Charge transport in polythiophene:fullerene:nanotube bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices investigated by impedance spectroscopy

P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction devices incorporating SWNTs, which are predominantly metallic in character, have been analyzed using impedance spectroscopy to understand the effect of SWNTs on their charge carrier transport properties. SWNTs reduce the effective lifetime of injected charge carriers. Frequency dependence of capacitance and conductance of P3HT:PCBM devices show monotonic variations without any clear peak positions. Simulations of the complex admittance of the P3HT:PCBM devices under trap free space charge limited current within the framework of Scher–Montrol theory are used to qualitatively show that such characteristics are a signature of charge transport which is highly dispersive in nature. The position of peak τ_peak in the imaginary part of impedance Im(Z), which is essentially same as the first transition frequency of Cole–Cole plot, has a direct relation with the effective dc mobility of charge carriers which varies with dispersion parameters. Using the dc mobility values and the voltage variation of peak frequency of Im(Z), the ratio of τ_dc to τ_peak has been calculated. The magnitude of this ratio is indicative of the degree of dispersiveness in transport. It has been shown that, SWNTs at low concentrations tend to reduce the dispersiveness in charge transport.     

Total synthesis of modified pentapeptide,caldoramide

Total synthesis of modified pentapeptide, caldoramide, a cytotoxic linear pentapeptide from the marine cyanobacterium Caldora penicillate is described. Notable features of the route include the efficient preparation of three key fragments and final assembly to the natural product via sequential amide couplings. The spectral data of the synthetic compound was found to be in comparison with that of the isolated natural product.     

The effect of anodising time on the electrochemical behaviour of the Ti/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> NTs/IrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-RuO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Ta<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> anode

Nowadays, mixed metal oxide (MMO) anodes are a superior alternative to lead alloys in electrowinning processes. Passivation of titanium substrate is the most common mechanism of deactivation in these anodes. In this research, titanium oxide nanotubes have been utilised as an interlayer between the substrate and a mixed metal oxide coating in order to improve the anode electrochemical behaviour and life via retardation of titanium passivation. Anodising of the substrate was done in 0.5 wt% hydrofluoric acid for 30, 60 and 240 min. The samples were subsequently coated with a coating composed of IrO₂-RuO₂-Ta₂O₅. The microstructure of different samples was observed by scanning with an electron microscope, and the electrochemical behaviour of the samples was studied by accelerated life test, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The studies showed that formation of titanium oxide nanotubes with anodising times of 60 and 240 min increases the life of the anode through the provision of a compact coating. The life of the anode which was anodised for 240 min lasted about 20% longer than the sample which had a substrate without any anodised layer.     

9-BBN as a convenient protecting group in functionalisation of hydroxylysine

9-BBN was used for regioselective protection of the α-amino and α-carboxyl groups of (5R)-5-hydroxy-l-lysine. The resulting 9-BBN complex was then employed in transformations such as N-Cbz protection, azido transfer, O-glycosylation, and O-silylation. Further manipulations led to improved methods for preparation of hydroxylysine and galactosylated hydroxylysine building blocks, suitable for direct use in peptide synthesis under standard Fmoc conditions.     

Effect of Laminar Orthotropic Myofiber Architecture on Regional Stress and Strain in the Canine Left Ventricle

Recent morphological studies have demonstrated a laminar (sheet) organization of ventricular myofibers. Multiaxial measurements of orthotropic myocardial constitutive properties have not been reported, but regional distributions of three-dimensional diastolic and systolic strains relative to fiber and sheet axes have recently been measured in the dog heart by Takayama et al. [30]. A three-dimensional finite-deformation, finite element model was used to investigate the effects of material orthotropy on regional mechanics in the canine left ventricular wall at end-diastole and end-systole. The prolate spheroidal model incorporated measured transmural distributions of fiber and sheet angles at the base and apex. Compared with transverse isotropy, the orthotropic model of passive myocardial properties yielded improved agreement with measured end-diastolic strains when: (1) normal stiffness transverse to the muscle fibers was increased tangent to the sheets and decreased normal to them; (2) shear coefficients were increased within sheet planes and decreased transverse to them. For end-systole, orthotropic passive properties had little effect, but three-dimensional systolic shear strain distributions were more accurately predicted by a model in which significant active systolic stresses were developed in directions transverse to the mean fiber axis as well as axial to them. Thus the ventricular laminar architecture may give rise to anisotropic material properties transverse to the fibers with greater resting stiffness within than between myocardial laminae. There is also evidence that intact ventricular muscle develops significant transverse stress during systole, though it remains to be seen if active stress is also orthotropic with respect to the laminar architecture. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Structures of anti,Z-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazide, syn,E,Z-2,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazide and syn,E-1-cyclopentano-3-thiosemicarbazone

