Annealing-free Poly(3-hexylthiophene):[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester-based organic solar cells

We report on the fabrication of efficient annealing-free organic solar cells using co-solvent solution considered as a promising method for low-cost and time-saving manufacturing. Higher device efficiency could be obtained compared to the pure solvent casted device, resulting from the improved crystallinity, optical absorption and transport properties. The power conversion efficiency of 2.8% was obtained, demonstrating the feasibility of achieving low-cost and high-efficiency organic solar cells without any additional treatment and processing additives.     

Controlled water flooding of polymer electrolyte fuel cells applying superhydrophobic gas diffusion layer

Water transport is critical to the successful implementation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC), especially in long-term and dynamic operation in automotives. Liquid water appears in the fuel cells not only from the water generated at the cathode catalyst layer but also as a result of condensation of water vapor from the humidified gases. In this study, we report a simple approach to prepare a superhydrophobic gas diffusion layer by chemical vapor deposition of polydimethylsiloxane without significant change in pore size of gas diffusion layer unlike other approach adding hydrophobic agent such as polytetrafluoroethylene. A superhydrophobic coating on the GDL can be obtained, leading to exceptionally enhanced power performance and stability of PEFC especially at a high current where water transport becomes more critical.     

Corrosion inhibition of ammonium molybdate for AA6061 alloy in NaCl solution and its synergistic effect with calcium gluconate

The corrosion inhibition of ammonium heltamolybdate (AH) and calcium gluconate (CG) for AA6061 alloy in 3% NaCl solution was investigated by the electrochemical measurements. It indicates that AH inhibits the corrosion of AA6061 alloy and acts as an anodic inhibitor. Maximum inhibition efficiency reaches 74.3% at the concentration of 1 × 10^?4 mol.l^?1 AH. The results of the electrochemical studies reveal AH is physically adsorbed on the AA6061 alloy surface and the adsorption follows Langmuir isotherm. The combination of AH and CG enhances the inhibition efficiency to 95.9%. The enhanced inhibition is attributed to the promotion of AH adsorption by CG. The mixture of AH and CG is a mixed‐type inhibitor and renders the corrosion potential to more positive values. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anion Receptor with Xylene Bridged Two Imidazolium Rings

A m-xylene bridged imidazolium receptor 1 has been designed and synthesized. The receptor 1 utilizes two imidazole (C–H)⁺—anion hydrogen bonds and one aromatic hydrogen—anion hydrogen bond. The major driving force of complexation between the receptor 1 and anions comes from two imidazole (C–H)⁺—anion hydrogen bonding. However, some hydrogen bonding energy between aromatic hydrogen and anion exists, although it is expected to be much smaller than that of imidazole (C–H)⁺—anion hydrogen bonds.

     

Biochemical and Structural Studies of Conserved Maf Proteins Revealed Nucleotide Pyrophosphatases with a Preference for Modified Nucleotides

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Transfection of Mammalian Cells Using Block Copolypeptide Vesicles

An arginine‐leucine block copolypeptide (R₆₀L₂₀) is synthesized, which is capable of forming vesicles with controllable sizes, able to transport hydrophilic cargo across the cell membrane, and exhibit relatively low cytotoxicity. The R₆₀L₂₀ vesicles also possess the ability to deliver DNA into mammalian cells for transfection. Although the transfection efficiency is lower than that of the commercially available transfection agent Lipofectamine 2000, the R₆₀L₂₀ vesicles are able to achieve transfection with significantly lower cytotoxicity and immunogenicity. This behavior is potentially due to its stronger interaction with DNA which subsequently provides better protection against anionic heparin.

