Simultaneous enhancement of the efficiency and stability of organic solar cells using PEDOT:PSS grafted with a PEGME buffer layer

We report a simple processing method to simultaneously improve the efficiency and stability of organic solar cells (OSCs). Poly(4-styrene sulfonate)-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene (PEDOT:PSS), widely used as hole transport layer (HTL) in OSCs, tends to accelerate the degradation of devices because of its hygroscopic and acidic properties. In this regard, we have modified PEDOT:PSS to reduce its hygroscopic and acidic properties through a condensation reaction between PEDOT:PSS and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (PEGME) in order to improve the efficiency and stability of OSCs. As a result, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) increased by 21%, from 2.57% up to 3.11%. A better energy level alignment by the reduced work function of the modified PEDOT:PSS with a highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) is considered the origin of the improved the efficiency. The half-life of OSCs with PEDOT:PSS modified with PEGME buffer layer also increased up to 3.5 times compared to that of devices with pristine PEDOT:PSS buffer layer.     

Densities and Viscosities of Oleic Acid at Atmospheric Pressure

The densities of oleic acid were measured over the temperature range from (293 to 459) K at atmospheric pressure using a densimeter based on the modified hydrostatic weighing method. The dynamic viscosities of the same oleic acid sample were measured using a capillary viscometer (VPZ-2 m) in the range from (293 to 363) K at atmospheric pressure. The combined expanded uncertainty of the density, atmospheric pressure, viscosity, and temperature measurements at the 95% confidence level with a coverage factor of k = 2 is estimated to be 0.15%, 1.0%, 3.5%, and 15 mK, respectively. The values of uncertainty for density and viscosity include the effects of purity and calibration (total expanded uncertainty). These experimental data were used to develop wide-range correlations for the density and viscosity based on theoretically confirmed Arrhenius–Andrade and Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) models. The value of the glass temperature ( T _g= 179.78 K.) for the oleic acid was estimated using the VTF parameters derived from the present viscosity measurements. To additionally validate the reliability of the measured density data, the same oleic acid samples were measured using the pycnometric method. The present study showed that the densities measured using the modified hydrostatic weighing densimeter (HWD) agree with the values obtained using the pycnometric method within 0.09% for Sample 1 and 0.25% for Sample 2.     

Towards Diastereomeric Pure Salts with Antisolvent Methods

Chiral molecules, especially enantiomers and diastereomers of purity > 99 %, present a significant market share within the chemical, pharmaceutical, and flavor industries. Antisolvent precipitations, both batch and semicontinuous operations to serve the current trends in flow chemistry were demonstrated to be environmentally benign and efficient tools in achieving high optical purities. Although salts are known to be insoluble in supercritical CO₂, instabilities of the nascent salts were detected and applied for increasing efficiency. Diastereomeric excess values of the crystalline products exceeded 99 % in maximum of three consecutive steps both by repeated resolution with half molar equivalent of the amine to the acid and by direct recrystallization of the salts.     

石油沥青60℃动力粘度测定影响因素的探讨

粘度是表征沥青稠度的一个重要指标。通过论述石油沥青粘度测定法(真空毛细管法)中毛细管的选择、温度、真空度、取样量等对试验结果的影响及试验过程中的其它注意事项,表明了在测定石油沥青的60℃动力粘度时,必须严格按照试验方法的要求进行测定,以保证试验结果的准确性。     

In-tube condensation of mixture of R134a and ester oil: empirical correlations

This paper presents a comparative study of the condensation heat transfer coefficients in a smooth tube when operating with pure refrigerant R134a and its mixture with lubricant Castrol “icematic sw”. The lubricant is synthetic polyol ester based oil commonly used in lubricating the compressors. Two concentrations of R134a-oil mixtures of 2% and 5% oil (by mass) were analysed for a range of saturation temperatures of refrigerant R134a between 35 °C and 45 °C. The mass flow rate of the refrigerant and the mixtures was carefully maintained at 1 g/s, with a vapour quality varying between 1.0 and 0. The effects of vapour quality, flow rate, saturation temperature and temperature difference between saturation and tube wall on the heat transfer coefficient are investigated by analysing the experimental data. The experimental results were then compared with predictions from earlier models [Int J Heat Mass Transfer (1979), 185; 6th Int Heat Transfer Congress 3 (1974) 309; Int J Refrig 18 (1995) 524; Trans ASME 120 (1998) 193]. Finally two new empirical models were developed to predict the two-phase condensation heat transfer coefficient for pure refrigerant R134a and a mixture of refrigerant R134a with Castrol “icematic sw”.     

