The spin-1 Ising model on a two-layer Bethe lattice with FM/AFM interactions

Two-layer Bethe lattice with the Ising spins of the top layer having only ferromagnetic (FM) interactions and the bottom layer having only antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions are allowed to interact with the interlayer interaction of either FM or AFM type. The model is studied by using the exact recursion relations in a pairwise approach for given coordination numbers q=3, 4 and 6 with equal external magnetic fields acting on the layers. The phase diagrams of the model are obtained on different planes for given system parameters by studying the ground state (GS) phase diagrams and the thermal variations of the order-parameters and the response functions, i.e. the susceptibility and the specific heat, in detail. The model presents second- and first-order phase transitions, and where their lines are combined is the tricritical point. The critical end points also exist. The reentrant behavior is also seen when the model presents two Néel temperatures.     

Mixed Ising ferrimagnets with next-nearest-neighbour couplings on square lattices

We study Ising ferrimagnets on square lattices with antiferromagnetic exchange couplings between spins of values S = 1/2 and 1 on neighbouring sites, couplings between S = 1 spins at next-nearest-neighbour sites of the lattice and a single-site anisotropy term for the S = 1 spins. Using mainly ground state considerations and extensive Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate various aspects of the phase diagram, including compensation points, critical properties and temperature-dependent anomalies. In contrast to previous belief, the next-nearest-neighbour couplings, when being of antiferromagnetic type, may lead to compensation points.     

An Exactly Solvable Spin-1 Model under External Magnetic Field

A two-fold Cayley tree with fully q-coordinated sites is constructed and the spin-1 Blume-Capel model in the presence of an external magnetic field is solved exactly. The relevant properties such as magnetization m and square magnetic moment q are investigated as functions of temperature and external magnetic fieId both for ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic couplings. In the study, we propose a possible mechanism of the plateau based on the exchange couplings.     

Electrochemical polymerization of (2-dodecyl-4, 7-di (thiophen-2-yl)-2H-benzo[d][1,2,3] triazole): a novel matrix for biomolecule immobilization

A recently synthesized conducting polymer [poly(2-dodecyl-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazole (PTBT)] was tested as a platform for biomolecule immobilization. After electrochemical polymerization of the monomer (TBT) on graphite electrodes, immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx,β-D-glucose: oxygen-1-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.3.4) was carried out. To improve the interactions between the enzyme and hydrophobic alkyl chain on the polymeric structure, GOx and isoleucine (Ile) amino acid were mixed in sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) with a high ionic strength (250 × 10(-3) M). The solution is then casted on the polymer film, and the amino groups in the protein structure were crosslinked using glutaraldehyde (GA) as the bifunctional agent. Finally, the surface was covered with a perm-selective membrane. Consequently, cross-linked enzyme crystal (CLEC) like assembles with regular shapes were observed after immobilization. Microscopic techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence microscopy were used to monitor the surface morphologies of both the polymer and the bioactive layer. Electrochemical responses of the enzyme electrodes were measured by monitoring O(2) consumption in the presence of glucose at -0.7 V. The optimized biosensor showed a very good linearity between 0.05 and 2.5 × 10(-3) M with a 52 s response time and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.029 × 10(-3) M to glucose. Also, kinetic parameters, operational and storage stabilities were determined. K(m) and I(max) values were found as 4.6 × 10(-3) M and 2.49 μA, respectively. It was also shown that no activity was lost during operational and storage conditions. Finally, proposed system was applied for glucose biomonitoring during fermentation in yeast culture where HPLC was used as the reference method to verify the data obtained by the proposed biosensor.     

Exploring the influence of acceptor content on semi‐random conjugated polymers

A family of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)‐incorporated P3HT based semi‐random copolymers was synthesized and their optical, electronic and photovoltaic properties were investigated. For the first time, the influence of acceptor content on semi‐random copolymers was explored in the broad range of 10–40% acceptor. A mixture of DPP acceptor units with different side chains (ethylhexyl and decyltetradecyl) was incorporated into each copolymer to improve solubility and film quality. Increased DPP content in the polymer backbone resulted in broadened absorption between 350 and 900 nm, resulting in a monotonic decrease in optical band gap (E_g) of the polymers from 1.49 to 1.37 eV. Highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels showed an increase from 10% DPP to 20–30% DPP, while decreasing for 40% DPP. V_oc values followed a consistent trend with HOMO energy levels. Semi‐random copolymers showed significantly improved photovoltaic properties compared with P3HT. Bulk heterojunction solar cells fabricated from the semi‐random copolymers blended with PC₆₁BM exhibited high short‐circuit current densities (J_sc) up to 10.29 mA/cm² and efficiencies up to 4.43%. A new method of methanol treatment was developed and applied to the semi‐random copolymers resulting in high fill factors approaching 0.70 under ambient conditions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3884–3892     

Random multiacceptor poly(2,7‐carbazole) derivatives containing the pentacyclic lactam acceptor unit TPTI for bulk heterojunction solar cells

Here, a family of donor/acceptor (D/A) alternating copolymers and random two‐acceptor and three‐acceptor copolymers were synthesized via Suzuki polymerization based on heptadecan‐9‐yl substituted carbazole as a donor and 4,7‐Bis(5‐bromothiophene‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (DTBT), 2,5‐diethylhexyl‐3,6‐bis(5‐bromothiophene‐2‐yl)pyrrolo[3,4‐c]‐pyrrole‐1,4‐dione (DPP) and 2,8‐dibromo‐4,10‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)thieno[2′,3′:5,6] pyrido[3,4‐g]thieno[3,2‐c]isoquinoline‐5,11(4H,10H)‐dione (TPTI) as acceptors. For the first time, a relatively new electron‐deficient TPTI unit was used as an acceptor in carbazole‐based conjugated polymers. Introduction of the electron‐deficient TPTI unit into the polymer backbone increased the open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of the resulting polymer solar cells up to 0.96 V. PCTPTI and PCDTBT‐TPTI exhibited external quantum efficiencies (EQE) up to 75%. All random two‐acceptor copolymers showed broadened absorption profiles compared to the D/A alternating analogues. In order to further improve the light absorption, a random three‐acceptor copolymer was synthesized for the first time, resulting in the broadest absorption in the range of 350–750 nm. Highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energies and V_oc values of the resulting polymers could be successfully tuned by introducing different monomer units into the polymer backbone in different ratios. These results indicate that TPTI is a promising acceptor unit for conjugated polymers and that the random copolymer approach is a successful tool for fine tuning of polymer properties. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2781–2786     

The possibility of two compensation points in a ferrimagnetic mixed spin-1 and spin-3/2 Ising system using Bethe lattice approach

We give an exact formulation of a mixed spin-1 and spin-3/2 Ising model on the Bethe lattice, which shows ferrimagnetism and compensation points. The model incorporates antiferromagnetic nearest-neighbor interaction which is relevant to describe ferrimagnetism. The influence of two sublattice crystal fields, D_A and D_B, on compensation points is studied in detail. For certain crystal-field values, the single or double compensation temperature may occur in the present system.