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Selective ion separations are increasingly needed to combat water scarcity, recover resources from wastewater, and enable the efficient recycling of electronics waste. Emulsion liquid membranes (ELMs) have received interest due to rapid kinetics, high selectivities, and low solvent requirements but are too unstable for industrial usage. We demonstrate that polymeric microcapsules can serve as robust, solvent-free mimics of ELMs. As a proof of concept, we incorporated the copper-selective ligand Lix 84-I in the walls of microcapsules formed from a commercial polystyrene

Launched on 2021 December 9, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a NASA Small Explorer Mission in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The mission will open a new window of investigation—imaging x-ray polarimetry. The observatory features three identical telescopes, each consisting of a mirror module assembly with a polarization-sensitive imaging x-ray detector at the focus. A coilable boom, deployed on orbit, provides the necessary 4-m focal length. The observatory utilizes a three-axis-stabilized spacecraft, which provides services such as power, attitude determination and control, commanding, and telemetry to the ground. During its 2-year baseline mission, IXPE will conduct precise polarimetry for samples of multiple categories of x-ray sources, with follow-on observations of selected targets.

Scheduled to launch in late 2021 the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a Small Explorer Mission designed to open up a new window of investigation -- X-ray polarimetry. The IXPE observatory features 3 identical telescope each consisting of a mirror module assembly with a polarization-sensitive imaging x-ray detector at its focus. An extending beam, deployed on orbit provides the necessary 4 m focal length. The payload sits atop a 3-axis stabilized spacecraft which among other things provides power, attitude determination and control, commanding, and telemetry to the ground. During its 2-year baseline mission, IXPE will conduct precise polarimetry for samples of multiple categories of x-ray sources, with follow-on observations of selected targets. IXPE is a partnership between NASA and the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

The behavior of photochromic spiropyran (SP) dyes is greatly affected by the local environment in which they reside. Fluid microenvironments such as liquidlike polymers grant favorably fast dye dec...

IXPE, an international collaboration, will conduct x-ray imaging polarimetry for multiple categories of cosmic x-ray sources such as neutron stars, stellar-mass black holes, supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei. The Observatory uses a single science operational mode capturing the x-ray data from the targets. This paper summarizes the IXPE Mission System: Observatory, Launch Segment and Ground System. The IXPE Observatory consists of spacecraft and payload modules built up in parallel to form the Observatory during system integration and test. The payload includes three x-ray telescopes each consisting of a polarization-sensitive, gas pixel x-ray detector, paired with its corresponding grazing incidence mirror module assembly (MMA), x-ray optics set. A deployable boom provides the correct separation (focal length) between the detector units (DU) and MMAs. These payload elements are supported by the IXPE spacecraft which is derived from the BCP-small spacecraft architecture. IXPE is launched to a circular LEO orbit at an altitude of 600 km and an inclination of -0.2 degrees by a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The ground system consists of three major elements: the ground stations for data receipt and command upload to the Observatory; the Mission Operations Center (MOC) at University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CU/LASP); and Science Operations Center (SOC) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). This paper summarizes the IXPE mission science objectives, updates the Observatory implementation concept including the payload and spacecraft elements, covers the launch segment, ground system and summarizes the mission status since last year's conference including COVID impacts.

Self-assembled polymer nanoparticles have tremendous potential in biomedical and environmental applications. For all applications, tailored polymer chemistries are critical. In this study, we demonstrate a precursor approach in which an activated, organic solvent-soluble block polymer precursor is modified through mild postpolymerization modifications to access new polymer structures. We synthesized and characterized poly(isoprene)

