A Polymer Defect Passivator for Efficient Hole-Conductor-Free Printable Mesoscopic Perovskite Solar Cells

Due to the low cost and excellent potential for mass production, printable mesoscopic perovskite solar cells (p-MPSCs) have drawn a lot of attention among other device structures. However, the low open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of such devices restricts their power conversion efficiency (PCE). This limitation is brought by the high defect density at perovskite grain boundaries in the mesoporous scaffold, which results in severe nonradiative recombination and is detrimental to the V_OC. To improve the perovskite crystallization process, passivate the perovskite defects, and enhance the PCE, additive engineering is an effective way. Herein, a polymeric Lewis base polysuccinimide (PSI) is added to the perovskite precursor solution as an additive. It improves the perovskite crystallinity and its carbonyl groups strongly coordinate with Pb²⁺, which can effectively passivate defects. Additionally, compared with its monomer, succinimide (SI), PSI serves as a better defect passivator because the long-chained macromolecule can be firmly anchored on those defect sites and form a stronger interaction with perovskite grains. As a result, the champion device has a PCE of 18.84%, and the V_OC rises from 973 to 1030 mV. This study offers a new strategy for fabricating efficient p-MPSCs.     

Dynamic stability of modified strain gradient theory sinusoidal viscoelastic piezoelectric polymeric functionally graded single-walled carbon nanotubes reinforced nanocomposite plate considering surface stress and agglomeration effects under hydro-thermo-electro-magneto-mechanical loadings

In this article, dynamic stability analysis of the viscoelastic piezoelectric polymeric nanocomposite plate reinforced by functionally graded single-walled carbon nanotubes (FG-SWCNTs) based on modified strain gradient theory (MSGT) is explored. The viscoelastic piezoelectric polymeric nanocomposite plate reinforced is subjected to hydrothermal and electro-magneto-mechanical loadings. The viscoelastic piezoelectric polymeric nanocomposite plate is rested on viscoelastic foundation. Uniform distribution (UD), various functionally graded (FG) distribution types such as FG-V, FG-X, and FG-O are considered for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The extended mixture approach is applied to estimation of the elastic properties. The equations of motion are derived by Hamilton's principle. The resonance frequency or the parametric resonance is obtained then dynamic stability region is specified. There is a good agreement between the present work and the literature result. Various parametric investigations are performed for the influences of the small scale parameters, direct and alternating applied voltage, magnetic field, viscoelastic foundation coefficients, and aspect ratios on the dynamic stability region of the viscoelastic piezoelectric polymeric nanocomposite plate. The results indicated that SWCNT agglomeration and surface stress have significant effects on the dynamic stability region and the parametric resonance. Dynamic stability region increases with increasing of thickness to width ratio, magnetic field, applied voltage, static load factor, viscoelastic foundation parameters, and surface density constant, and decreasing of length to width ratio and residual surface stress constant. Also, the dynamic stability region shifts to lower parameter resonance with increasing of temperature and moisture changes. The results can be employed for design of micro-electro-mechanical systems and nano-electro-mechanical systems.     

Redox and pH Dual Responsive Polymer Based Nanoparticles for In Vivo Drug Delivery

Responsive nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates as drug delivery vehicles in order to address biomedical diseases such as cancer. In this work, polymer‐based responsive nanoparticles prepared by a supramolecular approach are loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) for the cancer therapy. The nanoparticles contain disulfide bonds within the polymer network, allowing the release of the DOX payload in a reducing environment within the endoplasm of cancer cells. In addition, the loaded drug can also be released under acidic environment. In vitro anticancer studies using redox and pH dual responsive nanoparticles show excellent performance in inducing cell death and apoptosis. Zebrafish larvae treated with DOX‐loaded nanoparticles exhibit an improved viability as compared with the cases treated with free DOX by the end of a 3 d treatment. Confocal imaging is utilized to provide the daily assessment of tumor size on zebrafish larva models treated with DOX‐loaded nanoparticles, presenting sustainable reduction of tumor. This work demonstrates the development of functional nanoparticles with dual responsive properties for both in vitro and in vivo drug delivery in the cancer therapy.     

Sub‐Micron Polymeric Stomatocytes as Promising Templates for Confined Crystallization and Diffraction Experiments

The possibility of using sub‐micrometer polymeric stomatocytes is investigated to effectuate confined crystallization of inorganic compounds. These bowl‐shaped polymeric compartments facilitate confined crystallization while their glassy surfaces provide their crystalline cargos with convenient shielding from the electron beam's harsh effects during transmission electron microscopy experiments. Stomatocytes host the growth of a single nanocrystal per nanocavity, and the electron diffraction experiments reveal that their glassy membranes do not interfere with the diffraction patterns obtained from their crystalline cargos. Therefore, it is expected that the encapsulation and crystallization within these compartments can be considered as a promising template (nanovials) that hold and protect nanocrystals and protein clusters from the direct radiation damage before data acquisition, while they are examined by modern crystallography methodologies such as serial femtosecond crystallography.     

