Effect of oblique incidence angle of sunlight on the optimized folding angle of V-shaped organic solar cells

We numerically investigate the effect of the incidence angle of sunlight on the optimized folding angle of V-shaped organic solar cells (VOSCs) to obtain the best power conversion efficiency in a realistically operating environment. The light absorbance at the active layer is calculated based on the finite element method with respect to the incidence angle of sunlight and the folding angle of the VOSC. We calculate the generation energy density per day at each folding angle by integrating the angular response of the short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage with the consideration of the variation of the incidence angle during daytime. We show that the optimized folding angle of the VOSC based on the variation of the generation energy density per day is close to that determined from the variation of the electric power density in normal incidence, which has been widely used to optimize the folding angle of VOSCs.     

A study of the gasification of carbon black with molten salt of Li2CO3 and K2CO3 for application in the external anode media of a direct carbon fuel cell

The characteristics of gasification reactions for carbon–carbonate mixtures were experimentally investigated at high temperatures up to 900 °C, considering the application of the mixtures to the external anode media of a direct carbon fuel cell. A thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted in either a nitrogen or carbon dioxide ambient environment for Li₂CO₃, K₂CO₃ and a mixture of these two substances with carbon black. Changes in the exit gas composition were also monitored during the heating process. It was shown that gasification in the mixture media occurs much more rapidly than carbonate decomposition at elevated temperatures, even for low concentrations of CO₂. It was also shown that the loading of carbonates to carbon significantly affects the global gasification reaction; it increased the reaction rate by an order of magnitude and decreased its activation energy. Based on the experimental observations, a simplified reaction model of gasification was suggested for the anode media of a DCFC, regarding carbonate-catalysed and metal-catalysed pathways of Boudouard reactions.     

Investigation of the electrical and optical properties of InAs/InGaAs dot in a well solar cell

The electroreflectance (ER) and current–voltage (J–V) of InAs/InGaAs dots in a well (DWELL) solar cell (SC) were measured to examine the optical and electrical properties. To investigate the carrier capturing and escaping effects in the quantum dot (QD) states the above and below optical biases of the GaAs band gap were used. In the reverse bias region of the J–V curve, the tunneling effect in the QD states was observed at low temperature. The ideality factors (n) were calculated from the J–V curves taken from various optical bias intensities (I_ex). The changes in the ideality factor (n) and short circuit current (J_SC) were attributed mainly to carrier capture at low temperature, whereas the carrier escaping effect was dominant at room temperature. ER measurements revealed a decrease in the junction electric field (F_J) due to the photovoltaic effect, which was independent of the optical bias source at the same temperature. At low temperature, the reduction of photovoltaic effect could be explained by the enhancement carrier capturing effect due to the strong carrier confinement in QDs.     

ITO-free inverted organic solar cells fabricated with transparent and low resistance ZnO/Ag/ZnO multilayer electrode

Inverted organic solar cells (OSCs) based on poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) bulk heterojunctions (BHJ) were fabricated with optimized ZnO/Ag/ZnO multilayer and conventional indium–tin oxide (ITO) cathode electrodes and their performance was compared. The ZnO/Ag/ZnO multilayer films showed sheet resistances in the range 3.6–3.9 Ω/sq, while ITO exhibited 14.2 Ω/sq. On the one hand, the carrier concentration gradually decreased from 1.74 × 10²² to 4.33 × 10²¹ cm⁻³ as the ZnO thickness increased from 8 to 80 nm, respectively. The transmittance of the ZnO(40 nm)/Ag(19 nm)/ZnO(40 nm) films was ∼95% at 550 nm, which is comparable to that of ITO (∼96%). The multilayer films were smooth with a root mean square (RMS) roughness of 0.81 nm. OSCs fabricated with the ZnO(40 nm)/Ag(19 nm)/ZnO(40 nm) film showed a power conversion efficiency (2.63%) comparable to that of OSCs with a conventional ITO cathode (2.71%).     