The goal of the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Mission, a NASA Small Explorer (SMEX), is to expand understanding of high-energy astrophysical processes and sources, in support of NASA's first science objective in Astrophysics: “Discover how the universe works.” Polarization uniquely probes astrophysical anisotropies—ordered magnetic fields, aspheric matter distributions, or general relativistic coupling to black-hole spin—that are not otherwise measurable. Imaging enables the specific properties of extended X-ray sources to be differentiated. IXPE will conduct X-ray imaging polarimetry for multiple categories of cosmic X-ray sources such as neutron stars, stellar-mass black holes, supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei. The Observatory uses a single science operational mode capturing the X-ray data from the targets. The IXPE Observatory consists of spacecraft and payload modules built up in parallel to form the Observatory during system integration and test. The payload includes three X-ray telescopes each consisting of a polarization-sensitive, gas pixel X-ray detector, paired with its corresponding grazing incidence mirror module assembly (MMA). A deployable boom provides the correct separation (focal length) between the detector units (DU) and MMAs. These payload elements are supported by the IXPE spacecraft which is derived from the BCP-small spacecraft architecture. This paper summarizes the IXPE mission science objectives, describes the Observatory implementation concept including the payload and spacecraft elements and summarizes the mission status.

Silicon quantum dots with indirect bandgap photoluminescence are promising luminophores for large-area luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). However, if commercially viable devices are to be achi...

Silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) are attractive, nontoxic luminophores for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). Here, we produced Si QD/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films on glass by doctor-blading polymer solutions and achieved films with low light scattering at an order of magnitude higher Si QD weight fraction than has been achieved previously in the bulk. We suggest that the fast solidification rate of films as compared to slow bulk polymerization is an enabling factor in avoiding large agglomerates within the nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that ∼100 nm or larger QD agglomerates exist in light-scattering films, and photoluminescence intensity measurements show that light scattering, if present, significantly reduces waveguiding efficiencies for LSCs. Nonscattering films fabricated in this work exhibit high ultraviolet absorption (>80%) paired with high visible transmission (>87%) and minimal visible haze (∼1%), making them well suited for semitransparent coatings for LSCs realized as solar harvesting windows.

There is widespread agreement from many areas of status research that evaluators’ judgments of performances can be distorted by the status of the performer. The question arises as to whether status distorts perceptions differently at different levels of performance quality. Using data from the Columbia Musiclab study, we conduct a large-scale test of whether the effect of popularity on private perceptions of likeability is contingent on songs’ intrinsic appeal. We discover that choice status (i.e., popularity) can boost perceptions of a song’s likeability but only for songs of lower quality. In effect, the likeability halo created by popularity is one mechanism for why it is that “bad” songs can sometimes become more successful than songs that are intrinsically more appealing. But this same mechanism does not explain why “good” songs sometimes turn into superstars. This study suggests that status theories be refined to consider heterogeneous effects.

The goal of the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Mission is to expand understanding of high-energy astrophysical processes and sources, in support of NASA's first science objective in Astrophysics: “Discover how the universe works.” Polarization uniquely probes astrophysical anisotropies — ordered magnetic fields, aspheric matter distributions, or general relativistic coupling to black-hole spin — that are not otherwise measurable. IXPE will conduct X-ray polarimetry for multiple categories of cosmic X-ray sources that are likely to be polarized such as neutron stars, stellar-mass black holes, supernova remnants and active galactic nuclei. The IXPE Observatory consists of Spacecraft and Payload modules built up in parallel to form the Observatory during system integration and test. The Payload includes three polarization-sensitive, X-ray detectors, each paired with its corresponding grazing incidence mirror module assembly (MMA). A deployable boom provides the correct separation (focal length) between the detector units (DU) and MMAs. These Payload elements are supported by the IXPE Spacecraft which is derived from the BCP-100 small Spacecraft architecture. This paper summarizes the IXPE mission science objectives, describes the Observatory implementation concept including the payload and spacecraft elements and summarizes the expected concept of operations.

The logic of social proof and related arguments posits that decision makers interpret an actor’s sociometric position (such as popularity) as a signal for quality, especially when quality itself is difficult to ascertain. Although prior work shows that market-level behavioral patterns are consistent with this micro-level account, we seek to explicitly examine the extent to which (and the conditions under which) sociometric status information actually triggers assumptions about an actor’s underlying quality. We introduce two new web-based experiments to investigate how popularity impacts the selection of teammates. We find that the presence of popularity information creates a surprisingly robust quality halo around candidates in some situations but has no effect at all in others. Namely, consistent with Strang and Macy’s (2001) theory of adaptive emulation, choice status appears to affect quality perceptions as part of the rationalization for making attachments, but the halo disappears post-adoption. The implications of these results are discussed in the conclusion.

