Comparative analysis of the outdoor performance of a dye solar cell mini‐panel for building integrated photovoltaics applications

New generation photovoltaic (PV) devices such as polymer and dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) have now reached a more mature stage of development, and among their various applications, building integrated PVs seems to have the most promising future, especially for DSC devices. This new generation technology has attracted an increasing interest because of its low cost due to the use of cheap printable materials and simple manufacturing techniques, easy production, and relatively high efficiency. As for the more consolidated PV technologies, DSCs need to be tested in real operating conditions and their performance compared with other PV technologies to put into evidence the real potential. This work presents the results of a 3 months outdoor monitoring activity performed on a DSC mini‐panel made by the Dyepower Consortium, positioned on a south oriented vertical plane together with a double junction amorphous silicon (a‐Si) device and a multi‐crystalline silicon (m‐Si) device at the ESTER station of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Good performance of the DSC mini‐panel has been observed for this particular configuration, where the DSC energy production compares favorably with that of a‐Si and m‐Si especially at high solar angles of incidence confirming the suitability of this technology for the integration into building facades. This assumption is confirmed by the energy produced per nominal watt‐peak for the duration of the measurement campaign by the DSC that is 12% higher than that by a‐Si and only 3% lower than that by m‐Si for these operating conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of thermal radiative properties of packed-bed media containing a mixture of polydispersed particles

Thermal radiative characteristics of packed beds containing a mixture of polydispersed SiO₂, ZnO, and C particles are determined numerically by employing the Monte Carlo technique, which is validated with the experimentally measured overall transmittance. A radiative heat transfer model is formulated for a pseudo-continuum multi-component medium of Mie-scattering particles. Good agreement is achieved by incorporating approximate phase functions that reproduce the experimentally observed preference for forward scattering.     

The fluid-filling system for the Borexino solar neutrino detector

The system for controlled filling of the nested flexible scintillator containment vessels in the Borexino solar neutrino detector is described. The design and operation principles of pressure and shape monitoring systems are presented for gas filling, gas displacement by water, and water displacement by scintillator. System specifications for safety against overstressing the flexible nylon vessels are defined as well as leak-tightness and cleanliness requirements. The fluid-filling system was a major engineering challenge for the Borexino detector.     

Recovery of anthocyanins from eggplant peel

Tartaric and malic acid solutions were tested to extract anthocyanins from eggplant peel by a discontinuous process to obtain a natural red colorant. Extraction optimization was carried out, using different solvents, acid concentration, temperature, time of extraction and solvent-to-solid ratio as independent variables. Tartaric acid was more efficient than malic acid in both extraction yield and rate. Comparative tests were carried out using acidified ethanol as solvent. Delphinidin-3-rutinoside was extracted and identified as the major anthocyanin in eggplant peel. Concentration of different extracts from eggplant peel was carried out using EXA-31, a methacrylic food grade resin, the best performing resin to obtain highly concentrated extracts.     

Synthesis, properties and biomedical applications of poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS): A review

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) is a biodegradable polymer increasingly used in a variety of biomedical applications. This polyester is prepared by polycondensation of glycerol and sebacic acid. PGS exhibits biocompatibility and biodegradability, both highly relevant properties in biomedical applications. PGS also involves cost effective production with the possibility of up scaling to industrial production. In addition, the mechanical properties and degradation kinetics of PGS can be tailored to match the requirements of intended applications by controlling curing time, curing temperature, reactants concentration and the degree of acrylation in acrylated PGS. Because of the flexible and elastomeric nature of PGS, its biomedical applications have mainly targeted soft tissue replacement and the engineering of soft tissues, such as cardiac muscle, blood, nerve, cartilage and retina. However, applications of PGS are being expanded to include drug delivery, tissue adhesive and hard tissue (i.e., bone) regeneration. The design and fabrication of PGS based devices for applications that mimic native physiological conditions are also being pursued. Novel designs range from accordion-like honeycomb structures for cardiac patches, gecko-like surfaces for tissue adhesives to PGS (nano) fibers for extra cellular matrix (ECM) like constructs; new design avenues are being investigated to meet the ever growing demand for replacement tissues and organs. In less than a decade PGS has become a material of great scrutiny and interest by the biomedical research community. In this review we consolidate the valuable existing knowledge in the fields of synthesis, properties and biomedical applications of PGS and PGS-related biomaterials and devices.     

Polymer/bioactive glass nanocomposites for biomedical applications: A review

Nanoscale bioactive glasses have been gaining attention due to their reported superior osteoconductivity when compared to conventional (micron-sized) bioactive glass materials. The combination of bioactive glass nanoparticles or nanofibers with polymeric systems enables the production of nanocomposites with potential to be used in a series of orthopedic applications, including scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This review presents the state of art of the preparation of nanoscale bioactive glasses and corresponding composites with biocompatible polymers. The recent developments in the preparation methods of nano-sized bioactive glasses are reviewed, covering sol–gel routes, microemulsion techniques, gas phase synthesis method (flame spray synthesis), laser spinning, and electro-spinning. Then, examples of the preparation and properties of nanocomposites based on such inorganic bionanomaterials are presented, obtained using various polymer matrices, including polyesters such as poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(lactic acid) and poly(caprolactone), and natural-based polymers such as polysaccharides (starch, chitin, chitosan) or proteins (silk fibroin, collagen). The physico-chemical, mechanical, and biological advantages of incorporating nanoscale bioactive glasses in such biodegradable nanocomposites are discussed and the possibilities to expand the use of these materials in other nanotechnology concepts aimed to be used in different biomedical applications are also highlighted.     

Alternating Current Electrophoretic Deposition of Antibacterial Bioactive Glass-Chitosan Composite Coatings

Alternating current (AC) electrophoretic deposition (EPD) was used to produce multifunctional composite coatings combining bioactive glass (BG) particles and chitosan. BG particles of two different sizes were used, i.e., 2 μm and 20–80 nm in average diameter. The parameter optimization and characterization of the coatings was conducted by visual inspection and by adhesion strength tests. The optimized coatings were investigated in terms of their hydroxyapatite (HA) forming ability in simulated body fluid (SBF) for up to 21 days. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results showed the successful HA formation on the coatings after 21 days. The first investigations were conducted on planar stainless steel sheets. In addition, scaffolds made from a TiAl4V6 alloy were considered to show the feasibility of coating of three dimensional structures by EPD. Because both BG and chitosan are antibacterial materials, the antibacterial properties of the as-produced coatings were investigated using E. coli bacteria cells. It was shown that the BG particle size has a strong influence on the antibacterial properties of the coatings.