorphs of calcium carbonate, with highly porous nature and large specific surface area, which was doped with phospholipids, as the matrix to immobilize horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The integrity of HRP was kept during the simple immobilization procedure. By virtue of this organic/inorganic complex matrix, the direct electrochemistry of HRP was realized, and the activity of HRP for catalyzing reduction of O-2 and H2O2 was preserved.

Morphology and crystalline transition of poly (3-butylthiophene) associated with its polymorphic modifications

Poly (3-butylthiophene) (P3BT) is a much less studied conjugated polymer despite its high crystallizability and thus excellent electrical property. In this work, morphology of P3BT at different crystalline polymorphs and solvent/thermal induced phase transition between form I and U modifications have been intensively investigated by using optical microscopy, electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction. It is shown that a direct deposition from carbon disulfide (CS2) at fast evaporation results in P3BT crystals in form I modification, giving typical whiskerlike morphology. In contrast, low evaporation rate from CS, leads to formation of form II crystals with spherulitic morphology, which is so far scarcely observed in polythiophene.