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Sample records for cell material karakterisasi

  1. Perancangan, Pembuatan dan Karakterisasi Tranduser Ultrasonik 3,5 MHz Untuk Pengujian Bahan Padat

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    Mokhamad Halim Fathoni

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Dalam penelitian ini telah dibuat sepasang transduser ultrasonik untuk pengujian bahan padat. Konstruksi transduser ultrasonik yang dibuat terdiri dari holder berbahan akrilik dan kuningan, backing material berbahan styrofoam, epoxy dan busa karet, elemen aktif berbahan piezoelektrik dan matching layers menggunakan akrilik. Bahan penyusun konstruksi tersebut dilakukan pengujian terlebih dahulu untuk mengetahui pengaruhnya terhadap karakteristik transduser ultrasonik. Dan untuk menunjang pengujian, maka dibuat sebuah alat sederhana dengan metode transmisi pulsa untuk melakukan pengukuran Time of Flight(TOF gelombang ultrasonik. Karakterisasi bahan transduser dilakukan dengan melakukan beberapa tahap pengujian. Tahap pertama dilakukan  pengujian respon frekuensi pada piezoelektrik untuk mendapatkan frekuensi resonansi yang sesuai. Kemudian dilakukan pengujian bahan backing material untuk mengetahui respon impulse dari sinyal ultrasonik dan menguji bahan matching layers untuk mendapatkan faktor delay pada pengukuran. Setelah karakterisasi bahan didapatkan, maka dilanjutkan dengan implementasi transduser ultrasonik untuk pengujian cacat pada bahan. Pengujian ini menggunakan aluminium berdimensi (15x5x1cm dengan bentuk cacat yang telah ditentukan. Proses pengujian cacat ini dilakukan dengan cara scanning secara manual dengan perubahan jarak setiap 0.5 cm. Dari hasil pengujian yang telah dilakukan diperoleh  karakteristik transduser ultrasonik dengan holder berbahan akrilik, backing material berbahan styrofoam, frekuensi resonansi sebesar 3.5 MHz, bandwith sebesar 2.04 MHz, respon impulse >10 siklus, delay sebesar 1,6 us ,Q (faktor kualitas mekanis getaran harmonis sebesar 1,667 dan impedansi sebesar 78,6 ohm. Untuk pengujian cacat bahan didapatkan hasil bahwa transduser ultrasonik bisa mendeteksi adanya cacat dan mengestimasi panjang ukuran cacat dengan error pengukuran sebesar 0.5 cm. Namun, kedalaman cacat tidak bisa ditentukan sehingga

  2. Perhitungan Volume dan Karakterisasi Material Endapan Erupsi Gunungapi Kelud Tahun 2014, di Sungai Bladak Bagian Hulu Dengan Metode Geofisika

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    Anastasia Neni Candra Purnamasari

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRAK Erupsi Gunungapi Kelud pada 13 Februari 2014 menghasilkan material endapan di hulu Sungai Bladak dalam jumlah yang sangat besar.Endapan hasil erupsi yang terdapat di hulu sungai berpotensi sebagai material lahar bagi wilayah di hilir.Upaya mitigasi untuk mengurangi bencana banjir lahar memerlukan informasi volume material endapan. Selain itu, informasi karakteristik fisik material endapan juga penting untuk pemanfaatannya bagi masyarakat. Penelitian untuk mengetahui volume material endapan dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode geofisika pada pengukuran ketebalan dari material endapan.Metode geofisika yang digunakan adalah metode mikroseismik dan metode seismik refraksi.Hasil yang didapatkan dari pengolahan data lapangan mikroseismik adalah nilai frekuensi natural (f0 dari setiap titik pengukuran mikroseismik. Hasil yang didapatkan dari pengolahan data lapangan seismik refraksi adalah kecepatan gelombang P dari material endapan, dimana kecepatan gelombang P akan diturunkan sehingga didapatkan kecepatan gelombang S. Kecepatan gelombang S akan digunakan untuk penghitungan ketebalan material endapan yang digabungkan dengan nilai frekuensi natural dengan rumus h=Vs/4f0. Berdasarkan ketebalan material endapan yang didapatkan dari hasil penghitungan setiap titik mikroseismik, kemudian dibuat kontur ketebalan material endapan dan dilakukan penghitungan volume material endapan. Karakterisasi material endapan dilakukan dengan cara menghitung persentase pumice dan nonpumice secara fisual menggunakan foto lapangan. Ketebalan endapan pumice di permukaan lahan dianalisis persebarannya menurut satuan-satuan lereng. Volume material endapan yang didapatkan dari hasil penelitian sebesar 27,6 juta m3. Hasil karakterisasi material diketahui bahwa pumice pada material endapan yang ada di hulu Sungai Bladak 91,82 % dan sisanya 7,18 % adalah nonpumice. Jumlah pumice yang sangat banyak tersebut merupakan sumberdaya alam yang bernilai ekonomi tinggi. Pumice dapat

  3. Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Bakteriosin yang Dihasilkan Oleh Lactobacillus lactis dari Sedimen Laut

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    Rofiq Sunaryanto

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Telah dilakukan isolasi dan karakterisasi bakteriosin yang dihasilkan oleh Lactobacillus lactis yang berasal dari sedimen laut. Karakterisasi bakteriosin meliputi uji aktivitas antimikroba, stabilitas terhadap suhu, pH, penambahan enzim, surfaktan, dan stabilitas bakteriosin terhadap penyinaran lampu UV. Aktivitas antimikroba bakteriosin diuji melawan bakteri uji Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 66923, Staphyllococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, dan Candida albican. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bakteriosin mampu menghambat pertumbuhan E.coli ATCC 25922, E. faecalis ATCC 29212, S. aureus ATCC 25923 dan B. subtilis ATCC 66923, namun demikian tidak mampu menghambat pertumbuhan L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus, L. casei, dan C. albican. Bakteriosin yang dihasilkan oleh Lactobacillus lactis stabil terhadap pemanasan sampai dengan suhu 70 °C dan stabil pada rentang pH 3 sampai dengan 7. Aktivitas bakteriosin hilang dengan penambahan tripsin, pepsin, dan proteinase-K, namun aktivitas bakteriosin stabil terhadap penambahan a-amilase. Penambahan tween 20, tween 80, dan EDTA mampu meningkatkan aktivitas bakteriosin sebesar 1,1 sampai dengan 1,2 kali dibandingkan dengan tanpa penambahan surfaktan. Penyinaran lampu UV selama 15 menit tidak berpengaruh terhadap aktivitas bakteriosin.

  4. Ekstraksi Dan Karakterisasi Serbuk Nano Pigmen Dari Daun Tanaman Jati (Tectona Grandis Linn. F

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    Riahna br Kembaren

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Tanaman Jati (Tectona grandis linn. F umumnya hanya dimanfaatkan bagian kayunya untuk industri meubel, namun bagian lain seperti daun kurang dimanfaatkan. Daun jati terutama bagian pucuk daun muda dapat menghasilkan pigmen. Produksi serbuk nano pigmen dari daun jati dan karakterisasi serbuk nano pigmen tersebut belum dilakukan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menghasilkan nano pigmen dari pucuk daun jati muda dalam bentuk serbuk dengan menggunakan persentase filler yang berbeda dan melakukan karakterisasi serbuk nano pigmen jati tersebut. Pucuk daun jati muda diberi perlakuan mekanik dengan penggerusan kemudian disaring, larutan yang diperoleh diukur partikelnya dengan Particle Size Analyzer (PSA, dan dikeringkan dengan penambahan filler maltodekstrin 5% dan 10%. Serbuk yang diperoleh dihitung rendemen, ukuran partikel, dan kelarutan dalam air. Warna merah yang dihasilkan dari filtrat pucuk daun jati muda berasal dari zat warna antosianin yang terkandung dalam daun jati muda. Ekstrak dari pucuk daun jati muda memiliki ukuran dengan kisaran 87,8- 318,1 nm dengan ukuran rata-rata 109,2 nm. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak tersebut merupakan produk nano di alam. Penambahan filler dengan konsentrasi berbeda berpengaruh terhadap warna, rendemen, ukuran partikel serbuk, dan kelarutan pigmen serbuk dalam air. 

  5. Karakterisasi stem cell pulpa gigi sulung dengan modifikasi enzim tripsin (The characterization of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth using trypsin enzym

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    Tri Wijayanti Puspitasari

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Now a days, treatment in dentistry, using tissue regeneration that based on the stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED, grows rapidly. For several reason, the isolated and cultured SHED is difficult to be applied in Indonesia, therefore the modification is needed. This difficulties were caused by the pulp anatomy, the heterogeneous populations in the pulp chamber and the limitations of tools and materials at the laboratory. Purpose: This research was aimed to examine that the modifications of isolation and culture technique of SHEDs for characterization by using the marker of CD105. Methods: The research was experimental laboratory with the cross sectional design. The samples were the human exfoliated deciduous teeth from the children patients of Pediatric Dentistry Department of Universitas Airlangga Dental Hospital which matched the criteria. Dental pulps were isolated and cultured by using the modifications of Trypsin enzymes. Results: The healthy SHEDs could be produced from the modifications of isolation and culture and positively shown the expression of marker CD105 which were indicated by the fluorencent microscope. Conclusion: SHED which isolated and cultured by using the modified techniques, positively characterized by using marker CD105.Latar Belakang: Pengobatan kedokteran gigi berkembang dengan pesat terutama di bidang regenerasi jaringan berbasis Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth (SHED. Di Indonesia, isolasi dan kultur SHED sulit sehingga perlu dilakukan modifikasi. Kendala ini muncul karena jaringan pulpa yang kecil, heterogen dan keterbatasan alat dan bahan di laboratorium. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti modifikasi pada cara isolasi dan kultur SHED untuk karakterisasi menggunakan maker CD105. Metode: Jenis penelitian ini adalah eksperimental laboratoris dengan rancangan cross sectional. Sampel penelitian adalah gigi sulung dari pasien anak di Klinik Kedokteran Gigi Anak

  6. Karakterisasi Permen Jeli yang Dibuat dari Hasil Formulasi Jelly Powder

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    Ellya Sinurat

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian karakterisasi permen jeli dengan bahan baku formula jelly powder telah dilakukan. Formula jelly powder terdiri dari campuran karaginan murni, konjak, dekstrosa, dan KCl. Jelly powder ini digunakan untuk pembuatan permen jeli dengan variasi 3,5; 4,0; 4,5; dan 5,0%. Sebagai pembanding digunakan produk permen jeli impor berbahan dasar karaginan yang sudah ada di pasaran. Untuk mengetahui kualitas permen jeli, parameter yang diamati meliputi aktivitas air, sifat fisik (kekerasan, kelengketan, dan elastisitas serta nilai organoleptik (kenampakan, bau, rasa, tekstur, elastisitas, transparansi, dan penerimaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa semakin tinggi konsentrasi  jelly powder menyebabkan meningkatnya kekerasan, kelengketan, dan elastisitas permen jeli. Nilai organoleptik untuk rasa, tekstur, elastisitas, transparansi, dan penerimaan yang paling baik menurut panelis adalah pada konsentrasi jelly powder 4,5%

  7. Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Parsial Kolagen dari Teripang Gamma (Stichopus variegatus

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    Yusro Nuri Fawzya

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Isolasi dan karakterisasi parsial kolagen dari teripang gamma (Stichopus variegatus telah dilakukan. Isolasi dilakukan melalui tiga tahap yaitu preparasi, ekstraksi dan isolasi. Tahap preparasi meliputi tahapan penyiangan, pencucian dan perendaman dalam akuades, dalam alkohol, dalam larutan Tris-HCl dan etilenadiaminatetraasetat  (EDTA dan perendaman dalam larutan natrium hidroksida (NaOH. Ekstraksi dilakukan dengan perendaman asam asetat 0,5M. Isolasi dilakukan dengan cara pengendapan menggunakan NaCl dilanjutkan proses dialisis. Isolat kolagen teripang gamma yang diperoleh memiliki rendemen sebesar 16,40% (bobot kering, nilai pH 6,08 dan derajat putih 77,02%. Gugus fungsi kolagen terdiri dari amida A (3412 cm-1, B (2929 cm-1, I (1654 cm-1, II (1554 cm-1, dan III (1239 cm-1. Asam amino utama penyusun kolagen yaitu glisin, prolin, dan alanin, masing-masing sebesar 16,88%; 6,71%; dan 6,42%. Kolagen yang dihasilkan merupakan kolagen tipe I, diduga terdiri dari 3 rantai a1 yang homolog dengan berat molekul 130,33 kDa.

  8. Karakterisasi Paduan AlMgSi Untuk Kelongsong Bahan Bakar U3Si2/Al Dengan Densitas Uranium 5,2 gU/cm3

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    Aslina Br. Ginting

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Meningkatnya densitas uranium dari 2,96 gU/cm3 menjadi 5,2 gU/cm3 bahan bakar U3Si2/Al harus diikuti dengan penggunaan kelongsong yang kompatibel. Bahan bakar berdensitas tinggi mempunyai kekerasan yang tinggi, sehingga bila menggunakan paduan AlMg2 sebagai kelongsong dapat menyebabkan terjadi dogbone pada saat perolan. Selain fenomena dogbone, pada saat bahan bakar tersebut digunakan di reaktor dapat terjadi swelling karena meningkatnya hasil fisi maupun burn up. Oleh karena itu, perlu dicari pengganti bahan kelongsong untuk bahan bakar U3Si2/Al densitas tinggi. Pada penelitian ini telah dilakukan karakterisasi paduan AlMgSi sebagai kandidat pengganti kelongsong AlMg2. Karakterisasi yang dilakukan meliputi analisis termal, kekerasan, mikrostruktur dan laju korosi. Analisis termal dilakukan menggunakan DTA (Differential Thermal Analysis dan DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Analisis kekerasan menggunakan alat uji kekerasan mikro, mikrostruktur menggunakan SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope dan analisis laju korosi dilakukan dengan pemanasan pada temperatur 150 oC selama 77 jam di dalam autoclave. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa kelongsong AlMgSi maupun AlMg2 mempunyai kompatibilitas panas dengan bahan bakar U3Si2/Al cukup stabil hingga temperatur 650 oC. Kelongsong AlMgSi mempunyai kekerasan sebesar 115 HVN dan kelongsong AlMg2 sebesar 70,1 HVN. Sementara itu, analisis mikrostruktur menunjukkan bahwa morfologi ikatan antarmuka (interface bonding kelongsong AlMgSi lebih baik dari kelongsong AlMg2, demikian halnya dengan laju korosi bahwa kelongsong AlMgSi mempunyai laju korosi lebih kecil dibanding kelongsong AlMg2. Hasil karakterisasi termal, kekerasan, mikrostruktur dan laju korosi menunjukkan bahwa PEB U3Si2/Al densitas 5,2 gU/cm3 menggunakan kelongsong AlMgSi lebih baik dibanding PEB U3Si2/Al  densitas 5,2 gU/cm3  menggunakan kelongsong AlMg2. Kata kunci: U3Si2/Al, densitas 5,2 gU/cm3, kelongsong AlMgSi dan AlMg2.

  9. PEMBUATAN DAN KARAKTERISASI NANOPARTIKEL EKSTRAK ETANOL TEMU KUNCI (Boesenbergia pandurata PADA BERBAGAI VARIASI KOMPOSISI KITOSAN

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    Dessy Kurniasari

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk membuat dan mengetahui karakteristik nanopartikel dari ekstrak etanol temu kunci (Boesenbergia pandurata dan rasio optimal variasi konsentrasi kitosan dan NaTPP dalam pembuatan nanopartikel temu kunci.             Pembuatan ekstrak temu kunci (Boesenbergia pandurata menggunakan metode maserasi menggunakan etanol teknis 96% dilanjutkan evaporasi hingga terbentuk ekstrak kental temu kunci. Koloid nanopartikel dibuat dengan mencampurkan ekstrak temu kunci dalam etanol p.a, akuades, larutan kitosan dalam asam asetat glasial, dan larutan NaTPP. Ada 9 variasi komposisi antara larutan kitosan dan  NaTPP yakni rasio (5:1; (10:1; (15:1; (20:1; (3,33:1; (8:1; (9:1; (11:1; dan (12:1. Padatan dalam koloid nanopartikel dipisahkan dengan cara sentrifugasi. Endapan yang didapatkan disimpan dalam freezer. Koloid nanopartikel yang terbentuk dikarakterisasi menggunakan Particle Size Analyzer (PSA dan Zeta Sizeruntuk mengetahui ukuran partikel dan nilai zeta potensial. Padatan yang didapatkan dari proses sentrifugasi selanjutnya dikarakterisasi menggunakan Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM untuk mengetahui kondisi morfologi padatan tersebut. Karakterisasi dengan KLT pada padatan yang didapatkan bertujuan untuk mengetahui kesamaan kandungan senyawa antara ekstrak etanol temu kunci dan ekstrak etanol temu kunci dalam sediaan berukuran nano.             Koloid nanopartikel yang telah dibuat berwarna kuning dan setelah di sentrifugasi terbentuk padatan berwarna kuning kecokelatan. Karakterisasi menggunakan PSA menunjukkan ukuran partikel pada rentang 389-877 nm sebanyak 98,1% pada rasio konsentrasi kitosan dan NaTPP = (8:1. Nilai rerata zeta potensial adalah 41,87 mV. Hasil foto SEM menunjukkan morfologi partikel yang memiliki permukaan yang tidak rata. Rf keenam sampel menunjukkan hasil bahwa senyawa yang terkandung dalam ekstrak etanol temu kunci maupun ekstrak etanol temu kunci dalam sediaan nanopartikel

  10. Sintesis dan Karakterisasi Material Nanokomposit CNT/MnO2 Untuk Aplikasi Material Superkapasitor

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    A. Subagio

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Telah dilakukan fabrikasi material nanokomposit CNT/MnO2 sebagai material elektroda superkapasitor dengan reaksi redox antara CNT dan KMnO4. Variasi komposisi dari kedua bahan tersebut dilakukan untuk mengetahui sifat struktur, morfologi dan kelistrikannya dengan perbandingan massa CNT/MnO2 sebesar 0, 25, 50 dan 75%. Pola struktur kristal dan morfologi dari material serbuk nanokomposit CNT/MnO2 dikarakterisasi dengan X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM dan transmission electron microscope (TEM, sedangkan pola ikatannya dikarakterisasi dengan FTIR. Serbuk nanokomposit CNT/MnO2 ini selanjutnya dibuat pellet berbentuk silinder berukuran diameter 1 cm dan ketebalan 2 mm dengan variasi penambahan pengikat polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF sebesar 10, 20 dan 30% dari campuran CNT/MnO2. Pellet dari material CNT/MnO2 ini selanjutnya dipanaskan pada temperatur 70 oC selama 1 jam. Hasil pengukuran resistansinya menunjukkan bahwa material CNT/MnO2 dengan perbandingan massa CNT/MnO2 sebesar 75% dan penambahan pengikat PVDF sebesar 20% menunjukkan nilai resistansi yang paling rendah. Selanjutnya prototip superkapasitor CNT/MnO2 dengan menggunakan PVDF sebesar 20% diukur dengan metode electrochemical impedance spectroscopy menghasilkan nilai kapasitansi spesifik sebesar 7,86 F/gr. Nanocomposite materials CNT/MnO2 have been fabricated as candidate of supercapacitor electrode material with a redox reaction between CNT and KMnO4. Variations in the composition of the two materials were carried out to determine the structure, morphology and electrical properties of CNT/MnO2 with mass ratio of 0, 25, 50 and 75 %. Pattern of the crystal structure and morphology of the CNT/MnO2 nanocomposite powder were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM and transmission electron microscope (TEM, while the bond pattern was characterized by FTIR. CNT/MnO2 nanocomposite powder was managed to make cylindrical pellets with

  11. Karakterisasi Mutu dan Nilai Gizi Nasi Mocaf dari Beras Analog - (Characterization of Quality and Nutrition Value of Cooked Rice Mocaf from Rice Analog

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    Enny Hawani Loebis

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Dependence on rice consumption needs to be reduced to overcome the problems of rice supply and health problems. Alternative proposed is producing mocaf-based rice analog. This research aims to study the quality characterization and nutritional value of mocaf-based rice analog. Rice mocaf was made based on mixture of mocaf, rice flour, water and palm oil using variable: 50, 60 and 70% mocaf.  Mocaf rice then cooked by using rice cooker, steamer or microwave. The results showed mocaf rice 60% yield highest calorific value.  The best cooking method  was steaming that resulted nutrient content and calorific value consisting of 49.15% water; 2.05% fat; 2.09% protein; 46.45% carbohydrate; 35.8 mg/kg of iron; 403.4 mg/kg of potassium; 193.8 mg/kg of calcium, 2.0 mg/kg of vitamin B1 and 212.53 ca/100 g calorific value.Keywords: mocaf, nutritional value, quality characterisation, rice ABSTRAKKetergantungan pada konsumsi beras perlu dikurangi untuk mengatasi permasalahan pasokan beras dan masalah kesehatan. Alternatif yang dapat diusulkan adalah dengan pembuatan beras analog berbasis mocaf. Penelitian ini bertujuan mempelajari karakterisasi mutu dan nilai gizi nasi mocaf dari beras analog. Beras mocaf dibuat berdasarkan campuran mocaf, tepung beras, air dan minyak goreng sawit, dengan komposisi mocaf  50, 60 dan 70%. Beras mocaf kemudian dimasak dengan cara menggunakan rice cooker, pengukusan atau microwave. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan beras mocaf 60% menghasilkan nasi mocaf dengan nilai kalori tertinggi. Pemasakan terbaik adalah dengan cara pengukusan dengan kandungan gizi dan nilai kalori yang dihasilkan terdiri dari 49,15%  air; 2,05% lemak; 2,09% protein; 46,45% karbohidrat; 35,8 mg/kg besi; 403,4 mg/kg kalium; 193,8 mg/kg kalsium, 2,0 mg/kg vitamin B1 dan 212,53 kal/100 g nilai kalori.Kata kunci: beras, karakterisasi mutu, mocaf, nilai gizi

  12. Karakterisasi dan Aplikasi Enzim Transglutaminase dari Streptoverticillium ladakanum pada Daging Lumat IKan Mata Goyang

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    Yusro Nuri Fawzya

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Telah dilakukan karakterisasi enzim transglutaminase mikroba (MTGase yang diproduksi dari Streptoverticillium ladakanumdengan menggunakan media yang mengandung limbah cair tahu dan hidrolisat tepung tapioka. Enzim MTGase yang dikarakteris as i merupakan enzim kasar yang telah dipekatkan menggunakan ultrafiltrasi dan dikeringbekukan. Enzim ini kemudian diaplikasikan pada daging lumat ikan mata goyang (Priacanthus macracanthus lalu diamati sifat fisik (tekstur produk restrukturisasi yang dihasilkan. Sebagai pembanding,  dilakukan aplikasi TGase komersial (KTGase pada daging lumat yang sama. Penambahan TGase dilakukan dengan 2 cara, yaitu:  (1 bersama-sama dengan garam NaCl 1%, (2 bersama-sama dengan garam NaCl 1% dan sodium kaseinat 1%. Sebagai control adalah daging lumat ditambah garam N aCl 1% (tanpa penambahan enzim TGase. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa MTGase dari S. ladakanumbekerja optimum pada pH 8 dan suhu 55°C. Aktivitas enzim ini relatif tidak terpengaruh oleh adanya ion logam Ca2+,Mg2+, Na+, dan K+maupun inhibitor seperti ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA, dan phenylmethyl-sulfonylfluoride(PMSF. Enzim MTGase tanpa penambahan sodium kaseinat menunjukkan kemampuan membentuk gel yang tidak berbeda dengan TGase komersial, menghasilkan kekuatan gel 16848 g mm dan nilai kekenyalan 0,97. Enzim ini juga terbukti dapat meningkatkan kekuatan gel, kekenyalan, dan kepadatan produk restrukturisasi daging lumat ikan yang hanya ditambah garam NaCl saja atau yang ditambah garam NaCl dan sodium kaseinat.

  13. KARAKTERISASI ENZIM KITOSANASE DAR] ISOLAT BAKTERI KPU 2123 DAN APLIKASINYA UNTUK PRODUKS1 OLIGOMER KITOSAN

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    Yusro Nuri Fawzya

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian ini merupakan sebagian dari rangkaian penelitian mengenai eksplorasi enzim kitinolitik dari mikroba lingkungan laut, khususnya dari limbah udang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi isolat bakteri KPU 2123 dari limbah udang, mengkarakterisasi dan mengaplikasikan enzim kitosanase yang dihasilkan oleh bakteri tersebut untuk produksi oligomer kitosan dan menguji bioaktivitas oligomer kitosan tersebut sebagai antitumor dan antibakteri. Karakterisasi enzim dilakukan dengan menguji aktivitas enzim pada berbagai suhu dan pH. Selain itu juga ditentukan besarnya aktivitas yang tersisa setelah enzim diinkubasi pada suhu dan lama waktu tertentu. Pengaruh ion logam terhadap aktivitas enzim juga dilihat dengan mereaksikan enzim dengan 1 mM ion logam dalam bentuk larutan khlorida. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa berdasarkan analisis gen 16S-rRNA, isolat bakteri KPU 2123 memiliki kemiripan 95% dengan Stanotrophomonas maltophilia. Enzim kitosanase dari isolat ini bekerja optimal pada suhu 50 ºC dan pH 6. Enzim ini cukup stabil pada suhu 37 ºC selama 120 menit. Penambahan ion logam berpengaruh terhadap aktivitas enzim. Ion logam Zn²+ (sebagai garam klorida 1 mM menghambat 100% aktivitas enzim tersebut. Penggunaan enzim kitosanase dalam menghidrolisis substrat kitosan, menghasilkan oligomer kitosan yang mengandung tetramer, pentamer dan heksamer Oligor kitosan tersebut mampu menghambat pertumbuhan bakteri Staphylococcus aureus sebesar 10,06% dan dapat menyebabkan kematian sel HeLa dengan LC50 pada dosis 120 ppm.

  14. Analisis Hasil Sintesis Serbuk TiO2 / ZnO sebagai Lapisan Elektroda untuk Aplikasi Dye-sensitized Solar Cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lilis Retnaningsih

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Pada penelitian ini telah dilakukan sintesis antara serbuk partikel nano TiO2 dan serbuk partikel nano ZnO menjadi pasta yang akan diaplikasikan sebagai elektroda pada dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC. Elektroda pada DSSC ini bekerja berdasarkan adsorbsi foton oleh pewarna, elektron yang tereksitasi ditransfer ke TiO2/ZnO yang mempunyai perbandingan berbeda. Dimensi material partikel nano TiO2/ZnO sebagai elektroda sangat penting untuk menghasilkan efisiensi yang lebih tinggi pada DSSC. Sifat ini sangat dipengaruh oleh metoda pabrikasi elektroda TiO2/ZnO dan parameternya. Pada penelitian ini digunakan metoda doctor blade untuk pabrikasi DSSC dan larutan dyes (Z907 sebagai zat pewarna. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh pencampuran serbuk TiO2 dan serbuk ZnO sebagai elektroda. Teknik pembuatan pasta TiO2/ZnO sebagai elektroda sangat penting untuk menghasilkan efisiensi tinggi pada DSSC. Teknik ini sangat terkait dengan material TiO2/ZnO, metoda pabrikasi, dan parameter pengukurannya. Dalam penelitian ini dibahas hasil karakterisasi XRD pada kedua serbuk TiO2 dan ZnO, hasil SEM pada pencampuran kedua material, hasil pengujian IPCE serta hasil pengukuran effisiensi pada pengujian I - V.

  15. Materials as stem cell regulators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, William L.; McDevitt, Todd C.; Engler, Adam J.

    2014-01-01

    The stem cell/material interface is a complex, dynamic microenvironment in which the cell and the material cooperatively dictate one another's fate: the cell by remodelling its surroundings, and the material through its inherent properties (such as adhesivity, stiffness, nanostructure or degradability). Stem cells in contact with materials are able to sense their properties, integrate cues via signal propagation and ultimately translate parallel signalling information into cell fate decisions. However, discovering the mechanisms by which stem cells respond to inherent material characteristics is challenging because of the highly complex, multicomponent signalling milieu present in the stem cell environment. In this Review, we discuss recent evidence that shows that inherent material properties may be engineered to dictate stem cell fate decisions, and overview a subset of the operative signal transduction mechanisms that have begun to emerge. Further developments in stem cell engineering and mechanotransduction are poised to have substantial implications for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. PMID:24845994

  16. Pengaruh Variasi Kadar Zn Dan Temperatur Hydrotermal Terhadap Struktur Dan Nilai Konduktivitas Elektrik Material Graphene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lita Nur Azizah

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Graphene adalah bentuk 2D dari karbon dengan sifat-sifat unggul yang menarik untuk dikembangkan. Permasalahan yang kemudian muncul adalah proses sintesis massal yang masih menjadi kendala. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mensintesis material graphene secara kimiawi dengan menggunakan reduktor zinc dan metode hydrothermal dan menganalisa pengaruh varaiasi penambahan massa sebesar 0,8 gram, 1,6 gram, dan 2,4 gram zinc serta variasi temperatur hydrthermal 160ᵒC, 180ᵒC, 200ᵒC. Proses karakterisasi material graphene dilakukan dengan pengujian Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Uji Iodine number, dan Four Point Probe digunakan untuk mengetahui nilai konduktivitas elektrik material. Morfologi dari graphene yang dihasilkan berbentuk lembaran-lembaran transparan dan disertai dengan kerutan pada permukaannya. Nilai konduktivitas elektrik terbesar dihasilkan dari variasi panambahan serbuk zinc sebesar 0,8 gram dan temperatur hydrothermal sebesar 200ᵒC dengan nilai sebesar 0,10281 S/cm dan bilangan iodine 11384,64.

  17. Solar cell materials developing technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Conibeer, Gavin J

    2014-01-01

    This book presents a comparison of solar cell materials, including both new materials based on organics, nanostructures and novel inorganics and developments in more traditional photovoltaic materials. It surveys the materials and materials trends in the field including third generation solar cells (multiple energy level cells, thermal approaches and the modification of the solar spectrum) with an eye firmly on low costs, energy efficiency and the use of abundant non-toxic materials.

  18. Pengaruh Massa Zn Dan Temperatur Hydrotermal Terhadap Struktur Dan Sifat Elektrik Material Graphene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Rizki Ilhami

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Kemajuan teknologi yang sangat berkembang pada saat ini membutuhkan material yang tidak hanya kecil ataupun ringan, tetapi juga memiliki sifat thermal, elektrik, dan mekanik yang baik. Graphene adalah material yang dapat menjawab kebutuhan hal tersebut. Permasalahan yang kemudian muncul adalah proses sintesis massal yang masih menjadi kendala. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mensintesis material graphene dengan metode hydrothermal dan menggunakan serbuk Zn sebagai reduktor. Penelitian ini menganalisa pengaruh varaiasi penambahan massa sebesar 0,8 gram, 1,6 gram, dan 2,4 gram zinc serta variasi temperatur hydrthermal 160ᵒC, 180ᵒC, 200ᵒC. Proses karakterisasi material graphene dilakukan dengan pengujian Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD, Fourier Transform Infraredspectroscopy, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis/Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TGA/DSC, dan Four Point Probe digunakan untuk mengetahui nilai konduktivitas elektrik material. Morfologi dari graphene yang dihasilkan berbentuk lembaran-lembaran transparan dan tipis yang saling menumpuk.Semakin banyak serbuk Zn yang diberikan menjadikan permukaan graphene semakin tipis. Nilai konduktivitas elektrik terbesar dihasilkan dari variasi panambahan serbuk zinc sebesar 2,4 gram dan temperatur hydrothermal sebesar 180ᵒC dengan nilai sebesar 0,012526 S/cm.

  19. Materials for low-temperature fuel cells

    CERN Document Server

    Ladewig, Bradley; Yan, Yushan; Lu, Max

    2014-01-01

    There are a large number of books available on fuel cells; however, the majority are on specific types of fuel cells such as solid oxide fuel cells, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, or on specific technical aspects of fuel cells, e.g., the system or stack engineering. Thus, there is a need for a book focused on materials requirements in fuel cells. Key Materials in Low-Temperature Fuel Cells is a concise source of the most important and key materials and catalysts in low-temperature fuel cells. A related book will cover key materials in high-temperature fuel cells. The two books form part

  20. Materials for high-temperature fuel cells

    CERN Document Server

    Jiang, San Ping; Lu, Max

    2013-01-01

    There are a large number of books available on fuel cells; however, the majority are on specific types of fuel cells such as solid oxide fuel cells, proton exchange membrane fuel cells, or on specific technical aspects of fuel cells, e.g., the system or stack engineering. Thus, there is a need for a book focused on materials requirements in fuel cells. Key Materials in High-Temperature Fuel Cells is a concise source of the most important and key materials and catalysts in high-temperature fuel cells with emphasis on the most important solid oxide fuel cells. A related book will cover key mater

  1. KARAKTERISTIK MORFOLOGIS DAN GENETIS IKAN LELE AFRIKA (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822 STRAIN MUTIARA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bambang Iswanto

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Ikan lele Mutiara merupakan strain baru ikan lele Afrika Clarias gariepinus hasil pemuliaan yang memiliki keunggulan karakteristik budidaya. Selain karakteristik budidayanya, karakteristik morfologis dan genetis ikan lele Mutiara juga perlu dibandingkan dengan strain yang lain. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis karakteristik morfologis ikan lele Mutiara (melalui uji morfometrik dan meristik, serta karakteristik genetis menggunakan marka DNA mikrosatelit dibandingkan dengan ikan lele Mesir, Paiton, Sangkuriang, dan Dumbo yang merupakan induk-induk pembentuknya. Karakterisasi morfometrik dilakukan melalui pengukuran terhadap 20 karakter, sedangkan karakterisasi meristik dilakukan melalui penghitungan terhadap lima karakter sesuai metode standar karakterisasi biometrik-morfologis ikan lele. Data karakteristik morfometrik dan meristik dievaluasi dengan menggunakan analisis komponen utama. Hasil karakterisasi morfologis menunjukkan bahwa karakteristik morfometrik dan meristik ikan lele Mutiara tidak dapat dibedakan dari ikan lele Mesir, Paiton, Sangkuriang, dan Dumbo. Karakterisasi secara genetis dengan menggunakan empat primer DNA mikrosatelit untuk ikan lele Afrika (Cga01, Cga02, Cga05, dan Cga09 menunjukkan bahwa ikan lele Mutiara memiliki keragaman genetis (jumlah alel dan heterozigositas yang relatif lebih tinggi daripada ikan lele Mesir, Paiton, Sangkuriang, dan Dumbo.

  2. Semiconductor materials for solar photovoltaic cells

    CERN Document Server

    Wong-Ng, Winnie; Bhattacharya, Raghu

    2016-01-01

    This book reviews the current status of semiconductor materials for conversion of sunlight to electricity, and highlights advances in both basic science and manufacturing.  Photovoltaic (PV) solar electric technology will be a significant contributor to world energy supplies when reliable, efficient PV power products are manufactured in large volumes at low cost.  Expert chapters cover the full range of semiconductor materials for solar-to-electricity conversion, from crystalline silicon and amorphous silicon to cadmium telluride, copper indium gallium sulfide selenides, dye sensitized solar cells, organic solar cells, and environmentally friendly copper zinc tin sulfide selenides. The latest methods for synthesis and characterization of solar cell materials are described, together with techniques for measuring solar cell efficiency. Semiconductor Materials for Solar Photovoltaic Cells presents the current state of the art as well as key details about future strategies to increase the efficiency and reduce ...

  3. PENGGUNAAN KARBON AKTIF DARI AMPAS TEBU SEBAGAI ADSORBEN ZAT WARNA PROCION MERAH DARI INDUSTRI SONGKET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melyza Fitri Permanda Sari

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Telah dilakukan penelitian penggunaan karbon aktif dari ampas tebu untuk menyerap zat warna procion merah dari industri songket. Pembuatan karbon aktif dilakukan dengan proses karbonisasi pada temperatur 4500C selama 2 jam, karbon aktif yang dihasilkan dilakukan karakterisasi FTIR untuk mengetahui gugus fungsinya serta karakterisasi BET untuk mengetahui luas permukan. Kondisi optimum adsorpsi karbon aktif dari ampas tebu terhadap procion merah dilakukan dengan beberapa variabel, meliputi waktu kontak, berat karbon aktif, dan pH. Hasil karakterisasi FTIR pada karbon aktif dari ampas tebu memiliki gugus fungsi -CO- dan –OH, sedangkan karakterisasi BET karbon aktif dari ampas tebu sebesar 29,2 m2/g. Kondisi optimum adsorpsi karbon aktif dari ampas tebu diperoleh waktu kontak 90 menit dengan berat karbon aktif 0,1 g dan pH optimum 5. Karbon aktif dari ampas tebu mengikuti isotherm Langmuir, efektifitas penyerapan zat warna procion merah dari limbah cair industri songket oleh karbon aktif dari ampas tebu dalam kondisi optimum, sebesar 76,3%.

  4. KARAKTERISASI GENETIKA RUMPUT LAUT Kappaphycus alvarezii YANG DIBUDIDAYAKAN DI SULAWESI SELATAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andi Parenrengi

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Karakterisasi genetika rumput laut Kappaphycus alvarezii telah dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknik Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui variasi genetika rumput laut K. alvarezii dari beberapa lokasi budi daya di Sulawesi Selatan yakni Polmas, Pinrang, Takalar, dan Bantaeng. Sampel dipreservasi dengan menggunakan larutan TNES-Urea sebelum ekstraksi DNA. Ekstraksi genom DNA dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode konvensional fenol-khloroform. Amplifikasi DNA dilakukan dengan teknik Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR. Untuk dokumentasi riset, hasil PCR dielektroforesis pada agarosa gel dengan menggunakan buffer TBE. Data dianalisis menggunakan program Tools for Population Genetic Analyses (TFPGA. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kelima “primers” (P-40, P-50, DALRP, Ca01, dan Ca-02 yang digunakan dapat menghasilkan beberapa fragmen spesifik yang mengindikasikan fragmen spesifik spesies dan lokasi budi daya K. alvarezii. Keragaan genetika intra dan inter lokasi rumput laut menunjukkan variasi yang relatif kecil yang ditandai dengan rendahnya perbedaan jumlah/ukuran fragmen DNA, polimorfisme, indeks similaritas, dan jarak genetikanya. Total fragmen yang didapatkan dari lima primer adalah 47—55 pada ukuran fragmen 175—2.600 bp, sedangkan polimorfisme dan indeks similaritas masing-masing adalah 3,6%—31,0% dan 0,79%—0,99%. Jarak genetika antar beberapa lokasi K. alvarezii berkisar antara 0,1758—0,5689 di mana kekerabatan yang terdekat didapatkan antara Takalar dan Bantaeng. Genetic characterization of seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii was observed using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD technique to reveal the genetic variability of seaweed from different locations in South Sulawesi. The sample of farmed seaweed K. alvarezii was collected from Polmas, Pinrang, Takalar, and Bantaeng. Genomic DNA was extracted by using the conventional method of phenol-chloroform. Sample was preserved by TNES-Urea buffer prior to

  5. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AIR-THEME INTEGRATED SCIENCE TEACHING MATERIAL USING FOUR STEPS TEACHING MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Arifin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The purposes of this study are to develop, to test the feasibility, to describe the characteristic, and to test the students understanding about integrated science teaching material about air using Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4S TMD. The Research and Development method was use to develop integrated science teaching materials which is involving  all science perspectives that are not presented in junior high school science book. The air theme was chosen in this study since it can be explained using biology, chemistry, physics, and earth and space science  perspectives. Development the teaching materials was consists of selection, structuring, characterization, and reduction didactic steps. Based on the of feasibility test results, the teaching material is qualified in content, presentation, language, and graphic feasibility aspects. The characteristic of this teaching material expose the closeness theme with student daily lifes and its compatibility with National Books Standard. Based on the understanding test results, the teaching material is qualified in understanding aspect with high category. It can be concluded that the teaching material qualified to be used as supplement teaching material of science learning.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan, menguji kelayakan, memaparkan karakteristik, dan menguji keterpahaman bahan ajar IPA terpadu pada tema udara untuk siswa SMP kelas VII melalui Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4S TMD. Penelitian dengan metode Research and Development (R&D ini dilatar belakangi oleh tidak tersedianya bahan ajar IPA SMP yang disajikan secara terpadu melalui tema udara. Pengembangan bahan ajar IPA terpadu tema udara terdiri dari tahap seleksi, strukturisasi, karakterisasi dan reduksi didaktik. Berdasarkan uji kelayakan, bahan ajar telah memenuhi aspek kelayakan isi, kelayakan penyajian, kelayakan bahasa dan kelayakan kegrafikan. Karakteristik bahan ajar meliputi kedekatan tema bahan ajar

  6. Biomimetic materials for controlling bone cell responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drevelle, Olivier; Faucheux, Nathalie

    2013-01-01

    Bone defects that cannot "heal spontaneously during life" will become an ever greater health problem as populations age. Harvesting autografts has several drawbacks, such as pain and morbidity at both donor and acceptor sites, the limited quantity of material available, and frequently its inappropriate shape. Researchers have therefore developed alternative strategies that involve biomaterials to fill bone defects. These biomaterials must be biocompatible and interact with the surrounding bone tissue to allow their colonization by bone cells and blood vessels. The latest generation biomaterials are not inert; they control cell responses like adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. These biomaterials are called biomimetic materials. This review focuses on the development of third generation materials. We first briefly describe the bone tissue with its cells and matrix, and then how bone cells interact with the extracellular matrix. The next section covers the materials currently used to repair bone defects. Finally, we describe the strategies employed to modify the surface of materials, such as coating with hydroxyapatite and grafting biomolecules.

  7. Sintesis dan Karakterisasi Polianilina Doping Asam Klorida dengan Metode Interfasial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iman Rahayu

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The growing interest in nanostructured conducting polymers is caused by expanding area of their practical application. Conducting polymers can be used in new electronic devices (transistors, displays, sensors, energy storage and memory cells, materials for shielding electromagnetic irradiation, inhibition of corrosion, membrane constructing, catalysis and medicine. The studies of polyaniline (PANI and other conducting polymers have shown that they possess semiconducting properties. Due to its high stability and unique complex of properties, PANI was the first among conducting polymers to be used in practice as an electrode material for batteries, as a corrosion inhibitor and detecting material for sensors. PANI without dopant material possesses controlled conductivity 10-10 S∙cm-1. PANI was synthesized by the interfacial method by oxidation of aniline with ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS as an oxidant in an immiscible organic/aqueous biphasic system, with hydrochloric acid as dopant. An organic phase contained aniline dissolved in toluene, while the oxidant was dissolved in acid. The produced PANIs have conductivities in the range 0.03-0.07 S.cm−1. Their nanofiber morphology was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Molecular structure of synthesized PANIs was investigated by FTIR Spectroscopy. DOI :http://dx.doi.org/10.15408/jkv.v0i0.3143

  8. How the relative permittivity of solar cell materials influences solar cell performance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Crovetto, Andrea; Huss-Hansen, Mathias K.; Hansen, Ole

    2017-01-01

    of the materials permittivity on the physics and performance of the solar cell by means of numerical simulation supported by analytical relations. We demonstrate that, depending on the specific solar cell configuration and materials properties, there are scenarios where the relative permittivity has a major......The relative permittivity of the materials constituting heterojunction solar cells is usually not considered as a design parameter when searching for novel combinations of heterojunction materials. In this work, we investigate the validity of such an approach. Specifically, we show the effect...... the heterojunction partner has a high permittivity, solar cells are consistently more robust against several non-idealities that are especially likely to occur in early-stage development, when the device is not yet optimized....

  9. Hydrogen storage material, electrochemically active material, electrochemical cell and electronic equipment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    2008-01-01

    The invention relates to a hydrogen storage material comprising an alloy of magnesium. The invention further relates to an electrochemically active material and an electrochemical cell provided with at least one electrode comprising such a hydrogen storage material. Also, the invention relates to

  10. Cell-Based Fabrication of Organic/Inorganic Composite Gel Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takayoshi Nakano

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomaterials containing components similar to the native biological tissue would have benefits as an implantable scaffold material. To obtain such biomimetic materials, cells may be great contributors because of their crucial roles in synthetic organics. In addition, the synthesized organics—especially those derived from osteogenic differentiated cells—become a place where mineral crystals nucleate and grow even in vitro. Therefore to fabricate an organic/inorganic composite material, which is similar to the biological osteoid tissue, bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs were cultured in a 3D fibrin gel in this study. BMSCs secreted bone-related proteins that enhanced the biomineralization within the gel when the cells were cultured with an osteogenic differentiation medium. The compositions of both synthesized matrices and precipitated minerals in the obtained materials altered depending on the cell culture period. The mineral obtained in the 3D gel showed low crystalline hydroxyapatite. The composite materials also showed excellent osteoconductivity with new bone formation when implanted in mice tibiae. Thus, we demonstrated the contributions of cells for fabricating implantable organic/inorganic composite gel materials and a method for controlling the material composition in the gel. This cell-based material fabrication method would be a novel method to fabricate organic/inorganic composite biomimetic materials for bone tissue engineering.

  11. Device and materials modeling in PEM fuel cells

    CERN Document Server

    Promislow, Keith

    2009-01-01

    Device and Materials Modeling in PEM Fuel Cells is a specialized text that compiles the mathematical details and results of both device and materials modeling in a single volume. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells will likely have an impact on our way of life similar to the integrated circuit. The potential applications range from the micron scale to large scale industrial production. Successful integration of PEM fuel cells into the mass market will require new materials and a deeper understanding of the balance required to maintain various operational states. This book contains articles from scientists who contribute to fuel cell models from both the materials and device perspectives. Topics such as catalyst layer performance and operation, reactor dynamics, macroscopic transport, and analytical models are covered under device modeling. Materials modeling include subjects relating to the membrane and the catalyst such as proton conduction, atomistic structural modeling, quantum molecular dynamics, an...

  12. Cornell Fuel Cell Institute: Materials Discovery to Enable Fuel Cell Technologies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abruna, H.D.; DiSalvo, Francis J.

    2012-06-29

    The discovery and understanding of new, improved materials to advance fuel cell technology are the objectives of the Cornell Fuel Cell Institute (CFCI) research program. CFCI was initially formed in 2003. This report highlights the accomplishments from 2006-2009. Many of the grand challenges in energy science and technology are based on the need for materials with greatly improved or even revolutionary properties and performance. This is certainly true for fuel cells, which have the promise of being highly efficient in the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy. Fuel cells offer the possibility of efficiencies perhaps up to 90 % based on the free energy of reaction. Here, the challenges are clearly in the materials used to construct the heart of the fuel cell: the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The MEA consists of two electrodes separated by an ionically conducting membrane. Each electrode is a nanocomposite of electronically conducting catalyst support, ionic conductor and open porosity, that together form three percolation networks that must connect to each catalyst nanoparticle; otherwise the catalyst is inactive. This report highlights the findings of the three years completing the CFCI funding, and incudes developments in materials for electrocatalyts, catalyst supports, materials with structured and functional porosity for electrodes, and novel electrolyte membranes. The report also discusses developments at understanding electrocatalytic mechanisms, especially on novel catalyst surfaces, plus in situ characterization techniques and contributions from theory. Much of the research of the CFCI continues within the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc2), a DOE funded, Office of Science Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC).

  13. KARAKTERISASI ENZIM POLIFENOL OKSIDASE BIJI KAKAO (Theobroma cacao Linn. Characterization of Polyphenol Oxidase Enzyme of Cocoa Beans (Theobroma cacao Linn.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G.P. Ganda Putra

    2012-05-01

    max equals to 595,24 U/gram (db of cocoa beans and K equals to 0,20 M; result of SDS- PAGE of enzyme shows protein bands at M� of 11,75; 17,80; 27,80; 36,03 and 131,52 kDa; and finally, optimumcondition of enzyme activity is at the temperature of 53,43oC; pH 5,42 and incubation time of 80,91 minutes. ABSTRAK Telah dilakukan penelitian dengan tujuan untuk: (1 mengetahui karakteristik enzim polifenol oksidase dan (2 menen- tukan kondisi (suhu, pH dan waktu inkubasi optimum aktivitas enzim polifenol oksidase, yang diisolasi dari biji kakao kering. Hasil penelitian berupa kondisi (suhu, pH dan waktu inkubasi optimum aktivitas enzim polifenol oksidase akan diaplikasikan untuk perbaikan mutu biji kakao kering melalui teknik rehidrasi. Penelitian ini dilakukan melalui tahapan: (1 isolasi enzim polifenol oksidase dari 10 sampel biji kakao kering di Provinsi Bali, (2 karakterisasi enzim polifenol oksidase (aktivitas, kinetika enzim, BM dan (3 penentuan kondisi suhu, pH dan waktu inkubasi optimum. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa: (1 aktivitas enzim polifenol oksidase rata-rata 157,49 ± 58,03 U/gram (bk biji kakao dengan aktivitas maksimum 258,22 U/gram (bk biji kakao dan minimum 59,01 U/gram (bk biji kakao; maks sebesar 595,24 U/gram (bk biji kakao dan K sebesar 0,20 M; hasil SDS-PAGE enzim menunjukkan pita-pita protein yang terbentuk pada BM 11,75; 17,80; 27,80; 36,03 dan 131,52 kDa; dan (2 kondisi optimum aktivitas enzimadalah suhu 53,43oC; pH 5,42 dan waktu inkubasi 80,91 menit.

  14. Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Sifat Pati Kacang Hijau (Vigna radiata L. Beberapa Varietas Lokal Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priyanto Triwitono

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Mung beans is a kind of legumes that possesses a potential  amylose to produce low calories RS-3. Studies on the characteristics of the starch will be useful for the treatment of obesity in the future. Isolation and characterization of the properties of mung bean starch of 4 local Indonesian varieties (Walet, Sriti, Murai, and Vima-1 have done. Isolation of starch using a modified method of Hoover. The analyzed properties of starch consist of starch content, amylose content, granular shape, color, swelling power, WHC, the blue value, amylograph and crystallinity properties. The results indicated that the mung bean varieties Walet have the highest amylose content (55.39%, that’s potential as source of  RS-3. Mung beans Walet have the 42.11% of starch content; 35.33% of yield starch; 99.63%  of starch purity; 17.11 g/g of highest swelling power; 65.26 g/g of WHC; 59.36 g/g  of OHC; 8.92% of blue value; Oval granular shape; white  color (88.09 of  Lightness; 78.7 °C of gelatinization temperature; tipe C of X-ray diffraction pattern, and 1430 Cp of the fastest retrograded starch viscosity. ABSTRAK Kacang hijau merupakan jenis kacang-kacangan sumber pati beramilosa tinggi yang potensial menghasilkan RS-3 tinggi dan rendah kalori. Kajian tentang karakteristik patinya akan membuka peluang pemanfaatannya untuk penanganan obesitas di masa datang. Telah dilakukan isolasi dan karakterisasi sifat-sifat pati kacang hijau dari 4 varietas lokal Indonesia (Walet, Sriti, Murai, dan Vima-1. Isolasi pati menggunakan metode Hoover yang dimodifikasi dan sifat-sifat pati yang dianalisis meliputi kadar pati, amilosa, bentuk granula, warna pati, swelling power, WHC, blue value, viskositas, dan sifat kristalinitas pati. Hasil isolasi dan analisis menunjukkan bahwa kacang hijau varietas Walet memiliki kadar amilosa paling tinggi (55,39%, sehingga potensial sebagai bahan dasar RS-3. Kacang hijau Walet menghasilkan kadar pati 42,11%; rendemen pati 35

  15. Observation, Isolation and Characterization of Microalgal Red Tide Agent Dinoflagellates Prorocentrum sp. (Pengamatan, Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Mikroalga Red Tide dari Dinoflagellata Prorocentrum sp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Susilaningsih

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Spesies Dinophyte mempunyai habitat dari kutub, perairan tropis, tetapi semakin berlimpah di perairan tropis atau hangat. Dinophyte diduga sebagai penyebab terjadinya "red tide" sehingga nampak berwarna kuning kemerahan di laut ketikan malam hari disebabkan aktivitas bioluminescence.Penelitian ini menggunakan Dinophyte yang diisolasi dari pantai dan sampel air yang diperoleh dari di Prefektur Iwate, Jepang. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui taksonomi yang menyebabkan blooming. Spesies ini memiliki karakter yang spesifik bernbentuk oval (panjang 20-30 μm dan lebar 1-20 μm, kloroplas berwarna kuning, nukleus yang besar, dua flagel yang berbeda, yang salah satunya disebut flagellum transfer, tidak memiliki selaput tengah yang, ornament sel yang indah "theca"dengan tulang belakang. Berdasarkan hasil squensing pada 18 S rDNA, Dinophyte mempunyai kesamaan dengan strain Prorocentrum MBIC11147 (100%, Di masa yang akan datang penelitian Procentrum sp. bisa menggunakan sebagai model squensing, perilaku pasang mikroalga. Kata kunci: alga, Dinophyte, karakterisasi, isolation, Prorocentrum, red tide Dinophyte species inhabit from polar, temperate to tropical waters, but tend to be more abundant in tropical or warm waters. The Dinophytes is suspected as one of the genera causing red tide in the sea with their yellow-redish colour that make the sea glows in the night because of their bioluminescence activity. In this work, the Dinophyte was isolated from offshore, and water sample collected in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Purposes of the studies were for understanding the taxonomic features in particular of the dinophytes that usually occur in blooming areas. The species has specific characters, such as oval shape ( 20-30 μm long and 1-20 μm wide, yellow chloroplast, large nucleus, possesses two different flagellas which one of them is specific called transfer flagellum, no middle furrow and beautiful ornament cell covering (theca with spine

  16. KARAKTERISASI BIODIESEL DARI MINYAK JELANTAH MENGGUNAKAN PEREAKSI BIOETANOL TETES TEBU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sagung Ngurah Mayuni

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRAK: Biodiesel merupakan bahan bakar alternatif yang dapat disintesis dari minyak jelantah dan alkohol melalui proses esterifikasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan bahan dasar minyak jelantah dengan kadar asam lemak bebas sebesar 9,16 %, dimana alkohol yang digunakan adalah bioetanol tetes tebu. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengkarakterisasi biodiesel hasil esterifikasi dan transesterifikasi minyak jelantah dengan hasil destilasi bioetanol tetes tebu. Metode penelitian yang dilakukan adalah menggunakan perbandingan bervariasi antara minyak jelantah dan etanol yaitu 1 : 1 (B1, 3:1 (B2, 5:1 (B3. Hasil karakterisasi biodiesel diperoleh sesuai dengan SNI berturut-turut untuk densitas B1 = 860,3, B2 = 865,3 , B3 = 866,3 (kg/m3, Viskositas B1 = 19,138 , B2 = 24,881 , B3 = 25,359(mm2/s, Titik NyalaB1 = 138,5, B2 = 93,5, B3 = 212,5 (0C. Titik tuang B1 = 6, B2 = 93,5, B3 = 212,5. Titik Tuang B1 = 6, B2 = 6, dan B3 = 9 (0C. Korosi B1 = 1a, B2 = 1a dan B3 =1a. Untuk kadar air dengan hasil B1 = 0,05, B2 = trace (tidak terdeteksi dan B3 = 0,2 (% v/v.Biodiesel minyak jelantah dan etanol tetes tebu dapat terbentuk, setelah dianalisis dengan kromatografi gas menunjukkan adanya senyawa ester (etil palmitat, etil linoleat, etil laurat dengan waktu retensi masing-masing adalah 17,0, 18,6 , 18,7 menit. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian disimpulkan bioetanol tetes tebu dapat digunakan dalam sintesis biodiesel. Penggunaan bioetanol tetes tebu dalam sintesis biodiesel diperoleh karakteristik sesuai dengan Standar Nasional Indonesia (SNI -04-7182-2006 kecuali viskositas. ABSTRACT: Biodiesel is an alternative energy for fossil fuel. It can be synthesized by esterification of waste cooking oil with alcohol. In this research, the used waste cooking oil contains 9.16 % FFA, while the alcohol used was bioethanol fermented from molase. The aim of this research was to characterize biodiesel produced from esterification and transesterification of used cooking oil with

  17. Electrical research on solar cells and photovoltaic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orehotsky, J.

    1984-01-01

    The flat-plate solar cell array program which increases the service lifetime of the photovoltaic modules used for terrestrial energy applications is discussed. The current-voltage response characteristics of the solar cells encapsulated in the modules degrade with service time and this degradation places a limitation on the useful lifetime of the modules. The most desirable flat-plate array system involves solar cells consisting of highly polarizable materials with similar electrochemical potentials where the cells are encapsulated in polymers in which ionic concentrations and mobilities are negligibly small. Another possible mechanism limiting the service lifetime of the photovoltaic modules is the gradual loss of the electrical insulation characteristics of the polymer pottant due to water absorption or due to polymer degradation from light or heat effects. The mechanical properties of various polymer pottant materials and of electrochemical corrosion mechanisms in solar cell material are as follows: (1) electrical and ionic resistivity; (2) water absorption kinetics and water solubility limits; and (3) corrosion characterization of various metallization systems used in solar cell construction.

  18. Enhancing Solar Cell Efficiency Using Photon Upconversion Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Yunfei; Hao, Shuwei; Yang, Chunhui; Chen, Guanying

    2015-10-27

    Photovoltaic cells are able to convert sunlight into electricity, providing enough of the most abundant and cleanest energy to cover our energy needs. However, the efficiency of current photovoltaics is significantly impeded by the transmission loss of sub-band-gap photons. Photon upconversion is a promising route to circumvent this problem by converting these transmitted sub-band-gap photons into above-band-gap light, where solar cells typically have high quantum efficiency. Here, we summarize recent progress on varying types of efficient upconversion materials as well as their outstanding uses in a series of solar cells, including silicon solar cells (crystalline and amorphous), gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and other types of solar cells. The challenge and prospect of upconversion materials for photovoltaic applications are also discussed.

  19. Enhancing Solar Cell Efficiency Using Photon Upconversion Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunfei Shang

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Photovoltaic cells are able to convert sunlight into electricity, providing enough of the most abundant and cleanest energy to cover our energy needs. However, the efficiency of current photovoltaics is significantly impeded by the transmission loss of sub-band-gap photons. Photon upconversion is a promising route to circumvent this problem by converting these transmitted sub-band-gap photons into above-band-gap light, where solar cells typically have high quantum efficiency. Here, we summarize recent progress on varying types of efficient upconversion materials as well as their outstanding uses in a series of solar cells, including silicon solar cells (crystalline and amorphous, gallium arsenide (GaAs solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells, and other types of solar cells. The challenge and prospect of upconversion materials for photovoltaic applications are also discussed

  20. Novel materials for high-efficiency solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kojima, Nobuaki; Natori, Masato; Suzuki, Hidetoshi; Inagaki, Makoto; Ohshita, Yoshio; Yamaguchi, Masafumi

    2009-08-01

    Our Toyota Technological Institute group has investigated various novel materials for solar cells from organic to III-V compound materials. In this paper, we report our recent results in conductivity control of C60 thin films by metal-doping for organic solar cells, and mobility improvement of (In)GaAsN compounds for III-V tandem solar cells. The epitaxial growth of Mg-doped C60 films was attempted. It was found that the epitaxial growth of Mg-doped C60 film was enabled by using mica (001) substrate in the low Mg concentration region (Mg/C60 molar ratio defects leads this improvement.

  1. Polymeric Materials for Cell Microencapsulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aijaz, A; Perera, D; Olabisi, Ronke M

    2017-01-01

    Mammalian cells have been microencapsulated within both natural and synthetic polymers for over half a century. Specifically, in the last 36 years microencapsulated cells have been used therapeutically to deliver a wide range of drugs, cytokines, growth factors, and hormones while enjoying the immunoisolation provided by the encapsulating material. In addition to preventing immune attack, microencapsulation prevents migration of entrapped cells. Cells can be microencapsulated in a variety of geometries, the most common being solid microspheres and hollow microcapsules. The micrometer scale permits delivery by injection and is within diffusion limits that allow the cells to provide the necessary factors that are missing at a target site, while also permitting the exchange of nutrients and waste products. The majority of cell microencapsulation is performed with alginate/poly-L-lysine microspheres. Since alginate itself can be immunogenic, for cell-based therapy applications various groups are investigating synthetic polymers to microencapsulate cells. We describe a protocol for the formation of microspheres and microcapsules using the synthetic polymer poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA).

  2. Fuel cell electrode interconnect contact material encapsulation and method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derose, Anthony J.; Haltiner, Jr., Karl J.; Gudyka, Russell A.; Bonadies, Joseph V.; Silvis, Thomas W.

    2016-05-31

    A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cell cassettes each including a fuel cell with an anode and a cathode. Each fuel cell cassette also includes an electrode interconnect adjacent to the anode or the cathode for providing electrical communication between an adjacent fuel cell cassette and the anode or the cathode. The interconnect includes a plurality of electrode interconnect protrusions defining a flow passage along the anode or the cathode for communicating oxidant or fuel to the anode or the cathode. An electrically conductive material is disposed between at least one of the electrode interconnect protrusions and the anode or the cathode in order to provide a stable electrical contact between the electrode interconnect and the anode or cathode. An encapsulating arrangement segregates the electrically conductive material from the flow passage thereby, preventing volatilization of the electrically conductive material in use of the fuel cell stack.

  3. Electrode materials for microbial fuel cells: nanomaterial approach

    KAUST Repository

    Mustakeem, Mustakeem

    2015-11-05

    Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has the potential to become a major renewable energy resource by degrading organic pollutants in wastewater. The performance of MFC directly depends on the kinetics of the electrode reactions within the fuel cell, with the performance of the electrodes heavily influenced by the materials they are made from. A wide range of materials have been tested to improve the performance of MFCs. In the past decade, carbon-based nanomaterials have emerged as promising materials for both anode and cathode construction. Composite materials have also shown to have the potential to become materials of choice for electrode manufacture. Various transition metal oxides have been investigated as alternatives to conventional expensive metals like platinum for oxygen reduction reaction. In this review, different carbon-based nanomaterials and composite materials are discussed for their potential use as MFC electrodes.

  4. Electrode materials for microbial fuel cells: nanomaterial approach

    KAUST Repository

    Mustakeem, Mustakeem

    2015-01-01

    Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has the potential to become a major renewable energy resource by degrading organic pollutants in wastewater. The performance of MFC directly depends on the kinetics of the electrode reactions within the fuel cell, with the performance of the electrodes heavily influenced by the materials they are made from. A wide range of materials have been tested to improve the performance of MFCs. In the past decade, carbon-based nanomaterials have emerged as promising materials for both anode and cathode construction. Composite materials have also shown to have the potential to become materials of choice for electrode manufacture. Various transition metal oxides have been investigated as alternatives to conventional expensive metals like platinum for oxygen reduction reaction. In this review, different carbon-based nanomaterials and composite materials are discussed for their potential use as MFC electrodes.

  5. Porous Carbon Materials for Elements in Low-Temperature Fuel Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wlodarczyk R.

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The porosity, distribution of pores, shape of pores and specific surface area of carbon materials were investigated. The study of sintered graphite and commercial carbon materials used in low-temperature fuel cells (Graphite Grade FU, Toray Teflon Treated was compared. The study covered measurements of density, microstructural examinations and wettability (contact angle of carbon materials. The main criterion adopted for choosing a particular material for components of fuel cells is their corrosion resistance under operating conditions of hydrogen fuel cells. In order to determine resistance to corrosion in the environment of operation of fuel cells, potentiokinetic curves were registered for synthetic solution 0.1M H2SO4+ 2 ppmF-at 80°C.

  6. Evaluation of MHD materials for use in high-temperature fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guidotti, R.

    1978-06-15

    The MHD and high-temperature fuel cell literature was surveyed for data pertaining to materials properties in order to identify materials used in MHD power generation which also might be suitable for component use in high-temperature fuel cells. Classes of MHD-electrode materials evaluated include carbides, nitrides, silicides, borides, composites, and oxides. Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/-stabilized ZrO/sub 2/ used as a reference point to evaluate materials for use in the solid-oxide fuel cell. Physical and chemical properties such as electrical resistivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermodynamic stability toward oxidation were used to screen candidate materials. A number of the non-oxide ceramic MHD-electrode materials appear promising for use in the solid-electrolyte and molten-carbonate fuel cell as anodes or anode constituents. The MHD-insulator materials appear suitable candidates for electrolyte-support tiles in the molten-carbonate fuel cells. The merits and possible problem areas for these applications are discussed and additional needed areas of research are delineated.

  7. Perovskite Materials: Solar Cell and Optoelectronic Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Bin [ORNL; Geohegan, David B [ORNL; Xiao, Kai [ORNL

    2017-01-01

    Hybrid organometallic trihalide perovskites are promising candidates in the applications for next-generation, high-performance, low-cost optoelectronic devices, including photovoltaics, light emitting diodes, and photodetectors. Particularly, the solar cells based on this type of materials have reached 22% lab scale power conversion efficiency in only about seven years, comparable to the other thin film photovoltaic technologies. Hybrid perovskite materials not only exhibit superior optoelectronic properties, but also show many interesting physical properties such as ion migration and defect physics, which may allow the exploration of more device functionalities. In this article, the fundamental understanding of the interrelationships between crystal structure, electronic structure, and material properties is discussed. Various chemical synthesis and processing methods for superior device performance in solar cells and optoelectronic devices are reviewed.

  8. Graphene-Based Materials for Stem Cell Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tae-Hyung Kim

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Although graphene and its derivatives have been proven to be suitable for several biomedical applications such as for cancer therapy and biosensing, the use of graphene for stem cell research is a relatively new area that has only recently started to be investigated. For stem cell applications, graphene has been utilized by itself or in combination with other types of materials such as nanoparticles, nanofibers, and polymer scaffolds to take advantage of the several unique properties of graphene, such as the flexibility in size, shape, hydrophilicity, as well as its excellent biocompatibility. In this review, we will highlight a number of previous studies that have investigated the potential of graphene or its derivatives for stem cell applications, with a particular focus on guiding stem cell differentiation into specific lineages (e.g., osteogenesis, neurogenesis, and oligodendrogenesis, promoting stem cell growth, stem cell delivery/transplantation, and effective monitoring of their differentiation. We hope that this review promotes and accelerates the use of graphene-based materials for regenerative therapies, especially for stem cell-based approaches to cure various incurable diseases/disorders such as neurological diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, stroke, spinal cord injuries, bone/cartilage defects, and cardiovascular diseases.

  9. FMIT test cell diagnostics: a unique materials challenge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cannon, C.P.; Fuller, J.L.

    1981-08-01

    Basic materials problems are discussed in instrumenting the FMIT test cell, which are applicable to fusion devices in general. Recent data on ceramic-to-metal seals, mineral insulated instrument cables, thermocouples, and optical components are reviewed. The data makes it clear that it would be a mistake to assume that materials and instruments will behave in the FMIT test cell environment as they do in more familiar fission reactors and low power accelerators

  10. New materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell current collectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hentall, Philip L.; Lakeman, J. Barry; Mepsted, Gary O.; Adcock, Paul L.; Moore, Jon M.

    Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells for automotive applications need to have high power density, and be inexpensive and robust to compete effectively with the internal combustion engine. Development of membranes and new electrodes and catalysts have increased power significantly, but further improvements may be achieved by the use of new materials and construction techniques in the manufacture of the bipolar plates. To show this, a variety of materials have been fabricated into flow field plates, both metallic and graphitic, and single fuel cell tests were conducted to determine the performance of each material. Maximum power was obtained with materials which had lowest contact resistance and good electrical conductivity. The performance of the best material was characterised as a function of cell compression and flow field geometry.

  11. Materials That Enhance Efficiency and Radiation Resistance of Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiadong; Wang, Haorong

    2012-01-01

    A thin layer (approximately 10 microns) of a novel "transparent" fluorescent material is applied to existing solar cells or modules to effectively block and convert UV light, or other lower solar response waveband of solar radiation, to visible or IR light that can be more efficiently used by solar cells for additional photocurrent. Meanwhile, the layer of fluorescent coating material remains fully "transparent" to the visible and IR waveband of solar radiation, resulting in a net gain of solar cell efficiency. This innovation alters the effective solar spectral power distribution to which an existing cell gets exposed, and matches the maximum photovoltaic (PV) response of existing cells. By shifting a low PV response waveband (e.g., UV) of solar radiation to a high PV response waveband (e.g. Vis-Near IR) with novel fluorescent materials that are transparent to other solar-cell sensitive wavebands, electrical output from solar cells will be enhanced. This approach enhances the efficiency of solar cells by converting UV and high-energy particles in space that would otherwise be wasted to visible/IR light. This innovation is a generic technique that can be readily implemented to significantly increase efficiencies of both space and terrestrial solar cells, without incurring much cost, thus bringing a broad base of economical, social, and environmental benefits. The key to this approach is that the "fluorescent" material must be very efficient, and cannot block or attenuate the "desirable" and unconverted" waveband of solar radiation (e.g. Vis-NIR) from reaching the cells. Some nano-phosphors and novel organometallic complex materials have been identified that enhance the energy efficiency on some state-of-the-art commercial silicon and thin-film-based solar cells by over 6%.

  12. Evaluation of options for disposition of dispersible material in B-Cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tokarz, R.D.; Defferding, L.J.; Adickes, M.D.; Keene, K.E.; Pilger, J.P.; Alzheimer, J.M.; Paxton, M.M.

    1993-10-01

    The radioactive contaminants in the dispersible material in B-cell of the 324 Building Radiochemical Energy (RE) hot-cell complex at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington exceed the allowable level. In 1986, there was a spill of 1.3 million curies of concentrated cesium and strontium in B-cell. Cleanup is required, and candidate technologies for cleaning up or otherwise addressing problems associated with the dispersible material are being evaluated by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The RE hot-cell complex in 324 Building was constructed in the late 1950s. From the early 1960s until today the complex has been the site of numerous research, development, and demonstration programs using radioactive and hazardous materials. In mid-FY 1988, a program to clean B-cell was initiated. At present, dispersible material has been collected from 45% of the cell floor area, and 64% of the equipment and support racks have been removed from the cell. The evaluation of decontamination procedures are described

  13. Techniques for remote maintenance of in-cell material-handling system in the HFEF/N main cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tobias, D.A.; Frickey, C.A.

    1975-01-01

    Operations in the main cell of HFEF/N have required development of remote handling equipment and unique techniques for maintaining the in-cell material-handling system. Specially designed equipment is used to remove a disabled crane or electromechanical manipulator bridge from its support rails and place it on floor stands for repair or maintenance. Support areas for the main cell, such as the spray chamber and hot repair area, provide essential decontamination, repair, and staging areas for the in-cell material-handling-system equipment and tools. A combined engineering and technical effort in upgrading existing master-slave manipulators has definitely reduced the requirements for their maintenance. The cell is primarily for postirradiation examination of LMFBR materials and fuel elements

  14. Hybrid Solar Cells: Materials, Interfaces, and Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mariani, Giacomo; Wang, Yue; Kaner, Richard B.; Huffaker, Diana L.

    Photovoltaic technologies could play a pivotal role in tackling future fossil fuel energy shortages, while significantly reducing our carbon dioxide footprint. Crystalline silicon is pervasively used in single junction solar cells, taking up 80 % of the photovoltaic market. Semiconductor-based inorganic solar cells deliver relatively high conversion efficiencies at the price of high material and manufacturing costs. A great amount of research has been conducted to develop low-cost photovoltaic solutions by incorporating organic materials. Organic semiconductors are conjugated hydrocarbon-based materials that are advantageous because of their low material and processing costs and a nearly unlimited supply. Their mechanical flexibility and tunable electronic properties are among other attractions that their inorganic counterparts lack. Recently, collaborations in nanotechnology research have combined inorganic with organic semiconductors in a "hybrid" effort to provide high conversion efficiencies at low cost. Successful integration of these two classes of materials requires a profound understanding of the material properties and an exquisite control of the morphology, surface properties, ligands, and passivation techniques to ensure an optimal charge carrier generation across the hybrid device. In this chapter, we provide background information of this novel, emerging field, detailing the various approaches for obtaining inorganic nanostructures and organic polymers, introducing a multitude of methods for combining the two components to achieve the desired morphologies, and emphasizing the importance of surface manipulation. We highlight several studies that have fueled new directions for hybrid solar cell research, including approaches for maximizing efficiencies by controlling the morphologies of the inorganic component, and in situ molecular engineering via electrochemical polymerization of a polymer directly onto the inorganic nanowire surfaces. In the end, we

  15. Nickel-Tin Electrode Materials for Nonaqueous Li-Ion Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehrlich, Grant M.; Durand, Christopher

    2005-01-01

    Experimental materials made from mixtures of nickel and tin powders have shown promise for use as the negative electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical power cells. During charging (or discharging) of a lithium-ion cell, lithium ions are absorbed into (or desorbed from, respectively) the negative electrode, typically through an intercalation or alloying process. The negative electrodes (for this purpose, designated as anodes) in state-of-the-art Li-ion cells are made of graphite, in which intercalation occurs. Alternatively, the anodes can be made from metals, in which alloying can occur. For reasons having to do with the electrochemical potential of intercalated lithium, metallic anode materials (especially materials containing tin) are regarded as safer than graphite ones; in addition, such metallic anode materials have been investigated in the hope of obtaining reversible charge/discharge capacities greater than those of graphite anodes. However, until now, each of the tin-containing metallic anode formulations tested has been found to be inadequate in some respect.

  16. SINTESIS DAN KARAKTERISASI BIODIESEL DARI MINYAK KEMIRI SUNAN (Reutealis trisperma Oil DENGAN KATALIS KOH (VARIASI KONSENTRASI KATALIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SD Anggraini

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstrak __________________________________________________________________________________________ Pada penelitian ini new feedstock biodesel diproduksi dari crude minyak kemiri sunan (Reutealis Trisperma-Oil (RETRO. RETRO adalah minyak tumbuhan yang melimpah di Indonesia dan belum tereksploitasi dikarenakan sifatnya yang beracun. RETRO disiapkan melalui reaksi esterifikasi dengan metanol menggunakan katalis asam sulfat untuk menurunkan nilai Free Fatty Acid (FFA dan dilanjutkan reaksi transesterifikasi dengan metanol dan katalis basa. Reaksi transesterifikasi RETRO menggunakan katalis kalsium hidroksida (KOH pada variasi 0,5–2,0 %wt minyak telah dilakukan pada suhu 65 °C. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa yield biodesel meningkat dengan meningkatnya konsentrasi katalis (pada 0,5-1,0 %wt dan menurun dengan konsentrasi katalis (pada 1,5-2.0 %wt. Hasil Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME optimum sebesar 83,33% diperoleh dengan menggunakan katalis KOH dengan konsentrasi katalis 1 %wt minyak. Karakterisasi hasil biodesel RETRO dilakukan dengan membandingkannya dengan ASTM D6751-02 diperoleh angka asam 0,55 mgKOH/g, densitas 0,90 g/cm3, viskositas 10,6 cSt pada suhu 40 oC, angka setana 54,7 serta residu karbon 0,24%.   Abstract __________________________________________________________________________________________ In this research new feedstock biodiesel was produced from Crude Reutealis Trisperma-Oil (RETRO. RETRO is vegetable oil that is overabundance in Indonesia it has not been explored because of its toxicity. RETRO was prepared through the reaction of esterification with methanol by using sulfuric acid catalyst to decrease Free Fatty Acid (FFA, and then transesterification reaction of refined RETRO was performed with methanol by using the alkaline catalyst. RETRO transesterification  reaction using potassium hidroxyde (KOH as catalyst with variation of 0.5 – 2,0 wt% of oil has been done at 65 °C. The biodiesel yield increased with the

  17. Stability of solid oxide fuel cell materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armstrong, T.R.; Bates, J.L.; Chick, L.A. [Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

    1996-04-01

    Interconnection materials in a solid oxide fuel cell are exposed to both highly oxidizing conditions at the cathode and to highly reducing conditions at the anode. The thermal expansion characteristics of substituted lanthanum and yttrium chromite interconnect materials were evaluated by dilatometry as a function of oxygen partial pressures from 1 atm to 10{sup -18} atm, controlled using a carbon dioxide/hydrogen buffer.

  18. Properties of cathode materials in alkaline cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salkind, A.J.; McBreen, J.; Freeman, R.; Parkhurst, W.A.

    1985-01-01

    Conventional and new cathode materials in primary and secondary alkaline cells were investigated for stability, structure, electrochemical reversibility and efficiency. Included were various forms of AgO for reserve-type silver-zinc batteries, a new material - AgNiO/sub 2/ - and several nickel electrodes for nickel-cadmium and nickel-hydrogen cells for aerospace applications. A comparative study was made of the stability of electroformed and chemically prepared AgO. Stability was correlated with impurities detected by XPS and SAM. After the first discharge AgNiO/sub 2/ can be recharged to the monovalent level. The discharge product is predominantly silver. Plastic-bonded nickel electrodes display a second plateau on discharge. Additions of Co(OH)/sub 2/ largely eliminate this

  19. Materials Challenges for Automotive PEM Fuel Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gasteiger, Hubert

    2004-03-01

    Over the past few years, significant R efforts aimed at meeting the challenging cost and performance targets required for the use of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells in automotive applications. Besides engineering advances in bipolar plate materials and design, the optimization of membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) was an important enabler in reducing the cost and performance gaps towards commercial viability for the automotive market. On the one hand, platinum loadings were reduced from several mgPt/cm2MEA [1] to values of 0.5-0.6 mgPt/cm2MEA in current applications and loadings as low as 0.25 mgPt/cm2MEA have been demonstrated on the research level [2]. On the other hand, implementation of thin membranes (20-30 micrometer) [3, 4] as well as improvements in diffusion medium materials, essentially doubled the achievable power density of MEAs to ca. 0.9 W/cm2MEA (at 0.65 V) [5], thereby not only reducing the size of a PEMFC fuel cell system, but also reducing its overall materials cost (controlled to a large extent by membrane and Pt-catalyst cost). While this demonstrated a clear path towards automotive applications, a renewed focus of R efforts is now required to develop materials and fundamental materials understanding to assure long-term durability of PEM fuel cells. This presentation therefore will discuss the state-of-the-art knowledge of catalyst, catalyst-support, and membrane degradation mechanisms. In the area of Pt-catalysts, experience with phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs) has shown that platinum sintering leads to long-term performance losses [6]. While this is less critical at the lower PEMFC operating temperatures (200C), very little is known about the dependence of Pt-sintering on temperature, cell voltage, and catalyst type (i.e., Pt versus Pt-alloys) and will be discussed here. Similarly, carbon-support corrosion can contribute significantly to voltage degradation in PAFCs [7], and even in the PEMFC environment more corrosion

  20. Investigations on quinquethiophenes as donor materials in organic solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schulze, Kerstin

    2008-01-01

    Organic photovoltaics could in the future represent a possibility for energy production from renewable energy sources. The advance consists here first of all in the potential of a very reasonable fabrication, for instance a production in the role-to-role procedurre, which can be prusued so on flexible substrates like for instance foils. Although the material costs are low, until the commercialization of organic solar cells among others an increasement of their power efficiency is necessary. Preferably in organic solar cells donor and acceptor materials should be applied, the absorption spectra and energy levels of which are ideally matched, because so can high zero-current voltages be reached. Additionally high absorption coefficents of the materials over a large spectral range can lead to high current densities in these photovoltaic components. In this thesis novel quinquethiophenes as donors in organic solar cells are studied, which consist as basic unit of five thiophene rings as well as dicyanovinyl end groups and alkyl side chains. The studied materials possess a high absorption coefficient and reach because of the high ionization potential high zero-current voltages in organic solar cells under application of the fullerenet C 60 as acceptor. Simultaneously a efficient separation of the excitons on the acceptor-donor interface occurs. However the high ionization potential of the quinquethiophenes puts special requirements to the further solar-cell structure. Within this thesis it is shown that adifference between internal voltage and zero-current voltage influences decidingly the shape of the solar-cell characteristic and can generate a S-shape in the neighbourhood of the zero-current voltage. The internal voltage is hereby determined by the contacting of the photoactive layers. An increasement of the internal voltage of the solar cell can be reached by a corresponding material choice. So in this thesis it is shown that organic solar cells based on these

  1. Multi-Material Front Contact for 19% Thin Film Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joop van Deelen

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The trade-off between transmittance and conductivity of the front contact material poses a bottleneck for thin film solar panels. Normally, the front contact material is a metal oxide and the optimal cell configuration and panel efficiency were determined for various band gap materials, representing Cu(In,GaSe2 (CIGS, CdTe and high band gap perovskites. Supplementing the metal oxide with a metallic copper grid improves the performance of the front contact and aims to increase the efficiency. Various front contact designs with and without a metallic finger grid were calculated with a variation of the transparent conductive oxide (TCO sheet resistance, scribing area, cell length, and finger dimensions. In addition, the contact resistance and illumination power were also assessed and the optimal thin film solar panel design was determined. Adding a metallic finger grid on a TCO gives a higher solar cell efficiency and this also enables longer cell lengths. However, contact resistance between the metal and the TCO material can reduce the efficiency benefit somewhat.

  2. Evaluation of critical materials in five additional advance design photovoltaic cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, S.A.; Watts, R.L.; Martin, P.; Gurwell, W.E.

    1981-02-01

    The objective of this study is to identify potential material supply constraints due to the large-scale deployment of five advanced photovoltaic (PV) cell designs, and to suggest strategies to reduce the impacts of these production capacity limitations and potential future material shortages. The Critical Materials Assessment Program (CMAP) screens the designs and their supply chains and identifies potential shortages which might preclude large-scale use of the technologies. The results of the screening of five advanced PV cell designs are presented: (1) indium phosphide/cadmium sulfide, (2) zinc phosphide, (3) cadmium telluride/cadmium sulfide, (4) copper indium selenium, and (5) cadmium selenide photoelectrochemical. Each of these five cells is screened individually assuming that they first come online in 1991, and that 25 Gwe of peak capacity is online by the year 2000. A second computer screening assumes that each cell first comes online in 1991 and that each cell has a 5 GWe of peak capacity by the year 2000, so that the total online capacity for the five cells is 25 GWe. Based on a review of the preliminary baseline screening results, suggestions were made for varying such parameters as the layer thickness, cell production processes, etc. The resulting PV cell characterizations were then screened again by the CMAP computer code. The CMAP methodology used to identify critical materials is described; and detailed characterizations of the advanced photovoltaic cell designs under investigation, descriptions of additional cell production processes, and the results are presented. (WHK)

  3. Isolasi Dye Organik Alam dan Karakterisasinya Sebagai Sensitizer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurussaniah Nurussaniah

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui cara mengisolasi dan karakteristik dye organik alam sebagai sensitizer. Penelitian ini dilakukan melalui beberapa tahap yaitu persiapan, isolasi dye organik alam, karakterisasi sifat optik, analisis dan menyimpulkan. Isolasi dye organic alam dilakukan untuk memperoleh sari dari bahan-bahan alam. Penelitian ini menggunakan bahan alam yaitu jagung (Zea mays dan labu kuning (Cucurbita moschata. Karakterisasi optik dye organik alam dalam penelitian ini dilihat dari spektrum absorbansi yang diukur menggunakan Spektrophotometer Uv-Vis. Spektrum absorbansi dye diukur dalam kuvet optik, pada panjang gelombang 350-800 . Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa isolasi dye organik alam diperoleh melalui metode ekstraksi, yaitu suatu metode untuk memperoleh sari dari bahan-bahan alam. Proses ekstraksi dilakukan dengan melarutkan biji jagung (Zea mays dan daging buah labu kuning (Cucurbita moschata dalam pelarut etanol dengan konsentrasi 1:5. Karaktistik optik jagung (Zea mays dan labu kuning (Cucurbita moschata  menunjukkan panjang gelombang yaitu berada pada cahaya tampak dengan rentang panjang gelombang 350 – 500 nm.  Dengan demikian  dye  beta-karoten yang berasal dari jagung (Zea mays dan labu kuning (Cucurbita moschata dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai sensitizer dalam prototipe Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC.

  4. An efficient descriptor model for designing materials for solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alharbi, Fahhad H.; Rashkeev, Sergey N.; El-Mellouhi, Fedwa; Lüthi, Hans P.; Tabet, Nouar; Kais, Sabre

    2015-11-01

    An efficient descriptor model for fast screening of potential materials for solar cell applications is presented. It works for both excitonic and non-excitonic solar cells materials, and in addition to the energy gap it includes the absorption spectrum (α(E)) of the material. The charge transport properties of the explored materials are modelled using the characteristic diffusion length (Ld) determined for the respective family of compounds. The presented model surpasses the widely used Scharber model developed for bulk heterojunction solar cells. Using published experimental data, we show that the presented model is more accurate in predicting the achievable efficiencies. To model both excitonic and non-excitonic systems, two different sets of parameters are used to account for the different modes of operation. The analysis of the presented descriptor model clearly shows the benefit of including α(E) and Ld in view of improved screening results.

  5. Proton Conducting Fuel Cells where Electrochemistry Meets Material Science

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Qingfeng

    Fuel cells are electrochemical devices which directly convert the chemical energy of fuels into electrical energy. They are featured of high energy conversion efficiency and minimized pollutant emission. Proton conducting electrolytes are primarily used as separator materials for low and intermed...... science point of view including novel proton conducting materials and non-precious metal catalysts. The discussion will be made with highlights of DTU´s recent research and of course addressing a diverse technical audience.......Fuel cells are electrochemical devices which directly convert the chemical energy of fuels into electrical energy. They are featured of high energy conversion efficiency and minimized pollutant emission. Proton conducting electrolytes are primarily used as separator materials for low...... followed by a review of the state-of-the-art in terms of performance, lifetime and cost. Technically faced challenges are then outlined on a system level and traced back to fundamental issues of the proton conducting mechanisms and materials. Perspectives and future research are sketched from a materials...

  6. Protective material for solar cell; Taiyo denchiyo hyomen hogozai

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iimura, M.; Domoto, T. [Nitto Denko Corp., Osaka (Japan)

    1998-02-03

    The protective material for the solar cell of this invention consists of fluororesin containing from 1 to 20wt% titanium oxide particles with the particle size range from 1 to 1,000nm. Surface contamination of the protective material for the solar cell and deterioration of the adhesive are prevented when titanium oxide with particular particle size is contained in the fluororesin in a particular range as mentioned above. Titanium oxide has photocatalytic performance to decompose organic substances, and the surface protective material for the solar cell containing titanium oxide can decompose and remove dirt such as dust adhering the surface for preventing surface contamination. In addition, total light permeability can be maintained at high rate and the permeability of less than 350nm ultraviolet rays causing deterioration of the adhesive can be decreased if the particle size and content of titanium oxide are specified. Titanium dioxide of anatase type crystal structure is ideal as the titanium oxide. 1 tab.

  7. PEM fuel cell bipolar plate material requirements for transportation applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borup, R.L.; Stroh, K.R.; Vanderborgh, N.E. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)] [and others

    1996-04-01

    Cost effective bipolar plates are currently under development to help make proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells commercially viable. Bipolar plates separate individual cells of the fuel cell stack, and thus must supply strength, be electrically conductive, provide for thermal control of the fuel stack, be a non-porous materials separating hydrogen and oxygen feed streams, be corrosion resistant, provide gas distribution for the feed streams and meet fuel stack cost targets. Candidate materials include conductive polymers and metal plates with corrosion resistant coatings. Possible metals include aluminium, titanium, iron/stainless steel and nickel.

  8. Effects of catalyst-support materials on the performance of fuel cells

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Ejikeme, PM

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The operating life of a fuel cell is expected to be thousands of hours. One of the critical components of the fuel cell that will allow for such long-life cycle is the catalyst-support material. The support material is expected, amongst others...

  9. Advanced proton-exchange materials for energy efficient fuel cells.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fujimoto, Cy H.; Grest, Gary Stephen; Hickner, Michael A.; Cornelius, Christopher James; Staiger, Chad Lynn; Hibbs, Michael R.

    2005-12-01

    The ''Advanced Proton-Exchange Materials for Energy Efficient Fuel Cells'' Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project began in October 2002 and ended in September 2005. This LDRD was funded by the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy strategic business unit. The purpose of this LDRD was to initiate the fundamental research necessary for the development of a novel proton-exchange membranes (PEM) to overcome the material and performance limitations of the ''state of the art'' Nafion that is used in both hydrogen and methanol fuel cells. An atomistic modeling effort was added to this LDRD in order to establish a frame work between predicted morphology and observed PEM morphology in order to relate it to fuel cell performance. Significant progress was made in the area of PEM material design, development, and demonstration during this LDRD. A fundamental understanding involving the role of the structure of the PEM material as a function of sulfonic acid content, polymer topology, chemical composition, molecular weight, and electrode electrolyte ink development was demonstrated during this LDRD. PEM materials based upon random and block polyimides, polybenzimidazoles, and polyphenylenes were created and evaluated for improvements in proton conductivity, reduced swelling, reduced O{sub 2} and H{sub 2} permeability, and increased thermal stability. Results from this work reveal that the family of polyphenylenes potentially solves several technical challenges associated with obtaining a high temperature PEM membrane. Fuel cell relevant properties such as high proton conductivity (>120 mS/cm), good thermal stability, and mechanical robustness were demonstrated during this LDRD. This report summarizes the technical accomplishments and results of this LDRD.

  10. Materials for high temperature solid oxide fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singhal, S.C.

    1987-01-01

    High temperature solid oxide fuel cells show great promise for economical production of electricity. These cells are based upon the ability of stabilized zirconia to operate as an oxygen ion conductor at elevated temperatures. The design of the tubular solid oxide fuel cell being pursued at Westinghouse is illustrated. The cell uses a calcia-stabilized zironcia porous support tube, which acts both as a structural member onto which the other cell components are fabricated in the form of thin layers, and as a functional member to allow the passage, via its porosity, of air (or oxygen) to the air electrode. This paper summarizes the materials and fabrication processes for the various cell components

  11. Quarterly progress report on the evaluation of critical materials for photovoltaic cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watts, R.L.; Pawlewicz, W.W.; Gurwell, W.E.; Jamieson, W.M.; Long, L.W.; Smith, S.A.; Teeter, R.R.

    1979-09-01

    The scope of the activities included in this program are as follows: (1) characterize new and improved photovoltaic cell designs and production processes for subsequent analysis; (2) review or screen these designs for potential material shortages or other constraints; (3) carry out investigations of the probable costs of new sources of materials potentially in short supply, concentrating on gallium and indium; and (4) identify options for coping with or mitigating the problems identified. The methodology and data base used in the CMAP (Critical Material Analysis Program) computer program were developed as part of a broad scale DOE program to review the potential material constraints of all solar programs. The photovoltaic report screened 13 cells in 15 systems and assumed 100% material utilization (process efficiency) in producing the photovoltaic cells. This study emphasizes the availability of cell fabrication feedstock materials and the effects of process efficiencies on material availability by adding characterizations of photovoltaic production processes. This quarterly report presents the results of work with emphasis on Task I, the characterization of photovoltaic cells and their production processes. Task IIA, CMAP Modification, Data Base Development and Operation has been initiated. Task IIB, Review, Integration, Interpretation and Analysis of Screening will begin once the baseline screening has been completed in Task IIA. Work on Task IIIA, the Assessment of Future Costs and Supplies of Gallium and Indium and Task IIIB, Economics of Coal Derived PV Materials have been initiated. Progress and initial results are reported. (WHK)

  12. The anterior lens capsule used as support material in RPE cell-transplantation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicolini, J; Kiilgaard, Jens Folke; Wiencke, A K

    2000-01-01

    To investigate the use of an ocular basement membrane as support material for transplanted porcine RPE cells.......To investigate the use of an ocular basement membrane as support material for transplanted porcine RPE cells....

  13. Perovskite-Based Solar Cells: Materials, Methods, and Future Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Di Zhou

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel all-solid-state, hybrid solar cell based on organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite (CH3NH3PbX3 materials has attracted great attention from the researchers all over the world and is considered to be one of the top 10 scientific breakthroughs in 2013. The perovskite materials can be used not only as light-absorbing layer, but also as an electron/hole transport layer due to the advantages of its high extinction coefficient, high charge mobility, long carrier lifetime, and long carrier diffusion distance. The photoelectric power conversion efficiency of the perovskite solar cells has increased from 3.8% in 2009 to 22.1% in 2016, making perovskite solar cells the best potential candidate for the new generation of solar cells to replace traditional silicon solar cells in the future. In this paper, we introduce the development and mechanism of perovskite solar cells, describe the specific function of each layer, and focus on the improvement in the function of such layers and its influence on the cell performance. Next, the synthesis methods of the perovskite light-absorbing layer and the performance characteristics are discussed. Finally, the challenges and prospects for the development of perovskite solar cells are also briefly presented.

  14. Multi-Material Front Contact for 19% Thin Film Solar Cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Deelen, J. van; Tezsevin, Y.; Barink, M.

    2016-01-01

    The trade-off between transmittance and conductivity of the front contact material poses abottleneck for thin film solar panels. Normally, the front contact material is a metal oxide and the optimal cell configuration and panel efficiency were determined for various band gap materials, representing

  15. Efektivitas Penambahan Getah Pelepah Pisang Kepok (Musa mcuminata balbisianacolla pada Pigmen Kunyit (Curcuma domestica valet untuk Mengatasi Kelunturan Kain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junaedi Harmiansyah

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Penambahan volume getah pisang kepok pada pigmen alami kunyit dalam mempertahankan warna dari kelunturan pada kain dilakukan dengan perbandingan pemberian volume getah pisang kepok : pigmen kunyit (80%:20%, 70%:30%, 60%:40%, 50%:50%, 40%:60%, 30%:70%. Efektifitas penambahan getah pelepah pisang Kepok diperoleh dari hasil karakterisasi material dengan mencari nilai trasmitansi yang dihasilkan cahaya laser yang dikenakan luxmeter melalui limbah pencucian sabun dengan detergen dan material kain, sehingga di dapatkan nilai transmitasi terbaik sebesar 0.68, di hasilkan dari penambahan getah pelepah pisang kepok sebesar 40%. Getah pisang kapok mampu sebagai pengikat pigmen alami kunyit, dalam mempertahankan kelunturan pada kain.

  16. Electrical research on solar cells and photovoltaic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orehotsky, J.

    1985-01-01

    A systematic study of the properties of various polymer pottant materials and of the electrochemical corrosion mechanisms in solar cell materials is required for advancing the technology of terrestrial photovoltaic modules. The items of specific concern in this sponsored research activity involve: (1) kinetics of plasticizer loss in PVB, (2) kinetics of water absorption and desorption in PVB, (3) kinetics of water absorption and desorption in EVA, (4) the electrical properties at PVB as a function of temperature and humidity, (5) the electrical properties of EVA as a function of temperature and humidity, (6) solar cell corrosion characteristics, (7) water absorption effects in PVB and EVA, and (8) ion implantation and radiation effects in PVB and EVA.

  17. Organic and perovskite solar cells: Working principles, materials and interfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marinova, Nevena; Valero, Silvia; Delgado, Juan Luis

    2017-02-15

    In the last decades organic solar cells (OSCs) have been considered as a promising photovoltaic technology with the potential to provide reasonable power conversion efficiencies combined with low cost and easy processability. Unexpectedly, Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) have experienced unprecedented rise in Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) thus emerging as a highly efficient photovoltaic technology. OSCs and PSCs are two different kind of devices with distinct charge generation mechanism, which however share some similarities in the materials processing, thus standard strategies developed for OSCs are currently being employed in PSCs. In this article, we recapitulate the main processes in these two types of photovoltaic technologies with an emphasis on interfacial processes and interfacial modification, spotlighting the materials and newest approaches in the interfacial engineering. We discuss on the relevance of well-known materials coming from the OSCs field, which are now being tested in the PSCs field, while maintaining a focus on the importance of the material design for highly efficient, stable and accessible solar cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Novel materials for fuel cells operating on liquid fuels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César A. C. Sequeira

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Towards commercialization of fuel cell products in the coming years, the fuel cell systems are being redefined by means of lowering costs of basic elements, such as electrolytes and membranes, electrode and catalyst materials, as well as of increasing power density and long-term stability. Among different kinds of fuel cells, low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs are of major importance, but their problems related to hydrogen storage and distribution are forcing the development of liquid fuels such as methanol, ethanol, sodium borohydride and ammonia. In respect to hydrogen, methanol is cheaper, easier to handle, transport and store, and has a high theoretical energy density. The second most studied liquid fuel is ethanol, but it is necessary to note that the highest theoretically energy conversion efficiency should be reached in a cell operating on sodium borohydride alkaline solution. It is clear that proper solutions need to be developed, by using novel catalysts, namely nanostructured single phase and composite materials, oxidant enrichment technologies and catalytic activity increasing. In this paper these main directions will be considered.

  19. Graphene-based Materials for Photoanodes in Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoru eGuo

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article reviews the research on the use of graphene and related materials in the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. Graphene-based materials, such as pristine graphene, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide, have properties attractive for various components of the DSSC photoanode. We first provide a brief introduction to graphene properties and analyze requirements for making a high-performance photoanode. Then we introduce applications of graphene-based materials in each part of the DSSC photoanode, i.e., the transparent conducting electrode, the sensitizing material, and the semiconducting layer. Particularly, we discuss how the incorporation of graphene-based materials in those components can enhance the photoanode performance. It is clear that the outstanding properties of graphene, such as the fast electron transfer ability, high Young’s modulus, and good transparency, benefit DSSC photoanode research, and doping or surface modifications of graphene nanosheets with other materials can also improve the photoanode and thus the resulting cell performance. Finally, we present an outlook for current issues and further trends for using graphene materials in DSSC photoanodes.

  20. Graphene-Based Materials for Photoanodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Xiaoru [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI (United States); Lu, Ganhua [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK (United States); Chen, Junhong, E-mail: jhchen@uwm.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI (United States)

    2015-12-14

    This article reviews the research on the use of graphene and related materials in the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Graphene-based materials, such as pristine graphene, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide, have properties attractive for various components of the DSSC photoanode. We first provide a brief introduction to graphene properties and analyze requirements for making a high-performance photoanode. Then, we introduce applications of graphene-based materials in each part of the DSSC photoanode, i.e., the transparent conducting electrode, the sensitizing material, and the semiconducting layer. Particularly, we discuss how the incorporation of graphene-based materials in those components can enhance the photoanode performance. It is clear that the outstanding properties of graphene, such as the fast electron transfer ability, high Young’s modulus, and good transparency, benefit DSSC photoanode research, and doping or surface modifications of graphene nanosheets with other materials can also improve the photoanode and, thus, the resulting cell performance. Finally, we present an outlook for current issues and further trends for using graphene materials in DSSC photoanodes.

  1. KARAKTERISASI PERTUKARAN ION TIMBAL (II DENGAN KALSIUM PADA PROSES BIOSORPSI ALGA HIJAU CLADOPHORA FRACTA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ade Wirli Putra

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRAKKarakterisasi pertukaran ion Pb2+ dengan Ion Ca2+ dalam larutan menggunakan proses biosorbsi dengan biomassa alga hijau cladofora fracta  telah diteliti.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui selektifitas pertukaran pertukaran ion Pb2+  dengan ion Ca2+ dan sebaliknya, Pengaruh pH eluen terhadap desorpsi  ion Pb2+  dan adsorpsi Ion Ca2+, Karakterisasi desorpsi  Ion Ca2+ dan  Ion Pb2+ dengan larutan HNO3 0,1 M dan H2O akan diamati pada penelitian ini. Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh memperlihatkan bahwa proses pertukaran ion Ca2+ dengan ion Pb2+ lebih mudah terjadi dibandingkan pertukaran ion Pb2+ dengan Ca2+. Desorpsi  ion Pb2+ relatif rendah saat pH eluen sama dengan pH optimum biosorpsi  ion  Pb2+ (pH 4,0. Pada pH 5,0 kemungkinan terjadi endapan  timbal (II hidroksida ( Pb(OH2 .  Penyerapan  ion Ca2+, yang terdapat  dalam eluen, lebih besar terjadi pada pH yang lebih tinggi (pH 5,0. Desorpsi ion Pb2+ dengan larutan HNO3 0,1M dan H2O memperlihatkan hasil yang berbeda (masing-masing  28,10% dan 15,56%, sedangkan desorpsi ion Ca2+ dengan  larutan HNO3 0,1M dan H2O tidak memperlihatkan berbeda yang signifikan (masing-masing 37,91% dan 34,75%, sehingga larutan HNO3 0,1M sebagai eluen pendesorpsi ion Pb2+ dari biosorben lebih efektif dibandingkan eluen H2O.  ABSTRACTCharacterization of  Pb 2+ ion exchange with Ca2 + ions using the process biosorbtion with green algae biomass Cladofora fracta been investigated. This study aims to determine the selectivity of the exchange ion exchange Pb 2+ ions with Ca2 + and vice versa, Effect of pH eluent to desorption of ions Pb 2+ and adsorption of ions Ca2 +, Characterization desorption of ions Ca2 + and Ion Pb 2+ with a solution of HNO3 0.1 M and H2O will be observed in this study. The results obtained showed that the Ca2 + ion exchange process with Pb 2+ ions more readily than Pb 2+ ion exchange with Ca2 +. Desorption of Pb 2+ ion is relatively low at the same eluent pH with a p

  2. Single cells for forensic DNA analysis--from evidence material to test tube.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brück, Simon; Evers, Heidrun; Heidorn, Frank; Müller, Ute; Kilper, Roland; Verhoff, Marcel A

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this project was to develop a method that, while providing morphological quality control, allows single cells to be obtained from the surfaces of various evidence materials and be made available for DNA analysis in cases where only small amounts of cell material are present or where only mixed traces are found. With the SteREO Lumar.V12 stereomicroscope and UV unit from Zeiss, it was possible to detect and assess single epithelial cells on the surfaces of various objects (e.g., glass, plastic, metal). A digitally operated micromanipulator developed by aura optik was used to lift a single cell from the surface of evidence material and to transfer it to a conventional PCR tube or to an AmpliGrid(®) from Advalytix. The actual lifting of the cells was performed with microglobes that acted as carriers. The microglobes were held with microtweezers and were transferred to the DNA analysis receptacles along with the adhering cells. In a next step, the PCR can be carried out in this receptacle without removing the microglobe. Our method allows a single cell to be isolated directly from evidence material and be made available for forensic DNA analysis. © 2010 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  3. Hybrid cell adhesive material for instant dielectrophoretic cell trapping and long-term cell function assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes, Darwin R; Hong, Jennifer S; Elliott, John T; Gaitan, Michael

    2011-08-16

    Dielectrophoresis (DEP) for cell manipulation has focused, for the most part, on approaches for separation/enrichment of cells of interest. Advancements in cell positioning and immobilization onto substrates for cell culture, either as single cells or as cell aggregates, has benefited from the intensified research efforts in DEP (electrokinetic) manipulation. However, there has yet to be a DEP approach that provides the conditions for cell manipulation while promoting cell function processes such as cell differentiation. Here we present the first demonstration of a system that combines DEP with a hybrid cell adhesive material (hCAM) to allow for cell entrapment and cell function, as demonstrated by cell differentiation into neuronlike cells (NLCs). The hCAM, comprised of polyelectrolytes and fibronectin, was engineered to function as an instantaneous cell adhesive surface after DEP manipulation and to support long-term cell function (cell proliferation, induction, and differentiation). Pluripotent P19 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells flowing within a microchannel were attracted to the DEP electrode surface and remained adhered onto the hCAM coating under a fluid flow field after the DEP forces were removed. Cells remained viable after DEP manipulation for up to 8 d, during which time the P19 cells were induced to differentiate into NLCs. This approach could have further applications in areas such as cell-cell communication, three-dimensional cell aggregates to create cell microenvironments, and cell cocultures.

  4. Research and Development of solar cell frame. Study on solar cell array solid with building material-business building

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1986-08-01

    This is a NEDO annual report for 1985. A feasibility study was carried out from the viewpoints demanded both from the building material side and the solar cell. Evaluation from the technical, institutional, and economical viewpoints indicated the possibility of using a roof material solid with carbon-fiber-reinforced concrete and a curtain wall. The solar cell module was verified as a building material to be resistant against the external force, water, and heat. A problem left is how to enlarge the module. Integrated use of CFRC (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete) and a cell of maximum size (1,240 x 700 mm), which is industrially available, can be expected. Present solar cell array can be utilized as a building material as it is for a curtain wall. Cost calculation of the CFRC solid roofing material indicates 276 yen/KWH for 15 years depreciation, 10 % residual value, and 8% annual interest, which is a little expensive, but this cost may be applicable to the use as a curtain wall.

  5. Pengaruh Preparasi Pasta dan Temperatur Annealing pada Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC Berbasis Nanopartikel ZnO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Syukron

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Telah difabrikan Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC berbasis nanopartikel ZnO dengan variasi metode preparasi pasta sesuai dengan Yonekawa dan Gratzel dan temperatur fabrikasi. Nanopartikel ZnO dibuat dengan metode kopresipitasi yaitu dengan mereaksikan prekursor Zinc Asetat dengan DEG (diethylene glycol. Prepararasi fotoelektroda ZnO dilakukan dengan memvariasikan komposisi pasta berdasarkan metode yang dilakukan oleh Gratzel dan Yonekawa untuk mendapatkan efisiensi yang besar. Selain itu, dilakukan variasi temperatur pada proses anil fotoelektroda. Fabrikasi DSSC menggunakan pewarna manggis sebagai pewarna alami. DSSC difabrikasi dalam bentuk struktur sandwich dengan menggunakan pasangan redoks I3-/I- dan elektroda pembanding platina/karbon. Hasil karakterisasi ZnO menunjukkan ZnO berdispersi tunggal dengan ukuran agregat dan partikel sebesar ~300nm dan 13,93 nm. Energi band gap yang dihasilkan dari nanopartikel ZnO adalah 3,29 eV. Berdasarkan karakteristik kurva I-V dan IPCE, diperoleh bahwa efisiensi terbaik berada pada suhu 200°C dengan menggunakan metode Yonekawa sebesar 0,11% dengan IPCE 0,0005%, FF 61,41%, Isc 2,79µA, Voc 232,4 mV.

  6. Cell response of calcium phosphate based ceramics, a bone substitute material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Marchi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to characterize calcium phosphate ceramics with different Ca/P ratios and evaluate cell response of these materials for use as a bone substitute. Bioceramics consisting of mixtures of hydroxyapatite (HAp and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP powders in different proportions were pressed and sintered. The physical and chemical properties of these bioceramics were then characterized. Characterization of the biological properties of these materials was based on analysis of cell response using cultured fibroblasts. The number of cells attached to the samples was counted from SEM images of samples exposed to cell culture solution for different periods. These data were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA complemented by the Tukey's test. The TCP sample had higher surface roughness and lower density. The adherence and growth of FMM1 cells on samples from all groups was studied. Even though the different calcium based ceramics exhibited properties which made them suitable as bone substitutes, those with higher levels of β-TCP revealed improved cell growth on their surfaces. These observations indicated two-phase calcium phosphate based materials with a β-TCP surface layer to be a promising bone substitute.

  7. Stress analysis of two-dimensional cellular materials with thick cell struts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Do Hyung; Kim, Han Sung; Kim, Young Ho; Kim, Yoon Hyuk; Al-Hassani, S.T.S.

    2008-01-01

    Finite element analyses (FEA) were performed to thoroughly validate the collapse criteria of cellular materials presented in our previous companion paper. The maximum stress (von-Mises stress) on the cell strut surface and the plastic collapse stress were computed for two-dimensional (2D) cellular materials with thick cell struts. The results from the FEA were compared with those from theoretical criteria of authors. The FEA results were in good agreement with the theoretical results. The results indicate that when bending moment, axial and shear forces are considered, the maximum stress on the strut surface gives significantly different values in the tensile and compressive parts of the cell wall as well as in the two loading directions. Therefore, for the initial yielding of ductile cellular materials and the fracture of brittle cellular materials, in which the maximum stress on the strut surface is evaluated, it is necessary to consider not only the bending moment but also axial and shear forces. In addition, this study shows that for regular cellular materials with the identical strut geometry for all struts, the initial yielding and the plastic collapse under a biaxial state of stress occur not only in the inclined cell struts but also in the vertical struts. These FEA results support the theoretical conclusion of our previous companion paper that the anisotropic 2D cellular material has a truncated yield surface not only on the compressive quadrant but also on the tensile quadrant

  8. Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyde, Keith C; Scott, Felicia Y; Paek, Sung-Ho; Zhang, Ruihua; Ruder, Warren C

    2017-03-09

    We have developed an abiotic-biotic interface that allows engineered cells to control the material properties of a functionalized surface. This system is made by creating two modules: a synthetically engineered strain of E. coli cells and a functionalized material interface. Within this paper, we detail a protocol for genetically engineering selected behaviors within a strain of E. coli using molecular cloning strategies. Once developed, this strain produces elevated levels of biotin when exposed to a chemical inducer. Additionally, we detail protocols for creating two different functionalized surfaces, each of which is able to respond to cell-synthesized biotin. Taken together, we present a methodology for creating a linked, abiotic-biotic system that allows engineered cells to control material composition and assembly on nonliving substrates.

  9. Optimization of cell adhesion on mg based implant materials by pre-incubation under cell culture conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willumeit, Regine; Möhring, Anneke; Feyerabend, Frank

    2014-05-05

    Magnesium based implants could revolutionize applications where orthopedic implants such as nails, screws or bone plates are used because they are load bearing and degrade over time. This prevents a second surgery to remove conventional implants. To improve the biocompatibility we studied here if and for how long a pre-incubation of the material under cell culture conditions is favorable for cell attachment and proliferation. For two materials, Mg and Mg10Gd1Nd, we could show that 6 h pre-incubation are already enough to form a natural protective layer suitable for cell culture.

  10. Optimization of Cell Adhesion on Mg Based Implant Materials by Pre-Incubation under Cell Culture Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regine Willumeit

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Magnesium based implants could revolutionize applications where orthopedic implants such as nails, screws or bone plates are used because they are load bearing and degrade over time. This prevents a second surgery to remove conventional implants. To improve the biocompatibility we studied here if and for how long a pre-incubation of the material under cell culture conditions is favorable for cell attachment and proliferation. For two materials, Mg and Mg10Gd1Nd, we could show that 6 h pre-incubation are already enough to form a natural protective layer suitable for cell culture.

  11. Nano- and microstructured materials for in vitro studies of the physiology of vascular cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra M. Greiner

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The extracellular environment of vascular cells in vivo is complex in its chemical composition, physical properties, and architecture. Consequently, it has been a great challenge to study vascular cell responses in vitro, either to understand their interaction with their native environment or to investigate their interaction with artificial structures such as implant surfaces. New procedures and techniques from materials science to fabricate bio-scaffolds and surfaces have enabled novel studies of vascular cell responses under well-defined, controllable culture conditions. These advancements are paving the way for a deeper understanding of vascular cell biology and materials–cell interaction. Here, we review previous work focusing on the interaction of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs and endothelial cells (ECs with materials having micro- and nanostructured surfaces. We summarize fabrication techniques for surface topographies, materials, geometries, biochemical functionalization, and mechanical properties of such materials. Furthermore, various studies on vascular cell behavior and their biological responses to micro- and nanostructured surfaces are reviewed. Emphasis is given to studies of cell morphology and motility, cell proliferation, the cytoskeleton and cell-matrix adhesions, and signal transduction pathways of vascular cells. We finalize with a short outlook on potential interesting future studies.

  12. Hibiscus fiber carbon for fuel cell device material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanik Indayaningsih; Anne Zulfia; Dedi Priadi; Suprapedi

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this research is carbon of hibiscus fibers for the application as basic material of fuel cell device. The carbon is made using a pyrolysis process in inert gas (nitrogen) for 1 hour at temperature of 500 °C, 700 °C and 900 °C. The X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Impedance-Capacitance-Resistance-meter are used to find out the microstructure, morphology and electrical properties respectively. The results of the experiment showed that the carbon had a structure of amorphous, and as the semiconductor material the electrical conductivity was 5 x 10"-"5 S.cm"-"1 to 4.9 x 10"-"5 S.cm"-"1 increasing in accordance with the pyrolysis temperature. The morphology resembled to plaited mats constructed by porous fibers having width of 50 µm to 300 µm, thickness of 25 µm to 35 µm, and the porous size of 0.5 µm to 5 µm. This morphology enables carbon to be applied as a candidate for a basic material of the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell. (author)

  13. Molybdate Based Ceramic Negative-Electrode Materials for Solid Oxide Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Graves, Christopher R.; Reddy Sudireddy, Bhaskar; Mogensen, Mogens Bjerg

    2010-01-01

    Novel molybdate materials with varying Mo valence were synthesized as possible negative-electrode materials for solid oxide cells. The phase, stability, microstructure and electrical conductivity were characterized. The electrochemical activity for H2O and CO2 reduction and H2 and CO oxidation...... enhanced the electrocatalytic activity and electronic conductivity. The polarization resistances of the best molybdates were two orders of magnitude lower than that of donor-doped strontium titanates. Many of the molybdate materials were significantly activated by cathodic polarization, and they exhibited...... higher performance for cathodic (electrolysis) polarization than for anodic (fuel cell) polarization, which makes them especially interesting for use in electrolysis electrodes. ©2010 COPYRIGHT ECS - The Electrochemical Society...

  14. EXAFS: New tool for study of battery and fuel cell materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mcbreen, James; Ogrady, William E.; Pandya, Kaumudi I.

    1987-01-01

    Extended X ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) is a powerful technique for probing the local atomic structure of battery and fuel cell materials. The major advantages of EXAFS are that both the probe and the signal are X rays and the technique is element selective and applicable to all states of matter. This permits in situ studies of electrodes and determination of the structure of single components in composite electrodes, or even complete cells. EXAFS specifically probes short range order and yields coordination numbers, bond distances, and chemical identity of nearest neighbors. Thus, it is ideal for structural studies of ions in solution and the poorly crystallized materials that are often the active materials or catalysts in batteries and fuel cells. Studies on typical battery and fuel cell components are used to describe the technique and the capability of EXAFS as a structural tool in these applications. Typical experimental and data analysis procedures are outlined. The advantages and limitations of the technique are also briefly discussed.

  15. Interactions between grape skin cell wall material and commercial enological tannins. Practical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautista-Ortín, Ana Belén; Cano-Lechuga, Mario; Ruiz-García, Yolanda; Gómez-Plaza, Encarna

    2014-01-01

    Commercial enological tannins were used to investigate the role that cell wall material plays in proanthocyanidin adsorption. Insoluble cell wall material, prepared from the skin of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Monastrell berries, was combined with solutions containing six different commercial enological tannins (proanthocyanidin-type tannins). Analysis of the proanthocyanidins in the solution, after fining with cell wall material, using phloroglucinolysis and size exclusion chromatography, provided quantitative and qualitative information on the non-adsorbed compounds. Cell wall material showed strong affinity for the proanthocyanidins, one of the commercial tannins being bound up to 61% in the experiment. Comparison of the molecular mass distribution of the commercial enological tannins in solution, before and after fining, suggested that cell walls affinity for proanthocyanidins was more related with the proanthocyanidin molecular mass than with their percentage of galloylation. These interactions may have some enological implications, especially as regards the time of commercial tannins addition to the must/wine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Functional living biointerfaces to direct cell-material interaction

    OpenAIRE

    Rodrigo Navarro, Aleixandre

    2016-01-01

    [EN] This thesis deals with the development of a living biointerface between synthetic substrates and living cells to engineer cell-material interactions for tissue engineering purposes. This living biointerface is made of Lactococcus lactis, a non-pathogenic lactic bacteria widely used as starter in the dairy industry and, recently, in the expression of heterologous proteins in applications such as oral vaccine delivery or membrane-bound expression of proteins. L. lactis has been engine...

  17. Cell attachment properties of Portland cement-based endodontic materials: biological and methodological considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Hany Mohamed Aly; Luddin, Norhayati; Kannan, Thirumulu Ponnuraj; Mokhtar, Khairani Idah; Ahmad, Azlina

    2014-10-01

    The attachment and spreading of mammalian cells on endodontic biomaterials are an area of active research. The purpose of this review is to discuss the cell attachment properties of Portland cement (PC)-based materials by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, methodological aspects and technical challenges are discussed. A PubMed electronic search was conducted by using appropriate key words to identify the available investigations on the cell attachment properties of PC-based endodontic materials. After retrieving the full text of related articles, the cross citations were also identified. A total of 23 articles published between January 1993 and October 2013 were identified. This review summarizes the cell attachment properties of commercial and experimental PC-based materials on different cell cultures by using SEM. Methodological procedures, technical challenges, and relevance of SEM in determining the biological profile of PC-based materials are discussed. SEM observations demonstrate that commercial MTA formulations show favorable cell attachment properties, which is consistent with their successful clinical outcomes. The favorable cell attachment properties of PC and its modified formulations support its potential use as a substitute for mineral trioxide aggregate. However, researchers should carefully select cell types for their SEM investigations that would be in contact with the proposed PC-based combinations in the clinical situation. Despite being a technical challenge, SEM provides useful information on the cell attachment properties of PC-based materials; however, other assays for cell proliferation and viability are essential to come up with an accurate in vitro biological profile of any given PC-based formulation. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Imidazolium-Based Polymeric Materials as Alkaline Anion-Exchange Fuel Cell Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayan, Sri R.; Yen, Shiao-Ping S.; Reddy, Prakash V.; Nair, Nanditha

    2012-01-01

    Polymer electrolyte membranes that conduct hydroxide ions have potential use in fuel cells. A variety of polystyrene-based quaternary ammonium hydroxides have been reported as anion exchange fuel cell membranes. However, the hydrolytic stability and conductivity of the commercially available membranes are not adequate to meet the requirements of fuel cell applications. When compared with commercially available membranes, polystyrene-imidazolium alkaline membrane electrolytes are more stable and more highly conducting. At the time of this reporting, this has been the first such usage for imidazolium-based polymeric materials for fuel cells. Imidazolium salts are known to be electrochemically stable over wide potential ranges. By controlling the relative ratio of imidazolium groups in polystyrene-imidazolium salts, their physiochemical properties could be modulated. Alkaline anion exchange membranes based on polystyrene-imidazolium hydroxide materials have been developed. The first step was to synthesize the poly(styrene-co-(1-((4-vinyl)methyl)-3- methylimidazolium) chloride through a free-radical polymerization. Casting of this material followed by in situ treatment of the membranes with sodium hydroxide solutions provided the corresponding hydroxide salts. Various ratios of the monomers 4-chloromoethylvinylbenzine (CMVB) and vinylbenzine (VB) provided various compositions of the polymer. The preferred material, due to the relative ease of casting the film, and its relatively low hygroscopic nature, was a 2:1 ratio of CMVB to VB. Testing confirmed that at room temperature, the new membranes outperformed commercially available membranes by a large margin. With fuel cells now in use at NASA and in transportation, and with defense potential, any improvement to fuel cell efficiency is a significant development.

  19. Low-cost encapsulation materials for terrestrial solar cell modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuddihy, E. F.; Baum, B.; Willis, P.

    1979-01-01

    The paper presents the findings of material surveys intended to identify low cost materials which could be functional as encapsulants (by 1986) for terrestrial solar cell modules. Economic analyses have indicated that in order to meet the low cost goal of $2.70 per sq m, some or all of the following material technologies must be developed or advanced: (1) UV screening outer covers; (2) elastomeric acrylics; (3) weatherproofing and waterproofing of structural wood and paper products; (4) transparent UV stabilizers for the UV-sensitive transparent pottants; and (5) cost-effective utilization of silicone and fluorocarbon materials.

  20. Stability of solid oxide fuel cell materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Armstrong, T.R.; Bates, J.L.; Coffey, G.W.; Pederson, L.R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)] [and others

    1996-08-01

    Chromite interconnection materials in an SOFC are exposed to both highly oxidizing conditions at the cathode and to highly reducing conditions at the anode. Because such conditions could lead to component failure, the authors have evaluated thermal, electrical, chemical, and structural stabilities of these materials as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. The crystal lattice of the chromites was shown to expand for oxygen partial pressures smaller than 10{sup {minus}10} atm, which could lead to cracking and debonding in an SOFC. Highly substituted lanthanum chromite compositions were the most susceptible to lattice expansion; yttrium chromites showed better dimensional stability by more than a factor of two. New chromite compositions were developed that showed little tendency for lattice expansion under strongly reducing conditions, yet provided a good thermal expansion match to other fuel cell components. Use of these new chromite interconnect compositions should improve long-term SOFC performance, particularly for planar cell configurations. Thermodynamic properties of substituted lanthanum manganite cathode compositions have been determined through measurement of electromotive force as a function of temperature. Critical oxygen decomposition pressures for Sr and Ca-substituted lanthanum manganites were established using cells based on a zirconia electrolyte. Strontium oxide and calcium oxide activities in a lanthanum manganite matrix were determined using cells based on strontium fluoride and calcium fluoride electrolytes, respectively. The compositional range of single-phase behavior of these ABO{sub 3}-type perovskites was established as a function of A/B cation ratios and the extent of acceptor doping. Before this work, very little thermodynamic information was in existence for substituted manganite compositions. Such information is needed to predict the long-term stability of solid oxide fuel cell assemblies.

  1. Hybrid Direct Carbon Fuel Cell Performance with Anode Current Collector Material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Deleebeeck, Lisa; Kammer Hansen, Kent

    2015-01-01

    collectors were studied: Au, Ni, Ag, and Pt. It was shown that the performance of the direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) is dependent on the current collector materials, Ni and Pt giving the best performance, due to their catalytic activity. Gold is suggested to be the best material as an inert current collector......The influence of the current collector on the performance of a hybrid direct carbon fuel cell (HDCFC), consisting of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with a molten carbonate-carbon slurry in contact with the anode, has been investigated using current-voltage curves. Four different anode current...

  2. Reactivation of X-irradiated cell material during limb regeneration in Urodeles Amphibians

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desselle, J.C.

    1979-10-01

    In amputated members irradiated with X-rays the regeneration power is inhibited. This power is restored by grafts of healthy tissue in the irradiated members. The origin of the cell material of the restored regeneration blastema has been studied by an original labelling technique. The different amounts of DNA in the graft cells and those of the stump mark the graft cells during the regeneration process. It was shown that the graft causes a reactivation of the inhibited stump cells and the reactivation stages are the same as the activation stages of the member regenerating normally. It was also established that during restored regeneration the cell material implanted in the irradiated members contributes, by the 160th day of regeneration, 4.5% of the cartilaginous regenerate cells and 12% of the muscle cells. All the other regenerate cells are supplied by the cells of the stump; these are reactivated and together with the activated graft cells lead to the restitution of the amputated member [fr

  3. The Evolution of Polystyrene as a Cell Culture Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerman, Max J; Lembong, Josephine; Muramoto, Shin; Gillen, Greg; Fisher, John P

    2018-04-10

    Polystyrene (PS) has brought in vitro cell culture from its humble beginnings to the modern era, propelling dozens of research fields along the way. This review discusses the development of the material, fabrication, and treatment approaches to create the culture material. However, native PS surfaces poorly facilitate cell adhesion and growthin vitro. To overcome this, liquid surface deposition, energetic plasma activation, and emerging functionalization methods transform the surface chemistry. This review seeks to highlight the many potential applications of the first widely accepted polymer growth surface. Although the majority of in vitro research occurs on 2D surfaces, the importance of 3D culture models cannot be overlooked. Here the methods to transition PS to specialized 3D culture surfaces are also reviewed. Specifically, casting, electrospinning, 3D printing, and microcarrier approaches to shift PS to a 3D culture surface are highlighted. The breadth of applications of the material makes it impossible to highlight every use, but the aim remains to demonstrate the versatility and potential as both a general and custom cell culture surface. The review concludes with emerging scaffolding approaches and, based on the findings, presents our insights on the future steps for PS as a tissue culture platform.

  4. Materials testing for molten carbonate fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Di Mario, F.; Frangini, S.

    1995-01-01

    Unlike conventional generation systems fuel cells use an electrochemical reaction between a fossil fuel and an oxidant to produce electricity through a flame less combustion process. As a result, fuel cells offer interesting technical and operating advantages in terms of conversion efficiencies and environmental benefits due to very low pollutant emissions. Among the different kinds of fuel cells the molten carbonate fuel cells are currently being developed for building compact power generation plants to serve mainly in congested urban areas in virtue of their higher efficiency capabilities at either partial and full loads, good response to power peak loads, fuel flexibility, modularity and, potentially, cost-effectiveness. Starting from an analysis of the most important degradative aspects of the corrosion of the separator plate, the main purpose of this communication is to present the state of the technology in the field of corrosion control of the separator plate in order to extend the useful lifetime of the construction materials to the project goal of 40,000 hours

  5. A review of refractory materials for vapor-anode AMTEC cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Jeffrey C.; El-Genk, M. S.

    2000-01-01

    Recently, refractory alloys have been considered as structural materials for vapor-anode Alkali Metal Thermal-to-Electric Conversion (AMTEC) cells, for extended (7-15 years) space missions. This paper reviewed the existing database for refractory metals and alloys of potential use as structural materials for vapor-anode sodium AMTEC cells. In addition to requiring that the vapor pressure of the material be below 10-9 torr (133 nPa) at a typical hot side temperature of 1200 K, other screening considerations were: (a) low thermal conductivity, low thermal radiation emissivity, and low linear thermal expansion coefficient; (b) low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature, high yield and rupture strengths and high strength-to-density ratio; and (c) good compatibility with the sodium AMTEC operating environment, including high corrosion resistance to sodium in both the liquid and vapor phases. Nb-1Zr (niobium-1% zirconium) alloy is recommended for the hot end structures of the cell. The niobium alloy C-103, which contains the oxygen gettering elements zirconium and hafnium as well as titanium, is recommended for the colder cell structure. This alloy is stronger and less thermally conductive than Nb-1Zr, and its use in the cell wall reduces parasitic heat losses by conduction to the condenser. The molybdenum alloy Mo-44.5Re (molybdenum-44.5% rhenium) is also recommended as a possible alternative for both structures if known problems with oxygen pick up and embrittlement of the niobium alloys proves to be intractable. .

  6. Development of new membrane materials for direct methanol fuel cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yildirim, M.H.

    2009-01-01

    Development of new membrane materials for direct methanol fuel cells Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) can convert the chemical energy of a fuel directly into electrical energy with high efficiency and low emission of pollutants. DMFCs can be used as the power sources to portable electronic devices

  7. Remote replacement of materials open-test assembly specimens at the FFTF/IEM cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibbons, P.W.; Ramsey, E.B.

    1990-01-01

    The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) interim examination and maintenance (IEM) cell is used for the remote disassembly of irradiated fuel and materials experiments. The materials open-test assembly (MOTA) is brought to the IEM cell for materials test specimen removal. The specimens are shipped to the materials laboratory for sorting and installation in new specimen holders and then returned within 10 days to the IEM cell where they are installed in a new MOTA vehicle for further irradiation. Reconstituting a MOTA is a challenging remote operation involving dozens of steps and two separate facilities. Handling and disassembling sodium-wetted components pose interesting handling, cleaning, and disposal challenges. The success of this system is evidenced by its timely completion in the critical path of FFTF outage schedules

  8. Novel inorganic materials for polymer electrolyte and alkaline fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadanaga, Kiyoharu

    2012-06-01

    Inorganic materials with high ionic conductivity must have big advantages for the thermal and long term stability when the materials are used as the electrolyte of fuel cells. In the present paper, novel ionic conductive inorganic materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) and all solid state alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) that have been developed by our group have been reviewed. PEFCs which can operate in temperature range from 100 to 200 °C are intensively studied because of some advantages such as reduction of CO poisoning of Pt catalyst and acceleration of electrode reactions. We showed that the fuel cells using the composite membranes prepared from phosphosilicate gel powder and polyimide precursor can operate in the temperature range from 30 to 180 °C. We also found that the inorganic-organic hybrid membranes with acid-base pairs from 3-aminopropyl triethoxy silane and H2SO4 or H3PO4 show high proton conductivity under dry atmosphere, and the membranes are thermally stable at intermediate temperatures. On the other hand, because the use of noble platinum is the serious problem for the commercialization of PEFCs and because oxidation reactions are usually faster than those of acid-type fuel cells, alkaline type fuel cells, in which a nonplatinum catalyst can be used, are attractive. Recently, we have proposed an alkaline-type direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) using a natural clay electrolyte with non-platinum catalysts. So-called hydrotalcite clay, Mg-Al layered double hydroxide intercalated with CO32- (Mg-Al CO32- LDH), has been proved to be a hydroxide ion conductor. An alkalinetype DEFC using Mg-Al CO32- LDH as the electrolyte and aqueous solution of ethanol and potassium hydroxide as a source of fuel exhibited excellent electrochemical performance.

  9. Emerging Semitransparent Solar Cells: Materials and Device Design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, Qidong; Yan, Feng

    2017-09-01

    Semitransparent solar cells can provide not only efficient power-generation but also appealing images and show promising applications in building integrated photovoltaics, wearable electronics, photovoltaic vehicles and so forth in the future. Such devices have been successfully realized by incorporating transparent electrodes in new generation low-cost solar cells, including organic solar cells (OSCs), dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and organometal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this review, the advances in the preparation of semitransparent OSCs, DSCs, and PSCs are summarized, focusing on the top transparent electrode materials and device designs, which are all crucial to the performance of these devices. Techniques for optimizing the efficiency, color and transparency of the devices are addressed in detail. Finally, a summary of the research field and an outlook into the future development in this area are provided. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Secondary cell with orthorhombic alkali metal/manganese oxide phase active cathode material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doeff, Marca M.; Peng, Marcus Y.; Ma, Yanping; Visco, Steven J.; DeJonghe, Lutgard C.

    1996-01-01

    An alkali metal manganese oxide secondary cell is disclosed which can provide a high rate of discharge, good cycling capabilities, good stability of the cathode material, high specific energy (energy per unit of weight) and high energy density (energy per unit volume). The active material in the anode is an alkali metal and the active material in the cathode comprises an orthorhombic alkali metal manganese oxide which undergoes intercalation and deintercalation without a change in phase, resulting in a substantially linear change in voltage with change in the state of charge of the cell. The active material in the cathode is an orthorhombic structure having the formula M.sub.x Z.sub.y Mn.sub.(1-y) O.sub.2, where M is an alkali metal; Z is a metal capable of substituting for manganese in the orthorhombic structure such as iron, cobalt or titanium; x ranges from about 0.2 in the fully charged state to about 0.75 in the fully discharged state, and y ranges from 0 to 60 atomic %. Preferably, the cell is constructed with a solid electrolyte, but a liquid or gelatinous electrolyte may also be used in the cell.

  11. Preparation of cathode materials for Li-ion cells by acid dissolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Si Hyoung; Jeong, Woon Tae; Cho, Won Il; Cho, Byung Won; Woo, Kyoungja

    2005-01-01

    New synthesis route called acid dissolution method, preparing the high-performance cathode materials for the lithium-ion cells, was successfully developed. In this method, insoluble starting materials such as metal carbonates or metal hydroxides are dissolved in strong organic acidic solution which contains a chelating agent. And then, the solvent of the solution containing starting materials is eliminated to obtain the xerogel of the initial solution whose chemical form is expressed as Li[MA 3 ], where M is a transition metal atom and A is the anion of the organic acid. The xerogel is then calcined at the high temperature to obtain polycrystalline cathode materials. In this work, the applicability of this method was demonstrated synthesizing a polycrystalline single-phase LiCoO 2 using lithium carbonate, cobalt hydroxide as the insoluble starting materials and the acrylic acid as a chelating agent. The synthesized powders calcined at 800 deg. C showed a good electrochemical performance in the half-cell test

  12. 3D material cytometry (3DMaC): a very high-replicate, high-throughput analytical method using microfabricated, shape-specific, cell-material niches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parratt, Kirsten; Jeong, Jenny; Qiu, Peng; Roy, Krishnendu

    2017-08-08

    Studying cell behavior within 3D material niches is key to understanding cell biology in health and diseases, and developing biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications. Current approaches to studying these cell-material niches have low throughput and can only analyze a few replicates per experiment resulting in reduced measurement assurance and analytical power. Here, we report 3D material cytometry (3DMaC), a novel high-throughput method based on microfabricated, shape-specific 3D cell-material niches and imaging cytometry. 3DMaC achieves rapid and highly multiplexed analyses of very high replicate numbers ("n" of 10 4 -10 6 ) of 3D biomaterial constructs. 3DMaC overcomes current limitations of low "n", low-throughput, and "noisy" assays, to provide rapid and simultaneous analyses of potentially hundreds of parameters in 3D biomaterial cultures. The method is demonstrated here for a set of 85 000 events containing twelve distinct cell-biomaterial micro-niches along with robust, customized computational methods for high-throughput analytics with potentially unprecedented statistical power.

  13. MATERIALS SCIENCE: New Tigers in the Fuel Cell Tank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Service, R F

    2000-06-16

    After decades of incremental advances, a spurt of findings suggests that fuel cells that run on good old fossil fuels are almost ready for prime time. Although conventional ceramic cells, known as solid oxide fuel cells, require expensive heat-resistant materials, a new generation of SOFCs, including one featured on page 2031, converts hydrocarbons directly into electricity at lower temperatures. And a recent demonstration of a system of standard SOFCs large enough to light up more than 200 homes showed that it is the most efficient large-scale electrical generator ever designed.

  14. Effects of Surface Morphology ZnAl2O4 of Ceramic Materials on Osteoblastic Cells Responses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suarez-Franco, J.L.; Fernandez-Pedrero, J.A.; Ivarez-Perez, M.A.; Garcia-Hipolito, M.; Surarez-Rosales, M.; Fregoso, O.; Juarez-Islas, J.A.; Ivarez-Perez, M.A.

