A New View of Microcrystalline Silicon: The Role of Plasma Processing in Achieving a Dense and Stable Absorber Material for Photovoltaic Applications

To further lower production costs and increase conversion efficiency of thin‐film silicon solar modules, challenges are the deposition of high‐quality microcrystalline silicon (μc‐Si:H) at an increased rate and on textured substrates that guarantee efficient light trapping. A qualitative model that explains how plasma processes act on the properties of μc‐Si:H and on the related solar cell performance is presented, evidencing the growth of two different material phases. The first phase, which gives signature for bulk defect density, can be obtained at high quality over a wide range of plasma process parameters and dominates cell performance on flat substrates. The second phase, which consists of nanoporous 2D regions, typically appears when the material is grown on substrates with inappropriate roughness, and alters or even dominates the electrical performance of the device. The formation of this second material phase is shown to be highly sensitive to deposition conditions and substrate geometry, especially at high deposition rates. This porous material phase is more prone to the incorporation of contaminants present in the plasma during film deposition and is reported to lead to solar cells with instabilities with respect to humidity exposure and post‐deposition oxidation. It is demonstrated how defective zones influence can be mitigated by the choice of suitable plasma processes and silicon sub‐oxide doped layers, for reaching high efficiency stable thin film silicon solar cells.     

Toward a new approach to the study of personality in culture.

We review recent developments in the study of culture and personality measurement. Three approaches are described: an etic approach that focuses on establishing measurement equivalence in imported measures of personality, an emic (indigenous) approach that studies personality in specific cultures, and a combined emic–etic approach to personality. We propose the latter approach as a way of combining the methodological rigor of the etic approach and the cultural sensitivity of the emic approach. The combined approach is illustrated by two examples: the first with origins in Chinese culture and the second in South Africa. The article ends with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of the combined emic–etic approach for the study of culture and personality and for psychology as a science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

High‐efficiency microcrystalline silicon single‐junction solar cells

This short communication highlights our latest results towards high‐efficiency microcrystalline silicon single‐junction solar cells. By combining adequate cell design with high‐quality material, a new world record efficiency was achieved for single‐junction microcrystalline silicon solar cell, with a conversion efficiency of 10.69%, independently confirmed at ISE CalLab PV Cells. Such significant conversion efficiency could be achieved with only 1.8 µm of Si. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lactosylation of milk proteins during the manufacture and storage of skim milk powders

Extensive lactosylation of milk proteins in standard skim milk powder dried against air between 185 and 90°C (inlet and outlet temperatures of the air) was detected by capillary electrophoresis. Optimisation of the drying conditions included keeping the outlet temperature low (preferably <80°C), since this was the parameter which most affected the extent of lactosylation of milk proteins. The inlet temperature was set in order to obtain the best compromise between a low extent of lactosylation and a high drying rate (170–175°C). These conditions allowed the manufacture of low-lactosylated skim milk powder. Storage of freeze-dried and control low-lactosylated skim milk powder at different temperatures showed that both temperature and moisture content affected the progress of lactosylation during storage. Further drying to less than 2.5% moisture content (w/w) and storage at low temperatures were required to prevent the development of lactosylation in the low-lactosylated skim milk powder.     

Circulating Monocyte Subsets and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), as an alternative to open heart surgery, has revolutionized the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis (AVS), the most common valvular disorder in the elderly. AVS is now considered a form of atherosclerosis and, like the latter, partly of inflammatory origin. Patients with high-grade AVS have a highly disturbed blood flow associated with high levels of shear stress. The immediate reopening of the valve during TAVR leads to a sudden restoration of a normal blood flow hemodynamic. Despite its good prognosis for patients, TAVR remains associated with bleeding or thrombotic postprocedural complications, involving mechanisms that are still poorly understood. Many studies report the close link between blood coagulation and inflammation, termed thromboinflammation, including monocytes as a major actor. The TAVR procedure represents a unique opportunity to study the influence of shear stress on human monocytes, key mediators of inflammation and hemostasis processes. The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of the literature to provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of TAVR on monocyte phenotype and subset repartition and the association of these parameters with the clinical outcomes of patients with severe AVS who underwent TAVR.     

High-Performance Quasi-Solid-State Na-Air Battery via Gel Cathode by Confining Moisture

Rechargeable Na-air batteries are the subject of great interest because of their high theoretical specific energy density, lower cost, and lower charge potential compared with Li-air batteries. However, high purity O₂ as a working environment is required to achieve high-performance Na-air batteries, which obstructs their application as a high-energy-density battery. Although aqueous Na-air batteries can operate in ambient air, long cycle and high safety remain challenges for aqueous Na-air batteries because the aqueous electrolyte is volatile. Here, a quasi-solid-state Na-air battery is reported by utilizing a gel cathode, which is composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes and room-temperature ionic liquids, achieving high safety and long cycling life of 125 cycles (528 h) at a current density of 0.1 mA cm⁻², which is surprisingly better than that of quasi-solid-state Na O₂ batteries. In situ XRD characterizations reveal that water in ambient air is gradually deposited on the surface of the gel cathode to form a water layer, which facilitates the generation of soluble discharge product of NaOH thermodynamically with high conductivity. This work shall be critical to develop and promote the practical application of Na-air batteries, opening a new way to the design of solid-state metal-air batteries.     

Effect of gamma irradiation on the oxygen barrier properties in ethyl-vinyl acetate/ethylene-vinyl alcohol/ethyl-vinyl acetate multilayer film

The potential changes of single-use plastic materials (EVA/EVOH/EVA multilayer film in this study) used in biopharmaceutical and food-packaging industries are investigated after several gamma irradiation doses: 30, 50, 115, and 270 kGy, and for nonsterilized samples (0 kGy) from a point of view of mechanical properties, thermal properties and permeability properties. Tensile tests, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) are performed on the multilayer film. For irradiation doses below 50 kGy, thermal and water vapor barrier properties are not altered. For higher doses (50 to 270 kGy), mechanical, thermal and water vapor barrier properties are slightly altered whereas oxygen barrier property decreases from 13 to 27 cm³.m⁻².day⁻¹. This slight change is shown not to happen due to chain entanglement or chain mobility loss in the amorphous phase of the different polymers. It rather comes from a change of the chemical environment of the EVOH layer.