PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Breathing new life into existing tech: FT-IR spectrometer shows molecular orientation

Osaka Prefecture University observes the molecular orientation of thin-film materials with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) using an originally designed, 3D printed attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit

Breathing new life into existing tech: FT-IR spectrometer shows molecular orientation
2021-06-18
(Press-News.org) "Any problem can be solved with a little ingenuity". While they may not be the originators of this quote, recent work from researchers at Osaka Prefecture University into understanding the molecular orientation of hybrid thin-film material is a concrete example of its central message. "We wanted everyone to have access to this knowledge," states research lead Professor Masahide Takahashi of the OPU Graduate School of Engineering. Using laboratory-grade equipment with 3D printable optical setups, his research group has established an easy, versatile, yet highly sensitive approach to identify the orientation of molecules and chemical bonds in crystalline organic-inorganic hybrid thin film deposited on a substrate as small as 10 nm, "even film with 3 molecular layers", continues the Professor. Their work was published on June 18th in Chemical Science.

The equipment they used was a spectrometer that employs a technique called Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and polarized infrared light with an originally designed 3D-printed attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit. FT-IR spectrometers are found in most laboratories in part because they show what molecules are found in a sample - but they have not been able to reveal the three-dimensional orientation of these molecules relative to the substrates. This is important to the manufacturing of thin-film devices that can be nanometers in size, as an unpredicted shift in molecular orientation at that level can cause the entire structure of the device to break down.

Conventionally, in FT-IR spectroscopy in transmission configuration, infrared light penetrates from the top of the sample like a skewer. This narrow point of entry and exit does not allow the sample enough interaction with the light to excite the molecules in their chemically bonded states. "We realized that by re-orienting the sample, we could introduce polarized light directly into the substrate of the thin film, generating an evanescent wave that heats up the sample, exciting certain molecules and betraying their orientation," states Bettina Baumgartner, a visiting researcher on the team, "we just needed a new kind of sample interface", adds Associate Professor Kenji Okada. This is where the team designed a brand-new ATR optical setup that bounces polarized infrared light through the entirety of the sample substrate allowing the team to observe the vibration of all molecules aligned with the electric field component of the infrared light, revealing their orientation. Any lab with a 3-D printer can make these ATR optical setups.

This method, which the team used to obtain the structural information of metal-organic framework thin film with a degree of crystal orientation comparable to X-ray structural analysis, is expected to be a useful method in many situations in materials science, such as where orientation control is linked to controlling physical properties, the functional improvement of porous materials used for CO2 capture, and the development of new heterogeneous catalysts.

INFORMATION:

About Osaka Prefecture University, Japan Osaka Prefecture University (OPU) is one of the largest public universities in Japan. OPU comprises three campuses, with a main campus in Sakai, Osaka. With four colleges for undergraduate students and seven graduate schools, the university offers stellar education in a myriad of fields like engineering, life and environmental sciences, science, economics, humanities and social sciences, and nursing. Not just this, the university also houses various international students, who can enrich their lives with opportunities for internships and exchange programs. In April 2022, OPU will unite with Osaka City University (OCU) to form Japan's largest public university, Osaka Metropolitan University (tentative name).

For more details, please visit: Osaka Prefecture University (OPU): https://www.osakafu-u.ac.jp/en Osaka Metropolitan University (tentative name): https://www.upc-osaka.ac.jp/new-univ/en-research/

Funders Grant-in Aid from Ministry of Education Culture Sports Science and Technology, PRESTO Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, International Fellowship for Research in Japan- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Izumi Science and Technology Foundation, Cooperative Research Program of Institute for Catalysis- Hokkaido University


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Breathing new life into existing tech: FT-IR spectrometer shows molecular orientation

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Tai chi shows promise for relief of depression and anxiety in stroke survivors

2021-06-18
Sophia Antipolis - 18 June 2021: A small feasibility study has suggested that tai chi has the potential to reduce depression, anxiety and stress plus improve sleep in people who have had a stroke. The research is presented today at EuroHeartCare - ACNAP Congress 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 Depression occurs in approximately one-third of stroke survivors and is linked with greater disability and mortality rates.2,3 Individuals with post-stroke depression frequently also report anxiety, stress, and poor sleep.4-6 Tai chi focuses on releasing tension in the body, incorporating mindfulness and imagery into movement, increasing awareness and efficiency of breathing, and promoting overall relaxation of body and mind. "Mind-body ...

