Supported Lipid Bilayer Assembly on PEDOT:PSS Films and Transistors

Lipid bilayers are widely employed as a model system to investigate interactions between cells and their environment. Supported lipid bilayers (SLB) with integrated transmembrane proteins are emerging as a preferred platform for sensing applications. Challenges lie in the generation of SLB on surfaces which allow transduction of signals for characterization of lipid bilayer and incorporated transmembrane proteins. For the first time, the formation of SLBs is shown on films of the conducting polymer, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), using traditional methods for characterizing lipid bilayer quality and function (QCM‐D, FRAP) combined with impedance spectroscopy. Further, partial formation of SLBs on PEDOT:PSS based organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) is successfully demonstrated, as well as the ability to integrate and sense the ion pore α‐hemolysin, confirming the sensitivity of the OECT as a transducer of biological membrane function. This work represents a highly promising first step toward the use of such OECTs for functional readout of transmembrane proteins in their native environment.     

Niobium-Carbide MXene Modified Hybrid Hole Transport Layer Enabling High-Performance Organic Solar Cells Over 19%

Niobium-carbide (Nb₂C) MXene as a new 2D material has shown great potential for application in photovoltaics due to its excellent electrical conductivity, large surface area, and superior transmittance. In this work, a novel solution-processable poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)-Nb₂C hybrid hole transport layer (HTL) is developed to enhance the device performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). By optimizing the doping ratio of Nb₂C MXene in PEDOT:PSS, the best power convention efficiency (PCE) of 19.33% can be achieved for OSCs based on the ternary active layer of PM6:BTP-eC9:L8-BO, which is so far the highest value among those of single junction OSCs using 2D materials. It is found that the addition of Nb₂C MXene can facilitate the phase separation of the PEDOT and PSS segments, thus improving the conductivity and work function of PEDOT:PSS. The significantly enhanced device performance can be attributed to the higher hole mobility and charge extraction capability, as well as lower interface recombination probabilities generated by the hybrid HTL. Additionally, the versatility of the hybrid HTL to improve the performance of OSCs based on different nonfullerene acceptors is demonstrated. These results indicate the promising potential of Nb₂C MXene in the development of high-performance OSCs.     

Characterization and actuation behavior of SPS/SGO ion exchange polymer actuator based on PEDOT: PSS/SGO composite electrode

ABSTRACT

This paper studied the fabrication of new hybrid-type poly(3,4- ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/sulfonated graphene oxide electrode-based polymer actuator produced by film casting method. Sulfonated Poly(1,4-phenylene ether-ether sulfone) (SPS) ion-exchange polymer membrane-based ionic polymer composite actuators were fabricated using the different concentration of SGO. The characterization and actuation were demonstrated. By altering SGO concentration, four different SPS based membrane actuators were analyzed. The effects of SGO concentration on the morphology, proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity, and water uptake capability were studied. The maximum tip displacement and force by varying concentration of SGO were evaluated for the actuation performance.     

A novel hierarchical Pt- and FTO-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell

A novel hierarchical Pt- and FTO-free counter electrode (CE) for the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) was prepared by spin coating the mixture of TiO₂ nanoparticles and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) solution onto the glass substrate. Compared with traditional Pt/FTO CE, the cost of the new CE is dramatically reduced by the application of bilayer TiO₂-PEDOT:PSS/PEDOT:PSS film and the glass substrate. The sheet resistance of this composite film is 35 Ω sq⁻¹ and is low enough to be used as an electrode. The surface morphologies of TiO₂-PEDOT:PSS layer and modified PEDOT:PSS layer were characterized by scanning electron microscope, which shows that the former had larger surface areas than the latter. Electrochemical impedance spectra and Tafel polarization curves prove that the catalytic activity of TiO₂-PEDOT:PSS/PEDOT:PSS/glass CE is higher than that of PEDOT:PSS/FTO CE and is similar to Pt/FTO CE''s. This new fabricated device with TiO₂-PEDOT:PSS/PEDOT:PSS/glass CE achieves a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.67%, reaching 91.39% of DSSC with Pt/FTO CE (5.11%).     

Synthesis and functionalization of nanoengineered materials using click chemistry

The synthesis of nanoengineered materials with precise control over material composition, architecture and functionality is integral to advances in diverse fields, including biomedicine. Over the last 10 years, click chemistry has emerged as a prominent and versatile approach to engineer materials with specific properties. Herein, we highlight the application of click chemistry for the synthesis of nanoengineered materials, ranging from ultrathin films to delivery systems such as polymersomes, dendrimers and capsules. In addition, we discuss the use of click chemistry for functionalizing such materials, focusing on modifications aimed at biomedical applications.     

Ultrafast-laser-treated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) electrodes with enhanced conductivity and transparency for semitransparent perovskite solar cells

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is an important organic electrode for solution-processed low-cost electronic devices. However, it requires doping and post-solvent treatment to improve its conductivity, and the chemicals used for such treatments may affect the device fabrication process. In this study, we developed a novel route for exploiting ultrafast lasers (femtosecond and picosecond laser) to simultaneously enhance the conductivity and transparency of PEDOT:PSS films and fabricate patterned solution-processed electrodes for electronic devices. The conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS film was improved by three orders of magnitude (from 3.1 to 1024 S·cm^–1), and high transparency of up to 88.5% (average visible transmittance, AVT) was achieved. Raman and depth-profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the oxidation level of PEDOT was enhanced, thereby increasing the carrier concentration. The surface PSS content also decreased, which is beneficial to the carrier mobility, resulting in significantly enhanced electrical conductivity. Further, we fabricated semitransparent perovskite solar cells using the as-made PEDOT:PSS as the transparent top electrodes, and a power conversion efficiency of 7.39% was achieved with 22.63% AVT. Thus, the proposed route for synthesizing conductive and transparent electrodes is promising for vacuum and doping-free electronics.     

导电高分子PEDOT／PSS保护银纳米颗粒的制备与表征

利用导电高分子聚（3，4-二氧乙基噻吩）／聚（对苯乙烯磺酸）（PEDOT／PSS）作保护剂，制备了银纳米颗粒，用UV-Vis和TEM对其进行了表征．结果表明，选择合适量的PEDOT／PSS保护剂可以得到大小分布较窄银纳米颗粒．     

Hydrogen production from oxidative steam reforming of ethanol in a palladium-silver alloy composite membrane reactor

In this investigation, we studied the oxidative steam reforming reaction of ethanol in a Pd-Ag/PSS membrane reactor for the production of high purity hydrogen. Palladium and silver were deposited on porous stainless steel (PSS) tube via the sequential electroless plating procedure with an overall film thickness of 20 μm and Pd/Ag weight ratio of 78/22. An ethanol-water mixture (n_water/n_ethanol = 1 or 3) and oxygen (n_oxygen/n_ethanol = 0.2, 0.7 or 1.0) were fed concurrently into the membrane reactor packed with Zn-Cu commercial catalyst (MDC-3). The reaction temperatures were set at 593-723 K and the pressures at 3-10 atm. The hydrogen flux in the permeation side increased proportionately with increasing pressure; however, it reduced slightly when increasing oxygen input. This is probably due to the fast oxidation reaction that consumes hydrogen before the onset of the steam reforming reaction. The effect of oxygen plays a vital role on the ethanol oxidation steam reforming reaction, especially for a Pd-Ag membrane reactor in which a higher flux of hydrogen is required. The selectivity of CO₂ increased with increasing flow rate of oxygen, while the selectivity of CO remained almost the same.