Search results for "Tropic"
showing 10 items of 1375 documents
Monte Carlo simulation of a lyotropic first-order isotropic-nematic phase transition in a lattice polymer model
1999
We present a Monte Carlo simulation of the bond-fluctuation lattice model, using a Hamiltonian which introduces a change in the conformational statistics of the polymer chains from Gaussian behavior at high temperatures to rigid rod behavior at low temperatures. We do not introduce any attractive interaction between the chains. Upon cooling, the aspect ratio of the chains increases above the critical value for the density employed in the simulation, and we observe an entropically driven phase transition into a nematic phase. We examine this transition quantitatively by a careful finite size scaling study using an optimized cumulant intersection method, and show that the transition is of fir…
3,5-Dialkoxy Substituted Triphenyl-tristriazolotriazines: Fluorescent Discotic Liquid Crystals
2015
Tristriazolotriazines with a threefold 3,5-dialkoxyphenyl substitution were prepared from the corresponding phenyltetrazoles and cyanuric chloride. These star-shaped compounds are discotic liquid crystals that form broad and stable thermotropic mesophases. The thermal behaviour was studied by DSC and polarizing optical microscopy. An increasing length of the side chains reduces the phase transition temperatures, this effect is more pronounced for the crystalline to mesophase transition than for the clearing temperature. XRD on an oriented sample revealed a hexagonal columnar structure for the mesophase. All TTTs emit a strong fluorescence in the UV-violet region.
The smectic phase in semiflexible polymer materials: A large scale Molecular Dynamics study
2019
Abstract Semiflexible polymers in concentrated lyotropic solution are studied within a bead-spring model by molecular dynamics simulations, focusing on the emergence of a smectic A phase and its properties. We systematically vary the density of the monomeric units for several contour lengths that are taken smaller than the chain persistence length. The difficulties concerning the equilibration of such systems and the choice of appropriate ensemble (constant volume versus constant pressure, where all three linear dimensions of the simulation box can fluctuate independently) are carefully discussed. Using HOOMD-blue on graphics processing units, systems containing more than a million monomeri…
A thermotropic liquid crystal elastomer micro-actuator with integrated deformable micro-heater
2014
We present a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuator with large stroke and fast reaction time. LCEs show a large macroscopic shape change when heated above the phase transition (≈120°C). Buried wafer-level fabricated micro-heaters offer optimal thermal reaction times and compact design of the actuators. A relative length change of λ = 1.28 was obtained with 320 mW power consumption. Heating the device from room temperature takes τrise = 19.7 s, cooling below the phase transition temperature from the fully contracted state needs τfall - 5.6s. We verify that the displacement may be accurately controlled by varying electrical input power.
Co-flow microfluidic synthesis of liquid crystalline actuating Janus particles
2016
A microfluidic synthesis of stimuli-responsive actuating Janus particles composed of a liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) and a polymeric hydrogel is reported. , In this article the microfluidic synthesis and characterization of micrometer sized actuating Janus particles containing a liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) is presented. On one side these Janus particles consist of a hydrophobic liquid crystalline part, featuring strong shape changes during the thermotropic phase transition, whereas the other side contains a hydrophilic polyacrylamide network. The synthesis is based upon the dispersion of two immiscible monomer mixtures in a continuously flowing silicone oil, using two glass capi…
Orientation and Dynamics of ZnO Nanorod Liquid Crystals in Electric Fields.
2010
ZnO nanorod polymer hybrids (i.e., ZnO nanorods coated with a block copolymer with a short anchor block (dopamine) and a longer solubilizing block of polystyrene (PS)) form liquid crystalline (LC) phases if they are dispersed at high concentration e.g., in a PS oligomer matrix. Due to the high mobility of the low T(g)-matrix the nanorod polymer hybrids show a switching behavior under an applied AC electric field. Hence, the orientation of the nanorod mesogens can be changed from planar (parallel to the substrate) to homeotropic (perpendicular) in full analogy to the switching of low molecular liquid crystals in an electric field. Dielectric measurements show that such a switching is mainly …
Selective electrochemical discrimination between dopamine and phenethylamine-derived psychotropic drugs using electrodes modified with an acyclic rec…
2010
Electrochemical discrimination between dopamine and psychotropic drugs which have in common a skeletal structure of phenethylamine, can be obtained using acyclic receptors L(1) and L(2), containing two terminal 3-alkoxy-5-nitroindazole rings. Upon attachment to graphite electrodes, L(1) and L(2) exhibit a well-defined, essentially reversible solid state electrochemistry in contact with aqueous media, based on electrolyte-assisted reduction processes involving successive cation and anion insertion/binding. As a result, a distinctive, essentially Nernstian electrochemical response is obtained for phenethylammonium ions of methamphetamine (METH), p-methoxyamphetamine (PMA), amphetamine (AMPH),…
Paleolimnological evidence of environmental changes in seven subtropical reservoirs based on metals, nutrients, and sedimentation rates
2021
Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:40:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-11-01 Paleolimnological research can shed light on a broad range of environmental concerns; however, such studies are scarce in reservoirs. To address this lack of knowledge, a paleolimnological investigation was conducted to determine historical changes in sedimentation rates (SR), using 210Pb geochronology, and concentrations of nutrients and metals (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Al, Mn, Fe) in seven subtropical reservoirs (São Paulo, Brazil). Sediment cores were collected in the dam areas. Increasing SR was observed in all reservoirs and was mainly attributed to eutrophication and changes in land…
Alkoxy substituted (E,E)-3,6-bis(styryl)pyridazine—a photosensitive mesogen for liquid crystals
2008
Abstract (E,E)-3,6-Bis(styryl)pyridazines (3a–t) bearing 2, 4 or 6 alkoxy chains were prepared by applying the Siegrist reaction of 3,6-dimethylpyridazine (13) and the corresponding azomethines 10a–t. The transversal dipole moment of these calamitic compounds effects an extremely high tendency for self-organization in thermotropic LC phases (N, SA, SB, SC, SE, SI/F, and Cub). The conjugated core structure represents moreover a chromophore with a high photosensitivity for (E,E)⇄(E,Z) isomerization reactions: this property makes the compounds interesting for optical imaging and switching techniques.
Optical properties of ZnO deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on Si nanowires
2018
International audience; In this work, we report proof-of-concept results on the synthesis of Si core/ ZnO shell nanowires (SiNWs/ZnO) by combining nanosphere lithography (NSL), metal assisted chemical etching (MACE) and atomic layer deposition (ALD). The structural properties of the SiNWs/ZnO nanostructures prepared were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that all samples have a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The grain sizes are found to be in the range of 7-14 nm. The optical properties of the samples were investigated using reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The study o…