    2013-01-01

    Ceramic scaffolds are widely studied in the tissue engineering field due to their potential in medical applications as bone substitutes or as bone-filling materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of surface morphology of nano structure thin films of ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by spray pyrolysis and bulk pellets of polycrystalline ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by chemical coprecipitation reaction on the in vitro cell adhesion, viability, and cell-material interactions of osteoblastic cells. Our result showed that cell attachment was significantly enhanced from 60 to 80% on the ZnAl 2 O 4 nano structured material surface when compared with bulk ceramic surfaces. Moreover, our results showed that the balance of morphological properties of the thin film nano structure ceramic improves cell-material interaction with enhanced spreading and filopodia with multiple cellular extensions on the surface of the ceramic and enhancing cell viability/proliferation in comparison with bulk ceramic surfaces used as control. Altogether, these results suggest that zinc aluminate nano structured materials have a great potential to be used in dental implant and bone substitute applications.Ceramic scaffolds are widely studied in the tissue engineering field due to their potential in medical applications as bone substitutes or as bone-filling materials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of surface morphology of nano structure thin films of ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by spray pyrolysis and bulk pellets of polycrystalline ZnAl 2 O 4 prepared by chemical coprecipitation reaction on the in vitro cell adhesion, viability, and cell-material interactions of osteoblastic cells. Our result showed that cell attachment was significantly enhanced from 60 to 80% on the ZnAl 2 O 4 nano structured material surface when compared with bulk ceramic surfaces. Moreover, our results showed that the balance of morphological properties of the thin film nano structure ceramic improves

  15. Modern plastic solar cells : materials, mechanisms and modeling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chiechi, Ryan C.; Havenith, Remco W.A.; Hummelen, Jan C.; Koster, L. Jan Anton; Loi, Maria A.

    2013-01-01

    We provide a short review of modern 'plastic' solar cells, a broad topic that spans materials science, physics, and chemistry. The aim of this review is to provide a primer for non-experts or researchers in related fields who are curious about this rapidly growing field of interdisciplinary

  16. Dye-sensitized solar cells: a successful combination of materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Longo Claudia

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells, DSSC, are a promising alternative for the development of a new generation of photovoltaic devices. DSSC are a successful combination of materials, consisting of a transparent electrode coated with a dye-sensitized mesoporous film of nanocrystalline particles of TiO2, an electrolyte containing a suitable redox-couple and a Pt coated counter-electrode. In general, Ru bipyridyl complexes are used as the dye sensitizers. The light-to-energy conversion performance of the cell depends on the relative energy levels of the semiconductor and dye and on the kinetics of the electron-transfer processes at the sensitized semiconductor | electrolyte interface. The rate of these processes depends on the properties of its components. This contribution presents a discussion on the influence of each of the materials which constitute the DSSC of the overall process for energy conversion. An overview of the results obtained for solid-state dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells assembled with polymer electrolytes is also presented.

  17. Squaramide-based supramolecular materials for three-dimensional cell culture of human induced pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tong, Ciqing; Liu, Tingxian; Saez Talens, Victorio; Noteborn, Willem E.M.; Sharp, Thomas H.; Hendrix, Marco M.R.M.; Voets, Ilja K.; Mummery, Christine L.; Orlova, Valeria V.; Kieltyka, Roxanne E.

    2018-01-01

    Synthetic hydrogel materials can recapitulate the natural cell microenvironment; however, it is equally necessary that the gels maintain cell viability and phenotype while permitting reisolation without stress, especially for use in the stem cell field. Here, we describe a family of synthetically

  18. New Cathode Materials for Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Allan J. Jacobson

    2006-09-30

    Operation of SOFCs at intermediate temperatures (500-800 C) requires new combinations of electrolyte and electrode materials that will provide both rapid ion transport across the electrolyte and electrode-electrolyte interfaces and efficient electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction and fuel oxidation reactions. This project concentrates on materials and issues associated with cathode performance that are known to become limiting factors as the operating temperature is reduced. The specific objectives of the proposed research are to develop cathode materials that meet the electrode performance targets of 1.0 W/cm{sup 2} at 0.7 V in combination with YSZ at 700 C and with GDC, LSGM or bismuth oxide based electrolytes at 600 C. The performance targets imply an area specific resistance of {approx}0.5 {Omega}cm{sup 2} for the total cell. The research strategy is to investigate both established classes of materials and new candidates as cathodes, to determine fundamental performance parameters such as bulk diffusion, surface reactivity and interfacial transfer, and to couple these parameters to performance in single cell tests. The initial choices for study were perovskite oxides based on substituted LaFeO{sub 3} (P1 compositions), where significant data in single cell tests exist at PNNL for example, for La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}FeO{sub 3} cathodes on both YSZ and CSO/YSZ. The materials selection was then extended to La{sub 2}NiO{sub 4} compositions (K1 compositions), and then in a longer range task we evaluated the possibility of completely unexplored group of materials that are also perovskite related, the ABM{sub 2}O{sub 5+{delta}}. A key component of the research strategy was to evaluate for each cathode material composition, the key performance parameters, including ionic and electronic conductivity, surface exchange rates, stability with respect to the specific electrolyte choice, and thermal expansion coefficients. In the initial phase, we did this in parallel with

  19. Enhancing solar cell efficiency: the search for luminescent materials as spectral converters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaoyong; Han, Sanyang; Huang, Wei; Liu, Xiaogang

    2013-01-07

    Photovoltaic (PV) technologies for solar energy conversion represent promising routes to green and renewable energy generation. Despite relevant PV technologies being available for more than half a century, the production of solar energy remains costly, largely owing to low power conversion efficiencies of solar cells. The main difficulty in improving the efficiency of PV energy conversion lies in the spectral mismatch between the energy distribution of photons in the incident solar spectrum and the bandgap of a semiconductor material. In recent years, luminescent materials, which are capable of converting a broad spectrum of light into photons of a particular wavelength, have been synthesized and used to minimize the losses in the solar-cell-based energy conversion process. In this review, we will survey recent progress in the development of spectral converters, with a particular emphasis on lanthanide-based upconversion, quantum-cutting and down-shifting materials, for PV applications. In addition, we will also present technical challenges that arise in developing cost-effective high-performance solar cells based on these luminescent materials.

  20. Characterization of thin-film silicon materials and solar cells through numerical modeling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pieters, B.E.

    2008-01-01

    At present most commercially available solar cells are made of crystalline silicon (c-Si). The disadvantages of crystalline silicon solar cells are the high material cost and energy consumption during production. A cheaper alternative can be found in thin-film silicon solar cells. The thin-film

  1. Stem cell homing-based tissue engineering using bioactive materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yinxian; Sun, Binbin; Yi, Chengqing; Mo, Xiumei

    2017-06-01

    Tissue engineering focuses on repairing tissue and restoring tissue functions by employing three elements: scaffolds, cells and biochemical signals. In tissue engineering, bioactive material scaffolds have been used to cure tissue and organ defects with stem cell-based therapies being one of the best documented approaches. In the review, different biomaterials which are used in several methods to fabricate tissue engineering scaffolds were explained and show good properties (biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties etc.) for cell migration and infiltration. Stem cell homing is a recruitment process for inducing the migration of the systemically transplanted cells, or host cells, to defect sites. The mechanisms and modes of stem cell homing-based tissue engineering can be divided into two types depending on the source of the stem cells: endogenous and exogenous. Exogenous stem cell-based bioactive scaffolds have the challenge of long-term culturing in vitro and for endogenous stem cells the biochemical signal homing recruitment mechanism is not clear yet. Although the stem cell homing-based bioactive scaffolds are attractive candidates for tissue defect therapies, based on in vitro studies and animal tests, there is still a long way before clinical application.

  2. Environment-oriented life cycle analysis of bulk materials, applied in solar cell systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geelen, H.

    1994-04-01

    In the solar cell technology several bulk materials (glass, steel, aluminium, concrete, copper, zinc and synthetic materials) are applied intensively. By means of a life cycle analysis (LCA) the environmental effects and bottlenecks of the use of these materials is investigated in this report. Also attention is paid to the options to reduce the environmental effects of photovoltaic (PV) systems by changing processes and/or by redesign of the PV systems. Two systems are studied: solar cells, integrated in pitched roofs, and solar cells on the ground in solar cell arrays. The study is focused on the use of bulk materials in the solar module, the cables and the supporting construction. After brief introductions on the environment-oriented LCA method, the standard construction of PV modules and the principles of solar cells, an overview is given of the present and future material input for the above-mentioned PV-systems. Next, attention is paid to the energy consumption and the most important emissions of the production of the bulk materials. Based on these data three environmental effect scores of the PV systems are calculated and analyzed: the energy consumption, the greenhouse effect or global warming equivalent, and the acidifying effect or acidification equivalent. Also a fourth effect, for which the so-called environmental indicator human toxicity is defined, is described. By means of this indicator the hazardous effects for the public health can be indicated. The sum of the four indicators is a measure for the environmental profile of the roof PV-system and the ground PV-array system. Recommendations are given by which the systems and their environmental profiles can be improved. 29 figs., 50 tabs., 5 appendices, refs

  3. Nanoscale definition of substrate materials to direct human adult stem cells towards tissue specific populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curran, Judith M; Chen, Rui; Stokes, Robert; Irvine, Eleanor; Graham, Duncan; Gubbins, Earl; Delaney, Deany; Amro, Nabil; Sanedrin, Raymond; Jamil, Haris; Hunt, John A

    2010-03-01

    The development of homogenously nano-patterned chemically modified surfaces that can be used to initiate a cellular response, particularly stem cell differentiation, in a highly controlled manner without the need for exogenous biological factors has never been reported, due to that fact that precisely defined and reproducible systems have not been available that can be used to study cell/material interactions and unlock the potential of a material driven cell response. Until now material driven stem cell (furthermore any cell) responses have been variable due to the limitations in definition and reproducibility of the underlying substrate and the lack of true homogeneity of modifications that can dictate a cellular response at a sub-micron level that can effectively control initial cell interactions of all cells that contact the surface. Here we report the successful design and use of homogenously molecularly nanopatterned surfaces to control initial stem cell adhesion and hence function. The highly specified nano-patterned arrays were compared directly to silane modified bulk coated substrates that have previously been proven to initiate mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation in a heterogenous manner, the aim of this study was to prove the efficiency of these previously observed cell responses could be enhanced by the incorporation of nano-patterns. Nano-patterned surfaces were prepared by Dip Pen Nanolithography (DPN) to produce arrays of 70 nm sized dots separated by defined spacings of 140, 280 and 1000 nm with terminal functionalities of carboxyl, amino, methyl and hydroxyl and used to control cell growth. These nanopatterned surfaces exhibited unprecedented control of initial cell interactions and will change the capabilities for stem cell definition in vitro and then cell based medical therapies. In addition to highlighting the ability of the materials to control stem cell functionality on an unprecedented scale this research also introduces the

  4. Analytical techniques for characterization of raw materials in cell culture media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharma Chandana

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Raw materials are a critical part of any cell culture medium; therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand and characterize them for high-quality product. The raw material characterization (RMC program at SAFC focuses on individual screening of raw materials both analytically and biologically. The goal of the program is to develop the best-in-class knowledge base of the raw materials used in SAFC’s media formulations and their impact on performance of products.

  5. Injectable scaffold materials differ in their cell instructive effects on primary human myoblasts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hejbøl, Eva Kildall; Sellathurai, Jeeva; Nair, Prabha Damodaran

    2017-01-01

    Scaffolds are materials used for delivery of cells for regeneration of tissues. They support three-dimensional organization and improve cell survival. For the repair of small skeletal muscles, injections of small volumes of cells are attractive, and injectable scaffolds for delivery of cells offer...... a minimally invasive technique. In this study, we examined in vitro the cell instructive effects of three types of injectable scaffolds, fibrin, alginate, and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-based microparticles on primary human myoblasts. The myoblast morphology and progression in the myogenic program differed......, depending on the type of scaffold material. In alginate gel, the cells obtained a round morphology, they ceased to proliferate, and entered quiescence. In the fibrin gels, differentiation was promoted, and myotubes were observed within a few days in culture, while poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid...

  6. Fuel cells science and engineering. Materials, processes, systems and technology. Vol. 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stolten, Detlef; Emonts, Bernd (eds.) [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (DE). Inst. fuer Energieforschung (IEF), Brennstoffzellen (IEF-3)

    2012-07-01

    The first volume is divided in four parts and 22 chapters. It is structured as follows: PART I: Technology. Chapter 1: Technical Advancement of Fuel-Cell Research and Development (Dr. Bernd Emonts, Ludger Blum, Thomas Grube, Werner Lehnert, Juergen Mergel, Martin Mueller and Ralf Peters); 2: Single-Chamber Fuel Cells (Teko W. Napporn and Melanie Kuhn); 3: Technology and Applications of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (Barbara Bosio, Elisabetta Arato and Paolo Greppi); 4: Alkaline Fuel Cells (Erich Guelzow); 5: Micro Fuel Cells (Ulf Groos and Dietmar Gerteisen); 6: Principles and Technology of Microbial Fuel Cells (Jan B. A. Arends, Joachim Desloover, Sebastia Puig and Willy Verstraete); 7: Micro-Reactors for Fuel Processing (Gunther Kolb); 8: Regenerative Fuel Cells (Martin Mueller). PART II: Materials and Production Processes. Chapter 9: Advances in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Development between 1995 and 2010 at Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Germany (Vincent Haanappel); 10: Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrode Fabrication by Infiltration (Evren Gunen); 11: Sealing Technology for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (K. Scott Weil); 12: Phosphoric Acid, an Electrolyte for Fuel Cells - Temperature and Composition Dependence of Vapor Pressure and Proton Conductivity (Carsten Korte); 13: Materials and Coatings for Metallic Bipolar Plates in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (Heli Wang and John A. Turner); 14: Nanostructured Materials for Fuel Cells (John F. Elter); 15: Catalysis in Low-Temperature Fuel Cells - An Overview (Sabine Schimpf and Michael Bron). PART III: Analytics and Diagnostics. Chapter 16: Impedance Spectroscopy for High-Temperature Fuel Cells (Ellen Ivers-Tiffee, Andre Leonide, Helge Schichlein, Volker Sonn and Andre Weber); 17: Post-Test Characterization of Solid Oxide Fuel-Cell Stacks (Norbert H. Menzler and Peter Batfalsky); 18: In Situ Imaging at Large-Scale Facilities (Christian Toetzke, Ingo Manke and Werner Lehnert); 19: Analytics of Physical Properties of Low

  7. Measurement of properties of sealant materials for solid oxide fuel cell systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boersma, R.J.; Sammes, N.M.; Zhang, Y.

    1998-01-01

    Thermal expansion of ceramic materials, ceramic cements and steels was studied, and their compatibility with materials used in the SOFC system was evaluated. A number of ceramic cements, a glass paste and a glass ceramic were examined to identify their potential as a sealing material in a tubular fuel cell system. Thermal expansion coefficients of these materials were compared for thermal matching with materials employed in the fuel cell construction, such as yttria stabilised with 8 mole% zirconia (8YSZ) and stainless steel. A reasonable match was found for Macor, a glass ceramic, with one of the steel samples studied and with 8YSZ. Candidate sealants were tested for bonding quality, which made it evident that the ceramic cements had to be discarded. Good bonds between Macor and one of the steel samples and Macor and 8YSZ were formed, resulting in a gas tight seal. Uncertainty remains regarding the long term effect of the interface reactions between steel and Macor. Exposure of the Macor and a steel-Macor-8YSZ assembly to the different fuel cell gas atmospheres revealed that the Macor reacts with hydrogen, the long term effect of which is also unknown. Copyright (1998) Australasian Ceramic Society

  8. PEMBUATAN DAN KARAKTERISASI ARANG DARI BATANG TANAMAN GUMITIR (Tagetes erecta PADA BERBAGAI SUHU DAN WAKTU PIROLISIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Made Siaka

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRAK: Telah dilakukan penelitian tentang pembuatan dan karakterisasi arang dari batang tanaman gumitir (Tagetes erecta pada berbagai suhu dan waktu pirolisis. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk memperoleh suhu dan waktu yang optimum dalam pembuatan arang serta mengetahui karakteristik arang yang dihasilkan pada suhu dan waktu optimumnya. Karakteristik arang mengacu pada SNI 06–3730-1995 dengan melakukan analisis terhadap kadar air, abu, volatile, dan karbon serta daya serapnya terhadap odine dan metilen biru. Suhu optimum pirolisis pembuatan arang adalah 300oC dengan karakteristik terbaik berupa rendemen, kadar air, volatile, abu, dan karbon berturut-turut sebesar 40,27 ±; 4,00 ± 0,00; 6,58 ± 0,07; 4,34 ± 1,22; dan 85,06%, serta daya serapnya terhadap iodin dan metilen biru sebesar 631,0935 ± 0,00 dan 131,34 ± 1,7 mg/g arang. Waktu pirolisis optimum adalah 90 menit dengan karakterisitik paling baik, yakni rendemen, kadar air, volatile, abu, dan karbon berturut-turut sebesar 42,30 ± 8,7; 2,00 ± 0,00; 2,87 ± 0,07; 9,68 ± 1,17; dan 85,44% serta daya serapnya terhadap iodin dan metilen biru sebesar 647,4642 ± 0,00 dan 136,20 ± 1,28 mg/g arang. Arang yang dihasilkan dari pirolisis pada suhu dan waktu optimum memiliki karakteristik yang sesuai dengan SNI 06-3730-1995 memiliki gugus fungsi O-H dan berupa karbon alifatik.   ABSTRACT: This paper discusses the manufacture and characterization of carbon made from the stems of marigold (Tagetes erecta at various temperatures and times of pyrolysis. This research aimed to obtain the optimum temperature and time of pyrolising in producing carbon, as well asto recognize the characteristics of the carbon produced. Characteristics of the carbon quality followed the Indonesian National Standard (SNI 06-3730-1995 by analyzing the contents of water, volatile substances, ash, and carbon, as well as, the ability of the carbon in absorption capacities of iodine and methylene blue. The optimum pyrolysis

  9. Durability and performance optimization of cathode materials for fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colon-Mercado, Hector Rafael

    The primary objective of this dissertation is to develop an accelerated durability test (ADT) for the evaluation of cathode materials for fuel cells. The work has been divided in two main categories, namely high temperature fuel cells with emphasis on the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell (MCFC) cathode current collector corrosion problems and low temperature fuel cells in particular Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell (PEMFC) cathode catalyst corrosion. The high operating temperature of MCFC has given it benefits over other fuel cells. These include higher efficiencies (>50%), faster electrode kinetics, etc. At 650°C, the theoretical open circuit voltage is established, providing low electrode overpotentials without requiring any noble metal catalysts and permitting high electrochemical efficiency. The waste heat is generated at sufficiently high temperatures to make it useful as a co-product. However, in order to commercialize the MCFC, a lifetime of 40,000 hours of operation must be achieved. The major limiting factor in the MCFC is the corrosion of cathode materials, which include cathode electrode and cathode current collector. In the first part of this dissertation the corrosion characteristics of bare, heat-treated and cobalt coated titanium alloys were studied using an ADT and compared with that of state of the art current collector material, SS 316. PEMFCs are the best choice for a wide range of portable, stationary and automotive applications because of their high power density and relatively low-temperature operation. However, a major impediment in the commercialization of the fuel cell technology is the cost involved due to the large amount of platinum electrocatalyst used in the cathode catalyst. In an effort to increase the power and decrease the cathode cost in polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) systems, Pt-alloy catalysts were developed to increase its activity and stability. Extensive research has been conducted in the area of new alloy development and

  10. Research progress on organic-inorganic halide perovskite materials and solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ono, Luis K.; Qi, Yabing

    2018-03-01

    Owing to the intensive research efforts across the world since 2009, perovskite solar cell power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) are now comparable or even better than several other photovoltaic (PV) technologies. In this topical review article, we review recent progress in the field of organic-inorganic halide perovskite materials and solar cells. We associate these achievements with the fundamental knowledge gained in the perovskite research. The major recent advances in the fundamental perovskite material and solar cell research are highlighted, including the current efforts in visualizing the dynamical processes (in operando) taking place within a perovskite solar cell under operating conditions. We also discuss the existing technological challenges. Based on a survey of recently published works, we point out that to move the perovskite PV technology forward towards the next step of commercialization, what perovskite PV technology need the most in the coming next few years is not only further PCE enhancements, but also up-scaling, stability, and lead-toxicity.

  11. High Energy Density Li-ion Cells for EV’s Based on Novel, High Voltage Cathode Material Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kepler, Keith [Farasis Energy Inc; Slater, Michael [Farasis Energy Inc

    2018-03-14

    This Li-ion cell technology development project had three objectives: to develop advanced electrode materials and cell components to enable stable high-voltage operation; to design and demonstrate a Li-ion cell using these materials that meets the PHEV40 performance targets; and to design and demonstrate a Li-ion cell using these materials that meets the EV performance targets. The major challenge to creating stable high energy cells with long cycle life is system integration. Although materials that can give high energy cells are known, stabilizing them towards long-term cycling in the presence of other novel cell components is a major challenge. The major technical barriers addressed by this work include low cathode specific energy, poor electrolyte stability during high voltage operation, and insufficient capacity retention during deep discharge for Si-containing anodes. Through the course of this project, Farasis was able to improve capacity retention of NCM materials for 4.4+ V operation, through both surface treatment and bulk-doping approaches. Other material advances include increased rate capability and of HE-NCM materials through novel synthesis approach, doubling the relative capacity at 1C over materials synthesized using standard methods. Silicon active materials proved challenging throughout the project and ultimately were the limiting factor in the energy density vs. cycle life trade off. By avoiding silicon anodes for the lower energy PHEV design, we manufactured cells with intermediate energy density and long cycle life under high voltage operation for PHEV applications. Cells with high energy density for EV applications were manufactured targeting a 300 Wh/kg design and were able to achieve > 200 cycles.

  12. Influence of the starting materials on performance of high temperature oxide fuel cells devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emília Satoshi Miyamaru Seo

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available High temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs offer an environmentally friendly technology to convert gaseous fuels such as hydrogen, natural gas or gasified coal into electricity at high efficiencies. Besides the efficiency, higher than those obtained from the traditional energy conversion systems, a fuel cell provides many other advantages like reliability, modularity, fuel flexibility and very low levels of NOx and SOx emissions. The high operating temperature (950-1000 °C used by the current generation of the solid oxide fuel cells imposes severe constraints on materials selection in order to improve the lifetime of the cell. Besides the good electrical, electrochemical, mechanical and thermal properties, the individual cell components must be stable under the fuel cell operating atmospheres. Each material has to perform not only in its own right but also in conjunction with other system components. For this reason, each cell component must fulfill several different criteria. This paper reviews the materials and the methods used to fabricate the different cell components, such as the cathode, the electrolyte, the anode and the interconnect. Some remarkable results, obtained at IPEN (Nuclear Energy Research Institute in São Paulo, have been presented.

  13. Graphene-enhanced thermal interface materials for heat removal from photovoltaic solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saadah, M.; Gamalath, D.; Hernandez, E.; Balandin, A. A.

    2016-09-01

    The increase in the temperature of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells affects negatively their power conversion efficiency and decreases their lifetime. The negative effects are particularly pronounced in concentrator solar cells. Therefore, it is crucial to limit the PV cell temperature by effectively removing the excess heat. Conventional thermal phase change materials (PCMs) and thermal interface materials (TIMs) do not possess the thermal conductivity values sufficient for thermal management of the next generation of PV cells. In this paper, we report the results of investigation of the increased efficiency of PV cells with the use of graphene-enhanced TIMs. Graphene reveals the highest values of the intrinsic thermal conductivity. It was also shown that the thermal conductivity of composites can be increased via utilization of graphene fillers. We prepared TIMs with up to 6% of graphene designed specifically for PV cell application. The solar cells were tested using the solar simulation module. It was found that the drop in the output voltage of the solar panel under two-sun concentrated illumination can be reduced from 19% to 6% when grapheneenhanced TIMs are used. The proposed method can recover up to 75% of the power loss in solar cells.

  14. Electron Acceptor Materials Engineering in Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Huan; Tang, Jiang; Kramer, Illan J.; Debnath, Ratan; Koleilat, Ghada I.; Wang, Xihua; Fisher, Armin; Li, Rui; Brzozowski, Lukasz; Levina, Larissa; Sargent, Edward H.

    2011-01-01

    -ion-doped sol-gel-derived titanium dioxide electrodes produce a tunable-bandedge, well-passivated materials platform for CQD solar cell optimization. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Methods For Improving Polymeric Materials For Use In Solar Cell Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanoka, Jack I.

    2003-07-01

    A method of manufacturing a solar cell module includes the use of low cost polymeric materials with improved mechanical properties. A transparent encapsulant layer is placed adjacent a rear surface of a front support layer. Interconnected solar cells are positioned adjacent a rear surface of the transparent encapsulant layer to form a solar cell assembly. A backskin layer is placed adjacent a rear surface of the solar cell assembly. At least one of the transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer are predisposed to electron beam radiation.

  16. Improved methods for binding acma-type protein anchor fusions yo cell-wall material of micro-organisms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leenhouts, Cornelis; Ramasamy, R.; Steen, Anton; Kok, Jan; Buist, Girbe; Kuipers, Oscar

    2002-01-01

    The invention provides a method for improving binding of a proteinaceous substance to cell-wall material of a Gram-positive bacterium, said substance comprising an AcmA cell wall binding domain or homolog or functional derivative thereof, said method comprising treating said cell-wall material with

  17. Influence of interface preparation on minority carrier lifetime for low bandgap tandem solar cell materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Szabo, Nadine; Sagol, B. Erol; Seidel, Ulf; Schwarzburg, Klaus; Hannappel, Thomas [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    III-V semiconductor compounds grown by MOVPE are implemented in todays state-of-the-art third generation multi-junction solar cells. The current record multi junction solar cell grown on germanium, having Ge, Ga(In)As and GaInP as subcells, reached a record efficiency of 41.6%. The efficiency of these multi junction solar cells could be significantly increased, if its low bandgap Ge subcell would be replaced by a more efficient tandem. For this purpose the low bandgap materials InGaAs and InGaAsP are suitable. The bandgap composition of these materials allows a better yield of the solar spectrum. Based on InGaAs/InGaAsP absorber materials we have developed a low bandgap tandem solar cell with optimized bandgaps. Results of time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) for the IR-bandgap compounds InGaAsP (1.03 eV)/InGaAs (0.73 eV) are presented. The lifetime of minority carriers is one of the most important properties of solar cell absorber materials. We show on the example of the low band gap tandem cell how the choice of the materials, the quality of the bulk, the optimization of the band gap energies and the preparation of the critical interfaces are essential to build a high efficiency solar cell. The quality of the bulk and the preparation of the critical interfaces are essential for the growth of the double heterostructure (DHS).

  18. Electron Acceptor Materials Engineering in Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Huan

    2011-07-15

    Lead sulfide colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells with a solar power conversion efficiency of 5.6% are reported. The result is achieved through careful optimization of the titanium dioxide electrode that serves as the electron acceptor. Metal-ion-doped sol-gel-derived titanium dioxide electrodes produce a tunable-bandedge, well-passivated materials platform for CQD solar cell optimization. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Li-Ion Pouch Cells for Vehicle Applications — Studies of Water Transmission and Packing Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Göran Flodberg

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This study includes analysis of encapsulation materials from lithium-ion pouch cells and water vapour transmission rate (WVTR measurements. WVTR measurements are performed on both fresh and environmentally stressed lithium-ion pouch cells. Capacity measurements are performed on both the fresh and the environmentally stressed battery cells to identify possible influences on electrochemical performance. Preparation of the battery cells prior to WVTR measurements includes opening of battery cells and extraction of electrode material, followed by resealing the encapsulations and adhesively mounting of gas couplings. A model describing the water diffusion through the thermal welds of the encapsulation are set up based on material analysis of the encapsulation material. Two WVTR equipments with different type of detectors are evaluated in this study. The results from the WVTR measurements show how important it is to perform this type of studies in dry environment and apply a rigorous precondition sequence before testing. Results from modelling confirm that the WVTR method has potential to be used for measurements of water diffusion into lithium-ion pouch cells. Consequently, WVTR measurements should be possible to use as a complement or alternative method to for example Karl Fisher titration.

  20. Nanomaterials for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells; Materials Challenges Facing Electrical Energy Storate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gopal Rao, MRS Web-Editor; Yury Gogotsi, Drexel University; Karen Swider-Lyons, Naval Research Laboratory

    2010-08-05

    Symposium T: Nanomaterials for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are under intense investigation worldwide for applications ranging from transportation to portable power. The purpose of this seminar is to focus on the nanomaterials and nanostructures inherent to polymer fuel cells. Symposium topics will range from high-activity cathode and anode catalysts, to theory and new analytical methods. Symposium U: Materials Challenges Facing Electrical Energy Storage Electricity, which can be generated in a variety of ways, offers a great potential for meeting future energy demands as a clean and efficient energy source. However, the use of electricity generated from renewable sources, such as wind or sunlight, requires efficient electrical energy storage. This symposium will cover the latest material developments for batteries, advanced capacitors, and related technologies, with a focus on new or emerging materials science challenges.

  1. 3D Printing of Lotus Root-Like Biomimetic Materials for Cell Delivery and Tissue Regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Chun; Zhang, Wenjie; Deng, Cuijun; Li, Guanglong; Chang, Jiang; Zhang, Zhiyuan; Jiang, Xinquan; Wu, Chengtie

    2017-12-01

    Biomimetic materials have drawn more and more attention in recent years. Regeneration of large bone defects is still a major clinical challenge. In addition, vascularization plays an important role in the process of large bone regeneration and microchannel structure can induce endothelial cells to form rudimentary vasculature. In recent years, 3D printing scaffolds are major materials for large bone defect repair. However, these traditional 3D scaffolds have low porosity and nonchannel structure, which impede angiogenesis and osteogenesis. In this study, inspired by the microstructure of natural plant lotus root, biomimetic materials with lotus root-like structures are successfully prepared via a modified 3D printing strategy. Compared with traditional 3D materials, these biomimetic materials can significantly improve in vitro cell attachment and proliferation as well as promote in vivo osteogenesis, indicating potential application for cell delivery and bone regeneration.

  2. Emerging Prototype Sodium-Ion Full Cells with Nanostructured Electrode Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Wenhao; Zhu, Zixuan; An, Qinyou; Mai, Liqiang

    2017-06-01

    Due to steadily increasing energy consumption, the demand of renewable energy sources is more urgent than ever. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a cost-effective alternative because of the earth abundance of Na resources and their competitive electrochemical behaviors. Before practical application, it is essential to establish a bridge between the sodium half-cell and the commercial battery from a full cell perspective. An overview of the major challenges, most recent advances, and outlooks of non-aqueous and aqueous sodium-ion full cells (SIFCs) is presented. Considering the intimate relationship between SIFCs and electrode materials, including structure, composition and mutual matching principle, both the advance of various prototype SIFCs and the electrochemistry development of nanostructured electrode materials are reviewed. It is noted that a series of SIFCs combined with layered oxides and hard carbon are capable of providing a high specific gravimetric energy above 200 Wh kg -1 , and an NaCrO 2 //hard carbon full cell is able to deliver a high rate capability over 100 C. To achieve industrialization of SIBs, more systematic work should focus on electrode construction, component compatibility, and battery technologies. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Modelling effective dielectric properties of materials containing diverse types of biological cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huclova, Sonja; Froehlich, Juerg; Erni, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    An efficient and versatile numerical method for the generation of different realistically shaped biological cells is developed. This framework is used to calculate the dielectric spectra of materials containing specific types of biological cells. For the generation of the numerical models of the cells a flexible parametrization method based on the so-called superformula is applied including the option of obtaining non-axisymmetric shapes such as box-shaped cells and even shapes corresponding to echinocytes. The dielectric spectra of effective media containing various cell morphologies are calculated focusing on the dependence of the spectral features on the cell shape. The numerical method is validated by comparing a model of spherical inclusions at a low volume fraction with the analytical solution obtained by the Maxwell-Garnett mixing formula, resulting in good agreement. Our simulation data for different cell shapes suggest that around 1MHz the effective dielectric properties of different cell shapes at different volume fractions significantly deviate from the spherical case. The most pronounced change exhibits ε eff between 0.1 and 1 MHz with a deviation of up to 35% for a box-shaped cell and 15% for an echinocyte compared with the sphere at a volume fraction of 0.4. This hampers the unique interpretation of changes in cellular features measured by dielectric spectroscopy when simplified material models are used.

  4. Ultrastructural changes of cell walls under intense mechanical treatment of selective plant raw material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bychkov, Aleksey L.; Ryabchikova, E.I.; Korolev, K.G.; Lomovsky, O.I.

    2012-01-01

    Structural changes of cell walls under intense mechanical treatment of corn straw and oil-palm fibers were studied by electron and light microscopy. Differences in the character of destruction of plant biomass were revealed, and the dependence of destruction mechanisms on the structure of cell walls and lignin content was demonstrated. We suggest that the high reactivity of the particles of corn straw (about 18% of lignin) after intense mechanical treatment is related to disordering of cell walls and an increase of the surface area, while in the case of oil palm (10% of lignin) the major contribution into an increase in the reactivity is made by an increase of surface area. -- Highlights: ► Structure of cell walls determines the processes of plant materials' destruction. ► Ultrastructure of highly lignified materials strongly disordering by mechanical action. ► Ultrastructure of low-lignified materials is not disordering by mechanical action.

  5. Lattice Symmetry and Identification-The Fundamental Role of Reduced Cells in Materials Characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mighell, A D

    2001-01-01

    In theory, physical crystals can be represented by idealized mathematical lattices. Under appropriate conditions, these representations can be used for a variety of purposes such as identifying, classifying, and understanding the physical properties of materials. Critical to these applications is the ability to construct a unique representation of the lattice. The vital link that enabled this theory to be realized in practice was provided by the 1970 paper on the determination of reduced cells. This seminal paper led to a mathematical approach to lattice analysis initially based on systematic reduction procedures and the use of standard cells. Subsequently, the process evolved to a matrix approach based on group theory and linear algebra that offered a more abstract and powerful way to look at lattices and their properties. Application of the reduced cell to both database work and laboratory research at NIST was immediately successful. Currently, this cell and/or procedures based on reduction are widely and routinely used by the general scientific community: (i) for calculating standard cells for the reporting of crystalline materials, (ii) for classifying materials, (iii) in crystallographic database work (iv) in routine x-ray and neutron diffractometry, and (v) in general crystallographic research. Especially important is its use in symmetry determination and in identification. The focus herein is on the role of the reduced cell in lattice symmetry determination.

  6. 3D Printing of Lotus Root‐Like Biomimetic Materials for Cell Delivery and Tissue Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Chun; Zhang, Wenjie; Deng, Cuijun; Li, Guanglong; Chang, Jiang; Zhang, Zhiyuan

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Biomimetic materials have drawn more and more attention in recent years. Regeneration of large bone defects is still a major clinical challenge. In addition, vascularization plays an important role in the process of large bone regeneration and microchannel structure can induce endothelial cells to form rudimentary vasculature. In recent years, 3D printing scaffolds are major materials for large bone defect repair. However, these traditional 3D scaffolds have low porosity and nonchannel structure, which impede angiogenesis and osteogenesis. In this study, inspired by the microstructure of natural plant lotus root, biomimetic materials with lotus root‐like structures are successfully prepared via a modified 3D printing strategy. Compared with traditional 3D materials, these biomimetic materials can significantly improve in vitro cell attachment and proliferation as well as promote in vivo osteogenesis, indicating potential application for cell delivery and bone regeneration. PMID:29270348

  7. Perovskite Solar Cells: Influence of Hole Transporting Materials on Power Conversion Efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ameen, Sadia; Rub, Malik Abdul; Kosa, Samia A; Alamry, Khalid A; Akhtar, M Shaheer; Shin, Hyung-Shik; Seo, Hyung-Kee; Asiri, Abdullah M; Nazeeruddin, Mohammad Khaja

    2016-01-08

    The recent advances in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) created a tsunami effect in the photovoltaic community. PSCs are newfangled high-performance photovoltaic devices with low cost that are solution processable for large-scale energy production. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of such devices experienced an unprecedented increase from 3.8 % to a certified value exceeding 20 %, demonstrating exceptional properties of perovskites as solar cell materials. A key advancement in perovskite solar cells, compared with dye-sensitized solar cells, occurred with the replacement of liquid electrolytes with solid-state hole-transporting materials (HTMs) such as 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis-(N,N-di-4-methoxyphenylamino)-9,9'-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD), which contributed to enhanced PCE values and improved the cell stability. Following improvements in the perovskite crystallinity to produce a smooth, uniform morphology, the selective and efficient extraction of positive and negative charges in the device dictated the PCE of PSCs. In this Review, we focus mainly on the HTMs responsible for hole transport and extraction in PSCs, which is one of the essential components for efficient devices. Here, we describe the current state-of-the-art in molecular engineering of hole-transporting materials that are used in PSCs and highlight the requisites for market-viability of this technology. Finally, we include an outlook on molecular engineering of new functional HTMs for high efficiency PSCs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Review of New Technology for Preparing Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Materials by Metallurgical Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Man; Dai, Yongnian; Ma, Wenhui; Yang, Bin; Chu, Qingmei

    2017-11-01

    The goals of greatly reducing the photovoltaic power cost and making it less than that of thermal power to realize photovoltaic power grid parity without state subsidies are focused on in this paper. The research status, key technologies and development of the new technology for preparing crystalline silicon solar cell materials by metallurgical method at home and abroad are reviewed. The important effects of impurities and defects in crystalline silicon on its properties are analysed. The importance of new technology on reducing production costs and improving its quality to increase the cell conversion efficiency are emphasized. The previous research results show that the raw materials of crystalline silicon are extremely abundant. The product of crystalline silicon can meet the quality requirements of solar cell materials: Si ≥ 6 N, P 1 Ω cm, minority carrier life > 25 μs cell conversion efficiency of about 19.3%, the product costs energy consumption energy consumption, low carbon and sustainable development are prospected.

  9. Layered materials with improved magnesium intercalation for rechargeable magnesium ion cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doe, Robert Ellis; Downie, Craig Michael; Fischer, Christopher; Lane, George Hamilton; Morgan, Dane; Nevin, Josh; Ceder, Gerbrand; Persson, Kristin Aslaug; Eaglesham, David

    2016-07-26

    Electrochemical devices which incorporate cathode materials that include layered crystalline compounds for which a structural modification has been achieved which increases the diffusion rate of multi-valent ions into and out of the cathode materials. Examples in which the layer spacing of the layered electrode materials is modified to have a specific spacing range such that the spacing is optimal for diffusion of magnesium ions are presented. An electrochemical cell comprised of a positive intercalation electrode, a negative metal electrode, and a separator impregnated with a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing multi-valent ions and arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode active material is described.

  10. Metal Phosphates as Proton Conducting Materials for Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cell and Electrolyser Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Anfimova, Tatiana

    The present thesis presents the results achieved during my ph.d. project on a subject of intermediate temperature proton conducting metal phosphates as electrolyte materials for fuel cells and electrolysers. Fuel cells and electrolysers are electrochemical devices with high energy conversion...... with a proton conductivity of above 10-2S cm-1. Chapter 1 of the thesis is an introduction to basics of fuel cell and electrolyser technologies as well as proton conducting materials. Extended discussion on the proton conducting materials, a particularly phosphates is made in Chapter 2. Three major types...... starts with synthesis and investigation of three rare earth metal phosphate hydrates, which is first presented in Chapter 5. Structural and surface water as well as its stability has been investigated using thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses combined with structural modeling calculations...

  11. Response of Primary Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and Dermal Keratinocytes to Thermal Printer Materials In Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmelzer, Eva; Over, Patrick; Gridelli, Bruno; Gerlach, Jörg C

    Advancement in thermal three-dimensional printing techniques has greatly increased the possible applications of various materials in medical applications and tissue engineering. Yet, potential toxic effects on primary human cells have been rarely investigated. Therefore, we compared four materials commonly used in thermal printing for bioengineering, namely thermally printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, MED610, polycarbonate, and polylactic acid, and investigated their effects on primary human adult skin epidermal keratinocytes and bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) in vitro. We investigated indirect effects on both cell types caused by potential liberation of soluble substances from the materials, and also analyzed BM-MSCs in direct contact with the materials. We found that even in culture without direct contact with the materials, the culture with MED610 (and to a lesser extent acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) significantly affected keratinocytes, reducing cell numbers and proliferation marker Ki67 expression, and increasing glucose consumption, lactate secretion, and expression of differentiation-associated genes. BM-MSCs had decreased metabolic activity, and exhibited increased cell death in direct culture on the materials. MED610 and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene induced the strongest expression of genes associated to differentiation and estrogen receptor activation. In conclusion, we found strong cell-type-specific effects of the materials, suggesting that materials for applications in regenerative medicine should be carefully selected not only based on their mechanical properties but also based on their cell-type-specific biological effects.

  12. Estimation of raw material performance in mammalian cell culture using near infrared spectra combined with chemometrics approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hae Woo; Christie, Andrew; Liu, Jun Jay; Yoon, Seongkyu

    2012-01-01

    Understanding variability in raw materials and their impacts on product quality is of critical importance in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. For this purpose, several spectroscopic techniques have been studied for raw material characterization, providing fast and nondestructive ways to measure quality of raw materials. However, investigations of correlation between spectra of raw materials and cell culture performance have been scarce due to their complexity and uncertainty. In this study, near-infrared spectra and bioassays of multiple soy hydrolysate lots manufactured by different vendors were analyzed using chemometrics approaches in order to address variability of raw materials as well as correlation between raw material properties and corresponding cell culture performance. Principal component analysis revealed that near-infrared spectra of different soy lots contain enough physicochemical information about soy hydrolysates to allow identification of lot-to-lot variability as well as vendor-to-vendor differences. The identified compositional variability was further analyzed in order to estimate cell growth and protein production of two mammalian cell lines under the condition of varying soy dosages using partial least square regression combined with optimal variable selection. The performance of the resulting models demonstrates the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy as a robust lot selection tool for raw materials while providing a biological link between chemical composition of raw materials and cell culture performance. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

  13. REMOTE MATERIAL HANDLING IN THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN WASTE PACKAGE CLOSURE CELL AND SUPPORT AREA GLOVEBOX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    K.M. Croft; S.M. Allen; M.W. Borland

    2005-01-01

    The Yucca Mountain Waste Package Closure System (WPCS) cells provide for shielding of highly radioactive materials contained in unsealed waste packages. The purpose of the cells is to provide safe environments for package handling and sealing operations. Once sealed, the packages are placed in the Yucca Mountain Repository. Closure of a typical waste package involves a number of remote operations. Those involved typically include the placement of matched lids onto the waste package. The lids are then individually sealed to the waste package by welding. Currently, the waste package includes three lids. One lid is placed before movement of the waste package to the closure cell; the final two are placed inside the closure cell, where they are welded to the waste package. These and other important operations require considerable remote material handling within the cell environment. This paper discusses the remote material handling equipment, designs, functions, operations, and maintenance, relative to waste package closure

  14. Material challenges for solar cells in the twenty-first century: directions in emerging technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almosni, Samy; Delamarre, Amaury; Jehl, Zacharie; Suchet, Daniel; Cojocaru, Ludmila; Giteau, Maxime; Behaghel, Benoit; Julian, Anatole; Ibrahim, Camille; Tatry, Léa; Wang, Haibin; Kubo, Takaya; Uchida, Satoshi; Segawa, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Naoya; Tamaki, Ryo; Shoji, Yasushi; Yoshida, Katsuhisa; Ahsan, Nazmul; Watanabe, Kentaro; Inoue, Tomoyuki; Sugiyama, Masakazu; Nakano, Yoshiaki; Hamamura, Tomofumi; Toupance, Thierry; Olivier, Céline; Chambon, Sylvain; Vignau, Laurence; Geffroy, Camille; Cloutet, Eric; Hadziioannou, Georges; Cavassilas, Nicolas; Rale, Pierre; Cattoni, Andrea; Collin, Stéphane; Gibelli, François; Paire, Myriam; Lombez, Laurent; Aureau, Damien; Bouttemy, Muriel; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Okada, Yoshitaka; Guillemoles, Jean-François

    2018-01-01

    Photovoltaic generation has stepped up within the last decade from outsider status to one of the important contributors of the ongoing energy transition, with about 1.7% of world electricity provided by solar cells. Progress in materials and production processes has played an important part in this development. Yet, there are many challenges before photovoltaics could provide clean, abundant, and cheap energy. Here, we review this research direction, with a focus on the results obtained within a Japan-French cooperation program, NextPV, working on promising solar cell technologies. The cooperation was focused on efficient photovoltaic devices, such as multijunction, ultrathin, intermediate band, and hot-carrier solar cells, and on printable solar cell materials such as colloidal quantum dots.

  15. Artificial inorganic Biohybrids: the functional combination of microorganisms and cells with inorganic materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holzmeister, Ib; Schamel, Martha; Groll, Jürgen; Gbureck, Uwe; Vorndran, Elke

    2018-04-23

    Biohybrids can be defined as the functional combination of proteins, viable cells or microorganisms with non-biological materials. This article reviews recent findings on the encapsulation of microorganisms and eukaryotic cells in inorganic matrices such as silica gels or cements. The entrapment of biological entities into a support material is of great benefit for processing since the encapsulation matrix protects sensitive cells from shear forces, unfavourable pH changes, or cytotoxic solvents, avoids culture-washout, and simplifies the separation of formed products. After reflecting general aspects of such an immobilization as well as the chemistry of the inorganic matrices, we focused on manufacturing aspects and the application of such biohybrids in biotechnology, medicine as well as in environmental science and for civil engineering purpose. The encapsulation of living cells and microorganisms became an intensively studied and rapidly expanding research field with manifold applications in medicine, bio- and environmental technology, or civil engineering. Here, the use of silica or cements as encapsulation matrices have the advantage of a higher chemical and mechanical resistance towards harsh environmental conditions during processing compared to their polymeric counterparts. In this perspective, the article gives an overview about the inorganic material systems used for cell encapsulation, followed by reviewing the most important applications. The future may lay in a combination of the currently achieved biohybrid systems with additive manufacturing techniques. In a longer perspective, this would enable the direct printing of cell loaded bioreactor components. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Bone cell-material interactions on metal-ion doped polarized hydroxyapatite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bodhak, Subhadip; Bose, Susmita; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this work is to study the influence of Mg 2+ and Sr 2+ dopants on in vitro bone cell-material interactions of electrically polarized hydroxyapatite [HAp, Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 ] ceramics with an aim to achieve additional advantage of matching bone chemistry along with the original benefits of electrical polarization treatment relevant to biomedical applications. To achieve our research objective, commercial phase pure HAp has been doped with MgO, and SrO in single, and binary compositions. All samples have been sintered at 1200 deg. C for 2 h and subsequently polarized using an external d.c. field (2.0 kV/cm) at 400 deg. C for 1 h. Combined addition of 1 wt.% MgO/1 wt.% SrO in HAp has been most beneficial in enhancing the polarizability in which stored charge was 4.19 μC/cm 2 compared to pure HAp of 2.23 μC/cm 2 . Bone cell-material interaction has been studied by culturing with human fetal osteoblast cells (hFOB) for a maximum of 7 days. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of cell morphology reveal that favorable surface properties and dopant chemistry lead to good cellular adherence and spreading on negatively charged surfaces of both Sr 2+ and Mg 2+ doped HAp samples over undoped HAp. MTT assay results at 7 days show the highest viable cell densities on the negatively charged surfaces of binary doped HAp samples, while positive charged doped HAp surfaces exhibit limited cellular growth in comparison to neutral surfaces.

  17. Manufacture of ribbon and solar cells of material of semiconductor grade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    A method is described of producing ribbon-like substantially monocrystalline bodies of silicon or other materials of semiconductor grade suitable for use in solar cells or other semiconductor devices. A tube of the material is made and a photovoltaic junction formed in it. The tube is then divided lengthwise into a number of ribbon-like bodies. The photovoltaic junction can be formed either by diffusion or by ion-implantation. (U.K.)

  18. Spatial Patterning of Newly-Inserted Material during Bacterial Cell Growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursell, Tristan

    2012-02-01

    In the life cycle of a bacterium, rudimentary microscopy demonstrates that cell growth and elongation are essential characteristics of cellular reproduction. The peptidoglycan cell wall is the main load-bearing structure that determines both cell shape and overall size. However, simple imaging of cellular growth gives no indication of the spatial patterning nor mechanism by which material is being incorporated into the pre-existing cell wall. We employ a combination of high-resolution pulse-chase fluorescence microscopy, 3D computational microscopy, and detailed mechanistic simulations to explore how spatial patterning results in uniform growth and maintenance of cell shape. We show that growth is happening in discrete bursts randomly distributed over the cell surface, with a well-defined mean size and average rate. We further use these techniques to explore the effects of division and cell wall disrupting antibiotics, like cephalexin and A22, respectively, on the patterning of cell wall growth in E. coli. Finally, we explore the spatial correlation between presence of the bacterial actin-like cytoskeletal protein, MreB, and local cell wall growth. Together these techniques form a powerful method for exploring the detailed dynamics and involvement of antibiotics and cell wall-associated proteins in bacterial cell growth.[4pt] In collaboration with Kerwyn Huang, Stanford University.

  19. Etiologi Penyebab Malformasi Tunas Ranting Kakao di Kulonprogo, DIY dan Segayung, Jawa Tengah

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susamto Somowiyarjo

    2014-12-01

    insektisida hasilnya tunas muda yang tumbuh berikutnya tidak menunjukan adanya gejala malformasi. Diduga bahwa malformasi pada tunas dan ranting tersebut disebabkan oleh racun yang ditularkan oleh serangga. Penelitian lebih lanjut untuk karakterisasi penyebab penyakit secara molekuler saat ini sedang dilakukan.

  20. Sealing materials for solid oxide fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Larsen, P.H.

    1999-02-01

    A major obstacle in the achievement of high electrical efficiency for planar solid oxide fuel cell stacks (SOFC) is the need for long term stable seals at the operational temperature between 850 and 1000 deg. C. In the present work the formation and properties of sealing materials for SOFC stacks that fulfil the necessary requirements were investigated. The work comprises analysis of sealing material properties independently, in simple systems as well as tests in real SOFC stacks. The analysed sealing materials were based on pure glasses or glass-ceramic composites having B{sub 2}O{sub 3}, P{sub 2}O{sub 5} or siO{sub 2} as glass formers, and the following four glass systems were investigated: MgO/caO/Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}B{sub 2}O{sub 3}-P{sub 2}O{sub 5}, MgO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-P{sub 2}O{sub 5}, MgO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-P{sub 2}O{sub 5}-SiO{sub 2} and BaO/Na{sub 2}O-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-SiO{sub 2}. (au) 32 tabs., 106 ills., 107 refs.

  1. High Performance Nano-Crystalline Oxide Fuel Cell Materials. Defects, Structures, Interfaces, Transport, and Electrochemistry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barnett, Scott [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Poeppelmeier, Ken [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Mason, Tom [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Marks, Lawrence [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Voorhees, Peter [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

    2016-09-07

    This project addresses fundamental materials challenges in solid oxide electrochemical cells, devices that have a broad range of important energy applications. Although nano-scale mixed ionically and electronically conducting (MIEC) materials provide an important opportunity to improve performance and reduce device operating temperature, durability issues threaten to limit their utility and have remained largely unexplored. Our work has focused on both (1) understanding the fundamental processes related to oxygen transport and surface-vapor reactions in nano-scale MIEC materials, and (2) determining and understanding the key factors that control their long-term stability. Furthermore, materials stability has been explored under the “extreme” conditions encountered in many solid oxide cell applications, i.e, very high or very low effective oxygen pressures, and high current density.

  2. Karakterisasi Serbuk Hasil Produksi Menggunakan Metode Atomisasi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Halim Asiri

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstrak : Metalurgi serbuk (powder metallurgy,yaitu merupakan teknologi produksi logam dengan bahan dasar Aluminum dengan unsur lain Ti,Mn,Mg,Si,sebagai unsur penguat sebelum diproses pencairan terlebidahulu melakukan pengujian sifat mekanik antara lain uji struktur makro dan mikro kemudianuji kekerasan (hardness tes, uji kekuatan (tensile strength. Setelah selesai diadakan pengujian sifat-sifat mekanik terhadap logam dasar, maka proses selanjutnya mencairkan logam dasar denganmelalui dapur peleburan (fornaices dengan temperature panas sekitar 1200 s/d 1350? dan titik cair logam aluminum 650?. Setelah mencair kemudian di holding time selama 20 menit selanjutnya pembuatan proses granulasi (pembutiran dengan menggunakan sistim Atomisasi Air (water atomization dengan menggunakan variasi tekanan penyemprotan sebesar 20 s/d 25 Psi, dengan debit 4 l/s,variasi waktu yg digunakan 6 s/d 8 detik. Hasil dari proses sistim metode Atomisasi ini kita dapatkan macam-macam karakteristik bentuk butiran mulai dari Mesh 8 (2360????m,mesh 16 (1180????m, mesh 30(600????m, mesh 50(300????????,mesh 100 (150????m,mesh 200 (75????m. Untuk mengetahui data-data ini melalui pengamatan dengan menggunakan mikroskop makro dan mikro.Selanjutnya bisa juga melakukan pengujian dengan menggunakan alat uji SEM dan X – Ray (XRD.Kata kunci: uji sifat – sifat mekanik, sifat bahan, komposisi kimia dan porositas (civitis Abstract : Powder metallurgy (powder metallurgy, which is a production technology with basic materialsAluminum metal with other elements Ti, Mn, Mg, Si, as a reinforcement agent before beingprocessed casting prior testing of mechanical properties among others, macro and micro structuraltest then hardness test, test of strength. After completion of the testing of mechanical properties ofthe base metal, then the next process with the base metal melt through the furnace with atemperature of about 1200 s / d in 1350 and the melting point of aluminum is 650C. After melt

  3. Synchrotron x-ray diffraction studies of the structural properties of electrode materials in operating battery cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thurston, T.R.; Jisrawi, N.M.; Mukerjee, S.; Yang, X.Q.; McBreen, J.; Daroux, M.L.; Xing, X.K.

    1996-01-01

    Hard x rays from a synchrotron source were utilized in diffraction experiments which probed the bulk of electrode materials while they were operating in situ in battery cells. Two technologically relevant electrode materials were examined; an AB 2 -type anode in a nickel endash metal endash hydride cell and a LiMn 2 O 4 cathode in a Li-ion open-quote open-quote rocking chair close-quote close-quote cell. Structural features such as lattice expansions and contractions, phase transitions, and the formation of multiple phases were easily observed as either hydrogen or lithium was electrochemically intercalated in and out of the electrode materials. The relevance of this technique for future studies of battery electrode materials is discussed. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

  4. Subtyping of nonsmall cell lung cancer on cytology specimens: Reproducibility of cytopathologic diagnoses on sparse material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haukali, O. S.; Henrik, H.; Olsen, Karen Ege

    2014-01-01

    Cytologic examination of fine-needle aspiration (material is increasingly used in diagnosing lung cancer. High interobserver agreement in distinguishing small-cell lung cancer from nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on cytologic material has been demonstrated. Because of new treatment......, cytoscrape (CS) can convert cytologic material into tissue fragments useful for IHC. The purpose of this study was to test the reproducibility of pulmonary malignant diagnoses, in particular distinction between subgroups of NSCLC, based on smeared material and IHC on CS. A consecutive series of May...

  5. Material challenges for solar cells in the twenty-first century: directions in emerging technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delamarre, Amaury; Jehl, Zacharie; Suchet, Daniel; Cojocaru, Ludmila; Giteau, Maxime; Behaghel, Benoit; Julian, Anatole; Ibrahim, Camille; Tatry, Léa; Wang, Haibin; Kubo, Takaya; Uchida, Satoshi; Segawa, Hiroshi; Miyashita, Naoya; Tamaki, Ryo; Shoji, Yasushi; Yoshida, Katsuhisa; Ahsan, Nazmul; Watanabe, Kentaro; Inoue, Tomoyuki; Sugiyama, Masakazu; Nakano, Yoshiaki; Hamamura, Tomofumi; Toupance, Thierry; Olivier, Céline; Chambon, Sylvain; Vignau, Laurence; Geffroy, Camille; Cloutet, Eric; Hadziioannou, Georges; Cavassilas, Nicolas; Rale, Pierre; Cattoni, Andrea; Collin, Stéphane; Gibelli, François; Paire, Myriam; Lombez, Laurent; Aureau, Damien; Bouttemy, Muriel; Etcheberry, Arnaud; Okada, Yoshitaka

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Photovoltaic generation has stepped up within the last decade from outsider status to one of the important contributors of the ongoing energy transition, with about 1.7% of world electricity provided by solar cells. Progress in materials and production processes has played an important part in this development. Yet, there are many challenges before photovoltaics could provide clean, abundant, and cheap energy. Here, we review this research direction, with a focus on the results obtained within a Japan–French cooperation program, NextPV, working on promising solar cell technologies. The cooperation was focused on efficient photovoltaic devices, such as multijunction, ultrathin, intermediate band, and hot-carrier solar cells, and on printable solar cell materials such as colloidal quantum dots. PMID:29707072

  6. Host cell capable of producing enzymes useful for degradation of lignocellulosic material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Los, Alrik Pieter; Sagt, Cornelis Maria Jacobus; Schoonneveld-Bergmans, Margot Elisabeth Francoise; Damveld, Robbertus Antonius

    2017-08-22

    The invention relates to a host cell comprising at least four different heterologous polynucleotides chosen from the group of polynucleotides encoding cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases, wherein the host cell is capable of producing the at least four different enzymes chosen from the group of cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases, wherein the host cell is a filamentous fungus and is capable of secretion of the at least four different enzymes. This host cell can suitably be used for the production of an enzyme composition that can be used in a process for the saccharification of cellulosic material.

  7. Host cell capable of producing enzymes useful for degradation of lignocellulosic material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Los, Alrik Pieter; Sagt, Cornelis Maria Jacobus; Schooneveld-Bergmans, Margot Elisabeth Francoise; Damveld, Robbertus Antonius

    2015-08-18

    The invention relates to a host cell comprising at least four different heterologous polynucleotides chosen from the group of polynucleotides encoding cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases, wherein the host cell is capable of producing the at least four different enzymes chosen from the group of cellulases, hemicellulases and pectinases, wherein the host cell is a filamentous fungus and is capable of secretion of the at least four different enzymes. This host cell can suitably be used for the production of an enzyme composition that can be used in a process for the saccharification of cellulosic material.

  8. Recycling of high purity selenium from CIGS solar cell waste materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gustafsson, Anna M.K., E-mail: anna.gustafsson@chalmers.se; Foreman, Mark R.StJ.; Ekberg, Christian

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • A new method for recycling of selenium from CIGS solar cell materials is presented. • Separation of selenium as selenium dioxide after heating in oxygen atmosphere. • Complete selenium separation after oxidation of <63 μm particles at 800 °C for 1 h. • After reduction of selenium dioxide the selenium purity was higher than 99.999 wt%. - Abstract: Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) is a promising material in thin film solar cell production. To make CIGS solar cells more competitive, both economically and environmentally, in comparison to other energy sources, methods for recycling are needed. In addition to the generally high price of the material, significant amounts of the metals are lost in the manufacturing process. The feasibility of recycling selenium from CIGS through oxidation at elevated temperatures was therefore examined. During oxidation gaseous selenium dioxide was formed and could be separated from the other elements, which remained in solid state. Upon cooling, the selenium dioxide sublimes and can be collected as crystals. After oxidation for 1 h at 800 °C all of the selenium was separated from the CIGS material. Two different reduction methods for reduction of the selenium dioxide to selenium were tested. In the first reduction method an organic molecule was used as the reducing agent in a Riley reaction. In the second reduction method sulphur dioxide gas was used. Both methods resulted in high purity selenium. This proves that the studied selenium separation method could be the first step in a recycling process aimed at the complete separation and recovery of high purity elements from CIGS.

  9. Tandem-type organic solar cells by stacking different heterojunction materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Triyana, Kuwat; Yasuda, Takeshi; Fujita, Katsuhiko; Tsutsui, Tetsuo

    2005-01-01

    Three layers of phthalocyanine/perylene heterojunction (HJ) components were stacked and sandwiched by an indium tin oxide (ITO) and a top metal electrode, which is denoted by a triple-HJ organic solar cell. The organic material in the middle-HJ component second from the ITO was varied to investigate the photovoltaic properties. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) was improved by the more balanced photo-generated carrier by use of the appropriate material for the second-HJ component. The optimized device showed higher PCE (1.38%) than the reference device (0.98%)

  10. Evaluation of the Total Cost of Ownership of Fuel Cell-Powered Material Handling Equipment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ramsden, T.

    2013-04-01

    This report discusses an analysis of the total cost of ownership of fuel cell-powered and traditional battery-powered material handling equipment (MHE, or more typically 'forklifts'). A number of fuel cell MHE deployments have received funding support from the federal government. Using data from these government co-funded deployments, DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been evaluating the performance of fuel cells in material handling applications. NREL has assessed the total cost of ownership of fuel cell MHE and compared it to the cost of ownership of traditional battery-powered MHE. As part of its cost of ownership assessment, NREL looked at a range of costs associated with MHE operation, including the capital costs of battery and fuel cell systems, the cost of supporting infrastructure, maintenance costs, warehouse space costs, and labor costs. Considering all these costs, NREL found that fuel cell MHE can have a lower overall cost of ownership than comparable battery-powered MHE.

  11. Modeling of InGaSb thermophotovoltaic cells and materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zierak, M.; Borrego, J.M.; Bhat, I.; Gutmann, R.J. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States); Charache, G. [Lockheed Martin, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)

    1997-05-01

    A closed form computer program has been developed for the simulation and optimization of In{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}Sb thermophotovoltaic cells operating at room temperature. The program includes material parameter models of the energy bandgap, optical absorption constant, electron and hole mobility, intrinsic carrier concentration and index of refraction for any composition of GaInSb alloys.

  12. Photosensitive self-assembling materials as functional dopants for organic photovoltaic cells

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Bubnov, Alexej; Iwan, A.; Cigl, Martin; Boharewicz, B.; Tazbir, I.; Wójcik, K.; Sikora, A.; Hamplová, Věra

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 6, č. 14 (2016), s. 11577-11590 ISSN 2046-2069 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 7AMB13PL041; GA MŠk(CZ) LD14007; GA ČR GA15-02843S Grant - others:EU - ICT(XE) COST Action IC1208 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : self-assembling materials * functional dopants * organic photovoltaic cells * azo group * liquid crystal Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials Impact factor: 3.108, year: 2016

  13. Cellular Responses in Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Treated with Three Endodontic Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Victoria-Escandell

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Human dental pulp stem cells (HDPSCs are of special relevance in future regenerative dental therapies. Characterizing cytotoxicity and genotoxicity produced by endodontic materials is required to evaluate the potential for regeneration of injured tissues in future strategies combining regenerative and root canal therapies. This study explores the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity mediated by oxidative stress of three endodontic materials that are widely used on HDPSCs: a mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA-Angelus white, an epoxy resin sealant (AH-Plus cement, and an MTA-based cement sealer (MTA-Fillapex. Cell viability and cell death rate were assessed by flow cytometry. Oxidative stress was measured by OxyBlot. Levels of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated by Western blot. Genotoxicity was studied by quantifying the expression levels of DNA damage sensors such as ATM and RAD53 genes and DNA damage repair sensors such as RAD51 and PARP-1. Results indicate that AH-Plus increased apoptosis, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity markers in HDPSCs. MTA-Fillapex was the most cytotoxic oxidative stress inductor and genotoxic material for HDPSCs at longer times in preincubated cell culture medium, and MTA-Angelus was less cytotoxic and genotoxic than AH-Plus and MTA-Fillapex at all times assayed.

  14. Virtual modeling of polycrystalline structures of materials using particle packing algorithms and Laguerre cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morfa, Carlos Recarey; Farias, Márcio Muniz de; Morales, Irvin Pablo Pérez; Navarra, Eugenio Oñate Ibañez de; Valera, Roberto Roselló

    2018-04-01

    The influence of the microstructural heterogeneities is an important topic in the study of materials. In the context of computational mechanics, it is therefore necessary to generate virtual materials that are statistically equivalent to the microstructure under study, and to connect that geometrical description to the different numerical methods. Herein, the authors present a procedure to model continuous solid polycrystalline materials, such as rocks and metals, preserving their representative statistical grain size distribution. The first phase of the procedure consists of segmenting an image of the material into adjacent polyhedral grains representing the individual crystals. This segmentation allows estimating the grain size distribution, which is used as the input for an advancing front sphere packing algorithm. Finally, Laguerre diagrams are calculated from the obtained sphere packings. The centers of the spheres give the centers of the Laguerre cells, and their radii determine the cells' weights. The cell sizes in the obtained Laguerre diagrams have a distribution similar to that of the grains obtained from the image segmentation. That is why those diagrams are a convenient model of the original crystalline structure. The above-outlined procedure has been used to model real polycrystalline metallic materials. The main difference with previously existing methods lies in the use of a better particle packing algorithm.

  15. Simulation of perovskite solar cells with inorganic hole transporting materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Yan; Xia, Zhonggao; Liu, Yiming

    2015-01-01

    Device modeling organolead halide perovskite solar cells with planar architecture based on inorganic hole transporting materials (HTMs) were performed. A thorough understanding of the role of the inorganic HTMs and the effect of band offset between HTM/absorber layers is indispensable for further...... improvement in power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we investigated the effect of band offset between inorganic HTM/absorber layers. The solar cell simulation program adopted in this work is named wxAMPS, an updated version of the AMPS tool (Analysis of Microelectronic and Photonic Structure)....

  16. Karakterisasi kulit kayu tingi (Ceriops tagal sebagai bahan penyamak nabati

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emiliana Kasmudjiastuti

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Tingi (Ceriops tagal bark was highly potential as tanning materials due to high tannin concentration. The aim of the study was to determine the characterization of properties of tanning material made from tingi bark, including the tannin levels, the non-tannin levels, the tannin type, the absorption level of the solution and the FTIR spectrum analysis. The method used in this research was countercurrent system in the extraction process, feed solution preparation process, the thickening process, powder formation process conducted with the aid of Rotavapor- 151 Standard, and testing. The results showed that the tingi bark contains tannin level 70.91% and non-tannin levels 10.63%. Tannins from tingi bark were classified as procyanidin condensed tannins type and the absorption values obtained maximum value at wavelength 490 nm. The FTIR spectral data indicated that tingi tannins contained hydroxyl group (ⱱ O-H; ⱱ N-H in the area (3467.418-3057.025 cm-1, aromatic group (ⱱ C-H in the area of 2875,733 cm-1, ⱱ C=O (ester group in tanned material in the area (1747.442-1612.422 cm-1, ⱱ-OH; R-COO-in the area of 1444.626 cm-1 and ⱱ(SO42 -; R-SO3; R-SO3H in the area (1112.823-1062.729 cm-1.