     

Determination of micro‐RNA in cardiomyoblast cells using CE with LIF detection

Micro‐RNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, singlestranded, and noncoding RNAs. The miRNAs have been found to perform important functions in many cellular processes, such as development, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Circulating miRNAs have been proposed as emerging biomarkers in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In this study, we developed CE with LIF (CE‐LIF) using fluorescence‐labeled DNA probe for determination of low abundance miRNA in cell extracts. The target miRNA is miRNA‐499, a biomarker candidate of AMI with low abundance in biological samples. In order to measure the trace level of miRNA, we optimized the hybridization conditions such as hybridization time, temperature, and buffer solution. The highest fluorescence intensity of the hybridized miRNA‐499 was found when hybridization was conducted at 40°C in 50 mM Tris‐acetate (pH 8.0) buffer containing 50 mM NaCl, and 10 mM EDTA for 15 min. The hybridized miRNA‐499 was detected in cultured H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells and the analysis of miRNA‐499 was completed within 1 h using CE‐LIF. These results showed the potential of CE for fast, specific, and sensitive high‐throughput analysis of low‐abundance miRNAs in cell extracts, biofluids, and tissues.     

Precise characterization method of antibody‐conjugated magnetic nanoparticles for pathogen detection using stuffer‐free multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification

Antibody‐conjugated magnetic nanoparticles (Ab‐MNPs) have potential in pathogen detection because they allow target cells to be easily separated from complex sample matrices. However, the sensitivity and specificity of pathogen capture by Ab‐MNPs generally vary according to the types of MNPs, antibodies, and sample matrices, as well as preparation methods, including immobilization. Therefore, achieving a reproducible analysis utilizing Ab‐MNPs as a pathogen detection method requires accurate characterization of Ab‐MNP capture ability and standardization of all handling processes. In this study, we used high‐resolution CE‐single strand conformational polymorphism coupled with a stuffer‐free multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification system to characterize Ab‐MNPs. The capture ability of Ab‐MNPs targeting Salmonella enteritidis and nine pathogens, including S. enteritidis, was analyzed in phosphate buffer and milk. The effect of storage conditions on the stability of Ab‐MNPs was also assessed. The results showed that the stuffer‐free multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification system has the potential to serve as a standard characterization method for Ab‐MNPs. Moreover, the precise characterization of Ab‐MNPs facilitated robust pathogen detection in various applications.     

Circumventing the OCl versus OOH scaling relation in the chlorine evolution reaction: Beyond dimensionally stable anodes

The development of selective electrocatalysts for the chlorine evolution reaction (CER) is majorly restrained by a scaling relation between the OCl and OOH adsorbates, rendering that active CER catalysts are also reasonably active in the competing oxygen evolution reaction (OER). While theory predicts that the OCl versus OOH scaling relation can be circumvented as soon as the elementary reaction steps in the CER comprise the Cl rather than the OCl adsorbate, it was demonstrated recently that PtN₄ sites embedded in a carbon nanotube follow this theoretical prediction. Advanced experimental analyses illustrate that the PtN₄ sites also reveal a different reaction kinetics compared to the industrial benchmark of dimensionally stable anodes (DSA). A reverse Volmer–Heyrovsky mechanism was identified, in which the rate-determining Volmer step for small overpotentials is followed by the kinetically limiting Heyrovsky step for larger overpotentials. Since the PtN₄ sites excel DSA in terms of activity and chlorine selectivity, we suggest the Cl intermediate as well as the reverse Volmer–Heyrovsky mechanism as the design criteria for the development of next-generation electrode materials beyond DSA.     

Abnormal adsorption behavior of dimethyl disulfide on gold surfaces

Adsorption of dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) on gold colloidal nanoparticle surfaces has been examined to check its binding mechanism. Differently from previous results, DMDS molecules adsorbed on the gold surface at high concentration showed the S–S stretching band at 500 cm⁻¹ in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra, which indicates the presence of intact adsorption of DMDS molecules. However, it was found that the S–S bond of disulfides was easily cleaved on the gold surface at low concentration. These behaviors were not observed for diethyl disulfide (DEDS) or diphenyl disulfide (DPDS). Our results indicate that DMDS molecules with the shortest alkyl chains on the gold surface can be inserted into self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) without the S–S bond cleavage during self-assembly due to insufficient lateral van der Waals interaction and the low adsorption activity of disulfides, whereas DEDS with longer alkyl chains or DPDS with the weak disulfide bond dissociation energy would not. These unusual DMDS adsorption behaviors were examined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We also compared the bonding dissociation energy of the S–S bonds of various disulfides by means of a density functional theory (DFT) calculation.