Long-range selective transport of anions and cations in graphene oxide membranes, causing selective crystallization on the macroscale

Monoatomic nanosheets can form 2-dimensional channels with tunable chemical properties, for ion storage and filtering applications. Here, we demonstrate transport of K+, Na+, and Li+ cations and F- and Cl- anions on the centimeter scale in graphene oxide membranes (GOMs), triggered by an electric bias. Besides ion transport, the GOM channels foster also the aggregation of the selected ions in salt crystals, whose composition is not the same as that of the pristine salt present in solution, highlighting the difference between the chemical environment in the 2D channels and in bulk solutions

The Scope and Retroactivity of the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need “HAVEN” Act in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Cases

(Excerpt) On August 23, 2019, President Donald J. Trump signed the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act (the “HAVEN Act”). Congress stated that the HAVEN Act’s purpose is to correct an “obvious inequity” in title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) as it relates to veterans. The HAVEN Act is silent as to whether it applies retroactively. Certain courts, however, have explored the idea that it should apply to cases pending as of the HAVEN Act’s enactment. This memorandum analyzes whether the HAVEN Act can be applied retroactively or only to cases filed following its enactment. Part I examines the HAVEN Act itself, Part II examines the legislative history surrounding the HAVEN Act, and Part III examines the Landgraf test and its application to the HAVEN Act

Electronic characterization of supramolecular materials at the nanoscale by Conductive Atomic Force and Kelvin Probe Force microscopies

The performances of organic (opto)electronic devices strongly depend on the order at the supramolecular level. Unraveling the relationship between structural and electronic properties in nanoscale architectures is therefore key for both fundamental studies and technological applications. C-AFM and KPFM provide an immediate correlation between the morphology of a material and its electrical/electronic properties such as local conductivity and surface potential. Thus, they are unrivaled techniques offering crucial information toward the optimization of the real devices, ultimately providing an important contribution to a hot field at the cross-road between nanoscience and organic (opto)electronics. Herein we focus on the application of C-AFM and KPFM on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), organic (semi)conducting materials for thin film transistors (TFTs) and organic blends for photovoltaics (OSCs)

Long term value creation of top US R&D spenders : the effects of R&D alliances

This study empirically tests the long-term security price performance of research and development (R&D) alliance announcements, across industries, among the top US R&D spenders. Using a sample of 73 of the top US R&D spenders, listed on a major US exchange, 792 R&D alliance announcements were identified over the period from 1994 to 1998. There are four main issues addressed in this paper: (1) do R&D partnership announcements create value in the long-run; (2) to what extent does the type of partner chosen influence the potential value created in the long-run; (3) is level of experience in partnering a factor affecting long term results; and (4) do industry considerations result in different findings regarding long term performance of R&D alliances. The chosen method of estimating long run abnormal returns was the calendar-time portfolio approach. Given that the main difficulty with long term studies is its reliance on a model of asset pricing, both unadjusted and adjusted results are reported and compared in order to determine the robustness of the findings. Additionally, the mean calendar-time abnormal returns are also reported

Morphology and mechanics of star copolymer ultrathin films probed by atomic force microscopy in the air and in liquid

Star copolymer films were produced by using spin-coating, drop-casting, and casting deposition techniques, thus obtaining ultrathin and thick films, respectively. The morphology is generally flat, but it becomes substrate-dependent for ultrathin films where the planarization effect of films is not efficient. The indentation hardness of films was investigated by Force Volume Maps in both the air and liquid. In the air, ultrathin films are in the substrate-dominated zone and, thus, the elastic modulus E is overestimated, while E reaches its bulk value for drop-casted ultrathin and thick films. In liquid (water), E follows an exponential decay for all films with a minimum soaked time t0 of 0.37 and 2.65 h for ultrathin and drop-casted ultrathin and thick films, respectively. After this time, E saturates to a value on average 92% smaller than that measured in the air due to film swelling. Such results support the role of film morphology in the antimicrobial activity envisaged in the literature, suggesting also an additional role of film hardness