  17. Polymer solar cells - Non toxic processing and stable polymer photovoltaic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soendergaard, R

    2012-07-01

    The field of polymer solar cell has experienced enormous progress in the previous years, with efficiencies of small scale devices (approx1 mm2) now exceeding 8%. However, if the polymer solar cell is to achieve success as a renewable energy resource, mass production of sufficiently stable and efficient cell must be achieved. For a continuous success it is therefore essential to transfer the accomplishments from the laboratory to large scale facilities for actual production. In order to do so, several issues have to be approached. Among these are more environmentally friendly processing and development of more stable materials. The field of polymer solar cells has evolved around the use of toxic and carcinogenic solvents like chloroform, benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene and xylene. As large scale production of organic solar cells is envisaged to production volumes corresponding to several GW{sub peek}, this is not a suitable approach from neither a production nor environmental point of view. As a consequence new materials, which can be processed from more environmentally friendly solvents (preferably water), need to be developed. In this thesis, the issue has been approached through synthesis of polymers carrying water coordinating side chains which allow for processing from semi-aqueous solution. A series of different side chains were synthesized and incorporated into the final polymers as thermocleavable tertiary esters. Using a cleavable side chain induces stability to solar cells as it slows down diffusion though the active layer, but just as important it renders the layer insoluble. This allows for further processing, using the same solvent, without dissolving already processed layers, and resulted in the first ever reported solar cells where all layers are processed from aqueous or semi-aqueous solution. As previously mentioned many advantages can be achieved by use of thermocleavable materials. Unfortunately the cleavage temperatures are too

  18. Fumed silica nanoparticle mediated biomimicry for optimal cell-material interactions for artificial organ development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Mel, Achala; Ramesh, Bala; Scurr, David J; Alexander, Morgan R; Hamilton, George; Birchall, Martin; Seifalian, Alexander M

    2014-03-01

    Replacement of irreversibly damaged organs due to chronic disease, with suitable tissue engineered implants is now a familiar area of interest to clinicians and multidisciplinary scientists. Ideal tissue engineering approaches require scaffolds to be tailor made to mimic physiological environments of interest with specific surface topographical and biological properties for optimal cell-material interactions. This study demonstrates a single-step procedure for inducing biomimicry in a novel nanocomposite base material scaffold, to re-create the extracellular matrix, which is required for stem cell integration and differentiation to mature cells. Fumed silica nanoparticle mediated procedure of scaffold functionalization, can be potentially adapted with multiple bioactive molecules to induce cellular biomimicry, in the development human organs. The proposed nanocomposite materials already in patients for number of implants, including world first synthetic trachea, tear ducts and vascular bypass graft. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Cytotoxicity of newly developed pozzolan cement and other root-end filling materials on human periodontal ligament cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minju Song

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro cytotoxicity of the pozzolan cement and other root-end filling materials using human periodontal ligament cell. Materials and Methods Endocem (Maruchi, white ProRoot MTA (Dentsply, white Angelus MTA (Angelus, and Super EBA (Bosworth Co. were tested after set completely in an incubator at 37℃ for 7 days, Endocem was tested in two ways: 1 immediately after mixing (fresh specimens and 2 after setting completely like other experimental materials. The methods for assessment included light microscopic examination, cell counting and WST-1 assay on human periodontal ligament cell. Results In the results of microscopic examination and cell counting, Super EBA showed significantly lower viable cell than any other groups (p < 0.05. As the results of WST-1 assay, compared with untreated control group, there was no significant cell viability of the Endocem group. However, the fresh mixed Endocem group had significantly less cell viability. The cells exposed to ProRoot MTA and Angelus MTA showed the highest viability, whereas the cells exposed to Super EBA displayed the lowest viability (p < 0.05. Conclusions The cytotoxicity of the pozzolan cement (Endocem was comparable with ProRoot MTA and Angelus MTA. Considering the difficult manipulation and long setting time of ProRoot MTA and Angelus MTA, Endocem can be used as the alternative of retrofilling material.

  20. Proton exchange membrane materials for the advancement of direct methanol fuel-cell technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornelius, Christopher J [Albuquerque, NM

    2006-04-04

    A new class of hybrid organic-inorganic materials, and methods of synthesis, that can be used as a proton exchange membrane in a direct methanol fuel cell. In contrast with Nafion.RTM. PEM materials, which have random sulfonation, the new class of materials have ordered sulfonation achieved through self-assembly of alternating polyimide segments of different molecular weights comprising, for example, highly sulfonated hydrophilic PDA-DASA polyimide segment alternating with an unsulfonated hydrophobic 6FDA-DAS polyimide segment. An inorganic phase, e.g., 0.5 5 wt % TEOS, can be incorporated in the sulfonated polyimide copolymer to further improve its properties. The new materials exhibit reduced swelling when exposed to water, increased thermal stability, and decreased O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 gas permeability, while retaining proton conductivities similar to Nafion.RTM.. These improved properties may allow direct methanol fuel cells to operate at higher temperatures and with higher efficiencies due to reduced methanol crossover.

  1. Investigation of altenative carbon materials for fuel-cell catalyst support

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Mikkel Juul

    In order to ensure high utilization of the catalyst material in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) it is usually fixed in the form of nanoparticles on a supporting material. The catalyst is platinum or a platinum alloy, and the commonly used support is carbon black (CB). Although...... structured carbon forms such as graphitized CBs, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and carbon nanofibres (CNFs). This thesis concerns the investigation of an array of different materials which may prospec-tively replace the conventional materials used in the catalyst. The study comprised 13 carbon samples which...... nanotubes (GMWCNTs), and graphitized carbon nanofibre (CNF), while the Pt/C samples were platinized samples of some of the CNTs and CNFs (Pt/FWCNT, Pt/GMWCNT, and Pt/CNF, respectively) as well as two commercial Pt/CB reference catalysts. Comparative analyses have been performed in order to be able to assess...

  2. Characterisation of different hole transport materials as used in organic p-i-n solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pfuetzner, Steffen; Petrich, Annette; Koch, Maik; Riede, Moritz; Leo, Karl [Institut fuer Angewandte Photophysik, Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany); Malbrich, Christine [Leibniz-Institut fuer Festkoerper- und Werkstoffforschung, Dresden (Germany); Hildebrandt, Dirk; Pfeiffer, Martin [Heliatek GmbH, Dresden (Germany)

    2008-07-01

    This work focuses on the replacement of hole transport material MeO-TPD, which has been used so far in organic p-i-n- solar cells despite its has unfavourable behaviour at elevated temperatures. For this reason, different characterisation and investigations of the hole transport materials PV-TPD, PV-TPDoM, Di-NPB and MeO-Spiro-TPD were done, i.e. dopability, hole mobility, absorption, reflection, cyclic voltametry and glass transition temperature were measured. With simplified structures, e.g. m-i-p diodes, and simplified solar cells, consisting of the blue absorbing fullerene C{sub 60} as acceptor and the transparent donor material 4P-TPD, further specific material properties were determined.

  3. Biological Effects of Provisional Resin Materials on Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, S-K; Mahapatra, C; Lee, H-H; Kim, H-W; Lee, J-H

    This study investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity as well as the proinflammatory cytokine expression of provisional resin materials on primary cultured human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Five commercially available provisional resin materials were chosen (SNAP [SN], Luxatemp [LT], Jet [JE], Revotek LC [RL], and Vipi block [VB]). Eluates that were either polymerizing or already set were added to hDPSCs under serially diluted conditions divided into three different setting times (25% set, 50% set, and 100% set) and incubated for 24 hours with 2× concentrated culture media. Cell cytotoxicity tests were performed by LDH assay and live and dead confocal microscope images. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines in SN and VB was measured using cytokine antibody arrays. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) or ANOVA followed by the Tukey post hoc test at a significance level of pprovisional resin materials during polymerization (SN, LT, and JE) were cytotoxic to hDPSCs and may adversely affect pulp tissue.

  4. Mercury material-balance in industrial electrolytic cells, by using radioactive mercury (203Hg)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caras, I.; Pasi, M.

    1976-01-01

    A material-balance test for industrial mercury electrolytic cells is described. The test uses the radioactive dilution technique with 203 Hg. The preparation of the 203 Hg from irradiated mercuric oxide is also described. The accuracy of the test is shown to be +-1% for each cell. (author)

  5. The Architecture of Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells: Materials to Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Kramer, Illan J.; Sargent, Edward H.

    2014-01-01

    CQD solar cell performance. For active materials such as CQD films where 1/α, where alpha is the absorption coefficient, is of the same order as the free carrier extraction length, external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements have proved useful

  6. WaterTransport in PEM Fuel Cells: Advanced Modeling, Material Selection, Testing and Design Optimization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    J. Vernon Cole; Abhra Roy; Ashok Damle; Hari Dahr; Sanjiv Kumar; Kunal Jain; Ned Djilai

    2012-10-02

    Water management in Proton Exchange Membrane, PEM, Fuel Cells is challenging because of the inherent conflicts between the requirements for efficient low and high power operation. Particularly at low powers, adequate water must be supplied to sufficiently humidify the membrane or protons will not move through it adequately and resistance losses will decrease the cell efficiency. At high power density operation, more water is produced at the cathode than is necessary for membrane hydration. This excess water must be removed effectively or it will accumulate in the Gas Diffusion Layers, GDLs, between the gas channels and catalysts, blocking diffusion paths for reactants to reach the catalysts and potentially flooding the electrode. As power density of the cells is increased, the challenges arising from water management are expected to become more difficult to overcome simply due to the increased rate of liquid water generation relative to fuel cell volume. Thus, effectively addressing water management based issues is a key challenge in successful application of PEMFC systems. In this project, CFDRC and our partners used a combination of experimental characterization, controlled experimental studies of important processes governing how water moves through the fuel cell materials, and detailed models and simulations to improve understanding of water management in operating hydrogen PEM fuel cells. The characterization studies provided key data that is used as inputs to all state-of-the-art models for commercially important GDL materials. Experimental studies and microscopic scale models of how water moves through the GDLs showed that the water follows preferential paths, not branching like a river, as it moves toward the surface of the material. Experimental studies and detailed models of water and airflow in fuel cells channels demonstrated that such models can be used as an effective design tool to reduce operating pressure drop in the channels and the associated

  7. Ternary solution-processed organic solar cells incorporating 2D materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stylianakis, Minas M.; Konios, Dimitrios; Petridis, Constantinos; Kakavelakis, George; Stratakis, Emmanuel; Kymakis, Emmanuel

    2017-12-01

    Recently, the study of ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) has attracted the efforts of the scientific community, leading to significantly higher performance due to the enhanced harvesting of incoming irradiation. Here, for the first time, and in order to promote this OSC architecture, we review the progress implemented by the application of two-dimensional (2D) materials in the field of blend bulk heterojunction ternary OSCs. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) improvements of the order of 40% compared to the reference binary devices, and PCEs in excess of 8% have been reported by incorporating graphene-based or other 2D materials as a third element inside the active layer. These OSCs combine the synergetic advantages of ternary devices and the superb properties of the 2D material family. In conclusion, the incorporation of the unique properties of graphene and other 2D materials inside the active layer opens up a very promising pathway in the design and construction of high-performance, simply fabricated and low- cost photovoltaic devices.

  8. Quantitative evaluation of endothelial cell attachment to vascular graft materials using In-111 Oxine label

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, H.M.; Kesler, K.A.; Stinson, J.; Mock, B.; Arnold, M.

    1985-05-01

    Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were harvested, cultured and labeled with In-111 oxine using a modification of the technique described by Sharefkin et al. Average cell labeling efficiency was 42%. Two graft materials, polytetrafluoroethylene (Gortex) and polyester elastomer (Hytrel), with and without pretreatment with human fibronectin (FN) were incubated with the labeled cells. Quantitation of In-111 activity was done 3 times: at inoculation, after incubation (attachment) and after 1 hr of in vitro perfusion (retention). The average attachment ranged from 53% to 99.5%. The In-111 activity attached ranged from 10 to 20 ..mu..Ci per graft. A gamma camera with medium energy collimator and two pulse height analyzers for 173 and 247 keV photons with 20% window and an on-line computer was used. Images were obtained in 1.5 zoom mode. The count rate response to a In-111 point source up to 150 ..mu..Ci was linear. The results indicate Hytrel permits better endothelial cell attachment than Gortex and FN coating enhances the strength of attachment to both graft materials. The authors conclude that In-111 Oxine labeling is a reliable method for quantitatively evaluating endothelial cell attachment to vascular graft materials.

  9. Cathode and electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells and ion transport membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Allan J; Wang, Shuangyan; Kim, Gun Tae

    2014-01-28

    Novel cathode, electrolyte and oxygen separation materials are disclosed that operate at intermediate temperatures for use in solid oxide fuel cells and ion transport membranes based on oxides with perovskite related structures and an ordered arrangement of A site cations. The materials have significantly faster oxygen kinetics than in corresponding disordered perovskites.

  10. Hydrogen like energy and materials for fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez V, S. M.

    2010-01-01

    The researches on the production, storage and the use of hydrogen like fuel or energy carrying are carried out in several laboratories around the world. In the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ), from the year of 1993 they are carried out researches about the synthesis of electro-catalysts materials than can serve in the hydrogen production starting from the electrolysis of the water, or in fuel cells, as well as of semiconductor materials for the photo-electrolysis of the water. Recently, in collaboration with other Departments of the ININ, the hydrogen production has been approached starting from fruit and vegetable wastes, with the purpose of evaluating the possibility that this residuals can be utilized for the energy obtaining and that they are not only garbage that causes problems of environmental pollution, generate toxic gases and pollute the soil with the organic acids that take place during their fermentation. (Author)

  11. Advanced materials and processes for polymer solar cell devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Martin Helgesen; Søndergaard, Roar; Krebs, Frederik C

    2010-01-01

    The rapidly expanding field of polymer and organic solar cells is reviewed in the context of materials, processes and devices that significantly deviate from the standard approach which involves rigid glass substrates, indium-tin-oxide electrodes, spincoated layers of conjugated polymer/fullerene...... be performing less than the current state-of-the-art in their present form but that may have the potential to outperform these pending a larger investment in effort....

  12. Fabrication and Characterizations of Materials and Components for Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cells and Water Electrolysers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Annemette Hindhede; Prag, Carsten Brorson; Li, Qingfeng

    The worldwide development of fuel cells and electrolysers has so far almost exclusively addressed either the low temperature window (20-200 °C) or the high temperature window (600-1000 °C). This work concerns the development of key materials and components of a new generation of fuel cells...... and electrolysers for operation in the intermediate temperature range from 200 to 400 °C. The intermediate temperature interval is of importance for the use of renewable fuels. Furthermore electrode kinetics is significantly enhanced compared to when operating at low temperature. Thus non-noble metal catalysts...... might be used. One of the key materials in the fuel cell and electrolyser systems is the electrolyte. Proton conducting materials such as cesium hydrogen phosphates, zirconium hydrogen phosphates and tin pyrophosphates have been investigated by others and have shown interesting potential....

  13. Optimization of material/device parameters of CdTe photovoltaic for solar cells applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wijewarnasuriya, Priyalal S.

    2016-05-01

    Cadmium telluride (CdTe) has been recognized as a promising photovoltaic material for thin-film solar cell applications due to its near optimum bandgap of ~1.5 eV and high absorption coefficient. The energy gap is near optimum for a single-junction solar cell. The high absorption coefficient allows films as thin as 2.5 μm to absorb more than 98% of the above-bandgap radiation. Cells with efficiencies near 20% have been produced with poly-CdTe materials. This paper examines n/p heterostructure device architecture. The performance limitations related to doping concentrations, minority carrier lifetimes, absorber layer thickness, and surface recombination velocities at the back and front interfaces is assessed. Ultimately, the paper explores device architectures of poly- CdTe and crystalline CdTe to achieve performance comparable to gallium arsenide (GaAs).

  14. The hot cell laboratories for material investigations of the Institute for Safety Research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Viehrig, H W

    1998-10-01

    Special facilities for handling and testing of irradiated specimens are necessary, to perform the investigation of activated material. The Institute for Safety Research has two hot cell laboratories: - the preparation laboratory and - the materials testing laboratory. This report is intended to give an overview of the available facilities and developed techniques in the laboratories. (orig.)

  15. Determination and interpretation of the optical constants for solar cell materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Hiroyuki; Fujimoto, Shohei; Tamakoshi, Masato; Kato, Masato; Kadowaki, Hideyuki; Miyadera, Tetsuhiko; Tampo, Hitoshi; Chikamatsu, Masayuki; Shibata, Hajime

    2017-11-01

    Solar cell materials in thin film form often exhibit quite rough surface, which makes the accurate determination of the optical constants using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) quite difficult. In this study, we investigate the effect of the rough surface on the SE analysis and establish an analysis procedure, which is quite helpful for the correction of the underestimated roughness contribution. As examples, the roughness analyses for CuInSe2 and CH3NH3PbI3 hybrid-perovskite thin films are presented. Moreover, to interpret the dielectric functions of emerging solar cell materials, such as CH3NH3PbI3 and Cu2ZnSnSe4, the optical transition analyses are performed based on density functional theory (DFT). The excellent agreement observed between the experimental and DFT results allows the detailed assignment of the transition peaks, confirming the importance of DFT for revealing fundamental optical characteristics.

  16. Development of a sub-scale dynamics model for pressure relaxation of multi-material cells in Lagrangian hydrodynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Canfield T.R.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We have extended the Sub-Scale Dynamics (SSD closure model for multi-fluid computational cells. Volume exchange between two materials is based on the interface area and a notional interface translation velocity, which is derived from a linearized Riemann solution. We have extended the model to cells with any number of materials, computing pressure-difference-driven volume and energy exchange as the algebraic sum of pairwise interactions. In multiple dimensions, we rely on interface reconstruction to provide interface areas and orientations, and centroids of material polygons. In order to prevent unphysically large or unmanageably small material volumes, we have used a flux-corrected transport (FCT approach to limit the pressure-driven part of the volume exchange. We describe the implementation of this model in two dimensions in the FLAG hydrodynamics code. We also report on Lagrangian test calculations, comparing them with others made using a mixed-zone closure model due to Tipton, and with corresponding calculations made with only single-material cells. We find that in some cases, the SSD model more accurately predicts the state of material in mixed cells. By comparing the algebraic forms of both models, we identify similar dependencies on state and dynamical variables, and propose explanations for the apparent higher fidelity of the SSD model.

  17. Analysis of Catalytic Material Effect on the Photovoltaic Properties of Monolithic Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalita Maulani Nursam

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC are widely developed due to their attractive appearance and simple fabrication processes. One of the challenges that arise in the DSSC fabrication involves high material cost associated with the cost of conductive substrate. DSSC with monolithic configuration was then developed on the basis of this motivation. In this contribution, titanium dioxide-based monolithic type DSSCs were fabricated on a single fluorine-doped transparent oxide coated glass using porous ZrO2 as spacer. Herein, the catalytic material for the counter-electrode was varied using carbon composite and platinum in order to analyze their effect on the solar cell efficiency. Four-point probe measurement revealed that the carbon composite exhibited slightly higher conductivity with a sheet resistance of 9.8 Ω/sq and 10.9 Ω/sq for carbon and platinum, respectively. Likewise, the photoconversion efficiency of the monolithic cells with carbon counter-electrode almost doubled the efficiency of the cells with platinum counter-electrode. Our results demonstrate that carbon could outperform the performance of platinum as catalytic material in monolithic DSSC.

  18. Reduced material model for closed cell metal foam infiltrated with phase change material based on high resolution numerical studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohsenbrügge, Christoph; Marth, Wieland; Navarro y de Sosa, Iñaki; Drossel, Welf-Guntram; Voigt, Axel

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Closed cell metal foam sandwich structures were investigated. • High resolution numerical studies were conducted using CT scan data. • A reduced model for use in commercial FE software reduces needed degrees of freedom. • Thermal inertia is increased about 4 to 5 times in PCM filled structures. • The reduced material model was verified using experimental data. - Abstract: The thermal behaviour of closed cell metal foam infiltrated with paraffin wax as latent heat storage for application in high precision tool machines was examined. Aluminium foam sandwiches with metallically bound cover layers were prepared in a powder metallurgical process and cross-sectional images of the structures were generated with X-ray computed tomography. Based on the image data a three dimensional highly detailed model was derived and prepared for simulation with the adaptive FE-library AMDiS. The pores were assumed to be filled with paraffin wax. The thermal conductivity and the transient thermal behaviour in the phase-change region were investigated. Based on the results from the highly detailed simulations a reduced model for use in commercial FE-software (ANSYS) was derived. It incorporates the properties of the matrix and the phase change material into a homogenized material. A sandwich-structure with and without paraffin was investigated experimentally under constant thermal load. The results were used to verify the reduced material model in ANSYS.

  19. Materials system for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells based on doped lanthanum-gallate electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Wenquan

    2005-07-01

    The objective of this work was to identify a materials system for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). Towards this goal, alternating current complex impedance spectroscopy was employed as a tool to study electrode polarization effects in symmetrical cells employing strontium and magnesium doped lanthanum gallate (LSGM) electrolyte. Several cathode materials were investigated including strontium doped lanthanum manganite (LSM), Strontium and iron doped lanthanum cobaltate (LSCF), LSM-LSGM, and LSCF-LSGM composites. Investigated Anode materials included nickel-gadolinium or lanthanum doped cerium oxide (Ni-GDC, or Ni-LDC) composites. The ohmic and the polarization resistances of the symmetrical cells were obtained as a function of temperature, time, thickness, and the composition of the electrodes. Based on these studies, the single phase LSM electrode had the highest polarization resistance among the cathode materials. The mixed-conducting LSCF electrode had polarization resistance orders of magnitude lower than that of the LSM-LSGM composite electrodes. Although incorporating LSGM in the LSCF electrode did not reduce the cell polarization resistance significantly, it could reduce the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the LSCF electrodes and LSGM electrolyte. Moreover, the polarization resistance of the LSCF electrode decreased asymptotically as the electrode thickness was increased thus suggesting that the electrode thickness needed not be thicker than this asymptotic limit. On the anode side of the IT-SOFC, Ni reacted with LSGM electrolyte, and lanthanum diffusion occurred from the LSGM electrolyte to the GDC barrier layer, which was between the LSGM electrolyte and the Ni-composite anode. However, LDC served as an effective barrier layer. Ni-LDC (70 v% Ni) anode had the largest polarization resistance, while all other anode materials, i.e. Ni-LDC (50 v% Ni), Ni-GDC (70 v% NO, and Ni-GDC (50 v% Ni), had similar polarization

  20. Solar cell structure incorporating a novel single crystal silicon material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pankove, Jacques I.; Wu, Chung P.

    1983-01-01

    A novel hydrogen rich single crystal silicon material having a band gap energy greater than 1.1 eV can be fabricated by forming an amorphous region of graded crystallinity in a body of single crystalline silicon and thereafter contacting the region with atomic hydrogen followed by pulsed laser annealing at a sufficient power and for a sufficient duration to recrystallize the region into single crystal silicon without out-gassing the hydrogen. The new material can be used to fabricate semiconductor devices such as single crystal silicon solar cells with surface window regions having a greater band gap energy than that of single crystal silicon without hydrogen.

  1. Investigation of materials for inert electrodes in aluminum electrodeposition cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haggerty, J. S.; Sadoway, D. R.

    1987-09-14

    Work was divided into major efforts. The first was the growth and characterization of specimens; the second was Hall cell performance testing. Cathode and anode materials were the subject of investigation. Preparation of specimens included growth of single crystals and synthesis of ultra high purity powders. Special attention was paid to ferrites as they were considered to be the most promising anode materials. Ferrite anode corrosion rates were studied and the electrical conductivities of a set of copper-manganese ferrites were measured. Float Zone, Pendant Drop Cryolite Experiments were undertaken because unsatisfactory choices of candidate materials were being made on the basis of a flawed set of selection criteria applied to an incomplete and sometimes inaccurate data base. This experiment was then constructed to determine whether the apparatus used for float zone crystal growth could be adapted to make a variety of important based melts and their interactions with candidate inert anode materials. The third major topic was Non Consumable Anode (Data Base, Candidate Compositions), driven by our perception that the basis for prior selection of candidate materials was inadequate. Results are presented. 162 refs., 39 figs., 18 tabs.

  2. Cell viability of mycorrhiza helper bacteria solid inoculant in different carrier material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asyiah, Iis Nur; Hindersah, Reginawanti; Harni, Rita

    2018-02-01

    Roots of food crops are colonized by nonpathogenic mycorrhizal fungi which show natural ability to control plant pathogen. Mycorrhizal establishment in plant roots is affected by rhizobacteria, known as mycorrhiza helper bacteria (MHB), which has synergetic effects on mycorrhizal associations. Laboratory experiment has been conducted to assess the best carrier material to develop well-qualified MHB of Pseudomonas diminuta and Bacillus subtilis solid inoculant. Carrier materials were 100 mesh organic matter of agricultural waste. Different spore concentration of both bacterial liquid inoculants were grown on three kinds of 100-mesh organic matter and stored at room temperature up to 90 days. Cell viability of both MHB were counted by serial dilution plate method by using specific medium. The results showed that sugar cane baggase ash was the best carrier material to maintain cell viability for both MHB. However, the population of Pseudomonas diminuta and Bacillus subtilis in sugar cane baggase ash were slightly decreased after 90 days. The use of sugarcane baggase ash for solid MHB inoculant development could be suggested.

  3. Materials Informatics: Statistical Modeling in Material Science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yosipof, Abraham; Shimanovich, Klimentiy; Senderowitz, Hanoch

    2016-12-01

    Material informatics is engaged with the application of informatic principles to materials science in order to assist in the discovery and development of new materials. Central to the field is the application of data mining techniques and in particular machine learning approaches, often referred to as Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) modeling, to derive predictive models for a variety of materials-related "activities". Such models can accelerate the development of new materials with favorable properties and provide insight into the factors governing these properties. Here we provide a comparison between medicinal chemistry/drug design and materials-related QSAR modeling and highlight the importance of developing new, materials-specific descriptors. We survey some of the most recent QSAR models developed in materials science with focus on energetic materials and on solar cells. Finally we present new examples of material-informatic analyses of solar cells libraries produced from metal oxides using combinatorial material synthesis. Different analyses lead to interesting physical insights as well as to the design of new cells with potentially improved photovoltaic parameters. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Synthetic Light-Curable Polymeric Materials Provide a Supportive Niche for Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vining, Kyle H; Scherba, Jacob C; Bever, Alaina M; Alexander, Morgan R; Celiz, Adam D; Mooney, David J

    2018-01-01

    Dental disease annually affects billions of patients, and while regenerative dentistry aims to heal dental tissue after injury, existing polymeric restorative materials, or fillings, do not directly participate in the healing process in a bioinstructive manner. There is a need for restorative materials that can support native functions of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), which are capable of regenerating dentin. A polymer microarray formed from commercially available monomers to rapidly identify materials that support DPSC adhesion is used. Based on these findings, thiol-ene chemistry is employed to achieve rapid light-curing and minimize residual monomer of the lead materials. Several triacrylate bulk polymers support DPSC adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation in vitro, and exhibit stiffness and tensile strength similar to existing dental materials. Conversely, materials composed of a trimethacrylate monomer or bisphenol A glycidyl methacrylate, which is a monomer standard in dental materials, do not support stem cell adhesion and negatively impact matrix and signaling pathways. Furthermore, thiol-ene polymerized triacrylates are used as permanent filling materials at the dentin-pulp interface in direct contact with irreversibly injured pulp tissue. These novel triacrylate-based biomaterials have potential to enable novel regenerative dental therapies in the clinic by both restoring teeth and providing a supportive niche for DPSCs. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. New electron beam facility for irradiated plasma facing materials testing in hot cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakamoto, N.; Kawamura, H.; Akiba, M.

    1995-01-01

    Since plasma facing components such as the first wall and the divertor for the next step fusion reactors are exposed to high heat loads and high energy neutron flux generated by the plasma, it is urgent to develop of plasma facing components which can resist these. Then, we have established electron beam heat facility (open-quotes OHBISclose quotes, Oarai Hot-cell electron Beam Irradiating System) at a hot cell in JMTR (Japan Materials Testing Reactor) hot laboratory in order to estimate thermal shock resistivity of plasma facing materials and heat removal capabilities of divertor elements under steady state heating. In this facility, irradiated plasma facing materials (beryllium, carbon based materials and so on) and divertor elements can be treated. This facility consists of an electron beam unit with the maximum beam power of 50kW and the vacuum vessel. The acceleration voltage and the maximum beam current are 30kV (constant) and 1.7A, respectively. The loading time of electron beam is more than 0.1ms. The shape of vacuum vessel is cylindrical, and the mainly dimensions are 500mm in inner diameter, 1000mm in height. The ultimate vacuum of this vessel is 1 x 10 -4 Pa. At present, the facility for thermal shock test has been established in a hot cell. And performance estimation on the electron beam is being conducted. Presently, the devices for heat loading tests under steady state will be added to this facility

  6. New electron beam facility for irradiated plasma facing materials testing in hot cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimakawa, S.; Akiba, M.; Kawamura, H.

    1996-01-01

    Since plasma facing components such as the first wall and the divertor for the next step fusion reactors are exposed to high heat loads and high energy neutron flux generated by the plasma, it is urgent to develop plasma facing components which can resist these. We have established electron beam heat facility ('OHBIS', Oarai hot-cell electron beam irradiating system) at a hot cell in JMTR (Japan materials testing reactor) hot laboratory in order to estimate thermal shock resistivity of plasma facing materials and heat removal capabilities of divertor elements under steady state heating. In this facility, irradiated plasma facing materials (beryllium, carbon based materials and so on) and divertor elements can be treated. This facility consists of an electron beam unit with the maximum beam power of 50 kW and the vacuum vessel. The acceleration voltage and the maximum beam current are 30 kV (constant) and 1.7 A, respectively. The loading time of the electron beam is more than 0.1 ms. The shape of vacuum vessel is cylindrical, and the main dimensions are 500 mm in inside diameter, 1000 mm in height. The ultimate vacuum of this vessel is 1 x 10 -4 Pa. At present, the facility for the thermal shock test has been established in a hot cell. The performance of the electron beam is being evaluated at this time. In the future, the equipment for conducting static heat loadings will be incorporated into the facility. (orig.)

  7. High Mobility, Hole Transport Materials for Highly Efficient PEDOT:PSS Replacement in Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Neophytou, Marios

    2017-04-24

    Perovskite solar cells are one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies, due to their rapid increase in power conversion efficiency (3.8% to 21.1%) in a very short period of time and the relative ease of their fabrication compared to traditional inorganic solar cells. One of the drawbacks of perovskite solar cells is their limited stability in non-inert atmospheres. In the inverted device configuration this lack of stability can be attributed to the inclusion of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate(PEDOT:PSS) as the hole transporting layer. Herein we report the synthesis of two new triarylamine based hole transporting materials, synthesised from readily available starting materials. These new materials show increased power conversion efficiencies, of 13.0% and 12.1%, compared to PEDOT:PSS (10.9%) and exhibit increased stability achieving lifetimes in excess of 500 hours. Both molecules are solution processible at low temperatures and offer potential for low cost, scalable production on flexible substrates for large scale perovskite solar cells.

  8. High Mobility, Hole Transport Materials for Highly Efficient PEDOT:PSS Replacement in Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Neophytou, Marios; Griffiths, Jack; Fraser, James; Kirkus, Mindaugas; Chen, Hu; Nielsen, Christian; McCulloch, Iain

    2017-01-01

    Perovskite solar cells are one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies, due to their rapid increase in power conversion efficiency (3.8% to 21.1%) in a very short period of time and the relative ease of their fabrication compared to traditional inorganic solar cells. One of the drawbacks of perovskite solar cells is their limited stability in non-inert atmospheres. In the inverted device configuration this lack of stability can be attributed to the inclusion of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate(PEDOT:PSS) as the hole transporting layer. Herein we report the synthesis of two new triarylamine based hole transporting materials, synthesised from readily available starting materials. These new materials show increased power conversion efficiencies, of 13.0% and 12.1%, compared to PEDOT:PSS (10.9%) and exhibit increased stability achieving lifetimes in excess of 500 hours. Both molecules are solution processible at low temperatures and offer potential for low cost, scalable production on flexible substrates for large scale perovskite solar cells.

  9. Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants. Annual report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Willis, P. B.; Baum, B.

    1979-06-01

    The goal of this program is to identify, evaluate, and recommend encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost-effective, long-life solar cell modules. During the past year, the technical activities emphasized the reformulation of a commercial grade of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer for use as a pottant in solar cell module manufacture. After experimenting with a variety of techniques, a vacuum-bag process was developed and found to be an excellent encapsulation method. Adhesive strengths and primers for the bonding of ethylene/vinyl acetate to superstrate and substrate materials was assessed with encouraging results. The weathering effects on ten other polymers exposed to twelve months of weathering in Arizona, Florida, and under EMMAQUA were evaluated by determination of tensile strengths, elongations, optical transmission, etc. As may be expected, the best overall retention of mechanical properties is found for the fluorocarbon polymers, especially FEP. Hard coatings containing ultraviolet absorbers were investigated for the purpose of providing a soil resistant surface and additional weathering stability to the soft EVA pottant. Corrosion studies using a standard salt spray test were used to determine the degree of protection offered to a variety of metals by encapsulation in EVA pottant. A survey of scrim materials was also conducted. These open hole weaves are intended for use as spacers between the cell and substrate to provide a mechanical barrier, improve insulation resistance and prevent migration of the pigmented pottant over the cell surface. A mechanical engineering analysis of composite structural materials for use as substrates was performed. Results are presented in detail. (WHK)

  10. Behavior of bone cells in contact with magnesium implant material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burmester, Anna; Willumeit-Römer, Regine; Feyerabend, Frank

    2017-01-01

    Magnesium-based implants exhibit several advantages, such as biodegradability and possible osteoinductive properties. Whether the degradation may induce cell type-specific changes in metabolism still remains unclear. To examine the osteoinductivity mechanisms, the reaction of bone-derived cells (MG63, U2OS, SaoS2, and primary human osteoblasts (OB)) to magnesium (Mg) was determined. Mg-based extracts were used to mimic more realistic Mg degradation conditions. Moreover, the influence of cells having direct contact with the degrading Mg metal was investigated. In exposure to extracts and in direct contact, the cells decreased pH and osmolality due to metabolic activity. Proliferating cells showed no significant reaction to extracts, whereas differentiating cells were negatively influenced. In contrast to extract exposure, where cell size increased, in direct contact to magnesium, cell size was stable or even decreased. The amount of focal adhesions decreased over time on all materials. Genes involved in bone formation were significantly upregulated, especially for primary human osteoblasts. Some osteoinductive indicators were observed for OB: (i) an increased cell count after extract addition indicated a higher proliferation potential; (ii) increased cell sizes after extract supplementation in combination with augmented adhesion behavior of these cells suggest an early switch to differentiation; and (iii) bone-inducing gene expression patterns were determined for all analyzed conditions. The results from the cell lines were inhomogeneous and showed no specific stimulus of Mg. The comparison of the different cell types showed that primary cells of the investigated tissue should be used as an in vitro model if Mg is analyzed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 165-179, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Dependence of cell adhesion on extracellular matrix materials formed on pore bridge boundaries by nanopore opening and closing geometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sueon; Han, Dong Yeol; Chen, Zhenzhong; Lee, Won Gu

    2018-04-30

    In this study, we report experimental results for characterization of the growth and formation of pore bridge materials that modified the adhesion structures of cells cultured on nanomembranes with opening and closing geometry. To perform the proof-of-concept experiments, we fabricated two types of anodized alumina oxide substrates with single-sided opening (i.e., one side open, but closed at the other side) and double-sided opening (i.e., both sides open). In our experiment, we compared the densities of pores formed and of bridge materials which differently act as connective proteins depending on the size of pores. The results show that the pore opening geometry can be used to promote the net contact force between pores, resulting in the growth and formation of pore bridge materials before and after cell culture. The results also imply that the bridge materials can be used to attract the structural protrusion of filopodia that can promote the adhesion of cell-to-cell and cell-to-pore bridge. It is observed that the shape and size of cellular structures of filopodia depend on the presence of pore bridge materials. Overall, this observation brought us a significant clue that cells cultured on nanopore substrates would change the adhesion property depending on not only the formation of nanopores formed on the surface of topological substrates, but also that of pore bridge materials by its morphological growth.

  12. Nuclear Materials Characterization in the Materials and Fuels Complex Analytical Hot Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriquez, Michael

    2009-01-01

    As energy prices skyrocket and interest in alternative, clean energy sources builds, interest in nuclear energy has increased. This increased interest in nuclear energy has been termed the 'Nuclear Renaissance'. The performance of nuclear fuels, fuels and reactor materials and waste products are becoming a more important issue as the potential for designing new nuclear reactors is more immediate. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) Analytical Laboratory Hot Cells (ALHC) are rising to the challenge of characterizing new reactor materials, byproducts and performance. The ALHC is a facility located near Idaho Falls, Idaho at the INL Site. It was built in 1958 as part of the former Argonne National Laboratory West Complex to support the operation of the second Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-II). It is part of a larger analytical laboratory structure that includes wet chemistry, instrumentation and radiochemistry laboratories. The purpose of the ALHC is to perform analytical chemistry work on highly radioactive materials. The primary work in the ALHC has traditionally been dissolution of nuclear materials so that less radioactive subsamples (aliquots) could be transferred to other sections of the laboratory for analysis. Over the last 50 years though, the capabilities within the ALHC have also become independent of other laboratory sections in a number of ways. While dissolution, digestion and subdividing samples are still a vitally important role, the ALHC has stand alone capabilities in the area of immersion density, gamma scanning and combustion gas analysis. Recent use of the ALHC for immersion density shows that extremely fine and delicate operations can be performed with the master-slave manipulators by qualified operators. Twenty milligram samples were tested for immersion density to determine the expansion of uranium dioxide after irradiation in a nuclear reactor. The data collected confirmed modeling analysis with very tight

  13. Neuronal cells on GaN-based materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Witte, H.; Charpentier, M.; Mueller, M.; Garke, B.; Veit, P.; Hempel, T.; Diez, A.; Reiher, A.; Dadgar, A.; Christen, J.; Krost, A. [Inst. of Experimental Physics, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg (Germany); Voigt, T. [Inst. of Physiology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg (Germany); Deliano, M.; Ohl, F. [Leibniz Institute of Neurobiology, Magdeburg (Germany)

    2008-07-01

    Group-III-nitride-based devices can be used for recording electrical activities of cell signals using the main advantage of high chemical and physiological stability. However, for the application of these materials in neural tissue their biocompatibility should be proofed. We have investigated the interactions between group-III-semiconductors and (1) dissociated neuron networks of embryonic rat cerebral cortex, and (2) neurons within the primary auditory cortex of Mongolian gerbils (rodents). The neuron networks were cultured within more than two days on the surfaces of GaN, AlGaN, AlN and GaO/GaN layers and were analyzed using optical and electron microscopy. In addition, pieces of nitrides were implanted into the cortex of living gerbils and remained there for several months. The reactions of the ambient neuron tissue were investigated by histological methods. Furthermore, the impact of the neuron cell cultures on the substrate surfaces were analyzed using atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. All investigations showed the stability and the non-toxic behavior of the pure GaN layers whereas the Al-containing layers were somewhat affected.

  14. Hetero-cellular prototyping by synchronized multi-material bioprinting for rotary cell culture system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Jessica; Son, Ae Rin; Hamid, Qudus; Wu, Honglu; Sun, Wei

    2016-01-13

    Bottom-up tissue engineering requires methodological progress of biofabrication to capture key design facets of anatomical arrangements across micro, meso and macro-scales. The diffusive mass transfer properties necessary to elicit stability and functionality require hetero-typic contact, cell-to-cell signaling and uniform nutrient diffusion. Bioprinting techniques successfully build mathematically defined porous architecture to diminish resistance to mass transfer. Current limitations of bioprinted cell assemblies include poor micro-scale formability of cell-laden soft gels and asymmetrical macro-scale diffusion through 3D volumes. The objective of this work is to engineer a synchronized multi-material bioprinter (SMMB) system which improves the resolution and expands the capability of existing bioprinting systems by packaging multiple cell types in heterotypic arrays prior to deposition. This unit cell approach to arranging multiple cell-laden solutions is integrated with a motion system to print heterogeneous filaments as tissue engineered scaffolds and nanoliter droplets. The set of SMMB process parameters control the geometric arrangement of the combined flow's internal features and constituent material's volume fractions. SMMB printed hepatocyte-endothelial laden 200 nl droplets are cultured in a rotary cell culture system (RCCS) to study the effect of microgravity on an in vitro model of the human hepatic lobule. RCCS conditioning for 48 h increased hepatocyte cytoplasm diameter 2 μm, increased metabolic rate, and decreased drug half-life. SMMB hetero-cellular models present a 10-fold increase in metabolic rate, compared to SMMB mono-culture models. Improved bioprinting resolution due to process control of cell-laden matrix packaging as well as nanoliter droplet printing capability identify SMMB as a viable technique to improve in vitro model efficacy.

  15. Bipolar plate materials in molten carbonate fuel cells. Final CRADA report.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krumpelt, M.

    2004-06-01

    Advantages of implementation of power plants based on electrochemical reactions are successfully demonstrated in the USA and Japan. One of the msot promising types of fuel cells (FC) is a type of high temperature fuel cells. At present, thanks to the efforts of the leading countries that develop fuel cell technologies power plants on the basis of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are really close to commercialization. One of the problems that are to be solved for practical implementation of MCFC and SOFC is a problem of corrosion of metal components of stacks that are assembled of a number of fuel cells. One of the major components of MCFC and SOFC stacks is a bipolar separator plate (BSP) that performs several functions - it is separation of reactant gas flows sealing of the joints between fuel cells, and current collection from the surface of electrodes. The goal of Task 1 of the project is to develop new cost-effective nickel coatings for the Russian 20X23H18 steel for an MCFC bipolar separator plate using technological processes usually implemented to apply corrosion stable coatings onto the metal parts for products in the defense. There was planned the research on production of nickel coatings using different methods, first of all the galvanic one and the explosion cladding one. As a result of the works, 0.4 x 712 x 1296 mm plates coated with nickel on one side were to be made and passed to ANL. A line of 4 galvanic baths 600 liters was to be built for the galvanic coating applications. The goal of Task 2 of the project is the development of a new material of an MCFC bipolar separator plate with an upgraded corrosion stability, and development of a technology to produce cold roll sheets of this material the sizes of which will be 0.8 x 712x 1296 mm. As a result of these works, a pilot batch of the rolled material in sheets 0.8 x 712 x 1296 mm in size is to be made (in accordance with the norms and standards of the Russian

  16. Low cost solar array project. Cell and module formation research area. Process research of non-CZ silicon material

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    Liquid diffusion masks and liquid dopants to replace the more expensive CVD SiO2 mask and gaseous diffusion processes were investigated. Silicon pellets were prepared in the silicon shot tower; and solar cells were fabricated using web grown where the pellets were used as a replenishment material. Verification runs were made using the boron dopant and liquid diffusion mask materials. The average of cells produced in these runs was 13%. The relationship of sheet resistivity, temperature, gas flows, and gas composition for the diffusion of the P-8 liquid phosphorus solution was investigated. Solar cells processed from web grown from Si shot material were evaluated, and results qualified the use of the material produced in the shot tower for web furnace feed stock.

  17. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy on the chalcopyrite solar cell absorber material Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moenig, Harry; Saez-Araoz, Rodrigo; Lux-Steiner, Martha [Freie Universitaet Berlin (Germany); Sadewasser, Sascha; Ennaoui, Ahmed; Kaufmann, Christian; Kropp, Timo; Lauermann, Iver; Muenchenberg, Tim; Schock, Hans-Werner; Streicher, Ferdinand [Hahn- Meitner-Institut Berlin (Germany)

    2007-07-01

    Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}-based thin film solar cells have reached efficiencies close to 20%. Nevertheless, little is known about electronic transport and carrier recombination in this material on a microscopic scale. Especially grain boundaries in these polycrystalline materials are considered to play an important role in the performance of these solar cells. We applied scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to gain more insight in the electronic microstructure of the material. Our results point to lateral electronic inhomogeneities on the absorber surface and to an enhanced density of states at grain boundaries. The influence of charging effects is discussed.

  18. The comparison between gallium arsenide and indium gallium arsenide as materials for solar cell performance using Silvaco application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahari, Suhaila Mohd; Norizan, Mohd Natashah; Mohamad, Ili Salwani; Osman, Rozana Aina Maulat; Taking, Sanna

    2015-05-01

    The work presented in this paper is about the development of single and multilayer solar cells using GaAs and InGaAs in AM1.5 condition. The study includes the modeling structure and simulation of the device using Silvaco applications. The performance in term of efficiency of Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) and GaAs material was studied by modification of the doping concentration and thickness of material in solar cells. The efficiency of the GaAs solar cell was higher than InGaAs solar cell for single layer solar cell. Single layer GaAs achieved an efficiency about 25% compared to InGaAs which is only 2.65% of efficiency. For multilayer which includes both GaAs and InGaAs, the output power, Pmax was 8.91nW/cm² with the efficiency only 8.51%. GaAs is one of the best materials to be used in solar cell as a based compared to InGaAs.

  19. The comparison between gallium arsenide and indium gallium arsenide as materials for solar cell performance using Silvaco application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zahari, Suhaila Mohd; Norizan, Mohd Natashah; Mohamad, Ili Salwani; Osman, Rozana Aina Maulat; Taking, Sanna

    2015-01-01

    The work presented in this paper is about the development of single and multilayer solar cells using GaAs and InGaAs in AM1.5 condition. The study includes the modeling structure and simulation of the device using Silvaco applications. The performance in term of efficiency of Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) and GaAs material was studied by modification of the doping concentration and thickness of material in solar cells. The efficiency of the GaAs solar cell was higher than InGaAs solar cell for single layer solar cell. Single layer GaAs achieved an efficiency about 25% compared to InGaAs which is only 2.65% of efficiency. For multilayer which includes both GaAs and InGaAs, the output power, P max was 8.91nW/cm² with the efficiency only 8.51%. GaAs is one of the best materials to be used in solar cell as a based compared to InGaAs

  20. Osteogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells under the influence of three different materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ajlan, S. A.; Ashri, N. Y.; Aldahmash, Abdullah M.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Regeneration of periodontal tissues is a major goal of periodontal therapy. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) show mesenchymal cell properties with the potential for dental tissue engineering. Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are examples of materi......Background: Regeneration of periodontal tissues is a major goal of periodontal therapy. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) show mesenchymal cell properties with the potential for dental tissue engineering. Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are examples...

  1. Drop detachment and motion on fuel cell electrode materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauthier, Eric; Hellstern, Thomas; Kevrekidis, Ioannis G; Benziger, Jay

    2012-02-01

    Liquid water is pushed through flow channels of fuel cells, where one surface is a porous carbon electrode made up of carbon fibers. Water drops grow on the fibrous carbon surface in the gas flow channel. The drops adhere to the superficial fiber surfaces but exhibit little penetration into the voids between the fibers. The fibrous surfaces are hydrophobic, but there is a substantial threshold force necessary to initiate water drop motion. Once the water drops begin to move, however, the adhesive force decreases and drops move with minimal friction, similar to motion on superhydrophobic materials. We report here studies of water wetting and water drop motion on typical porous carbon materials (carbon paper and carbon cloth) employed in fuel cells. The static coefficient of friction on these textured surfaces is comparable to that for smooth Teflon. But the dynamic coefficient of friction is several orders of magnitude smaller on the textured surfaces than on smooth Teflon. Carbon cloth displays a much smaller static contact angle hysteresis than carbon paper due to its two-scale roughness. The dynamic contact angle hysteresis for carbon paper is greatly reduced compared to the static contact angle hysteresis. Enhanced dynamic hydrophobicity is suggested to result from the extent to which a dynamic contact line can track topological heterogeneities of the liquid/solid interface.

  2. Recent progresses in materials for the direct methanol fuel cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lamy, C; Leger, J M [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 86 - Poitiers (France)

    1998-12-31

    Research programs are being conducted worldwide to develop a clean, zero emissions electric vehicle. However, even with the most advanced batteries, such as nickel/metal hydride, or lithium ion batteries, the driving range is limited and the recharging time is long. Only fuel cells which can convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy can compete with internal combustion engines. This paper reviewed the recent progress made in the development of a direct methanol fuel cell using the concept developed for the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). It was noted that the electrode materials, at the methanol anode and oxygen cathode need to be improved by using multifunctional electrocatalysts. The development of new temperature resistant proton exchange membranes with good ionic conductivity and low methanol cross-over, which resulted from the need to increase operating temperatures above 100 degrees C was also reviewed. 35 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs.

  3. Polymer Solar Cells – Non Toxic Processing and Stable Polymer Photovoltaic Materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Roar

    The field of polymer solar cell has experienced enormous progress in the previous years, with efficiencies of small scale devices (~1 mm2) now exceeding 8%. However, if the polymer solar cell is to achieve success as a renewable energy resource, mass production of sufficiently stable and efficient...... and development of more stable materials. The field of polymer solar cells has evolved around the use of toxic and carcinogenic solvents like chloroform, benzene, toluene, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene and xylene. As large scale production of organic solar cells is envisaged to production volumes corresponding...... synthesis of polymers carrying water coordinating side chains which allow for processing from semi-aqueous solution. A series of different side chains were synthesized and incorporated into the final polymers as thermocleavable tertiary esters. Using a cleavable side chain induces stability to solar cells...

  4. Recent Development of Graphene-Based Cathode Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Man-Ning Lu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs have attracted extensive attention for serving as potential low-cost alternatives to silicon-based solar cells. As a vital role of a typical DSSC, the counter electrode (CE is generally employed to collect electrons via the external circuit and speed up the reduction reaction of I3- to I- in the redox electrolyte. The noble Pt is usually deposited on a conductive glass substrate as CE material due to its excellent electrical conductivity, electrocatalytic activity, and electrochemical stability. To achieve cost-efficient DSSCs, reasonable efforts have been made to explore Pt-free alternatives. Recently, the graphene-based CEs have been intensively investigated to replace the high-cost noble Pt CE. In this paper, we provided an overview of studies on the electrochemical and photovoltaic characteristics of graphene-based CEs, including graphene, graphene/Pt, graphene/carbon materials, graphene/conducting polymers, and graphene/inorganic compounds. We also summarize the design and advantages of each graphene-based material and provide the possible directions for designing new graphene-based catalysts in future research for high-performance and low-cost DSSCs.

  5. Template-free synthesis of renewable macroporous carbon via yeast cells for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Hongmei; He, Wenhui; Zong, Chenghua; Lu, Lehui

    2013-03-01

    The urgent need for sustainable development has forced material scientists to explore novel materials for next-generation energy storage devices through a green and facile strategy. In this context, yeast, which is a large group of single cell fungi widely distributed in nature environments, will be an ideal candidate for developing effective electrode materials with fascinating structures for high-performance supercapacitors. With this in mind, herein, we present the first example of creating three-dimensional (3D) interpenetrating macroporous carbon materials via a template-free method, using the green, renewable, and widespread yeast cells as the precursors. Remarkably, when the as-prepared materials are used as the electrode materials for supercapacitors, they exhibit outstanding performance with high specific capacitance of 330 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and good stability, even after 1000 charge/discharge cycles. The approach developed in this work provides a new view of making full use of sustainable resources endowed by nature, opening the avenue to designing and producing robust materials with great promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices.

  6. The Architecture of Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells: Materials to Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Kramer, Illan J.

    2014-01-08

    The materials chemistry of Colloidal Quantum Dot (CQDs) suspended in solution and processed into films has provided a foundation onto which useful photovoltaic devices can be built. These active materials offer the benefits of solution processing paired with the flexibility of adjustable bandgaps, tailored to suit a particular need. In parallel with these advances, pursuing device geometries that better leverage the available electronic properties of CQD films has borne fruit in further advancing CQD solar cell performance. For active materials such as CQD films where 1/α, where alpha is the absorption coefficient, is of the same order as the free carrier extraction length, external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements have proved useful in profiling the effectiveness of each nanometer of device thickness at extracting photogenerated carriers. Because CQD films have the added complications of being made of variable-sized constituent material building blocks as well as being deposited from solution, the nature of charge transport through the films can also be size-dependent and matrix dependent.

  7. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) flow field plate: design, materials and characterisation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamilton, P.J.; Pollet, B.G. [PEM Fuel Cell Research Group, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

    2010-08-15

    This review describes some recent developments in the area of flow field plates (FFPs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The function, parameters and design of FFPs in PEM fuel cells are outlined and considered in light of their performance. FFP materials and manufacturing methods are discussed and current in situ and ex situ characterisation techniques are described. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  8. A material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motion for cell growth enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ching-Wen; Wang, Gou-Jen

    2013-01-01

    In tissue engineering, cell–cell, cell–scaffold and cell–environment communication balances regulate how cell populations participate in tissue generation, maintenance and repair. These communication balances are called niches. In this study, an easily implemented and material-independent cell–environment niche based on microreciprocating motions is developed to enhance cell growth. A micropositioning piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate stage is used to provide precise microreciprocating shear stress motions. Various shear stresses were applied to bovine endothelial cells (BECs) that were cultured on the artificially synthesized materials to obtain the suitable shear stress for growth enhancement. It was found that the suitable shear stress for apparent enhancement of BEC growth ranges from 1.8 to 2.2 N m −2 . Biopolymers were further used to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach using the optimized shear stress obtained from the culture on artificially synthesized polymers. The results further confirmed that the growth of BECs was enhanced as expected under the calculated reciprocating frequencies based on the suitable shear stress. It is hoped that the proposed microshear-stress-based niche could be a more cost- and time-effective solution for the enhancement of cell growth in tissue engineering applications. (paper)

  9. One-Step Facile Synthesis of a Simple Hole Transport Material for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Hu

    2016-04-04

    A hole transporting material was designed for use in perovskite solar cells, with a facile one-step synthesis from inexpensive, com-mercially available reagents. The molecule comprises a central fluorinated phenyl core with pendant aryl amines, namely, 3,6-difluoro-N1,N1,N2,N2,N4,N4,N5,N5-octakis(4-methoxyphenyl)benzene-1,2,4,5-tetraamine (DFTAB). A power conversion efficiency of up to 10.4% was achieved in a mesoporous perovskite device architecture. The merits of a simple and potentially low cost syn-thetic route as well as promising performance in perovskite devices, encourages further development of this materials class as new low-cost hole transporting materials for the scale up of perovskite solar cells.

  10. One-Step Facile Synthesis of a Simple Hole Transport Material for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Hu; Bryant, Daniel; Troughton, Joel; Kirkus, Mindaugas; Neophytou, Marios; Miao, Xiaohe; Durrant, James R.; McCulloch, Iain

    2016-01-01

    A hole transporting material was designed for use in perovskite solar cells, with a facile one-step synthesis from inexpensive, com-mercially available reagents. The molecule comprises a central fluorinated phenyl core with pendant aryl amines, namely, 3,6-difluoro-N1,N1,N2,N2,N4,N4,N5,N5-octakis(4-methoxyphenyl)benzene-1,2,4,5-tetraamine (DFTAB). A power conversion efficiency of up to 10.4% was achieved in a mesoporous perovskite device architecture. The merits of a simple and potentially low cost syn-thetic route as well as promising performance in perovskite devices, encourages further development of this materials class as new low-cost hole transporting materials for the scale up of perovskite solar cells.

  11. Effect of the shell material and confinement type on the conversion efficiency of core/shell quantum dot nanocrystal solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Mehmet

    2018-05-23

    In this study, the effects of the shell material and confinement type on the conversion efficiency of core/shell quantum dot nanocrystal (QDNC) solar cells have been investigated in detail. For this purpose, the conventional, i.e. original, detailed balance model, developed by Shockley and Queisser to calculate an upper limit for the conversion efficiency of silicon p-n junction solar cells, is modified in a simple and effective way to calculate the conversion efficiency of core/shell QDNC solar cells. Since the existing model relies on the gap energy ([Formula: see text]) of the solar cell, it does not make an estimation about the effect of QDNC materials on the efficiency of the solar cells, and gives the same efficiency values for several QDNC solar cells with the same [Formula: see text]. The proposed modification, however, estimates a conversion efficiency in relation to the material properties and also the confinement type of the QDNCs. The results of the modified model show that, in contrast to the original one, the conversion efficiencies of different QDNC solar cells, even if they have the same [Formula: see text], become different depending upon the confinement type and shell material of the core/shell QDNCs, and this is crucial in the design and fabrication of the new generation solar cells to predict the confinement type and also appropriate QDNC materials for better efficiency.

  12. Effect of the shell material and confinement type on the conversion efficiency of core/shell quantum dot nanocrystal solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahin, Mehmet

    2018-05-01

    In this study, the effects of the shell material and confinement type on the conversion efficiency of core/shell quantum dot nanocrystal (QDNC) solar cells have been investigated in detail. For this purpose, the conventional, i.e. original, detailed balance model, developed by Shockley and Queisser to calculate an upper limit for the conversion efficiency of silicon p–n junction solar cells, is modified in a simple and effective way to calculate the conversion efficiency of core/shell QDNC solar cells. Since the existing model relies on the gap energy () of the solar cell, it does not make an estimation about the effect of QDNC materials on the efficiency of the solar cells, and gives the same efficiency values for several QDNC solar cells with the same . The proposed modification, however, estimates a conversion efficiency in relation to the material properties and also the confinement type of the QDNCs. The results of the modified model show that, in contrast to the original one, the conversion efficiencies of different QDNC solar cells, even if they have the same , become different depending upon the confinement type and shell material of the core/shell QDNCs, and this is crucial in the design and fabrication of the new generation solar cells to predict the confinement type and also appropriate QDNC materials for better efficiency.

  13. Engineering spinal fusion: evaluating ceramic materials for cell based tissue engineered approaches

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilson, C.E.

    2011-01-01

    The principal aim of this thesis was to advance the development of tissue engineered posterolateral spinal fusion by investigating the potential of calcium phosphate ceramic materials to support cell based tissue engineered bone formation. This was accomplished by developing several novel model

  14. Work plan for testing silicone impression material and fixture on pool cell capsule

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lundeen, J.E.

    1994-01-01

    The purpose of this work plan is to provide a safe procedure to test a cesium capsule impression fixture at Waste Encapsulation and Storage Facility (WESF). The impression will be taken with silicone dental impression material pressed down upon the capsule using the impression fixture. This test will evaluate the performance of the fixture and impression material under high radiation and temperature conditions on a capsule in a WESF pool cell

  15. Hole-Transporting Materials for Printable Perovskite Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paola Vivo

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Perovskite solar cells (PSCs represent undoubtedly the most significant breakthrough in photovoltaic technology since the 1970s, with an increase in their power conversion efficiency from less than 5% to over 22% in just a few years. Hole-transporting materials (HTMs are an essential building block of PSC architectures. Currently, 2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis-(N,N’-di-p-methoxyphenylamine-9,9’-spirobifluorene, better known as spiro-OMeTAD, is the most widely-used HTM to obtain high-efficiency devices. However, it is a tremendously expensive material with mediocre hole carrier mobility. To ensure wide-scale application of PSC-based technologies, alternative HTMs are being proposed. Solution-processable HTMs are crucial to develop inexpensive, high-throughput and printable large-area PSCs. In this review, we present the most recent advances in the design and development of different types of HTMs, with a particular focus on mesoscopic PSCs. Finally, we outline possible future research directions for further optimization of the HTMs to achieve low-cost, stable and large-area PSCs.

  16. Hole-Transporting Materials for Printable Perovskite Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salunke, Jagadish K.; Priimagi, Arri

    2017-01-01

    Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represent undoubtedly the most significant breakthrough in photovoltaic technology since the 1970s, with an increase in their power conversion efficiency from less than 5% to over 22% in just a few years. Hole-transporting materials (HTMs) are an essential building block of PSC architectures. Currently, 2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis-(N,N’-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9’-spirobifluorene), better known as spiro-OMeTAD, is the most widely-used HTM to obtain high-efficiency devices. However, it is a tremendously expensive material with mediocre hole carrier mobility. To ensure wide-scale application of PSC-based technologies, alternative HTMs are being proposed. Solution-processable HTMs are crucial to develop inexpensive, high-throughput and printable large-area PSCs. In this review, we present the most recent advances in the design and development of different types of HTMs, with a particular focus on mesoscopic PSCs. Finally, we outline possible future research directions for further optimization of the HTMs to achieve low-cost, stable and large-area PSCs. PMID:28914823

  17. Charge transfer processes in hybrid solar cells composed of amorphous silicon and organic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schaefer, Sebastian; Neher, Dieter [Universitaet Potsdam, Inst. Physik u. Astronomie, Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 24/25, 14467 Potsdam-Golm (Germany); Schulze, Tim; Korte, Lars [Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Inst. fuer Silizium Photovoltaik, Kekulestrasse 5, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    The efficiency of hybrid solar cells composed of organic materials and amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H) strongly depends upon the efficiency of charge transfer processes at the inorganic-organic interface. We investigated the performance of devices comprising an ITO/a-Si:H(n-type)/a-Si:H(intrinsic)/organic/metal multilayer structure and using two different organic components: zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The results show higher power conversion- and quantum efficiencies for the P3HT based cells, compared to ZnPc. This can be explained by larger energy-level offset at the interface between the organic layer and a-Si:H, which facilitates hole transfer from occupied states in the valence band tail to the HOMO of the organic material and additionally promotes exciton splitting. The performance of the a-Si:H/P3HT cells can be further improved by treatment of the amorphous silicon surface with hydrofluoric acid (HF) and p-type doping of P3HT with F4TCNQ. The improved cells reached maximum power conversion efficiencies of 1%.

  18. Gelatin methacrylamide as coating material in cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egger, Michael; Tovar, Günter E M; Hoch, Eva; Southan, Alexander

    2016-06-13

    Unmodified gelatin (uG) is widely used as a coating material in cell culture for improving surface properties. In this study, the authors investigated if gelatin methacrylamide (GM) with a medium degree of methacrylamide modification (GM1.5) and a high degree of methacrylamide modification (GM4) are equally suitable for this purpose. Therefore, gold surfaces were coated with uG, GM1.5, and GM4 by adsorption of the polymers on the surfaces. Coating success was confirmed by spectroscopic ellipsometry, contact angle measurements, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPRS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The authors found that upon adsorption of uG, GM1.5, a nd GM4 on gold, thin films with thicknesses of 2.95 nm, 2.50 nm, and 2.26 nm were formed. The coated surfaces showed advancing contact angles of 46° (uG and GM1.5) and 52° (GM4) without alteration of the surface roughness determined by AFM. Protein adsorption taking place on the coated surfaces was measured during contact of the surfaces with fetal calf serum by SPRS. Protein adsorption on the coated surfaces was reduced by the factor of 6.4 (uG), 5.4 (GM1.5), and 4.6 (GM4) compared to gold surfaces. Human fibroblasts cultured on the surfaces showed excellent viability shown by water soluble tetrazolium salt assay as well as live/dead staining with propidium iodide and fluorescein diacetate. No cytotoxic effects of the GM coated surfaces were observed, giving rise to the conclusion that GMs are suitable materials as coatings in cell culture.

  19. The comparison between gallium arsenide and indium gallium arsenide as materials for solar cell performance using Silvaco application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zahari, Suhaila Mohd; Norizan, Mohd Natashah; Mohamad, Ili Salwani; Osman, Rozana Aina Maulat; Taking, Sanna [School of Microelectronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kampus Pauh Putra, 02600 Arau, Perlis (Malaysia)

    2015-05-15

    The work presented in this paper is about the development of single and multilayer solar cells using GaAs and InGaAs in AM1.5 condition. The study includes the modeling structure and simulation of the device using Silvaco applications. The performance in term of efficiency of Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) and GaAs material was studied by modification of the doping concentration and thickness of material in solar cells. The efficiency of the GaAs solar cell was higher than InGaAs solar cell for single layer solar cell. Single layer GaAs achieved an efficiency about 25% compared to InGaAs which is only 2.65% of efficiency. For multilayer which includes both GaAs and InGaAs, the output power, P{sub max} was 8.91nW/cm² with the efficiency only 8.51%. GaAs is one of the best materials to be used in solar cell as a based compared to InGaAs.

  20. A Mini Review: Can Graphene Be a Novel Material for Perovskite Solar Cell Applications?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Eng Liang; Yap, Chi Chin; Jumali, Mohammad Hafizuddin Hj; Teridi, Mohd Asri Mat; Teh, Chin Hoong

    2018-06-01

    Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have raised research interest in scientific community because their power conversion efficiency is comparable to that of traditional commercial solar cells (i.e., amorphous Si, GaAs, and CdTe). Apart from that, PSCs are lightweight, are flexible, and have low production costs. Recently, graphene has been used as a novel material for PSC applications due to its excellent optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. The hydrophobic nature of graphene surface can provide protection against air moisture from the surrounding medium, which can improve the lifetime of devices. Herein, we review recent developments in the use of graphene for PSC applications as a conductive electrode, carrier transporting material, and stabilizer material. By exploring the application of graphene in PSCs, a new class of strategies can be developed to improve the device performance and stability before it can be commercialized in the photovoltaic market in the near future.

  1. Strategies for increasing the efficiency of heterojunction organic solar cells: material selection and device architecture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heremans, Paul; Cheyns, David; Rand, Barry P

    2009-11-17

    Thin-film blends or bilayers of donor- and acceptor-type organic semiconductors form the core of heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells. Researchers measure the quality of photovoltaic cells based on their power conversion efficiency, the ratio of the electrical power that can be generated versus the power of incident solar radiation. The efficiency of organic solar cells has increased steadily in the last decade, currently reaching up to 6%. Understanding and combating the various loss mechanisms that occur in processes from optical excitation to charge collection should lead to efficiencies on the order of 10% in the near future. In organic heterojunction solar cells, the generation of photocurrent is a cascade of four steps: generation of excitons (electrically neutral bound electron-hole pairs) by photon absorption, diffusion of excitons to the heterojunction, dissociation of the excitons into free charge carriers, and transport of these carriers to the contacts. In this Account, we review our recent contributions to the understanding of the mechanisms that govern these steps. Starting from archetype donor-acceptor systems of planar small-molecule heterojunctions and solution-processed bulk heterojunctions, we outline our search for alternative materials and device architectures. We show that non-planar phthalocynanines have appealing absorption characteristics but also have reduced charge carrier transport. As a result, the donor layer needs to be ultrathin, and all layers of the device have to be tuned to account for optical interference effects. Using these optimization techniques, we illustrate cells with 3.1% efficiency for the non-planar chloroboron subphthalocyanine donor. Molecules offering a better compromise between absorption and carrier mobility should allow for further improvements. We also propose a method for increasing the exciton diffusion length by converting singlet excitons into long-lived triplets. By doping a polymer with a

  2. Amino acid derivative-mediated detoxification and functionalization of dual cure dental restorative material for dental pulp cell mineralization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minamikawa, Hajime; Yamada, Masahiro; Iwasa, Fuminori; Ueno, Takeshi; Deyama, Yoshiaki; Suzuki, Kuniaki; Yawaka, Yasutaka; Ogawa, Takahiro

    2010-10-01

    Current dental restorative materials are only used to fill the defect of hard tissues, such as dentin and enamel, because of their cytotoxicity. Therefore, exposed dental pulp tissues in deep cavities must be first covered by a pulp capping material like calcium hydroxide to form a layer of mineralized tissue. However, this tissue mineralization is based on pathological reaction and triggers long-lasting inflammation, often causing clinical problems. This study tested the ability of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), amino acid derivative, to reduce cytotoxicity and induce mineralized tissue conductivity in resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI), a widely used dental restorative material having dual cure mechanism. Rat dental pulp cells were cultured on untreated or NAC-supplemented RMGI. NAC supplementation substantially increased the percentage of viable cells from 46.7 to 73.3% after 24-h incubation. Cell attachment, spreading, proliferative activity, and odontoblast-related gene and protein expressions increased significantly on NAC-supplemented RMGI. The mineralization capability of cells, which was nearly suppressed on untreated RMGI, was induced on NAC-supplemented RMGI. These improved behaviors and functions of dental pulp cells on NAC-supplemented RMGI were associated with a considerable reduction in the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and with the increased level of intracellular glutathione reserves. These results demonstrated that NAC could detoxify and functionalize RMGIs via two different mechanisms involving in situ material detoxification and antioxidant cell protection. We believe that this study provides a new approach for developing dental restorative materials that enables mineralized tissue regeneration.

