my.chemeurope.com
With an accout for my.chemeurope.com you can always see everything at a glance – and you can configure your own website and individual newsletter.
Fabrice Odobel, Laurent Fontaine, Vincent Rodriguez and co-workers from Nantes University, University of Maine and the University of Bordeaux respectfully, have successfully used Huisgen chemistry to create a new cross-linked system which enhances the stability of electro-optic polymers. This system not only has the advantages of increasing the thermal alignment stability of the non-linear optical chromophores within the polymer, but also allows for their synthesis on a gram-scale.
Electro-optic systems are able to transfer stored information into a light beam for information processing, such as in telecommunications which are currently made of inorganic materials. Replacing them with organic materials is a promising alternative because ‘they offer superior performances for potentially much lower cost,’ says Odobel. ‘Indeed, the instability of the response of electro-optic organic polymers is currently the main issue which prevents their industrial manufacture,’ he explains.
‘There is a real need for high speed and broad bandwidth data processing systems (for internet, cellular phones and Wifi),’ says Odobel. ‘If we can prepare cheap and highly efficient electro-optic modulators, the applications are obvious for all technologies which require information processing.’
‘The next step will be to apply this new cross-linking strategy to highly efficient electro-optic chromophores,’ says Odobel. ‘Preliminary works indicate that the potential of this new cross-linking strategy in electro-optics is high.’
Original article: Annabelle Scarpaci et. al.; "A new crosslinkable system based on thermal Huisgen reaction to enhance the stability of electro-optic polymers"; Chem. Commun. 2009
New coating is self-defence for seeds
Scientists in Switzerland have developed a protective coating for seeds that poisons pests with cyanide when they bite into it. The coating is a system of two layers and only becomes toxic when the layers are mixed, eliminating the problem of environmental contamination that is associated w ... more
Using bacteria to make electrodes
Scientists in France have produced hematite using a bacterial pathway for use as an electrode material in Li-ion technologies. Currently, most commercial electrode materials for Li-ion technologies are prepared using the ceramic method, which requires long heating periods at high temperatur ... more
Marine plant replacement for platinum in solar cells
An international research team has shown that that the power conversion efficiency of sea tangle extract is comparable to platinum in solar cell electrodes. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are quickly becoming a widespread and affordable alternative to photovoltaic solar cells. The electr ... more
Royal Society of Chemistry – About us
With more than 51,000 members and an international publishing and knowledge business we are the UK’s professional body for chemical scientists, supporting and representing our members and bringing together chemical scientists from all over the world. more
Hear from RSC member Vicki Stone talk about her role as a Nanotoxicologist. more
When Food met Pharma: Delivery Strategies for Nutraceuticals
With growing prevalence of lifestyle-associated diseases, including obesity, Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease, there is an urgent need and demand to try to prevent the onset of these diseases within our growing population. Nutraceuticals, along with appropriate diet and exercise, ... more
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
The RSC is a leading international publisher of highly regarded journals and books in the chemical sciences. The RSC is also the professional body for chemists with a global membership of over 46,000. more
Man versus machine: Can AI do science?
Over the last few decades, machine learning has revolutionized many sectors of society, with machines learning to drive cars, identify tumors and play chess - often surpassing their human counterparts. Now, a team of scientists based at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Gradua ... more
Wireless microengine made from a twisted fibre
A highly efficient, micro-sized motor-cum-energy storage system has been presented by researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) and the University of Bordeaux in the journal ‘Science’. The ‘microengine’ is made from polymeric micro-fibres, which are stiff at room temperature. ... more
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as one of the most powerful clinical imaging tools because of its superb spatial resolution and soft tissue contrast, especially when using contrast agents. In the European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, scientists have presented a new kind of n ... more
