Interaction of ultraviolet absorbers

Ultraviolet absorbers (UVA) are used in various fields, and their interactions with other additives have been studied. However, the interaction between UVA has not been studied in detail. In this study, the interaction of two UVA having maximum absorption in the range of UV-A (320-400 nm) or UV-B (290-320 nm) was studied. It was found that the photo-oxidation occurs by the fluorescence, which is emitted by a photo-excited UVA-B, if it has enough high energy, that is, its wavelength is within UV-A range. When a UVA-A coexists with such a UVA-B, however, the mixture of both UVA may show a synergism, because the UVA-A absorbs the fluorescence from UVA-B to make it harmless. Particularly, the mixture of hydrogen transfer-type UVA and charge separation-type UVA shows remarkable synergism. The synergistic mechanism is discussed.     

Molecular modeling and photovoltaic applications of porphyrin-based dyes: A review

In this review, the introduction of solar cells is presented. Old and new generation solar cells are briefly described. Quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs), perovskite solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are concisely introduced. The sensitization mechanism in DSSCs is discussed in detail concerning the spectral and electron injection properties of different dyes. An analysis of the intramolecular charge transfer process in the excited dye molecule is also provided. The use of porphyrin-based dyes as sensitizers in DSSCs is then reviewed. The design, synthesis, and photovoltaic application of a wide variety of porphyrin-based dyes as well as porphyrin dyads are presented and discussed. Theoretical studies of the spectral and electronic properties of different porphyrin-based dyes using DFT and TD-DFT methods are described. The different possibilities for improving the light-to-electrical energy conversion performance are discussed, such as structural modifications through introducing push-pull moieties, which in turn tunes the HOMO-LUMO energy gap of the sensitizing dye used in the DSSC. Experimental, as well as theoretical calculations of adsorption energies of the sensitizing dyes, are crucial for predicting the relative performance and efficiency of the dyes.     

Organohalogen contaminants of emerging concern in Great Lakes fish: a review

Organohalogen chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) have attracted much attention during the past decade and are of special importance for the Great Lakes of North America, which are together the largest surface freshwater resource on the earth. In this paper we review and summarize detection and levels of legacy contaminants in Great Lakes fish, lessons learned from legacy contaminants in advancing the analytical detection of CECs, progress and challenges in measuring CECs, and levels of CECs in Great Lakes fish reported to date. The CECs considered include chlorinated paraffins, polychlorinated naphthalenes and other chlorinated aromatics, halogenated flame retardants, and perfluorinated compounds.     

Mechanism of stabilization of polypropylene by ultraviolet absorbers

The ultraviolet screening properties of 2-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazoles and 2-hydroxybenzophenones in polypropylene film were investigated by using photochemical and spectroscopic techniques. The effect of light screening on polymer photostability was examined by using filter solutions, and the fraction of ultraviolet light absorbed by stabilized film was calculated and compared to flexural failure times. It was found that the 2-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazoles behave primarily as screeners of ultraviolet light whereas the 2-hydroxybenzophenones are both screeners and excited-state quenchers. The quenching characteristics of the latter have not been isolated and mechanistically examined, but it is probably similar in nature to that of the nickel chelate stabilizers.     

Engineering reverse saturable absorbers for desired wavelengths

A variety of applications exist for reverse saturable absorbers (RSAs) in laser science (RSAs are substances whose excited-state absorption cross section is larger than their ground-state absorption cross section at a given wavelength and possess a number of other properties). We propose an approach to designing RSAs at a desired wavelength by construction of dimers of dye molecules which absorb near the wavelength of interest. The dimer ground-state absorption is to a state in which the excitation is spread over both monomeric units and the excited-state absorption commences from this state to the doubly excited electronic state in which both monomeric units are excited.     

Quantum-sized gold clusters as efficient two-photon absorbers

The two-photon absorption properties of Au25 cluster has been investigated with the aid of two-photon excited fluorescence in the communication wavelength region with a cross-section of 2700 GM at 1290 nm. Additional visible fluorescence has been discovered for small gold clusters which is two-photon allowed (after excitation at 800 nm), and the absolute cross-section has been determined for gold clusters with number of gold atoms varying from 25 to all the way up to 2406 using one and two-photon excited time-resolved fluorescence upconversion measurements. Record high TPA cross-sections have been measured for quantum sized clusters making them suitable for two-photon imaging as well as other applications such as optical power limiting and lithography.     