  3. Performances of some low-cost counter electrode materials in CdS and CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Hieng Kiat; Careem, Mohamed Abdul; Arof, Abdul Kariem

    2014-02-10

    Different counter electrode (CE) materials based on carbon and Cu2S were prepared for the application in CdS and CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The CEs were prepared using low-cost and facile methods. Platinum was used as the reference CE material to compare the performances of the other materials. While carbon-based materials produced the best solar cell performance in CdS QDSSCs, platinum and Cu2S were superior in CdSe QDSSCs. Different CE materials have different performance in the two types of QDSSCs employed due to the different type of sensitizers and composition of polysulfide electrolytes used. The poor performance of QDSSCs with some CE materials is largely due to the lower photocurrent density and open-circuit voltage. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy performed on the cells showed that the poor-performing QDSSCs had higher charge-transfer resistances and CPE values at their CE/electrolyte interfaces.

  4. Identifikasi dan Karakterisasi Isolat Rhizobacteri Osmotoleran dari Merapi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agung Astuti

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Rhizobacteri Merapi isolates have been detected, and MA, MB, and MD isolates could withstand osmotic stress up to >2.75 M NaCl. MD isolate was stronger in dissolving phospate than MA and MB isolates, but MA and MB isolates had much stronger nitrification capability and could perform ammonification than MD isolate. This research studied about Rhizobacteri Merapi isolates as identification, as well as their characterization. The results show that there is a difference in colonial characteristic of four Rhizobacteri Merapi isolates where MB and MC isolates (white circular-entire shape, except for MA isolate (curled-white with undulate edge and MC isolate (ramose-yellow with filamentous edge and also that MD isolate have the largest diameter (1,5 mm. Cell characteristics, however, were the same, gram-negative and were rod shaped, except for MD isolate (coccus. All showed aerob and fermentative characteristics, although MD isolate was able to very strongly hydrolyze starchs. The growth type is fast growing which reach log phase for after 48 hours and then the number of colony decrease.

  5. Nanotemplated platinum fuel cell catalysts and copper-tin lithium battery anode materials for microenergy devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rohan, J.F., E-mail: james.rohan@tyndall.ie [Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Lee Maltings, Cork (Ireland); Hasan, M.; Holubowitch, N. [Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Lee Maltings, Cork (Ireland)

    2011-11-01

    Highlights: > Anodic Aluminum oxide formation on Si substrate. > High density nanotemplated Pt catalyst on Si for integrated energy and electronics. > CuSn alloy deposition from a single, high efficiency methanesulfonate plating bath. > Nanotemplated CuSn Li anode electrodes with high capacity retention. - Abstract: Nanotemplated materials have significant potential for applications in energy conversion and storage devices due to their unique physical properties. Nanostructured materials provide additional electrode surface area beneficial for energy conversion or storage applications with short path lengths for electronic and ionic transport and thus the possibility of higher reaction rates. We report on the use of controlled growth of metal and alloy electrodeposited templated nanostructures for energy applications. Anodic aluminium oxide templates fabricated on Si for energy materials integration with electronic devices and their use for fuel cell and battery materials deposition is discussed. Nanostructured Pt anode catalysts for methanol fuel cells are shown. Templated CuSn alloy anodes that possess high capacity retention with cycling for lithium microbattery integration are also presented.

  6. Cell-to-module optical loss/gain analysis for various photovoltaic module materials through systematic characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsian Saw, Min; Khoo, Yong Sheng; Singh, Jai Prakash; Wang, Yan

    2017-08-01

    Reducing levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is important for solar photovoltaics to compete against other energy sources. Thus, the focus should not only be on improving the solar cell efficiency, but also on continuously reducing the losses (or achieving gain) in the cell-to-module process. This can be achieved by choosing the appropriate module material and design. This paper presents a detailed and systematic characterization of various photovoltaic (PV) module materials (encapsulants, tabbing ribbons, and backsheets) and an evaluation of their impact on the output power of silicon wafer-based PV modules. Various characterization tools/techniques, such as UV-vis (reflectance) measurement, external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement and EQE line-scan are used. Based on the characterization results, we use module materials with the best-evaluated optical performance to build “optimized modules”. Compared to the standard mini-module, an optical gain of more than 5% is achievable for the “optimized module” with selected module materials.

  7. Influence of hole transport material/metal contact interface on perovskite solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Lei; Zhang, Shude; Yang, Songwang; Li, Xiaomin; Yu, Yu; Wei, Qingzhu; Ni, Zhichun; Li, Ming

    2018-06-01

    Interfaces have a significant impact on the performance of perovskite solar cells. This work investigated the influence of hole transport material/metal contact interface on photovoltaic behaviours of perovskite solar devices. Different hole material/metal contact interfaces were obtained by depositing the metal under different conditions. High incident kinetic energy metal particles were proved to penetrate and embed into the hole transport material. These isolated metal particles in hole transport materials capture holes and increase the apparent carrier transport resistance of the hole transport layer. Sample temperature was found to be of great significance in metal deposition. Since metal vapour has a high temperature, the deposition process accumulated a large amount of heat. The heat evaporated the additives in the hole transport layer and decreased the hole conductivity. On the other hand, high temperature may cause iodization of the metal contact.

  8. Self-assembled photosynthesis-inspired light harvesting material and solar cells containing the same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindsey, Jonathan S [Raleigh, NC; Chinnasamy, Muthiah [Raleigh, NC; Fan, Dazhong [Raleigh, NC

    2009-12-15

    A solar cell is described that comprises: (a) a semiconductor charge separation material; (b) at least one electrode connected to the charge separation material; and (c) a light-harvesting film on the charge separation material, the light-harvesting film comprising non-covalently coupled, self-assembled units of porphyrinic macrocycles. The porphyrinic macrocycles preferably comprise: (i) an intramolecularly coordinated metal; (ii) a first coordinating substituent; and (iii) a second coordinating substituent opposite the first coordinating substituent. The porphyrinic macrocycles can be assembled by repeating intermolecular coordination complexes of the metal, the first coordinating substituent and the second coordinating substituent.

  9. Mesoporous nitrogen-rich carbon materials as cathode catalysts in microbial fuel cells

    KAUST Repository

    Ahn, Yongtae

    2014-12-01

    The high cost of the catalyst material used for the oxygen reduction reaction in microbial fuel cell (MFC) cathodes is one of the factors limiting practical applications of this technology. Mesoporous nitrogen-rich carbon (MNC), prepared at different temperatures, was examined as an oxygen reduction catalyst, and compared in performance to Pt in MFCs and electrochemical cells. MNC calcined at 800 °C produced a maximum power density of 979 ± 131 mW m-2 in MFCs, which was 37% higher than that produced using MNC calined at 600 °C (715 ± 152 mW m-2), and only 14% lower than that obtained with Pt (1143 ± 54 mW m-2). The extent of COD removal and coulombic efficiencies were the same for all cathode materials. These results show that MNC could be used as an alternative to Pt in MFCs. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Luminescence materials for pH and oxygen sensing in microbial cells - structures, optical properties, and biological applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Xianshao; Pan, Tingting; Chen, Lei; Tian, Yanqing; Zhang, Weiwen

    2017-09-01

    Luminescence including fluorescence and phosphorescence sensors have been demonstrated to be important for studying cell metabolism, and diagnosing diseases and cancer. Various design principles have been employed for the development of sensors in different formats, such as organic molecules, polymers, polymeric hydrogels, and nanoparticles. The integration of the sensing with fluorescence imaging provides valuable tools for biomedical research and applications at not only bulk-cell level but also at single-cell level. In this article, we critically reviewed recent progresses on pH, oxygen, and dual pH and oxygen sensors specifically for their application in microbial cells. In addition, we focused not only on sensor materials with different chemical structures, but also on design and applications of sensors for better understanding cellular metabolism of microbial cells. Finally, we also provided an outlook for future materials design and key challenges in reaching broad applications in microbial cells.

  11. Materials for fuel cells

    OpenAIRE

    Haile, Sossina M

    2003-01-01

    Because of their potential to reduce the environmental impact and geopolitical consequences of the use of fossil fuels, fuel cells have emerged as tantalizing alternatives to combustion engines. Like a combustion engine, a fuel cell uses some sort of chemical fuel as its energy source but, like a battery, the chemical energy is directly converted to electrical energy, without an often messy and relatively inefficient combustion step. In addition to high efficiency and low emissions, fuel cell...

  12. In-situ X-ray Nanocharacterization of Defect Kinetics in Chalcogenide Solar Cell Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bertoni, Mariana [Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States); Lai, Barry [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS); Masser, Jorg [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS); Buonassisi, Tonio [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

    2016-09-21

    For decades the optimization of polycrystalline absorbers has been done using an Edisonian approach, where trial and error and complex design of experiments in large parameter spaces have driven efficiencies to the record values we see today – CIGS at 22.5%, 22.1% for CdTe, 21.3% for high purity multi-crystalline silicon. Appropriate growth parameters are critical to ensure good quality crystals with low concentration of structural defects - low dislocation density and large grain sizes. However, to bridge the gap between the efficiencies today and the fundamental Shockley-Queisser limit for these materials a much more fundamental understanding of the role and interaction between composition, structure, defect density and electrical properties is required. In recent years multiple novel characterization techniques have shown the potential that nanoscale characterization can have in deciphering the composition of grain boundaries in materials like CIGS and CdTe. However, high resolution has come at the cost of small sampling areas and number of specimens, making it extremely difficult to draw conclusions based on the characteristic small sampling sizes. The missing links thus far have been: (1) the lack of statistical meaningfulness of the nanosclae studies and (2) the direct correlation of compositional variations to electrical performance with nanoscale resolution. In this work we present the use of synchrotron-based nano-X-ray fluorescence microscopy (nano-XRF), x-ray absorption nanospectroscopy (nano-XAS) coupled with nano-x-ray beam induced current (nano-XBIC) as ideal tools for investigating elemental, chemical and electrical properties of large areas of solar cell materials at the sub-micron scale with very high sensitivity. We show how the technique can provide statistical valuable information regarding the elemental segregation in CIGS and the direct correlation to current collection. For example, we demonstrate that Cu and Ga (and with that, CGI and GGI

  13. Numerical Simulation of the Motion of Aerosol Particles in Open Cell Foam Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solovev, S. A.; Soloveva, O. V.; Popkova, O. S.

    2018-03-01

    The motion of aerosol particles in open cell foam material is studied. The porous medium is investigated for a three-dimensional case with detailed simulation of cellular structures within an ordered geometry. Numerical calculations of the motion of particles and their deposition due to inertial and gravitational mechanisms are performed. Deposition efficiency curves for a broad range of particle sizes are constructed. The effect deposition mechanisms have on the efficiency of the porous material as a filter is analyzed.

  14. Materials and Components for Low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells – an Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Radhika

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This article summarizes the recent advancements made in the area of materials and components for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs. LT-SOFC is a new trend in SOFCtechnology since high temperature SOFC puts very high demands on the materials and too expensive to match marketability. The current status of the electrolyte and electrode materials used in SOFCs, their specific features and the need for utilizing them for LT-SOFC are presented precisely in this review article. The section on electrolytes gives an overview of zirconia, lanthanum gallate and ceria based materials. Also, this review article explains the application of different anode, cathode and interconnect materials used for SOFC systems. SOFC can result in better performance with the application of liquid fuels such methanol and ethanol. As a whole, this review article discusses the novel materials suitable for operation of SOFC systems especially for low temperature operation.

  15. Evaluation of Novel Semiconductor Materials Potentially Useful in Solar Cells: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA number CRD-06-00172

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geisz, J.

    2010-07-01

    Evaluation of novel semiconductor materials potentially useful in solar cells. NREL will fabricate, test and analyze solar cells from EpiWorks' wafers produced in 2-3 separate growth campaigns. NREL will also characterize material from 2-3 separate EpiWorks material development campaigns. Finally, NREL will visit EpiWorks and help establish any necessary process, such as spectral CV measurements and III-V on Si metalization processes and help validate solar cell designs and performance.

  16. Frost induced damages within porous materials - from concrete technology to fuel cells technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palecki, Susanne; Gorelkov, Stanislav; Wartmann, Jens; Heinzel, Angelika

    2017-12-01

    Porous media like concrete or layers of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) within fuel cells are affected by a cyclic frost exposure due to different damage mechanisms which could lead to essential degradation of the material. In general, frost damages can only occur in case of a specific material moisture content. In fuel cells, residual water is generally available after shut down inside the membrane i.e. the gas diffusion layer (GDL). During subsequent freezing, this could cause various damage phenomena such as frost heaves and delamination effects of the membrane electrode assembly, which depends on the location of pore water and on the pore structure itself. Porous materials possess a pore structure that could range over several orders of magnitudes with different properties and freezing behaviour of the pore water. Latter can be divided into macroscopic, structured and pre-structured water, influenced by surface interactions. Therefore below 0 °C different water modifications can coexist in a wide temperature range, so that during frost exposure a high amount of unfrozen and moveable water inside the pore system is still available. This induces transport mechanisms and shrinkage effects. The physical basics are similar for porous media. While the freezing behaviour of concrete has been studied over decades of years, in order to enhance the durability, the know-how about the influence of a frost attack on fuel cell systems is not fully understood to date. On the basis of frost damage models for concrete structures, an approach to describe the impact of cyclic freezing and thawing on membrane electrode assemblies has been developed within this research work. Major aim is beyond a better understanding of the frost induced mechanisms, the standardization of a suitable test procedure for the assessment of different MEA materials under such kind of attack. Within this contribution first results will be introduced.

  17. Influence of ion bombardment on microcrystalline silicon material quality and solar cell performances

    OpenAIRE

    Bugnon, G; Feltrin, A; Sculati-Meillaud, F; Bailat, J; Ballif, C

    2008-01-01

    Microcrystalline hydrogenated silicon growth with VHF-PECVD was examined in an industrial type parallel plate KAITM reactor. The influence of pressure on material quality was studied in single junction solar cells. Solar cells with their intrinsic layer prepared at higher pressures exhibit remarkable improvements, reaching 8.2% efficiency at 3.5 mbar. Further analyzes showed that μc- Si:H intrinsic layers grown at higher pressures have a significantly lower defect density. These results are a...

  18. Converting environmentally hazardous materials into clean energy using a novel nanostructured photoelectrochemical fuel cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gan, Yong X., E-mail: yong.gan@utoledo.edu [Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Gan, Bo J. [Ottawa Hills High School, 2532 Evergreen Road, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Clark, Evan; Su, Lusheng [Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Zhang, Lihua [Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States)

    2012-09-15

    Highlights: ► A photoelectrochemical fuel cell has been made from TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. ► The fuel cell decomposes environmentally hazardous materials to produce electricity. ► Doping the anode with a transition metal oxide increases the visible light sensitivity. ► Loading the anode with a conducting polymer enhances the visible light absorption. -- Abstract: In this work, a novel photoelectrochemical fuel cell consisting of a titanium dioxide nanotube array photosensitive anode and a platinum cathode was made for decomposing environmentally hazardous materials to produce electricity and clean fuel. Titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO{sub 2} NTs) were prepared via electrochemical oxidation of pure Ti in an ammonium fluoride and glycerol-containing solution. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the morphology of the nanotubes. The average diameter, wall thickness and length of the as-prepared TiO{sub 2} NTs were determined. The photosensitive anode made from the highly ordered TiO{sub 2} NTs has good photo-catalytic property, as proven by the decomposition tests on urea, ammonia, sodium sulfide and automobile engine coolant under ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To improve the efficiency of the fuel cell, doping the TiO{sub 2} NTs with a transition metal oxide, NiO, was performed and the photosensitivity of the doped anode was tested under visible light irradiation. It is found that the NiO-doped anode is sensitive to visible light. Also found is that polyaniline-doped photosensitive anode can harvest photon energy in the visible light spectrum range much more efficiently than the NiO-doped one. It is concluded that the nanostructured photoelectrochemical fuel cell can generate electricity and clean fuel by decomposing hazardous materials under sunlight.

  19. Pembuatan dan Karakterisasi Kertas Dari Daun Nanas dan Eceng Gondok

    OpenAIRE

    Ayunda, Vivien

    2015-01-01

    Research on the production and characterization of paper made from a mixture of pineapple leaf and water hyacinth has been done. The research was conducted using semi-chemical, aiming to obtain an alternative raw material for paper and find out the optimum composition of the mixture of pulp pineapple leaf and water hyacinth. Variations of the mixture is 100:0%, 80:20%, 60:40%, 40:60%, 20:80%, 0:100%. Pineapple lef and water hyacinth cooked using a 1,5% solution of NaOH, at a temperature of 10...

  20. Experimental Measurement of Relative Permeability Functions for Fuel Cell GDL Materials

    KAUST Repository

    Hussaini, Irfan; Wang, Chao-Yang

    2009-01-01

    Gas diffusion layer in PEM fuel cells plays a pivotal role in water management. Modeling of liquid water transport through the GDL relies on knowledge of relative permeability functions in the in-plane and through-plane directions. In the present work, air and water relative permeabilities are experimentally determined as functions of saturation for typical GDL materials such as Toray-060, -090, -120 carbon paper and E-Tek carbon cloth materials in their plain, untreated forms. Saturation is measured using an ex-situ gravimetric method. Absolute and relative permeability functions in the two directions of interest are presented. Significant departure from the generally assumed cubic function of saturation is observed. ©The Electrochemical Society.

  1. Development of maintenance equipment for nuclear material fabrication equipment in a highly active hot cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, J. J.; Yang, M. S.; Kim, K. H. and others

    2000-09-01

    This report presents the development of a maintenance system for a highly contaminated nuclear material handling equipment at a hot-cell. This maintenance system has mainly three subsystems - a gamma-radiation measurement module for detecting a gamma-radiation level and identifying its distribution in-situ, a dry-type decontamination device for cleaning up contaminated particles, and a maintenance chamber for isolating contaminated equipment. The mechanical design considerations, controller, capabilities and remote operation and manipulation of the maintenance system are described. Such subsystems developed were installed and tested in the IMEF (Irradiated Material Examination Facility) M6 hot-cell after mock-up tests and performed their specific tasks successfully

  2. Development of maintenance equipment for nuclear material fabrication equipment in a highly active hot cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, J. J.; Yang, M. S.; Kim, K. H. and others

    2000-09-01

    This report presents the development of a maintenance system for a highly contaminated nuclear material handling equipment at a hot-cell. This maintenance system has mainly three subsystems - a gamma-radiation measurement module for detecting a gamma-radiation level and identifying its distribution in-situ, a dry-type decontamination device for cleaning up contaminated particles, and a maintenance chamber for isolating contaminated equipment. The mechanical design considerations, controller, capabilities and remote operation and manipulation of the maintenance system are described. Such subsystems developed were installed and tested in the IMEF (Irradiated Material Examination Facility) M6 hot-cell after mock-up tests and performed their specific tasks successfully.

  3. Proposed suitable electron reflector layer materials for thin-film CuIn1-xGaxSe2 solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharbati, Samaneh; Gharibshahian, Iman; Orouji, Ali A.

    2018-01-01

    This paper investigates the electrical properties of electron reflector layer to survey materials as an electron reflector (ER) for chalcopyrite CuInGaSe solar cells. The purpose is optimizing the conduction-band and valence-band offsets at ER layer/CIGS junction that can effectively reduce the electron recombination near the back contact. In this work, an initial device model based on an experimental solar cell is established, then the properties of a solar cell with electron reflector layer are physically analyzed. The electron reflector layer numerically applied to baseline model of thin-film CIGS cell fabricated by ZSW (efficiency = 20.3%). The improvement of efficiency is achievable by electron reflector layer materials with Eg > 1.3 eV and -0.3 AsS4 as well as CuIn1-xGaxSe (x > 0.5) are efficient electron reflector layer materials, so the potential improvement in efficiency obtained relative gain of 5%.

  4. Material Selection for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Using Multiple Attribute Decision Making Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarita Baghel

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs provide a potential alternative to conventional p-n junction photovoltaic devices. The semiconductor thin film plays a crucial role in the working of DSC. This paper aims at formulating a process for the selection of optimum semiconductor material for nanostructured thin film using multiple attribute decision making (MADM approach. Various possible available semiconducting materials and their properties like band gap, cost, mobility, rate of electron injection, and static dielectric constant are considered and MADM technique is applied to select the best suited material. It was found that, out of all possible candidates, titanium dioxide (TiO2 is the best semiconductor material for application in DSC. It was observed that the proposed results are in good agreement with the experimental findings.

  5. Heat Modeling and Material Development of Mg-Based Nanomaterials Combined with Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Stationary Energy Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huaiyu Shao

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Mg-based materials have been investigated as hydrogen storage materials, especially for possible onboard storage in fuel cell vehicles for decades. Recently, with the development of large-scale fuel cell technologies, the development of Mg-based materials as stationary storage to supply hydrogen to fuel-cell components and provide electricity and heat is becoming increasingly promising. In this work, numerical analysis of heat balance management for stationary solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC systems combined with MgH2 materials based on a carbon-neutral design concept was performed. Waste heat from the SOFC is supplied to hydrogen desorption as endothermic heat for the MgH2 materials. The net efficiency of this model achieves 82% lower heating value (LHV, and the efficiency of electrical power output becomes 68.6% in minimizing heat output per total energy output when all available heat of waste gas and system is supplied to warm up the storage. For the development of Mg-based hydrogen storage materials, various nano-processing techniques have been widely applied to synthesize Mg-based materials with small particle and crystallite sizes, resulting in good hydrogen storage kinetics, but poor thermal conductivity. Here, three kinds of Mg-based materials were investigated and compared: 325 mesh Mg powers, 300 nm Mg nanoparticles synthesized by hydrogen plasma metal reaction, and Mg50Co50 metastable alloy with body-centered cubic structure. Based on the overall performances of hydrogen capacity, absorption kinetics and thermal conductivity of the materials, the Mg nanoparticle sample by plasma synthesis is the most promising material for this potential application. The findings in this paper may shed light on a new energy conversion and utilization technology on MgH2-SOFC combined concept.

  6. Chemical synthesis of Cd-free wide band gap materials for solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sankapal, B.R.; Sartale, S.D.; Ennaoui, A. [Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Berlin (Germany). Department of Solar Energy Research; Lokhande, C.D. [Shivaji University, Kolhapur (India). Department of Physics

    2004-07-01

    Chemical methods are nowadays very attractive, since they are relatively simple, low cost and convenient for larger area deposition of thin films. In this paper, we outline our work related to the synthesis and characterization of some wide band gap semiconducting material thin films prepared by using solution methods, namely, chemical bath deposition and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). The optimum preparative parameters are given and respective structural, surface morphological, compositional, optical, and electrical properties are described. Some materials we used in solar cells as buffer layers and achieved remarkable results, which are summarized. (author)

  7. Alternative materials for solid oxide fuel cells: Factors affecting air-sintering of chromite interconnections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chick, L.A.; Bates, J.L.

    1992-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to develop alternative materials for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) interconnections and electrodes with improved electrical, thermal and electrochemical properties. Another objective is to develop synthesis and fabrication processes for these materials whereby they can be consolidated in air into SOFC's. The approach is to (1) develop modifications of the current, state-of-the-art materials used in SOFC's, (2) minimize the number of cations used in the SOFC materials to reduce potential deleterious interactions, (3) improve thermal, electrical, and electrochemical properties, (4) develop methods to synthesize both state-of-the-art and alternative materials for the simultaneous fabrication and consolidation in air of the interconnections and electrodes with the solid electrolyte, and (5) understand electrochemical reactions at materials interfaces and the effects of component compositions and processing on those reactions

  8. Principles and Materials Aspects of Direct Alkaline Alcohol Fuel Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eileen Hao Yu

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Direct alkaline alcohol fuel cells (DAAFCs have attracted increasing interest over the past decade because of their favourable reaction kinetics in alkaline media, higher energy densities achievable and the easy handling of the liquid fuels. In this review, principles and mechanisms of DAAFCs in alcohol oxidation and oxygen reduction are discussed. Despite the high energy densities available during the oxidation of polycarbon alcohols they are difficult to oxidise. Apart from methanol, the complete oxidation of other polycarbon alcohols to CO2 has not been achieved with current catalysts. Different types of catalysts, from conventional precious metal catalyst of Pt and Pt alloys to other lower cost Pd, Au and Ag metal catalysts are compared. Non precious metal catalysts, and lanthanum, strontium oxides and perovskite-type oxides are also discussed. Membranes like the ones used as polymer electrolytes and developed for DAAFCs are reviewed. Unlike conventional proton exchange membrane fuel cells, anion exchange membranes are used in present DAAFCs. Fuel cell performance with DAAFCs using different alcohols, catalysts and membranes, as well as operating parameters are summarised. In order to improve the power output of the DAAFCs, further developments in catalysts, membrane materials and fuel cell systems are essential.

  9. RANdom SAmple Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm for material-informatics: application to photovoltaic solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaspi, Omer; Yosipof, Abraham; Senderowitz, Hanoch

    2017-06-06

    An important aspect of chemoinformatics and material-informatics is the usage of machine learning algorithms to build Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR) models. The RANdom SAmple Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm is a predictive modeling tool widely used in the image processing field for cleaning datasets from noise. RANSAC could be used as a "one stop shop" algorithm for developing and validating QSAR models, performing outlier removal, descriptors selection, model development and predictions for test set samples using applicability domain. For "future" predictions (i.e., for samples not included in the original test set) RANSAC provides a statistical estimate for the probability of obtaining reliable predictions, i.e., predictions within a pre-defined number of standard deviations from the true values. In this work we describe the first application of RNASAC in material informatics, focusing on the analysis of solar cells. We demonstrate that for three datasets representing different metal oxide (MO) based solar cell libraries RANSAC-derived models select descriptors previously shown to correlate with key photovoltaic properties and lead to good predictive statistics for these properties. These models were subsequently used to predict the properties of virtual solar cells libraries highlighting interesting dependencies of PV properties on MO compositions.

  10. Pengaruh Frit Gelas Terhadap Karakteristik Keramik Film Tebal FeTiO3 dari Mineral Yarosit untuk Aplikasi Termistor NTC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yus Rama Denny

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Pembuatan Dan Karakterisasi Keramik Film Tebal Berbasis FeTiO3 Dari Mineral Yarosit Untuk Aplikasi Termistor NTC. Telah dilakukan studi pembuatan dan karakterisasi termistor NTC dari bahan mineral yarosit. Bahan mineral yarosit dari alam dimurnikan dengan larutan HCl, diendapkan dengan menggunakan NH4OH dan dipanaskan pada suhu kalsinasi 700oC selama 2 jam. Pembuatan termistor NTC dilakukan dengan mecampurkan serbuk yarosit hasil pemurnian dan pengendapan dengan TiO2. Pasta termistor FeTiO3 dicetak dipermukaan alumina substrat dengan metode screen printing, kemudian dilakukan pemanasan pada suhu 500oC selama 1 jam diruangan udara dilanjutkan disinter pada suhu 1100oC selama 1 jam diruangan hidrogen. Sifat listrik keramik film tebal hasil sinter diukur pada berbagai suhu. Struktur kristal dievaluasi dengan difraksi sinar x (XRD, dan struktur mikro dievaluasi dengan menggunakan SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope. Data analisis XRD memperlihatkan bahwa seluruh keramik film tebal berstruktur heksagonal (Illiminite. Data struktur mikro dan sifat listrik memperlihatkan bahwa termistor dari yarosit memenuhi kebutuhan pasar.

  11. Pemanfaatan Limbah Pecahan Genteng sebagai Katalis dalam Reaksi Pirolisis Plastik Polipropilena Menjadi Bahan Bakar Alternatif

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahmat Jaya Eka Syahputra

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Artikel ini mendiskusikan karakterisasi pecahan genteng dan pemanfaatannya untuk memproduksi katalis. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui karakteristik pecahan genteng dan kemudian melakukan modifikasi untuk pembuatan katalis. Katalis dibuat dengan pilarisasi nikel ke dalam pecahan genteng, dan dikarakterisasi menggunakan x-ray diffractometer (XRD. Pirolisis dilakukan terhadap limbah plastik polipropilena hingga diperoleh cairan minyak. Minyak direforming menggunakan katalis pecahan genteng terpilarisasi nikel. Hasil karakterisasi menunjukkan bahwa pecahan genteng mempunyai kandungan logam oksida berdasarkan standar Fe2O3, NiO2, Al2O3, SiO2. Refinement dilakukan menggunakan program Rietica metode Le-Bail dan diperoleh hasil nilai keberterimaan Rp/Rwp <10. Setiap 1,3 kg sampel limbah polipropilena diperoleh hasil minyak sebanyak 1,7 L. Hasil reforming menunjukkan bahwa densitas minyak sebesar 745,919 kg/m3 dan viskositas 0,720 cp. Berdasarkan analisis GC-MS diperoleh fraksi pembentukan terbesar dari katalis pecahan genteng terpilarisasi nikel adalah fraksi C10 - C12. Sehingga, pecahan genteng yang terpilarisasi nikel efektif dijadikan sebagai katalisator dalam proses pirolisis untuk mengubah limbah palstik polipropilena menjadi bahan bakar.

  12. Investigating the Role of Surface Materials and Three Dimensional Architecture on In Vitro Differentiation of Porcine Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartmann, Sofie Bruun; Mohanty, Soumyaranjan; Skovgaard, Kerstin

    2016-01-01

    In vitro generation of dendritic-like cells through differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes is typically done using two-dimensional polystyrene culture plates. In the process of optimising cell culture techniques, engineers have developed fluidic micro-devises usually manufactured in materi......In vitro generation of dendritic-like cells through differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes is typically done using two-dimensional polystyrene culture plates. In the process of optimising cell culture techniques, engineers have developed fluidic micro-devises usually manufactured......-dimensional PDMS and carbonised three-dimensional PDMS. Cells cultured conventionally (on two-dimensional polystyrene) differentiated into moDCs as expected. Interestingly, gene expression of a wide range of cytokines, chemokines, and pattern recognition receptors was influenced by culture surface material...... and IL23A) but the influence of the surfaces was unchanged. These findings highlights future challenges of combining and comparing data generated from microfluidic cell culture-devices made using alternative materials to data generated using conventional polystyrene plates used by most laboratories today....

  13. Influence of CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials on cell viability, migration ability and adenylate kinase release of human gingival fibroblasts and oral keratinocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabst, A M; Walter, C; Grassmann, L; Weyhrauch, M; Brüllmann, D D; Ziebart, T; Scheller, H; Lehmann, K M

    2014-05-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of four CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials on cell viability, migration ability and adenylate kinase (ADK) release of human gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and oral keratinocytes (HOK). HGF and HOK were cultured on disc-shaped CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials (e.max CAD LT, e.max CAD HT, Empress CAD and Mark II) and on discs made of tissue culture polystyrene surface (TCPS) serving as control. Cell viability was analyzed by using an MTT assay, and migration ability was investigated by a scratch assay. A ToxiLight assay has been performed to analyze the effect of all-ceramic materials on ADK release and cell apoptosis. At MTT assay for HGF, no significant decrease of cell viability could be detected at all points of measurement (p each > 0.05), while HOK demonstrated a significant decrease in cell viability especially on Empress CAD and Mark II at each point of measurement (p each materials at all points of measurement (between -36 % and -71 %; p each ceramic materials could be investigated. This study disclosed significant differences in cell viability and migration ability of HGF and HOK on CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials. CAD/CAM all-ceramic materials can influence oral cell lines responsible for soft tissue creation which may affect the esthetic outcome.

  14. Hole-transport material variation in fully vacuum deposited perovskite solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Polander, Lauren E.; Pahner, Paul; Schwarze, Martin; Saalfrank, Matthias; Koerner, Christian; Leo, Karl, E-mail: karl.leo@iapp.de [Institut für Angewandte Photophysik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

    2014-08-01

    This work addresses the effect of energy level alignment between the hole-transporting material and the active layer in vacuum deposited, planar-heterojunction CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub x−3}Cl{sub x} perovskite solar cells. Through a series of hole-transport materials, with conductivity values set using controlled p-doping of the layer, we correlate their ionization potentials with the open-circuit voltage of the device. With ionization potentials beyond 5.3 eV, a substantial decrease in both current density and voltage is observed, which highlights the delicate energetic balance between driving force for hole-extraction and maximizing the photovoltage. In contrast, when an optimal ionization potential match is found, the open-circuit voltage can be maximized, leading to power conversion efficiencies of up to 10.9%. These values are obtained with hole-transport materials that differ from the commonly used Spiro-MeO-TAD and correspond to a 40% performance increase versus this reference.

  15. Hole-transport material variation in fully vacuum deposited perovskite solar cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren E. Polander

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This work addresses the effect of energy level alignment between the hole-transporting material and the active layer in vacuum deposited, planar-heterojunction CH3NH3PbIx−3Clx perovskite solar cells. Through a series of hole-transport materials, with conductivity values set using controlled p-doping of the layer, we correlate their ionization potentials with the open-circuit voltage of the device. With ionization potentials beyond 5.3 eV, a substantial decrease in both current density and voltage is observed, which highlights the delicate energetic balance between driving force for hole-extraction and maximizing the photovoltage. In contrast, when an optimal ionization potential match is found, the open-circuit voltage can be maximized, leading to power conversion efficiencies of up to 10.9%. These values are obtained with hole-transport materials that differ from the commonly used Spiro-MeO-TAD and correspond to a 40% performance increase versus this reference.

  16. Energy storage in hybrid organic-inorganic materials hexacyanoferrate-doped polypyrrole as cathode in reversible lithium cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torres-Gomez, G,; Skaarup, Steen; West, Keld

    2000-01-01

    A study of the hybrid oganic-inorganic hexacyanoferrate-polypyrrole material as a cathode in rechargeable lithium cells is reported as part of a series of functional hybrid materials that represent a new concept in energy storage. The effect of synthesis temperatures of the hybrid in the specific...

  17. 15th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Modules: Materials and Processes; Extended Abstracts and Papers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sopori, B. L.

    2005-11-01

    The National Center for Photovoltaics sponsored the 15th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells & Modules: Materials and Processes, held in Vail, CO, August 7-10, 2005. This meeting provided a forum for an informal exchange of technical and scientific information between international researchers in the photovoltaic and relevant non-photovoltaic fields. The workshop addressed the fundamental properties of PV silicon, new solar cell designs, and advanced solar cell processing techniques. A combination of oral presentations by invited speakers, poster sessions, and discussion sessions reviewed recent advances in crystal growth, new cell designs, new processes and process characterization techniques, and cell fabrication approaches suitable for future manufacturing demands. The theme of this year's meeting was 'Providing the Scientific Basis for Industrial Success.' Specific sessions during the workshop included: Advances in crystal growth and material issues; Impurities and defects in Si; Advanced processing; High-efficiency Si solar cells; Thin Si solar cells; and Cell design for efficiency and reliability module operation. The topic for the Rump Session was ''Si Feedstock: The Show Stopper'' and featured a panel discussion by representatives from various PV companies.

  18. Spatio-temporal diversification of the cell wall matrix materials in the developing stomatal complexes of Zea mays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giannoutsou, E; Apostolakos, P; Galatis, B

    2016-11-01

    The matrix cell wall materials, in developing Zea mays stomatal complexes are asymmetrically distributed, a phenomenon appearing related to the local cell wall expansion and deformation, the establishment of cell polarity, and determination of the cell division plane. In cells of developing Zea mays stomatal complexes, definite cell wall regions expand determinately and become locally deformed. This differential cell wall behavior is obvious in the guard cell mother cells (GMCs) and the subsidiary cell mother cells (SMCs) that locally protrude towards the adjacent GMCs. The latter, emitting a morphogenetic stimulus, induce polarization/asymmetrical division in SMCs. Examination of immunolabeled specimens revealed that homogalacturonans (HGAs) with a high degree of de-esterification (2F4- and JIM5-HGA epitopes) and arabinogalactan proteins are selectively distributed in the extending and deformed cell wall regions, while their margins are enriched with rhamnogalacturonans (RGAs) containing highly branched arabinans (LM6-RGA epitope). In SMCs, the local cell wall matrix differentiation constitutes the first structural event, indicating the establishment of cell polarity. Moreover, in the premitotic GMCs and SMCs, non-esterified HGAs (2F4-HGA epitope) are preferentially localized in the cell wall areas outlining the cytoplasm where the preprophase band is formed. In these areas, the forthcoming cell plate fuses with the parent cell walls. These data suggest that the described heterogeneity in matrix cell wall materials is probably involved in: (a) local cell wall expansion and deformation, (b) the transduction of the inductive GMC stimulus, and (c) the determination of the division plane in GMCs and SMCs.

  19. Nano- and microstructured materials for in vitro studies of the physiology of vascular cells

    OpenAIRE

    Alexandra M. Greiner; Adria Sales; Hao Chen; Sarah A. Biela; Dieter Kaufmann; Ralf Kemkemer

    2016-01-01

    The extracellular environment of vascular cells in vivo is complex in its chemical composition, physical properties, and architecture. Consequently, it has been a great challenge to study vascular cell responses in vitro, either to understand their interaction with their native environment or to investigate their interaction with artificial structures such as implant surfaces. New procedures and techniques from materials science to fabricate bio-scaffolds and surfaces have enabled novel studi...

  20. A Viable Electrode Material for Use in Microbial Fuel Cells for Tropical Regions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felix Offei

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrode materials are critical for microbial fuel cells (MFC since they influence the construction and operational costs. This study introduces a simple and efficient electrode material in the form of palm kernel shell activated carbon (AC obtained in tropical regions. The novel introduction of this material is also targeted at introducing an inexpensive and durable electrode material, which can be produced in rural communities to improve the viability of MFCs. The maximum voltage and power density obtained (under 1000 Ω load using an H-shaped MFC with AC as both anode and cathode electrode material was 0.66 V and 1.74 W/m3, respectively. The power generated by AC was as high as 86% of the value obtained with the extensively used carbon paper. Scanning electron microscopy and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE analysis of AC anode biofilms confirmed that electrogenic bacteria were present on the electrode surface for substrate oxidation and the formation of nanowires.

  1. MoS2: a two-dimensional hole-transporting material for high-efficiency, low-cost perovskite solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohnehpoushi, Saman; Nazari, Pariya; Abdollahi Nejand, Bahram; Eskandari, Mehdi

    2018-05-01

    In this work MoS2 thin film was studied as a potential two-dimensional (2D) hole-transporting material for fabrication of low-cost, durable and efficient perovskite solar cells. The thickness of MoS2 was studied as a potential factor in reaching high power conversion efficiency in perovskite solar cells. The thickness of the perovskite layer and the different metal back contacts gave distinct photovoltaic properties to the designed cells. The results show that a single sheet of MoS2 could considerably improve the power conversion efficacy of the device from 10.41% for a hole transport material (HTM)-free device to 20.43% for a device prepared with a 0.67 nm thick MoS2 layer as a HTM. On the back, Ag and Al collected the carriers more efficiently than Au due to the value of their metal contact work function with the TiO2 conduction band. The present work proposes a new architecture for the fabrication of low-cost, durable and efficient perovskite solar cells made from a low-cost and robust inorganic HTM and electron transport material.

  2. Molecular design and ordering effects in π-functional materials for transistor and solar cell applications

    KAUST Repository

    Beaujuge, Pierre

    2011-12-21

    Organic electronics are broadly anticipated to impact the development of flexible thin-film device technologies. Among these, solution-processable π-conjugated polymers and small molecules are proving particularly promising in field-effect transistors and bulk heterojunction solar cells. This Perspective analyzes some of the most exciting strategies recently suggested in the design and structural organization of π-functional materials for transistor and solar cell applications. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between molecular structure, self-assembling properties, nanoscale and mesoscale ordering, and device efficiency parameters. A critical look at the various approaches used to optimize both materials and device performance is provided to assist in the identification of new directions and further advances. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  3. 3D-Printing Crystallographic Unit Cells for Learning Materials Science and Engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodenbough, Philip P.; Vanti, William B.; Chan, Siu-Wai

    2015-01-01

    Introductory materials science and engineering courses universally include the study of crystal structure and unit cells, which are by their nature highly visual 3D concepts. Traditionally, such topics are explored with 2D drawings or perhaps a limited set of difficult-to-construct 3D models. The rise of 3D printing, coupled with the wealth of…

  4. A large coaxial reflection cell for broadband dielectric characterization of coarse-grained materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bore, Thierry; Bhuyan, Habibullah; Bittner, Tilman; Murgan, Vignesh; Wagner, Norman; Scheuermann, Alexander

    2018-01-01

    Knowledge of the frequency-dependent electromagnetic properties of coarse-grained materials is imperative for the successful application of high frequency electromagnetic measurement techniques for near and subsurface monitoring. This paper reports the design, calibration and application of a novel one-port large coaxial cell for broadband complex permittivity measurements of civil engineering materials. It was designed to allow the characterization of heterogeneous material with large aggregate dimensions (up to 28 mm) over a frequency range from 1 MHz-860 MHz. In the first step, the system parameters were calibrated using the measured scattering function in a perfectly known dielectric material in an optimization scheme. In the second step, the method was validated with measurements made on standard liquids. Then the performance of the cell was evaluated on a compacted coarse-grained soil. The dielectric spectra were obtained by means of fitting the measured scattering function using a transverse electromagnetic mode propagation model considering the frequency-dependent complex permittivity. Two scenarios were systematically analyzed and compared. The first scenario consisted of a broadband generalized dielectric relaxation model with two Cole-Cole type relaxation processes related to the interaction of the aqueous phase and the solid phase, a constant high frequency contribution as well as an apparent direct current conductivity term. The second scenario relied on a three-phase theoretical mixture equation which was used in a forward approach in order to calibrate the model. Both scenarios provide almost identical results for the broadband effective complex relative permittivity. The combination of both scenarios suggests the simultaneous estimation of water content, density, bulk and pore water conductivity for road base materials for in situ applications.

  5. PREPARASI DAN KARAKTERISASI KITIN DARI KULIT UDANG PUTIH (Litophenaeus vannamei

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mardiyah Kurniasih

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Chitin is one of the most abundant natural polysaccharides produced by many living organisms; it is usually found as a component of crustacean shells. In this paper, Chitin have been isolated from white shrimp (Litophenaeus vannamei. The preparation of chitin using chemical products to deproteinize and demineralize the source material. Characterization included determination of water, ash, fat and protein degree; moreover chitin powder characterize with FTIR and XRD spectroscopy. The result showed that process efficiency of chitin from white shrimp (Litophenaeus vannamei was 20.95%, with degree of water, ash, fat and protein were 5.39, 2.66, 1.54 and 36.16%, respectively.

  6. Influence of epoxy resin as encapsulation material of silicon photovoltaic cells on maximum current

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Acevedo-Gómez David

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This work presents an analysis about how the performance of silicon photovoltaic cells is influenced by the use of epoxy resin as encapsulation material with flat roughness. The effect of encapsulation on current at maximum power of mono-crystalline cell was tested indoor in a solar simulator bench at 1000 w/m² and AM1.5G. The results show that implementation of flat roughness layer onto cell surface reduces the maximum current inducing on average 2.7% less power with respect to a cell before any encapsulation. The losses of power and, in consequence, the less production of energy are explained by resin light absorption, reflection and partially neutralization of non-reflective coating.

  7. A Comparison of Water Diffusion in Polymer Based Fuel Cell and Reverse Osmosis Membrane Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soles, Christopher; Frieberg, Bradley; Tarver, Jacob; Tyagi, Madhusudan; Jeong, Cheol; Chan, Edwin; Stafford, Christopher

    Hydrated polymer membranes are critical in both fuel cells and water filtration and desalination. In both of these applications the membrane function (selectively transporting or separating ions) is coupled with the transport of water through the membrane. There is a significant need to understand the nature by which the water and ions distribute and move through these membranes. This presentation compares the transport mechanisms in in an ion containing block copolymer alkaline fuel cell membrane with that of a polyamide membrane that is used as the active layer in a reverse osmosis water desalination membrane. Small angle neutron scattering measurements are used to locally probe how water swells the different materials and quantitatively describe the distribution of water within the membrane microstructures. Quasielastic neutron scattering measurements are then used to separate the polymer dynamics of the host membranes from the dynamics of the water inside the membranes. This reveals that water moves at least an order of magnitude slower through the ion containing fuel cell membrane materials, consistent with a solution-diffusion model, while the water in the polyamide membranes moves faster, consistent with a pore-flow diffusion mechanism. These insights will be discussed in terms of a coupling of the water and polymer dynamics and design cues for high performance membrane materials.

  8. Eighth Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Materials and Processes; Summary Discussion Sessions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sopori, B.; Swanson, D.; Sinton, R.; Stavola, M.; Tan, T.

    1998-01-01

    This report is a summary of the panel discussions included with the Eighth Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Materials and Processes. The theme of the workshop was ''Supporting the Transition to World Class Manufacturing.'' This workshop provided a forum for an informal exchange of information between researchers in the photovoltaic and nonphotovoltaic fields on various aspects of impurities and defects in silicon, their dynamics during device processing, and their application in defect engineering. This interaction helped establish a knowledge base that can be used for improving device-fabrication processes to enhance solar-cell performance and reduce cell costs. It also provided an excellent opportunity for researchers from industry and universities to recognize mutual needs for future joint research

  9. Bone substitute material composition and morphology differentially modulate calcium and phosphate release through osteoclast-like cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konermann, A; Staubwasser, M; Dirk, C; Keilig, L; Bourauel, C; Götz, W; Jäger, A; Reichert, C

    2014-04-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the material composition and cell-mediated remodelling of different calcium phosphate-based bone substitutes. Osteoclasts were cultivated on bone substitutes (Cerabone, Maxresorb, and NanoBone) for up to 5 days. Bafilomycin A1 addition served as the control. To determine cellular activity, the supernatant content of calcium and phosphate was measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Cells were visualized on the materials by scanning electron microscopy. Material composition and surface characteristics were assessed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Osteoclast-induced calcium and phosphate release was material-specific. Maxresorb exhibited the highest ion release to the medium (P = 0.034; calcium 40.25mg/l day 5, phosphate 102.08 mg/l day 5) and NanoBone the lowest (P = 0.021; calcium 8.43 mg/l day 5, phosphate 15.15 mg/l day 5); Cerabone was intermediate (P = 0.034; calcium 16.34 mg/l day 5, phosphate 30.6 mg/l day 5). All investigated materials showed unique resorption behaviours. The presented methodology provides a new perspective on the investigation of bone substitute biodegradation, maintaining the material-specific micro- and macrostructure. Copyright © 2013 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Application of dopant-free hole transport materials for perovskite solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franckevincius, M.; Gulbinas, V.; Gratzel, M.; Zakeeruddin, S.; Pauerle, P.; Mishra, A.; Steck, C.

    2015-01-01

    In this work we present the synthesis, characterization and application of a series of additive and dopant free hole transport materials (HTM) for solid-state perovskite-based solar cells. Newly synthesized HTMs showed strong absorption in the visible spectral range and suitable HOMO-LUMO energy levels for the application for methylammonium lead(II) iodide (CH_3NH_3PbI_3) perovskite. Dopant-free perovskite solar cells have been fabricated using CH_3NH_3PbI_3 perovskite and the newly synthesized HTMs following sequential deposition method, which allows us to reach power conversion efficiencies as high as 11.4 %. The easy of synthesis, low cost and relatively high performance of newly synthesized HTMs has great prospects for commercial applications in the near-future. (authors)

  11. Perovskite Thin Film Solar Cells Based on Inorganic Hole Conducting Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pan-Pan Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites have recently shown great potential for application, due to their advantages of low-cost, excellent photoelectric properties and high power conversion efficiency. Perovskite-based thin film solar cells have achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE of up to 20%. Hole transport materials (HTMs are one of the most important components of perovskite solar cells (PSCs, having functions of optimizing interface, adjusting the energy match, and helping to obtain higher PCE. Inorganic p-type semiconductors are alternative HTMs due to their chemical stability, higher mobility, high transparency in the visible region, and applicable valence band (VB energy level. This review analyzed the advantages, disadvantages, and development prospects of several popular inorganic HTMs in PSCs.

  12. Novel materials for more robust solid oxide fuel cells in small scale applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holtappels, Peter

    , especially for remote fuel cell systems. For those applications, redox tolerant and Sulphur resistant fuel electrode materials are advantageous in order to make the cells more tolerant against sudden system failures such as fuel cut off and reformer breakdown. Also for direct feeding of alcohols and higher...... hydrocarbons, coking tolerant electrodes are required. State-of art fuel electrodes are based on a nickel ceramic composite, a nickel cermet, which suffers from low redox stability, susceptibility for sulfur poisoning and coking. Redox stable anodes can be achieved by replacing the Ni-cermet fuel electrode...

  13. Design of solar cell materials via soft X-ray spectroscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Himpsel, F.J.; Cook, P.L.; de la Torre, G.

    2013-01-01

    This overview illustrates how spectroscopy with soft X-rays can assist the development of new materials and new designs for solar cells. The starting point is the general layout of a solar cell, which consists of a light absorber sandwiched between an electron donor and an electron acceptor....... There are four relevant energy levels that can be measured with a combination of X-ray absorption spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy, as illustrated for an organic dye as absorber attached to a p-doped diamond film as donor. Systematic measurements of organometallic dyes (phthalocyanines and porphyrins......) as a function of the metal atom are presented for the metal 2p and N 1s absorption edges. In combination with density functional theory one can discern trends that are useful for tailoring absorber molecules. A customized porphyrin molecule is investigated that combines an absorber with a donor and a linker...

  14. Sintesis dan Karakterisasi Grafena dengan Metode Reduksi Grafit Oksida Menggunakan Pereduksi Zn

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yudha Taufantri

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Graphene is a thin material, has a hexagonal two-dimentional lattice and is considered as an interesting material for adsorption process. Nowadays, graphene has been known as a potential material for diverse application, such as adsorbent. In this study graphene was synthesized from graphite. Furthermore, graphene was applied for adsorption of dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT. Graphene was synthesized by Hummer’s method using hydrothermal and reduced by Zn. The samples were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD methods. The results of the XRD showed graphene structure in the 2θ, appeared at 23.9369 with interlayer spacing was about 3.71763 Å, compared with graphite oxide structure in the 2θ appeared at 11.2055 with interlayer spacing was about 7.89649 Å. The results of SEM analysis showed graphene has one layer with planar hexagonal structure and seems transparent whose single layer and multi layers. The graphene adsorption was analyzed by using the UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results indicated the surface area of graphene was shown as 46.8563 m2/g. The amount of DDT adsorbed by graphene during 15 minutes was 7.5859 mg/g. This adsorption mechanism of DDT and graphene might be due to π-π and hydrogen interactions.   Keywords: Adsorption, dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT, graphena. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15408/jkv.v2i1.2233

  15. Hot cell works and related irradiation tests in fission reactor for development of new materials for nuclear application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shikama, Tatsuo

    1999-01-01

    Present status of research works in Oarai Branch, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, utilizing Japan Materials Testing Reactor and related hot cells will be described.Topics are mainly related with nuclear materials studies, excluding fissile materials, which is mainly aiming for development of materials for advanced nuclear systems such as a nuclear fusion reactor. Conflict between traditional and routined procedures and new demands will be described and future perspective is discussed. (author)

  16. Application of the photoreflectance technique to the characterization of quantum dot intermediate band materials for solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canovas, E.; Marti, A.; Lopez, N.; Antolin, E.; Linares, P.G.; Farmer, C.D.; Stanley, C.R.; Luque, A.

    2008-01-01

    Intermediate band materials rely on the creation of a new electronic band within the bandgap of a conventional semiconductor that is isolated from the conduction and valence band by a true zero density of states. Due to the presence of the intermediate band, a solar cell manufactured using these materials is capable of producing additional photocurrent, thanks to the absorption of photons with energy lower than the conventional bandgap. In this respect, the characterization of these materials by suitable techniques becomes a key element in the development of the new photovoltaic devices called intermediate band solar cells. The technique of photoreflectance is particularly suited to this purpose because it is contact-less and allows the characterization of the material without the need of actually manufacturing a complete device. Using room temperature photoreflectance we have analyzed intermediate band materials based on quantum dots and have been able to identify the energy levels involved. Also, from the photoreflectance data we have demonstrated the overlap of the wave-functions defined by the quantum dots

  17. Remarkable proanthocyanidin adsorption properties of monastrell pomace cell wall material highlight its potential use as an alternative fining agent in red wine production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautista-Ortín, Ana Belén; Ruiz-García, Yolanda; Marín, Fátima; Molero, Noelia; Apolinar-Valiente, Rafael; Gómez-Plaza, Encarna

    2015-01-21

    The existence of interactions between the polysaccharides of vegetal cell walls and proanthocyanins makes this cell wall material an interesting option for its use as a fining agent to reduce the level of proanthocyanins in wines. Pomace wastes from the winery are widely available and a source of cell wall material, and the identification of varieties whose pomace cell walls present high proanthocyanin binding capacity and of processing methods that could enhance their adsorption properties could be of great interest. This study compared the proanthocyanin adsorption properties of pomace cell wall material from three different grape varieties (Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah), and the results were compared with those obtained using fresh grape cell walls. Also, the effect of the vinification method has been studied. Analysis of the proanthocyanidins in the solution after reaction with the cell wall material, using phloroglucinolysis and size exclusion chromatography, provided quantitative and qualitative information on the adsorbed and nonadsorbed compounds. A highlight of this study was the observation that Monastrell pomace cell wall material showed a strong affinity for proanthocyanidins, with values similar to that obtained for fresh grapes cell walls, and a preferential binding of high molecular mass proanthocyanidins, so these pomace cell walls could be used in wines to reduce astringency. The use of maceration enzymes during vinification had little effect on the retention capacity of the pomace cell walls obtained from this vinification, although an increase in the retention of low molecular mass proanthocyanidins was observed, and this might have implications for wine sensory properties.

  18. Presence of multiple sites containing polar material in spherical Escherichia coli cells that lack MreB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsen, Trine; Yan, Arthur W; Gale, Gregory; Goldberg, Marcia B

    2005-09-01

    In rod-shaped bacteria, certain proteins are specifically localized to the cell poles. The nature of the positional information that leads to the proper localization of these proteins is unclear. In a screen for factors required for the localization of the Shigella sp. actin assembly protein IcsA to the bacterial pole, a mutant carrying a transposon insertion in mreB displayed altered targeting of IcsA. The phenotype of cells containing a transposon insertion in mreB was indistinguishable from that of cells containing a nonpolar mutation in mreB or that of wild-type cells treated with the MreB inhibitor A22. In cells lacking MreB, a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion to a cytoplasmic derivative of IcsA localized to multiple sites. Secreted full-length native IcsA was present in multiple faint patches on the surfaces of these cells in a pattern similar to that seen for the cytoplasmic IcsA-GFP fusion. EpsM, the polar Vibrio cholerae inner membrane protein, also localized to multiple sites in mreB cells and colocalized with IcsA, indicating that localization to multiple sites is not unique to IcsA. Our results are consistent with the requirement, either direct or indirect, for MreB in the restriction of certain polar material to defined sites within the cell and, in the absence of MreB, with the formation of ectopic sites containing polar material.

  19. Materials on the International Space Station - Forward Technology Solar Cell Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters, R. J.; Garner, J. C.; Lam, S. N.; Vazquez, J. A.; Braun, W. R.; Ruth, R. E.; Lorentzen, J. R.; Bruninga, R.; Jenkins, P. P.; Flatico, J. M.

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes a space solar cell experiment currently being built by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in collaboration with NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), and the US Naval Academy (USNA). The experiment has been named the Forward Technology Solar Cell Experiment (FTSCE), and the purpose is to rapidly put current and future generation space solar cells on orbit and provide validation data for these technologies. The FTSCE is being fielded in response to recent on-orbit and ground test anomalies associated with space solar arrays that have raised concern over the survivability of new solar technologies in the space environment and the validity of present ground test protocols. The FTSCE is being built as part of the Fifth Materials on the International Space Station (MISSE) Experiment (MISSE-5), which is a NASA program to characterize the performance of new prospective spacecraft materials when subjected to the synergistic effects of the space environment. Telemetry, command, control, and communication (TNC) for the FTSCE will be achieved through the Amateur Satellite Service using the PCSat2 system, which is an Amateur Radio system designed and built by the USNA. In addition to providing an off-the-shelf solution for FTSCE TNC, PCSat2 will provide a communications node for the Amateur Radio satellite system. The FTSCE and PCSat2 will be housed within the passive experiment container (PEC), which is an approximately 2ft x2ft x 4in metal container built by NASA Langley Research Center (NASA LaRC) as part of the MISSE-5 program. NASA LaRC has also supplied a thin film materials experiment that will fly on the exterior of the thermal blanket covering the PCSat2. The PEC is planned to be transported to the ISS on a Shuttle flight. The PEC will be mounted on the exterior of the ISS by an astronaut during an extravehicular activity (EVA). After nominally one year, the PEC will be retrieved and returned to Earth. At the time of writing this paper, the

  20. Crosslinked polybenzimidazoles containing branching structure as membrane materials with excellent cell performance and durability for fuel cell applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Meishao; Ni, Jiangpeng; Zhang, Boping; Neelakandan, Sivasubramaniyan; Wang, Lei

    2018-06-01

    Crosslinking is an effective method to improve the properties of high temperature proton exchange membranes based on polybenzimidazole. However, the compact structure of crosslinked polybenzimidazole hinders the phosphoric acid absorption of the membranes, resulting in a relatively poor fuel cell performance. Recently, we find that branched polymers can absorb more phosphoric acid with a larger free volume, but suffer from deteriorated mechanical strength. In this work, a new method is proposed to obtain excellent over-all properties of high temperature proton exchange membranes. A series of crosslinked polybenzimidazoles containing branching structure as membrane materials are successfully prepared for the first time. Compared with conventional crosslinked membranes, these crosslinked polybenzimidazole membranes containing branching structure exhibit a higher phosphoric acid doping level and proton conductivity, improved durability, lower swelling rate and comparable mechanical strength. In particular, the fuel cell base on the crosslinked and branched membrane with a 10% ratio of crosslinker in non-humidified hydrogen/air at 160 °C achieves a power density of 404 mW cm-2. The results indicate that the combination of crosslinking and branching is an effective approach to improve the properties of polybenzimidazole membrane materials.

  1. Scientific Assessment in support of the Materials Roadmap enabling Low Carbon Energy Technologies: Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cerri, I.; Lefebvre-Joud, F.; Holtappels, Peter

    A group of experts from European research organisations and industry have assessed the state of the art and future needs for materials' R&D for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The work was performed as input to the European Commission's roadmapping exercise on materials for the European...

  2. Advanced passivation techniques for Si solar cells with high-κ dielectric materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geng, Huijuan; Lin, Tingjui; Letha, Ayra Jagadhamma; Hwang, Huey-Liang; Kyznetsov, Fedor A.; Smirnova, Tamara P.; Saraev, Andrey A.; Kaichev, Vasily V.

    2014-01-01

    Electronic recombination losses at the wafer surface significantly reduce the efficiency of Si solar cells. Surface passivation using a suitable thin dielectric layer can minimize the recombination losses. Herein, advanced passivation using simple materials (Al 2 O 3 , HfO 2 ) and their compounds H (Hf) A (Al) O deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) was investigated. The chemical composition of Hf and Al oxide films were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS depth profiles exhibit continuous uniform dense layers. The ALD-Al 2 O 3 film has been found to provide negative fixed charge (−6.4 × 10 11  cm −2 ), whereas HfO 2 film provides positive fixed charge (3.2 × 10 12  cm −2 ). The effective lifetimes can be improved after oxygen gas annealing for 1 min. I-V characteristics of Si solar cells with high-κ dielectric materials as passivation layers indicate that the performance is significantly improved, and ALD-HfO 2 film would provide better passivation properties than that of the ALD-Al 2 O 3 film in this research work.

  3. Carbon materials for enhancing charge transport in the advancements of perovskite solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Ruiyuan; Chu, Liang; Zhang, Jian; Li, Xing'ao; Huang, Wei

    2017-09-01

    Organic-inorganic halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have become a new favorite in the photovoltaic field, due to the boosted efficiency up to 22.1%. Despite a flow of achievements, there are certain challenges to simultaneously meet high efficiency, large scale, low cost and high stability. Due to the low cost, extensive sources, high electrical conductivity and chemical stability, carbon materials have made undeniable contributions to play positive roles in developing PSCs. Carbon materials not only have the favorable conductivity but also bipolar advantage, which can transfer both electrons and holes. In this review, we will discuss how the carbon materials transfer charge or accelerate charge transport by incorporation in PSCs. Carbon materials can replace transparent conductive oxide layers, and enhance electron transport in electron transport layers. Moreover, carbon materials with continuous structure, especially carbon nanotubes and graphene, can provide direct charge transport channel that make them suitable additives or even substitutes in hole transport layers. Especially, the successful application of carbon materials as counter electrodes makes the devices full-printable, low temperature and high stability. Finally, a brief outlook is provided on the future development of carbon materials for PSCs, which are expected to devote more contributions in the future photovoltaic market.

  4. Extracellular matrix elasticity and topography: material-based cues that affect cell function via conserved mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janson, Isaac A.; Putnam, Andrew J.

    2014-01-01

    Chemical, mechanical, and topographic extracellular matrix (ECM) cues have been extensively studied for their influence on cell behavior. These ECM cues alter cell adhesion, cell shape, and cell migration, and activate signal transduction pathways to influence gene expression, proliferation, and differentiation. ECM elasticity and topography, in particular, have emerged as material properties of intense focus based on strong evidence these physical cue can partially dictate stem cell differentiation. Cells generate forces to pull on their adhesive contacts, and these tractional forces appear to be a common element of cells’ responses to both elasticity and topography. This review focuses on recently published work that links ECM topography and mechanics and their influence on differentiation and other cell behaviors, We also highlight signaling pathways typically implicated in mechanotransduction that are (or may be) shared by cells subjected to topographic cues. Finally, we conclude with a brief discussion of the potential implications of these commonalities for cell based therapies and biomaterial design. PMID:24910444

  5. The monolithic multicell: a tool for testing material components in dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pettersson, H.; Gruszecki, T. [IVF Industrial Research and Development Corporation, Moelndal (Sweden); Bernhard, R. [IVF Industrial Research and Development Corporation, Moelndal (Sweden); The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden). Center of Molcular Devices, Department of Chemistry; Haeggman, L.; Gorlov, M.; Boschloo, G.; Edvinsson, T.; Kloo, L.; Hagfeldt, A. [The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden). Center of Molcular Devices, Department of Chemistry

    2006-07-01

    A multicell is presented as a tool for testing material components in encapsulated dye-sensitized solar cells. The multicell is based on a four-layer monolithic cell structure and an industrial process technology. Each multicell plate includes 24 individual well-encapsulated cells. A sulfur lamp corrected to the solar spectrum has been used to characterize the cells. Efficiencies up to 6.8% at a light-intensity of 1000 W/m{sup su2} (up to 7.5% at 250 W/m{sup 2}) have been obtained with an electrolyte solution based on {upsilon}-butyrolactone. Additionally, a promising long-term stability at cell efficiencies close to 5% at 1000 W/m{sup 2} has been obtained with an electrolyte based on glutaronitrile. The reproducibility of the cell performance before and after exposure to accelerated testing has been high. This means that the multicell can be used as an efficient tool for comparative performance and stability tests. (author)

  6. Atmospheric Plasma Spraying Low-Temperature Cathode Materials for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, J.; Kesler, O.

    2010-01-01

    Atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) is attractive for manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) because it allows functional layers to be built rapidly with controlled microstructures. The technique allows SOFCs that operate at low temperatures (500-700 °C) to be fabricated by spraying directly onto robust and inexpensive metallic supports. However, standard cathode materials used in commercial SOFCs exhibit high polarization resistances at low operating temperatures. Therefore, alternative cathode materials with high performance at low temperatures are essential to facilitate the use of metallic supports. Coatings of lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) were fabricated on steel substrates using axial-injection APS. The thickness and microstructure of the coating layers were evaluated, and x-ray diffraction analysis was performed on the coatings to detect material decomposition and the formation of undesired phases in the plasma. These results determined the envelope of plasma spray parameters in which coatings of LSCF can be manufactured, and the range of conditions in which composite cathode coatings could potentially be manufactured.

  7. Deposition of hole-transport materials in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells by doctor-blading

    KAUST Repository

    Ding, I-Kang

    2010-07-01

    We report using doctor-blading to replace conventional spin coating for the deposition of the hole-transport material spiro-OMeTAD (2,20,7,70-tetrakis-(N, N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)- 9,90-spirobifluorene) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. Doctor-blading is a roll-to-roll compatible, large-area coating technique, is capable of achieving the same spiro-OMeTAD pore filling fraction as spin coating, and uses much less material. The average power conversion efficiency of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells made from doctorblading is 3.0% for 2-lm thick films and 2.0% for 5-lm thick films, on par with devices made with spin coating. Directions to further improve the filling fraction are also suggested. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Methods for using novel cathode and electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells and ion transport membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Allan J.; Wang, Shuangyan; Kim, Gun Tae

    2016-01-12

    Methods using novel cathode, electrolyte and oxygen separation materials operating at intermediate temperatures for use in solid oxide fuel cells and ion transport membranes include oxides with perovskite related structures and an ordered arrangement of A site cations. The materials have significantly faster oxygen kinetics than in corresponding disordered perovskites.

  9. Development of a portable PEM fuel cell system with bipolar plates consisting an electronically conductive thermoplastic Compound material; Entwicklung eines portablen PEM-Brennstoffzellensystems mit Bipolarplatten aus einem elektronisch leitfaehigen thermoplastischen Compound-Material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Niemzig, O.C.

    2005-07-18

    In order to meet the cost targets of PEM fuel cells for commercialization significant cost reductions of cell stack components like membrane/electrode assemblies and bipolar plates have become key aspects of research and development. Central topics of his work are the bipolar plates and humidification for portable applications. Best results concerning conductivity of an extensive screening of a variety of carbon polymer compounds with polypropylene as matrix could be achieved with the carbon black/graphite/polypropylene-base system. Successful tests of this material in a fuel cell stack could be performed as well as the proof of suitability concerning material- and manufacturing costs. Dependent on application a decrease of material cost to 2 Euro/kg to 1,8 Euro/kW seems to be possible. Finally bipolar plates consisting of a selected carbon polymer compound were successfully integrated and tested in a 20-cell stack which was implemented in a portable PEFC-demonstrator unit with a power output between 50 and 150 W. (orig.)

