The influence of liquid drop shape on crystalline structure of nanowires

The influence of liquid drop shape on the crystalline phase structure of growing nanowires (NWs) has been analyzed. It is established that, at the same concentration of substance in the catalyst, the crystalline phase of NWs can change depending on the contact angle of the liquid drop. Based on the established facts, some experimental data concerning changes in the crystalline phase of III–V nanowires, e.g., depending on the antimony concentration in the liquid drop, are explained.     

Novel fabrication method of diverse one-dimensional Pt/ZnO hybrid nanostructures and its sensor application

A novel low-temperature, solution-phase method for the facile fabrication of a variety of one-dimensional (1D) metal/metal oxide hybrid nanostructures has been developed. This method is based on the wet chemical synthesis of metal oxide nanowires, followed by the surface coating of metal nanoparticles on metal oxide nanowire templates via reduction of metal ions along with controlled etching of metal oxide nanowires at the core, all in a low-temperature liquid environment. As a proof-of-concept, we applied this method to the fabrication of various 1D Pt/ZnO hybrid nanostructures including Pt nanoparticle-coated ZnO nanowires/nanotubes and Pt nanotubes on silicon and polymer substrates. The diverse morphology tuning is attributed to the control of pH in the solution with different metal precursor concentrations and amounts of reducing agent. The change of morphology, crystalline structure, and composition of various 1D Pt/ZnO hybrid nanostructures was observed by SEM, TEM (HRTEM), XRD and ICP-AES, respectively. Further, we have demonstrated a highly sensitive strain sensor (gauge factor = 15) with a Pt nanotube film fabricated by the developed method on a flexible polymer substrate.     

Capillarity induced large area patterning of peptide nanowires

Peptide nanostructures assembled from an aromatic diphenylalanine have attracted considerable attention because of high thermal and mechanical stabilities of the assembled morphologies. Of diverse assembled structures, liquid crystalline peptide nanowires exhibiting optical and mechanical anisotropies can be a valuable building block for micro- or nano-fluidics, molecular electronics, and biological sensing. In this work, we investigated large scale patterning of liquid crystalline peptide nanowires and pattern transfer. The peptide nanowires could be highly aligned on a substrate by capillary flow over a large area. The high etching resistivity of nanowires to subsequent reactive ion etching process allowed for a successful pattern transfer of the well-aligned nanowire morphology onto the underlying SiO2 substrate.     

Cover Picture: Liquid Crystalline Peptide Nanowires (Adv. Mater. 22/2007)

Liquid‐crystalline peptide nanowires consisting of aromatic dipeptides are easily prepared by a sonication in a volatile organic solvent, report Hyotcherl Ihee, Sang Ouk Kim, and co‐workers on p. 3924. The colloidal nematic liquid crystalline phase of the rigid nanowires allows for a macroscopically ordered morphology of the nanowires under an external electric field. The cover image presents a broad field view of nanowires oriented by an electric field between two electrodes.     

羧基遥爪热致性主链液晶离聚物的合成与表征

以对羟基苯甲酸甲酯和1,4-丁二醇为主要原料,经熔融酯交换合成介晶基元双(对羟基苯甲酸)丁二醇酯(BBHB);以四氯乙烷为溶剂,采用溶液缩聚法将BBHB与适量的对苯二甲酰氯(TPC)反应,经Na2CO3溶液处理,合成端基为羧基的液晶离聚物。通过红外光谱等分析对它们的化学结构进行了表征。表明:所合成的液晶离聚物P1~P3为纹影织构,属于典型的向列型液晶,液晶相区间为100℃左右,羧基对液晶区间和玻璃化转变温度(Tg)、熔融温度(Tm)、相转变温度(Tc)影响不大。     

Shape-memory nanoparticles from inherently non-spherical polymer colloids

Samples of polymeric materials generally have no intrinsic shape; rather their macroscopic form is determined by external forces such as surface tension and memory of shear (for example, during extrusion, moulding or embossing). Hence, in the molten state, the thermodynamically most stable form for polymer (nano)particles is spherical. Here, we present the first example of polymer nanoparticles that have an intrinsic non-spherical shape. We observe the formation of high-aspect-ratio ellipsoidal polymer nanoparticles, of controlled diameter, made from main-chain liquid crystalline polymers using a mini-emulsion technique. The ellipsoidal shape is shown to be an equilibrium (reversible) characteristic and a direct result of the material shape memory when a liquid crystal nanoparticle is in its monodomain form.     

