Tuning the energy gap of conjugated polymer zwitterions for efficient interlayers and solar cells

Narrow band gap conjugated polymer zwitterions (CPZs) were synthesized by Suzuki polymerization and characterized to understand their electronic properties and utility as cathode modification layers in solar cells. The polymers were prepared from diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and iso-indigo monomers containing sulfobetaine (SB) pendant groups, benefiting from an ion-rich aqueous phase in the polymerizations. UV–vis absorption spectroscopy revealed the optical energy gap value for the CPZs, ranging from 1.7 to 1.2 eV. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy of the CPZs as thin layers on Ag metal showed that the pendent zwitterions impart an interfacial dipole (Δ) to the metal and a work function reduction of ∼0.9 eV. OPVs fabricated using a conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ) device architecture of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/(PTB7:PC₇₁BM)/CPZ/Ag led to dramatic improvements in power conversion efficiency (PCE) values relative to devices having bare Ag cathodes (PCE < 2% for bare Ag vs. 6.7–7.7% for CPZ/Ag). The benzothiadiazole (BT)/DPP polymer denoted as PT₂BTDPPSB gave an optimal PCE of 7.7% in a conventional BHJ OPV device architecture fabricated on a Ag cathode. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 327–336     

Water-annealing regulated protein-based magnetic nanofiber materials: tuning silk structure and properties to enhance cell response under magnetic fields

In this study, flexible silk fibroin protein and biocompatible barium hexaferrite (BaM) nanoparticles were combined and electrospun into nanofibers, and their physical properties could be tuned through the mixing ratios and a water annealing process. Structural analysis indicates that the protein structure of the materials is fully controllable by the annealing process. The mechanical properties of the electrospun composites can be significantly improved by annealing, while the magnetic properties of barium hexaferrite are maintained in the composite. Notably, in the absence of a magnetic field, cell growth increased slightly with increasing BaM content. Application of an external magnetic field during in vitro cell biocompatibility study of the materials demonstrated significantly larger cell growth. We propose a mechanism to explain the effects of water annealing and magnetic field on cell growth. This study indicates that these composite electrospun fibers may be widely used in the biomedical field for controllable cell response through applying different external magnetic fields.     

Microprojectile velocities in a gas driven launcher

Microprojectile methods of genetic engineering sometimes employ a macroprojectile which launches the microprojectiles when it hits a stopping plate. A study has been made of the relationship between the velocities of the macroprojectile and the microprojectile it launches. Macroprojectile velocities were measured using a beam blanking method and the microprojectile velocities were measured with a laser Doppler anemometer. Particles of tungsten, titanium dioxide and silicon carbide were investigated as microprojectiles. The microprojectile velocity was found to depend not only on the macroprojectile velocity but also on the microprojectile size and material, the bond strength with the macroprojectile and the gas flow that develops ahead of the macroprojectile. On average the microprojectile launch velocity was similar to the macroprojectile velocity. However, some tungsten particles had velocities twice this value. Experimental evidence suggests that these higher velocities were caused by early break-way of particles from the macroprojectile followed by further acceleration by aerodynamic drag arising from the gas flow ahead of the macroprojectile.We are especially grateful for the advice of Dr. M. Gharib on the use of the HSI color system. John Lyons provided expert help in the laboratory and materials for and advice on photography. We thank the staff of the SIO Hydraulics Laboratory for making the wind-wave channel available for our use, and the staff of UCSD library for enabling us to use the Barneyscanner photometer-digitizer. We thank an anonymous reviewer who pointed out a numerical error and improved the clarity of the text.     

The survival probability of critical and subcritical branching processes in finite state space Markovian environment

Let ${\left(Z_n\right)}_{n\ge 0}$ be a branching process in a random environment defined by a Markov chain ${\left(X_n\right)}_{n\ge 0}$ with values in a finite state space $\mathbb{X}$. Let ${\mathbb{P}}_i$ be the probability law generated by the trajectories of ${\left(X_n\right)}_{n\ge 0}$ starting at $X_0=i\in \mathbb{X}.$ We study the asymptotic behaviour of the joint survival probability ${\mathbb{P}}_i\left(Z_n>0,X_n=j\right)$, $j\in \mathbb{X}$ as $n\to +\infty$ in the critical and strongly, intermediate and weakly subcritical cases.     

Orientational correlations in molecular liquids by neutron scattering Carbon tetrachloride and germanium tetrabromide

Neutron diffraction structure factors for liquid carbon tetrachloride and germanium tetrabromide have been measured and are analysed to determine the molecular centre positional correlation function allowing for molecular angular correlation. The analysis shows quite unequivocally that appreciable molecular orientational correlations must exist in these liquids but that it may only extend to nearest neighbours. This is thought to cause the pair distribution function for the molecular liquids to be markedly different from that for atomic liquids such as argon and the difference is discussed.     

Selective cytotoxicity of organotin(IV) compounds with 2,3-dihydroxybenzyldithiocarbazate Schiff bases

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A series of tridentate ONS Schiff bases were synthesised via condensation by reacting 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde with S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC)...     

Design,Implementation, Simulation,and Visualization of a Highly Efficient RIM Microfluidic Mixer for Rapid Freeze-Quench of Biological Samples

Abstract  

Rapid freeze-quench (RFQ) trapping of short-lived reaction intermediates for spectroscopic study plays an important role in the characterization of biological reactions. Recently, there has been considerable effort to achieve sub-millisecond reaction deadtimes. We present here a new, robust, high-velocity microfluidic mixer that enables such rapid freeze-quenching. It is a based on the mixing method of two impinging jets commonly used in reaction injection molding of plastics. This method achieves efficient mixing by inducing chaotic flow at relatively low Reynolds numbers (Re = 140). We present the first mathematical simulation and microscopic visualization of mixing in such RFQ micromixers, the results of which show that the impinging solutions efficiently mix within the mixing chamber. These tests, along with a practical demonstration in an RFQ setup that involves copper wheels, show that this new mixer can in practice provide reaction deadtimes as low as 100 μs.     

Comparison of Planar and 3‐D Interdigitated Electrodes as Electrochemical Impedance Biosensors

It has been reported that the introduction of a dielectric barrier between adjacent digits of an interdigitated electrode array can improve the sensitivity of the array as an electrochemical impedance biosensor. Here we present an in‐depth analysis of the impedance in planar interdigitated electrodes and 3‐D interdigitated electrodes (with dielectric barriers). The analysis indicates that the planar geometry not only provides lower impedance but also a higher change impedance as a result of molecular immobilization on the electrode array surface.