Depression in dads of preemies deserves more attention

2021-06-18
While postpartum depression in new mothers is well recognized and known to increase if the newborn requires intensive care, depression in new fathers has not received much attention. A large study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that both parents with a baby in the NICU are at risk, with depression symptoms identified in 33 percent of mothers and 17 percent of fathers. Strikingly, the probability of reporting depression symptoms declined significantly for mothers but not for fathers after the baby came home. "Our findings point to the need for increased attention to the mental health of new fathers, during their baby's NICU stay and after discharge," said lead author Craig F. ...

Meringue-like material could make aircraft as quiet as a hairdryer

Meringue-like material could make aircraft as quiet as a hairdryer
2021-06-18
An incredibly light new material that can reduce aircraft engine noise and improve passenger comfort has been developed at the University of Bath. The graphene oxide-polyvinyl alcohol aerogel weighs just 2.1kg per cubic metre, making it the lightest sound insulation ever manufactured. It could be used as insulation within aircraft engines to reduce noise by up to 16 decibels - reducing the 105-decibel roar of a jet engine taking off to a sound closer to that of a hair-dryer. The aerogel's meringue-like structure makes it extremely light, meaning it could act as an insulator within aircraft engine nacelles, with almost no increase ...

Surprising spider hair discovery may inspire stronger adhesives

Surprising spider hair discovery may inspire stronger adhesives
2021-06-18
Just how do spiders walk straight up -- and even upside-down across -- so many different types of surfaces? Answering this question could open up new opportunities for creating powerful, yet reversible, bioinspired adhesives. Scientists have been working to better understand spider feet for the past several decades. Now, a new study in END ...

There's a good reason online retailers are investing in physical stores

2021-06-18
Researchers from Colorado State University, Amazon, and Dartmouth College published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines the role of physical stores for selling "deep" products. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled "How Physical Stores Enhance Customer Value: The Importance of Product Inspection Depth" and is authored by Jonathan Zhang, Chunwei Chang, and Scott Neslin. While some traditional offline retailers are struggling and are closing stores (e.g., Macy's, Walgreens), online retailers are opening them (e.g., Amazon, Warby Parker). This conflicting trend ...

Doctors, student help establish way to prioritize surgeries during COVID-19

2021-06-18
June 17, 2021, Nutley, NJ - During two months at the height of the first wave of COVID-19, Hackensack Meridian Health experts helped find the best way to triage and prioritize necessary surgeries across the health network. Their work allowed the system to keep up with crucial care - and it may help point the way forward in case of future emergencies. The health network experts implemented the medically necessary time sensitive (MeNTS) surgical scoring system developed by the University of Chicago to triage the case load across the health system, the largest in New Jersey. The results are published now in The American Journal of Surgery, and the lead author is a medical student at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. "This is critical work and it shows how important teamwork ...

Compact quantum computer for server centers

Compact quantum computer for server centers
2021-06-18
Over the past three decades, fundamental groundwork for building quantum computers has been pioneered at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. As part of the EU Flagship Quantum Technologies, researchers at the Department of Experimental Physics in Innsbruck have now built a demonstrator for a compact ion trap quantum computer. "Our quantum computing experiments usually fill 30- to 50-square-meter laboratories," says Thomas Monz of the University of Innsbruck. "We were now looking to fit the technologies developed here in Innsbruck into the smallest possible space while meeting standards commonly used in industry." The new device aims to show that quantum computers will soon be ready for use in data centers. "We were able to show that ...

