Acceptor tuning effect on TPA-based organic efficient sensitizers for optoelectronic applications—quantum chemical investigation

Structural Chemistry - A new series of triphenylamine (TPA)-based organic dyes (A1-A4) are characterized and implemented as photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In the...     

Highly efficient organic indolocarbazole dye in different acceptor units for optoelectronic applications—a first principle study

A series of novel organic dyes (ICZA1, ICZA2, ICZA3, ICZA4) with D-π-A structural configuration incorporating indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole moiety as donor (D) unit, thiophene as π-linker and 2-cyanoacrylic acid as acceptor unit were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) methods. Indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole-based D-π-A dyes composed of different acceptor groups were designed. By modulating acceptor unit, the efficiency of D-π-A dye-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can be further improved. In the present work, four novel push-pull organic dyes only differing in electron acceptor, have been designed based on the experimental literature value of IC-2. In order to further improve the light harvesting capability of indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole dyes, the acceptor influence on the dye performance were examined. The NLO property of the designed dye molecules can be derived as polarizability and hyperpolarizability. The calculated value of ICZA2 dye is the best candidate for NLO properties. Furthermore, the designed organic dyes exhibit good photovoltaic performance of charge transfer characteristics, driving force of electron injection, dye regeneration, global reactivity, and light harvesting efficiency (LHE). From the calculated value of ICZA4 dye, it has been identified as a good candidate for DSSCs applications. Finally, it is concluded that the both ICZA2 and ICZA4 dyes theoretically agrees well with the experimental value of IC-2 dye. Hence, the dyes ICZA2 and ICZA4 can serve as an excellent electron withdrawing groups for NLO and DSSCs applications.     

Intensity Range Based Quantitative FRET Data Analysis to Localize Protein Molecules in Live Cell Nuclei

F?rster (fluorescence) resonance energy transfer (FRET) is an ideal technique to estimate the distance between interacting protein molecules in live specimens using intensity-based microscopy. The spectral overlap of donor and acceptor- essential for FRET-also generates a contamination of the FRET signal. There are a number of algorithms available to remove this spectral bleedthrough (SBT) contamination and in this paper we compare two popular algorithms to estimate the SBT element and to calculate a more precise level of energy transfer efficiency, and with that a more accurate distance estimate.     

Quantum chemical investigation on D-π-A-based phenothiazine organic chromophores with spacer and electron acceptor effects for DSSCs

Structural Chemistry - In this work, the newly designed phenothiazine-based organic dye (PT-BTBA, PT-EBTBA, and PT-EBTEBA) derivatives were screened and investigated for dye-sensitized solar cell...     

Recent developments in monitoring calcium and protein interactions in cells using fluorescence lifetime microscopy

Time-resolved fluorescence lifetime microscopy (TRFLM) allows the combination of the sensitivity of fluorescence lifetime to environmental parameters to be monitored in a spatial manner in single living cells, as well as providing more accurate, sensitive, and specific diagnosis of certain clinical diseases and chemical analyses. Here we discuss two applications of TRFLM: (1) the use of nonratiometric probes such as Calcium Crimson, for measuring Ca²⁺; and (2) quantification of protein interaction in living cells using green and blue fluorescent protein (GFP and BFP, respectively) expressing constructs in combination with fluorescence resonance energy transfer microscopy (FRET). With respect to measuring Ca²⁺ in biological samples, we demonstrate thatintensity-based measurements of Ca²⁺ with single-wavelength Ca²⁺ probes such as Calcium Crimson may falsely report the actual Ca²⁺ concentration. This is due to effects of hydrophobicity of the local environment on the emission of Calcium Crimson as well as interaction of Calcium Crimson with proteins, both of which are overcome by the use of TRFLM. The recent availability of BFP (P4-3) and GFP (S65T) (which can serve as donor and acceptor, respectively) DNA sequences which can be attached to the carboxy-or amino-terminal DNA sequence of specific proteins allows the dual expression and interaction of proteins conjugated to BFP and GFP to be monitored in individual cells using FRET. Both of these applications of TRFLM are expected to enhance substantially the information available regarding both the normal and the abnormal physiology of cells and tissues.     

Dual-Bed Catalytic System for Direct Conversion of Methane to Liquid Hydrocarbons

A dual-bed catalytic system is proposed for the direct conversion of methane to liquid hydrocarbons. In this system, methane is converted in the first stage to oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) products by selective catalytic oxidation with oxygen over La-supported MgO catalyst. The second bed, comprising of the HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst, is used for the oligomerization of OCM light hydrocarbon products to liquid hydrocarbons. The effects of temperature (650-800℃), methane to oxygen ratio (4 10), and SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of the HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst on the process are studied. At higher reaction temperatures, there is considerable dealumination of HZSM-5, and thus its catalytic performance is reduced. The acidity of HZSM-5 in the second bed is responsible for the oligomerization reaction that leads to the formation of liquid hydrocarbons. The activities of the oligomerization sites were unequivocally affected by the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio. The relation between the acidity and the activity of HZSM-5 is studied by means of TPD-NH:j techniques. The rise in oxygen concentration is not beneficial for the C5 selectivity, where the combustion reaction of intermediate hydrocarbon products that leads to the formation of carbon oxide (CO CO2) products is more dominant than the oligomerization reaction. The dual-bed catalytie system is highly potential for directly converting methane to liquid fuels.