A method for preparing a magnetic chain structure is provided. The method comprises providing a plurality of magnetic particles; dispersing the plurality of magnetic particles in a solution comprising a dopamine-based material to form a reaction mixture; applying a magnetic field across the reaction mixture to align the magnetic particles in the reaction mixture; and polymerizing the dopamine-based material on the aligned magnetic particles to obtain the magnetic chain structure. A magnetic chain structure prepared by the method is also provided.

A method of producing a solid electrolytic capacitor, including a step of forming a dielectric film on the surface of a valve-acting metal having fine pores and a step of forming a solid electrolyte layer containing a conductive polymer on the dielectric film; wherein the solid electrolyte layer containing the conductive polymer is formed without using an oxidizing agent by: (i) a method of polymerizing at least one of the compounds (A1) represented by formula (1) disclosed herein in the presence of a compound (B) having a sulfo group; (ii) a method of copolymerizing at least one compound (A2) represented by formula (2) disclosed herein; and (iii) a method of polymerizing at least one of the compounds (A1) and (A2).

A capacitor comprising an anode foil; and a conductive polymer layer on the anode foil. The conductive polymer layer comprises first particles comprising conductive polymer and polyanion and second particles comprising the conductive polymer and the polyanion wherein the first particles have an average particle diameter of at least 1 micron to no more than 10 microns. The second particles have an average particle diameter of at least 1 nm to no more than 600 nm.

The present invention generally relates to electrochromic compounds, the synthesis method and the uses thereof, particularly to a family of conjugated electrochromic polymers containing solubilizing side chains, where at least one side chain contains amide functional groups. The disclosed conjugated electrochromic polymers with amide-containing side chains demonstrated excellent redox switching in not only organic but also aqueous media while maintaining high photo contrast. The presence of the amide groups is also beneficial when it comes to lower the oxidation onset potential of the polymers, making them attractive candidates for electrochromic in aqueous environment.

A capacitor assembly that is capable of exhibiting good electrical properties even under a variety of conditions is provided. More particularly, the capacitor contains a capacitor element that includes a sintered porous anode body, a dielectric that overlies the anode body, and a solid electrolyte that overlies the dielectric. The solid electrolyte contains an adhesion layer that is positioned between an inner conductive polymer layer and an outer conductive polymer layer. The adhesion layer is formed from an organometallic compound and the outer layer is formed from pre-polymerized conductive polymer particles.

A multiply fused, conjugated, porphyrin polymer film coated on a substrate, wherein the porphyrin monomer repeating units are di-meso-substituted porphyrins; and including a metal cation selected from the group consisting of Mg(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Ru(II), Pd(II), Ag(II), Pt(II) and Au(III), or mixtures thereof; the porphyrin units are multiply fused, including doubly-fused and/or triply-fused; including a substituent R attached to the meso position of the porphyrin monomer, the substituent R being an aromatic group presenting at least one free ortho position among; at least one of the two free ortho positions of the aromatic substituent is fused to the 13 position of the porphyrin monomer, the porphyrin polymer film being a porous porphyrin polymer film with mean pore diameters within the range of from 2 nm to 100 nm, and exhibiting a density not greater than 2 g/cm.sup.3. The invention also relates to a process for obtaining the multiply fused porphyrin polymer film coated on a substrate.

Embodiments may relate to a microelectronic package comprising: a die and a package substrate coupled to the die with a first interconnect on a first face. The package substrate comprises: a second interconnect and a third interconnect on a second face opposite to the first face; a conductive signal path between the first interconnect and the second interconnect; a conductive ground path between the second interconnect and the third interconnect; and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection material coupled to the conductive ground path. The ESD protection material comprises a first electrically-conductive carbon allotrope having a first functional group, a second electrically-conductive carbon allotrope having a second functional group, and an electrically-conductive polymer chemically bonded to the first functional group and the second functional group permitting an electrical signal to pass between the first and second electrically-conductive carbon allotropes.

A thermoelectric conversion element includes: a thermoelectric conversion layer containing a thiophene polymer, in which a peak intensity of a diffraction angle (2θ) of 7.9° is 5 times or more a peak intensity of a diffraction angle (2θ) of 25.8° in an X-ray diffraction spectrum of the thermoelectric conversion layer.

Systems and methods for assisting the placement of a catheter within the body of a patient through the use of an ultrasound imaging system are disclosed. In particular, the systems and methods described herein enable a clinician to determine, prior to insertion of the medical device, how much of the device will be disposed within the vessel, thus enabling the clinician to choose a catheter with suitable length. In one embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system for assisting with placement of the medical device comprises a console, a probe for producing an image of a target location, and a processor. The processor provides to a user proximity information relating to the anticipated proximity of the medical device to the target location prior to insertion of the medical device. A display is included for depicting the image, target location depth, and the proximity information of the medical device to the target location.

An interpenetrating network (IPN) polymer membrane material includes a soft polyurethane interspersed with a crosslinked conducting polymer. The material can be reversibly “switched” between its oxidized and reduced states by the application of a small voltage, ˜1 to 4 volts, thus modulating its diffusivity.