一种低支化聚酯液晶的合成及性能表征

采用不同比例的4,4′-对苯二甲酰二羟苯甲酸乙二醇酯（TOBB）与偏苯三酸酐（TMA）反应,合成端基含有羧基的哑铃型聚酯液晶和低支化度的聚酯液晶。通过红外光谱（FT-IR）、差示扫描量热（DSC）、偏光显微镜（POM）、广角X射线衍射（WAXD）及热重分析（TGA）等对其结构及性能进行表征。结果表明,所合成的聚酯液晶呈...     

Fabrication of a polyurethane acrylate/polyimide-based polymer mold for a hot embossing process

A high-thermal-resistance polymer-based flexible imprint mold was developed to be used in a hot embossing process. This mold was readily replicated in a UV curing imprint process and can be used as a mold for hot embossing and thermally curing imprint processes. The nano-sized pattern of this mold was not degraded by soaking at 350 degrees C for 10 min and the pattern fidelity was maintained after 10 separate cyclic heating tests between 0 degrees C and 350 degrees C. The substrate of this flexible mold was PI film, and a UV-cured polyurethane acrylate (PUA) layer was used to form the nano-scale patterns. The durability of this polymeric mold was tested by repetitive hot embossing processes. Nano-scale patterns of the mold were readily transferred to a PMMA layer coated onto a Si substrate by hot embossing lithography at 180 degrees C. After 10 cycles of hot embossing processes, no damage or degradation was observed in the flexible polymer mold. Using this polymer mold, patterns as small as 50 nm were successfully transferred to a Si substrate. Due to the flexibility of the polymer mold, nano-scale patterns were successfully transferred to a non-flat acryl substrate by hot embossing lithography.     

聚乙烯亚胺为主链的液晶高分子研究进展

综述了近几年以聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)为主链的液晶高分子的研究进展.从PEI型液晶高分子的原理、结构和性能方面着手,展望了几类新型PEI液晶高分子的发展趋势.     

聚乙烯醇侧链液晶高分子的合成与表征

合成了聚乙烯醇侧链液晶高分子并对其进行表征.利用聚乙烯醇中羟基的给质子能力和苯乙烯吡啶上氮原子的授质子能力形成的氢键,通过分子自组装合成聚乙烯醇侧链液晶高分子.这是一种热致性向列型液晶高分子.由于聚乙烯醇主链良好的柔顺性,该侧链液晶高分子具有较低的相转变温度和较宽的液晶温度范围.同时,通过氢键连接液晶基元和聚合物主链,相对减弱了液晶基元与聚合物之间的相互作用力,使它们之间保留了一定的自由性,提高了侧链液晶高分子的柔顺性,扩大了其使用范围。     

Ultrafast growth of single-crystalline Si nanowires

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have been catalytically synthesized by heat treatment of Si nanopowder at 980 °C. The SiNWs comprise crystalline Si nanoparticles interconnected with metal catalyst. The formation mechanism of nanowires generally depends on the presence of Fe catalysts in the synthesis process of solid–liquid–solid (SLS). Although gas phase of vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) method can be used to produce various of different nanowire materials, growth model based on the SLS mechanism by heat treatment is more ascendant for providing ultrafast growth of single-crystalline Si nanowires and controlling the diameter of them easily. The growth of single-crystalline SiNWs and morphology were discussed.     

Formation of channel waveguide with grating in polymer films based on simultaneous photobleaching and embossing

Channel waveguide with grating is fabricated in nonlinear optical (NLO) polymer thin films by means of simultaneous embossing and photobleaching. A combined structure of mask/master consisting of a photomask part and a grating die part which is made of polyimide is fabricated. Then the mask/master is set on the NLO polymer films and both embossing and photobleaching are performed simultaneously. Profiles of the replica grating and the channel waveguide are estimated.     

一种新的侧链型液晶高分子的合成及表征

分别用基团转移聚合和自由基聚合的方法，合成了一种新的带联苯－西佛碱液晶基元的无间隔段侧链型液晶高分子。运用＾１Ｈ－ＮＭＲ、ＦＴ－ＩＲ、元素分析、ＤＳＣ、ＧＰＣ、ＰＯＭ等方法对单体和聚合物进行了表征。发现相转变温度随分子量的增大而升高，分子量分布对热行为无明显影响，液晶织构不随分子量及其分布的变化而改变。     