Electrical and optical properties of Si-doped indium tin oxides as transparent electrode and anti-reflection coating for solar cells

We have studied the electrical and optical properties of Si-doped indium tin oxides (ITSOs) as transparent electrodes and anti-reflection coatings for Si-based solar cells. The ITSO thin films were obtained by co-sputtering of ITO and SiO₂ targets under target power control. The resistivity of the ITSO thin films deposited at 0.625 in terms of power ratio (ITO/SiO₂) were 391 Ωcm. In this condition, the ITSO thin films showed very high resistivity compared to sputted pure ITO thin films (1.08 × 10⁻³ Ωcm). However, refractive index of ITSO thin films deposited at the same condition at 500 nm is somewhat lowered to 1.97 compared to ITO thin films (2.06). The fabricated graded refractive index AR coatings using ITO, ITSO, and SiO₂ thin films kept over 80% of transmittance regardless of their thickness varing from 97 nm to 1196 nm because of their low extinction coefficient. As the AR coating with graded refractive indices using ITO, ITSO, and SiO₂ layers was applied to general silicon-based solar cell, the current level increased nearly twice more than that of bare silicon solar cell without AR coating.     

Prototype electrochromic device and dye sensitized solar cell using spray deposited undoped and ‘Li’ doped V2O5 thin film electrodes

Lithium (Li) (0–5 wt%) doped V₂O₅ thin films were spray deposited at 450 °C onto ITO substrates. Structural analysis using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy revealed orthorhombic phase of the films. In addition to the V₂O₅ phase, presence of VO₂ peaks due to high deposition temperature is also evident from structural and optical characterization. The non-stoichiometric nature of the films due to loss of the terminal O atom was confirmed from Raman spectroscopy. The direct band gap, indirect bandgap, and phonon energies were also calculated from optical studies. Different charge states of vanadium ions present in the film were identified from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study. Results from cyclic voltammetry experiments reflected significant differences between the undoped and Li doped V₂O₅ samples. Transport properties by Hall-effect measured at room temperature indicated significant increase in conductivity, carrier concentration and mobility of V₂O₅ thin films on doping with Li. A Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) was fabricated using mobility enhanced 5 wt% Li doped V₂O₅ film as photoanode and its efficiency was found to be 2.7%. A simple electrochromic cell is fabricated using undoped V₂O₅ thin film to demonstrate the colour change.     

Measurement of Flexo-coefficients for Nematic LCs without the Influence of the Impurity Ions by Using the Chromatographic Isolation Method

The sum of the flexo-coefficients (e₁₁+e₃₃) was measured by the capacitance characteristic depending on the applied dc voltage in the HAN cell. The voltage for the minimum value of the capacitance was shifted by the influence of flexoelectric effect. One of the important problems for the evaluation for the flexo effect was the influence of impurity ions. Then, the chromatographic isolation phenomenon was used to separate impurity ions when the LC material was injected into the empty cell by the capillary action. The coefficient (e₁₁+e₃₃) of ZLI-4792 was measured, and a value of 26.0 pC/m was obtained.     

A Biomimetic Nanoparticle to “Lure and Kill” Phospholipase A2

Inhibition of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) has long been considered for treating various diseases associated with an elevated PLA2 activity. However, safe and effective PLA2 inhibitors remain unavailable. Herein, we report a biomimetic nanoparticle design that enables a “lure and kill” mechanism designed for PLA2 inhibition (denoted “L&K-NP”). The L&K-NPs are made of polymeric cores wrapped with modified red blood cell membrane with two inserted key components: melittin and oleyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (OOPC). Melittin acts as a PLA2 attractant that works together with the membrane lipids to “lure” in-coming PLA2 for attack. Meanwhile, OOPC acts as inhibitor that “kills” PLA2 upon enzymatic attack. Both compounds are integrated into the L&K-NP structure, which voids toxicity associated with free molecules. In the study, L&K-NPs effectively inhibit PLA2-induced hemolysis. In mice administered with a lethal dose of venomous PLA2, L&K-NPs also inhibit hemolysis and confer a significant survival benefit. Furthermore, L&K-NPs show no obvious toxicity in mice. and the design provides a platform technology for a safe and effective anti-PLA2 approach.     

Origin of pressure-induced insulator-to-metal transition in the van der Waals compound FePS3 from first-principles calculations

Pressure-induced insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) has been studied in the van der Waals compound iron thiophosphate (FePS₃) using first-principles calculations within the periodic linear combination of atomic orbitals method with hybrid Hartree–Fock-DFT B3LYP functional. Our calculations reproduce correctly the IMT at ∼15 GPa, which is accompanied by a reduction of the unit cell volume and of the vdW gap. We found from the detailed analysis of the projected density of states that the 3p states of phosphorus atoms contribute significantly at the bottom of the conduction band. As a result, the collapse of the band gap occurs due to changes in the electronic structure of FePS₃ induced by relative displacements of phosphorus or sulfur atoms along the c-axis direction under pressure.