Supramolecular assemblies constructed by cucurbituril-catalyzed click reaction

Cucurbituril homologues are multi-functional macrocycles that can find applications in many areas and have numerous interesting features setting them apart from the other macrocycles. Among them, the ability of one of the cucurbituril homologues, cucurbit[6]uril (CB6), to catalyze 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition in a regiospecific fashion is truly exceptional. Using this feature, small molecules can be clicked together to form complex structures in a very efficient way. Accordingly, in this article we review recent research involving the use of CB6-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition or the click reaction of CB6 in the construction of supramolecular assemblies including rotaxanes, pseudorotaxanes, polyrotaxanes, polypseudorotaxanes, molecular switches, machines, and nanovalves. © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

The effect of cucurbit[n]uril on the solubility, morphology, and the photophysical properties of nonionic conjugated polymers in an aqueous medium

The effects of cucurbit[n]uril on the dissolution and the photophysical properties of nonionic conjugated polymers in water are described. For this purpose, a fluorine-based polymer, namely, poly[9,9-bis{6(N,N-dimethylamino) hexyl}fluorene-co-2,5-thienylene (PFT) was synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques including 1D and 2D NMR, UV-vis, fluorescent spectroscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). For the first time, it was demonstrated that a nonionic conjugated polymer can be made soluble in water through an inclusion complex formation with CB8. The structure of the complex was elucidated by NMR experiments including 1H and selective 1D-NOESY. This complex emits green and is highly fluorescent with fluorescent quantum yield of 35%. In contrast, CB6 or water-soluble CB7 although they are chemically identical to CB8 do not have any effect on the dissolution and photophysical properties of PFT. By preparing a protonated version of PFT, the optical properties of PFT in methanol, protonated PFT and PFT@CB8 in water have been studied and compared. It was also observed that the morphology of the polymer PFT was affected by the presence of CB8. Thus CB8-assisted self-assembly of polymer chains leads to vesicles formation; these structures were characterized by DLS, AFM, SEM, and TEM fluorescent optical microscopy. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Sequence-specific self-sorting of the binding sites of a ditopic guest by cucurbituril homologues and subsequent formation of a hetero[4]pseudorotaxane

Ties us together: The selectivity and recognition behavior of cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) homologues (n = 6,7,8) towards a ditopic guest containing two distinct binding sites is explored. CB6, CB7, and CB8 recognize and self-sort the binding sites according to their size, shape, and chemical nature. In the presence of both CB6 and CB8 a hetero[4]pseudorotaxane is formed. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

Theoretical Criteria for Scattering Dark States in Nanostructured Particles

Nanostructures with multiple resonances can exhibit a suppressed or even completely eliminated scattering of light, called a scattering dark state. We describe this phenomenon with a general treatment of light scattering from a multiresonant nanostructure that is spherical or nonspherical but subwavelength in size. With multiple resonances in the same channel (i.e., same angular momentum and polarization), coherent interference always leads to scattering dark states in the low-absorption limit, regardless of the system details. The coupling between resonances is inevitable and can be interpreted as arising from far-field or near-field. This is a realization of coupled-resonator-induced transparency in the context of light scattering, which is related to but different from Fano resonances. Explicit examples are given to illustrate these concepts.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (Contract W911NF-13-D-0001)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (Program) (Grant DMR-0819762

Generalized Fano lineshapes reveal exceptional points in photonic molecules

The optical behavior of coupled systems, in which the breaking of parity and time-reversal symmetry occurs, is drawing increasing attention to address the physics of the exceptional point singularity, i.e., when the real and imaginary parts of the normal-mode eigenfrequencies coincide. At this stage, fascinating phenomena are predicted, including electromagnetic-induced transparency and phase transitions. To experimentally observe the exceptional points, the near-field coupling to waveguide proposed so far was proved to work only in peculiar cases. Here, we extend the interference detection scheme, which lies at the heart of the Fano lineshape, by introducing generalized Fano lineshapes as a signature of the exceptional point occurrence in resonant-scattering experiments. We investigate photonic molecules and necklace states in disordered media by means of a near-field hyperspectral mapping. Generalized Fano profiles in material science could extend the characterization of composite nanoresonators, semiconductor nanostructures, and plasmonic and metamaterial devices

Optimum design of steel space frames under earthquake effect using harmony search

This paper presents an optimization process using Harmony Search Algorithm for minimum weight of steel space frames under earthquake effects according to Turkish Earthquake Code (2007) specifications. The optimum designs are carried out by selecting suitable sections from a specified list including W profiles taken from American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). The stress constraints obeying AISC- Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) specifications, lateral displacement constraints and geometric constraints are considered in the optimum designs. A computer program is coded in MATLAB for the purpose to incorporate with SAP2000 OAPI (Open Application Programming Interface) to perform structural analysis of the frames under earthquake loads. Three different steel space frames are carried out for four different seismic earthquake zones defined in Turkish Earthquake Code (2007). Results obtained from the examples show the applicability and robustness of the method. Copyright © 2016 Techno-Press, Ltd

Optimum design of braced steel frames via teaching learning based optimization

In this study, optimum structural designs of braced (non-swaying) planar steel frames are investigated by using one of the recent meta-heuristic search techniques, teaching-learning based optimization. Optimum design problems are performed according to American Institute of Steel Construction-Allowable Stress Design (AISCASD) specifications. A computer program is developed in MATLAB interacting with SAP2000 OAPI (Open Application Programming Interface) to conduct optimization procedures. Optimum cross sections are selected from a specified list of 128W profiles taken from AISC. Two different braced planar frames taken from literature are carried out for stress, geometric size, displacement and inter-storey drift constraints. It is concluded that teaching-learning based optimization presents robust and applicable optimum solutions in multi-element structural problems. © 2016 Techno-Press, Ltd

Optimum weight design of steel space frames with semi-rigid connections using harmony search and genetic algorithms

In this paper, an optimization process using MATLAB-SAP2000 Open Application Programming Interface (OAPI) is presented for optimum design of space frames with semi-rigid connections. A specified list including W-profiles taken from American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is used in the selection of suitable sections. The stress constraints as indicated in load and resistance factor design of AISC, lateral displacement constraints being the top- and inter-storey drift and geometric constraints are considered in the optimization process. Genetic algorithm method based on biological principles and harmony search algorithm method based on the processes of musical harmony are used for optimum designs. Two different space frames are solved for the cases of rigid and semi-rigid connections, separately. A computer program is coded in MATLAB for the purpose interacting with SAP2000 OAPI. Results obtained from the analyses show that type of semi-rigid connections plays a crucial role in the optimization of steel space frames and increases the optimum weight. © 2016, The Natural Computing Applications Forum