Nanostructured black cobalt coatings for solar absorbers

Nanocrystalline black cobalt electrically deposited onto a steel substrate from aqueous solution was investigated. The influence of electrolyte composition and operating parameters on the appearance and optical properties of the coat was studied. The deposition conditions that ensure the highest solar absorptance were optimized. The chemical composition of fabricated thin films before and after annealing at 400 °C was determined by energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDS) and XPS technique. The crystal structure analysis showed that the bulk composition of the films was mainly cobalt oxide. The surface analysis reveals that the topmost surface layers of the films are made of different cobalt compounds confirming the multivalence state of Co on the surface with an oxidation state of ≥ + 2. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation indicated that the surface morphology was changed from dendritic structure to lamellar at higher current density. The black cobalt film showed soft magnetic characteristicsand excellent optical properties to transform solar energy into thermal energy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Brief review related to the foundations of time-dependent density functional theory

The electron density n(r,t), which is the central tool of time-dependent density functional theory, is presently considered to be derivable from a one-body time-dependent potential V(r,t), via one-electron wave functions satisfying a time-dependent Schrödinger equation. This is here related via a generalized equation of motion to a Dirac density matrix now involving t. Linear response theory is then surveyed, with a special emphasis on the question of causality with respect to the density dependence of the potential. Extraction of V(r,t) for solvable models is also proposed.     

Use of fullerene additions for modification of chemical absorbers

The characteristics of lime chemical absorber, both conventional and modified with fullerenes, were examined under dynamic conditions (kinetic characteristics of the CO₂ uptake, water retention capacity, and pore structure).     

Analytical procedures for the determination of emerging organic contaminants in plant material: A review

In this review, recent developments for the determination of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in plant tissues are discussed focusing on the homogenization, extraction and determination steps involved. Eleven classes of EOCs, namely antibiotics, analgesics, antiepileptics, antidepressants, antiseptics, plasticizers, fragrances, surfactants, flame retardants, and phenoxy acid herbicides, have been evaluated. Methods are critically reviewed in terms of all the analytical steps involved in the analysis, sampling and sample preparation, separation, and the detection strategies employed. The extraction from tissue samples was performed in most cases by solid–liquid extraction, whereas the clean-up was performed by solid-phase extraction. The identification and quantification of EOCs in crops from the agricultural field (i.e. parts per billion range) is usually performed by using mass spectrometry techniques such as single quadrupole mass spectrometry or tandem mass spectrometry coupled to high resolution chromatographic techniques. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays are more rarely used. New developments such as in vivo solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and the assessment of the bioavailability–bioaccesibility of contaminants in crops are shown. The main scope of this review is to critically evaluate the current state of the art of the analytical techniques used and to identify the research needs in the determination of EOCs in crops.     

Nanocellulose as a green and sustainable emerging material in energy applications: a review

In this review, a recent prospect on application of nanocellulose in energy application has been highlighted. To achieve high capacities that are essential for effective extraction of interesting ions and for faster charging and discharging in the energy storage devices, nanocellulose in the conducting matrix must obviously assist the dual purpose of mechanically improving and reinforcing the specific charge capacity. The abundant number of nanocellulose hydroxyl groups on the surface favors the formation of hydrogen bonding in an ordered structure and lead to it having high strength and stiffness properties at low density. This brought up the idea of utilizing nanocellulose as a reinforcement and energy adsorption agent originating from the possibility of exploiting the high strength and stiffness of cellulose crystals in composite applications. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanoparticle-polymer photovoltaic cells

The need to develop and deploy large-scale, cost-effective, renewable energy is becoming increasingly important. In recent years photovoltaic (PV) cells based on nanoparticles blended with semiconducting polymers have achieved good power conversion efficiencies (PCE). All the nanoparticle types used in these PV cells can be considered as colloids. These include spherical, rod-like or branched organic or inorganic nanoparticles. Nanoparticle-polymer PV cells have the long-term potential to provide low cost, high-efficiency renewable energy. The maximum PCE achieved to date is about 5.5%. This value should rise as recently reported theoretical predictions suggest 10% is achievable. However, there are a number of challenges that remain to be overcome. In this review two general types of nanoparticle-polymer PV cells are considered and compared in detail. The organic nanoparticle-polymer PV cells contain fullerene derivatives (e.g., phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester, PCBM) or single-walled nanotubes as the nanoparticle phase. The second type is hybrid inorganic nanoparticle-polymer PV cells. These contain semiconducting nanoparticles that include CdSe, ZnO or PbS. The structure-property relationships that apply to both the polymer and nanoparticle phases are considered. The principles underlying nanoparticle-polymer PV cell operation are also discussed. An outcome of consideration of the literature in both areas are two sets of assembly conditions that are suggested for constructing PCBM-P3HT (P3HT is poly(3-hexylthiophene)) or CdSe-P3HT PV cells with reasonable power conversion efficiency. The maximum PCE reported for organic nanoparticle PV cells is about twice that for inorganic nanoparticle-polymer PV cells. This appears to be related to morphological differences between the respective photoactive layers. The morphological differences are attributed to differences in the colloidal stability of the nanoparticle/polymer/solvent mixtures used to prepare the photoactive layers. The principles controlling the colloid stability of the nanoparticle/polymer/solvent mixtures are discussed.     