用原子转移自由基聚合方法合成胆甾侧链液晶聚合物

以胆固醇氯甲酸酯和丙烯酸羟乙酯为原料。合成了丙烯酸羟乙酯基胆甾醇碳酸酯(简称GMCC),作为一种含液晶基元的单体,使之在苯甲醚溶液中在Ebib／CuBr／MA3-DETA催化系统下进行原子转移自由基聚合(ATRP)．动力学分析表明。转化率随着反应时间呈线性增加,Ln[M]0／[M]与反应时间呈良好线性关系。反应产物的分子量分布较窄(1．3左右)．所得产物可作为大引发剂引发丙烯酸甲(丁)酯通过同样的催化体系．进一步聚合成嵌段共聚物．胆甾侧链液晶聚合物的相转变温度和织构偏光显微镜观察表明,这种聚合物具有良好的液晶性能．     

Synthesis of GaN nanowires by CVD method: effect of reaction temperature

GaN nanowires are fabricated on Si substrates by ammoniating Ga₂O₃/NiCl₂ thin films using chemical vapour deposition method. The influence of reaction temperature on microstructure, morphology and optical properties of GaN nanowires is characterised by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. The results demonstrate that the GaN nanowires are single crystalline and exhibit hexagonal wurtzite symmetry. The best crystalline quality was achieved for an reaction temperature of 1150°C for 15?min. The growth process follows vapour–liquid–solid mechanism and Ni plays an important role as the nucleation point and as a catalyst.     

光散射技术在聚合物结晶研究中的应用

较为详细地综述了光散射在聚合物结晶研究中的应用，并着重介绍了光散射在聚合物结晶形态及变形、结晶动力学、含结晶的聚合物共混体系、液晶等领域的研究中的发展历史和研究现状。     

Debye temperature of metallic nanowires--an experimental determination from the resistance of metallic nanowires in the temperature range 4.2 K-300 K

We have studied the resistance of metallic nanowires (silver and copper) as a function of the wire diameter in the temperature range 4.2 K-300 K. The nanowires with an average diameter of 15 nm-200 nm and length 6 microm were electrochemically deposited using polycarbonate membranes as template from AgNO3 and CuSO4, respectively. The wires after growth were removed from the membranes by dissolving the polymer in dichloromethane and their crystalline nature confirmed by XRD and TEM studies. The TEM study establishes that the nanowires are single crystalline and can have twin in them. The resistivity data was fitted to Bloch-Gruneisen theorem with the values of Debye temperature and the electron-acoustic phonon coupling constant as the two fit variables. The value of the Debye temperature obtained for the Ag wires was seen to match well with that of the bulk while for Cu wires a significant reduction was observed. The observed increase in resistivity with a decrease in the wire diameter could be explained as due to diffuse surface scattering of the conduction electrons.     

Growth of high quality ZnO nanowires on graphene

We report growth of the ZnO nanowires on graphene/SiO2/Si substrates using a chemical vapor deposition method. The length of nanowires varies from 1 microm to 10 microm with increasing the growth time from 30 min to 90 min. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy investigations predict the high structural quality of the c-axis grown single crystalline ZnO nanowires. Temperature dependent photoluminescence spectra from the nanowires reveal excellent optical quality and excitonic behavior in the single crystalline ZnO nanowires. A well-resolved free exciton emission at 3.375 eV, indicates high crystalline quality nanowires and a strong PL peak at 3.370 eV is assigned to neutral-donor bound excitons (D0X).     

向列型热致液晶聚酰胺的结构表征

采用傅立叶红外光谱仪（IR）、广角X射线衍射仪（WAXD）、热台偏光显微镜（POM）及扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对所合成热致液晶聚酰胺进行了结构表征。IR谱图显示了该聚合物为半刚性结构,与所设计的分子结构相一致;WAXD曲线显示处于液晶态的聚合物在2θ=20°左右有一弥散的峰,表明该液晶聚合物为向列型液晶结构;POM观察...     

Organo-lanthanide complexes as luminescent dopants in polymer waveguides fabricated by hot embossing

Lanthanide complexes, Eu(dbm)₃(Phen) and Er(dbm)₃(Phen), are employed as luminescent dopants within polymer channel waveguide devices fabricated by hot embossing. Spectroscopic properties of the complexes as dopants in the waveguide core polymer are investigated in detail. Judd–Ofelt parameters are calculated for the europium chelate and radiative properties are determined viz. potential for optical amplification. Channel waveguides fabricated by single level embossing are shown to be capable of guiding visible and infrared light emitted following optical excitation of the dopants. Multi-level polymer micro-optical benches incorporating doped channel waveguides and passive locational features for self-alignment and integration of optical fibres are fabricated in a multi-level single-step embossing process and are shown to successfully out-couple the waveguided dopant emission.