  10. Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory actions of various functional food materials including glucosamine on synovial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamagishi, Yoshie; Someya, Akimasa; Imai, Kensuke; Nagao, Junji; Nagaoka, Isao

    2017-08-01

    The anti-inflammatory actions of glucosamine (GlcN) on arthritic disorders involve the suppression of inflammatory mediator production from synovial cells. GlcN has also been reported to inhibit the activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. The present study aimed to determine the cooperative and anti‑inflammatory actions of functional food materials and evaluated the production of interleukin (IL)‑8 and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in IL-1β-activated synovial cells, incubated with the combination of GlcN and various functional food materials containing L‑methionine (Met), undenatured type II collagen (UC‑II), chondroitin sulfate (CS), methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and agaro-oligosaccharide (AO). The results indicated that Met, UC‑II, CS, MSM and AO slightly or moderately suppressed the IL-1β-stimulated IL‑8 production by human synovial MH7A cells. The same compounds further decreased the IL‑8 level lowered by GlcN. Similarly, they slightly suppressed the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK and further reduced the phosphorylation level lowered by GlcN. These observations suggest a possibility that these functional food materials exert an anti‑inflammatory action (inhibition of IL‑8 production) in combination with GlcN by cooperatively suppressing the p38 MAPK signaling (phosphorylation).

  11. Performance Maintenance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using a Latent Heat Storage Material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haruki, Naoto; Horibe, Akihiko

    2017-07-01

    Recently, there has been considerable interest in various renewable energies. Among them, solar cell production has increased markedly because the photovoltaic is a clean and safe power generation method. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has attracted much attention as an alternative to silicon solar cells due to lower manufacturing costs and plentiful resources for DSSC production. However, the performance of DSSCs has been limited by their durability and low photoelectric conversion efficiency. Temperature control of DSSCs via phase-change materials (PCMs) is expected to improve performance. In this study, DSSCs were heated or cooled with a heat exchanger copper block that was in contact with a PCM (heptadecane), while being irradiated by a solar simulator light source. The durability and photoelectric conversion efficiency of the DSSC improved under PCM temperature control.

  12. Block copolymer based composition and morphology control in nanostructured hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage: solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells

    KAUST Repository

    Orilall, M. Christopher; Wiesner, Ulrich

    2011-01-01

    to materials design and current limitations, the review will highlight some of the most recent examples of block copolymer structure-directed nanomaterials for photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells. In each case insights are provided into the various

  13. Sound speed and thermal property measurements of inert materials: laser spectroscopy and the diamond-anvil cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zaug, J.M.

    1997-07-01

    An indispensable companion to dynamical physics experimentation, static high-pressure diamond-anvil cell research continues to evolve, with laser diagnostic, as an accurate and versatile experimental deep planetary properties have bootstrapped each other in a process that has produced even higher pressures; consistently improved calibrations of temperature and pressure under static and dynamic conditions; and unprecedented data and understanding of materials, their elasticity, equations of state (EOS), and transport properties under extreme conditions. A collection of recent pressure and/or temperature dependent acoustic and thermal measurements and deduced mechanical properties and EOS data are summarized for a wide range of materials including H2, H2O, H2S, D2S, CO2, CH4, N2O, CH3OH,, SiO2, synthetic lubricants, PMMA, single crystal silicates, and ceramic superconductors. Room P&T sound speed measurements are presented for the first time on single crystals of beta-HMX. New high-pressure and temperature diamond cell designed and pressure calibrant materials are reviewed.

  14. The Modification of Fuel Cell-Based Breath Alcohol Sensor Materials to Improve Water Retention of Sensing Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allan, Jesse

    Fuel cell based breath alcohol sensors (BrASs) are one of the most important tools used by law enforcement today. The ability to screen potentially intoxicated subjects with the ease, speed, and flexibility the BrAS can provide is unmatched by any other device of its kind. While these devices are used globally, they all suffer from a common deficiency: reliance on water. The ability of the fuel cell sensor to manage water content is one of the greatest fundamental challenges facing this technology today. In order to evaluate the fuel cell sensor device, a methodology was required that would allow in-house sensor testing to be coupled with a diagnostic testing method to not only test materials sensing performance, but also determine why a sensor behaved how it did. To do this, a next-generation fuel cell was designed specifically for sensor testing along with a test station that allowed for rapid response and sensor characteristics of a given material. The fuel cell was designed to allow in-situ testing of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of interest using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The in-house design was validated against a commercial cell to provide feedback on how materials in the in-house cell would behave in a commercial designed unit. The results showed that our cell with a commercial MEA behaved identically to a commercial cell with the same MEA. Following validation of our cell, common membrane materials were investigated to identify their suitability in a senor role. The materials chosen were designed for power generating devices, so they provided a benchmark to identify which properties would be important for sensor operation. It was found that while the Nafion membrane and sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) did show performance increases over the commercial MEA, the thin characteristics of these membranes limited performance in drier conditions. From these results, it was determined that thicker membrane materials

  15. Composite material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchens, Stacy A [Knoxville, TN; Woodward, Jonathan [Solihull, GB; Evans, Barbara R [Oak Ridge, TN; O'Neill, Hugh M [Knoxville, TN

    2012-02-07

    A composite biocompatible hydrogel material includes a porous polymer matrix, the polymer matrix including a plurality of pores and providing a Young's modulus of at least 10 GPa. A calcium comprising salt is disposed in at least some of the pores. The porous polymer matrix can comprise cellulose, including bacterial cellulose. The composite can be used as a bone graft material. A method of tissue repair within the body of animals includes the steps of providing a composite biocompatible hydrogel material including a porous polymer matrix, the polymer matrix including a plurality of pores and providing a Young's modulus of at least 10 GPa, and inserting the hydrogel material into cartilage or bone tissue of an animal, wherein the hydrogel material supports cell colonization in vitro for autologous cell seeding.

  16. Mesoporous Zn2SnO4 as effective electron transport materials for high-performance perovskite solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bao, Sha; Wu, Jihuai; He, Xin; Tu, Yongguang; Wang, Shibo; Huang, Miaoliang; Lan, Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •Large grain and mesoporous Zn 2 SnO 4 are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. •Perovskite device with Zn 2 SnO 4 electron transport layer get efficiency of 17.21%. •While the device with TiO 2 electron transport layer obtain an efficiency of 14.83%. •Superior photovoltaic performance stems from the intrinsic characteristics of Zn 2 SnO 4 . -- Abstract: Electron transport layer with higher carrier mobility and suitable band gap structure plays a significant role in determining the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, we report a synthesis of high crystalline zinc stannate (Zn 2 SnO 4 ) by a facile hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized Zn 2 SnO 4 possesses particle size of 20 nm, large surface area, mesoporous hierarchical structure, and can be used as a promising electron-transport materials to replace the conventional mesoporous TiO 2 material. A perovskite solar cell with structure of FTO/blocking layer/Zn 2 SnO 4 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /Spiro-OMeOTAD/Au is fabricated, and the preparation condition is optimized. The champion device based on Zn 2 SnO 4 electron transport material achieves a power conversion efficiency of 17.21%, while the device based on TiO 2 electron transport material gets an efficiency of 14.83% under the same experimental conditions. The results render Zn 2 SnO 4 an effective candidate as electron transport material for high performance perovskite solar cells and other devices.

  17. Formulation Changes Affect Material Properties and Cell Behavior in HA-Based Hydrogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Lawyer

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available To develop and optimize new scaffold materials for tissue engineering applications, it is important to understand how changes to the scaffold affect the cells that will interact with that scaffold. In this study, we used a hyaluronic acid- (HA- based hydrogel as a synthetic extracellular matrix, containing modified HA (CMHA-S, modified gelatin (Gtn-S, and a crosslinker (PEGda. By varying the concentrations of these components, we were able to change the gelation time, enzymatic degradation, and compressive modulus of the hydrogel. These changes also affected fibroblast spreading within the hydrogels and differentially affected the proliferation and metabolic activity of fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs. In particular, PEGda concentration had the greatest influence on gelation time, compressive modulus, and cell spreading. MSCs appeared to require a longer period of adjustment to the new microenvironment of the hydrogels than fibroblasts. Fibroblasts were able to proliferate in all formulations over the course of two weeks, but MSCs did not. Metabolic activity changed for each cell type during the two weeks depending on the formulation. These results highlight the importance of determining the effect of matrix composition changes on a particular cell type of interest in order to optimize the formulation for a given application.

  18. Innovative anode materials and architectured cells for high temperature steam electrolysis operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogier, Tiphaine

    2012-01-01

    In order to improve the electrochemical performances of cells for high temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE), innovative oxygen electrode materials have been studied. The compounds Ln_2NiO_4_+_δ (Ln = La, Pr or Nd), Pr_4Ni_3O_1_0_±_δ and La_0_,_6S_r0_,_4Fe_0_,_8Co_0_,_2O_3_-_δ have been selected for their mixed electronic and ionic conductivity. First, their physical and chemical properties have been investigated. Then, the electrodes were shaped on symmetrical half cells,adding a thin ceria-based interlayer between the electrode and the yttria doped zirconia-based electrolyte. These architectured cells lead to low polarization resistances (RP≤ 0.1 Ω.cm"2 at 800 C) as well as reduced anodic over potentials. An electrochemical model has been developed in order to describe and analyze the experimental polarization curves.The electrode with the lower overpotential, i.e. Pr_2NiO_4_+δ, has been selected and characterized into complete cermet-supported cells. Under HTSE operation, at 800 C, a high current density was measured, close to i = -0.9 A.cm"-"2 for a cell voltage equals to 1.3 V, the conversion rate being about 60%. (author) [fr

  19. Foreign Body Giant Cell-Related Encapsulation of a Synthetic Material Three Years After Augmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorenz, Jonas; Barbeck, Mike; Sader, Robert A; Kirkpatrick, Charles J; Russe, Philippe; Choukroun, Joseph; Ghanaati, Shahram

    2016-06-01

    Bone substitute materials of different origin and chemical compositions are frequently used in augmentation procedures to enlarge the local bone amount. However, relatively little data exist on the long-term tissue reactions. The presented case reports for the first time histological and histomorphometrical analyses of a nanocrystaline hydroxyapatite-based bone substitute material implanted in the human sinus cavity after an integration period of 3 years. The extracted biopsy was analyzed histologically and histomorphometrically with focus on the tissue reactions, vascularization, new bone formation, and the induction of a foreign body reaction. A comparably high rate of connective tissue (48.25%) surrounding the remaining bone substitute granules (42.13%) was observed. Accordingly, the amount of bone tissue (9.62%) built the smallest fraction within the biopsy. Further, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive and -negative multinucleated giant cells (4.35 and 3.93 cells/mm(2), respectively) were detected on the material-tissue interfaces. The implantation bed showed a mild vascularization of 10.03 vessels/mm(2) and 0.78%. The present case report shows that after 3 years, a comparable small amount of bone tissue was observable. Thus, the foreign body response to the bone substitute seems to be folded without further degradation or regeneration.

  20. Oxasmaragdyrins as New and Efficient Hole-Transporting Materials for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mane, Sandeep B; Sutanto, Albertus Adrian; Cheng, Chih-Fu; Xie, Meng-Yu; Chen, Chieh-I; Leonardus, Mario; Yeh, Shih-Chieh; Beyene, Belete Bedemo; Diau, Eric Wei-Guang; Chen, Chin-Ti; Hung, Chen-Hsiung

    2017-09-20

    The high performance of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs) cannot be achieved without a layer of efficient hole-transporting materials (HTMs) to retard the charge recombination and transport the photogenerated hole to the counterelectrode. Herein, we report the use of boryl oxasmaragdyrins (SM01, SM09, and SM13), a family of aromatic core-modified expanded porphyrins, as efficient hole-transporting materials (HTMs) for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). These oxasmaragdyrins demonstrated complementary absorption spectra in the low-energy region, good redox reversibility, good thermal stability, suitable energy levels with CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite, and high hole mobility. A remarkable power conversion efficiency of 16.5% (V oc = 1.09 V, J sc = 20.9 mA cm -2 , fill factor (FF) = 72%) is achieved using SM09 on the optimized PSCs device employing a planar structure, which is close to that of the state-of-the-art hole-transporting materials (HTMs), spiro-OMeTAD of 18.2% (V oc = 1.07 V, J sc = 22.9 mA cm -2 , FF = 74%). In contrast, a poor photovoltaic performance of PSCs using SM01 is observed due to the interactions of terminal carboxylic acid functional group with CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 .

  1. Thin film solar cells from earth abundant materials growth and characterization of Cu2(ZnSn)(SSe)4 thin films and their solar cells

    CERN Document Server

    Kodigala, Subba Ramaiah

    2013-01-01

    The fundamental concept of the book is to explain how to make thin film solar cells from the abundant solar energy materials by low cost. The proper and optimized growth conditions are very essential while sandwiching thin films to make solar cell otherwise secondary phases play a role to undermine the working function of solar cells. The book illustrates growth and characterization of Cu2ZnSn(S1-xSex)4 thin film absorbers and their solar cells. The fabrication process of absorber layers by either vacuum or non-vacuum process is readily elaborated in the book, which helps for further developm

  2. Repairing rabbit radial defects by combining bone marrow stroma stem cells with bone scaffold material comprising a core-cladding structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, H; Liu, G H; Wu, Q; Yu, B

    2015-10-05

    We prepared a bone scaffold material comprising a PLGA/β-TCP core and a Type I collagen cladding, and recombined it with bone marrow stroma stem cells (BMSCs) to evaluate its potential for use in bone tissue engineering by in vivo and in vitro experiments. PLGA/β-TCP without a cladding was used for comparison. The adherence rate of the BMSCs to the scaffold was determined by cell counting. Cell proliferation rate was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. The osteogenic capability was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity. The scaffold materials were recombined with the BMSCs and implanted into a large segmental rabbit radial defect model to evaluate defect repair. Osteogenesis was assessed in the scaffold materials by histological and double immunofluorescence labeling, etc. The adherence number, proliferation number, and alkaline phosphatase expression of the cells on the bone scaffold material with core-cladding structure were significantly higher than the corresponding values in the PLGA/β-TCP composite scaffold material (P structure completely degraded at the bone defect site and bone formation was completed. The rabbit large sentimental radial defect was successfully repaired. The degradation and osteogenesis rates matched well. The bone scaffold with core-cladding structure exhibited better osteogenic activity and capacity to repair a large segmental bone defect compared to the PLGA/β-TCP composite scaffold. The bone scaffold with core-cladding structure has excellent physical properties and biocompatibility. It is an ideal scaffold material for bone tissue engineering.

  3. Advanced materials for clean energy

    CERN Document Server

    Xu (Kyo Jo), Qiang

    2015-01-01

    Arylamine-Based Photosensitizing Metal Complexes for Dye-Sensitized Solar CellsCheuk-Lam Ho and Wai-Yeung Wongp-Type Small Electron-Donating Molecules for Organic Heterojunction Solar CellsZhijun Ning and He TianInorganic Materials for Solar Cell ApplicationsYasutake ToyoshimaDevelopment of Thermoelectric Technology from Materials to GeneratorsRyoji Funahashi, Chunlei Wan, Feng Dang, Hiroaki Anno, Ryosuke O. Suzuki, Takeyuki Fujisaka, and Kunihito KoumotoPiezoelectric Materials for Energy HarvestingDeepam Maurya, Yongke Yan, and Shashank PriyaAdvanced Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Ca

  4. Thermocleavable Materials for Polymer Solar Cells with High Open Circuit Voltage-A Comparative Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tromholt, Thomas; Gevorgyan, Suren; Jørgensen, Mikkel

    2009-01-01

    The search for polymer solar cells giving a high open circuit voltage was conducted through a comparative study of four types of bulk-heterojunction solar cells employing different photoactive layers. As electron donors the thermo-cleavable polymer poly-(3-(2-methylhexyloxycarbonyl)dithiophene) (P3......MHOCT) and unsubstituted polythiophene (PT) were used, the latter of which results from thermo cleaving the former at 310 °C. As reference, P3HT solar cells were built in parallel. As electron acceptors, either PCBM or bis-[60]PCBM were used. In excess of 300 solar cells were produced under as identical...... conditions as possible, varying only the material combination of the photo active layer. It was observed that on replacing PCBM with bis[60]PCBM, the open circuit voltage on average increased by 100 mV for P3MHOCT and 200 mV for PT solar cells. Open circuit voltages approaching 1 V were observed for the PT:bis...

  5. Suitability of granular carbon as an anode material for sediment microbial fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arends, Jan B.A.; Blondeel, Evelyne; Boon, Nico; Verstraete, Willy [Ghent Univ. (Belgium). Faculty of Bioscience Engineering; Tennison, Steve R. [Mast Carbon International Ltd., Basingstoke, Hampshire (United Kingdom)

    2012-08-15

    Purpose: Sediment microbial fuel cells (S-MFCs) are bio-electrochemical devices that are able to oxidize organic matter directly into harvestable electrical power. The flux of organic matter into the sediment is rather low; therefore, other researchers have introduced plants for a continuous supply of organic matter to the anode electrode. Until now only interconnected materials have been considered as anode materials in S-MFCs. Here, granular carbon materials were investigated for their suitability as an anode material in S-MFCs. Materials and methods: Laboratory microcosms with eight different electrode materials (granules, felts and cloths) were examined with controlled organic matter addition under brackish conditions. Current density, organic matter removal and microbial community composition were monitored using 16S rRNA gene PCR followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The main parameters investigated were the influence of the amount of electrode material applied to the sediment, the size of the granular material and the electrode configuration. Results and discussion: Felt material had an overall superior performance in terms of current density per amount of applied electrode material; felt and granular anode obtained similar current densities (approx. 50-60 mA m{sup -2}), but felt materials required 29 % less material to be applied. Yet, when growing plants, granular carbon is more suited because it is considered to restore, upon disturbance, the electrical connectivity within the anode compartment. Small granules (0.25-0.5 mm) gave the highest current density compared to larger granules (1-5 mm) of the same material. Granules with a rough surface had a better performance compared to smooth granules of the same size. The different granular materials lead to a selection of distinct microbial communities for each material, as shown by DGGE. Conclusions: Granular carbon is suitable as an anode material for S-MFCs. This opens the possibility

  6. Chlorine-rich plasma polymer coating for the prevention of attachment of pathogenic fungal cells onto materials surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamont-Friedrich, Stephanie J; Michl, Thomas D; Giles, Carla; Griesser, Hans J; Coad, Bryan R

    2016-01-01

    The attachment of pathogenic fungal cells onto materials surfaces, which is often followed by biofilm formation, causes adverse consequences in a wide range of areas. Here we have investigated the ability of thin film coatings from chlorinated molecules to deter fungal colonization of solid materials by contact killing of fungal cells reaching the surface of the coating. Coatings were deposited onto various substrate materials via plasma polymerization, which is a substrate-independent process widely used for industrial coating applications, using 1,1,2-trichloroethane as the process vapour. XPS surface analysis showed that the coatings were characterized by a highly chlorinated hydrocarbon polymer nature, with only a very small amount of oxygen incorporated. The activity of these coatings against human fungal pathogens was quantified using a recently developed, modified yeast assay and excellent antifungal activity was observed against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata . Plasma polymer surface coatings derived from chlorinated hydrocarbon molecules may therefore offer a promising solution to preventing yeast and mould biofilm formation on materials surfaces, for applications such as air conditioners, biomedical devices, food processing equipment, and others. (paper)

  7. MATERIAL AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT LEADING TO ECONOMICAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE THIN-FILM SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS. Final Technical Report (October 2000 - December 2003)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jie Guan; Nguyen Minh

    2003-01-01

    This report summarizes the results of the work conducted under the program: ''Material and Process Development Leading to Economical High-Performance Thin-Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells'' under contract number DE-AC26-00NT40711. The program goal is to advance materials and processes that can be used to produce economical, high-performance solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) capable of achieving extraordinary high power densities at reduced temperatures. Under this program, anode-supported thin electrolyte based on lanthanum gallate (LSMGF) has been developed using tape-calendering process. The fabrication parameters such as raw materials characteristics, tape formulations and sintering conditions have been evaluated. Dense anode supported LSGMF electrolytes with thickness range of 10-50 micron have been fabricated. High performance cathode based on Sr 0.5 Sm 0.5 CoO 3 (SSC) has been developed. Polarization of ∼0.23 ohm-cm 2 has been achieved at 600 C with Sr 0.5 Sm 0.5 CoO 3 cathode. The high-performance SSC cathode and thin gallate electrolyte have been integrated into single cells and cell performance has been characterized. Tested cells to date generally showed low performance because of low cell OCVs and material interactions between NiO in the anode and lanthanum gallate electrolyte

  8. Final Scientific Report, New Proton Conductive Composite Materials for PEM Fuel Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lvov, Serguei

    2010-11-08

    This project covered one of the main challenges in present-day PEM fuel cell technology: to design a membrane capable of maintaining high conductivity and mechanical integrity when temperature is elevated and water vapor pressure is severely reduced. The DOE conductivity milestone of 0.1 S cm-1 at 120 degrees C and 50 % relative humidity (RH) for designed membranes addressed the target for the project. Our approach presumed to develop a composite membrane with hydrophilic proton-conductive inorganic material and the proton conductive polymeric matrix that is able to “bridge” the conduction paths in the membrane. The unique aspect of our approach was the use of highly functionalized inorganic additives to benefit from their water retention properties and high conductivity as well. A promising result turns out that highly hydrophilic phosphorsilicate gels added in Nafion matrix improved PEM fuel cell performance by over 50% compared with bare Nafion membrane at 120 degrees C and 50 % RH. This achievement realizes that the fuel cell operating pressure can be kept low, which would make the PEM fuel cell much more cost efficient and adaptable to practical operating conditions and facilitate its faster commercialization particularly in automotive and stationary applications.

  9. Ultrathin Cu2O as an efficient inorganic hole transporting material for perovskite solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Yu, Weili; Li, Feng; Wang, Hong; Alarousu, Erkki; Chen, Yin; Lin, Bin; Wang, Lingfei; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Li, Yangyang; Wu, Kewei; Wang, Xianbin; Mohammed, Omar F.; Wu, Tao

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate that ultrathin P-type Cu2O thin films fabricated by a facile thermal oxidation method can serve as a promising hole-transporting material in perovskite solar cells. Following a two-step method, inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite

  10. Microstructural evolution of nanograin nickel-zirconia cermet anode materials for solid oxide fuel cell applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nayak, Bibhuti Bhusan

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the study is to study the structure, microstructure, porosity, thermal expansion, electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior of the anode material thus synthesized in order to find its suitability for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode application

  11. Potential electrode materials for symmetrical Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruiz Morales, J. C.

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Chromites, titanates and Pt-YSZ-CeO2 cermets have been investigated as potential electrode materials for an alternative concept of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC, the symmetrical SOFCs (SFC. In this configuration, the same electrode material is used simultaneously as anode and cathode. Interconnector materials, such as chromites, could be considered as potential SFC electrodes, at least under pure hydrogen-fed at relatively high temperatures, as they do not exhibit significant catalytic activity towards hydrocarbon oxidation. This may be overcome by partially substituting Cr in the perovskite B-sites by other transition metal cations such as Mn. La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3-δ (LSCM is a good candidate for such SFCs, rendering fuel cell performances in excess of 500 and 300mW/cm2 using pure H2 and CH4 as fuel, at 950 oC. Similarly, typical n-type electronic conductors traditionally regarded as anode materials, such as strontium titanates, may also operate under oxidising conditions as cathodes by substituting some Ti content for Fe to introduce p-type conductivity. Preliminary electrochemical experiments on La4Sr8Ti12-xFexO38-δ-based SFCs show that they perform reasonably well under humidified H2, at high temperatures. A third group of materials is the support material of any typical cermet anode, i.e. YSZ, CeO2 plus a current collector. It has been found that this combination could be optimised to operate as SFC electrodes, rendering performances of 400mW/cm2 under humidified pure H2 at 950oC.

    Cromitas, titanatos y cermets de Pt-YSZ-CeO2 han sido investigados como potenciales materiales de electrodo para un concepto alternativo de Pilas de Combustible de Óxidos Sólidos (SOFC, las pilas SOFC simétricas (SFC. En

  12. Investigating the Role of Surface Materials and Three Dimensional Architecture on In Vitro Differentiation of Porcine Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann, Sofie Bruun; Mohanty, Soumyaranjan; Skovgaard, Kerstin; Brogaard, Louise; Flagstad, Frederikke Bjergvang; Emnéus, Jenny; Wolff, Anders; Summerfield, Artur; Jungersen, Gregers

    2016-01-01

    In vitro generation of dendritic-like cells through differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes is typically done using two-dimensional polystyrene culture plates. In the process of optimising cell culture techniques, engineers have developed fluidic micro-devises usually manufactured in materials other than polystyrene and applying three-dimensional structures more similar to the in vivo environment. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is an often used polymer for lab-on-a-chip devices but not much is known about the effect of changing the culture surface material from polystyrene to PDMS. In the present study the differentiation of porcine monocytes to monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) was investigated using CD172apos pig blood monocytes stimulated with GM-CSF and IL-4. Monocytes were cultured on surfaces made of two- and three-dimensional polystyrene as well as two- and three-dimensional PDMS and carbonised three-dimensional PDMS. Cells cultured conventionally (on two-dimensional polystyrene) differentiated into moDCs as expected. Interestingly, gene expression of a wide range of cytokines, chemokines, and pattern recognition receptors was influenced by culture surface material and architecture. Distinct clustering of cells, based on similar expression patterns of 46 genes of interest, was seen for cells isolated from two- and three-dimensional polystyrene as well as two- and three-dimensional PDMS. Changing the material from polystyrene to PDMS resulted in cells with expression patterns usually associated with macrophage expression (upregulation of CD163 and downregulation of CD1a, FLT3, LAMP3 and BATF3). However, this was purely based on gene expression level, and no functional assays were included in this study which would be necessary in order to classify the cells as being macrophages. When changing to three-dimensional culture the cells became increasingly activated in terms of IL6, IL8, IL10 and CCR5 gene expression. Further stimulation with LPS resulted

  13. Investigating the Role of Surface Materials and Three Dimensional Architecture on In Vitro Differentiation of Porcine Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofie Bruun Hartmann

    Full Text Available In vitro generation of dendritic-like cells through differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes is typically done using two-dimensional polystyrene culture plates. In the process of optimising cell culture techniques, engineers have developed fluidic micro-devises usually manufactured in materials other than polystyrene and applying three-dimensional structures more similar to the in vivo environment. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS is an often used polymer for lab-on-a-chip devices but not much is known about the effect of changing the culture surface material from polystyrene to PDMS. In the present study the differentiation of porcine monocytes to monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs was investigated using CD172apos pig blood monocytes stimulated with GM-CSF and IL-4. Monocytes were cultured on surfaces made of two- and three-dimensional polystyrene as well as two- and three-dimensional PDMS and carbonised three-dimensional PDMS. Cells cultured conventionally (on two-dimensional polystyrene differentiated into moDCs as expected. Interestingly, gene expression of a wide range of cytokines, chemokines, and pattern recognition receptors was influenced by culture surface material and architecture. Distinct clustering of cells, based on similar expression patterns of 46 genes of interest, was seen for cells isolated from two- and three-dimensional polystyrene as well as two- and three-dimensional PDMS. Changing the material from polystyrene to PDMS resulted in cells with expression patterns usually associated with macrophage expression (upregulation of CD163 and downregulation of CD1a, FLT3, LAMP3 and BATF3. However, this was purely based on gene expression level, and no functional assays were included in this study which would be necessary in order to classify the cells as being macrophages. When changing to three-dimensional culture the cells became increasingly activated in terms of IL6, IL8, IL10 and CCR5 gene expression. Further stimulation

  14. Co-free, iron perovskites as cathode materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hou, Shu-en [Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geo Materials of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Texas Materials Institute, ETC 9.102, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Alonso, Jose Antonio [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Texas Materials Institute, ETC 9.102, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States); Goodenough, John B. [Texas Materials Institute, ETC 9.102, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

    2010-01-01

    We have developed a Co-free solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based upon Fe mixed oxides that gives an extraordinary performance in test-cells with H{sub 2} as fuel. As cathode material, the perovskite Sr{sub 0.9}K{sub 0.1}FeO{sub 3-{delta}} (SKFO) has been selected since it has an excellent ionic and electronic conductivity and long-term stability under oxidizing conditions; the characterization of this material included X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis, scanning microscopy and conductivity measurements. The electrodes were supported on a 300-{mu}m thick pellet of the electrolyte La{sub 0.8}Sr{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.83}Mg{sub 0.17}O{sub 3-{delta}} (LSGM) with Sr{sub 2}MgMoO{sub 6} as the anode and SKFO as the cathode. The test cells gave a maximum power density of 680 mW cm{sup -2} at 800 C and 850 mW cm{sup -2} at 850 C, with pure H{sub 2} as fuel. The electronic conductivity shows a change of regime at T {approx} 350 C that could correspond to the phase transition from tetragonal to cubic symmetry. The high-temperature regime is characterized by a metallic-like behavior. At 800 C the crystal structure contains 0.20(1) oxygen vacancies per formula unit randomly distributed over the oxygen sites (if a cubic symmetry is assumed). The presence of disordered vacancies could account, by itself, for the oxide-ion conductivity that is required for the mass transport across the cathode. The result is a competitive cathode material containing no cobalt that meets the target for the intermediate-temperature SOFC. (author)

  15. Supercritical CO2 Foaming of Thermoplastic Materials Derived from Maize: Proof-of-Concept Use in Mammalian Cell Culture Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo-de Santiago, Grissel; Portales-Cabrera, Cynthia Guadalupe; Portillo-Lara, Roberto; Araiz-Hernández, Diana; Del Barone, Maria Cristina; García-López, Erika; Rojas-de Gante, Cecilia; de los Angeles De Santiago-Miramontes, María; Segoviano-Ramírez, Juan Carlos; García-Lara, Silverio; Rodríguez-González, Ciro Ángel; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Di Maio, Ernesto; Iannace, Salvatore

    2015-01-01

    Background Foams are high porosity and low density materials. In nature, they are a common architecture. Some of their relevant technological applications include heat and sound insulation, lightweight materials, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Foams derived from natural polymers are particularly attractive for tissue culture due to their biodegradability and bio-compatibility. Here, the foaming potential of an extensive list of materials was assayed, including slabs elaborated from whole flour, the starch component only, or the protein fraction only of maize seeds. Methodology/Principal Findings We used supercritical CO2 to produce foams from thermoplasticized maize derived materials. Polyethylene-glycol, sorbitol/glycerol, or urea/formamide were used as plasticizers. We report expansion ratios, porosities, average pore sizes, pore morphologies, and pore size distributions for these materials. High porosity foams were obtained from zein thermoplasticized with polyethylene glycol, and from starch thermoplasticized with urea/formamide. Zein foams had a higher porosity than starch foams (88% and 85%, respectively) and a narrower and more evenly distributed pore size. Starch foams exhibited a wider span of pore sizes and a larger average pore size than zein (208.84 vs. 55.43 μm2, respectively). Proof-of-concept cell culture experiments confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) and two different prostate cancer cell lines (22RV1, DU145) attached to and proliferated on zein foams. Conclusions/Significance We conducted screening and proof-of-concept experiments on the fabrication of foams from cereal-based bioplastics. We propose that a key indicator of foamability is the strain at break of the materials to be foamed (as calculated from stress vs. strain rate curves). Zein foams exhibit attractive properties (average pore size, pore size distribution, and porosity) for cell culture applications; we were able to establish and sustain mammalian cell cultures on zein

  16. Supercritical CO2 foaming of thermoplastic materials derived from maize: proof-of-concept use in mammalian cell culture applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo-de Santiago, Grissel; Portales-Cabrera, Cynthia Guadalupe; Portillo-Lara, Roberto; Araiz-Hernández, Diana; Del Barone, Maria Cristina; García-López, Erika; Rojas-de Gante, Cecilia; de Los Angeles De Santiago-Miramontes, María; Segoviano-Ramírez, Juan Carlos; García-Lara, Silverio; Rodríguez-González, Ciro Ángel; Alvarez, Mario Moisés; Di Maio, Ernesto; Iannace, Salvatore

    2015-01-01

    Foams are high porosity and low density materials. In nature, they are a common architecture. Some of their relevant technological applications include heat and sound insulation, lightweight materials, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Foams derived from natural polymers are particularly attractive for tissue culture due to their biodegradability and bio-compatibility. Here, the foaming potential of an extensive list of materials was assayed, including slabs elaborated from whole flour, the starch component only, or the protein fraction only of maize seeds. We used supercritical CO2 to produce foams from thermoplasticized maize derived materials. Polyethylene-glycol, sorbitol/glycerol, or urea/formamide were used as plasticizers. We report expansion ratios, porosities, average pore sizes, pore morphologies, and pore size distributions for these materials. High porosity foams were obtained from zein thermoplasticized with polyethylene glycol, and from starch thermoplasticized with urea/formamide. Zein foams had a higher porosity than starch foams (88% and 85%, respectively) and a narrower and more evenly distributed pore size. Starch foams exhibited a wider span of pore sizes and a larger average pore size than zein (208.84 vs. 55.43 μm2, respectively). Proof-of-concept cell culture experiments confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) and two different prostate cancer cell lines (22RV1, DU145) attached to and proliferated on zein foams. We conducted screening and proof-of-concept experiments on the fabrication of foams from cereal-based bioplastics. We propose that a key indicator of foamability is the strain at break of the materials to be foamed (as calculated from stress vs. strain rate curves). Zein foams exhibit attractive properties (average pore size, pore size distribution, and porosity) for cell culture applications; we were able to establish and sustain mammalian cell cultures on zein foams for extended time periods.

  17. Supercritical CO2 foaming of thermoplastic materials derived from maize: proof-of-concept use in mammalian cell culture applications.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grissel Trujillo-de Santiago

    Full Text Available Foams are high porosity and low density materials. In nature, they are a common architecture. Some of their relevant technological applications include heat and sound insulation, lightweight materials, and tissue engineering scaffolds. Foams derived from natural polymers are particularly attractive for tissue culture due to their biodegradability and bio-compatibility. Here, the foaming potential of an extensive list of materials was assayed, including slabs elaborated from whole flour, the starch component only, or the protein fraction only of maize seeds.We used supercritical CO2 to produce foams from thermoplasticized maize derived materials. Polyethylene-glycol, sorbitol/glycerol, or urea/formamide were used as plasticizers. We report expansion ratios, porosities, average pore sizes, pore morphologies, and pore size distributions for these materials. High porosity foams were obtained from zein thermoplasticized with polyethylene glycol, and from starch thermoplasticized with urea/formamide. Zein foams had a higher porosity than starch foams (88% and 85%, respectively and a narrower and more evenly distributed pore size. Starch foams exhibited a wider span of pore sizes and a larger average pore size than zein (208.84 vs. 55.43 μm2, respectively. Proof-of-concept cell culture experiments confirmed that mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3 and two different prostate cancer cell lines (22RV1, DU145 attached to and proliferated on zein foams.We conducted screening and proof-of-concept experiments on the fabrication of foams from cereal-based bioplastics. We propose that a key indicator of foamability is the strain at break of the materials to be foamed (as calculated from stress vs. strain rate curves. Zein foams exhibit attractive properties (average pore size, pore size distribution, and porosity for cell culture applications; we were able to establish and sustain mammalian cell cultures on zein foams for extended time periods.

  18. Comparative study of P19 EC stem cell differentiation in between conventional hanging drop and the zebrafish chorion as a bio-derived material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dae Seok Na; Lee, Hwang; Sun Uk Kim; Chang Nam Hwang; Sang Ho Lee; Ji Yoon Kang; Jai Kyeong Kim; James Jungho Pak

    2008-07-01

    Various materials including glass and polymers have been widely used for stem cell culture due to their biocompatibility. However, the roles of these materials are fundamentally limited because they cannot realize or imitate the complex biological functions of living tissues, except in very simple cases. Here, the development of a bio-derived material suitable for stem cell culture and improvement of differentiation efficiency to specific cell lineages with no stimulating agents by using a chorion obtained from a fertilized zebrafish egg through the removal of the yolk and embryonic cell mass from the egg is reported. Mouse P19 EC stem cells introduced into the empty chorion form a uniform embryoid body (EB) without addition of any inducing agent. It is demonstrated that the zebrafish chorion with nanopores improves efficiencies greatly in the EB formation, cell proliferation, and lineage-specific differentiations compared to those of the conventional hanging drop culture method.

  19. Metal Nanoparticles and Carbon-Based Nanostructures as Advanced Materials for Cathode Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pietro Calandra

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available We review the most advanced methods for the fabrication of cathodes for dye-sensitized solar cells employing nanostructured materials. The attention is focused on metal nanoparticles and nanostructured carbon, among which nanotubes and graphene, whose good catalytic properties make them ideal for the development of counter electrode substrates, transparent conducting oxide, and advanced catalyst materials.

  20. Influence of surface roughness of carbon materials on human osteoblast-like cell growth

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Starý, V.; Douděrová, M.; Bačáková, Lucie

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 102, č. 6 (2014), s. 1859-1879 ISSN 1549-3296 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/10/1858; GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/12/1168; GA AV ČR(CZ) KAN101120701 Institutional support: RVO:67985823 Keywords : carbon materials * roughness * biocompatibility * MG63 cells Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 3.369, year: 2014

  1. Deposition of hole-transport materials in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells by doctor-blading

    KAUST Repository

    Ding, I-Kang; Melas-Kyriazi, John; Cevey-Ha, Ngoc-Le; Chittibabu, Kethinni G.; Zakeeruddin, Shaik M.; Grä tzel, Michael; McGehee, Michael D.

    2010-01-01

    We report using doctor-blading to replace conventional spin coating for the deposition of the hole-transport material spiro-OMeTAD (2,20,7,70-tetrakis-(N, N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)- 9,90-spirobifluorene) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

  2. Photoelectrochemical characteristics of dye-sensitized solar cells incorporating innovative and inexpensive materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harlow, Lisa Jean

    The use of energy is going to continue to increase rapidly due to population and economic advances occurring throughout the world. The most widely used energies produce carbon dioxide during their combustion and have finite limits on how much of these resources are available. A strong push to utilizing renewable energy is necessary to keep up with the demand. The only renewable energy that has unlimited supply is solar. Our goal is to find cost-effective alternatives to historically the most extensively used materials in dye-sensitized solar cells. In order to rely on efficiency changes coinciding with the introduction of a new component, a standard baseline of performance is necessary to establish. A reproducible fabrication procedure composed of standard materials was instituted; the efficiency parameters exhibited a less than 10% standard deviation for any set of solar cells. Any modifications to the cell components would be apparent in the change in efficiency. Our cell modifications focused on economical alternatives to the electrolyte, the counter electrode and the chromophore. Solution-based electrolytes were replaced with a non-volatile ionic liquid, 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide, and then a poly(imidazole-functionalized) silica nanoparticle. Solid-state electrolytes reduce or prevent leakage and could ease manufacturing in large-scale devices. Platinum has been the counter electrode catalyst primarily used with the iodide/triiodide redox couple, but is a rare metal making it rather costly. We reduce platinum loading by introducing a novel counter electrode that employs platinum nanoparticles embedded on a graphene nanoplatelet paper. The highly conductive carbon base also negates the use of the expensive conductive substrate necessary for the platinum catalyst, further reducing cost. We also study the differences in transitioning from ruthenium polypyridyls to iron-based chromophores in dye-sensitized solar cells. Iron introduces low-lying ligand

  3. Advanced Materials for PEM-Based Fuel Cell Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    James E. McGrath; Donald G. Baird; Michael von Spakovsky

    2005-10-26

    Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are quickly becoming attractive alternative energy sources for transportation, stationary power, and small electronics due to the increasing cost and environmental hazards of traditional fossil fuels. Two main classes of PEMFCs include hydrogen/air or hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The current benchmark membrane for both types of PEMFCs is Nafion, a perfluorinated sulfonated copolymer made by DuPont. Nafion copolymers exhibit good thermal and chemical stability, as well as very high proton conductivity under hydrated conditions at temperatures below 80 degrees C. However, application of these membranes is limited due to their high methanol permeability and loss of conductivity at high temperatures and low relative humidities. These deficiencies have led to the search for improved materials for proton exchange membranes. Potential PEMs should have good thermal, hydrolytic, and oxidative stability, high proton conductivity, selective permeability, and mechanical durability over long periods of time. Poly(arylene ether)s, polyimides, polybenzimidazoles, and polyphenylenes are among the most widely investigated candidates for PEMs. Poly(arylene ether)s are a promising class of proton exchange membranes due to their excellent thermal and chemical stability and high glass transition temperatures. High proton conductivity can be achieved through post-sulfonation of poly(arylene ether) materials, but this most often results in very high water sorption or even water solubility. Our research has shown that directly polymerized poly(arylene ether) copolymers show important advantages over traditional post-sulfonated systems and also address the concerns with Nafion membranes. These properties were evaluated and correlated with morphology, structure-property relationships, and states of water in the membranes. Further improvements in properties were achieved through incorporation of inorganic

  4. Ab initio Defect Energetics in LaBO3 Perovskite Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lee, Yueh-Lin; Morgan, Dane; Kleis, Jesper

    2009-01-01

    Perovskite materials of the form ABO3 are a promising family of compounds for use in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes. Study of the physics of these compounds under SOFC conditions with ab initio methods is particularly challenging due to high temperatures, exchange of oxygen with O2 gas...

  5. The performance of human dental pulp stem cells on different three-dimensional scaffold materials.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhang, W.; Walboomers, X.F.; Kuppevelt, A.H.M.S.M. van; Daamen, W.F.; Bian, Z.; Jansen, J.A.

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo behavior of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) isolated from impacted third molars, when seeded onto different 3-dimensional (3-D) scaffold materials: i.e. a spongeous collagen, a porous ceramic, and a fibrous titanium mesh.

  6. Composite Material Suitable for Use as Electrode Material in a SOC

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2010-01-01

    The present invention relates to composite material suitable for use as an electrode material in a solid oxide cell, said composite material consist of at least two non-miscible mixed ionic and electronic conductors. Further provided is a composite material suitable for use as an electrode material...... in a solid oxide cell, said composite material being based on (Gd1-xSrx)1-sFe1-yCoyO3-[delta] or (Ln1-xSrx)1-sFe1-yCioyO3-[delta](s equal to 0.05 or larger) wherein Ln is a lanthanide element, Sc or Y, said composite material comprising at least two phases which are non-miscible, said composite material...... being obtainable by the glycine nitrate combustion method. Said composite material may be used for proving an electrode material in the form of at least a two-phase system showing a very low area specific resistance of around 0.1 [Omega]cm2 at around 600 DEG C....

  7. nalisis Keragaman Genetik Streptococcus agalactiae Penyebab Mastitis Subklinis Pada Sapi Perah Menggunakan pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) = Genetic Analysis of Streptococcus agalactiae Caused Subclinical ...

    OpenAIRE

    Trihastuti, Agnesia Endang

    2012-01-01

    Streptococcus agalactiae atau Streptokokus grup B (SGB) adalah salah satu bakteri utama penyebab mastitis subklinis pada sapi perch dan merupakan parasit obligat pada ambing. Karakterisasi S.agalactiae biasanya dilakukan secara konvensional menggunakan metode serotyping. Meslci metode ini sering digunakan namun masih mempunyai kelemahan apalagi masih adanya isolat S.agalactiae yang belum dapat dimasukkan ke dalam serotipe yang ada (nontypeable/NT), oleh karena itu pendekatan bare denga...

  8. Large field of view quantitative phase imaging of induced pluripotent stem cells and optical pathlength reference materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwee, Edward; Peterson, Alexander; Stinson, Jeffrey; Halter, Michael; Yu, Liya; Majurski, Michael; Chalfoun, Joe; Bajcsy, Peter; Elliott, John

    2018-02-01

    Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are reprogrammed cells that can have heterogeneous biological potential. Quality assurance metrics of reprogrammed iPSCs will be critical to ensure reliable use in cell therapies and personalized diagnostic tests. We present a quantitative phase imaging (QPI) workflow which includes acquisition, processing, and stitching multiple adjacent image tiles across a large field of view (LFOV) of a culture vessel. Low magnification image tiles (10x) were acquired with a Phasics SID4BIO camera on a Zeiss microscope. iPSC cultures were maintained using a custom stage incubator on an automated stage. We implement an image acquisition strategy that compensates for non-flat illumination wavefronts to enable imaging of an entire well plate, including the meniscus region normally obscured in Zernike phase contrast imaging. Polynomial fitting and background mode correction was implemented to enable comparability and stitching between multiple tiles. LFOV imaging of reference materials indicated that image acquisition and processing strategies did not affect quantitative phase measurements across the LFOV. Analysis of iPSC colony images demonstrated mass doubling time was significantly different than area doubling time. These measurements were benchmarked with prototype microsphere beads and etched-glass gratings with specified spatial dimensions designed to be QPI reference materials with optical pathlength shifts suitable for cell microscopy. This QPI workflow and the use of reference materials can provide non-destructive traceable imaging method for novel iPSC heterogeneity characterization.

  9. Fracture criterion for brittle materials based on statistical cells of finite volume

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cords, H.; Kleist, G.; Zimmermann, R.

    1986-06-01

    An analytical consideration of the Weibull Statistical Analysis of brittle materials established the necessity of including one additional material constant for a more comprehensive description of the failure behaviour. The Weibull analysis is restricted to infinitesimal volume elements in consequence of the differential calculus applied. It was found that infinitesimally small elements are in conflict with the basic statistical assumption and that the differential calculus is not needed in fact since nowadays most of the stress analyses are based on finite element calculations, and these are most suitable for a subsequent statistical analysis of strength. The size of a finite statistical cell has been introduced as the third material parameter. It should represent the minimum volume containing all statistical features of the material such as distribution of pores, flaws and grains. The new approach also contains a unique treatment of failure under multiaxial stresses. The quantity responsible for failure under multiaxial stresses is introduced as a modified strain energy. Sixteen different tensile specimens including CT-specimens have been investigated experimentally and analyzed with the probabilistic fracture criterion. As a result it can be stated that the failure rates of all types of specimens made from three different grades of graphite are predictable. The accuracy of the prediction is one standard deviation. (orig.) [de

  10. Data Mining and Machine Learning Tools for Combinatorial Material Science of All-Oxide Photovoltaic Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yosipof, Abraham; Nahum, Oren E; Anderson, Assaf Y; Barad, Hannah-Noa; Zaban, Arie; Senderowitz, Hanoch

    2015-06-01

    Growth in energy demands, coupled with the need for clean energy, are likely to make solar cells an important part of future energy resources. In particular, cells entirely made of metal oxides (MOs) have the potential to provide clean and affordable energy if their power conversion efficiencies are improved. Such improvements require the development of new MOs which could benefit from combining combinatorial material sciences for producing solar cells libraries with data mining tools to direct synthesis efforts. In this work we developed a data mining workflow and applied it to the analysis of two recently reported solar cell libraries based on Titanium and Copper oxides. Our results demonstrate that QSAR models with good prediction statistics for multiple solar cells properties could be developed and that these models highlight important factors affecting these properties in accord with experimental findings. The resulting models are therefore suitable for designing better solar cells. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Electrode materials: a challenge for the exploitation of protonic solid oxide fuel cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emiliana Fabbri, Daniele Pergolesi and Enrico Traversa

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available High temperature proton conductor (HTPC oxides are attracting extensive attention as electrolyte materials alternative to oxygen-ion conductors for use in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs operating at intermediate temperatures (400–700 °C. The need to lower the operating temperature is dictated by cost reduction for SOFC pervasive use. The major stake for the deployment of this technology is the availability of electrodes able to limit polarization losses at the reduced operation temperature. This review aims to comprehensively describe the state-of-the-art anode and cathode materials that have so far been tested with HTPC oxide electrolytes, offering guidelines and possible strategies to speed up the development of protonic SOFCs.

  12. Electrode materials: a challenge for the exploitation of protonic solid oxide fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fabbri, Emiliana; Pergolesi, Daniele; Traversa, Enrico

    2010-01-01

    High temperature proton conductor (HTPC) oxides are attracting extensive attention as electrolyte materials alternative to oxygen-ion conductors for use in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating at intermediate temperatures (400-700 0 C). The need to lower the operating temperature is dictated by cost reduction for SOFC pervasive use. The major stake for the deployment of this technology is the availability of electrodes able to limit polarization losses at the reduced operation temperature. This review aims to comprehensively describe the state-of-the-art anode and cathode materials that have so far been tested with HTPC oxide electrolytes, offering guidelines and possible strategies to speed up the development of protonic SOFCs. (topical review)

  13. Charge Photogeneration Experiments and Theory in Aggregated Squaraine Donor Materials for Improved Organic Solar Cell Efficiencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Susan Demetra

    Fossil fuel consumption has a deleterious effect on humans, the economy, and the environment. Renewable energy technologies must be identified and commercialized as quickly as possible so that the transition to renewables can happen at a minimum of financial and societal cost. Organic photovoltaic cells offer an inexpensive and disruptive energy technology, if the scientific challenges of understanding charge photogeneration in a bulk heterojunction material can be overcome. At RIT, there is a strong focus on creating new materials that can both offer fundamentally important scientific results relating to quantum photophysics, and simultaneously assist in the development of strong candidates for future commercialized technology. In this presentation, the results of intensive materials characterization of a series of squaraine small molecule donors will be presented, as well as a full study of the fabrication and optimization required to achieve >4% photovoltaic cell efficiency. A relationship between the molecular structure of the squaraine and its ability to form nanoscale aggregates will be explored. Squaraine aggregation will be described as a unique optoelectronic probe of the structure of the bulk heterojunction. This relationship will then be utilized to explain changes in crystallinity that impact the overall performance of the devices. Finally, a predictive summary will be given for the future of donor material research at RIT.

  14. Dry storage cells for radioactive material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartley, D.J.; Paget, F.T.W.

    1982-01-01

    A facility for posting irradiated nuclear fuel from a preparation cell of a dry storage complex into storage canisters located in buckets within a clean cell comprises a telescopic tubular port member for sealably connecting the preparation cell to a canister. In operation the closure of the canister is screened against contamination and withdrawn from the canister into the preparation cell via a retractable grab prior to posting of the fuel into the canister. (author)

  15. Modulation of Host Osseointegration during Bone Regeneration by Controlling Exogenous Stem Cells Differentiation Using a Material Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaohua; Wang, Liping; Xia, Zengmin; Chen, Li; Jiang, Xi; Rowe, David; Wei, Mei

    2014-02-01

    Stem cell-based tissue engineering for large bone defect healing has attracted enormous attention in regenerative medicine. However, sufficient osseointegration of the grafts combined with exogenous stem cells still remains a major challenge. Here we developed a material approach to modulate the integration of the grafts to the host tissue when exogenous bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were used as donor cells. Distinctive osseointegration of bone grafts was observed as we varied the content of hydroxyapatite (HA) in the tissue scaffolds implanted in a mouse femur model. More than 80% of new bone was formed in the first two weeks of implantation in high HA content scaffold but lack of host integration while only less than 5% of the new bone was formed during this time period in the no HA group but with much stronger host integration. Cell origin analysis leveraging GFP reporter indicates new bone in HA containing groups was mainly derived from donor BMSCs. In comparison, both host and donor cells were found on new bone surface in the no HA groups which led to seamless bridging between host tissue and the scaffold. Most importantly, host integration during bone formation is closely dictated to the content of HA present in the scaffolds. Taken together, we demonstrate a material approach to modulate the osseointegration of bone grafts in the context of exogenous stem cell-based bone healing strategy which might lead to fully functional bone tissue regeneration.

  16. Toxicity of functional nano-micro zinc oxide tetrapods: impact of cell culture conditions, cellular age and material properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papavlassopoulos, Heike; Mishra, Yogendra K; Kaps, Sören; Paulowicz, Ingo; Abdelaziz, Ramzy; Elbahri, Mady; Maser, Edmund; Adelung, Rainer; Röhl, Claudia

    2014-01-01

    With increasing production and applications of nanostructured zinc oxide, e.g., for biomedical and consumer products, the question of safety is getting more and more important. Different morphologies of zinc oxide structures have been synthesized and accordingly investigated. In this study, we have particularly focused on nano-micro ZnO tetrapods (ZnO-T), because their large scale fabrication has been made possible by a newly introduced flame transport synthesis approach which will probably lead to several new applications. Moreover, ZnO-T provide a completely different morphology then classical spherical ZnO nanoparticles. To get a better understanding of parameters that affect the interactions between ZnO-T and mammalian cells, and thus their biocompatibility, we have examined the impact of cell culture conditions as well as of material properties on cytotoxicity. Our results demonstrate that the cell density of fibroblasts in culture along with their age, i.e., the number of preceding cell divisions, strongly affect the cytotoxic potency of ZnO-T. Concerning the material properties, the toxic potency of ZnO-T is found to be significantly lower than that of spherical ZnO nanoparticles. Furthermore, the morphology of the ZnO-T influenced cellular toxicity in contrast to surface charges modified by UV illumination or O2 treatment and to the material age. Finally, we have observed that direct contact between tetrapods and cells increases their toxicity compared to transwell culture models which allow only an indirect effect via released zinc ions. The results reveal several parameters that can be of importance for the assessment of ZnO-T toxicity in cell cultures and for particle development.

  17. Nurse’s A-Phase Material Enhance Adhesion, Growth and Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Stromal Mesenchymal Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruben Rabadan-Ros

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioactivity and cell response of a well-characterized Nurse’s A-phase (7CaO·P2O5·2SiO2 ceramic and its effect compared to a control (tissue culture polystyrene-TCPS on the adhesion, viability, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of ahMSCs in vitro. Cell proliferation (Alamar Blue Assay, Alizarin Red-S (AR-s staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP activity, osteocalcin (OCN, and collagen I (Col I were evaluated. Also, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM images were acquired in order to visualise the cells and the topography of the material. The proliferation of cells growing in a direct contact with the material was slower at early stages of the study because of the new environmental conditions. However, the entire surface was colonized after 28 days of culture in growth medium (GM. Osteoblastic differentiation markers were significantly enhanced in cells growing on Nurse’s A phase ceramic and cultured with osteogenic medium (OM, probably due to the role of silica to stimulate the differentiation of ahMSCs. Moreover, calcium nodules were formed under the influence of ceramic material. Therefore, it is predicted that Nurse’s A-phase ceramic would present high biocompatibility and osteoinductive properties and would be a good candidate to be used as a biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.

  18. Characterization of solar cell materials by Proton Back Scattering Spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joynal Abedin, M.; Fazlul Hoque, A.K.M.; Firoz Hasan, S.M.

    2001-01-01

    The need for accurate chemical characterization of samples specially related to electronic and solar cell materials has assumed increasing importance in recent years. The importance of the study of the surfaces of materials of different origin also increased in recent years to a great extent. This need has created a worldwide spurt to develop rapid, accurate and sensitive tools for the characterization of materials. In recent years the proton backscattering spectrometry (PBS) method has been recognized as one of the useful analytical tool in several applications of material analysis and technology. The lack of information of the relevant scattering cross sections as a function of proton energy and the problems arising in conventional data analysis have so far rendered proton backscattering analysis of multielemental samples difficult at low energies. On the other hand advances in the computer evaluation of experimental data have, however, made it possible to utilize low-MeV protons as a sensitive probe for light elements in the μm range. The benefits of the method in comparison to alpha particle backscattering include the relatively higher non-Rutherford scattering cross sections of the light elements and to the lower proton stopping in the target material. These lead to higher sensitivity in detecting and profiling light elements in heavy targets and to significantly larger accessible depths and smaller straggling than with alpha particles. Research works on the development of methodologies of Proton Backscattering Spectrometry (PBS) for the analysis of thin films and surfaces has been in progress in the 3 MeV Van de Graaff Accelerator facilities of Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka for some years. The PBS system comprises a target chamber with appropriate sample holders and a Surface Barrier Detector (SBD) with the associated electronics for data acquisition and reduction. For the evaluation of the PBS data RBS Universal Master Package, RUMP has been installed in the

  19. Nanostructured Inorganic Materials at Work in Electrochemical Sensing and Biofuel Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaovi Holade

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The future of analytical devices, namely (biosensors, which are currently impacting our everyday life, relies on several metrics such as low cost, high sensitivity, good selectivity, rapid response, real-time monitoring, high-throughput, easy-to-make and easy-to-handle properties. Fortunately, they can be readily fulfilled by electrochemical methods. For decades, electrochemical sensors and biofuel cells operating in physiological conditions have concerned biomolecular science where enzymes act as biocatalysts. However, immobilizing them on a conducting substrate is tedious and the resulting bioelectrodes suffer from stability. In this contribution, we provide a comprehensive, authoritative, critical, and readable review of general interest that surveys interdisciplinary research involving materials science and (bioelectrocatalysis. Specifically, it recounts recent developments focused on the introduction of nanostructured metallic and carbon-based materials as robust “abiotic catalysts” or scaffolds in bioelectrochemistry to boost and increase the current and readout signals as well as the lifetime. Compared to biocatalysts, abiotic catalysts are in a better position to efficiently cope with fluctuations of temperature and pH since they possess high intrinsic thermal stability, exceptional chemical resistance and long-term stability, already highlighted in classical electrocatalysis. We also diagnosed their intrinsic bottlenecks and highlighted opportunities of unifying the materials science and bioelectrochemistry fields to design hybrid platforms with improved performance.

  20. Steps Towards Industrialization of Cu–III–VI2Thin‐Film Solar Cells:Linking Materials/Device Designs to Process Design For Non‐stoichiometric Photovoltaic Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Hsueh‐Hsin; Sharma, Poonam; Letha, Arya Jagadhamma; Shao, Lexi; Zhang, Yafei; Tseng, Bae‐Heng

    2016-01-01

    The concept of in‐line sputtering and selenization become industrial standard for Cu–III–VI2 solar cell fabrication, but still it's very difficult to control and predict the optical and electrical parameters, which are closely related to the chemical composition distribution of the thin film. The present review article addresses onto the material design, device design and process design using parameters closely related to the chemical compositions. Its variation leads to change in the Poisson equation, current equation, and continuity equation governing the device design. To make the device design much realistic and meaningful, we need to build a model that relates the opto‐electrical properties to the chemical composition. The material parameters as well as device structural parameters are loaded into the process simulation to give a complete set of process control parameters. The neutral defect concentrations of non‐stoichiometric CuMSe2 (M = In and Ga) have been calculated under the specific atomic chemical potential conditions using this methodology. The optical and electrical properties have also been investigated for the development of a full‐function analytical solar cell simulator. The future prospects regarding the development of copper–indium–gallium–selenide thin film solar cells have also been discussed. PMID:27840790

  1. Steps Towards Industrialization of Cu-III-VI2Thin-Film Solar Cells:Linking Materials/Device Designs to Process Design For Non-stoichiometric Photovoltaic Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Huey-Liang; Chang, Hsueh-Hsin; Sharma, Poonam; Letha, Arya Jagadhamma; Shao, Lexi; Zhang, Yafei; Tseng, Bae-Heng

    2016-10-01

    The concept of in-line sputtering and selenization become industrial standard for Cu-III-VI 2 solar cell fabrication, but still it's very difficult to control and predict the optical and electrical parameters, which are closely related to the chemical composition distribution of the thin film. The present review article addresses onto the material design, device design and process design using parameters closely related to the chemical compositions. Its variation leads to change in the Poisson equation, current equation, and continuity equation governing the device design. To make the device design much realistic and meaningful, we need to build a model that relates the opto-electrical properties to the chemical composition. The material parameters as well as device structural parameters are loaded into the process simulation to give a complete set of process control parameters. The neutral defect concentrations of non-stoichiometric CuMSe 2 (M = In and Ga) have been calculated under the specific atomic chemical potential conditions using this methodology. The optical and electrical properties have also been investigated for the development of a full-function analytical solar cell simulator. The future prospects regarding the development of copper-indium-gallium-selenide thin film solar cells have also been discussed.

  2. Towards Cost-Effective Crystalline Silicon Based Flexible Solar Cells: Integration Strategy by Rational Design of Materials, Process, and Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Bahabry, Rabab R.

    2017-01-01

    . However, silicon is a brittle material with a fracture strains <1%. Highly flexible Si-based solar cells are available in the form thin films which seem to be disadvantageous over thick Si solar cells due to the reduction of the optical absorption

  3. Effect of gonadotrophin inhibiting material isolated from human urine on action of prolactin at rat Leydig cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bagli, N P; Rajendran, K G; Shah, P N [Cancer Research Inst., Bombay (India). Div. of Endocrinology

    1980-05-01

    To study the effect of gonadotropin inhibiting material (GIM) on the binding of prolactin to Leydig cell receptors isolated Leydig cells were incubated with sup(125)I-prolactin. Presence of GIM in the incubation mixture did not inhibit the binding of sup(125)I-prolactin to Leydig cells whereas unlabelled prolactin significantly reduced the binding. In another experiment, testicular cells were incubated with FITC-tagged GIM. Binding of GIM to Leydig cells was seen by the presence of fluorescence on these cells. This binding could be inhibited by untagged GIM but not by prolactin. The results suggest the presence of separate receptors for GIM and prolactin on the Leydig cells and indicate that termination of pregnancy by GIM is not due to any interference with prolactin binding to its receptors.

  4. Modeling Emerging Solar Cell Materials and Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thongprong, Non

    Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and perovskite solar cells are emerging classes of solar cell that are promising for clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels. Understanding fundamental physics of these materials is crucial for improving their energy conversion efficiencies and promoting them to practical applications. Current density-voltage (JV) curves; which are important indicators of OPV efficiency, have direct connections to many fundamental properties of solar cells. They can be described by the Shockley diode equation, resulting in fitting parameters; series and parallel resistance (Rs and Rp), diode saturation current ( J0) and ideality factor (n). However, the Shockley equation was developed specifically for inorganic p-n junction diodes, so it lacks physical meanings when it is applied to OPVs. Hence, the puRposes of this work are to understand the fundamental physics of OPVs and to develop new diode equations in the same form as the Shockley equation that are based on OPV physics. We develop a numerical drift-diffusion simulation model to study bilayer OPVs, which will be called the drift-diffusion for bilayer interface (DD-BI) model. The model solves Poisson, drift-diffusion and current-continuity equations self-consistently for charge densities and potential profiles of a bilayer device with an organic heterojunction interface described by the GWWF model. We also derive new diode equations that have JV curves consistent with the DD-BI model and thus will be called self-consistent diode (SCD) equations. Using the DD-BI and the SCD model allows us to understand working principles of bilayer OPVs and physical definitions of the Shockley parameters. Due to low carrier mobilities in OPVs, space charge accumulation is common especially near the interface and electrodes. Hence, quasi-Fermi levels (i.e. chemical potentials), which depend on charge densities, are modified around the interface, resulting in a splitting of quasi-Fermi levels that works as a driving

  5. Assessment of cellular materials generated by co-cultured ‘inflamed’ and healthy periodontal ligament stem cells from patient-matched groups

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang, Hao-Ning [State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100048 (China); Xia, Yu [State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Department of Stomatology, The 309th Hospital of Chinese People' s Liberation Army, Beijing 100091 (China); Xu, Jie; Tian, Bei-Min; Zhang, Xi-Yu [State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Chen, Fa-Ming, E-mail: cfmsunhh@fmmu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China)

    2016-08-01

    Recently, stem cells derived from the'inflamed’ periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue of periodontally diseased teeth (I-PDLSCs) have been increasingly suggested as a more readily accessible source of cells for regenerative therapies than those derived from healthy PDL tissue (H-PDLSCs). However, substantial evidence indicates that I-PDLSCs exhibit impaired functionalities compared with H-PDLSCs. In this study, patient-matched I-PDLSCs and H-PDLSCs were co-cultured at various ratios. Cellular materials derived from these cultures were investigated regarding their osteogenic potential in vitro and capacity to form new bone following in vivo transplantation. While patient-matched I-PDLSCs and H-PDLSCs could co-exist in co-culture systems, the proportion of I-PDLSCs tended to increase during in vitro incubation. Compared with H-PDLSC monoculture, the presence of I-PDLSCs in the co-cultures appeared to enhance the overall cell proliferation. Although not completely rescued, the osteogenic and regenerative potentials of the cellular materials generated by co-cultured I-PDLSCs and H-PDLSCs were significantly improved compared with those derived from I-PDLSC monocultures. Notably, cells in co-cultures containing either 50% I-PDLSCs plus 50% H-PDLSCs or 25% I-PDLSCs plus 75% H-PDLSCs expressed osteogenesis-related proteins and genes at levels similar to those expressed in H-PDLSC monocultures (P>0.05). Irrespective of the percentage of I-PDLSCs, robust cellular materials were obtained from co-cultures with 50% or more H-PDLSCs, which exhibited equivalent potential to form new bone in vivo compared with sheets generated by H-PDLSC monocultures. These data suggest that the co-culture of I-PDLSCs with patient-matched H-PDLSCs is a practical and effective method for increasing the overall osteogenic and regenerative potentials of resultant cellular materials. - Highlights: • Co-culturing H-PDLSCs with I-PDLSCs led to rapid cell expansion. • H-PDLSCs and I-PDLSCs co

  6. Assessment of cellular materials generated by co-cultured ‘inflamed’ and healthy periodontal ligament stem cells from patient-matched groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Hao-Ning; Xia, Yu; Xu, Jie; Tian, Bei-Min; Zhang, Xi-Yu; Chen, Fa-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Recently, stem cells derived from the'inflamed’ periodontal ligament (PDL) tissue of periodontally diseased teeth (I-PDLSCs) have been increasingly suggested as a more readily accessible source of cells for regenerative therapies than those derived from healthy PDL tissue (H-PDLSCs). However, substantial evidence indicates that I-PDLSCs exhibit impaired functionalities compared with H-PDLSCs. In this study, patient-matched I-PDLSCs and H-PDLSCs were co-cultured at various ratios. Cellular materials derived from these cultures were investigated regarding their osteogenic potential in vitro and capacity to form new bone following in vivo transplantation. While patient-matched I-PDLSCs and H-PDLSCs could co-exist in co-culture systems, the proportion of I-PDLSCs tended to increase during in vitro incubation. Compared with H-PDLSC monoculture, the presence of I-PDLSCs in the co-cultures appeared to enhance the overall cell proliferation. Although not completely rescued, the osteogenic and regenerative potentials of the cellular materials generated by co-cultured I-PDLSCs and H-PDLSCs were significantly improved compared with those derived from I-PDLSC monocultures. Notably, cells in co-cultures containing either 50% I-PDLSCs plus 50% H-PDLSCs or 25% I-PDLSCs plus 75% H-PDLSCs expressed osteogenesis-related proteins and genes at levels similar to those expressed in H-PDLSC monocultures (P>0.05). Irrespective of the percentage of I-PDLSCs, robust cellular materials were obtained from co-cultures with 50% or more H-PDLSCs, which exhibited equivalent potential to form new bone in vivo compared with sheets generated by H-PDLSC monocultures. These data suggest that the co-culture of I-PDLSCs with patient-matched H-PDLSCs is a practical and effective method for increasing the overall osteogenic and regenerative potentials of resultant cellular materials. - Highlights: • Co-culturing H-PDLSCs with I-PDLSCs led to rapid cell expansion. • H-PDLSCs and I-PDLSCs co

  7. Facile Synthesis and High performance of a New Carbazole-Based Hole Transporting Material for Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Hong

    2015-06-26

    Perovskite solar cells are very promising for practical applications owing to their rapidly rising power conversion efficiency and low cost of solution-based processing. 2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis-(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine) 9,9’-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) is most widely used as hole transporting material (HTM) in perovskite solar cells. However, the tedious synthesis and high cost of Spiro-OMeTAD inhibit its commercial-scale application in the photovoltaic industry. In this article, we report a carbazole-based compound (R01) as a new HTM in efficient perovskite solar cells. R01 is synthesized via a facile route consisting of only two steps from inexpensive commercially available materials. Furthermore, R01 exhibits higher hole mobility and conductivity than the state-of-the-art Spiro-OMeTAD. Perovskite solar cells fabricated with R01 produce a power conversion efficiency of 12.03%, comparable to that obtained in devices using Spiro-OMeTAD in this study. Our findings underscore R01 as a highly promising HTM with high performance, and its facile synthesis and low cost may facilitate the large-scale applications of perovskite solar cells.

