Benzodifuran‐containing well‐defined π‐conjugated polymers for photovoltaic cells

Two well‐defined alternating π‐conjugated polymers containing a soluble electroactive benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]difuran (BDF) chromophore, poly(BDF‐(9‐phenylcarbazole)) (PBDFC), and poly(BDF‐benzothiadiazole) (PBDFBTD) were synthesized via Sonogashira copolymerizations. Their optical, electrochemical, and field‐effect charge transport properties were characterized and compared with those of the corresponding homopolymer PBDF and random copolymers of the same overall composition. All these polymers cover broad optical absorption ranges from 250 to 750 nm with narrow optical band gaps of 1.78–2.35 eV. Both PBDF and PBDFBTD show ambipolar redox properties with HOMO levels of ?5.38 and ?5.09 eV, respectively. The field‐effect mobility of holes varies from 2.9 × 10^?8 cm² V^?1 s^?1 in PBDF to 1.0 × 10^?5 cm² V^?1 s^?1 in PBDFBTD. Bulk heterojunction solar cell devices were fabricated using the polymers as the electron donor and [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester as the electron acceptor, leading to power conversion efficiencies of 0.24–0.57% under air mass 1.5 illumination (100 mW cm^?2). These results indicate that their band gaps, molecular electronic energy levels, charge mobilities, and molecular weights are readily tuned by copolymerizing the BDF core with different π‐conjugated units. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

All-solution-processed PIN architecture for ultra-sensitive and ultra-flexible organic thin film photodetectors

An ideal organic thin film photodetectors (OTFPs) should adopt a hierarchical, multilayer p-type/blend-type/n-type (PIN) structure, with each layer having a specific purpose which could greatly improve the exciton dissociation while guarantee efficient charge transport. However, for the traditional layer-by-layer solution fabrication procedure, the solvent used can induce organic material mixing and molecular disordering between each layer. Hence, such architecture for OTFPs can now only be formed via thermal evaporation. In this paper, a contact-film-transfer method is demonstrated to all-solution processing organic PIN OTFPs on flexible substrates. The fabricated PIN OTFPs exhibit high photoresponse and high stability under continuous mechanical bending. Hence, the method we described here should represent an important step in the development of OTFPs in the future.     

Evaluation on thermal stability and kinetics of 2,2′-azobis(2,4-dimethyl)valeronitrile in aerobic and anaerobic conditions under isothermal process

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - We quantified the thermal stability of 2,2′-azobis(2,4-dimethyl)valeronitrile (ADVN) under isothermal conditions through thermogravimetry (TG),...     

Pharmacokinetic comparison of five tanshinones in normal and arthritic rats after oral administration of Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan or its single herb extract by UPLC‐MS/MS

A fast, sensitive and reliable ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantitation and pharmacokinetic study of five tanshinones (tanshinone I, tanshinone IIA, tanshinone IIB, dihydrotanshinone I, cryptotanshinone), the bio‐active ingredients of Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan (HLXLD) in rat plasma. After liquid–liquid extraction, chromatographic separation was accomplished on a Shim‐pack XR‐ODS column (75 × 3.0 mm, 2.2 µm particles) and eluted with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile–0.05% formic acid aqueous solution (80:20, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min, and the total run time was 7.0 min. The detection was performed on a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry equipped with an electrospray ionization source in positive ionization and multiple reaction monitoring mode. The lower limits of quantification were 0.050–0.400 ng/mL for all the analytes. Linearity, precision and accuracy, the mean extraction recoveries and matrix effects all satisfied criteria for acceptance. This validated method was successfully applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study of five bio‐active components in rat plasma after oral administration of HLXLD or Salvia miltiorrhiza extract in normal and arthritic rats. The results showed that there were different pharmacokinetic characteristics among different groups. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorption of thorium(IV) on magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The influences of pH, contact time, solid-liquid ratio, temperature and C60(C(COOH)2)n on Th(IV) adsorption onto the magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MMWCNTs) were studied by batch technique. The dynamic process showed that the adsorption of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs could reach equilibrium in 40 h and matched the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The adsorption of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs was significantly dependent on pH values, the adsorption ratio increased markedly at pH 3.0–5.0, and then maintained a steady state as pH values increased. At low pH, different C60(C(COOH)2)n content could enhance the adsorption content of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs, but restrained it at higher pH. Through simulating the adsorption isotherms by Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubini-Radushkevich models, it could be seen respectively that the adsorption pattern of Th(IV) onto MMWCNTs was mainly surface complexation, and that the adsorption process was endothermic and irreversible.