Evolution of the capillary network in a reactive powder concrete during hydration process

Ultrasonic waves in echographic mode, combined with autogenous shrinkage measurements, were used to study the evolution of the capillary network of reactive powder concrete (RPC) from the time after the mixing. Two characteristic porous classes have been identified: the first, between 10 and 20 nm, begins when the material reaches its solid hyperstatic state, and the second about 1 or 2 nm. The first class is associated with the porous space between the C-S-H hydrate clusters and the second with the internal porosity of the hydrate. The evolution of the active capillary radius as a function of the degree of hydration allows us to understand the strong interaction between the capillary network size and the chemical activity given by the dissipated calorimetric power curve. Indeed, the maximum point of the chemical activity marks the transition of the first class of pores to the second one. Finally, measurements of electrical conductivity through RPC samples show that after the maximum of the dissipated power, the curve of this electrical conductivity presents the same evolution as the capillary radius. As the electrical conductivity clearly depends on the evolution of the capillary network, the similarity between the results confirms our analysis in pore classes.     

Inherent emf relaxation of electrochemical cells with nanocrystalline Ag electrodes

The open circuit voltage of the electrochemical cell Ag (nano)|solid silver electrolyte|Ag (macro) is found to be inherently unstable. Even under conditions which support the morphological stability of the arrangement of nanocrystalline silver, the particles grow significantly as soon as they function as electrodes; i.e. when they are in contact with a silver electrolyte and connected electronically at the same time. The process is shown to be due to electrochemical Ostwald ripening with the interfacial transfer of Ag⁺ through the Ag/electrolyte interface being the rate limiting step. Its activation energy is 0.01 eV. The decay is in good agreement with modelling results.     

Enantioseparation of catechin and epicatechin in plant food by chiral capillary electrophoresis

The enantiomers of catechin and epicatechin were separated by chiral capillary electrophoresis using modified cyclodextrins as chiral selectors. Various conditions for the separation system were optimized, including the pH value and the concentration of the running buffer. A baseline separation of the catechin and epicatechin enantiomers could be achieved by using 0.1 mol l⁻¹ borate buffer (pH 8.5) with 12 mmol l⁻¹ (2-hydroxypropyl)-γ-cyclodextrin as chiral selector, a fused-silica capillary with 40 cm effective length (75 μm I.D.), +18 kV applied voltage, a temperature of 20 °C and direct UV detection at 280 nm. The method was applied to different plant food samples. (+)-Catechin and (−)-epicatechin could be verified as the most common flavan-3-ols. In the case of guaraná, however, we were able to identify all four enantiomers, both (+)- and (−)-catechin and (+)- and (−)-epicatechin, as naturally occurring compounds. This finding was verified by further isolation and purification of the flavan-3-ols and subsequent LC–MS analysis. This method allows for the identification of the authenticity of guaraná through the analysis of the catechin and epicatechin enantiomers, additionally to the conventional methods like HPLC.     

ON THE SLOW MANIFOLD CHARACTERISTICS OF CAPILLARY SUCTION APPARATUS DYNAMICS

The nonlinear dynamic behaviour relating the wet front size and liquid saturation under inner cylinder (or rectangular cell) in cylindrical (or rectangular) capillary suction apparatus was investigated. The slow manifold explanation was proposed and the fast- and slow-varying variables were identified. Experiments were conducted to verify theoretical findings.     

天然气超音速分离脱水技术研究进展

超音速分离技术在国外的研究与应用已经成熟,但国内的研究仍处于探索阶段。现已开展了较多的基础性研究和数值模拟研究,其中数值模拟研究主要集中在旋流流动过程、内部流动过程和凝结过程等方面,并取得一定成果,但实验性研究仍然较少,特别是在高压天然气的凝结机理及分离机理方面,未见工业性试验和现场测试试验的报道。在结构设计方面做了大量工作,主要集中在对比性分析和敏感性分析,未提出实质性的结构设计方法和思路。在液滴凝结方面的基础性研究更为少见,目前该过程主要由CNT模型和Gyamathy模型来表征液滴成核、生长过程,实际需根据各修正模型特点选择合适模型用于计算分析。今后的研究需加大入口温压、过饱和度、旋流器安装位置、超音速喷管结构参数等主要因素对凝结过程的影响性研究及高压天然气超音速分离脱液实验性研究,提高气体凝结和气液分离效率,尽早实现国内自主产权的超音速分离器的工业化应用,为空间有限的海上天然气的脱水、脱酸、脱重烃处理及外输提供有效手段。