  8. Facile Synthesis and High performance of a New Carbazole-Based Hole Transporting Material for Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Hong; Sheikh, Arif D.; Feng, Quanyou; Li, Feng; Chen, Yin; Yu, Weili; Alarousu, Erkki; Ma, Chun; Haque, Mohammed; Shi, Dong; Wang, Zhong-Sheng; Mohammed, Omar F.; Bakr, Osman; Wu, Tao

    2015-01-01

    Perovskite solar cells are very promising for practical applications owing to their rapidly rising power conversion efficiency and low cost of solution-based processing. 2,2’,7,7’-tetrakis-(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine) 9,9’-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) is most widely used as hole transporting material (HTM) in perovskite solar cells. However, the tedious synthesis and high cost of Spiro-OMeTAD inhibit its commercial-scale application in the photovoltaic industry. In this article, we report a carbazole-based compound (R01) as a new HTM in efficient perovskite solar cells. R01 is synthesized via a facile route consisting of only two steps from inexpensive commercially available materials. Furthermore, R01 exhibits higher hole mobility and conductivity than the state-of-the-art Spiro-OMeTAD. Perovskite solar cells fabricated with R01 produce a power conversion efficiency of 12.03%, comparable to that obtained in devices using Spiro-OMeTAD in this study. Our findings underscore R01 as a highly promising HTM with high performance, and its facile synthesis and low cost may facilitate the large-scale applications of perovskite solar cells.

  9. Cell Adhesion Selectivity of Stent Material to improve Bio-functionality by Ion Beam Modification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jaesang; Park, JUngchan; Jung, Myunghwan; Kim, Yongki [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Junkyu [Bio alpha., Co. Ltd., Gimhae (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    In this study, ion implantation into collagen coated Co-Cr alloy, which is a cheaper material of the artificial stent product comparing with Ti alloy, has been studied to develop small diameter artificial stent by the cell adhesion control. The size of stent was 1.6mm of the diameter and 18mm of the length. The life-time of artificial stent depends on adhesion property of endothelial-cells. We successfully controlled cell adhesion selectivity between endothelial cell and muscle cell by using collagen coated and He{sup +} ion beam irradiated Co-Cr-alloy to apply to artificial stent. But, we did not achieve the inhibition of platelet adhesion, yet by using collagen coating and He{sup +} ion beam irradiation. Based on this study, we have plan to research about separation between collagen coating effect and ion beam effect. Also, we will have more detail analysis of the mechanism of cell attachment. In recent years, ion implantation has been applied to the surface modification of prosthesis to improve blood compatibility and tissue compatibility in field of biomedical application. As well known, bio compatibility was concerned with the cell adhesion selectivity for bio-functionality. The biomedical application of ion beam technology would be used more widely in the future such as catheter and artificial graft.

  10. Cell Adhesion Selectivity of Stent Material to improve Bio-functionality by Ion Beam Modification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jaesang; Park, JUngchan; Jung, Myunghwan; Kim, Yongki; Park, Junkyu

    2014-01-01

    In this study, ion implantation into collagen coated Co-Cr alloy, which is a cheaper material of the artificial stent product comparing with Ti alloy, has been studied to develop small diameter artificial stent by the cell adhesion control. The size of stent was 1.6mm of the diameter and 18mm of the length. The life-time of artificial stent depends on adhesion property of endothelial-cells. We successfully controlled cell adhesion selectivity between endothelial cell and muscle cell by using collagen coated and He + ion beam irradiated Co-Cr-alloy to apply to artificial stent. But, we did not achieve the inhibition of platelet adhesion, yet by using collagen coating and He + ion beam irradiation. Based on this study, we have plan to research about separation between collagen coating effect and ion beam effect. Also, we will have more detail analysis of the mechanism of cell attachment. In recent years, ion implantation has been applied to the surface modification of prosthesis to improve blood compatibility and tissue compatibility in field of biomedical application. As well known, bio compatibility was concerned with the cell adhesion selectivity for bio-functionality. The biomedical application of ion beam technology would be used more widely in the future such as catheter and artificial graft

  11. Recent progress in the development of anode materials for solid oxide fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cowin, Peter I.; Petit, Christophe T.G.; Lan, Rong; Tao, Shanwen [Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ (United Kingdom); Irvine, John T.S. [School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST (United Kingdom)

    2011-05-15

    The field of research into solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode materials has been rapidly moving forward. In the four years since the last in-depth review significant advancements have been made in the reduction of the operating temperature and improvement of the performance of SOFCs. This progress report examines the developments in the field and looks to draw conclusions and inspiration from this research. A brief introduction is given to the field, followed by an overview of the principal previous materials. A detailed analysis of the developments of the last 4 years is given using a selection of the available literature, concentrating on metal-fluorite cermets and perovskite-based materials. This is followed by a consideration of alternate fuels for use in SOFCs and their associated problems and a short discussion on the effect of synthesis method on anode performance. The concluding remarks compile the significant developments in the field along with a consideration of the promise of future research. The recent progress in the development of anode materials for SOFCs based on oxygen ion conducting electrolytes is reviewed. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  12. Integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for cell mechanics and mechanobiology: a materials perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shao, Yue; Fu, Jianping

    2014-03-12

    The rapid development of micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials in the last two decades has empowered materials scientists and bioengineers to precisely control different aspects of the in vitro cell microenvironment. Following a philosophy of reductionism, many studies using synthetic functional biomaterials have revealed instructive roles of individual extracellular biophysical and biochemical cues in regulating cellular behaviors. Development of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials to study complex and emergent biological phenomena has also thrived rapidly in recent years, revealing adaptive and integrated cellular behaviors closely relevant to human physiological and pathological conditions. Working at the interface between materials science and engineering, biology, and medicine, we are now at the beginning of a great exploration using micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for both fundamental biology study and clinical and biomedical applications such as regenerative medicine and drug screening. In this review, an overview of state of the art micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials that can control precisely individual aspects of cell-microenvironment interactions is presented and they are highlighted them as well-controlled platforms for mechanistic studies of mechano-sensitive and -responsive cellular behaviors and integrative biology research. The recent exciting trend where micro/nanoengineered biomaterials are integrated into miniaturized biological and biomimetic systems for dynamic multiparametric microenvironmental control of emergent and integrated cellular behaviors is also discussed. The impact of integrated micro/nanoengineered functional biomaterials for future in vitro studies of regenerative medicine, cell biology, as well as human development and disease models are discussed. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Highly efficient perovskite solar cells based on a nanostructured WO3-TiO2 core-shell electron transporting material

    KAUST Repository

    Mahmood, Khalid; Swain, Bhabani Sankar; Kirmani, Ahmad R.; Amassian, Aram

    2015-01-01

    Until recently, only mesoporous TiO2 and ZnO were successfully demonstrated as electron transport layers (ETL) alongside the reports of ZrO2 and Al2O3 as scaffold materials in organometal halide perovskite solar cells, largely owing to ease of processing and to high power conversion efficiency. In this article, we explore tungsten trioxide (WO3)-based nanostructured and porous ETL materials directly grown hydrothermally with different morphologies such as nanoparticles, nanorods and nanosheet arrays. The nanostructure morphology strongly influences the photocurrent and efficiency in organometal halide perovskite solar cells. We find that the perovskite solar cells based on WO3 nanosheet arrays yield significantly enhanced photovoltaic performance as compared to nanoparticles and nanorod arrays due to good perovskite absorber infiltration in the porous scaffold and more rapid carrier transport. We further demonstrate that treating the WO3 nanostructures with an aqueous solution of TiCl4 reduces charge recombination at the perovskite/WO3 interface, resulting in the highest power conversion efficiency of 11.24% for devices based on WO3 nanosheet arrays. The successful demonstration of alternative ETL materials and nanostructures based on WO3 will open up new opportunities in the development of highly efficient perovskite solar cells. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

  14. Phosphorene-AsP heterostructure as a potential excitonic solar cell material - A first principles study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishore, M. R. Ashwin; Ravindran, P.

    2018-04-01

    Solar energy conversion to produce electricity using photovoltaics is an emerging area in alternative energy research. Herein, we report on the basis of density functional calculations, phosphorene/AsP heterostructure could be a promising material for excitonic solar cells (XSCs). Our HSE06 functional calculations show that the band gap of both phosphorene and AsP fall exactly into the optimum value range according to XSCs requirement. The calculated effective mass of electrons and holes show anisotropic in nature with effective masses along Γ-X direction is lower than the Γ-Y direction and hence the charge transport will be faster along Γ-X direction. The wide energy range of light absorption confirms the potential use of these materials for solar cell applications. Interestingly, phosphorene and AsP monolayer forms a type-II band alignment which will enhance the separation of photogenerated charge carriers and hence the recombination rate will be lower which can further improve its photo-conversion efficiency if one use it in XSCs.

  15. Design of broadband absorber using 2-D materials for thermo-photovoltaic cell application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agarwal, Sajal; Prajapati, Y. K.

    2018-04-01

    Present study is done to analyze a nano absorber for thermo-photovoltaic cell application. Optical absorbance of two-dimensional materials is exploited to achieve high absorbance. It is found that few alternating layers of graphene/transition metal dichalcogenide provide high absorbance of electromagnetic wave in visible as well as near infrared region. Four transition metal dichalcogenides are considered and found that most of these provide perfect absorbance for almost full considered wavelength range i.e. 200-1000 nm. Demonstrated results confirm the extended operating region and improved absorbance of the proposed absorber in comparison to the existing absorbers made of different materials. Further, absorber performance is improved by using thin layers of gold and chromium. Simple geometry of the proposed absorber also ensures easy fabrication.

  16. Theoretical modelling of intermediate band solar cell materials based on metal-doped chalcopyrite compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palacios, P.; Sanchez, K.; Conesa, J.C.; Fernandez, J.J.; Wahnon, P.

    2007-01-01

    Electronic structure calculations are carried out for CuGaS 2 partially substituted with Ti, V, Cr or Mn to ascertain if some of these systems could provide an intermediate band material able to give a high efficiency photovoltaic cell. Trends in electronic level positions are analyzed and more accurate advanced theory levels (exact exchange or Hubbard-type methods) are used in some cases. The Ti-substituted system seems more likely to yield an intermediate band material with the desired properties, and furthermore seems realizable from the thermodynamic point of view, while those with Cr and Mn might give half-metal structures with applications in spintronics

  17. Theoretical modelling of intermediate band solar cell materials based on metal-doped chalcopyrite compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Palacios, P [Instituto de Energia Solar and Dpt. de Tecnologias Especiales, ETSI de Telecomunicacion, UPM, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Sanchez, K [Instituto de Energia Solar and Dpt. de Tecnologias Especiales, ETSI de Telecomunicacion, UPM, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Conesa, J C [Instituto de Catalisis y Petroleoquimica, CSIC, Marie Curie 2, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Fernandez, J J [Dpt. de Fisica Fundamental, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, 28080, Madrid (Spain); Wahnon, P [Instituto de Energia Solar and Dpt. de Tecnologias Especiales, ETSI de Telecomunicacion, UPM, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

    2007-05-31

    Electronic structure calculations are carried out for CuGaS{sub 2} partially substituted with Ti, V, Cr or Mn to ascertain if some of these systems could provide an intermediate band material able to give a high efficiency photovoltaic cell. Trends in electronic level positions are analyzed and more accurate advanced theory levels (exact exchange or Hubbard-type methods) are used in some cases. The Ti-substituted system seems more likely to yield an intermediate band material with the desired properties, and furthermore seems realizable from the thermodynamic point of view, while those with Cr and Mn might give half-metal structures with applications in spintronics.

  18. Hetero-cellular prototyping by synchronized multi-material bioprinting for rotary cell culture system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snyder, Jessica; Son, Ae Rin; Hamid, Qudus; Sun, Wei; Wu, Honglu

    2016-01-01

    Bottom-up tissue engineering requires methodological progress of biofabrication to capture key design facets of anatomical arrangements across micro, meso and macro-scales. The diffusive mass transfer properties necessary to elicit stability and functionality require hetero-typic contact, cell-to-cell signaling and uniform nutrient diffusion. Bioprinting techniques successfully build mathematically defined porous architecture to diminish resistance to mass transfer. Current limitations of bioprinted cell assemblies include poor micro-scale formability of cell-laden soft gels and asymmetrical macro-scale diffusion through 3D volumes. The objective of this work is to engineer a synchronized multi-material bioprinter (SMMB) system which improves the resolution and expands the capability of existing bioprinting systems by packaging multiple cell types in heterotypic arrays prior to deposition. This unit cell approach to arranging multiple cell-laden solutions is integrated with a motion system to print heterogeneous filaments as tissue engineered scaffolds and nanoliter droplets. The set of SMMB process parameters control the geometric arrangement of the combined flow’s internal features and constituent material’s volume fractions. SMMB printed hepatocyte-endothelial laden 200 nl droplets are cultured in a rotary cell culture system (RCCS) to study the effect of microgravity on an in vitro model of the human hepatic lobule. RCCS conditioning for 48 h increased hepatocyte cytoplasm diameter 2 μm, increased metabolic rate, and decreased drug half-life. SMMB hetero-cellular models present a 10-fold increase in metabolic rate, compared to SMMB mono-culture models. Improved bioprinting resolution due to process control of cell-laden matrix packaging as well as nanoliter droplet printing capability identify SMMB as a viable technique to improve in vitro model efficacy. (paper)

  19. Exposure to Carbon Nanotube Material: Assessment of Nanotube Cytotoxicity Using Human Keratinocyte Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shvedova, Anna A.; Castranova, Vincent; Kisin, Elena R.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Murray, Ashley R.; Gandelsman, Vadim Z.; Maynard, Andrew; Baron, Paul

    2003-01-01

    Carbon nanotubes are new members of carbon allotropes similar to fullerenes and graphite. Because of their unique electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties, carbon nanotubes are important for novel applications in the electronics, aerospace, and computer industries. Exposure to graphite and carbon materials has been associated with increased incidence of skin diseases, such as carbon fiber dermatitis, hyperkeratosis, and naevi. We investigated adverse effects of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) using a cell culture of immortalized human epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT). After 18 h of exposure of HaCaT to SWCNT, oxidative stress and cellular toxicity were indicated by formation of free radicals, accumulation of peroxidative products, antioxidant depletion, and loss of cell viability. Exposure to SWCNT also resulted in ultrastructural and morphological changes in cultured skin cells. These data indicate that dermal exposure to unrefined SWCNT may lead to dermal toxicity due to accelerated oxidative stress in the skin of exposed workers.

  20. Ninth workshop on crystalline silicon solar cell materials and processes: Summary discussion sessions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sopori, B.; Tan, T.; Swanson, D.; Rosenblum, M.; Sinton, R.

    1999-01-01

    This report is a summary of the panel discussions included with the Ninth Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Materials and Processes. The theme for the workshop was ''R and D Challenges and Opportunities in Si Photovoltaics''. This theme was chosen because it appropriately reflects a host of challenges that the growing production of Si photovoltaics will be facing in the new millennium. The anticipated challenges will arise in developing strategies for cost reduction, increased production, higher throughput per manufacturing line, new sources of low-cost Si, and the introduction of new manufacturing processes for cell production. At the same time, technologies based on CdTe and CIS will come on line posing new competition. With these challenges come new opportunities for Si PV to wean itself from the microelectronics industry, to embark on a more aggressive program in thin-film Si solar cells, and to try new approaches to process monitoring

  1. Ultrathin Cu2O as an efficient inorganic hole transporting material for perovskite solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Yu, Weili

    2016-02-18

    We demonstrate that ultrathin P-type Cu2O thin films fabricated by a facile thermal oxidation method can serve as a promising hole-transporting material in perovskite solar cells. Following a two-step method, inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells were fabricated and a power conversion efficiency of 11.0% was achieved. We find that the thickness and properties of Cu2O layers must be precisely tuned in order to achieve the optimal solar cell performance. The good performance of such perovskite solar cells can be attributed to the unique properties of ultrathin Cu2O, including high hole mobility, good energy level alignment with CH3NH3PbI3, and longer lifetime of photo-excited carriers. Combining merits of low cost, facile synthesis, and high device performance, ultrathin Cu2O films fabricated via thermal oxidation hold promise for facilitating the developments of industrial-scale perovskite solar cells.

  2. In vitro degradation and cell response of calcium carbonate composite ceramic in comparison with other synthetic bone substitute materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Fupo; Zhang, Jing; Yang, Fanwen; Zhu, Jixiang; Tian, Xiumei; Chen, Xiaoming

    2015-01-01

    The robust calcium carbonate composite ceramics (CC/PG) can be acquired by fast sintering calcium carbonate at a low temperature (650 °C) using a biocompatible, degradable phosphate-based glass (PG) as sintering agent. In the present study, the in vitro degradation and cell response of CC/PG were assessed and compared with 4 synthetic bone substitute materials, calcium carbonate ceramic (CC), PG, hydroxyapatite (HA) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) ceramics. The degradation rates in decreasing order were as follows: PG, CC, CC/PG, β-TCP, and HA. The proliferation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) cultured on the CC/PG was comparable with that on CC and PG, but inferior to HA and β-TCP. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of rMSCs on CC/PG was lower than PG, comparable with β-TCP, but higher than HA. The rMSCs on CC/PG and PG had enhanced gene expression in specific osteogenic markers, respectively. Compared to HA and β-TCP, the rMSCs on the CC/PG expressed relatively lower level of collagen I and runt-related transcription factor 2, but showed more considerable expression of osteopontin. Although CC, PG, HA, and β-TCP possessed impressive performances in some specific aspects, they faced extant intrinsic drawbacks in either degradation rate or mechanical strength. Based on considerable compressive strength, moderate degradation rate, good cell response, and being free of obvious shortcoming, the CC/PG is promising as another choice for bone substitute materials. - Highlights: • A calcium carbonate composite ceramic (CC/PG) was acquired. • The in vitro degradation and cell response of CC/PG were compared to 4 materials. • The CC/PG showed moderate degradation rate. • The CC/PG exhibited good cell response. • The CC/PG was free of obvious drawback compared to other materials

  3. Modeling the properties of closed-cell cellular materials from tomography images using finite shell elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caty, O.; Maire, E.; Youssef, S.; Bouchet, R.

    2008-01-01

    Closed-cell cellular materials exhibit several interesting properties. These properties are, however, very difficult to simulate and understand from the knowledge of the cellular microstructure. This problem is mostly due to the highly complex organization of the cells and to their very fine walls. X-ray tomography can produce three-dimensional (3-D) images of the structure, enabling one to visualize locally the damage of the cell walls that would result in the structure collapsing. These data could be used for meshing with continuum elements of the structure for finite element (FE) calculations. But when the density is very low, the walls are fine and the meshes based on continuum elements are not suitable to represent accurately the structure while preserving the representativeness of the model in terms of cell size. This paper presents a shell FE model obtained from tomographic 3-D images that allows bigger volumes of low-density closed-cell cellular materials to be calculated. The model is enriched by direct thickness measurement on the tomographic images. The values measured are ascribed to the shell elements. To validate and use the model, a structure composed of stainless steel hollow spheres is firstly compressed and scanned to observe local deformations. The tomographic data are also meshed with shells for a FE calculation. The convergence of the model is checked and its performance is compared with a continuum model. The global behavior is compared with the measures of the compression test. At the local scale, the model allows the local stress and strain field to be calculated. The calculated deformed shape is compared with the deformed tomographic images

  4. Full color emitting fluorescent carbon material as reversible pH sensor with multicolor live cell imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Vinay; Kaur, Navpreet; Tiwari, Pranav; Mobin, Shaikh M

    2018-05-01

    Carbon-based nano materials are developed as a cytocompatible alternative to semiconducting quantum dots for bioimaging and fluorescence-based sensing. The green alternatives for the synthesis of carbon materials are imminent. The present study demonstrates microwave based one step quick synthesis of fluorescent carbon material (FCM) having three variants: (i) un-doped fluorescent carbon material (UFCM) (ii) nitrogen doped FCM (N@FCM), and (iii) nitrogen & phosphorus co-doped FCM (N-P@FCM) using sugarcane extract as a carbon source. The N doping was performed using ethylenediamine and phosphoric acid was used for P doping. The heteroatom doped FCM were synthesized due to insolubility of UFCM in water. Unlike, UFCM, the N@FCM and N-P@FCM were found to be highly soluble in water. The N-P@FCM shows highest quantum yield among the three. The N-P@FCM was explored for alkaline pH sensing and it shows a quenching of fluorescence in the pH range 09-14. The sensing behaviour shows reversibility and high selectivity. Further, the sensor was also investigated for their biocompatibility and hence employed as a promising multicolour probe for cancer cell imaging. The generality in cell imaging was investigated by flow cytometry. The hetero-atom doped green carbon-dots may open new avenues for sensing and selective cellular targeting. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Isolasi dan karakterisasi bakteri berpotensi probiotik pada ikan kembung (Rastrelliger sp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuni Dewi Safrida

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Probiotics bacteria are beneficial microbes to improve microbial balance in the digestive tract. The objective of the research was to isolate and characterize of potential probiotic bacteria in mackerel fish (Rastrelliger sp.. The research was done from April to August 2012 at Laboratory of Microbiology Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh. Isolation and characterization used dilution and scratches quadrant methods. The result showed that there were five potential isolates of probiotic bacteria varied morphological colony and cell. The isolate have circular form (100%, entire margin (80%, flat (60%, cream color (40%, gram positive bacteria (80%, coccus shape (100% and non motile (60%. Keywords: Probiotics,

  6. Nanostructured Carbon Materials as Supports in the Preparation of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Electrocatalysts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Jesús Lázaro

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Different advanced nanostructured carbon materials, such as carbon nanocoils, carbon nanofibers, graphitized ordered mesoporous carbons and carbon xerogels, presenting interesting features such as high electrical conductivity and extensively developed porous structure were synthesized and used as supports in the preparation of electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs. The main advantage of these supports is that their physical properties and surface chemistry can be tailored to adapt the carbonaceous material to the catalytic requirements. Moreover, all of them present a highly mesoporous structure, diminishing diffusion problems, and both graphitic character and surface area can be conveniently modified. In the present work, the influence of the particular features of each material on the catalytic activity and stability was analyzed. Results have been compared with those obtained for commercial catalysts supported on Vulcan XC-72R, Pt/C and PtRu/C (ETEK. Both a highly ordered graphitic and mesopore-enriched structure of these advanced nanostructured materials resulted in an improved electrochemical performance in comparison to the commercial catalysts assayed, both towards CO and alcohol oxidation.

  7. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials

    CERN Document Server

    Saravanan, R

    2018-01-01

    Developing materials for SOFC applications is one of the key topics in energy research. The book focuses on manganite structured materials, such as doped lanthanum chromites and lanthanum manganites, which have interesting properties: thermal and chemical stability, mixed ionic and electrical conductivity, electrocatalytic activity, magnetocaloric property and colossal magnetoresistance (CMR).

  8. 2002 materials report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    ); advanced processes and high temperature materials (superalloys microstructure and creep behavior, ferromagnetic micro-wires elaboration and magnetic properties, development of a new thermo-stable polymer, technical thermo-plastics); 3 - materials for new energy technologies (membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), new catalysts for PEMFC, materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), micro-fuel cells, hydrogen storage materials, micro-concentrators for photovoltaic cells, improvement of lithium battery performances). (J.S.)

  9. Sonication reduces the attachment of Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 cells to bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models and cut plant material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Michelle S F; Rahman, Sadequr; Dykes, Gary A

    2017-04-01

    This study investigated the removal of bacterial surface structures, particularly flagella, using sonication, and examined its effect on the attachment of Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028 cells to plant cell walls. S. Typhimurium ATCC 14028 cells were subjected to sonication at 20 kHz to remove surface structures without affecting cell viability. Effective removal of flagella was determined by staining flagella of sonicated cells with Ryu's stain and enumerating the flagella remaining by direct microscopic counting. The attachment of sonicated S. Typhimurium cells to bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models and cut plant material (potato, apple, lettuce) was then evaluated. Varying concentrations of pectin and/or xyloglucan were used to produce a range of bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models. As compared to the non-sonicated controls, sonicated S. Typhimurium cells attached in significantly lower numbers (between 0.5 and 1.0 log CFU/cm 2 ) to all surfaces except to the bacterial cellulose-only composite without pectin and xyloglucan. Since attachment of S. Typhimurium to the bacterial cellulose-only composite was not affected by sonication, this suggests that bacterial surface structures, particularly flagella, could have specific interactions with pectin and xyloglucan. This study indicates that sonication may have potential applications for reducing Salmonella attachment during the processing of fresh produce. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Recent Progress on the Key Materials and Components for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells in Vehicle Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng Wang

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Fuel cells are the most clean and efficient power source for vehicles. In particular, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs are the most promising candidate for automobile applications due to their rapid start-up and low-temperature operation. Through extensive global research efforts in the latest decade, the performance of PEMFCs, including energy efficiency, volumetric and mass power density, and low temperature startup ability, have achieved significant breakthroughs. In 2014, fuel cell powered vehicles were introduced into the market by several prominent vehicle companies. However, the low durability and high cost of PEMFC systems are still the main obstacles for large-scale industrialization of this technology. The key materials and components used in PEMFCs greatly affect their durability and cost. In this review, the technical progress of key materials and components for PEMFCs has been summarized and critically discussed, including topics such as the membrane, catalyst layer, gas diffusion layer, and bipolar plate. The development of high-durability processing technologies is also introduced. Finally, this review is concluded with personal perspectives on the future research directions of this area.

  11. Materiais cerâmicos para células a combustível Ceramic materials for fuel cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Z. de Florio

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available A partir da definição de células a combustível, é feita uma introdução sucinta dos tipos de células e dos materiais cerâmicos que são empregados em projeto e fabricação destes dispositivos geradores de energia elétrica. Tomando por base a ampla literatura científica disponível em publicações periódicas internacionais indexadas e arbitradas, bem como patentes, são relatados com detalhes os materiais cerâmicos com comportamento elétrico adequado para uso como eletrólitos, anodos, catodos, interconectores e selantes, que são os componentes básicos de células a combustível de óxidos sólidos. Por fim, é feita uma avaliação do estado da arte na pesquisa e desenvolvimento de materiais cerâmicos para uso em células a combustível de óxidos sólidos.Basic definitions of fuel cells and a brief introduction of different types of fuel cells are given. A review of the most important ceramic materials being considered for the design and fabrication of devices for producing electrical energy is presented. Ceramic materials with suitable electrical behavior to be used as electrolytes, anodes, cathodes, interconnectors, and sealants of solid oxide fuel cells are reported with details, taking into account the large number of available indexed and refereed scientific publications and patents. Finally, an evaluation of the state of the art of the research and development of ceramic materials for solid oxide fuel cells is presented.

  12. Nanostructured Semiconductor Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Cavallo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Since O’Regan and Grätzel’s first report in 1991, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs appeared immediately as a promising low-cost photovoltaic technology. In fact, though being far less efficient than conventional silicon-based photovoltaics (being the maximum, lab scale prototype reported efficiency around 13%, the simple design of the device and the absence of the strict and expensive manufacturing processes needed for conventional photovoltaics make them attractive in small-power applications especially in low-light conditions, where they outperform their silicon counterparts. Nanomaterials are at the very heart of DSSC, as the success of its design is due to the use of nanostructures at both the anode and the cathode. In this review, we present the state of the art for both n-type and p-type semiconductors used in the photoelectrodes of DSSCs, showing the evolution of the materials during the 25 years of history of this kind of devices. In the case of p-type semiconductors, also some other energy conversion applications are touched upon.

  13. Dry storage cells for radioactive material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bradley, N.

    1982-01-01

    A concrete cell structure for storing irradiated nuclear fuel or other highly active waste has air inlets in the roof and an outlet stack for effecting natural draught ventilation. Air flows through cells in heat exchange with nuclear fuel containers. The concrete cell structure is housed within a steel framed and sheeted weather tight building which provides a large air plenum for its inlet ports and thereby avoids serious pressure variations at these ports caused by wind loadings. (author)

  14. Mesoporous TiO2 : an alternative material for PEM fuel cells catalyst support

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Do, T.B. [Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Dept. of Materials Science; Ruthkosky, M.; Cai, M. [General Motors, Warren, MI (United States). Research and Development Center

    2008-07-01

    This paper discussed the feasibility of using an alternative catalyst support material to replace carbon in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The alternative catalyst support material requires a high surface area with a large porosity but must have comparable conductivity with carbon. A mesoporous titanium oxide (TiO2) material produced by coprecipitation was introduced. The conductivity of the material is about one order of that of carbon. The 8 mole per cent Nb-doped TiO2 was formed and deposited on the surface of a nano polystyrene (PS) template via the hydrolysis of a co-solution of Ti(OC4H9)4 and Nb(OC2H5)5. The removal of PS by heat treatment produced porous structure of TiO2 with the appearance of 3 different pore types, notably open pore, ink-pot pores and closed pores. TiO2 formed from the rutile phase, allowing a lower activation temperature at 850 degrees C in a hydrogen atmosphere. The pore structures were retained after this heat treatment. The BET surface area was 116 m{sup 2}/g, porosity was 22 per cent and the average pore size was 159 angstrom. The conductivity improved considerably from almost non-conductive to one order of that of carbon.

  15. Liquid electrolyte-free, solid-state solar cells with inorganic hole transport materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kanatzidis, Mercouri G.; Chung, In; Lee, Byunghong; Chang, Robert P. H.

    2017-10-31

    Photovoltaic cells incorporating the compounds A/M/X compounds as hole transport materials are provide. The A/M/X compounds comprise one or more A moieties, one or more M atoms and one or more X atoms. The A moieties are selected from organic cations and elements from Group 1 of the periodic table, the M atoms are selected from elements from at least one of Groups 3, 4, 5, 13, 14 or 15 of the periodic table, and the X atoms are selected from elements from Group 17 of the periodic table.

  16. Silicon materials task of the Low Cost Solar Array Project: Effect of impurities and processing on silicon solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, R. H.; Davis, J. R.; Rohatgi, A.; Hanes, M. H.; Rai-Choudhury, P.; Mollenkopf, H. C.

    1982-01-01

    The effects of impurities and processing on the characteristics of silicon and terrestrial silicon solar cells were defined in order to develop cost benefit relationships for the use of cheaper, less pure solar grades of silicon. The amount of concentrations of commonly encountered impurities that can be tolerated in typical p or n base solar cells was established, then a preliminary analytical model from which the cell performance could be projected depending on the kinds and amounts of contaminants in the silicon base material was developed. The impurity data base was expanded to include construction materials, and the impurity performace model was refined to account for additional effects such as base resistivity, grain boundary interactions, thermal processing, synergic behavior, and nonuniform impurity distributions. A preliminary assessment of long term (aging) behavior of impurities was also undertaken.

  17. The use of ultrasound for the fabrication of fuel cell materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pollet, Bruno G. [PEM Fuel Cell Research Group, Centre for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston Road, Birmingham, B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

    2010-11-15

    This paper reviews the use and advantages of ultrasound for the preparation of fuel cell materials which is currently an emerging research area. The review also focuses on recent studies of ultrasonic, sonochemical and sonoelectrochemical production of noble metals and fuel cell electrocatalysts, carbon supported electrocatalysts, fuel cell electrodes and membranes. It is shown that ultrasound can be used as an effective method for producing nanosize mono- and bi-metallics (<10 nm) in the absence and presence of surfactants and alcohols. In most cases, the formation of nano-metallics is attributed to radical species (H. and OH.) generated by water sonolysis induced by cavitation whereby the nano-metallic size strongly depends upon the ultrasonic frequency and time, the type of surfactant, alcohol and atmospheric gas. It is also shown that the sonochemical production of carbon-supported mono- and bi-metallic catalysts gives excellent electrochemical activity due to surface functionalisation of the support and better dispersion induced by ultrasound. These observations are mainly due to enhanced mass-transfer caused by asymmetrical collapse of cavitation bubbles at the surface support leading to the formation of high velocity jets of liquid being directed toward its surface. This jetting, together with acoustic streaming, is thought to lead to random punctuation and disruption of the mass-transfer at the surface. (author)

  18. Isolasi dan Karakterisasi Ralstonia syzygii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanuar Danaatmadja

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Ralstonia syzygii is one of important pathogens of cloves. This study was aimed at obtaining pure culture of R. syzygi from diseased plant tissue samples. The acterium was isolated from infected clove plantations in Ungaran, Central Java. It had the ability to make clove seedlings show symptoms and then die 41 days after inoculation. The reisolated bacterium also showed its ability to kill clove seedlings after 17 days. The bacterium is gram negative, able to ultilize glucose, sucrose, maltose, mannitol, sorbitol, dulcitol, and glycerol, able to hydrolyze starch, grow well at 27oC, able to catalyze and release water and oxygen from hydrogen peroxyde (H2O2 and aerobically.   Ralstonia syzygii merupakan salah satu patogen penting pada tanaman cengkeh. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mendapakan isolat murni R syzygii dari jaringan tanaman terinfeksi. Bakteri diisolasi dari pertanaman cengkeh sakit yang berasal dari daerah Ungaran, Jawa Tengah. Bakteri menunjukkan kemampuan untuk menyebabkan bibit tanaman cangkeh sakit dan kemudian mati 41 hsi. Bakteri hasil reisolasi juga menunjukkan kemampuannya menyebabkan sakit dan kematian pada bibit tanaman cengkeh setelah 17 hsi. Bakteri yang diperoleh bersifat gram negatif, mampu memanfaatkan glukosa, sukrosa, maltosa, manitol, sorbitol, dulsitol, dan gliserol, mampu menghidrolisis pati, tumbuh baik pada suhu 27o C, mampu mengkatalisis dan melepaskan air dan oksigen dari hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 dan bersifat aerob.

  19. Teknologi Proses Pembuatan Molecular Sieve TiZA Untuk Pemekatan Asam Nitrat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Nurdin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Molecular sieve zeolit dapat memurnikan campuran larutan yang bersifat azeotrop yang tidak bisa dilakukan menggunakan metode distilasi biasa. Namun, masih memiliki kelemahan dalam half life time molecular sieve tersebut, khususnya stabilitas bahan apabila digunakan pada larutan yang bersifat korosif seperti larutan asam atau basa. Pada penelitian ini telah  dilakukan pembuatan molecular sieve zeolit A yang dimodifikasi  dengan penambahan 10% titanium. Molecular sieve titanium - zeolit A (TiZA dibuat dengan dengan metode hidrotermal pada temperatur 110 °C dan kalsinasi pada temperatur 500 °C. Karakterisasi dilakukan antara lain menggunakan X-ray Diffraction (XRD, Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX dan karakterisasi pori dengan metode physisorption menggunakan nitrogen pada temperatur 44 K. Molecular sieve TiZA yang dihasilkan stabil terhadap temperatur tinggi, dan larutan asam. Modifikasi zeolit A dengan titanium telah mampu meningkatkan stabilitas molecular sieve Ti-zeolit A dalam larutan asam nitrat selama 24 jam. Distribusi ukuran pori BJH (Barret Joyner Halenda  yang sempit menggambarkan ukuran yang homogen dengan didominasi oleh mikro porus dengan diameter rata-rata sekitar 4Å. Uji coba pemurnian asam nitrat dengan menggunakan molecular sieve secara single stage dapat meningkatkan kemurnian asam nitrat dari 70% hingga 85%.

  20. Advanced Materials for PEM-Based Fuel Cell Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    James E. McGrath

    2005-10-26

    Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are quickly becoming attractive alternative energy sources for transportation, stationary power, and small electronics due to the increasing cost and environmental hazards of traditional fossil fuels. Two main classes of PEMFCs include hydrogen/air or hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The current benchmark membrane for both types of PEMFCs is Nafion, a perfluorinated sulfonated copolymer made by DuPont. Nafion copolymers exhibit good thermal and chemical stability, as well as very high proton conductivity under hydrated conditions at temperatures below 80 °C. However, application of these membranes is limited due to their high methanol permeability and loss of conductivity at high temperatures and low relative humidities. These deficiencies have led to the search for improved materials for proton exchange membranes. Potential PEMs should have good thermal, hydrolytic, and oxidative stability, high proton conductivity, selective permeability, and mechanical durability over long periods of time. Poly(arylene ether)s, polyimides, polybenzimidazoles, and polyphenylenes are among the most widely investigated candidates for PEMs. Poly(arylene ether)s are a promising class of proton exchange membranes due to their excellent thermal and chemical stability and high glass transition temperatures. High proton conductivity can be achieved through post-sulfonation of poly(arylene ether) materials, but this most often results in very high water sorption or even water solubility. Our research has shown that directly polymerized poly(arylene ether) copolymers show important advantages over traditional post-sulfonated systems and also address the concerns with Nafion membranes. These properties were evaluated and correlated with morphology, structure-property relationships, and

  1. Controlled synthesis of various ZnO nanostructured materials by capping agents-assisted hydrothermal method for dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akhtar, M. Shaheer; Khan, M. Alam; Yang, O-Bong [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Center for Advanced Radiation Technology, Jeon-Ju (Korea); New and Renewable Energy Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeon-Ju (Korea); Jeon, Myung Seok [Photocatalysis and Photoelectrochemistry Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), Daejon 305-343 (Korea)

    2008-11-15

    In this work, the morphology of ZnO materials could be controlled by changing the capping agent at constant alkali solution in hydrothermal process. ZnO nanomaterials with the structure of flowers, sheet-spheres and plates were obtained with the capping agent of ammonia, citric acid and oxalic acid, respectively. Thus prepared ZnO nanomaterials were characterized and applied as the photo-anode materials for dye-sensitized solar cell. All synthesized ZnO nanomaterials possessed high crystalline wurtzite structures grown in the (001) direction with the size of 2-4{mu}m, which consist of ZnO units around 20-400 nm. Among them, Sheet-sphere ZnO showed the highest crystallinity, surface area and uniform film morphology, resulting in the significantly improved PV performance with the overall conversion efficiency of 2.61% in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) fabricated with sheet-sphere ZnO. It is notable that the ZnO materials with sphere structure may be the optimal photo-anode material among various ZnO nanomaterials for DSSC. (author)

  2. Tribological comparison of materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Bing

    Approximately 600,000 total joint replacement surgeries are performed each year in the United States. Current artificial joint implants are mainly metal-on-plastic. The synthetic biomaterials undergo degradation through fatigue and corrosive wear from load-bearing and the aqueous ionic environment of the human body. Deposits of inorganic salts can scratch weight-bearing surfaces, making artificial joints stiff and awkward. The excessive wear debris from polyethylene leads to osteolysis and potential loosening of the prosthesis. The lifetime for well-designed artificial joints is at most 10 to 15 years. A patient can usually have two total joint replacements during her/his lifetime. Durability is limited by the body's reaction to wear debris of the artificial joints. Wear of the artificial joints should be reduced. A focus of this thesis is the tribological performance of bearing materials for Total Replacement Artificial Joints (TRAJ). An additional focus is the scaffolds for cell growth from both a tissue engineering and tribological perspective. The tribological properties of materials including Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated materials were tested for TRAJ implants. The DLC coatings are chemically inert, impervious to acid and saline media, and are mechanically hard. Carbon-based materials are highly biocompatible. A new alternative to total joints implantation is tissue engineering. Tissue engineering is the replacement of living tissue with tissue that is designed and constructed to meet the needs of the individual patient. Cells were cultured onto the artificial materials, including metals, ceramics, and polymers, and the frictional properties of these materials were investigated to develop a synthetic alternative to orthopedic transplants. Results showed that DLC coated materials had low friction and wear, which are desirable tribological properties for artificial joint material. Cells grew on some of the artificial matrix materials, depending on the

  3. Candidate solar cell materials for photovoltaic conversion in a solar power satellite /SPS/

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glaser, P. E.; Almgren, D. W.

    1978-01-01

    In recognition of the obstacles to solar-generated baseload power on earth, proposals have been made to locate solar power satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), where solar energy would be available 24 hours a day during most of the time of the year. In an SPS, the electricity produced by solar energy conversion will be fed to microwave generators forming part of a planar phase-array transmitting antenna. The antenna is designed to precisely direct a microwave beam of very low intensity to one or more receiving antennas at desired locations on earth. At the receiving antenna, the microwave energy will be safely and efficiently reconverted to electricity and then be transmitted to consumers. An SPS system will include a number of satellites in GEO. Attention is given to the photovoltaic option for solar energy conversion in GEO, solar cell requirements, the availability of materials, the implication of large production volumes, requirements for high-volume manufacture of solar cell arrays, and the effects of concentration ratio on solar cell array area.

  4. High-temperature Raman spectroscopy of solid oxide fuel cell materials and processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pomfret, Michael B; Owrutsky, Jeffrey C; Walker, Robert A

    2006-09-07

    Chemical and material processes occurring in high temperature environments are difficult to quantify due to a lack of experimental methods that can probe directly the species present. In this letter, Raman spectroscopy is shown to be capable of identifying in-situ and noninvasively changes in material properties as well as the formation and disappearance of molecular species on surfaces at temperatures of 715 degrees C. The material, yttria-stabilized zirconia or YSZ, and the molecular species, Ni/NiO and nanocrystalline graphite, factor prominently in the chemistry of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Experiments demonstrate the ability of Raman spectroscopy to follow reversible oxidation/reduction kinetics of Ni/NiO as well as the rate of carbon disappearance when graphite, formed in-situ, is exposed to a weakly oxidizing atmosphere. In addition, the Raman active phonon mode of YSZ shows a temperature dependent shift that correlates closely with the expansion of the lattice parameter, thus providing a convenient internal diagnostic for identifying thermal gradients in high temperature systems. These findings provide direct insight into processes likely to occur in operational SOFCs and motivate the use of in-situ Raman spectroscopy to follow chemical processes in these high-temperature, electrochemically active environments.

  5. Evaluation of materials for bipolar plates in simulated PEM fuel-cell cathodic environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rivas, S.V.; Belmonte, M.R.; Moron, L.E.; Torres, J.; Orozco, G. [Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo Technologico en Electroquimica S.C. Parcque Sanfandila, Queretaro (Mexico); Perez-Quiroz, J.T. [Mexican Transport Inst., Queretaro (Mexico); Cortes, M. A. [Mexican Petroleum Inst., Mexico City (Mexico)

    2008-04-15

    The bipolar plates in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are exposed to an oxidizing environment on the cathodic side, and therefore are susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion resistant materials are needed for the bipolar plates in order to improve the lifespan of fuel cells. This article described a study in which a molybdenum (Mo) coating was deposited over austenitic stainless steel 316 and carbon steel as substrates in order to evaluate the resulting surfaces with respect to their corrosion resistance in simulated anodic and cathodic PEMFC environments. The molybdenum oxide films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The article presented the experiment and discussed the results of the corrosion behaviour of coated stainless steel. In general, the electrochemical characterization of bare materials and coated steel consisted of slow potentiodynamic polarization curves followed by a constant potential polarization test. The test medium was 0.5M sulfuric acid with additional introduction of oxygen to simulate the cathodic environment. All tests were performed at ambient temperature and at 50 degrees Celsius. The potentiostat used was a Gamry instrument. It was concluded that it is possible to deposit Mo-oxides on steel without using another alloying metal. The preferred substrate for corrosion prevention was found to be an alloy with high chromium content. 24 refs., 4 figs.

  6. Novel non-platinum metal catalyst material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2014-01-01

    The present invention relates to a novel non-platinum metal catalyst material for use in low temperature fuel cells and electrolysers and to fuel cells and electrolysers comprising the novel non-platinum metal catalyst material. The present invention also relates to a novel method for synthesizing...... the novel non-platinum metal catalyst material....

  7. Mechanism investigation for poloxamer 188 raw material variation in cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Haofan; Ali, Amr; Lanan, Maureen; Hughes, Erik; Wiltberger, Kelly; Guan, Bing; Prajapati, Shashi; Hu, Weiwei

    2016-05-01

    Variability in poloxamer 188 (P188) raw material, which is routinely used in cell culture media to protect cells from hydrodynamic forces, plays an important role in the process performance. Even though tremendous efforts have been spent to understand the mechanism of poloxamer's protection, the root cause for lot-to-lot variation was not clear. A recent study reported that the low performance was not due to toxicity but inefficiency to protect cells (Peng et al., Biotechnol Prog. 2014;30:1411-1418). In this study, it was demonstrated for the first time that the addition of other surfactants even at a very low level can interfere with P188 resulting in a loss of efficiency. It was also found that the performance of P188 lots correlated well with its foam stability. Foam generated from low performing lots in baffled shaker flask lasts longer, which suggests that the components in the foam layers are different. The spiking of foam generated from a low performing lot into the media containing a high performance lot resulted in cell damage and low growth. Analytical studies using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) identified differences in high molecular weight (HMW) species present in the P188 lots. These differences are much clearer when comparing the HMW region of the SEC chromatogram of foam vs. bulk liquid samples. This study shows that low performing lots have enriched HMW species in foam samples due to high hydrophobicity, which can be potentially used as a screening assay. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:767-775, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  8. Synthesis and characterization of novel electrolyte materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaubey, Nityanand; Chattopadhyaya, M.C.; Wani, B.N.; Bharadwaj, S.R.

    2008-01-01

    The high operating temperature of SOFCs using zirconia based electrolyte have several restrictions on materials used as interconnect and sealing and also requires use of expensive ceramics. Lowering the operating temperature of SOFCs to 600-800 deg C will enable to use cheaper materials and reduce the cost of fabrication while keeping the high power density. Lanthanide gallates are considered to be very promising solid electrolytes for intermediate temperature (600-800 deg C) solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) due to their high ionic conductivity at lower temperatures. Phase purity of this material is a concern for the researchers for a long time. These materials are prepared at very high temperature (∼1400 deg C), since it is known that at around 1100 deg C, solubilities of Sr and Mg in LaGaO 3 were close to zero. Hence in the present work perovskite oxides of Ln 1-x Sr x Ga 1-y Mg y O 3-δ (Ln= Sm, Gd and x = 0.10, y=0.20) have been prepared by different methods i.e. solid state reaction, gel combustion and co-precipitation methods

  9. Investigation of test methods, material properties, and processes for solar cell encapsulants. Annual report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Willis, P. B.; Baum, B.; Schnitzer, H. S.

    1980-07-01

    The goal of this program is to identify, evaluate, and recommend encapsulant materials and processes for the production of cost-effective, long-life solar cell modules. Technical activities during the past year have covered a number of topics and have emphasized the development of solar module encapsulation technology that employs ethylene/vinyl acetate, copolymer (EVA) as the pottant. These activities have included: (1) continued production of encapsulation grade EVA in sheet form to meet the needs of the photovoltaic industry; (2) investigations of three non-blocking techniques for EVA sheet; (3) performed an economic analysis of the high volume production of each pottant in order to estimate the large volume selling price (EVA, EPDM, aliphatic urethane, PVC plastisol, and butyl acrylate); (4) initiated an experimental corrosion protection program to determine if metal components could be successfully protected by encapsulation; (5) began an investigation to determine the maximum temperature which can be tolerated by the candidate pottant material in the event of hot spot heating or other temperature override; (6) continuation of surveys of potentially useful outer cover materials; and (7) continued with the accelerated artificial weathering of candidate encapsulation materials. Study results are presented. (WHK)

  10. KARAKTERISASI DAN KLASIFIKASI TANAH ULTISOL DI KECAMATAN INDRAJAYA KABUPATEN PIDIE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sri Handayani

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available  This study aims to examine the characteristics of Ultisol soil and produce a system of naming Ultisol soil according to the USDA Land Taxonomy system in Indrajaya District, Pidie District. This research will be carried out in the villages of Gle Gapui, Tuha Suwiek and Masjid Suwiek Indrajaya sub-districts from June to November 2015. This study uses descriptive-quantitative method, which consists of the following stages: (1 Preparation, ie collecting secondary data such as climate data, maps etc. Then prepare the tools and materials for the field survey and establish the ground pedon (2 Field activities, including observation of soil profile, soil sampling, laboratory analysis. Subsequently classified the land based on the USDA Land Taxonomy SystemProfile Gle Gapui climber determinant (horate Bt textured clay where there is increasing clay so it is included into the horizontal horizon. Content weight value is inversely proportional to permeability and porosity. The soil reaction is directly proportional to the saturation of base which is equally low. The content of C- organic, P is available and N total is low. Moderate Cation Exchange Capacity, exchangeable acids (H and Al are high.The classification of Ultisol soil in the location of the Glealing Glean profile is Typic Hapludult, berliat, blend, isohipertermik.Keywords: characteristic, classification, ultisol soil,

  11. Supercapacitors specialities - Materials review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obreja, Vasile V. N.

    2014-06-01

    The electrode material is a key component for supercapacitor cell performance. As it is known, performance comparison of commercial available batteries and supercapacitors reveals significantly lower energy storage capability for supercapacitor devices. The energy density of commercial supercapacitor cells is limited to 10 Wh/kg whereas that of common lead acid batteries reaches 35-40 Wh/kg. For lithium ion batteries a value higher than 100 Wh/kg is easily available. Nevertheless, supercapacitors also known as ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors have other advantages in comparison with batteries. As a consequence, many efforts have been made in the last years to increase the storage energy density of electrochemical capacitors. A lot of results from published work (research and review papers, patents and reports) are available at this time. The purpose of this review is a presentation of the progress to date for the use of new materials and approaches for supercapacitor electrodes, with focus on the energy storage capability for practical applications. Many reported results refer to nanostructured carbon based materials and the related composites, used for the manufacture of experimental electrodes. A specific capacitance and a specific energy are seldom revealed as the main result of the performed investigation. Thus for nanoprous (activated) carbon based electrodes a specific capacitance up to 200-220 F/g is mentioned for organic electrolyte, whereas for aqueous electrolyte, the value is limited to 400-500 F/g. Significant contribution to specific capacitance is possible from fast faradaic reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface in addition to the electric double layer effect. The corresponding energy density is limited to 30-50 Wh/kg for organic electrolyte and to 12-17 Wh/kg for aqueous electrolyte. However such performance indicators are given only for the carbon material used in electrodes. For a supercapacitor cell, where two electrodes

  12. Supercapacitors specialities - Materials review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Obreja, Vasile V. N. [National Research and Development Institute for Microtechnologies (IMT-Bucuresti), Bucharest, 126A Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 (Romania)

    2014-06-16

    The electrode material is a key component for supercapacitor cell performance. As it is known, performance comparison of commercial available batteries and supercapacitors reveals significantly lower energy storage capability for supercapacitor devices. The energy density of commercial supercapacitor cells is limited to 10 Wh/kg whereas that of common lead acid batteries reaches 35-40 Wh/kg. For lithium ion batteries a value higher than 100 Wh/kg is easily available. Nevertheless, supercapacitors also known as ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors have other advantages in comparison with batteries. As a consequence, many efforts have been made in the last years to increase the storage energy density of electrochemical capacitors. A lot of results from published work (research and review papers, patents and reports) are available at this time. The purpose of this review is a presentation of the progress to date for the use of new materials and approaches for supercapacitor electrodes, with focus on the energy storage capability for practical applications. Many reported results refer to nanostructured carbon based materials and the related composites, used for the manufacture of experimental electrodes. A specific capacitance and a specific energy are seldom revealed as the main result of the performed investigation. Thus for nanoprous (activated) carbon based electrodes a specific capacitance up to 200-220 F/g is mentioned for organic electrolyte, whereas for aqueous electrolyte, the value is limited to 400-500 F/g. Significant contribution to specific capacitance is possible from fast faradaic reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface in addition to the electric double layer effect. The corresponding energy density is limited to 30-50 Wh/kg for organic electrolyte and to 12-17 Wh/kg for aqueous electrolyte. However such performance indicators are given only for the carbon material used in electrodes. For a supercapacitor cell, where two electrodes

  13. Supercapacitors specialities - Materials review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obreja, Vasile V. N.

    2014-01-01

    The electrode material is a key component for supercapacitor cell performance. As it is known, performance comparison of commercial available batteries and supercapacitors reveals significantly lower energy storage capability for supercapacitor devices. The energy density of commercial supercapacitor cells is limited to 10 Wh/kg whereas that of common lead acid batteries reaches 35-40 Wh/kg. For lithium ion batteries a value higher than 100 Wh/kg is easily available. Nevertheless, supercapacitors also known as ultracapacitors or electrochemical capacitors have other advantages in comparison with batteries. As a consequence, many efforts have been made in the last years to increase the storage energy density of electrochemical capacitors. A lot of results from published work (research and review papers, patents and reports) are available at this time. The purpose of this review is a presentation of the progress to date for the use of new materials and approaches for supercapacitor electrodes, with focus on the energy storage capability for practical applications. Many reported results refer to nanostructured carbon based materials and the related composites, used for the manufacture of experimental electrodes. A specific capacitance and a specific energy are seldom revealed as the main result of the performed investigation. Thus for nanoprous (activated) carbon based electrodes a specific capacitance up to 200-220 F/g is mentioned for organic electrolyte, whereas for aqueous electrolyte, the value is limited to 400-500 F/g. Significant contribution to specific capacitance is possible from fast faradaic reactions at the electrode-electrolyte interface in addition to the electric double layer effect. The corresponding energy density is limited to 30-50 Wh/kg for organic electrolyte and to 12-17 Wh/kg for aqueous electrolyte. However such performance indicators are given only for the carbon material used in electrodes. For a supercapacitor cell, where two electrodes

  14. Polyelectrolyte multi-layers assembly of SiCHA nanopowders and collagen type I on aminolysed PLA films to enhance cell-material interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baba Ismail, Yanny Marliana; Ferreira, Ana Marina; Bretcanu, Oana; Dalgarno, Kenneth; El Haj, Alicia J

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents a new approach in assembling bone extracellular matrix components onto PLA films, and investigates the most favourable environment which can be created using the technique for cell-material interactions. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) films were chemically modified by covalently binding the poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) as to prepare the substrate for immobilization of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) coating. Negatively charged polyelectrolyte consists of well-dispersed silicon-carbonated hydroxyapatite (SiCHA) nanopowders in hyaluronic acid (Hya) was deposited onto the modified PLA films followed by SiCHA in collagen type I as the positively charged polyelectrolyte. The outermost layer was finally cross-linked by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrocholoride and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide sodium salt (EDC/NHS) solutions. The physicochemical features of the coated PLA films were monitored via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The amounts of calcium and collagen deposited on the surface were qualitatively and quantitatively determined. The surface characterizations suggested that 5-BL has the optimum surface roughness and highest amounts of calcium and collagen depositions among tested films. In vitro human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on the coated PLA films confirmed that the coating materials greatly improved cell attachment and survival compared to unmodified PLA films. The cell viability, cell proliferation and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) expression on 5-BL were found to be the most favourable of the tested films. Hence, this newly developed coating materials assembly could contribute to the improvement of the bioactivity of polymeric materials and structures aimed to bone tissue engineering applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Temperature and humidity effect on aging of silicone rubbers as sealing materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Huawei; Wan, Zhongmin; Chen, Xi; Wan, Junhua; Luo, Liang; Zhang, Haining; Shu, Shuiming; Tu, Zhengkai

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Aging of silicone rubbers with different hardness was investigated. • Existed water molecules from humidified gases can accelerate the aging process. • Silicone rubber with hardness of 40 is more suitable as sealing materials. • Silicone rubbers can be used as sealing materials below 80 °C but not above 100 °C. - Abstract: Durability and reliability of seals around perimeter of each unit are critical to the lifetime of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In this study, we investigate the aging of silicone rubbers with different hardness, often used as sealing materials for fuel cells, subjected to dry and humidified air at different temperatures. The aging properties are characterized by variation of permanent compression set value under compression, mechanical properties, and surface morphology as well. The results show that aging of silicone rubbers becomes more severe with the increase in subjected temperature. At temperature above 100 °C, silicone rubbers are not suitable for fuel cell applications. The existed water molecules from humidified gases can accelerate the aging of silicone rubbers. Among the tested samples, silicone rubber with hardness of 40 is more durable than that with hardness of 30 and 50 for fuel cells. The change of chemical structure after aging suggests that the aging of silicone rubbers mainly results from the chemical decomposition of cross-linker units for connection of polysiloxane backbones and of methyl groups attached to silicon atoms.

  16. Synthesis and characterization of Co-doped lanthanum nickelate perovskites for solid oxide fuel cell cathode material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chavez G, L.; Hinojosa R, M.; Medina L, B.; Ringuede, A.; Cassir, M.; Vannier, R. N.

    2017-01-01

    In the perovskite structures widely investigated and used as solid oxide fuel cells cathodes, oxygen reduction is mainly limited to the triple phase boundary (TPB), where oxygen (air), electrode and electrolyte are in contact. It is possible via the sol-gel modified Pechini method to: 1) control the material grain size, which can increase TPBs, 2) produce a homogenous material and 3) obtain a cathode material in a faster way compared with the solid state route. LaNi_xCo_1_-_xO_3 (x = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7) were synthesized by the modified Pechini method. The perovskite phase formation began at 350 degrees Celsius and the presence of pure LaNi_0_._7Co_0_._3O_3, LaNi_0_._5Co_0_._5O_3 and LaNi_0_._3Co_0_._7O_3 structures was evidenced by high temperature X-ray diffraction (Ht-XRD) measurements. Scanning electron microscopy (Sem) micrographs showed that the microstructure evolves with the amount of cobalt from a coalesced to an open structure. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) on symmetrical cells LaNi_xCo_1_-_xO_3/YSZ (Yttria-stabilized zirconia)/LaNi_xCo_1_-_xO_3 showed that the highest ASR (area specific resistance) is obtained with x = 0.3, whereas ASR values are similar for x = 0.5 and 0.7 at temperatures higher than 600 degrees Celsius. At temperatures lower than 600 degrees Celsius, ASR is the lowest for LaNi_0_._5Co_0_._5O_3, showing that this composition with intermediate porosity appears as a good choice for and intermediate-temperature solid oxid fuel cell. (Author)

  17. Carbon superfine materials as a promising material for Gluconobacter oxydans based microbial fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenchurin, Timur K.; Reshetilov, Anatoly N.; Plekhanova, Yuliya V.; Tarasov, Sergey E.; Bykov, Aleksandr G.; Gutorov, Michail A.; Alferov, Sergey V.; Chvalun, Sergei N.; Orekhov, Anton S.; Shepelev, Alexey D.; Gotovtsev, Pavel M.; Vasilov, Raif G.

    2018-02-01

    We have investigated the properties of a several bioelectrodes based on the immobilization of Gluconobacter oxydans bacterial cells on carbon superfine materials (CFMs). We use three types of CFMs (as adopted by the working classification CFM 1-3). All bioelectrodes was formed by covering the surface of the CFM via suspension of bacteria in a chitosan gel. The properties of samples are evaluated by measuring the physiological state of the bacteria immobilized: (a) recording the intensity of cellular respiration, (b) for measuring the charge transport characteristics of electrode (bioelectrocatalysis), and (c) by measuring the electrode impedance. Measurements (b) and (c) are made on two and three-electrode circuits in the oxidation of ethanol in the presence of 2,6-dichlorophenol electron transport mediator. For CFMs 1 and 2 the electron transport by the oxidation of the substrate is not registered, while for CFM 3 the current generation occurs. The resistance of CFM 3 bioelectrode is below the resistance of CFMs 1 and 2 both before (39.6 kΩ/cm2 for CFM 3, 630 Ω/cm2 for CFM 2, and 1329 Ω/cm2 for CFM 1) and after the addition of the substrate (2.9 kΩ/cm2 for CFM 3, 45 kΩ/cm2 for CFM 2, and 58 kΩ/cm2 for CFM 1). The bioelectrode made of CFM 3 has a capacitance of 196 μF/cm2—greater than two orders of magnitude of the bioelectrode capacity of CFMs 1 and 2 (0.51 and 0.58 μF/cm2, respectively). It is important to further study the properties of the CFM class of materials, which are promising as the basis of mechanically flexible electrodes with controlled parameters.

  18. Two and three dimensional electron backscattered diffraction analysis of solid oxide cells materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saowadee, Nath

    in solid oxide fuel cell and electrolysis cell. Conductivity of STN is one of the important properties that researchers desire to improve. Grin boundary conductivity contributes to the overall conductivity of the STN. Grain boundary density controlled by mainly grain growth in material processing. Grain......There are two main technique were developed in this work: a technique to calculate grain boundary energy and pressure and a technique to measure lattice constant from EBSD. The techniques were applied to Nb-doped Strontium titanate (STN) and yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) which are commonly used...... boundary migration in grain growth involves grain boundary mobility and net pressure on it. Thus grain boundary energy and pressure of STN were calculated in this work. Secondary phase is undesired in STN and YSZ synthesis. The secondary phase in ceramics with the same compounds can have different lattice...

  19. High-resolution high-speed dynamic mechanical spectroscopy of cells and other soft materials with the help of atomic force microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dokukin, M; Sokolov, I

    2015-07-28

    Dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS), which allows measuring frequency-dependent viscoelastic properties, is important to study soft materials, tissues, biomaterials, polymers. However, the existing DMS techniques (nanoindentation) have limited resolution when used on soft materials, preventing them from being used to study mechanics at the nanoscale. The nanoindenters are not capable of measuring cells, nanointerfaces of composite materials. Here we present a highly accurate DMS modality, which is a combination of three different methods: quantitative nanoindentation (nanoDMA), gentle force and fast response of atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Fourier transform (FT) spectroscopy. This new spectroscopy (which we suggest to call FT-nanoDMA) is fast and sensitive enough to allow DMS imaging of nanointerfaces, single cells, while attaining about 100x improvements on polymers in both spatial (to 10-70 nm) and temporal resolution (to 0.7 s/pixel) compared to the current art. Multiple frequencies are measured simultaneously. The use of 10 frequencies are demonstrated here (up to 300 Hz which is a rather relevant range for biological materials and polymers, in both ambient conditions and liquid). The method is quantitatively verified on known polymers and demonstrated on cells and polymers blends. Analysis shows that FT-nanoDMA is highly quantitative. The FT-nanoDMA spectroscopy can easily be implemented in the existing AFMs.

  20. Application of ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy to Compare the Cell Materials of Wood Decay Fungi with Wood Mould Fungi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barun Shankar Gupta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Wood fungi create vast damage among standing trees and all types of wood materials. The objectives of this study are to (a characterize the cell materials of two major wood decay fungi (Basidiomycota, namely, Trametes versicolor and Postia placenta, and (b compare the cell materials of decay fungi with four wood mould fungi (Ascomycota, namely, Aureobasidium pullulans, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, and Ulocladium atrum. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy is used to characterize the microbial cellular materials. The results showed that the IR bands for the fatty acid at ∼2900 cm−1 were different for the two-decay-fungi genre. Postia placenta shows more absorbance peaks at the fatty acid region. Band ratio indices for amide I and amide II from protein amino acids were higher for the mould fungi (Ascomycota than the decay fungi (Basidiomycota. Similarly, the band ratio index calculated for the protein end methyl group was found to be higher for the mould fungi than the decay fungi. Mould fungi along with the decay fungi demonstrated a positive correlation (R2=0.75 between amide I and amide II indices. The three-component multivariate, principal component analysis showed a strong correlation of amide and protein band indices.

  1. Basic reactions of osteoblasts on structured material surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    U. Meyer

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available In order to assess how bone substitute materials determine bone formation in vivo it is useful to understand the mechanisms of the material surface/tissue interaction on a cellular level. Artificial materials are used in two applications, as biomaterials alone or as a scaffold for osteoblasts in a tissue engineering approach. Recently, many efforts have been undertaken to improve bone regeneration by the use of structured material surfaces. In vitro studies of bone cell responses to artificial materials are the basic tool to determine these interactions. Surface properties of materials surfaces as well as biophysical constraints at the biomaterial surface are of major importance since these features will direct the cell responses. Studies on osteoblast-like cell reactivity towards materials will have to focus on the different steps of protein and cell reactions towards defined surface properties. The introduction of new techniques allows nowadays the fabrication of materials with ordered surface structures. This paper gives a review of present knowledge on the various stages of osteoblast reactions on material surfaces, focused on basic cell events under in vitro conditions. Special emphasis is given to cellular reactions towards ordered nano-sized topographies.

  2. A review on solar cells from Si-single crystals to porous materials and quantum dots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badawy, Waheed A

    2015-03-01

    Solar energy conversion to electricity through photovoltaics or to useful fuel through photoelectrochemical cells was still a main task for research groups and developments sectors. In this article we are reviewing the development of the different generations of solar cells. The fabrication of solar cells has passed through a large number of improvement steps considering the technological and economic aspects. The first generation solar cells were based on Si wafers, mainly single crystals. Permanent researches on cost reduction and improved solar cell efficiency have led to the marketing of solar modules having 12-16% solar conversion efficiency. Application of polycrystalline Si and other forms of Si have reduced the cost but on the expense of the solar conversion efficiency. The second generation solar cells were based on thin film technology. Thin films of amorphous Si, CIS (copper-indium-selenide) and t-Si were employed. Solar conversion efficiencies of about 12% have been achieved with a remarkable cost reduction. The third generation solar cells are based on nano-crystals and nano-porous materials. An advanced photovoltaic cell, originally developed for satellites with solar conversion efficiency of 37.3%, based on concentration of the solar spectrum up to 400 suns was developed. It is based on extremely thin concentration cells. New sensitizer or semiconductor systems are necessary to broaden the photo-response in solar spectrum. Hybrids of solar and conventional devices may provide an interim benefit in seeking economically valuable devices. New quantum dot solar cells based on CdSe-TiO2 architecture have been developed.

  3. A review on solar cells from Si-single crystals to porous materials and quantum dots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Waheed A. Badawy

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Solar energy conversion to electricity through photovoltaics or to useful fuel through photoelectrochemical cells was still a main task for research groups and developments sectors. In this article we are reviewing the development of the different generations of solar cells. The fabrication of solar cells has passed through a large number of improvement steps considering the technological and economic aspects. The first generation solar cells were based on Si wafers, mainly single crystals. Permanent researches on cost reduction and improved solar cell efficiency have led to the marketing of solar modules having 12–16% solar conversion efficiency. Application of polycrystalline Si and other forms of Si have reduced the cost but on the expense of the solar conversion efficiency. The second generation solar cells were based on thin film technology. Thin films of amorphous Si, CIS (copper–indium–selenide and t-Si were employed. Solar conversion efficiencies of about 12% have been achieved with a remarkable cost reduction. The third generation solar cells are based on nano-crystals and nano-porous materials. An advanced photovoltaic cell, originally developed for satellites with solar conversion efficiency of 37.3%, based on concentration of the solar spectrum up to 400 suns was developed. It is based on extremely thin concentration cells. New sensitizer or semiconductor systems are necessary to broaden the photo-response in solar spectrum. Hybrids of solar and conventional devices may provide an interim benefit in seeking economically valuable devices. New quantum dot solar cells based on CdSe–TiO2 architecture have been developed.