Frequency domain imaging of absorbers obscured by scattering.

Multiple pixel, frequency domain measurements of phase shift, theta, and modulation, m, in a phantom containing an absorber obscured by a relatively non-absorbing scattering solution are presented in combination with a theory of photon migration imaging. Results employing a single point source show that two dimensional theta measurements made in the presence (theta presence) and in the absence (theta absence) of an absorber can be used to create delta theta images. delta theta (theta absence-theta presence) images can be used to detect as well as locate the three dimensional position of the absorber. Images of mpresence measured in the presence of the absorber normalized by mabsence also provided detection and two dimensional location of its position. Images of % mpresence/mabsence at higher modulation frequencies provided greater resolution as predicted by photon migration theory. Neither theta nor m images alone could be used to detect or locate the presence of the absorber.     

Iron-based biochar as efficient persulfate activation catalyst for emerging pollutants removal: A review

In recent years, biochar (BC) as a low-cost, easily available biomass product, is widely applied in sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs) for emerging pollutants remediation. Herein, a state-of-art review of iron-based biochar catalysts is currently available in SR-AOPs application. A general summary of the development of biochar and the catalytic properties of biochar is presented. Especially, the synthetic strategies of different types of iron-based biochar catalysts are discussed. Moreover, the theoretical calculation to interpret the interaction between biochar and iron species is discussed to explore the activation mechanisms. And the regeneration methods of biochar-based catalyst are presented. The unresolved challenges of the existent biochar-based SR-AOPs are pointed out, and the outlooks of future research directions are proposed.     

Swallowtail bacteriochlorins. Lipophilic absorbers for the near-infrared

Bacteriochlorins absorb strongly in the near-infrared spectral region and hence are ideally suited for diverse photomedical applications, yet naturally occurring bacteriochlorins have limited stability and synthetic malleability. A de novo route has been exploited to prepare synthetic bacteriochlorins that bear a geminal dimethyl group in each pyrroline ring for stability and a symmetrically branched 1,5-dimethoxypentyl group attached to each pyrrole ring for solubility in lipophilic media.     

The preparation of silver absorbers for sampling airborne mercury

Microchimica Acta - The procedure for the preparation of MC-8 silver absorbers is described. Silver gauze, 30–60 mesh, is used after heat activation at 800°. The construction of the...     

Composite absorbers of inorganic ion-exchangers and polyacrylonitrile binding matrix

Maximum attainable self-absorption dose for cemented composite ion-exchanger, consisting of nickel hexacyanoferrate and polyacrylonitrile binding matrix, loaded with¹³⁷Cs up to repository acceptable level (1.1·10¹² Bq·m^–3) was calculated to be 10⁵ Gy. The cemented absorber with sorbed caesium was irradiated by⁶⁰Co source up to 1 MGy, and leach tests were performed to determine possible influence of self-irradiation on the caesium leachability. No radiation induced changes in caesium immobilisation in solidified ion-exchanger were observed.     

Pyrophthalones as blue wavelength absorbers in thermoplastic media

We have explored the utility of pyrophthalones as violet-blue light filtering dyes in polymer matrices for wavelengths below 450 nm. Further, we have investigated the photodegradation of these molecules in thermoplastic media and the mechanisms behind their degradation. Finally, a range of additives have been explored to improve the photostability of these molecules to achieve the desired performance.     

Engineering carbon nanocatalysts towards efficient degradation of emerging organic contaminants via persulfate activation: A review

The engineering of carbon nanocatalysts for the persulfate activated elimination of emerging organic contaminants(EOCs) demonstrates promising potential compared with metal-based counterparts due to their unique advantage of high stability and low toxicity. The early reviews introduced the theoretical background of persulfate activation together with a detailed summary of different mechanisms responsible for degradation of EOCs. To further unify the state of knowledge, identify the research gaps...