Influence of Urbach Energy,Temperature, and Longitudinal Position in the Active Layer on Carrier Diffusion Length in Perovskite Solar Cells

The diffusion length of charge carriers in the active layer of a perovskite solar cell (PSC) of the structure Glass/PEDOT: PSS/CH₃NH₃PbI₃/PC60BM/Al is modelled. It is found that the diffusion length depends on the position x in the active layer measured from the PEDOT: PSS interface, Urbach energy and temperature. By varying the voltage in the range from zero to , it is shown that the dependence of diffusion length on the position x in the active layer reduces at higher voltage. The combined influence of applied voltage and temperature on the diffusion length of charge carriers is investigated and it is found that in the low voltage range the diffusion length is temperature independent, but it becomes significantly temperature dependent at higher voltages. Also, it is found that the diffusion length decreases as the applied voltage increases and this reduction becomes much more significant at higher voltage and temperatures. The combined influence of applied voltage and Urbach energy on diffusion length of charge carriers reveals that the diffusion length decreases when both the applied voltage and Urbach energy increase. However, the reduction in the diffusion length due to the increase in Urbach energy becomes less significant at higher voltage.     

Targeting the Substrate Binding Site of E. coli Nitrile Reductase QueF by Modeling,Substrate and Enzyme Engineering

Nitrile reductase QueF catalyzes the reduction of 2‐amino‐5‐cyanopyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one (preQ₀) to 2‐amino‐5‐aminomethylpyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one (preQ₁) in the biosynthetic pathway of the hypermodified nucleoside queuosine. It is the only enzyme known to catalyze a reduction of a nitrile to its corresponding primary amine and could therefore expand the toolbox of biocatalytic reactions of nitriles. To evaluate this new oxidoreductase for application in biocatalytic reactions, investigation of its substrate scope is prerequisite. We report here an investigation of the active site binding properties and the substrate scope of nitrile reductase QueF from Escherichia coli. Screenings with simple nitrile structures revealed high substrate specificity. Consequently, binding interactions of the substrate to the active site were identified based on a new homology model of E. coli QueF and modeled complex structures of the natural and non‐natural substrates. Various structural analogues of the natural substrate preQ₀ were synthesized and screened with wild‐type QueF from E. coli and several active site mutants. Two amino acid residues Cys190 and Asp197 were shown to play an essential role in the catalytic mechanism. Three non‐natural substrates were identified and compared to the natural substrate regarding their specific activities by using wild‐type and mutant nitrile reductase.     

Towards Polyoxometalate‐Cluster‐Based Nano‐Electronics

We explore the concept that the incorporation of polyoxometalates (POMs) into complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies could offer a fundamentally better way to design and engineer new types of data storage devices, due to the enhanced electronic complementarity with SiO₂, high redox potentials, and multiple redox states accessible to polyoxometalate clusters. To explore this we constructed a custom‐built simulation domain bridge. Connecting DFT, for the quantum mechanical modelling part, and mesoscopic device modelling, confirms the theoretical basis for the proposed advantages of POMs in non‐volatile molecular memories (NVMM) or flash‐RAM.     

Banana-shaped mesogens: effect of lateral substituents on seven-ring esters containing a biphenyl moiety

The synthesis and characterization of five homologous series of symmetrical compounds composed of banana-shaped molecules containing a biphenyl moiety are reported. All these compounds are non-Schiff's bases and are esters. The effects of lateral substituents such as fluoro, methyl and ethyl in the side arms of these molecules are examined. These substituents have a strong influence in reducing the clearing temperatures. Banana phases such as B1, B2 and B6 were observed in the above series of compounds. The mesophases were characterized by a combination of polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optic studies.     

Volatile organic compounds in an urban environment: a comparison among Belgium,Vietnam and Ethiopia

The effects of urban and indoor air pollution on human health are a major environmental concern for all, but not much has been researched in the developing world. Specifically, quantitative data on the occurrence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – main contributors to air pollution – in Asia and Africa are scarce compared to the availability of data in the developed world. This paper presents one of the first studies focusing on the analysis and occurrence of VOCs in Vietnam and Ethiopia, which constitutes part of the novelty of this work. A spectrum of 34 VOCs was measured at eight different urban sites in Ghent (Belgium), Hanoi (Vietnam), Jimma and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) during three sampling campaigns from September 2008 to September 2010. Sampling was done in an active way by means of sorbent tubes filled with Tenax TA. The analysis was done by TD-GC-MS using internal standard calibration. Data were interpreted and compared in terms of (i) individual, subgroup and total VOCs concentration (TVOCs), (ii) indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) concentration ratios, (iii) source identification by diagnostic ratio and/or correlation coefficients, and (iv) ozone formation potential (OFP) at outdoor sites based on up-to-date maximum incremental reactivity (MIR). I/O concentration ratios varied between 0.2 and 30, with big differences noticed with respect to the type of VOC(s) considered and the type of outdoor sampling location. The highest TVOC concentrations were measured in street samples with maximum values of 54?µg/m³ in Ghent, 507?µg/m³ in Hanoi and 318?µg/m³ in Addis Ababa illustrating the large difference in ambient air quality levels. This is also reflected in the arithmetic mean OFP values (µg/m³) of 82, 1308 and 596 in Ghent, Hanoi and Addis Ababa, respectively. Results of this study could be helpful to support formulation of national policy with regard to ambient air quality.     

Phase Transfer Catalyzed Alkylation: An Efficient Protection of Acid Labile Hemiketals

The reaction of hemiketals (1–6) with sodium hydroxide and methyl iodide in the presence of TBAI as a catalyst furnished methoxy hemiketals (7–10) in more than 90% yield.     

NLO‐active maleimide copolymers with ­high glass transition temperatures

We synthesized some novel rigid NLO‐active maleimide copolymers bearing DR‐1 moieties ( PMPD , PHSD and PHND ). All copolymers exhibited high T_g's (190～197 °C), good solubilities for common solvents and excellent film‐forming properties. Dependence of film thickness on the d₃₃ value for the poled copolymer films induced by corona poling was investigated and it was demonstrated that in less than thickness of 0.3 µm decrease of the thickness gives rise to remarkable increase in the d₃₃ value. The poled copolymer films exhibited large d₃₃ values (270 × 10^?9 esu (film thickness 0.13 µm) for PMPD , 290 × 10^?9 esu (0.12 µm) for PHSD and 350 × 10^?9 esu (0.08 µm) for PHND ) as well as large r₃₃ values (51.0 pmV^?1 for PMPD and 60.4 pmV^?1 for PHND ) which are significantly large compared to the value of LiNbO₃ (31 pmV^?1) as a typical EO material. The d₃₃ values of the poled copolymers were kept constant even after standing 1000h at 80 °C, although a small decrease was observed at an initial stage. Further, the d₃₃ values did not change up to ca. 123 °C upon heating at the rate of 10 °C/min in all cases. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthetic analogs of active centers of iron-sulfur proteins: Reactions with phosphates

The interaction of synthetic analogs of active centers of iron-sulfur proteins with phosphates of different structures was studied. It was shown that the process involves ligand exchange and obeys the first-order reaction kinetic equation. The most rapid exchange occurred with the most acidic compound diphenyl phosphate.A. E. Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Kazan' Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 420083 Kazan'. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2301–2305, October, 1992.     

竹红菌甲素敏化氧化还原型谷胱甘肽中的类型Ⅰ和类型Ⅱ反应

本文研究了竹红菌甲素和还原型谷胱甘肽(GluSH)间的光诱导氧化还原作用。甲素是3,10-二羟基-4,10-苝醌衍生物。在GluSH作为电子给体时,甲素经受可见光诱导的单电子还原,生成年醌自由基或二氢甲素,取决于pH值,同时GluSH被氧化。甲素的单电子还原量子效率随pH值增加而增加。在充氧溶液中甲素敏化氧化GluSH的反应通过类型Ⅰ和Ⅱ的混合机制进行。用ESR检测到了通过Fenton反应产生的羟基自由基。在脂质体包裹的甲素溶液中用动力学测定方法证明了甲素敏化GluSH的氧化是通过类型Ⅱ机制进行的。     

光催化剂活性位点调控及其光还原CO2制C2 产物研究进展

工业发展与人类活动导致大气中CO₂浓度逐年升高, 引发一系列生态环境问题. 将CO₂光催化转化为高附加值化学物质不仅有利于缓解环境压力,也可以带来额外经济价值. 然而, 由于多电子利用效率低和C―C偶联动力学缓慢, 光还原CO₂制多碳产品面临产率低和选择性差等挑战. 光催化剂活性位点调控能够有效解决上述问题. 我们综述了近几年用于光还原CO₂催化剂表面活性位点设计的研究进展, 主要包括缺陷位点、 金属位点以及掺杂位点等, 从活性位点的角度为光还原CO₂催化剂设计提供新视角, 并对开发高效光催化剂具有启发意义.