Bulk heterojunction organic solar cells utilizing 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octahexylphthalocyanine

Bulk heterojunction solar cells utilizing soluble phthalocyanine derivative, 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octahexylphthalocyanine (C6PcH₂) have been investigated. The active layer was fabricated by spin-coating the mixed solution of C6PcH₂ and 1-(3-methoxy-carbonyl)-propyl-1-1-phenyl-(6,6)C61 (PCBM). The photovoltaic properties of the solar cell with bulk heterojunction of C6PcH₂ and PCBM demonstrated the strong dependence of active layer thickness, and the optimized active layer thickness was clarified to be 120 nm. By inserting MoO₃ hole transport buffer layer between the positive electrode and active layer, the FF and energy conversion efficiency were improved to be 0.50 and 3.2%, respectively. The tandem organic thin-film solar cell has also been studied by utilizing active layer materials of C6PcH₂ and poly(3-hexylthiophene) and the interlayer of LiF/Al/MoO₃ structure, and a high V_oc of 1.27 V has been achieved.     

Preparation and electrocatalytic activity of palladium-platinum core-shell nanoalloys protected by a perfluorinated sulfonic acid ionomer

Palladium-platinum nanoalloys with a core-shell and nano-network structure were successfully synthesized by a hydrogen sacrificial protective method in an aqueous solution directly using a perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer as a protecting agent. The structure, local composition and electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction of the Pd/Pt/PFSA nanoalloys were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-STEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) and voltammetry. The core-shell structure was completed without contaminating reducing agents, organic solvents, useless protecting agents and a mediator. The Pd/Pt/PFSA core-shell nanoalloys realized a high electrochemical surface area and better electrocatalytic mass-activity for the oxygen reduction reaction than the Pt/PFSA nanoparticles.     

Suppression of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and amelioration of lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury by polyphenolic compounds in Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract

Eucalyptus leaf extract (ELE) is rich in hydrolyzable tannins. We examined the effects of ELE and its constituents on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury in mice. Mice fed a diet supplemented with 1% ELE were intraperitoneally administered LPS. Six hours later, the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were significantly lower in the ELE-supplemented mice than in the controls; LPS-induced hepatic inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression was also suppressed. ELE lowered LPS-stimulated iNOS expression in cultured RAW 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, the aglycones of hydrolyzable tannins, gallic acid (GA) and ellagic acid (EA), inhibited iNOS induction to a greater extent than did ELE (15-fold higher). When mice were fed a 1% GA or EA diet, the increase in the serum ALT and AST activities and hepatic iNOS expression in response to the LPS challenge were significantly attenuated. Thus, hydrolyzable tannins in ELE ameliorate LPS-induced liver injury.     

An innovative modularity of heat circulation for fractional distillation

A novel modularity of heat circulation for distillation process, which reduces the energy consumption, is proposed. By incorporating compressors and heat exchangers, the heat of the distillate is recuperated and exchanged with the heat of the feed streams. The proposed technology achieves the reduction in the required energy more than 75% as compared with a benchmark process which uses external heat source for heating. This shows the proposed modularity of heat circulation for distillation process is very promising technology to drastically reduce energy demand for distillation.     

Reaction joining of SiC ceramics using TiB2-based composites

SiC ceramics were reaction joined in the temperature range of 1450–1800 °C using TiB₂-based composites starting from four types of joining materials, namely Ti–BN, Ti–B₄C, Ti–BN–Al and Ti–B₄C–Si. XRD analysis and microstructure examination were carried out on SiC joints. It is found that the former two joining materials do not yield good bond for SiC ceramics at temperatures up to 1600 °C. However, Ti–BN–Al system results in the connection of SiC substrates at 1450 °C by the formation of TiB₂–AlN composite. Furthermore, nearly dense SiC joints with crack-free interface have been produced from Ti–BN–Al and Ti–B₄C–Si systems at 1800 °C, i.e. joints TBNA80 and TBCS80, whose average bending strengths are measured to be 65 MPa and 142 MPa, respectively. The joining mechanisms involved are also discussed.     

