Performance improvement of conventional and inverted polymer solar cells with hydrophobic fluoropolymer as nonvolatile processing additive

The morphology of the photoactive layer critically affects the performance of the bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (PSCs). To control the morphology, we introduced a hydrophobic fluoropolymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as nonvolatile additive into the P3HT:PCBM active layer. The effect of PVDF on the surface and the bulk morphology were investigated by atomic force microscope and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Through the repulsive interactions between the hydrophilic PCBM and the hydrophobic PVDF, much more uniform phase separation with good P3HT crystallinity is formed within the active layer, resulting enhanced light harvesting and improved photovoltaic performance in conventional devices. The PCE of the conventional device can improve from 2.40% to 3.07% with PVDF additive. The PVDF distribution within the active layer was investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy, confirming a bottom distribution of PVDF. Therefore, inverted device structure was designed, and the PCE can improve from 2.81% to 3.45% with PVDF additive. Our findings suggest that PVDF is a promising nonvolatile processing additive for high performance polymer solar cells.     

Experimental and numerical assessment of energy absorption capacity of thin-walled Al 5083 tube produced by PTCAP process

The energy absorption capacity of the Al5083 thin-walled tube produced by parallel tubular angular pressing (PTCAP) process was evaluated. Also, microstructure, mechanical properties, and anisotropy coefficients were studied in the peripheral and axial directions. Results showed that values of energy absorption decreased with processing pass increasing and the values for the unprocessed, first and second passes were obtained to be 167, 161.4 and 160.7 J, respectively. The differences between the simulation results for the energy absorption values and their experimental values for the unprocessed, the first and the second PTCAP passes samples are about 5%, 10%, and 13%, respectively. The energy absorption capacity was related to the anisotropy coefficient and microstructure. The results demonstrated that grain refinement occurred and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and microhardness after the first and second PTCAP passes were enhanced, while the increase rate in the first pass was much severer. Also, by applying PTCAP, the deformation modes were altered, such that the deformation mode of the annealed tube was quite symmetrical and circular while for the first and second passes there have been triple and double lobes diamond. The results of the numerical simulation for the deformation mode of the annealed and PTCAPed tubes were consistent with the experimental results. The deformation mode of tubes is dependent on their mechanical properties and variation of the mechanical properties during PTCAP process.     

Luminescence and energy transfer of color-tunable Lu_2MgAl_4SiO_(12):Eu~(2+),Ce~(3+),Mn~(2+) phosphors

Energy transfer among the co-doped activators is an efficient route to achieve color-tunable emission in inorganic phosphors.Herein,photoluminescence tuning from blue to cyan has been achieved in the Lu_2MgAl_4 SiO_(12);Eu~(2+),Ce~(3+)phosphors by varying the Ce~(3+) concentration with a fixed Eu~(2+)content.With the further introduction of a Mn~(2+)-Si4+couple into the host lattice,the emission color can be tuned to red through the energy transfer of Eu~(2+)and Mn~(2+).The luminescence properties and the energy transfer mechanism were studied in detail.The energy transfer from Eu~(2+)to Ce~(3+)is certified as a dipolequadrupole interaction with the energy transfer efficiency of 41.4% and Eu~(2+)to Mn~(2+)belongs to a dipole-dipole interaction with the energy transfer efficiency of 94.3%.The results imply that this singlephased Lu_2MgAl4 SiO_(12):Eu~(2+),Ce~(3+),Mn~(2+)phosphor has a potential prospect for application in near-UV chip pumped white light emitting diodes.     

Highly efficient full-fluorescence organic light-emitting diodes with exciplex cohosts

Full-fluorescence organic light-emitting diodes (FOLEDs) with low cost and high efficiency are imperious demands for commercial process in flat panel display and lighting products. We fabricated a series of FOLEDs employing C545T and DCJTB as doped dyes and different exciplex blends as cohosts. The results proved that reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) efficiency of exciplex cohost has a significant effect on the device performance. Devices with TAPC:PIM-TRZ as cohost which possessed the highest RISC efficiency showed the best results. The green FOLEDs exhibited the maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) approaching to 20%, the red FOLEDs exhibited EQEs over 10% and all the EQE roll-offs are less than 10% at 1000 cd m⁻², which are among the best reported results so far, suggesting these exciplex cohosts are promising for FOLEDs.     

应用Voronoi随机模型研究多孔材料中波的传播特性

高孔隙率泡沫金属材料由于其较长的应力平台可以吸收较多的能量,在结构耐撞性设计中有重要的应用前景。然而,实验研究表明当高孔隙率泡沫金属材料承受强冲击载荷时,可能发生应力/力增强现象,从而对被保护结构造成较严重的损伤。采用二维Voronoi随机分布模型研究"真实"泡沫材料在不同持时的强冲击载荷作用下可能出现的力/应力增强现象。对5种不规则的泡沫金属材料计算结果表明:在强冲击载荷达到一定强度时,在泡沫金属材料中应力/力传递会出现应力/力的增强现象。     

30CrMnSiNi2A钢在不同应变率下的力学性能研究

选用30CrMnSiNi2A钢的3组试样:正火处理,硬度为19(标号1)、860℃淬火200℃回火,硬度为49(标号2)、860℃淬火600℃回火,硬度为34(标号3),在电子万能材料实验机和SHPB动态测试装置上进行不同应变率下的静态压缩和动态冲击实验。结果显示,30CrMnSiNi2A钢屈服强度具有一定的应变率敏感性。根据静态、动态实验结果,结合Perzyna公式,得到3组试样钢屈服强度与应变率之间的关系式。进一步利用实验结果,结合Johnson-Cook模型拟合出3组试样钢的本构方程,通过拟合方程得到的应力-应变曲线与实验所得应力-应变曲线非常吻合,表明该方程能较好描述试样的本构关系。     

Removal of Aniline from Wastewater Using Hollow Fiber Renewal Liquid Membrane

Hollow fiber renewal liquid membrane (HFRLM) method was proposed based on the surface renewal theory for removal of aniline from waste water. The system of aniline + D2EHPA in kerosene + HCl was used. Aqueous layer diffusion in the feed phase is the rate-control step, and the influence of lumen side flow rate on the mass transfer is more significant than that on the shell side. The resistance of overall mass transfer is greatly reduced because of the mass transfer intensification in the renewal of liquid membrane on the lumen side. The driving force of mass transfer can be considered as a function of distribution equilibrium, and the overall mass transfer coefficient increases with the increase of pH in the feed solution, HCl concentration and D2EHPA concentration, and decreases with the increase of initial aniline concentration. A mass transfer model is developed for HFRLM based on the surface renewal theory. The calculated results agree well with experimental results. The HFRLM process is a promising method for aniline wastewater treatment.     

Elevated temperature low cycle fatigue of grey cast iron used for automotive brake discs

This paper evaluates the fatigue life properties of low carbon grey cast iron (EN-GJL-250), which is widely used for automotive brake discs. Although several authors have examined mechanical and fatigue properties at room temperatures, there has been a lack of such data regarding brake discs operating temperatures. The tension, compression and low cycle fatigue properties were examined at room temperature (RT) and at brake discs’ working temperatures: 500 °C, 600 °C and 700 °C. The microstructure of the material was documented and analysed. Tensile stress–strain curves, cyclic hardening/softening curves, stress–strain hysteresis loops, and fatigue life curves were obtained for all the above-mentioned temperatures. It was concluded, that Young’s modulus is comparable with both tension and compression, but yield its strength and ultimate strength are approximately twice as great in compression than in tension. All the mechanical properties remained quite stable until 500 °C, where at 700 °C all deteriorated drastically. During fatigue testing, the samples endured at 500 °C on average at around 50% of cycles at room temperature. Similar to other materials’ properties, the cycles to failure have dropped significantly at 700 °C.     

Realization of triplet–triplet annihilation in planar heterojunction exciplex-based organic light-emitting diodes

Triplet–triplet annihilation (TTA) for enhancement of luminous efficiency occurs with difficulty in exciplex-based organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) because it is an interaction among several neighboring donor and acceptor molecules. However, TTA has been realized in our planar-heterojunction (PHJ) exciplex-based OLEDs by using a thin recombination zone to enhance the interfacial density of the triplet states. The TTA process, which is characterized by a high-field decrease (HFD) in the magneto-electroluminescence from the PHJ OLEDs, appears at approximately 150 K and becomes stronger with decreasing temperature. At a given temperature, the higher the injected current is, the stronger HFD is observed. Additionally, we find that TTA could even happens at room temperature with appropriate selection of the donor molecule, which may be attributed to the favorable electron-donating ability of the methoxy group (–OCH₃) in the donor molecule and the matched overlaps of the intermolecular conformation of the donor and the acceptor.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of TiC nanoparticle-reinforced Mg−Zn−Ca matrix nanocomposites processed by combining multidirectional forging and extrusion

TiC nanoparticle-reinforced Mg−4Zn−0.5Ca matrix nanocomposites were processed by combining multidirectional forging (MDF) and extrusion (EX). The grain size of the nanocomposite after MDF+EX multi-step deformation was significantly decreased compared with that processed only by MDF. The average size of the recrystallized grains gradually increased after EX with increasing the number of MDF passes at 270 °C. However, the grain size significantly decreased by MDF processing at 310 °C. Both fine and coarse MgZn₂ phases appeared in the (MDF+EX)-processed nanocomposites, and their volume fractions gradually increased with increasing the number of MDF passes before EX. Ultrahigh tensile properties (yield strength of ~404 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of ~450.3 MPa and elongation of ~5.2 %) were obtained in the nanocomposite after three MDF passes at 310 °C followed by EX. This was attributed to the refinement of the recrystallized grains, together with the improved Orowan strengthening provided by the precipitated MgZn₂ particles that were generated by MDF+EX multi-step deformation.