Current advancements on charge selective contact interfacial layers and electrodes in flexible hybrid perovskite photovoltaics

Perovskite-based photovoltaic materials have been attracting attention for their strikingly improved performance at converting sunlight into electricity.The beneficial and unique optoelectronic characteristics of perovskite structures enable researchers to achieve an incredibly remarkable power conversion efficiency.Flexible hybrid perovskite photovoltaics promise emerging applications in a myriad of optoelectronic and wearable/portable device applications owing to their inherent intriguing physicochemical and photophysical properties which enabled researchers to take forward advanced research in this growing field.Flexible perovskite photovoltaics have attracted significant attention owing to their fascinating material properties with combined merits of high efficiency,light-weight,flexibility,semitransparency,compatibility towards roll-to-roll printing,and large-area mass-scale production.Flexible perovskite-based solar cells comprise of 4 key components that include a flexible substrate,semi-transparent bottom contact electrode,perovskite(light absorber layer)and charge transport(electron/hole)layers and top(usually metal)electrode.Among these components,interfacial layers and contact electrodes play a pivotal role in influencing the overall photovoltaic performance.In this comprehensive review article,we focus on the current developments and latest progress achieved in perovskite photovoltaics concerning the charge selective transport layers/electrodes toward the fabrication of highly stable,efficient flexible devices.As a concluding remark,we briefly summarize the highlights of the review article and make recommendations for future outlook and investigation with perspectives on the perovskite-based optoelectronic functional devices that can be potentially utilized in smart wearable and portable devices.     

One-pot synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones,thiones and 2-selenoxo DHPMs using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate as non-halogenated ionic liquid

Abstract

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ([BMIM][HSO₄]) as a non-halogenated ionic liquid (IL) was used for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones and thiones or 2-selenoxo DHPMs in a Biginelli type multi-component reaction. By using this ionic liquid, the reaction time was significantly reduced and the products were obtained in good to high yields. Also, in this method, the synthesis of novel 2-selenoxo DHPMs is introduced in the presence of this ionic liquid and their structures were determined by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FT-IR, and Elemental analysis.     

Viscosity Prediction for Oxygen,Nitrogen and Their Mixtures at Zero and Moderately Dense Regimes via Semi‐Empirically Based Assessment

The viscosity coefficients for the gaseous states of N₂ and O₂ and their mixtures are determined at zero and moderately density regimes. The Lennard‐Jones 12–6 (LJ 12–6) potential energy function is used as the initial model potential required y the technique. The interaction potential energies from the inversion procedure reproduce the viscosity commensurate to the best measurements. The initial density dependence of gaseous viscosity coefficient according to the Rainwater‐Friend theory, which was given by Najafi et al., has been considered for pure N₂ and pure O₂.     

The whole is more than the sum of its parts: Modeling community-level effects of UVR in marine ecosystems

The effect of UVB radiation (UVBR, 290-320 nm) on the dynamics of the lower levels of the marine plankton community was modeled. The model was built using differential equations and shows a good fit to experimental data collected in mesocosms (defined as large enclosures of 1500 L filled with natural marine waters). Some unexpected results appear to be possible by indirect effects in prey (bacteria, phytoplankton and heterotrophic flagellates). In particular, apparent competition appears between small phytoplankton and bacteria. This effect is caused by a shared predator (ciliates). Another remarkable effect is an increase in bacteria and flagellates populations due to enhanced UVBR. This effect is similar to that observed under mesocosm experimental conditions and is related to the decrease of predation due to the direct damage to predators (ciliates) by UVBR. The effect of UVBR changing interaction coefficients may be dramatic on the community structure, producing big changes in equilibrium populations, as demonstrated by sensitivity analysis of the model. In order to generalize these results to field conditions it will be necessary to increase model complexity and include extra organic mater sources, mixing and sinking effects and predation by large zooplankton. This work shows that UVBR may produce community global responses that are consequence of both direct and indirect effects among populations.     

