Near‐Infrared Active Lead Chalcogenide Quantum Dots: Preparation,Post‐Synthesis Ligand Exchange,and Applications in Solar Cells

Quantum dots (QDs) of lead chalcogenides (e.g. PbS, PbSe, and PbTe) are attractive near‐infrared (NIR) active materials that show great potential in a wide range of applications, such as, photovoltaics (PV), optoelectronics, sensors, and bio‐electronics. The surface ligand plays an essential role in the production of QDs, post‐synthesis modification, and their integration to practical applications. Therefore, it is critically important that the influence of surface ligands on the synthesis and properties of QDs is well understood for their applications in various devices. In this Review we elaborate the application of colloidal synthesis techniques for the preparation of lead chalcogenide based QDs. We specifically focus on the influence of surface ligands on the synthesis of QDs and their solution‐phase ligand exchange. Given the importance of lead chalcogenide QDs as potential light harvesters, we also pay particular attention to the current progress of these QDs in photovoltaic applications.     

Nanoarchitectonic‐Based Material Platforms for Environmental and Bioprocessing Applications

The challenges of pollution, environmental science, and energy consumption have become global issues of broad societal importance. In order to address these challenges, novel functional systems and advanced materials are needed to achieve high efficiency, low emission, and environmentally friendly performance. A promising approach involves nanostructure‐level controls of functional material design through a novel concept, nanoarchitectonics. In this account article, we summarize nanoarchitectonic approaches to create nanoscale platform structures that are potentially useful for environmentally green and bioprocessing applications. The introduced platforms are roughly classified into (i) membrane platforms and (ii) nanostructured platforms. The examples are discussed together with the relevant chemical processes, environmental sensing, bio‐related interaction analyses, materials for environmental remediation, non‐precious metal catalysts, and facile separation for biomedical uses.     

Hamiltonian Ratchets with Ultra‐Cold Atoms

Quantum‐resonance ratchets have been realized over the last ten years for the production of directed currents of atoms. These non‐dissipative systems are based on the interaction of a Bose‐Einstein condensate with an optical standing wave potential to produce a current of atoms in momentum space. In this paper we provide a review of the important features of these ratchets with a particular emphasis on their optimization using more complex initial states. We also examine their stability close to resonance conditions of the kicking. Finally we discuss the way in which these ratchets may pave the way for applications in quantum (random) walks and matter‐wave interferometry.     

Stress reduction in planar waveguide using polymer top layer

Planar optical waveguides consisting of layers from different materials created at elevated temperatures usually exhibit substantial stresses. By controlling the layer thickness of polymeric top layer on planar waveguide structures, it is possible to use very thin layers for stress compensation, significantly reducing required deposition times. It is possible to reduce birefringence within planar device by controlling top polymer layer thickness with thermal expansion coefficient greater than silica or PMMA.     

A Validated High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic Method for the Determination of Azathioprine from Pharmaceutical Formulation

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A simple, specific, and precise high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the analysis of azathioprine, both...     

Phosphatidylcholine-based nonaqueous photorheological fluids: effect of geometry and solvent

We report a detail study on photoinduced rheological changes in nonaqueous photorheological (PR) fluids obtained with 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine-based reverse wormlike micelles, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleophosphatidylcholine (POPC)/cyclohexane/H₂O, POPC/isooctane/H₂O, and L-α-dioleophosphatidylcholine (DOPC)/isooctane/H₂O systems. Initially, the mixtures form highly viscoelastic fluids of long, reverse wormlike micelles as confirmed by the rheological measurements. When photosensitive molecule, trans-CA, is added to these mixtures, they exhibit photosensitivity, and the viscoelasticity increases that decreases on UV irradiation. The nature of the substituent on the benzene ring of trans-CA influences the rheology. When hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) (hydrophilic, ?OH group attached to the benzene ring of CA) is added to DOPC/isooctane/H₂O phase, separation occurs; while with the methoxycinnamic acid (MOCA) and methylcinnamic acid (MCA) (hydrophobic groups, ?OCH₃, and –CH₃ attached to the benzene ring of CA respectively) led to higher viscoelasticity. The study on the effects of position of the substitution on CA reveals the viscosity enhancement is in the order of p-?>?m-?>?o-isomers. The different geometries obtained because of substitution and photoinduced trans-cis isomerisation is responsible for the different rheology as confirmed by the dynamic rheology, the UV absorption, and the ¹H NMR spectrums. The ¹H NMR spectra revealed a change in the solubilization site of CA with irradiation. cis-CA (high solubility in water) is solubilized in the vicinity of water (at the hydrophilic end of DOPC) as compared with trans-CA. This disrupts the 3D networks of reverse wormlike micelles, decreasing the η ₀, plateau modulus, G _0, and relaxation time, τ _R of solution.     

Modeling of Vegetation Permittivity at Microwave Frequencies

When materials are to be treated with microwaves for different purposes such as drying, online moisture measurements, disinfestation, and remote sensing, thorough knowledge of the material dielectric properties becomes extremely important. Unlike for other materials, measurement of vegetation dielectric properties is very complicated due to the nature of the materials themselves. Hence, vegetation dielectric models that require fewer accurately and easily measurable physical quantities are of great importance. Therefore, dielectric models that only require the measurement of moisture content (MC) have been investigated for alfalfa, a plant material that has high commercial value in national and international markets. The models were developed by measuring the dielectric properties by using an open-ended coaxial probe at frequencies ranging from over 300 MHz to 18 GHz at 22 degC and at an MC ranging from 12% to 73% in wet basis     

Laminar flow through parallel and uniformly porous walls of different permeability

Résumé Le problème de l'écoulement constant d'un liquide visqueux laminaire incompressible à travers un conduit à deux dimensions, le liquide étant aspiré ou injecté à travers ses parois uniformément poreuses, est généralisé dans le cas où les vitesses le long des parois sont différentes. L'écoulement qui s'ensuit satisfait une équation différentielle non linéaire ordinaire d'un nombre Reynolds d'absorbtion, et cette équation est résolue par la technique de perturbation. Cette équation différentielle est également résolue par le calcul, et l'on vérifie l'exactitude de la solution de série. Des expressions générales pour les distributions de vitesse, les coefficients de pression et la friction de surfaces sont données au moyen du nombre Reynolds. Le graphique de friction des surfaces indique que l'écoulement à travers un conduit ayant des parois poreuses de perméabilité inégale est régulier et stable comme dans le cas d'un écoulement symétrique.     

Metal Affinity-Based Purification of a Red Fluorescent Protein

A red fluorescent protein, DsRed, which emits fluorescence in the red region of the spectrum has become a popular alternative to green fluorescent protein as a label in biochemical and bioanalytical applications. In this study, we have developed a simple purification method for DsRed variants utilizing their inherent copper binding property. A purification procedure was developed and optimized using immobilized copper ions yielding a single strong band corresponding to purified DsRed proteins on the SDS-PAGE gel. A purification efficiency of higher than 95% was achieved. A spectral analysis and copper binding study was performed to verify activity of the purified proteins. The development of this method allows DsRed to play a dual role as a fluorescent reporter protein and as a purification affinity tag for a target protein. This simpler approach of purification should expand the utility of DsRed.