Xiuying Chen

Persistently Folded Circular Aromatic Amide Pentamers Containing Modularly Tunable Cation-Binding Cavities with High Ion Selectivity

In this work, we illustrated a novel design strategy that allows systematically tunable interior properties (effective cavity size, steric crowdedness, and hydrophobicity) contained within a novel class of shape-persistent aromatic pentamers to take place on a scale below 3 A. Such finely tunable structural features are complimented by experimentally observable functional variations in ion-binding potential. Results of the selective, differential binding affinities of three circular pentamers for Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+), substantiated by metal-containing crystal structures and computational modeling, are detailed.

Crystallographic evidence of an unusual, pentagon-shaped folding pattern in a circular aromatic pentamer.

Introduction of a continuous hydrogen-bonding network suppressed the conformational flexibility of an oligomeric backbone. Cyclization of a rigidified, suitably sized oligomer led to a circular aromatic pentamer. Its crystal structure determined by X-ray crystallography reveals a pseudo five-fold symmetric planarity in the solid state, which is quite unusual among all the previously described shape-persistent macrocycles and synthetic foldamers with biased conformations enforced by noncovalent forces.

Helical organization in foldable aromatic oligoamides by a continuous hydrogen-bonding network.

Introduction of a continuous internal hydrogen-bonding network suppressed the conformational flexibility of a series of oligoaromatic foldamers with a lengthened backbone. The helical ordering over up to six aromatic repeating units was established in solution by a 2D NOESY study and in the solid state by an X-ray diffraction method. Computational molecular modeling further corroborates the experimentally observed helical propagation in this class of foldable molecular strands.

Experimental Study of Lubricant Depletion in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording over the Lifetime of the Drive

Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is a promising choice to overcome the superparamagnetic limit in magnetic recording and further increase the areal recoding density of hard disk drive. However, it is expected that HAMR causes lubricant depletion problem on disk surface under the high temperature in the heating assisted writing process. Experimental studies of the lubricant depletion under HAMR conditions are still very limited so far. Lubricant depletion over the lifetime of the drive still remains unaddressed. In this study, a self-developed HAMR tester is introduced. The methods to control the repeatability of laser heating temperature, to determine laser heating temperature, and to adjust laser heating temperature are explained. Laser heating time in the test is correlated with that in the drive. Lubricant depletion is determined quantitatively and the relationship between lubricant depletion depth and laser heating time is established. Then, lubricant depletion depth over the lifetime of the drive is predicated. It is found that almost all lubricant on the disk surface will be depleted over the lifetime of the drive.

Experimental Study of Lubricant Depletion in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording

Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) is a promising choice to overcome the superparamagnetic limit in magnetic recording and further increase the areal recoding density of a hard disk drive. However, HAMR brings about serious lubricant depletion problems on the disk surface due to the high temperature in the heat assisted writing process. Experimental studies of the lubricant depletion under HAMR conditions are still very limited so far. It is essential to do experimental studies under real HAMR conditions or under equivalent conditions if a stand-alone laser is used to emulate the HAMR system. In this work, a self-developed HAMR tester is introduced. A method to control the repeatability of laser heating temperature is explained. Lubricant depletion, accumulation, loss, the percentage of accumulation to depletion, and the depth of depletion are determined quantitatively. The effects of laser power, total laser-on-time and laser-off-time in one laser heating and cooling cycle on lubricant depletion are studied experimentally with the HAMR tester. From the experimental studies, it is found that lubricant accumulation at the edge of the lubricant depletion track takes a considerable percentage of the lubricant depletion and the lower the laser heating temperature, the higher the percentage is. Furthermore, media cooling time plays a significant role in lubricant depletion for the media without a heat sink layer and on glass substrate.

CCDC 746518: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Yan Yan, Bo Qin, Changliang Ren, Xiuying Chen, Yeow Kwan Yip, Ruijuan Ye, Dawei Zhang, Haibin Su, Huaqiang Zeng|2010|J.Am.Chem.Soc.|132|5869|doi:10.1021/ja100579z