Realization of an extremely low reflectance surface based on InP porous nanostructures for application to photoelectrochemical solar cells

Extremely low reflectance was obtained from InP porous nanostructures in UV, visible, and near-infrared ranges. Porous samples were electrochemically prepared on which 130-nm-diameter nanopores were formed in a straight, vertical direction and were laterally separated by 50-nm-thick InP nanowalls. The reflectance strongly depended on the surface morphology. The lowest reflectance of 0.1% in the visible light range was obtained after the irregular top layer had been completely removed. Superior photoelectrochemical properties were obtained on the InP porous structures due to two unique features: the large surface area inside pores, and the large photon absorption enhanced on the low reflectance surface.     

Effects of fermentation conditions and soybean peptide supplementation on hyaluronic acid production by Streptococcus thermophilus strain YIT 2084 in milk

To increase the hyaluronic acid (HA) yield from Streptococcus thermophilus YIT 2084, fermentation conditions (pH, temperature, agitation, aeration) were optimized in milk-based medium, and the effects of supplemental soybean peptides, which have different molecular weight distributions, were determined. HA production was enhanced to approximately 100 mg/l at pH 6.8 and 33–40 °C. Agitation speed and aeration rate slightly affected HA production. Soybean peptides including those of high molecular weight (approximately 27 to 130 kDa) further increased HA production to 208 mg/l under the optimal condition (pH 6.8, 35 °C, 100 rpm), which was 20-fold greater than non-optimal condition. HA production was no longer related to the specific growth rate. The HA produced under the optimal condition included a large amount of high-molecular-weight fraction of 100 to 2000 kDa, compared with under the basal condition without optimization.     

High‐current lightning discharges in winter

Lightning electric‐field waveforms related to power line faults in winter have been identified. Most of those waveforms appear to be associated with upward lightning discharges with absolute peak currents of over 100 kA. They are quite different from common return‐stroke waveforms, and the lightning discharges which produce these characteristic waveforms are called GC (Ground to Cloud) flashes. These high‐current lightning discharges are distributed around the coastline in different ways depending on their polarities. The spatial distributions of high‐current lightning discharges around Japan are also investigated. It is revealed that the region of Honshu Island along the coastline of the Sea of Japan belongs to the area in which the density of high‐current lightning flashes is the highest in Japan through the year. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 170(1): 8–15, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20874     

Decreasing the Linoleic Acid to α-Linolenic Acid Diet Ratio Increases Eicosapentaenoic Acid in Erythrocytes in Adults

The n-6/n-3 fatty acid (FA) ratio has increased in the Western-style diet to ~10–15:1 during the last century, which may have contributed to the rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Prior studies have evaluated the effects on CVD risk factors of manipulating the levels of n-6 and n-3 FA using food and supplements or investigated the metabolic fate of linoleic acid (LNA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA) by varying the n-6/n-3 ratios. However, no previous studies have investigated the potential interaction between diet ratios and supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3). We used a factorial design approach with adults (n = 24) in a controlled feeding trial to compare the accretion of EPA and DHA into red blood cell membranes (RBC) by adding a direct source (algal oil supplement) of EPA and DHA in a diet with a 10:1 versus 2:1 ratio of n-6/n-3 FA. Subjects were randomized into 8-week crossover diet sequences and each subject consumed three of four diets [10:1, 10:1 plus supplement (10:1 + S), 2:1 and 2:1 + S]. LNA and ALA intakes were 9.4 and 7.7%, and 1.0 and 3.0% during the low and high ALA diets, respectively. Compared to the Western-style 10:1 diet, the 2:1 diet increased EPA by 60% (P < 0.0001) in RBC membranes without the direct EPA source and a 34% increase (P = 0.027) was observed with the 10:1 + S diet; however, DHA levels increased in both diet ratios only with a direct DHA source. Shifting towards a 2:1 diet is a valid alternative to taking EPA-containing supplements.