Thin film luminescent solar concentrators are promising components of distributed power generation systems for building integrated photovoltaic applications. However, thin film geometries require high luminophore loading fractions to achieve sufficient absorption of sunlight, which, in the case of nanocrystal luminophores, can lead to aggregation and light scattering. In this work, we integrate CdSe/CdS nanocrystals into thin films of poly(cyclohexylethylene) at a range of loading fractions and characterize the composites with a combination of spectroscopic and simulation tools. We find that increased incident sunlight scattering is observed for the increasing luminophore loading fraction, but that the scattering is mostly limited to higher energy sunlight such that visible transmittance and haze of the samples are all greater than 89.7% and less than 8.3%, respectively. We then analyze the refractive index of the composite and show that the increase in loading fraction also affects the propagation of photoluminescence in the film, especially if the refractive index of the film is greater than that of the substrate. These studies show the importance of understanding the optical transport within thin films and provide design criteria to fabricate thin films for future implementation into building integrated photovoltaic applications.

The invariant choice of L-amino acids and D-ribose RNA for biological translation requires explanation. Here we study this chiral choice using mixed, equimolar D-ribose RNAs having 15, 18, 21, 27, 35, and 45 contiguous randomized nucleotides. These are used for simultaneous affinity selection of the smallest bound and eluted RNAs using equal amounts of L- and D-His immobilized on an achiral glass support, with racemic histidine elution. The experiment as a whole therefore determines whether RNA containing D-ribose binds L-histidine or D-histidine more easily (that is, by using a site that is more abundant/requires fewer nucleotides). The most prevalent/smallest RNA sites are reproducibly and repeatedly selected and there is a four- to sixfold greater abundance of L-histidine sites. RNA's chiral D-ribose therefore yields a more frequent fit to L-histidine. Accordingly, a D-ribose RNA site for L-His is smaller by the equivalent of just over one conserved nucleotide. The most prevalent L-His site also performs better than the most frequent D-His site—but rarer D-ribose RNAs can bind D-His with excellent affinity and discrimination. The prevalent L-His site is one we have selected before under very different conditions. Thus, selection is again reproducible, as is the recurrence of cognate coding triplets in these most probable L-His sites. If our selected RNA population were equilibrated with racemic His, we calculate that L-His would participate in seven of eight His:RNA complexes, or more. Thus, if D-ribose RNA were first chosen biologically, translational L-His usage could have followed.

SPIE grants to authors (and their employers) of papers, posters, and presentation recordings published in SPIE Proceedings or SPIE Journals on the SPIE Digital Library (hereinafter "publications") the right to post an author-prepared version or an official version (preferred version) of the publication on an internal or external server controlled exclusively by the author/employer or the entity funding the research, provided that (a) such posting is noncommercial in nature and the publication is made available to users without charge; (b) an appropriate copyright notice and citation appear with the publication; and (c) a link to SPIE's official online version of the publication is provided using the item's DOI. This authorization does not extend to third-party web sites not owned and maintained by the author/employer such as ResearchGate, Academia.edu, YouTube, etc. The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will add polarization to the properties (time, energy, and position) observed in x-ray astronomy. A NASA Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), IXPE will measure the 2-8-keV polarization of a few dozen sources during the first 2 years following its 2021 launch. The IXPE Observatory includes three identical x-ray telescopes, each comprising a 4-m-focal-length (grazingincidence) mirror module assembly (MMA) and a polarization-sensitive (imaging) detector unit (DU), separated by a deployable optical bench. The Observatory's Spacecraft provides typical subsystems (mechanical, structural, thermal, power, electrical, telecommunications, etc.), an attitude determination and control subsystem for 3-axis stabilized pointing, and a command and data handling subsystem communicating with the science instrument and the Spacecraft subsystems.