Uniquely Total Colorable Graphs

Uniquely vertex colorable graphs and uniquely edge colorable graphs have been studied extensively by different authors. The literature on the similar problem for total coloring is void. In this paper we study this concept and, among other results, we prove that if a graph G ≠ K ₂ is uniquely total colorable, then χ″(G) = Δ + 1. Our results support the following conjecture: empty graphs, paths, and cycles of order 3k, k a natural number, are the only uniquely total colorable graphs.     

A new two‐stage algorithm for solving power flow tracing

This article proposed a new hybrid algorithm for solving power flow tracing (PFT) through the comparison by other techniques. This proposed hybrid strategy in detail discuses over the achieved results. Both methods use the active and reactive power balance equations at each bus to solve the tracing problem, where the first method considers the proportional sharing assumption and the second one considers the circuit laws to find the relationship between power inflows and outflows through each line, generator, and load connected to each bus of the network. Both algorithms are able to handle loop flow and loss issues in tracing the problem. A mathematical formulation is also introduced to find the share of each unit in provision of each load. These algorithms are employed to find the producer and consumer's shares on the cost of transmission for each line in different case studies. As the results of these studies show, both algorithms can effectively solve the PFT problem. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 187–194, 2015     

Zeolite Molecular Sieve 4Å: A Reusable Catalyst for Fast and Efficient Conversion of Epoxides to Thiiranes with Thiourea

Abstract

Various epoxides are readily converted to their corresponding thiiranes by thiourea/zeolite molecular sieve 4Å system in refluxing MeOH. All reactions were carried out within 12–25 min to give thiiranes in 80%–99% yields. The catalyst saves its catalytic activity for several times at this transformation. Stereospecific conversion of (R)-(+)-styrene oxide to (S)-(+)-styrene episulfide was achieved by this combination system.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT      

LC Determination of Adulterated Saffron Prepared by Adding Styles Colored with Some Natural Colorants

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method previously developed (Lozano et al. in J Chromatogr A 830:477–483, 1999) for simultaneous detection, identification and quantification of the secondary metabolites in commercial saffron was extended for the detection of adulterated saffron prepared by adding styles colored with the natural colorants extracted from saffron petals, safflower, madder and red beet. The chromatograms of the methanol-water (50%, v/v) extracts of pure and adulterated saffron were obtained at the assayed wavelengths, 402 (or 254), 260 and 535 (or 440) nm and then by applying two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to the obtained data the presence of the styles colored with the colorant of safflower (>14.3%), styles colored with the colorant of madder (>9.1%) and styles colored with the colorant of red beet (>14.3%) in saffron were significantly detected. But the detection of adulterated saffron prepared with the colorant of saffron petals was not successful.     

One-pot multicomponent synthesis of indol-3-yl-hydrazinyl thiazoles as antimicrobial agents

A series of novel mono- and bis(indol-3-yl)hydrazinyl thiazole derivatives were efficiently synthesized via one-pot cyclocondensation of mono- or bis(indole-3-carbaldehyde), thiosemicarbazide, and phenacyl bromides. The structure of the products was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and ¹³C NMR spectra. All synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enteritis). Among the compounds screened, a few were found to be highly effective antibacterial agents. The bis-compounds with OCH₃ donating group exhibited good activity against the Gram-positive bacteria.     

Enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of modified ZnO nanoparticles with manganese additive

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions (T = 150 °C, P = autogenous, experimental duration = 18 h). Manganese was added as an additive to ZnO nanoparticles in different molar percentages. In situ surface-modification was successfully carried out for these manganese-added ZnO nanoparticles using n-butylamine as a surface modifier. The modified manganese-added ZnO nanoparticulates are hydrophilic in nature and are well dispersed in various solvents. The modified nanoparticles were characterized using powder XRD, FTIR, SEM, Zeta potential, and UV?CVis spectrophotometry. The characterization results indicated tailoring of the morphology and size of the nanoparticles, and changing the surface chemistry of the nanoparticles synthesized. The SEM results show that the surface modified manganese-added ZnO nanoparticles have a very thin layer of organic coverage around the inorganic nanoparticles, thus, giving rise to hybrid nanoparticles. The photodegradation of Brilliant Blue dye under sunlight showed the higher efficiency of the modified manganese-doped ZnO nanoparticles compared to the reagent-grade ZnO.