Electrical properties of Cu4ZnSnS2/ZnS heterojunction prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS)/ZnS heterojunctions have been prepared by a successive deposition of ZnS and CZTS thin films by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates. The cupric chloride concentration has been varied in the starting solution in order to investigate its influence on device properties. CZTS/ZnS heterojunctions were characterized by recording their current-voltage characteristics at different temperatures. The obtained results exhibit a good rectifying behavior of the realized heterojunction. Analysis of these results yields saturation current, series resistance and ideality factor determination. From the activation energy of saturation current we inferred that the thermal emission through the barrier height is the dominant mechanism of the reverse current rather than the defects contribution.     

Surface analysis and adsorption behavior of caffeine as an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor at the copper/aqueous chloride solution interface

Abstract

Corrosion inhibitors based on environmentally friendly and harmless products are currently being studied and developed. The corrosion inhibition properties of caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) on copper corrosion in aqueous chloride solution (3.5?wt.% NaCl) are analysed here using stationary and transient electrochemical methods, and a theoretical study based on density functional theory is carried out. Caffeine is a very competitive compared to the chemical inhibitors that are often used for copper protection. Electrochemical and impedance experiments reveal that the protective efficiency of caffeine reaches a value of 96% at a concentration of 10^?2?mol L^?1. Based on these results, the Langmuir model appears to be the best representation of the adsorption of caffeine onto the copper surface. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to determine the surface morphology and the chemical composition of the copper surface in chloride media, in the absence and presence of caffeine. The results show the development of a mechanism of corrosion inhibition. In order to confirm the correlation between the inhibitory effect and the molecular structure of caffeine, quantum chemical parameters are used to calculate its electronic properties.     

Distortion-free laser beam shaping for material processing using a digital micromirror device

Digital micromirror devices (DMD) are increasingly used in laser-based manufacturing for a maskless beam shaping in order to realize simultaneous 2D/3D material processing. Thereby, the DMD has to be irradiated under a sharp angle to achieve acceptable projection quality with negligible distortion phenomena. In this article, we present a novel setup for DMD-based laser material processing. It enables the irradiation under large angles (up to 60\(^{\circ }\)), the reduction of optical elements as well as machine size. Occurring optical distortions during the amplitude-based laser beam shaping are characterized. To eliminate these phenomena, we implement an optical modelling of the DMD patterns, taking into account the propagation through the tilted interfaces. The resulting imaging of different desired shapes is verified experimentally for its geometrical properties such as length, radius and aspect ratio. Thereby, an angle-dependent correction and high shape accuracy of the image projection is shown. This novel arrangement may have applications in direct laser writing and photochemical machining.     

Synthesis,Biological Evaluation of 1,1‐Diarylethylenes as a Novel Class of Antimitotic Agents

The cytotoxic activities of 23 new isocombretastatin A derivatives with modifications on the B‐ring were investigated. Several compounds exhibited excellent antiproliferative activity at nanomolar concentrations against a panel of human cancer cell lines. Compounds isoFCA‐4 ( 2 e ), isoCA‐4 ( 2 k ) and isoNH₂CA‐4 ( 2 s ) were the most cytotoxic, and strongly inhibited tubulin polymerization with IC₅₀ values of 4, 2 and 1.5 μM , respectively. These derivatives were found to be 10‐fold more active than phenstatin and colchicine with respect to growth inhibition but displayed similar activities as tubulin polymerization inhibitors. In addition, cell cycle arrest in the G₂/M phase and subsequent apoptosis was observed in three cancer cell lines when treated with these compounds. The disruptive effect of 2 e , 2 k and 2 s on the vessel‐like structures formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) suggest that these compounds may act as vascular disrupting agents. Both compounds 2 k and 2 s have the potential for further prodrug modification and development as vascular disrupting agents for treatment of solid tumors.     

pH sensing in aqueous solutions using a MnO2 thin film electrodeposited on a glassy carbon electrode

An electrolysis technique at a constant potential was used to develop a highly reproducible and fast elaboration method of adherent manganese dioxide thin films on a glassy carbon electrode from aqueous solutions containing sulfuric acid and manganese sulfate. The resulting films were found to have a nanostructured character presumably due rather to birnessite (δ-MnO₂) than to γ-MnO₂, as suggested by their Raman and XRD signatures. They lead to modified electrodes that present an obvious although complex pH dependent potentiometric response. This sensor indeed showed a single slope non-Nernstian linear behaviour over the 1.5–12 pH range for increasing pH direction (“trace”), whereas a Nernstian two slopes linear behaviour was observed for decreasing pH direction (“re-trace”). Preliminary EIS experiments carried out at a pH value of 1.8 seem to reveal a sensitivity mechanism based on proton insertion process at least at highly acidic pH values.     

An Expeditious Copper‐Catalyzed Access to 3‐Aminoquinolinones, 3‐Aminocoumarins and Anilines using Sodium Azide

An efficient copper‐catalyzed in situ C(sp²) NH₂ bond formation to provide a range of 3‐aminoquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones and 3‐aminocoumarins from 3‐bromoquinolinones and 3‐bromocoumarins, respectively, has been achieved. The reaction conditions involve the use of copper powder as the catalyst, eco‐friendly ethanol as the solvent in the presence of pipecolinic acid as the ligand and ascorbic acid as the additive. The efficiency of this practical method was demonstrated in the synthesis of various anilines.     

Magnetocaloric effect of polycrystalline La0.5Sm0.2Sr0.3Mn1-xCrxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20) compound prepared by glycine-nitrate process

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - This paper reports the effect of chromium’s substitution in magnetic oxides with perovskite structure La0.5Sm0.2Sr0.3Mn1-xCrxO3...     

Applications nouvelles de la matrice des lignes de transmission: Sélection des modes dans les lignes microondes caractérisation des éléments rayonnants

The transmission line matrix method permits modification of the excitation of modes in microlines. This property gives access to phase velocities by synchronisation of excitation and propagating modes. The selection of modes is possible by this synchronisation. Group velocities are deduced from frequency modulation due to geometrical dimensions variation. In another part, two methods of infinited space simulation are proposed. Applications about radiation patterns of the dipole antenna and the half dipole are given. The input impedance and the resonance frequency are calculated for a printed strip dipole.     

General energy decay rates for a weakly damped Timoshenko system

In this paper, we consider the following Timoshenko-type system: