Algebraic Structure Count of Cyclobutadienyl Bridged Polyacenes

Abstract

By substitution of the benzene rings in [n]phenylenes with polyacene units (all being of the same length) a new class of compounds is obtained. By analogy we call this class [n]acenylenes. Beside linear (X_n), we also examine angularly linked acenylenes which might be realized in two extreme ways: by connecting the polyacene units in a strictly spiral way (Y_n) or in the so called zig-zag manner (Z_n).

The recursion formulae for the algebraic structure count (ASC) of X_n, Y_n and Z_n are derived here, and they read as:

ASC(X_n) = (h + 1). ASC(X_n-1)—ASC(X_n-2)

ASC(Y_n) = h. ASC(Y_n-1) + ASC(Y_n-2)

ASC(Z_n) = h. ASC(Z_n-1) + ASC(Z_n-2)

where n denotes the number of polyacene units and h the number of hexagons in each polyacene unit.

It is proved that Y_n and Z_n have equal ASCs.     

Contact resistance and megahertz operation of aggressively scaled organic transistors

Bottom-gate, top-contact organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) with excellent static characteristics (on/off ratio: 10(7) ; intrinsic mobility: 3 cm(2) (V s)(-1) ) and fast unipolar ring oscillators (signal delay as short as 230 ns per stage) are fabricated. The significant contribution of the transfer length to the relation between channel length, contact length, contact resistance, effective mobility, and cutoff frequency of the TFTs is theoretically and experimentally analyzed.     

Strategy for kinetic parameter estimation—Thermal degradation of polyurethane elastomers

The kinetics of the thermal degradation of polyurethane (PU) elastomers based on poly(ether polyol) soft segments and an aromatic type of diisocyanate were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) under a nitrogen atmosphere employing four heating rates. The corresponding kinetic parameters of the two degradation stages were estimated by minimizing the output error functional and by the Kissinger method. In evaluating the kinetic parameters of the two‐step PU thermal decomposition, a differential thermogravimetry curve was applied as an objective functional in a regression procedure. Parameter estimation was obtained by minimizing the weighted quadratic output error functional with the modified Nelder–Mead simplex search algorithm. The confidence regions in the preexponential factor‐activation energy space were established for both the first and second stages of degradation. The effect of the molecular weight of the soft segment and the content of the hard segment on the activation energy of the degradation process was constructed by response surface methodology. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 764–772, 2007     

The influence of natural sweetener (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) on bioactive compounds content in chokeberry juice

The aim was to determine the differences in nutritional quality between chokeberry juices sweetened with sucrose and green stevia powder. The quality of chokeberry juices during refrigerated storage was studied. Chokeberry juices with added green stevia powder had the higher content of analyzed bioactive compounds in comparison with juice samples sweetened with sucrose; vitamin C content increased up to two times, total phenol content up to 6% and antioxidant capacity for 3%. The content of studied bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity during storage in period of 30 and 60 days was significantly reduced with the exception of steviol glycosides which content was not significantly reduced during the storage period.

Practical applications

Chokeberry juice is a popular, widespread product of chokeberry fruit characteristic for the dark intense red color, slightly unpleasant, bitter taste and extremely rich bioactive compounds content. Because of high nutritional quality, chokeberry juice is often consumed but with the biggest barrier of characteristic astringent taste which can be diminished by addition of sweetener. Producers often combine a low‐cost sweeteners like sucrose which shows numerous negative effects on human health. A good alternative to the sucrose and artificial sweeteners are natural sweeteners extracted from the plant material like steviol glycosides. Except sweetness, stevia products like green powder shows beneficial effect on the bioactive compounds content in the juices sweetened with it. Juices sweetened with stevia shows increased content of bioactive compounds, so such product may represent quality product from category of functional food.     

Unsteady RANS simulations of flow around a bridge section

This paper presents the results of unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulations of flow around a common bridge deck geometry. Computations are performed with a noncommercial unstructured flow solver using two-dimensional hybrid meshes with fine near-wall resolution. The influence of different simulation parameters (grid refinement, time-step size, turbulence modelling) is analyzed, in particular in order to obtain flow solutions independent of spatial and temporal discretization. Results given by a one-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence model and a two-equation explicit algebraic Reynolds stress model are compared. Despite the limits imposed by the URANS approach and the relatively inexpensive two-dimensional computations, satisfactory agreement is found with the experimentally measured forces and pressures. These simulations help to explain the discrepancy between the results of two wind-tunnel test campaigns and show the dramatic influence of non-perfectly sharp edges on the global flow field development. The capability of the numerical approach to capture complex Reynolds number effects is also discussed.