13.3% efficient solution deposited Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells processed with different sodium salt sources

In this work, we obtain the highest reported power conversion efficiency (13.3%) for sulfur‐free CIGSe solar cells by solution processing. Intentional sodium incorporation is achieved directly by dissolving sodium salts in the ink. The effect on solar cell properties of three sodium sources is investigated: NaCl, NaHCO₂, and NaSCN. A comparison is made with absorbers grown on soda‐lime glass substrates and in the absence of sodium sources. The incorporation via sodium salts yields significantly better results, which is attributed to enhanced‐sodium availability. A comparison with identically annealed sputtered metal precursor layers capable of delivering 15.1% module efficiency suggests that the cell results are limited by the selenization procedure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fine limestone additions to regulate setting in high volume fly ash mixtures

High volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete mixtures are being considered more frequently due to their cost and sustainability advantages. While the long term performance of these HVFA concretes typically meets or exceeds that of conventional concretes, their early age performance is often characterized by excessive retardation of the hydration reactions, delayed setting times, and low strengths. Extending an HVFA mixture to a ternary blend that incorporates a fine limestone powder may provide a viable solution to these deficiencies, particularly the hydration retardation and setting issues. In this paper, a nano-limestone powder and two other limestone fillers of increasing median particle size (4.4 μm and 16.4 μm) are investigated for their propensity to accelerate early age reactions and reduce setting times in a Class C fly ash/cement blend. The fineness of the limestone has measurable effects on its efficacy in accelerating hydration and decreasing setting times. Companion specimens prepared with a fine silica powder suggest that the fine limestone may act favorably through both a physical and a chemical mechanism. Isothermal calorimetry and Vicat needle penetration measurements on pastes are accompanied by strength measurements on mortars, to verify that the limestone powder substitutions are not negatively impacting strength development. A linear relationship with a reasonable correlation is found to exist between 1 d and 7 d compressive strengths of mortars and their accompanying cumulative heat release values as determined using isothermal calorimetry.     

The Effect of Mn-rich Precipitates on the Strength of AZ31 Extrudates

The commercial magnesium alloy AZ31 has been subjected to a range of solution treatment regimes. These have then been extruded and their microstructure, texture, and precipitate populations characterized along with their mechanical properties. During the solution treatment, Mn-enriched particles develop and these remain largely unchanged throughout subsequent processing steps. A direct link between grain size and texture has been found, with coarser-grained specimens showing sharper textures. VPSC modeling has been used to quantify the effect of texture on the tensile yield strength, and it has been found that sharper textures have larger tensile yield strengths. Since coarser grain sizes have reduced Hall–Petch hardening, but have an additional texture-strengthening component, a region on the Hall–Petch plot for tension has been identified in which there is an insensitivity of strength to grain size. This has been quantitatively modeled and a texture-modified Hall–Petch plot for tension has been developed. The Mn-rich particles have also been shown to provide precipitate strengthening to the alloy of up to 40 MPa. The compressive behavior was clearer, with the compressive yield strength being directly correlated to grain size and unaffected by texture or precipitation hardening.     

Effect of Fiber Length on Carbon Nanotube-Induced Fibrogenesis

Given their extremely small size and light weight, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be readily inhaled by human lungs resulting in increased rates of pulmonary disorders, particularly fibrosis. Although the fibrogenic potential of CNTs is well established, there is a lack of consensus regarding the contribution of physicochemical attributes of CNTs on the underlying fibrotic outcome. We designed an experimentally validated in vitro fibroblast culture model aimed at investigating the effect of fiber length on single-walled CNT (SWCNT)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The fibrogenic response to short and long SWCNTs was assessed via oxidative stress generation, collagen expression and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) production as potential fibrosis biomarkers. Long SWCNTs were significantly more potent than short SWCNTs in terms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) response, collagen production and TGF-β release. Furthermore, our finding on the length-dependent in vitro fibrogenic response was validated by the in vivo lung fibrosis outcome, thus supporting the predictive value of the in vitro model. Our results also demonstrated the key role of ROS in SWCNT-induced collagen expression and TGF-β activation, indicating the potential mechanisms of length-dependent SWCNT-induced fibrosis. Together, our study provides new evidence for the role of fiber length in SWCNT-induced lung fibrosis and offers a rapid cell-based assay for fibrogenicity testing of nanomaterials with the ability to predict pulmonary fibrogenic response in vivo.     

Inverting an image does not improve drawing accuracy.

It has been suggested that inverting an image will increase drawing accuracy. However, perceptual evidence suggests that inverting an image inhibits processing of spatial information. D. J. Cohen and S. Bennett (1997) theorized that perceptual distortions will lead to drawing errors. In the present experiment, the authors test whether inverting an image improves drawing accuracy, as suggested by art educators, or results in distorted drawings, as predicted by Cohen and Bennett. The present data reveal that inverting an image inhibits the drawing accuracy of spatial relations thus supporting Cohen and Bennett's (1997) theory of drawing accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)