Long-term Himalayan glacier study

Long-term Himalayan glacier study
2021-06-18
The glaciers of Nanga Parbat - one of the highest mountains in the world - have been shrinking slightly but continually since the 1930s. This loss in surface area is evidenced by a long-term study conducted by researchers from the South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University. The geographers combined historical photographs, surveys, and topographical maps with current data, which allowed them to show glacial changes for this massif in the north-western Himalaya as far back as the mid-1800s. Detailed long-term glacier studies that extend the observation period to the time before the ubiquitous ...

Sacred natural sites protect biodiversity in Iran

Sacred natural sites protect biodiversity in Iran
2021-06-18
How much do traditional practices contribute to the protection of local biodiversity? Why and how are sacred groves locally valued and protected, and how can this be promoted and harnessed for environmental protection? Working together with the University of Kurdistan, researchers of the University of Göttingen and the University of Kassel have examined the backgrounds of this form of local environmental protection in Baneh County, Iran. "Around the world, local communities are voluntarily protecting certain parts of their surroundings due to religious ...

New study finds SARS-CoV-2 can infect testes

2021-06-18
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch have observed that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect the testes of infected hamsters. The findings, published in the journal Microorganisms, could help explain symptoms some men with COVID-19 have reported and have important implications for men's health. As the pandemic goes on, clinicians continue to report their findings that COVID-19 affects more than just the lungs. Some patients have reported testicular pain and some reports have shown decreases in testosterone, a key hormone produced in the ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Transforming treatment outcomes for people with OCD

Damage from smoke and respiratory viruses mitigated in mice via a common signaling pathway

New software tool could help better understand childhood cancer

Healthy lifestyle linked to lower diverticulitis risk, irrespective of genetic susceptibility

Women 65+ still at heightened risk of cervical cancer caused by HPV

‘Inflammatory’ diet during pregnancy may raise child’s diabetes type 1 risk

Effective therapies needed to halt rise in eco-anxiety, says psychology professor

Nature-friendly farming boosts biodiversity and yields but may require new subsidies

Against the odds: Endometriosis linked to four times higher pregnancy rates than other causes of infertility, new study reveals

Microplastics discovered in human reproductive fluids, new study reveals

Family ties and firm performance: How cousin marriage traditions shape informal businesses in Africa

Novel flu vaccine adjuvant improves protection against influenza viruses, study finds

Manipulation of light at the nanoscale helps advance biosensing

New mechanism discovered in ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis: YWHAB restriction drives stemness and chemoresistance

New study links blood metabolites and immune cells to increased risk of urolithiasis

Pyruvate identified as a promising therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis by targeting cytosolic phospholipase A2

New insights into the clinical impact of IKBKG mutations: Understanding the mechanisms behind rare immunodeficiency syndromes

Displays, imaging and sensing: New blue fluorophore breaks efficiency records in both solids and solutions

Sugar, the hidden thermostat in plants

Personality can explain why some CEOs earn higher salaries

This puzzle game shows kids how they’re smarter than AI

Study suggests remembrances of dead played role in rise of architecture in Andean region

Brain stimulation can boost math learning in people with weaker neural connections

Inhibiting enzyme could halt cell death in Parkinson’s disease, study finds

Neurotechnology reverses biological disadvantage in maths learning

UNDER EMBARGO: Neurotechnology reverses biological disadvantage in maths learning

Scientists target ‘molecular machine’ in the war against antimicrobial resistance

Extending classical CNOP method for deep-learning atmospheric and oceanic forecasting

Aston University research: Parents should encourage structure and independence around food to support children’s healthy eating

Thunderstorms are a major driver of tree death in tropical forests

[Press-News.org] Breathing new life into existing tech: FT-IR spectrometer shows molecular orientation
Osaka Prefecture University observes the molecular orientation of thin-film materials with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) using an originally designed, 3D printed attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit