Excess isentropic compressibility and speed of sound of the ternary mixture 2-propanol + diethyl ether + n-hexane and the constituent binary mixtures at 298.15 K

Speed of sound and densities of the ternary mixture 2-propanol + diethyl ether + n-hexane and also the binary mixtures 2-propanol + diethyl ether and 2-propanol + n-hexane have been measured at the entire composition range at 298.15 K. The excess isentropic compressibilities and the excess speed of the sound have been calculated from experimental densities and speed of sound. These excess properties of the binary mixtures were fitted to Redlich-Kister equation, while the Cibulka’s equation was used to fit the values related to the values to the ternary system. These excess properties have been used to discuss the presence of significant interactions between the component molecules in the binary mixtures and also the ternary mixtures. Speed of sound of the binary mixtures and the ternary mixture have been compared with calculated values from free length theory (FLT), collision factor theory (CFT), Nomoto’s relation (NR), Van Deal’s ideal mixing relation (IMR) and Junjie’s relation (JR). The results are used to compare the relative merits of these theories and relations in terms of the root mean square deviation relative (RMSD_r).     

Syntheses,electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical characterization of benzothiadiazole and benzoselenadiazole based random copolymers

Three novel donor-acceptor-donor type random copolymers based on benzothiadiazole (BTh) and benzoselenadiazole (BSe) were synthesized via Pd (0) catalyzed Suzuki polycondensation reaction. The two acceptor units were coupled with electron rich moieties which are carbazole (CZ), fluorene (FL) and silafluorene (SiFL). Monomers were characterized using ¹H and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The number and weight average molecular weights of the polymers were calculated using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). All three polymers were electrochemically and spectroelectrochemically characterized. PBThBSeCZ, PBThBSeFL and PBThBSeSiFL showed only p-dopable character and their doping/dedoping potentials were determined as 1.4 V/1.2 V, 1.53 V/1.27 V and 1.8 V/1.3 V, respectively. Corresponding HOMO energy levels were calculated as ?5.85 eV, ?6.05 eV and ?6.15 eV whereas LUMO energy levels were found to be ?3.67 eV, ?3.84 eV and ?3.77 eV, respectively. PBThBSeCZ had lower HOMO level and band gap than PBThBSeFL and PBThBSeSiFL due to its increased electron donating capability of nitrogen atom in carbazole unit.     

Fabrication of a Novel Polymeric Scaffold for Amperometric Laccase Biosensor

Present work displays the preparation of an electrochemical biosensor using a conjugated polymer and laccase enzyme for catechol quantification in samples. The biosensing system is based on an enzyme immobilization on polymer modified graphite transducer surface. For that purpose, a random conjugated polymer, thienothiophene‐benzoxadiazole‐alt‐benzodithiophene (BOTT), was coated onto a graphite electrode surface via drop casting method followed by immobilization of a biomolecule (laccase) for sensing experiments. Herein, for the first time, we proposed a BOTT polymer as an inexpensive and effective way to fabricate highly sensitive and fast response biosensors. The proposed sensing system possessed superior properties with 0.38 μM limit of detection and 110.81 μA mM^?1 sensitivity. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to examine the surface modifications. The proposed system could be useful for many future studies for catechol quantification in environmental samples.© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2333–2339     

Incorporation of different conjugated linkers into low band gap polymers based on 5,6‐Bis(octyloxy)‐2,1,3 benzooxadiazole for tuning optoelectronic properties

Four new 2,1,3‐benzooxadiazole‐based donor–acceptor conjugated polymers, namely poly{9‐(9‐heptadecanyl)‐9H‐carbazole‐alt‐5,6‐bis(octyloxy)‐4,7‐di(selenophen‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole)}(PSBSC), poly{9‐(9‐heptadecanyl)‐9H‐carbazole‐alt‐5,6‐bis(octyloxy)‐4,7‐di(furan‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole)}(PFBFC), poly{9,9‐dioctyl‐9H‐fluorene‐alt‐5,6‐bis(octyloxy)‐4,7‐di(selenophen‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole)}(PSBSFL), and poly{9,9‐dioctyl‐9H‐fluorene‐alt‐5,6‐bis(octyloxy)‐4,7‐di(furan‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole)}(PFBFFL), were synthesized via Stille polycondensation reaction. All polymers were found to be soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, and chlorobenzene. Their structures were verified by ¹H‐NMR and the molecular weights were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The polymer films exhibited broad absorption bands. Among all polymers, photovoltaic cells based on the device structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PSBSC:PC₇₁BM(1:3, w/w)/LiF/Al revealed an open‐circuit voltage of 0.62 V, a short circuit current of 7.63 mA cm^?2 and a power conversion efficiency of 1.89%. This work demonstrates a good example for tuning absorption range, energy level, and photovoltaic properties of the polymers with different spacers and donor units can offer a simple and effective method to improve the efficiency of PSCs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 2459–2467     

Dismantle or remanufacture?

In this paper we study a firm’s disposition decision for returned end-of-use products, which can either be remanufactured and sold, or dismantled into parts that can be reused. We formulate this problem as a multi-period stochastic dynamic program, and find the structure of the optimal policy, which consists of monotonic switching curves. Specifically, if it is optimal to remanufacture in a given period and for given inventory levels, then it is also optimal to remanufacture when the inventory of part(s) is higher or the inventory of remanufactured product is lower.     

Influence of turbulence on the performance of a laboratory scale HAWT

The oncoming wind to horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) may change its speed and direction stochastically in time. Hence, turbine blades are exposed to flows both with fluctuating angle of attack and fluctuating yaw angles. The modern wind turbines are reacting to those changes by pitch angle and torque control not only to exploit as much power as possible but also stabilize energy production and prevent any damage of the turbine. However, time scales of wind fluctuations and sudden changes of wind properties can be very short and with very high in amplitude. In the present study we focus on the influence of turbulence on the performance of a HAWT. Main motivation of the investigations is to figure out best strategies for the aerodynamic design of the blades operating under turbulent conditions. A laboratory scale HAWT and a performance measurement set-up are employed to measure the influence of the oncoming wind. The tests are conducted in the closed loop wind tunnel of our institute. The test section of the tunnel is 1.87 m in width, 1.4 m in height and 2 m in length. The rotor blades are specially designed and optimized for this wind tunnel and the generator used. The turbulence is generated by two static squared mesh grids; fine and coarse one. Hence, two mainly different turbulence scales are obtained. In addition, the distance between the wind-turbine and the grid is adjusted to have additional sub-turbulence scales for each grid. The turbulence is nearly isotropic and decays in the flow direction. The developments of Taylor's micro scale (λ_g) and integral scale (L_g) of the turbulence in the flow direction at various incoming wind velocities (8−16 m/s) are measured. Hence, the facility allows to expose the wind-turbine to turbulence with various energy and length scale content. Those measurements are conducted with hot-wire anemometry in the absence of the wind-turbine. Upstream and downstream turbulence intensities (TI) distributions are measured to give insight on the surrounding free stream and turbine wake interaction and how can different turbulence eddies scales contribute in the influence of the performance of the turbine. Performance measurements are conducted with and without turbulence and the results are compared. The study shows that the higher the turbulence, the more the power extracted by the turbine. This is due to the higher interaction of large eddies with the turbine wake and with the boundary layer, which helps to keeping it attached. Furthermore, higher TI's help in suppressing the tip vortex, thus, reduce turbine tip losses. (© 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The impact of [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]-benzo[1,2,3]triazole structure on the optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymers

Two novel conjugated near-infrared (NIR) absorbing donor–acceptor type copolymers comprising benzodithiophene as the donor and [1,2,5]chalcogenazolo[3,4-f]-benzo[1,2,3]triazole derivatives as the acceptors, spaced with thiophene as the π-bridge, were designed and synthesized via Stille polycondensation reaction. The effect of acceptor strength on optoelectronic properties was targeted and investigated. Branched alkyl chains (the extended 2-octyl-1-dodecyl alkyl chain;  C₈C₁₂) were introduced to 5H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4′,5′:4,5]benzo[1,2-c][1,2,5]thiadiazole and 5H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4′,5′:4,5]benzo[1,2-c][1,2,5]selenadiazole for enhanced solubility of polymers which ease the processability hence device constructions. The strongly electron-withdrawing units lead to a substantial change in the absorption properties via promotion of the intramolecular charge transfer band alongside the π–π* transition. The resultant soluble polymers were characterized via cyclic voltammetry to determine highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy levels as −5.00 and −3.92 eV for PSBT and −4.86 and −4.04 eV for PSeBT, respectively. Electronic band gaps of the copolymers were calculated as 1.08 eV for PSBT and 0.82 eV for PSeBT, respectively. NIR absorbing copolymers were used to construct electrochromic devices.