Growth of Porous Anodic Alumina on Low-Index Surfaces of Al Single Crystals

The pseudoepitaxial growth of amorphous anodic alumina with ordered porous structure within single crystal grains of aluminum substrates is an amazing feature of the self-organization process, which occurs during anodization. Here, we used single crystal Al(100), Al(110), and Al(111) substrates to inspect the effect of aluminum crystallography on anodization rates and the morphology of the resulting alumina films grown under different anodization conditions. The difference in the kinetics of porous film growth on various substrates is described in terms of the activation barrier of aluminum atom release from the metal surface to the oxide layer. Scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering are applied for quantitative characterization of different kinds of ordering in anodic alumina films. The highest number of straight channels was found in porous anodic alumina grown on Al(100) substrates, whereas Al(111) was proved to induce the best orientational order in anodic alumina with the formation of the single-domain-like structures. Based on the obtained results, possible pathways for crystallographic control of the anodic alumina porous structure for different practical applications are discussed

Topological Connection between Vesicles and Nanotubes in Single-Molecule Lipid Membranes Driven by Head–Tail Interactions

Lipid nanotube–vesicle networks are important channels for intercellular communication and transport of matter. Experimentally observed in neighboring mammalian cells but also reproduced in model membrane systems, a broad consensus exists on their formation and stability. Lipid membranes must be composed of at least two molecular components, each stabilizing low (generally a phospholipid) and high curvatures. Strong anisotropy or enhanced conical shape of the second amphiphile is crucial for the formation of nanotunnels. Anisotropic driving forces generally favor nanotube protrusions from vesicles. In this work, we report the unique case of topologically connected nanotubes–vesicles obtained in the absence of directional forces, in single-molecule membranes, composed of an anisotropic bolaform glucolipid, above its melting temperature, Tm. Cryo-TEM and fluorescence confocal microscopy show the interconnection between vesicles and nanotubes in a single-phase region, between 60 and 90 °C under diluted conditions. Solid-state NMR demonstrates that the glucolipid can assume two distinct configurations, head–head and head–tail. These arrangements, seemingly of comparable energy above the Tm, could explain the existence and stability of the topologically connected vesicles and nanotubes, which are generally not observed for classical single-molecule phospholipid-based membranes above their Tm

Effect of Self-Assembly of Oxalamide Based Organic Compounds on Melt Behavior, Nucleation, and Crystallization of Isotactic Polypropylene

We report on the effect of an aliphatic oxalamide based nucleating agent (<b>OXA3,6</b>) on the melt and crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene (<i>i</i>PP) under defined shear conditions. Through polarized optical microscopy, we demonstrate that <b>OXA3,6</b> self-assembles from the <i>i</i>PP melt into rhombic crystals whereas their size and distribution proved highly dependent on the employed cooling rates. The presence of 0.5 wt % of <b>OXA3,6</b> in <i>i</i>PP results in a significant suppression in <i>i</i>PP melt viscosity, which could not be explained via molecular modeling. A possible cause for the drop in viscosity in the presence of <b>OXA3,6</b> is attributed to the interaction (absorption) of high molecular weight <i>i</i>PP chains with the nucleating agent, thereby suppressing their contribution to the viscoelastic response of the melt. This proposed mechanism for the suppression in melt viscosity appears similar to that encountered by the homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles such as CNTs, graphene, and silica. Shear experiments, performed using a slit flow device combined with small-angle X-ray diffraction measurements, indicate that crystallization is significantly enhanced in the presence of <b>OXA3,6</b> at relatively low shear rates despite its lowered sensitivity to shear. This enhancement in crystallization is attributed to the shear alignment of the rhombic <b>OXA3,6</b> crystals that provide surface for <i>i</i>PP kebab growth upon cooling. Overall, the suppression in melt viscosity in combination with enhanced nucleation efficiency at low as well as high shear rates makes this self-assembling oxalamide based nucleating agent a promising candidate for fast processing

Effect of the Aggregation on the Photophysical Properties of a Blue-Emitting Star-Shaped Molecule Based on 1,3,5-Tristyrylbenzene

In this work we present a study on the effect of the aggregation on the optical properties of star-shaped molecules. We analyzed the modification of the absorption and fluorescent properties of a 1,3,5-tristyrylbenzene core due to the formation of diverse aggregates. The nature of the aggregates in solution was investigated by different spectroscopic techniques such as electronic absorption, steady-state fluorescence, fluorescence anisotropy, time-resolved fluorescence, small-angle X-ray scattering, and dynamic light-scattering spectroscopy. In order to simulate the molecular arrangement of the aggregates, the structure and electronic properties of different clusters formed by stacking of star-shaped molecules were studied by means of density functional theory calculations. The theoretical insight was performed in the gas phase as well as in solution through the polarizable continuum model, and both linear response and state-specific polarization schemes were applied. In the solid state, high quantum yields of up to 0.51 were measured for a 1,3,5-tristyrylbenzene derivative. Finally, the morphological properties of different solid samples were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopies