Light concentration and redistribution in polymer solar cells by plasmonic nanoparticles

We propose an optoelectronic model to investigate polymer solar cells with plasmonic nanoparticles. The optical properties of the plasmonic active layers, approximated by the effective medium theory, are combined with the organic semiconductor model. The simulation suggests the enhancement on short-circuit photocurrent is due to light concentration and redistribution by particle plasmons.     

Crystallization behavior of oxyethylene/oxybutylene diblock and triblock copolymers

The crystallization behavior of poly(oxyethylene)-b-poly(oxybutylene) block copolymers with different compositions, morphologies and architectures (E_mB_n diblock copolymers and E_mB_nE_m, B_nE_mB_n triblock copolymers) were investigated and the effect of volume fraction and architecture on the crystallization temperature (T_c) in non-isothermal crystallization was determined. It is found that the E_mB_n diblock copolymers having long E blocks exhibit similar crystallization temperatures, irrespective of volume fraction and morphology, but for the block copolymers with shorter E blocks the crystallization temperature increases with both the volume fraction, φ_E, and the length, m, of the E block. Some block copolymers with extremely low T_c, which fall into the temperature range normally associated with homogenous nucleation, were chosen for time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and isothermal crystallization kinetics experiments. The results show that breakout crystallization occurs in all these block copolymers. Therefore, unlike E_mB_n/B_h blends, there is no obvious relationship between T_c and crystallization behavior in neat block copolymers and homogeneous nucleation does not definitely lead to confined crystallization. The values of χ_c/χ_ODT for all the block copolymers with hex and bcc morphology were also calculated. It is found that all the block copolymers have χ_c/χ_ODT<3, in agreement with the previously reported critical value and consistent with their breakout crystallization behavior.     

Refractive index retrievals for polystyrene latex spheres in the spectral range 220–420 nm

The recent development of an Aerosol Extinction Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer (AE-DOAS) has allowed for the retrieval of wavelength dependent complex refractive indices for polystyrene latex spheres (PSL). The AE-DOAS is a white-type multi-pass gas cell coupled to a UV-Vis spectrometer. Refractive index values are retrieved for wavelengths between 220 and 420 nm by minimizing the χ² goodness-of-fit between measured extinction for five diameters of PSL and model Mie Theory predictions. Comparison to literature shows agreement at wavelengths >360 nm demonstrating the validity of this new instrumental approach while expanding the known refractive index range for PSLs further into the UV where it is previously unreported. In the studied wavelength range, coefficients for the general Cauchy dispersion relationship (A = 1.538(11); B = 0.0043(16) μm²; C = 0.00094(5) μm⁴) for PSLs were determined using the retrieved real portion of the refractive index and the wavelength in microns. In addition, this work indicates that the precision of retrieved values is impacted by the particle diameters chosen for the experiment where retrievals for shorter wavelengths of light benefit from the study of smaller sized particles.

Copyright © 2017 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Effect of processing parameters on the morphology development during extrusion of polyethylene tape: An in-line small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) study

The in-line development of crystalline morphology and orientation during melt extrusion of low density polyethylene (LDPE) tape at nil and low haul-off speeds has been investigated using Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS). The processing parameters, namely haul-off speed and distance down the tape-line have been varied and the resulting crystalline morphology is described from detailed analysis of the SAXS data. Increasing haul-off speed increased orientation in the polymer tape and the resulting morphology could be described in terms of regular lamellar stacking perpendicular to the elongation direction. In contrast, under nil haul-off conditions the tape still showed some orientation down the tape-line, but a shish-kebab structure prevails. The final lamellae thickness ( ∼50 Å) and bulk crystallinity (∼20%), were low at, for all processing conditions investigated, which is attributed to the significant short-chain branching in the polymer acting as point defects limiting lamellae crystal growth.     

Analysis of dichotomous outcome data for community intervention studies

Community intervention trials are becoming increasingly popular as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of health education and intervention strategies. Typically, units such as households, schools, towns, counties, are randomized to receive either intervention or control, then outcomes are measured on individuals within each of the units of randomization. It is well recognized that the design and analysis of such studies must account for the clustering of subjects within the units of randomization. Furthermore, there are usually both subject level and cluster level covariates that must be considered in the modelling process. While suitable methods are available for continuous outcomes, data analysis is more complicated when dichotomous outcomes are measured on each subject. This paper will compare and contrast several of the available methods that can be applied in such settings, including random effects models, generalized estimating equations and methods based on the calculation of 'design effects', as implemented in the computer package SUDAAN. For completeness, the paper will also compare these methods of analysis with more simplistic approaches based on the summary statistics. All the methods will be applied to a case study based on an adolescent anti-smoking intervention in Australia. The paper concludes with some general discussion and recommendations for routine design and analysis.     

Environmentally assisted debonding of copper/barrier interfaces

Environmentally assisted debonding at Cu/barrier interfaces is reported for oxidizing and reducing environments. Both moist and dry oxidizing environments are considered, and the effects of different oxidizing species and their chemical activity on the rate of debonding of a Cu/SiN interface is quantified. The type of oxidizing species is shown to play a critical role in the kinetics of environmentally assisted debonding. Additionally, the effect of varying the activity and temperature of reducing hydrogen environments is investigated. The mechanisms responsible for environmentally assisted debonding of Cu/SiN and Cu/SiCN interfaces are elucidated using an atomistic bond rupture model. An activation energy for debonding of Cu/SiCN interfaces in a hydrogen environment is calculated. Finally, a connection between environmentally assisted debonding and the time-dependent dielectric breakdown properties of Cu interconnects is proposed.     

Characterisation of polyurethane networks based on vegetable derived polyol

A polyurethane (PU) network based on vegetable derived polyol has been characterised and compared to a synthetic based network. Fracture mechanics studies showed the lowest tear strength for the vegetable networks, which decreased as molecular weight of the vegetable based polyol increased. Swelling studies were carried out to determine the molecular weight between crosslinks and polymer networks made from wholly synthetic polyols were shown to have higher molecular weight between crosslinks. Moreover, vegetable networks showed higher solubles' content. Sol-fractions were analysed by several techniques. It was found that vegetable networks based sol-fraction was mainly its correspondent raw polyol while low molecular weight oligomers were detected for the most part in synthetic networks based sol-fraction.     

Loss of nitrogen from urea applied to rainfed wheat in varying rainfall zones in northern Syria

Fertilizer-applied Nitrogen (N) may be lost from the soil by various mechanisms, i.e., runoff, leaching, denitrification, and volatilization. The latter process is of primary concern in calcareous soils of arid and semi-arid regions, especially when urea is used. In this field study from northern Syria, urea alone, urea with either an incorporated urease inhibitor, phenylphosphorodiamidate, or an experimental bran-wax coating were evaluated on wheat for two cropping seasons at two experimental stations with varying average seasonal rainfall (340 mm, 270 mm). Loss of N was assessed with ¹⁵N by mass balance, i.e., the amount of N applied minus the crop N uptake and N remaining in the soil. Crop yields and N uptake were related to seasonal rainfall. Losses of N, apparently as volatilized NH₃, were relatively low at both sites, i.e., 11–18%. However, compared to the unmodified urea, neither the incorporated urease inhibitor nor the bran-wax coating had any effect on yields, N uptake or N loss. While urea hydrolysis is normally rapid, it may be delayed by dry conditions at the soil surface; similarly, unusually cold periods may delay nitrification following hydrolysis. Thus, under the cool-season conditions of rainfed cropping in the Middle East, efficient use of urea is not likely to be achieved by modification of the urea but by conventional management practices that ensure pre-plant soil incorporation or topdressing during early spring rains.     

Application of one-dimensional mechanical formulations to model the sagging behavior of a polymer sheet

The deformation of a heated plastic sheet clamped on two opposite sides subject to sagging under its own weight was examined experimentally and then modeled using two separate one-dimensional approaches based upon cable (membrane) and beam formulations. The cable formulation neglects both bending and shear deformation, but includes a generalized Maxwell viscoelastic constitutive model to capture the time-dependent nature of sheet sag. The resulting equations are integrated using a Runge-Kutta technique and solved via a shooting method. The beam formulation is based upon the Timoshenko theory and thus includes shear deformation along with the flexural contributions. A finite element method is developed from application of the principle of virtual work for the beam written in curvilinear coordinates in order to include the effects of finite deformation. A generalized Maxwell model is again employed to account for the time-dependent material response. In both formulations, the method of reduced variables is used to describe the variation of material response with temperature. The effect of temperature and thermal relaxation is included. The particular case of a styrenic material is discussed in detail.