Light conversion efficiency of flower like structure TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> thin film solar cells

Flower like structure TiO₂ thin films have been grown onto ITO coated glass substrates by sol–gel method. TiO₂ nano flowers have been sensitized using CdS quantum dots prepared using simple precursors by chemical method. The assembly of CdS quantum dots with TiO₂ nano flower has been used as photo-electrode in quantum dot sensitized solar cells. The surface morphology has been studied using scanning electron microscope; it shows that the film exhibits flower like structure. The absorption spectra reveals that the absorption edge of CdS quantum dot sensitized TiO₂ nano flower shifts towards longer wavelength side when compared to the absorption edge of TiO₂ nano flower. The efficiency of the fabricated CdS quantum dot sensitized TiO₂ nano flower based solar cell is 0.66%.     

Solvent-polarity-tunable dimeric association of a fullerene (C60)-N,N-dimethylaminoazobenzene dyad: modulated electronic coupling of the azo chromophore with a substituted 3D fullerene

The tunable self-assembly of a fullerene (C(60))-N,N-dimethylaminoazobenzene (DPNME) molecular system as a function of solvent polarity in THF/water binary solvent is reported. Gradual increase of the volume fraction of the nonsolvent water in a 1×10(-5) M THF solution of DPNME at a mixed dielectric constant ε(mix)≈42 resulted in initial redshifting of the (1)(π→π(*)) absorption band, which signified the 1D head-to-tail or J-type arrangement of the DPNME molecular system. Further increase in the solvent polarity to ε(mix)≈66 evidenced formation of an antiparallel head-to-tail or H-type molecular arrangement in conjunction with the J-aggregates, thereby establishing a solvent-polarity-dependent dynamic equilibrium between the monomer ? J-aggregate ? H-aggregate. The controlled aggregation was governed by the synergetic effect of intermolecular donor-acceptor interaction between the electron-deficient fullerene ring and the electron-rich N,N-dimethylamino-substituted aromatic ring; typically, van der Waals and π-π interactions between the molecules constituting a pair of dimers were envisaged. An agreement between the semiempirically calculated drastically reduced oscillator strength of the DPNME H-dimer in the antiparallel configuration (0.69 vs. 1.29 in the monomeric DPNME) and the experimental electronic absorption spectra beyond ε(mix)=66 further strengthened this assignment to the hitherto forbidden antiparallel H-dimer. Complementing the above, the periodicity of molecular self-assembly dictated a monoclinic unit cell in the single-crystal XRD packing pattern with a C2/c space group; the molecules packed laterally with mutual interdigitation with the donor (E)-N,N-dimethyl-4-(p-tolyldiazenyl)aniline (AZNME) parts in an antiparallel fashion (contrary to the usual expectation for H-aggregates) with strong inter- and intrapair van der Waals and π-π interactions between the constituent fullerene moieties. Unlike those of porphyrin/phthalocyanine bowl-like donor-initiated architectures, a rare class of DPNME dyadic supramolecular self-assemblies was realized with π-extended 2D fullerene networks, in which the linear geometry of the AZNME donor and the conformational rigidity of the fullerene acceptor played crucial roles.     

Effect of terminal N-substitution in 2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazones on the mode of coordination, structure, interaction with protein, radical scavenging and cytotoxic activity of copper(II) complexes

Four 2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3-carbaldehyde N-substituted thiosemicarbazone ligands (H(2)-OQtsc-R, where R = H, Me, Et or Ph) and their corresponding new copper(II) complexes [CuCl(2)(H(2)-OQtsc-H)]·2H(2)O (1), [CuCl(2)(H(2)-OQtsc-Me)]·2H(2)O (2), [CuCl(2)(H(2)-OQtsc-Et)(CH(3)OH)]Cl (3) and [CuCl(H-OQtsc-Ph)]·CH(3)OH (4) have been synthesized in order to correlate the effect of terminal N-substitution on coordination behaviour, structure and biological activity. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the complexes 1, 2 and 3 have square pyramidal geometry around the central metal ion. In the complexes 1 and 2, the copper ion is coordinated by the ligand with ONS donor atoms, one chloride ion in apical position and the other chloride in the basal plane. Complex 3 consists of [CuCl(2)(H(2)-OQtsc-Et)(CH(3)OH)](+) cation and a chloride as counter ion. The copper ion is coordinated by the ligand with ONS donor atoms and by one chloride ion in the basal plane. One methanol molecule is bonded through its neutral oxygen in the apical position. Complex 4 is square planar with the ligand coordinating through uni-negative tridentate ONS(-) and by one chloride ion in the basal plane. The binding of complexes with lysozyme protein was carried out by fluorescence spectroscopy. Investigations of antioxidation properties showed that all the copper(II) complexes have strong radical scavenging properties. The cytotoxicity of the complexes 3 and 4 against NIH 3T3 and HeLa cell lines showed that synergy between the metal and ligands results in a significant enhancement in the cell death with IC(50) of ~10-40 μM. A size dependence of substitution at terminal N in the thiosemicarbazones on the biological activities of the complexes has been observed.     

Nephroprotective and antioxidant activities of Salacia oblonga on acetaminophen-induced toxicity in rats

Salacia oblonga, a woody climbing plant belonging to the family Celastaceae, is widely distributed in India and other southeast Asian countries. The genus Salacia have been used particularly for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, gonorrhoea, rheumatism, pruritus and asthma. Acetaminophen (APAP), used as an analgesic drug, produces liver and kidney necrosis in mammals at high doses. The aim of this study was to investigate the nephroprotective and antioxidant activities of the ethanol extract of Salacia oblonga (EESO) at the two dose levels of 250 and 500 mg/kg?bw on APAP-induced toxicity in rats. The results showed that APAP significantly increases the levels of serum urea, creatinine, and reduces levels of uric acid concentration. The EESO reduces these by increasing anti-oxidative responses as assessed by biochemical and histopathological parameters. In conclusion, our results suggest that the EESO possesses nephroprotective and antioxidant effects against APAP-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.     

Room temperature conductance switching in a molecular iron(iii) spin crossover junction

Herein, we report the first room temperature switchable Fe(iii) molecular spin crossover (SCO) tunnel junction. The junction is constructed from [Fe^III(qsal-I)₂]NTf₂ (qsal-I = 4-iodo-2-[(8-quinolylimino)methyl]phenolate) molecules self-assembled on graphene surfaces with conductance switching of one order of magnitude associated with the high and low spin states of the SCO complex. Normalized conductance analysis of the current–voltage characteristics as a function of temperature reveals that charge transport across the SCO molecule is dominated by coherent tunnelling. Temperature-dependent X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory confirm the SCO complex retains its SCO functionality on the surface implying that van der Waals molecule—electrode interfaces provide a good trade-off between junction stability while retaining SCO switching capability. These results provide new insights and may aid in the design of other types of molecular devices based on SCO compounds.

Herein, we report the first room temperature switchable Fe(iii) molecular spin crossover (SCO) tunnel junction.     

HYPERICIN PHOTOSENSITIZATION IN AQUEOUS MODEL SYSTEMS

Abstract Photosensitization of lysozyme, liposomes, ghosts and intact red blood cells (RBC) was investigated for aqueous hypericin. The effects of azide ion, 1,4-diazabicyclo(2.2.2)octane, and superoxide dismutase on photosensitized inactivation of lysozyme in 0.5% Triton X-100 indicate that singlet oxygen is the major inactivating intermediate with a contribution from superoxide. The singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ_Δ) scaled to methylene blue is 0.49 ± 0.06 at monochromatic wavelengths from 514 to 600 nm. Relative values of Φ_Δ based on lysozyme inactivation for different vehicles are: 0.5% Triton X-100 (1.13), human serum albumin (0.65), Cremophor-EL(0.76), Cremophor-RH40 (0.98), egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) liposomes (0.04), hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC) liposomes (<0.01). Hypericin photosensitized lipid peroxidation of EPC liposomes and RBC ghosts. Extensive cross-linking of ghost membrane proteins occurred during the initial stages of lipid peroxidation. Prompt photohemolysis was used as the assay of RBC membrane damage. The photohemolysis curves are modeled with multihit target theory based on the "hit number" (n) and the target cross section (v). The values of v and the conventional "1/t₅₀" parameter are equivalent determinants of the photohemolysis rate. The photohemolysis curves are in good agreement with n = 15 for incubation in phosphate-buffered saline at different hypericin concentrations and with additives. The measurements for other vehicles led to n = 19 for Cremophor-EL and n = 3 for EPC and HSPC liposomes, indicating that the kinetics of photohemolysis depend on the conditions of incubation.     

Magnetically responsive carboxylated magnetite-polydipyrrole/polydicarbazole nanocomposites of core-shell morphology. Preparation, characterization, and use in DNA hybridization

Novel bis-heterocyclic mono- and dicarboxylated dipyrrole and dicarbazole monomers have been synthesized in a modular manner. Their oxidative polymerization around magnetite nanosized particles has been investigated and optimized toward new magnetic magnetite-polydipyrrole/polydicarbazole nanocomposites (NCs) of a core-shell morphology. These NCs were thoroughly characterized by FT-IR, TGA (Thermal Gravimetric Analysis), low- and high-resolution TEM/HR-TEM microscopies, and M?ssbauer spectroscopy along with magnetization studies. Exploiting the versatile COOH chemistry (activation by water-soluble diimides) introduced by the polymeric shell, DNA hybridization experiments have been conducted onto NC surfaces using an efficient blue-colored HRP-based enzymatic screening biological system. Highly parallel NC-supported DNA hybridization experimentations revealed that these NCs presented an interesting potential for DNA-based diagnostic applications.     

The nonlinear optical properties of a magneto-exciton in a strained Ga0.2In0.sAs/GaAs quantum dot

The magnetic field-dependent heavy hole excitonic states in a strained Gao.2Ino.sAs/GaAs quantum dot are investi- gated by taking into account the anisotropy, non-parabolicity of the conduction band, and the geometrical confinement. The strained quantum dot is considered as a parabolic dot of InAs embedded in a GaAs barrier material. The dependence of the effective excitonic g-factor as a function of dot radius and the magnetic field strength is numerically measured. The interband optical transition energy as a function of geometrical confinement is computed in the presence of a mag- netic field. The magnetic field-dependent oscillator strength of interband transition under the geometrical confinement is studied. The exchange enhancements as a function of dot radius are observed for various magnetic field strengths in a strained Gao.2Ino.sAs/GaAs quantum dot. Heavy hole excitonic absorption spectra, the changes in refractive index, and the third-order susceptibility of third-order harmonic generation are investigated in the Gao.2Ino.8As/GaAs quantum dot. The result shows that the effect of magnetic field strength is more strongly dependent on the nonlinear optical property in a low-dimensional semiconductor system.     

Versatile,metal free and temperature-controlled g-C3N4 as a highly efficient and robust photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants

Research on Chemical Intermediates - In the present study, we report novel graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets at different calcination temperatures viz 500&nbsp;°C,...