Electrochemical deposition of polypyrrole–carbon nanotube films using steroid dispersants

Polypyrrole (PPR)–carbon nanotube (CNT) films were prepared by an electrodeposition method, combining PPR electropolymerization and anaphoresis of CNT. PPR polymerization experiments showed advantages of a dopant from the catechol family for the deposition of PPR films at reduced electrode potentials. The method allowed the formation of adherent films on stainless steel substrates. The amphiphilic molecules with steroid-like structures, such as carbenoxolone disodium salt, glycyrrhizic acid, ammonium salt, and sodium taurodeoxycholate, were used for dispersion and charging of CNT. The new dispersing agents showed outstanding dispersion ability. In addition to dispersing properties, electrodeposition experiments revealed film-forming properties of carbenoxolone and ability to form pure carbenoxolone or carbenoxolone–CNT films. The PPR–CNT films formed using carbenoxolone disodium salt, glycyrrhizic acid ammonium salt, and sodium taurodeoxycholate showed diverse microstructural features. The dispersion and deposition mechanisms were discussed.     

Spray-Coating of Superhydrophobic Coatings for Advanced Applications

Superhydrophobic coatings are widely applicable, e.g., as self-cleaning surfaces or water–oil separation membranes, yet their wider usage is impeded due to costs of fabrication, size, or substrate limitation. Spray-coating is a versatile coating procedures and might offer a good solution for the fabrication of these superhydrophobic coatings, due to the fact that coatings can be fabricated on various materials in a simple, fast, and inexpensive manner. Most procedures rely on hybrid coatings of hydrophobized nanoparticles and a polymeric matrix, which have several drawbacks including the easy loss of nanoparticles and difficult waste handling. Here, the fabrication of the superhydrophobic material, called Fluoropor, for the first time, by spray-coating on various substrates including metals, tissues, concrete, and glass is presented. It is fabricated by spray-coating a mixture of a highly fluorinated monomer blended with porogens followed by photopolymerization. The superhydrophobicity of the material relies on the porous structure on the micro-/nanoscale across the bulk material and does not require any nanoparticles. Excellent self-cleaning ability of these coatings, resistance against thermal and abrasive impact, and their application as oil–water separation membranes are shown. This versatile applicability is highly promising for real-world application as self-cleaning coatings or oil–water separating membranes.     

分子模拟在聚合物膜研究中的应用

简要回顾了近15年来分子模拟在各种聚合物膜研究中的应用,分析了它为宏观实验现象提供的新解释以及给聚合物膜的改性和设计研究工作带来的新思路,同时也对当前计算条件下模拟中存在的问题进行了探讨。     

聚合硫酸硅酸铁絮凝剂的制备方法及性能研究

用四种方法制备出硅铁比不同的聚合硫酸硅酸铁絮凝剂，通过对造纸废水的处理，比较了各种制备方法和各种不同硅铁比下产品的性能。结果显示在硅铁比为1：20时，直接向聚铁中加入试剂硅酸钠所得产品絮凝效果最好；向聚铁中加入由工业水玻璃酸性聚合而得的聚硅酸所得产品絮凝效果较好且价格较低。得到了制备聚合硫酸硅酸铁的最佳工艺条件。     

The removal of arsenic from （ground）-water by adsorbent loaded in polymeric microspheres

Arsenic is a natural tasteless and odourless element,existing in the earth’s crust at average levels of between two and five thousands micrograms per liter (parts per million) . Arsenic is highly toxic to humans, who are exposed to it primarily from air,food and water. The occurrence of arsenic in groundwater is due to geological composition of soil. High concentrations of arsenic in water are the result of dissolution or desorption of ferric oxides and the oxidation of mineral arsenopyrites. Arsenic in drinking water has an important impact on the human health,especially in the less developed countries. Different methods exist to remove arsenic from aquatic media,and one of them is by adsorption. In this work,the adsorption of both As(III) and As(V) by means of novel microspheres has been investigated. In particular,TiO2 has been embedded into polymeric microspheres PES (PolyEtherSulphone) and PEEK-WC (PolyEtherEther-Ketone) . The main advantages of this encapsulation adsorption material are: no loss of adsorbents into the water stream,easy to be used and scaled-up.     

PPC和PFS联用去除水源水中Tl和Sb复合污染

为了去除地表水源水加标模拟的重金属铊(Tl)和锑(Sb)复合污染,采用了高锰酸盐复合药剂(PPC)和聚合硫酸铁(PFS)联用强化常规工艺;通过静态烧杯实验和微型移动式平台优化工艺参数,对去除铊和锑复合污染的影响因素(PPC投量、PFS投量和pH)进行分析.实验结果表明,组合工艺可保证水源水在Tl超标2～3倍(0.21 ～0.35 μg·L-1),Sb超标3～4倍(15 ～20 μμg·L-1)的场合出水达标,对应的工艺参数是:pH控制在5.7 ～6.3,PPC投量控制在3mg·L-1以上,聚铁投量控制在40 mg·L-1以上.PPC和PFS联用强化常规工艺可有效去除地表水源水加标模拟的铊(Tl)和锑(Sb)复合污染,并且PPC投量是影响Tl去除的主要因素,PFS投量和pH是影响Sb去除的主要因素.