The structures of three alkyl derivatives of thiosemicarbazide are described: anti,Z-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazide (1), syn,E,Z-2,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazide (2), and syn,E-1-cyclopentano-3-thiosemicarbazone (3). Crystal data: for 1: triclinic, P-1 (#2), a = 5.802(1)Å, b = 6.935(1)Å, c = 8.104(2)Å, = 78.35(1)°, = 82.13(1)°, = 70.71(1)°, and Z = 2; for 2: orthorhombic, Pbca (#61), a = 9.417(3)Å, b = 8.624(2)Å, c = 15.169(3)Å, and Z = 8; for 3: triclinic, P-1 (#2), a = 6.068(3)Å, b = 8.145(4)Å, c = 8.666(5)Å, = 83.75(4)°, = 86.16(5)°, = 74.07(4)°, and Z = 2. In general, molecules are linked by N–H···S hydrogen bonds with sulfurs accepting two or three hydrogen bonds. Structures 2 and 3, which adopt the syn conformation, form N–H···N intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The solid-state structures are consistent with their infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra.     

RKKY interaction in the zigzag-edge silicene-like nanoflake

By considering the Kane-Mele-Hubbard approximation on the honeycomb lattice, we investigate the spin-spin correlation for two magnetic impurities in zigzag edge silicene-like nanoflake (ZSiLF). The dependence of the spatial behaviors of RKKY interaction on the electron-electron (e-e), intrinsic spin-orbit interactions (ISOI) and, electric field are systematically investigated. Generally, the spatial behaviors of the RKKY interaction sensitively change by changing e-e interaction and electric field strengths in the presence of ISOI. The ISOI in a ZSiLF result in long-range in-plane and Ising interactions. Moreover, e-e interaction induces non-zero Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya (DM) term and nearly distance-independent Ising interaction (similar to graphene nanoflake) in the presence of ISOI. Furthermore, with considering e-e interaction, the in-plane DM interaction increases by increasing the strengths of the electric field and ISOI.     

An expedient synthesis of tetrakis(cyclopropylmethyl)methane

Synthesis of tetrakis(cyclopropylmethyl)methane, a new symmetric product has been described using the radical mediated gem-diallylation of cyclopropylmethyl xanthate as a key step and its single crystal X-ray analysis established its C2-symmetry.     

Analysis of post buckling behavior of circular plates with non-concentric hole using the Rayleigh–Ritz method

This study is conducted to determine the post buckling behavior of circular homogenous plates with non-concentric hole subjected to uniform radial loading using Rayleigh–Ritz method. In order to implement the method, a computer program has been developed and several numerical examples for different boundary conditions are presented to illustrate the scope and efficacy of the procedure. The integration is carried out in natural coordinates through a proper transformation. Consequently, the displacement fields respect to natural coordinates are expressed using the Hierarchical, Hermitian and Fourier series shape functions for interpolating the out-of-plane displacement field and Fourier series and Hierarchical, Lagrange shape functions for interpolating the in-plane displacement field of plate. The Kirchhoff theory is used to formulate the problem in buckling condition. Due to the asymmetry in geometry, the in-plane solution is required to find the stress distribution. Finally, the problem is formulated in post buckling condition using Von-Karman non-linear theory, and a proper Hookean displacement field is presented to analyze the post buckling behavior.