Julia Romanova

Unprecedented Route to Ordered Polyaniline: Direct Synthesis of Highly Crystalline Fibrillar Films with Strong π-π Stacking Alignment.

Films of polyaniline (PANI) featuring about 80% crystallinity and characterised with strong π-π stacking alignment parallel to the film surface have been obtained directly after the original synthesis upon simple drying of the aqueous PANI suspension. A strong anisotropy in the growth of the nano-sized crystals produced during the synthesis results in the formation of micrometer-length fibrils perpendicular to the film surface in the course of water evaporation. The regular intercalation of water molecules between the PANI chains seems to be crucial for their ordering throughout the synthesis and film formation.

Iron oxide nanoparticles – In vivo/in vitro biomedical applications and in silico studies

The review presents a broad overview of the biomedical applications of surface functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents for sensitive and precise diagnosis tool and synergistic combination with other imaging modalities. Then, the recent progress in therapeutic applications, such as hyperthermia is discussed and the available toxicity data of magnetic nanoparticles concerning in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications are addressed. This review also presents the available computer models using molecular dynamics (MD), Monte Carlo (MC) and density functional theory (DFT), as a basis for a complete understanding of the behaviour and morphology of functionalized IONPs, for improving NPs surface design and expanding the potential applications in nanomedicine.

Thin mesoporous polyaniline films manifesting a water-promoted photovoltaic effect

Photovoltaic cells composed of thin mesoporous polyaniline films sandwiched between an indium-tin oxide anode and aluminium cathode have been fabricated. The cells show an increase in the photo-generated open-circuit voltage (Voc) from 0.2 V to 0.6 V and stable-in-time Voc generation following the addition of water containing highly hydrated ions, e.g. tap water.We explain the waterpromoted photo-voltaic effect by the polarity of the water environment. Theoretical calculations show that increasing the solvent polarity increases the energy of the electronic transition related to the measured Voc. The stable-in-time Voc generation could be explained by the increase in the lifetime of the excitons as well as by their more efficient dissociation in the interpenetrating network of polyaniline and water. The penetration of water into the mesoporous polyaniline films is promoted by the presence of highly hydrated ions.

Magnetostructural Correlation for Rational Design of Mn(II) Hybrid-Spin Complexes

The magnetic properties of a series of manganese(II) diacetylacetonate and dihexafluoroacetylacetonate hybrid-spin complexes with neutral pyridine-based organic radicals were characterized theoretically by DFT calculations. Three stable radicals, in which a radical group is bound in either para or meta position with respect to the pyridine nitrogen atom, were considered. The correct stable structures and multiplets of the complexes were obtained by full geometry optimization starting from an ideal structure. A total of three important geometry descriptors of the complexes were monitored and related to their magnetic characteristics. These structural parameters are (i) the torsion angle governing the conjugation of the organic radical m-PyNO (anti versus gauche), (ii) the coordination geometry of the acetyl acetonate ligands around the metal ion (square versus rhombic), and (iii) the relative orientation of the organic radical with respect to the acetyl acetonate plane (parallel versus perpendicular). It was found that the magnetic properties are not sensitive to the orientation of the radicals with respect to the equatorial plane but do depend on the conformation of the organic radicals. Even a spin switch between the ferromagnetic (S = (7)/(2)) and antiferromagnetic (S = (3)/(2)) ground state was found to be feasible for one of the complexes upon variation of the organic radical geometry, namely, the dihedral angle between the organic radical moiety and the pyridine ring. The pattern of molecular orbital overlap was determined to be the key factor governing the exchange coupling in the modeled systems. Bonding π-type overlap provides antiferromagnetic coupling in all complexes of the para radicals. In the meta analogues, the spins are coupled through the σ orbitals. A low-spin ground state occurs whenever a continuous σ-overlap pathway is present in the complex. Ferromagnetic interaction requires σ-π orthogonality of the pyridine atomic orbitals and/or π-antibonding Mn-pyridine natural orbital overlap. Using an estimate of the donor-acceptor energy stabilization, the affinity of a given Mn(II) d-orbital to mix with the sp(2) orbital from pyridine can be predicted.

Influence of the Level of Protonation on the Geometry and the Electronic Structure of Emeraldine Oligomers

A number of studies prove the existence of magnetically active states in polyaniline and claim polaronic nature of conductivity, but the molecular structure of polarons and bipolarons with account of the solvent effect has not been exhausted. Alongside with conductivity, the optical and magnetic properties of the polymer related to its practical application could be rationalized by the elucidation of this problem. The purpose of this chapter is the assessment of the degree of protonation on the spatial and electronic structure of hydrated polyaniline oligomers. Neutral and protonated emeraldine octamers are modeled to this end. UHF, UBLYP, and UB3LYP with 6-31G* basis set were employed for optimization of the geometry in aqueous medium (PCM). Various structural parameters: bond lengths, valence, and torsion angles, were analyzed and compared. The distribution of Mulliken and NBO charge density and Mulliken atomic spin density was discussed.