  4. Development and optimization of radiographic and tomographic methods for characterization of water transport processes in PEM fuel cell materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Markoetter, Henning

    2013-01-01

    Water transport in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) was non-destructively studied during operation with synchrotron X-ray radiography and tomography. The focus was set on the influence of the three-dimensional morphology of the cell materials on the water distribution and transport. Water management is still one of the mayor issues in PEMFC research. If the fuel cell is too dry, the proton conductivity (of the membrane) decreases leading to a performance loss and, in the worst case, to an irreversible damage of the membrane. On the other hand, the presence of water hinders the gas supply and causes a decrease in the cell performance. For this reason, effective water transport is a prerequisite for successful fuel cell operation. In this work the three-dimensional water transport through the gas diffusion layer (GDL) and its correlated with the 3D morphology of the cell materials has been revealed for the first time. It was shown that water is transported preferably through only a few larger pores which form transport paths of low resistance. This effect is pronounced because of the hydrophobic properties of the employed materials. In addition, water transport was found to be bidirectional, i. e. at appropriate locations a back and forth transport between GDL and flow field channels was observed. Furthermore, liquid water in the GDL was found to agglomerate preferably at the ribs of the flow field. This can be explained by condensation due to a temperature gradient in the cell and by the position, which is sheltered from the gas flow. Larger water accumulations in the gas supply channels were mainly attached to the channel wall opposing the GDL. The gas flow can bypass these agglomerations allowing a continuous gas supply. Moreover, it was shown that randomly distributed cracks in the micro porous layers (MPL) play an important role for the agglomeration of liquid water as they form preferred low resistance transport paths. In this work also

  5. Extended abstract proceedings of the 7. international symposium on new materials and nano-materials for electrochemical systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Savadogo, O. [Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Laboratoire de nouveaux materiaux pour l' energie et l' electrochimie; Brisard, G. [Sherbrooke Univ., PQ (Canada). Dept. de Chimie] (eds.)

    2008-07-01

    This conference provided a forum to highlight the many aspects of new materials for electrochemical systems, including fuel cells. It provided a greater understanding of how operational conditions of fuel cells impact the electrochemical, chemical, physical and mechanical properties of materials and therefore the durability and reliability of fuel cell stacks. The presentations introduced the most recent advances and practices involving new materials and nanomaterials for electrochemical systems. The technical challenges facing the commercialization of PEM fuel cells include cost, reliability, service life, electrode performance, freeze/cold start, and power density. To drive performance and cost reduction, new materials must be provided along with more effective nano-electro-catalyst utilization. The presentations provided a comprehensive account on high performance platinum and non-precious metal catalysts for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications. The conference featured 85 presentations, of which 82 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs.

  6. Theoretical characterization and design of small molecule donor material containing naphthodithiophene central unit for efficient organic solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Yu-Ai; Geng, Yun; Li, Hai-Bin; Jin, Jun-Ling; Wu, Yong; Su, Zhong-Min

    2013-07-15

    To seek for high-performance small molecule donor materials used in heterojunction solar cell, six acceptor-donor-acceptor small molecules based on naphtho[2,3-b:6,7-b']dithiophene (NDT) units with different acceptor units were designed and characterized using density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. Their geometries, electronic structures, photophysical, and charge transport properties have been scrutinized comparing with the reported donor material NDT(TDPP)2 (TDPP  =  thiophene-capped diketopyrrolopyrrole). The open circuit voltage (V(oc)), energetic driving force(ΔE(L-L)), and exciton binding energy (E(b)) were also provided to give an elementary understanding on their cell performance. The results reveal that the frontier molecular orbitals of 3-7 match well with the acceptor material PC61 BM, and compounds 3-5 were found to exhibit the comparable performances to 1 and show promising potential in organic solar cells. In particular, comparing with 1, system 7 with naphthobisthiadiazole acceptor unit displays broader absorption spectrum, higher V(oc), lower E(b), and similar carrier mobility. An in-depth insight into the nature of the involved excited states based on transition density matrix and charge density difference indicates that all S1 states are mainly intramolecular charge transfer states with the charge transfer from central NDT unit to bilateral acceptor units, and also imply that the exciton of 7 can be dissociated easily due to its large extent of the charge transfer. In a word, 7 maybe superior to 1 and may act as a promising donor candidate for organic solar cell. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. The carbohydrate-binding module (CBM)-like sequence is crucial for rice CWA1/BC1 function in proper assembly of secondary cell wall materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Kanna; Ito, Sachiko; Fujii, Takeo; Suzuki, Ryu; Takenouchi, Sachi; Nakaba, Satoshi; Funada, Ryo; Sano, Yuzou; Kajita, Shinya; Kitano, Hidemi; Katayama, Yoshihiro

    2010-11-01

    We recently reported that the cwa1 mutation disturbed the deposition and assembly of secondary cell wall materials in the cortical fiber of rice internodes. Genetic analysis revealed that cwa1 is allelic to bc1, which encodes glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored COBRA-like protein with the highest homology to Arabidopsis COBRA-like 4 (COBL4) and maize Brittle Stalk 2 (Bk2). Our results suggested that CWA1/BC1 plays a role in assembling secondary cell wall materials at appropriate sites, enabling synthesis of highly ordered secondary cell wall structure with solid and flexible internodes in rice. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of CWA1/BC1, as well as its orthologs (COBL4, Bk2) and other BC1-like proteins in rice, shows weak similarity to a family II carbohydrate-binding module (CBM2) of several bacterial cellulases. To investigate the importance of the CBM-like sequence of CWA1/BC1 in the assembly of secondary cell wall materials, Trp residues in the CBM-like sequence, which is important for carbohydrate binding, were substituted for Val residues and introduced into the cwa1 mutant. CWA1/BC1 with the mutated sequence did not complement the abnormal secondary cell walls seen in the cwa1 mutant, indicating that the CBM-like sequence is essential for the proper function of CWA1/BC1, including assembly of secondary cell wall materials.

  8. Mechanism of chromium poisoning the conventional cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaoqiang; Yu, Guangsen; Zeng, Shumao; Parbey, Joseph; Xiao, Shuhao; Li, Baihai; Li, Tingshuai; Andersson, Martin

    2018-03-01

    Chromium poisoning the La0.875Sr0.125MnO3 (LSM) cathode for solid oxide fuel cells is a critical issue that can strongly affect the stability. In this study, we evaluate the temperature distribution in a SOFC based on a 3D model and then combine conductivity test and material computation to reveal the effects of chromium in SUS430 stainless steels on LSM conductivities. The starch concentration in LSM pellets and the applied pressure on the contact with interconnect materials show close relationships with the chromium poisoning behavior. The density functional theory (DFT) computing results indicate that chromium atoms preferably adsorb on the MnO2-terminated and La (Sr)-O-terminated (001) surfaces. The resulting conclusions are expected to deeply understand mechanism of chromium deactivating conventional cathodes at some typical operational conditions, and offer crucial information to optimize the structure to avoid the poisoning effect.

  9. Modified Gold Electrode and Hollow Mn3O4 Nanoparticles as Electrode Materials for Microbial Fuel Cell Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhungana, Pramod

    Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology has attracted great attention in the scientific community as it offers the possibility of extraction of electricity from wide range of soluble and dissolved organic waste or renewable biomass, including sludge, waste water and cellulosic biomass. Microbial fuel cells are devices that utilize microbial metabolic processes to convert chemical energy via the oxidation of organic substances to produce electric current. MFCs consist of two chambers, an anode and cathode, separated by ion-permeable materials. The efficiency of producing electricity using the MFC depends on several factors such as immobilization of microorganisms on anode, mode of electron transfer, types of substrate/fuel and effectiveness of cathode materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this work, in order to immobilize the microorganisms on anode materials, we have investigated the surface modification of gold electrode (anode) using alkyl dithiol and aryl thiol with glucose. The modification processes were characterized by using contact angle measurements and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In order to study the effectiveness of cathode materials for ORR, we have synthesized hollow Mn3O 4 nanoparticles which are electrically very poor. Therefore, the hollow nanoparticles were mixed with electrically conductive multi-walled carbon nanotube as support and optimized the mixing process. This composite material shows enhanced ORR activity in all types of pH conditions. In future, we will focus to integrate anode and cathode in MFC to check its efficiency to produce electricity.

  10. Mixed Valence Perovskite Cs2 Au2 I6 : A Potential Material for Thin-Film Pb-Free Photovoltaic Cells with Ultrahigh Efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debbichi, Lamjed; Lee, Songju; Cho, Hyunyoung; Rappe, Andrew M; Hong, Ki-Ha; Jang, Min Seok; Kim, Hyungjun

    2018-03-01

    New light is shed on the previously known perovskite material, Cs 2 Au 2 I 6 , as a potential active material for high-efficiency thin-film Pb-free photovoltaic cells. First-principles calculations demonstrate that Cs 2 Au 2 I 6 has an optimal band gap that is close to the Shockley-Queisser value. The band gap size is governed by intermediate band formation. Charge disproportionation on Au makes Cs 2 Au 2 I 6 a double-perovskite material, although it is stoichiometrically a single perovskite. In contrast to most previously discussed double perovskites, Cs 2 Au 2 I 6 has a direct-band-gap feature, and optical simulation predicts that a very thin layer of active material is sufficient to achieve a high photoconversion efficiency using a polycrystalline film layer. The already confirmed synthesizability of this material, coupled with the state-of-the-art multiscale simulations connecting from the material to the device, strongly suggests that Cs 2 Au 2 I 6 will serve as the active material in highly efficient, nontoxic, and thin-film perovskite solar cells in the very near future. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Ultra Fast and Parsimonious Materials Screening for Polymer Solar Cells Using Differentially Pumped Slot-Die Coating

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alstrup, Jan; Jørgensen, Mikkel; Medford, Andrew James

    2010-01-01

    and materials usage by variation of the layer thickness in small steps of 1.5−4 nm. Contrary to expectation we did not find oscillatory variation of the device performance with device thickness because of optical interference. We ascribe this to the nature of the solar cell type explored in this example...

  12. Proceedings of the IEA-technical workshop on the test cell system for an international fusion materials irradiation facility, Karlsruhe, Germany, July 3-6, 1995. IEA-implementing agreement for a programme of research and development on fusion materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moeslang, A.; Lindau, R.

    1995-09-01

    After a Conceptual Design Activity (CDA) study on an International Fusion Material Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) has been launched under the auspices of the IEA, working groups and relevant tasks have been defined and agreed in an IEA-workshop that was held September 26-29 1994 at Karlsruhe. For the Test Cell System 11 tasks were identified which can be grouped into the three major fields neutronics, test matrix/users and test cell engineering. In order to discuss recently achieved results and to coordinate necessary activities for an effective design integration, a technical workshop on the Test Cell System was initiated. This workshop was organized on July 3-6 1995 by the Institute for Materials Research I at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe and attended by 20 specialists working in the fields neutronics, fusion materials R and D and test cell engineering in the European Union, Japan, and the United States of America. The presentations and discussions during this workshop have shown together with the elaborated lists of action items, that has been achieved in all three fields, and that from the future IFMIF experimental program for a number of materials a database covering widerspread loading conditions up to DEMO-reactor relevant end-of-life damage levels can be expected. (orig.)

  13. Impact of starting material (fresh versus cryopreserved marrow) on mesenchymal stem cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaplan, Alesia; Sackett, Katie; Sumstad, Darin; Kadidlo, Dianne; McKenna, David H

    2017-09-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) continue to be investigated in multiple clinical trials as potential therapy for different disorders. There is ongoing controversy surrounding the clinical use of cryopreserved versus fresh MSCs. However, little is known about how cryopreservation affects marrow as starting material. The growth kinetics of MSC cultures derived from fresh versus cryopreserved marrow were compared. Data were reviewed on the growth kinetics of MSCs derived from fresh versus cryopreserved marrow of nine donors. Marrow harvested from each donor was separated into four aliquots (one fresh and three cryopreserved for culture). Data on the date of mononuclear cell cryopreservation/thaw, MSC counts at Passages 1 and 2, MSC doubling, MSC fold expansion, viability (of mononuclear cells and final MSCs), and on flow cytometry markers of mononuclear cells and final MSCs were analyzed for the fresh and cryopreserved marrow groups. In total, 21 MSC lots (seven fresh and 14 cryopreserved) were obtained. The average age of cryopreserved mononuclear cell product was 295 days (range, 18-1241 days). There were no significant differences between MSC numbers at Passage 1 (p = 0.1), final MSC numbers (p = 0.5), MSC doubling (p = 0.7), or MSC fold expansion (p = 0.7). A significant difference was observed in viability by flow cytometry for both mononuclear cells (p = 0.002) and final MSCs (p = 0.009), with higher viability in the fresh marrow group. This study demonstrates that MSCs derived from cryopreserved marrow have the same growth characteristics as fresh marrow-derived MSCs. Further studies are needed to explore potential differences in clinical efficacy. © 2017 AABB.

  14. Synthesis and characterization of Sm0.5Ba0.5MnO3-δ as anode materials for solid oxide fuel cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdalla, A. M.; Radenahmad, N.; Bakar, M. S. Abu; Petra, Pg M .I.; Azad, A. K.

    2016-01-01

    The material performance is a crucial issue in the current fuel cell technology, and for this reason we present this new series of Samarium family which can be used as electrode giving a high performance in a particular application. Sm 0 . 5 Ba 0 . 5 MnO 3-δ was prepared by solid state reaction method and characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Rietveld analysis of XRD data shows that the material has an Orthorhombic crystal structure with cell parameter a = 3.883(1) Å b = 3.8742(5) Å c = 7. 762(4) Å, in the Pmmm space group. TGA analyses shows that the materials is going to decrease by 0.32%. The density of the materials was calculated from structural refinement and found to be 8.372 gm/cm 3 . (paper)

  15. Appropriate materials and preparation techniques for polycrystalline-thin-film thermophotovoltaic cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhere, Neelkanth G.

    1997-03-01

    Polycrystalline-thin-film thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells have excellent potential for reducing the cost of TPV generators so as to address the hitherto inaccessible and highly competitive markets such as self-powered gas-fired residential warm air furnaces and energy-efficient electric cars, etc. Recent progress in polycrystalline-thin-film solar cells have made it possible to satisfy the diffusion length and intrinsic junction rectification criteria for TPV cells operating at high fluences. Continuous ranges of direct bandgaps of the ternary and pseudoternary compounds such as Hg1-xCdxTe, Pb1-xCdxTe, Hg1-xZnxTe, and Pb1-xZnxS cover the region of interest of 0.50-0.75 eV for efficient TPV conversion. Other ternary and pseudoternary compounds which show direct bandgaps in most of or all of the 0.50-0.75 eV range are Pb1-xZnxTe, Sn1-xCd2xTe2, Pb1-xCdxSe, Pb1-xZnxSe, and Pb1-xCdxS. Hg1-xCdxTe (with x~0.21) has been studied extensively for infrared detectors. PbTe and Pb1-xSnxTe have also been studied for infrared detectors. Not much work has been carried out on Hg1-xZnxTe thin films. Hg1-xCdxTe and Pb1-xCdxTe alloys cover a wide range of cut-off wavelengths from the far infrared to the near visible. Acceptors and donors are introduced in these materials by excess non-metal (Te) and excess metal (Hg and Pb) respectively. Extrinsic acceptor impurities are Cu, Au, and As while and In and Al are donor impurities. Hg1-xCdxTe thin films have been deposited by isothermal vapor-phase epitaxy (VPE), liquid phase epitaxy (LPE), hot-wall metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), electrodeposition, sputtering, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), laser-assisted evaporation, and vacuum evaporation with or without hot-wall enclosure. The challenge in the preparation of Hg1-xCdxTe is to provide excess mercury incidence rate, to optimize the deposition parameters for enhanced mercury incorporation, and to achieve the requisite stoichiometry, grain size, and doping. MBE and MOCVD

  16. PREPARASI DAN KARAKTERISASI ZEOLIT DARI ABU LAYANG BATUBARA SECARA ALKALI HIDROTERMAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jumaeri Jumaeri

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Preparasi zeolit dari abu layang batubara PLTU Suralaya secara alkali hidrotermal telah dilakukan. Preparasi dilakukan terhadap abu layang yang telah direfluks dengan HCl 1M dan tanpa refluks. Larutan NaOH dengan konsentrasi tertentu ( 1 ; 2 dan 3 M dicampur dengan abu layang batu bara dengan rasio 10 ml larutan tiap 1 gram abu layang, ke dalam tabung Teflon 100 ml dalam suatu autoclave stainless-steel. Autoclave kemudian dipanaskan pada temperature 80-16 oC selama tiga hari. Zeolit sintesis yang dihasilkan selanjutnya diuji secara kualitatif dengan menggunakan Spektroskopi Inframerah, dan Difraksi Sinar-X. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa aktivasi abu layang dengan proses alkali hidrotermal dapat menghasilkan material yang mempunyai struktur mirip zeolit (zeolit-like. Produk hidrotermal terdiri dari campuran zeolit (Zeolit P, Zeolit Y serta kristal sodalit dan mullit. Pada temperatur 160 oC, diperoleh zeolit dengan kristalinitas lebih tinggi dari pada 100 oC, baik melalui refluks atau tanpa refluks. Karakteristik zeolit yang terbentuk sangat ditentukan oleh kondisi proses, yang meliputi konsentrasi NaOH, waktu, dan temperatur.

  17. 14th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells& Modules: Materials and Processes; Extended Abstracts and Papers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sopori, B. L.

    2004-08-01

    The 14th Workshop will provide a forum for an informal exchange of technical and scientific information between international researchers in the photovoltaic and relevant non-photovoltaic fields. It will offer an excellent opportunity for researchers in private industry and at universities to prioritize mutual needs for future collaborative research. The workshop is intended to address the fundamental properties of PV silicon, new solar cell designs, advanced solar cell processing techniques, and cell-related module issues. A combination of oral presentations by invited speakers, poster sessions, and discussion sessions will review recent advances in crystal growth, new cell designs, new processes and process characterization techniques, cell fabrication approaches suitable for future manufacturing demands, and solar cell encapsulation. This year's theme, ''Crystalline Si Solar Cells: Leapfrogging the Barriers,'' reflects the continued success of crystalline Si PV in overcoming technological barriers to improve solar cell performance and lower the cost of Si PV. The workshop will consist of presentations by invited speakers, followed by discussion sessions. In addition, there will be two poster sessions presenting the latest research and development results. Some presentations will address recent technologies in the microelectronics field that may have a direct bearing on PV. The sessions will include: Advances in crystal growth and material issues; Impurities and defects; Dynamics during device processing; Passivation; High-efficiency Si solar cells; Advanced processing; Thin Si solar cells; and Solar cell reliability and module issues.

  18. Materials and Devices Research of PPV-ZnO Nanowires for Heterojunction Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Xiao-Zhou

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices, which use the conjugated polymer poly(2-methoxyl-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene (MEH-PPV as the electron donor and crystalline ZnO nanowires as the electron acceptor, have been studied in this work. The ZnO nanowires were prepared through a chemical vapor deposition mechanism. The dissolved MEH-PPV polymer was spin-coated onto the nanowires. The scanning electron microscope images showed that the ZnO nanowires were covered with a single layer of the polymer, and these materials were used to design a heterojunction solar cell. This solar cell displayed improved performance compared with the devices that were made from only the MEH-PPV polymer. This observed improvement is correlated with the improved electron transport that is perpendicular to the plane of the film. A solar power conversion efficiency of 1.37% was achieved under an AM1.5 illumination.

  19. Enhancement of open-circuit voltage and the fill factor in CdTe nanocrystal solar cells by using interface materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Jiaoyan; Yang, Yuehua; Gao, Yuping; Qin, Donghuan; Wu, Hongbin; Huang, Wenbo; Hou, Lintao

    2014-01-01

    Interface states influence the operation of nanocrystal (NC) solar cell carrier transport, recombination and energetic mechanisms. In a typical CdTe NC solar cell with a normal structure of a ITO/p-CdTe NCs/n-acceptor (or without)/Al configuration, the contact between the ITO and CdTe is a non-ohm contact due to a different work function (for an ITO, the value is ∼4.7 eV, while for CdTe NCs, the value is ∼5.3 eV), which results in an energetic barrier at the ITO/CdTe interface and decreases the performance of the NC solar cells. This work investigates how interface materials (including Au, MoO x and C 60 ) affect the performance of NC solar cells. It is found that devices with interface materials have shown higher V oc than those without interface materials. For the case in which we used Au as an interface, we obtained a high open-circuit voltage of 0.65 V, coupled with a high fill factor (62%); this resulted in a higher energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of 5.3%, which showed a 30% increase in the ECE compared with those without the interlayer. The capacitance measurements indicate that the increased V oc in the case in which Au was used as the interface is likely due to good ohm contact between the Au’s and the CdTe NCs’ thin film, which decreases the energetic barrier at the ITO/CdTe interface. (paper)

  20. Synthesis and characterization of Co-doped lanthanum nickelate perovskites for solid oxide fuel cell cathode material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chavez G, L.; Hinojosa R, M. [Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, 66450 Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Medina L, B.; Ringuede, A.; Cassir, M. [Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris, CNRS-Chimie ParisTech, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Vannier, R. N., E-mail: leonardo.chavezgr@uanl.edu.mx [Unite de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide, UMR 8181 CNRS, 59655, Villeneuve d Ascq Cedex (France)

    2017-11-01

    In the perovskite structures widely investigated and used as solid oxide fuel cells cathodes, oxygen reduction is mainly limited to the triple phase boundary (TPB), where oxygen (air), electrode and electrolyte are in contact. It is possible via the sol-gel modified Pechini method to: 1) control the material grain size, which can increase TPBs, 2) produce a homogenous material and 3) obtain a cathode material in a faster way compared with the solid state route. LaNi{sub x}Co{sub 1-x}O{sub 3} (x = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7) were synthesized by the modified Pechini method. The perovskite phase formation began at 350 degrees Celsius and the presence of pure LaNi{sub 0.7}Co{sub 0.3}O{sub 3}, LaNi{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}O{sub 3} and LaNi{sub 0.3}Co{sub 0.7}O{sub 3} structures was evidenced by high temperature X-ray diffraction (Ht-XRD) measurements. Scanning electron microscopy (Sem) micrographs showed that the microstructure evolves with the amount of cobalt from a coalesced to an open structure. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) on symmetrical cells LaNi{sub x}Co{sub 1-x}O{sub 3}/YSZ (Yttria-stabilized zirconia)/LaNi{sub x}Co{sub 1-x}O{sub 3} showed that the highest ASR (area specific resistance) is obtained with x = 0.3, whereas ASR values are similar for x = 0.5 and 0.7 at temperatures higher than 600 degrees Celsius. At temperatures lower than 600 degrees Celsius, ASR is the lowest for LaNi{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}O{sub 3}, showing that this composition with intermediate porosity appears as a good choice for and intermediate-temperature solid oxid fuel cell. (Author)

  1. Potential application of CuSbS2 as the hole transport material in perovskite solar cell: A simulation study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teimouri, R.; Mohammadpour, R.

    2018-06-01

    CH3 NH3 PbI3 (MAPbI3) thin film solar cells, which are reported at laboratory efficiency scale of nearly 22%, are the subject of much attention by energy researchers due to their low cost buildup, acceptable efficiency, high absorption coefficient and diffusion length. The main purpose of this research is to simulate the structure of thin film perovskite solar cells through numerical simulation of SCAPS based on the empirical data for different hole transport layers. After simulating the initial structure of FTO/TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3/Spiro-OMeTAD solar cell, the hole transport layer Spiro-OMeTAD thickness was optimized on a small scale using modeling. The researchers also sought to reduce the amount of this material and the cost of construction. Ultimately, an optimum thickness of 140 nm was obtained for this cell with efficiency of 22.88%. The effect of employing alternative inorganic hole transport layer was investigated as a substitute for Spiro-OMeTAD; Copper antimony sulphide (CuSbS2) was selected due to abundant and available material and high open circuit voltage of about 988 mV. Thickness variations were also performed on a MAPbI3/CuSbS2 solar cell. Finally, It has obtained that perovskite solar cell with 120 nm-thick of CuSbS2 has 23.14% conversion efficiency with acceptable VOC and JSC values.

  2. Composite materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sambrook, D.J.

    1976-01-01

    A superconductor composite is described comprising at least one longitudinally extending superconductor filament or bundle of sub-filaments, each filament or bundle of sub-filaments being surrounded by and in good electrical contact with a matrix material, the matrix material comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending cells of a metal of high electrical conductivity surrounded by a material of lower electrical conductivity. The high electrical conductivity material surrounding the superconducting filament or bundle of sub-filaments is interrupted by a radially extending wall of the material of the lower electrical conductivity, the arrangement being such that at least two superconductor filaments or sub-filaments are circumferentially circumscribed by a single annulus of the material of high electrical conductivity. The annulus is electrically interrupted by a radially extending wall of the material of low electrical conductivity

  3. Mitigating the risk of Zika virus contamination of raw materials and cell lines in the manufacture of biologicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zmurko, Joanna; Vasey, Douglas B; Donald, Claire L; Armstrong, Alison A; McKee, Marian L; Kohl, Alain; Clayton, Reginald F

    2018-02-01

    Ensuring the virological safety of biologicals is challenging due to the risk of viral contamination of raw materials and cell banks, and exposure during in-process handling to known and/or emerging viral pathogens. Viruses may contaminate raw materials and biologicals intended for human or veterinary use and remain undetected until appropriate testing measures are employed. The outbreak and expansive spread of the mosquito-borne flavivirus Zika virus (ZIKV) poses challenges to screening human- and animal -derived products used in the manufacture of biologicals. Here, we report the results of an in vitro study where detector cell lines were challenged with African and Asian lineages of ZIKV. We demonstrate that this pathogen is robustly detectable by in vitro assay, thereby providing assurance of detection of ZIKV, and in turn underpinning the robustness of in vitro virology assays in safety testing of biologicals.

  4. Thermal management analysis of a Li-ion battery cell using phase change material loaded with carbon fibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samimi, Fereshteh; Babapoor, Aziz; Azizi, Mohammadmehdi; Karimi, Gholamreza

    2016-01-01

    High latent heat of PCMs (phase change materials) has made them as one of the most important materials for thermal management purposes. However, PCMs’ low thermal diffusivities could limit their use in applications which require fast thermal response. The goal of this study is to simulate thermal performance of a lithium ion battery cell in the presence of carbon fiber-PCM composites. The effect of carbon fiber loading within the PCM on thermal performance is studied and the results are compared with the experimental data. The results showed that the presence of carbon fibers increases the effective thermal conductivity of PCM and hence influences temperature distribution within the cell. PCM composites containing higher percentages of carbon fibers present a more uniform temperature distribution. The results showed that the minimum and maximum thermal conductivity enhancement of 85% and 155% respectively (105% on average). A reasonable agreement is obtained between the simulation results and the experimental data. - Highlights: • Phase change materials (PCMs) are used for thermal management purposes. • Effective thermal conductivity of PCMs can be enhanced by loading carbon fibers. • Thermal performance of a battery is studied in presence of carbon fiber loaded PCM. • The presence of carbon fibers in the PCM can improve Li-ion battery performance.

  5. Development of a Hopkinson Bar Apparatus for Testing Soft Materials: Application to a Closed-Cell Aluminum Foam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Peroni

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available An increasing interest in lightweight metallic foams for automotive, aerospace, and other applications has been observed in recent years. This is mainly due to the weight reduction that can be achieved using foams and for their mechanical energy absorption and acoustic damping capabilities. An accurate knowledge of the mechanical behavior of these materials, especially under dynamic loadings, is thus necessary. Unfortunately, metal foams and in general “soft” materials exhibit a series of peculiarities that make difficult the adoption of standard testing techniques for their high strain-rate characterization. This paper presents an innovative apparatus, where high strain-rate tests of metal foams or other soft materials can be performed by exploiting the operating principle of the Hopkinson bar methods. Using the pre-stress method to generate directly a long compression pulse (compared with traditional SHPB, a displacement of about 20 mm can be applied to the specimen with a single propagating wave, suitable for evaluating the whole stress-strain curve of medium-sized cell foams (pores of about 1–2 mm. The potential of this testing rig is shown in the characterization of a closed-cell aluminum foam, where all the above features are amply demonstrated.

  6. Sol-gel preparation of cobalt manganese mixed oxides for their use as electrode materials in lithium cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavela, P.; Tirado, J.L.; Vidal-Abarca, C.

    2007-01-01

    An ethanol dehydration procedure has been used to precipitate gel-like citrate precursors containing cobalt and manganese transition metal ions. Further annealing led to the Mn x Co 3-x O 4 spinel oxide series (x: 1, 1.5, 2, 3). Annealing temperature and treatment time were also evaluated to optimize the performance of the oxides as active electrode materials in lithium cells. The manganese-cobalt mixed oxides obtained by this procedure were cubic or tetragonal phases depending on the cobalt content. SEM images showed spherical macroporous aggregates for MnCo 2 O 4 and hollow spheres for manganese oxides. The galvanostatic cycling of lithium cells assembled with these materials demonstrated a simultaneous reduction of cobalt and manganese during the first discharge and separation of cobalt- and manganese-based products on further cycling. As compared with binary manganese oxides, a notorious electrochemical improvement was observed in the mixed oxides. This behavior is a consequence of the synergistic effect of both transition metal elements, associated with the in-situ formation of a nanocomposite electrode material when cobalt is introduced in the manganese oxide composition. Values higher than 400 mAh/g were sustained after 50 cycles for MnCo 2 O 4

  7. Gelatin-Derived Graphene–Silicate Hybrid Materials Are Biocompatible and Synergistically Promote BMP9-Induced Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zou, Yulong [Department of Orthopaedic; Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Qazvini, Nader Taheri [Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States; Zane, Kylie [Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Sadati, Monirosadat [Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States; Wei, Qiang [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Liao, Junyi [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Fan, Jiaming [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Song, Dongzhe [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Liu, Jianxiang [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Department; amp, Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Ma, Chao [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Departments of Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology-Head; amp, Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Qu, Xiangyang [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Chen, Liqun [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Yu, Xinyi [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Zhang, Zhicai [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Department; amp, Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Zhao, Chen [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Zeng, Zongyue [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Zhang, Ruyi [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Yan, Shujuan [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Wu, Tingting [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Departments of Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology-Head; amp, Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Wu, Xingye [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Shu, Yi [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Li, Yasha [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; Zhang, Wenwen [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Department; Reid, Russell R. [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Department of Surgery, Section of Plastic; Lee, Michael J. [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Wolf, Jennifer Moritis [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Tirrell, Matthew [Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States; He, Tong-Chuan [Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of; de Pablo, Juan J. [Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States; Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States; Deng, Zhong-Liang [Department of Orthopaedic

    2017-05-04

    Graphene-based materials are used in many fields but have found only limited applications in biomedicine, including bone tissue engineering. Here, we demonstrate that novel hybrid materials consisting of gelatin-derived graphene and silicate nanosheets of Laponite (GL) are biocompatible and promote osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Homogeneous cell attachment, long-term proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs on a GL-scaffold were confirmed using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. GL-powders made by pulverizing the GL-scaffold were shown to promote bone morphogenetic protein (BMP9)-induced osteogenic differentiation. GL-powders increased the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts but decreased the ALP activity in more-differentiated immortalized mouse adipose-derived cells. Note, however, that GL-powders promoted BMP9-induced calcium mineral deposits in both MSC lines, as assessed using qualitative and quantitative alizarin red assays. Furthermore, the expression of chondro-osteogenic regulator markers such as Runx2, Sox9, osteopontin, and osteocalcin was upregulated by the GL-powder, independent of BMP9 stimulation; although the powder synergistically upregulated the BMP9-induced Osterix expression, the adipogenic marker PPAR gamma was unaffected. Furthermore, in vivo stem cell implantation experiments demonstrated that GL-powder could significantly enhance the BMP9-induced ectopic bone formation from MSCs. Collectively, our results strongly suggest that the GL hybrid materials promote BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs and hold promise for the development of bone tissue engineering platforms.

  8. Block copolymer based composition and morphology control in nanostructured hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage: solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells

    KAUST Repository

    Orilall, M. Christopher

    2011-01-01

    The development of energy conversion and storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. However, there are numerous issues that prevent the widespread use of these technologies including cost, performance and durability. These limitations can be directly related to the materials used. In particular, the design and fabrication of nanostructured hybrid materials is expected to provide breakthroughs for the advancement of these technologies. This tutorial review will highlight block copolymers as an emerging and powerful yet affordable tool to structure-direct such nanomaterials with precise control over structural dimensions, composition and spatial arrangement of materials in composites. After providing an introduction to materials design and current limitations, the review will highlight some of the most recent examples of block copolymer structure-directed nanomaterials for photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells. In each case insights are provided into the various underlying fundamental chemical, thermodynamic and kinetic formation principles enabling general and relatively inexpensive wet-polymer chemistry methodologies for the efficient creation of multiscale functional materials. Examples include nanostructured ceramics, ceramic-carbon composites, ceramic-carbon-metal composites and metals with morphologies ranging from hexagonally arranged cylinders to three-dimensional bi-continuous cubic networks. The review ends with an outlook towards the synthesis of multicomponent and hierarchical multifunctional hybrid materials with different nano-architectures from self-assembly of higher order blocked macromolecules which may ultimately pave the way for the further development of energy conversion and storage devices. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  9. Block copolymer based composition and morphology control in nanostructured hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage: solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orilall, M Christopher; Wiesner, Ulrich

    2011-02-01

    The development of energy conversion and storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. However, there are numerous issues that prevent the widespread use of these technologies including cost, performance and durability. These limitations can be directly related to the materials used. In particular, the design and fabrication of nanostructured hybrid materials is expected to provide breakthroughs for the advancement of these technologies. This tutorial review will highlight block copolymers as an emerging and powerful yet affordable tool to structure-direct such nanomaterials with precise control over structural dimensions, composition and spatial arrangement of materials in composites. After providing an introduction to materials design and current limitations, the review will highlight some of the most recent examples of block copolymer structure-directed nanomaterials for photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells. In each case insights are provided into the various underlying fundamental chemical, thermodynamic and kinetic formation principles enabling general and relatively inexpensive wet-polymer chemistry methodologies for the efficient creation of multiscale functional materials. Examples include nanostructured ceramics, ceramic-carbon composites, ceramic-carbon-metal composites and metals with morphologies ranging from hexagonally arranged cylinders to three-dimensional bi-continuous cubic networks. The review ends with an outlook towards the synthesis of multicomponent and hierarchical multifunctional hybrid materials with different nano-architectures from self-assembly of higher order blocked macromolecules which may ultimately pave the way for the further development of energy conversion and storage devices.

  10. Development of materials for use in solid oxid fuel cells anodes using renewable fuels in direct operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lima, D.B.P.L. de; Florio, D.Z. de; Bezerra, M.E.O.

    2016-01-01

    Fuel cells produce electrical current from the electrochemical combustion of a gas or liquid (H2, CH4, C2H5OH, CH3OH, etc.) inserted into the anode cell. An important class of fuel cells is the SOFC (Solid Oxide Cell Fuel). It has a ceramic electrolyte that transports protons (H +) or O-2 ions and operating at high temperatures (500-1000 °C) and mixed conductive electrodes (ionic and electronic) ceramics or cermets. This work aims to develop anodes for fuel cells of solid oxide (SOFC) in order to direct operations with renewable fuels and strategic for the country (such as bioethanol and biogas). In this context, it becomes important to study in relation to the ceramic materials, especially those that must be used in high temperatures. Some types of double perovskites such as Sr2MgMoO6 (or simply SMMO) have been used as anodes in SOFC. In this study were synthesized by the polymeric precursor method, analyzed and characterized different ceramic samples of families SMMO, doped with Nb, this is: Sr2 (MgMo)1-xNbxO6 with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2. The materials produced were characterized by various techniques such as, thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and electrical properties determined by dc and ac measurements in a wide range of temperature, frequency and partial pressure of oxygen. The results of this work will contribute to a better understanding of advanced ceramic properties with mixed driving (electronic and ionic) and contribute to the advancement of SOFC technology operating directly with renewable fuels. (author)

  11. Low-temperature self-assembled vertically aligned carbon nanofibers as counter-electrode material for dye-sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahpeykar, S M; Tabatabaei, M K; Ghafoori-fard, H; Habibiyan, H; Koohsorkhi, J

    2013-01-01

    Low-temperature AC–DC PECVD is employed for direct growth of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) on ordinary transparent conductive glass as counter-electrode material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on utilization of VACNFs grown directly on ordinary FTO-coated glass as a cost-effective catalyst material in DSSCs. According to the FESEM images, the as-grown arrays are well aligned and dense, and offer uniform coverage on the surface of the substrate. In-plane and out-of-plane conductivity measurements reveal their good electrical conductivity, and Raman spectroscopy suggests a high number of electrocatalytic active sites, favoring charge transport at the electrolyte/electrode interface. Hybrid VACNF/Pt electrodes are also fabricated for performance comparison with Pt and VACNF electrodes. X-ray diffraction results verify the crystallization of Pt in hybrid electrodes and further confirm the vertical alignment of carbon nanofibers. Electrochemical characterization indicates that VACNFs provide both high catalytic and good charge transfer capability, which can be attributed to their high surface area, defect-rich and one-dimensional structure, vertical alignment and low contact resistance. As a result, VACNF cells can achieve a comparable performance (∼5.6%) to that of the reference Pt cells (∼6.5%). Moreover, by combination of the excellent charge transport and catalytic ability of VACNFs and the high conductivity of Pt nanoparticles, hybrid VACNF/Pt cells can deliver a performance superior to that of the Pt cells (∼7.2%), despite having a much smaller amount of Pt loading, which raises hopes for low-cost large-scale production of DSSCs in the future. (paper)

  12. Alloy catalyst material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2014-01-01

    The present invention relates to a novel alloy catalyst material for use in the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from oxygen and hydrogen, or from oxygen and water. The present invention also relates to a cathode and an electrochemical cell comprising the novel catalyst material, and the process use...... of the novel catalyst material for synthesising hydrogen peroxide from oxygen and hydrogen, or from oxygen and water....

  13. 16th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Modules: Materials and Processes; Program, Extended Abstracts, and Papers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sopori, B. L.

    2006-08-01

    The National Center for Photovoltaics sponsored the 16th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Modules: Materials and Processes held August 6-9, 2006 in Denver, Colorado. The workshop addressed the fundamental properties of PV-Si, new solar cell designs, and advanced solar cell processing techniques. It provided a forum for an informal exchange of technical and scientific information between international researchers in the photovoltaic and relevant non-photovoltaic fields. The Workshop Theme was: "Getting more (Watts) for Less ($i)". A combination of oral presentations by invited speakers, poster sessions, and discussion sessions reviewed recent advances in crystal growth, new cell structures, new processes and process characterization techniques, and cell fabrication approaches suitable for future manufacturing demands. The special sessions included: Feedstock Issues: Si Refining and Purification; Metal-impurity Engineering; Thin Film Si; and Diagnostic Techniques.

  14. Inorganic materials for photovoltaics: Status and futures challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Slaoui A.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper review the present technologies for the fabrication of solar cells and modules based on the most common semiconductors namely silicon, CuInGaSe(S and CdTe materials as well as on III-V concentrated photovoltaic cells and modules. For silion technology, we give insights on the growth of monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon wafers and then we describe the most common solar cells designs and how to fabricate them. We also provide information about the fabrication of silicon modules and their performances. As for the thin-films solar cells, we present the structurale and optical properties of the CIGS and CdTe materials as well as the solar cell structures. The multi-junction concept cell that involves several III-V materials of different bandgaps is also described, and data on their fabrication, performances and mounting as modules are presented. Finally, a short outlook on the coming materials for solar cells is provided.

  15. Photovoltaic Materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duty, C.; Angelini, J.; Armstrong, B.; Bennett, C.; Evans, B.; Jellison, G. E.; Joshi, P.; List, F.; Paranthaman, P.; Parish, C.; Wereszczak, A.

    2012-10-15

    The goal of the current project was to help make the US solar industry a world leader in the manufacture of thin film photovoltaics. The overall approach was to leverage ORNL’s unique characterization and processing technologies to gain a better understanding of the fundamental challenges for solar cell processing and apply that knowledge to targeted projects with industry members. ORNL has the capabilities in place and the expertise required to understand how basic material properties including defects, impurities, and grain boundaries affect the solar cell performance. ORNL also has unique processing capabilities to optimize the manufacturing process for fabrication of high efficiency and low cost solar cells. ORNL recently established the Center for Advanced Thin-film Systems (CATS), which contains a suite of optical and electrical characterization equipment specifically focused on solar cell research. Under this project, ORNL made these facilities available to industrial partners who were interested in pursuing collaborative research toward the improvement of their product or manufacturing process. Four specific projects were pursued with industrial partners: Global Solar Energy is a solar industry leader in full scale production manufacturing highly-efficient Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) thin film solar material, cells and products. ORNL worked with GSE to develop a scalable, non-vacuum, solution technique to deposit amorphous or nanocrystalline conducting barrier layers on untextured stainless steel substrates for fabricating high efficiency flexible CIGS PV. Ferro Corporation’s Electronic, Color and Glass Materials (“ECGM”) business unit is currently the world’s largest supplier of metallic contact materials in the crystalline solar cell marketplace. Ferro’s ECGM business unit has been the world's leading supplier of thick film metal pastes to the crystalline silicon PV industry for more than 30 years, and has had operational

  16. Towards Cost-Effective Crystalline Silicon Based Flexible Solar Cells: Integration Strategy by Rational Design of Materials, Process, and Devices

    KAUST Repository

    Bahabry, Rabab R.

    2017-11-30

    The solar cells market has an annual growth of more than 30 percent over the past 15 years. At the same time, the cost of the solar modules diminished to meet both of the rapid global demand and the technological improvements. In particular for the crystalline silicon solar cells, the workhorse of this technology. The objective of this doctoral thesis is enhancing the efficiency of c-Si solar cells while exploring the cost reduction via innovative techniques. Contact metallization and ultra-flexible wafer based c-Si solar cells are the main areas under investigation. First, Silicon-based solar cells typically utilize screen printed Silver (Ag) metal contacts which affect the optimal electrical performance. To date, metal silicide-based ohmic contacts are occasionally used for the front contact grid lines. In this work, investigation of the microstructure and the electrical characteristics of nickel monosilicide (NiSi) ohmic contacts on the rear side of c-Si solar cells has been carried out. Significant enhancement in the fill factor leading to increasing the total power conversion efficiency is observed. Second, advanced classes of modern application require a new generation of versatile solar cells showcasing extreme mechanical resilience. However, silicon is a brittle material with a fracture strains <1%. Highly flexible Si-based solar cells are available in the form thin films which seem to be disadvantageous over thick Si solar cells due to the reduction of the optical absorption with less active Si material. Here, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology based integration strategy is designed where corrugation architecture to enable an ultra-flexible solar cell module from bulk mono-crystalline silicon solar wafer with 17% efficiency. This periodic corrugated array benefits from an interchangeable solar cell segmentation scheme which preserves the active silicon thickness and achieves flexibility via interdigitated back contacts. These cells

  17. Fundamentals and applications of neutron diffraction. Applications 7. Crystal structure analysis of fuel cell materials by means of neutron diffractometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoh, Takanori

    2010-01-01

    Perovskite oxides, which have 'A' atoms of an alkaline earth metal and/or a rare earth metal and 'B' atoms of a transition metal, have considerable potential for use in electrochemical devices such as cathodes of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), oxygen pumps, oxygen sensors, catalysts, and other devices such as oxygen separation membranes. The oxygen ion behavior is studied with relation performance of electrochemical devices. I have analyzed the crystal structure of SOFC materials by neutron diffraction. Using the Rietveld refinement technique, I showed that the O1(4c) and O2(8d) sites in a perovskite oxide of SOFC cathode material has different oxygen site occupancies. Furthermore, oxygen diffusion behavior is associated with temperature dependence of oxygen anisotropic atomic displacement parameters. The maximum entropy method (MEM) analysis of neutron diffraction measurements revealed nuclear scattering length distribution at high temperature by three-dimensional images in detail, therefore 1 found oxygen diffusion pass and new proton site in SOFC materials. From these results, neutron diffraction is confirmed to be very useful tool for the study of light element behavior in fuel cell materials. (author)

  18. EVALUATION OF THE FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL AND SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS AFTER SEEDING ON THE SURFACE OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC MATERIALS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sh. B. Saaya

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available At present, vascular surgery using small diameter synthetic grafts is associated with a higher incidence of complications (thrombosis, restenosis, intimal hyperplasia than in operations using autologous vessels. However, the occurrence of concomitant pathology, reoperations and multifocal vascular disease limit the use of autologous vein and arteries. The important factor providing a long-term patency is the presence of vascular cells, which produce biologically active substance and provide mechanical properties. Aim. Selection of the optimal scaffold for creating cell-seeded tissue-engineering vessels. Materials and methods. Endothelial (EC and smooth muscle cells (SMC derived from human myocardium were seeded on different surfaces: decellularized homoarteriа, хenopericardium, polytetrafl uoroethylene (PTFE, polyethylene terephthalate (PET, polycaprolactone (PCL and polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA. Results. Synthetic biodegradable materials polycaprolactone and polylactide-co-glycolide provide cell adhesion. The cells cultured on the polycaprolactone and polylactide-coglycolide scaffolds retain their functional properties: viability and proliferative properties, maintain specifi c endothelial antigens and synthesis of extracellular matrix. Conclusion. Synthetic biodegradable polycaprolactone and polylactide-co-glycolide electrospun scaffolds can be used for creation of cell-fi lled vascular prostheses. 

  19. CanDan 2, phase 2. Final report. [Fuel cell systems for back-up power and materials handling applications]; CanDan 2, fase 2. Slutrapport

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-11-01

    CanDan 2 Phase 2 is the second phase of a research and demonstration project for fuel cell backup power systems and fuel cell powered material handling equipment. In the Backup Power segment the fuel cell units have been developed, certified and delivered. A total of 32 fuel cell backup power systems have been delivered for EnergiMidt and in operation since early 2011. Following this project EnergiMidt has purchased another 31 systems in order to make a full transition from battery backup to fuel cell backup in their entire broadband network. In the material handling segment a 10 kW fuel cell system has been fully integrated in the fork lift truck, Dantruck 3000 Power Hydrogen. The result was a much more commercially mature product than expected from the beginning of the project. The result is a finished 2,5T fork lift truck which was presented at the CE-mat fair in April 2011. (LN)

  20. Lanthanum chromite materials as potential symmetrical electrodes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruiz-Morales, J. C.

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available A commonly used interconnector material has been tested as electrode for a new concept of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, where the same material could be used, simultaneously, as interconnector, anode and cathode. We have found that a typical substituted chromite, such as La0.7Ca0.3CrO3-δ (LCC can be considered a good candidate for such configuration, due to its high electronic conductivity in both reducing and oxidising conditions, and moderate catalytic properties for oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation. The symmetrical design renders performances of 100 mWcm-2 at 950ºC, using O2 and H2 as oxidant and fuel respectively. Performances exceeding 300 mWcm-2 can be predicted for a 100μm-thick YSZ electrolyte.

    Un material comúnmente utilizado como interconector ha sido probado como electrodo para un nuevo concepto de Pila de Combustible de Óxidos Sólido, en el cual el mismo material se utiliza, simultáneamente, como interconector, ánodo y cátodo. Hemos encontrado que una cromita típica como La0.7Ca0.3CrO3-δ (LCC puede ser considerada una buena candidata para dicha configuración, debido a sus altas conductividades eléctricas tanto en condiciones reductoras como oxidantes y una aceptable actividad catalítica para la reducción del oxígeno y la oxidación del hidrógeno. El diseño simétrico permite obtener rendimientos del orden de 100mWcm-2 a 950ºC, utilizando O2 e H2 como oxidante y combustible, respectivamente. Rendimientos que superan los 300mWcm-2 pueden predecirse para pilas con electrolitos de YSZ de 100 μm de grosor.

  1. 17th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Modules: Materials and Processes; Workshop Proceedings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sopori, B. L.

    2007-08-01

    The National Center for Photovoltaics sponsored the 17th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells & Modules: Materials and Processes, held in Vail, CO, August 5-8, 2007. This meeting provided a forum for an informal exchange of technical and scientific information between international researchers in the photovoltaic and relevant non-photovoltaic fields. The theme of this year's meeting was 'Expanding Technology for a Future Powered by Si Photovoltaics.'

  2. Magnetic Nanowires as Materials for Cancer Cell Destruction

    KAUST Repository

    Contreras, Maria F.

    2015-12-01

    Current cancer therapies are highly cytotoxic and their delivery to exclusively the affected site is poorly controlled, resulting in unavoidable and often severe side effects. In an effort to overcome such issues, magnetic nanoparticles have been recently gaining relevance in the areas of biomedical applications and therapeutics, opening pathways to alternative methods. This led to the concept of magnetic particle hyperthermia in which magnetic nano beads are heated by a high power magnetic field. The increase in temperature kills the cancer cells, which are more susceptible to heat in comparison to healthy cells. In this dissertation, the possibility to kill cancer cells with magnetic nanowires is evaluated. The idea is to exploit a magnetomechanical effect, where nanowires cause cancer cell death through vibrating in a low power magnetic field. Specifically, the magnetic nanowires effects to cells in culture and their ability to induce cancer cell death, when combined with an alternating magnetic field, was investigated. Nickel and iron nanowires of 35 nm diameter and 1 to 5 μm long were synthesized by electrodeposition into nanoporous alumina templates, which were prepared using a two-step anodization process on highly pure aluminum substrates. For the cytotoxicity studies, the nanowires were added to cancer cells in culture, varying the incubation time and the concentration. The cell-nanowire interaction was thoroughly studied at the cellular level (mitochondrial metabolic activity, cell membrane integrity and, apoptosis/necrosis assay), and optical level (transmission electron and confocal microscopy). Furthermore, to investigate their therapeutic potential, an alternating magnetic field was applied varying its intensity and frequency. After the magnetic field application, cells health was measured at the mitochondrial activity level. Cytotoxicity results shed light onto the cellular tolerance to the nanowires, which helped in establishing the appropriate

  3. Naphthalene Diimide Based n-Type Conjugated Polymers as Efficient Cathode Interfacial Materials for Polymer and Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Tao; Sun, Chen; Xu, Rongguo; Chen, Zhiming; Yin, Qingwu; Jin, Yaocheng; Yip, Hin-Lap; Huang, Fei; Cao, Yong

    2017-10-18

    A series of naphthalene diimide (NDI) based n-type conjugated polymers with amino-functionalized side groups and backbones were synthesized and used as cathode interlayers (CILs) in polymer and perovskite solar cells. Because of controllable amine side groups, all the resulting polymers exhibited distinct electronic properties such as oxidation potential of side chains, charge carrier mobilities, self-doping behaviors, and interfacial dipoles. The influences of the chemical variation of amine groups on the cathode interfacial effects were further investigated in both polymer and perovskite solar cells. We found that the decreased electron-donating property and enhanced steric hindrance of amine side groups substantially weaken the capacities of altering the work function of the cathode and trap passivation of the perovskite film, which induced ineffective interfacial modifications and declining device performance. Moreover, with further improvement of the backbone design through the incorporation of a rigid acetylene spacer, the resulting polymers substantially exhibited an enhanced electron-transporting property. Upon use as CILs, high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 10.1% and 15.2% were, respectively, achieved in polymer and perovskite solar cells. Importantly, these newly developed n-type polymers were allowed to be processed over a broad thickness range of CILs in photovoltaic devices, and a prominent PCE of over 8% for polymer solar cells and 13.5% for perovskite solar cells can be achieved with the thick interlayers over 100 nm, which is beneficial for roll-to-roll coating processes. Our findings contribute toward a better understanding of the structure-performance relationship between CIL material design and solar cell performance, and provide important insights and guidelines for the design of high-performance n-type CIL materials for organic and perovskite optoelectronic devices.

  4. Handleable shapes of thermal insulation material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hughes, J. T.

    1989-01-17

    Handleable and machineable shapes of thermal insulation material are made by compacting finely divided thermal insulation material into the cells of a reinforcing honeycomb insulation material into the cells of a reinforcing honeycomb structure. The finely divided thermal insulation material may be, for example, silica aerogel, pyrogenic silica, carbon black, silica gel, volatilised silica, calcium silicate, vermiculate or perlite, or finely divided metal oxides such as alumina or titania. The finely divided thermal insulation material may include an infra-red opacifier and/or reinforcing fibres. The reinforcing honeycomb structure may be made from, for example, metals such as aluminium foil, inorganic materials such as ceramics, organic materials such as plastics materials, woven fabrics or paper. A rigidiser may be employed. The shapes of thermal insulation material are substantially rigid and may be machines, for example by mechanical or laser cutting devices, or may be formed, for example by rolling, into curved or other shaped materials. 12 figs.

  5. An approach to discriminatively determine thoron and radon emanation rates for a granular material with a scintillation cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakoda, Akihiro; Meisenberg, Oliver; Tschiersch, Jochen

    2016-01-01

    A powder sandwich technique was applied to determine thoron ("2"2"0Rn) and radon ("2"2"2Rn) emanation rates for a granular material. The feature of this technique is the sample preparation, in which a granular material is put and fixed between two membrane filters. Airflow is directly given to this sandwich sample, will include thoron and radon emanated from the material, and then is transferred to the detector. This method makes sure that thoron and radon emanated are not retained in pore space within the sample volume, which is crucial for the appropriate emanation test. This technique was first introduced by Kanse et al. (2013) with the intention to measure the emanation of thoron - but not of radon - from materials having much higher "2"2"4Ra activity than "2"2"6Ra. In the present study, the methodology for the discriminative determination of thoron and radon emanation rates from a granular material has been examined using a flow-through scintillation cell and sandwich sample. The mathematical model was developed to differentiate total alpha counts into thoron- and radon-associated counts. With a sample of uranium ore, this model was experimentally validated by comparison between the scintillation cell and a reference detector that can discriminatively measure thoron and radon concentrations. Furthermore, the detection limits and uncertainties were evaluated to discuss the characteristics of this method. Key parameters for improving the determination of thoron and radon emanations were found to be the background radon concentration and the leakage of radon from the measurement system, respectively. It was concluded that the present method is advantageous to a sample that has much higher "2"2"6Ra activity than "2"2"4Ra. - Highlights: • The methodology of appropriate and discriminative measurement of thoron and radon emanation is presented. • Measurement of thoron and radon emanated from a sample was made using a scintillation cell. • Detection limits and

  6. An investigation into carbon nanostructured materials as catalyst support in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Veltzé, Sune

    acid treatment on the Vapour Grown Carbon Fibers™ manufactured by Showa Denko K. K. From these fibres, twelve platinised samples were investigated, of which one was platinised by a platinum phtalocyanine impregnation method, two were platinised by the polyol method and the remaining by the Bönnemann......Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are among the key research areas concerning clean cost-effective energy. Carbon nano fibres (CNF), single walled carbon nano tubes (SWCNT), multi walled carbon nano tubes (MWCNT) and other related materials are among the possible successors to standard carbon...... black support materials for low platinum containing electrocatalyst. This is partly due to their high electronic conductivity. Partly due to their high surface area needed for the dispersion of nanoparticulate metal-clusters. In addition carbon nano-structures (CNF, SWCNT, MWCNT etc.) are more durable...

  7. Optimal Materials and Deposition Technique Lead to Cost-Effective Solar Cell with Best-Ever Conversion Efficiency (Fact Sheet)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2012-07-01

    This fact sheet describes how the SJ3 solar cell was invented, explains how the technology works, and why it won an R&D 100 Award. Based on NREL and Solar Junction technology, the commercial SJ3 concentrator solar cell - with 43.5% conversion efficiency at 418 suns - uses a lattice-matched multijunction architecture that has near-term potential for cells with {approx}50% efficiency. Multijunction solar cells have higher conversion efficiencies than any other type of solar cell. But developers of utility-scale and space applications crave even better efficiencies at lower costs to be both cost-effective and able to meet the demand for power. The SJ3 multijunction cell, developed by Solar Junction with assistance from foundational technological advances by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has the highest efficiency to date - almost 2% absolute more than the current industry standard multijunction cell-yet at a comparable cost. So what did it take to create this cell having 43.5% efficiency at 418-sun concentration? A combination of materials with carefully designed properties, a manufacturing technique allowing precise control, and an optimized device design.

  8. Neutron imaging methods for the investigation of energy related materials. Fuel cells, battery, hydrogen storage and nuclear fuel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Eberhard H.; Boillat, Pierre; Kaestner, Anders; Vontobel, Peter; Mannes, David

    2015-10-01

    After a short explanation of the state-of-the-art in the field of neutron imaging we give some examples how energy related materials can be studied successfully. These are in particular fuel cell studies, battery research approaches, the storage of hydrogen, but also some investigations with nuclear fuel components. The high contrast for light isotopes like H-1, Li-6 or B-10 are used to trace low amounts of material even within compact sealing of metals which are relatively transparent for neutrons at the same time.

  9. Electrochemical characterization of nano-sized Pd-based catalysts as cathode materials in direct methanol fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, M; Han, C; Kim, I T; An, J C; Lee, J J; Lee, H K; Shim, J

    2011-01-01

    To improve the catalytic activity of palladium (Pd) as a cathode catalyst in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), we prepared palladium-titanium oxide (Pd-TiO2) catalysts which the Pd and TiO2 nanoparticles were simultaneously impregnated on carbon. We selected Pd and TiO2 as catalytic materials because of their electrochemical stability in acid solution. The crystal structure and the loading amount of Pd and TiO2 on carbon were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). The electrochemical characterization of Pd-TiO2/C catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction was carried out in half and single cell systems. The catalytic activities of the Pd-TiO2 catalysts were strongly influenced by the TiO2 content. In the single cell test, the Pd-TiO2 catalysts showed very comparable performance to the Pt catalyst.

  10. Materials for Energy Conversion: Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Atanassov, Plamen [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2017-03-30

    The main objective of this collaborative research project was to identify a formulation and develop a catalyst for electro-oxidation of ethanol. Ethanol is one of the most mass-produced biofuels, and such catalysts will enable the development of Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell technology and through it, will interconnect fuel cells with biofuels. Several catalysts for direct electrochemical oxidation of ethanol have been selected on the principles of rational desig from the knowledge build in studying aqueous oxidation of ethanol. The program involved fundamental study of ethanol oxidation in liquid media, and particularly in alakine solutions. The lessons learned from the heterogeneous catalysis of ethanol thermal oxidation have been applied to the design of an electrocatalyst for direct ethanol fuel cells. The successful chemical compositions are based on PdZn and NiZn allows. The studies reveled the role of the transition metal oxide phase as a co-catalyst and the role of the active support material. To complete the set of materials for ethanol fuel cell, this program also invested n the development of ctalysts for oxygen reduction that are selective against alcohol oxidation. Non-platinum ctalysts based on pyrolyzed macrocycles or similar composites have been studied. This program included also the development of stuctured supports as an integral part of the catalyst development. A new family of materials has been designed based on mesoporous silica templating with synthetic carbon resulting in hierarchicaly porous structure. Structure-to-property relationship of catalysis and catalysts has been the center of this program. This have been engaged in both surface and bulk level and pursued with the tools avialble at the academic institutions and at LANSCE at LANL. The structural studies have been built in interaction with a computational effort on the basis of DFT approach to materials structure and reactivity.

  11. Block Copolymers for Alkaline Fuel Cell Membrane Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-07-30

    temperature fuel cells including proton exchange membrane fuel cell ( PEMFC ) and alkaline fuel cell (AFC) with operation temperature usually lower than 120...advantages over proton exchange membrane fuel cells ( PEMFCs ) resulting in the popularity of AFCs in the US space program.[8-11] The primary benefit AFC...offered over PEMFC is better electrochemical kinetics on the anode and cathode under the alkaline environment, which results in the ability to use

  12. Produksi dan Karakterisasi Antibodi Monoklonal Anti-Cysticercus cellulosae (PRODUCTION AND CHRACTERIZATION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES AGAINST CYSTICERCUS CELLULOSAE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ida Bagus Ngurah Swacita

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to make a monoclonal antibody against- Cysticercus cellulosae and itscharacterization. Samples antigen prepared from T. solium larvae (C. cellulosae was then used to immunizeBalb/c. The immune response of mice assessed by ELISA test, then the lymphocytes of mice used for theproduction of monoclonal antibodies (MoAb. Origin lymphocytes of mice that produce antibodies againstC. cellulosae antigen, fused with myeloma cells (NS1. Results fusion of two cells produces hybrid cellscalled hybridomas; cells are then screened by ELISA test. Hybridoma cells that produce only MoAb, usedto produce large quantities in vitro. Characterization of MoAb against-C.cellulosae was tested by usingELISA and Western blotting. Mice were immunized with C.cellulosae antigen showed an immune responseproducing antibodies to C.cellulosae. Based on the results of fusion, produced a total of 51 hybridoma cellclones and after being screened, only three clones of hybridoma cells that produced MoAb against–C.cellulosae. MoAb produced, named after the hole where the growth of the ELISA micro plate, the BE6,BE7, and EE9. Characteristics of this MoAb capable of tracking cellulosae of fluid larvae and recognizeantigen protein bands with molecular weight 78kDa.

  13. Novel Contact Materials for Improved Performance CdTe Solar Cells Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rockett, Angus [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Marsillac, Sylvain [Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA (United States); Collins, Robert [Univesity of Toledo

    2018-04-15

    This program has explored a number of novel materials for contacts to CdTe solar cells in order to reduce the back contact Schottky barrier to zero and produce an ohmic contact. The project tested a wide range of potential contact materials including TiN, ZrN, CuInSe2:N, a-Si:H and alloys with C, and FeS2. Improved contacts were achieved with FeS2. As part of understanding the operation of the devices and controlling the deposition processes, a number of other important results were obtained. In the process of this project and following its conclusion it led to research that resulted in seven journal articles, nine conference publications, 13 talks presented at conferences, and training of eight graduate students. The seven journal articles were published in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and have been cited, as of March 2018, 52 times (one cited 19 times and two cited 11 times). We demonstrated high levels of doping of CIS with N but electrical activity of the resulting N was not high and the results were difficult to reproduce. Furthermore, even with high doping the contacts were not good. Annealing did not improve the contacts. A-Si:H was found to produce acceptable but unstable contacts, degrading even over a day or two, apparently due to H incorporation into the CdTe. Alloying with C did not improve the contacts or stability. The transition metal nitrides produced Schottky type contacts for all materials tested. While these contacts were found to be unsatisfactory, we investigated FeS2 and found this material to be effective and comparable to the best contacts currently available. The contacts were found to be chemically stable under heat treatment and preferable to Cu doped contacts. Thus, we demonstrated an improved contact material in the course of this project. In addition, we developed new ways of controlling the deposition of CdTe and other materials, demonstrated the nature of defects in CdTe, and studied the distribution of conductivity and carrier type in Cd

  14. Development of materials and processes for low-cost production of high-temperature bipolar plates for use in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Final report; Material- und Verfahrensentwicklung fuer eine kostenguenstige Herstellung von Hochtemperatur-Bipolarplatten zum Einsatz in Polymer-Elektrolyt-Membran Brennstoffzellen (PEM-BZ). Schlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2012-07-01

    In the context of the project 'Verfahren zur spritzgiesstechnischen Herstellung von HT-BPP' (processes for injection moulding of high-temperature fuel cells), bipolar plates for high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEM-FC) were produced by an injection moulding process suited for mass production. This implied extensive material analyses of fillers and matrix materials. A specific compound for application in fuel cells and suited for mass production was produced on this basis. (orig./AKB)

  15. Development of mats composed by TiO{sub 2} and carbon dual electrospun nanofibers: A possible anode material in microbial fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Gomez, Nora A.; Balderas-Renteria, Isaias [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Av. Universidad S/N Cd. Universitaria San Nicolás de los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 México (Mexico); Garcia-Gutierrez, Domingo I. [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Av. Universidad S/N Cd. Universitaria San Nicolás de los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 México (Mexico); Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Centro de Innovación, Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería y Tecnología, PIIT, Av. Universidad S/N Cd. Universitaria San Nicolás de los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 México (Mexico); Mosqueda, Hugo A. [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Av. Universidad S/N Cd. Universitaria San Nicolás de los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 México (Mexico); and others

    2015-03-15

    Highlights: • Dual nanofiber of TiO{sub 2}–C/C showed excellent electrical performance. • TiO{sub 2}–C/C dual nanofiber can host a dense biofilm of electroactivated Escherichia coli. • Dual nanofibers can be applied as anode to obtain electricity in microbial fuel cells. - Abstract: A new material based on TiO{sub 2(rutile)}–C{sub (semi-graphitic)}/C{sub (semi-graphitic)} dual nanofiber mats is presented, whose composition and synthesis methodology are fundamental factors for the development of exoelectrogenic biofilms on its surface. Therefore, this material shows the required characteristics for possible applications in the bioconversion process of an organic substrate to electricity in a microbial fuel cell. Chronoamperometry, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and electrical conductivity analyses showed excellent electrical performance of the material for the application intended; a resistance as low as 3.149 Ω was able to be measured on this material. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies confirmed the morphology sought on the material for the application intended, dual nanofibres TiO{sub 2(rutile)}–C{sub (semi-graphitic)}/C{sub (semi-graphitic)} with a side by side configuration. The difference in composition of the fibers forming the dual nanofibers was clearly observed and confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), and their crystal structure was evident in the results obtained from selected area electron diffraction (SAED) studies. This nanostructured material presented a high surface area and is biocompatible, given that it can host a dense biofilm of electroactivated Escherichia coli. In this study, the maximum current density obtained in a half microbial fuel cell was 8 A/m{sup 2} (0.8 mA/cm{sup 2})

  16. On the applicability of probabilistic analyses to assess the structural reliability of materials and components for solid-oxide fuel cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lara-Curzio, Edgar [ORNL; Radovic, Miladin [Texas A& M University; Luttrell, Claire R [ORNL

    2016-01-01

    The applicability of probabilistic analyses to assess the structural reliability of materials and components for solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC) is investigated by measuring the failure rate of Ni-YSZ when subjected to a temperature gradient and comparing it with that predicted using the Ceramics Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures (CARES) code. The use of a temperature gradient to induce stresses was chosen because temperature gradients resulting from gas flow patterns generate stresses during SOFC operation that are the likely to control the structural reliability of cell components The magnitude of the predicted failure rate was found to be comparable to that determined experimentally, which suggests that such probabilistic analyses are appropriate for predicting the structural reliability of materials and components for SOFCs. Considerations for performing more comprehensive studies are discussed.

  17. Particle Suspension Mechanisms - Supplemental Material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dillon, M B

    2011-03-03

    This supplemental material provides a brief introduction to particle suspension mechanisms that cause exfoliated skin cells to become and remain airborne. The material presented here provides additional context to the primary manuscript and serves as background for designing possible future studies to assess the impact of skin cells as a source of infectious aerosols. This introduction is not intended to be comprehensive and interested readers are encouraged to consult the references cited.

  18. A new structure for comparing surface passivation materials of GaAs solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desalvo, Gregory C.; Barnett, Allen M.

    1989-01-01

    The surface recombination velocity (S sub rec) for bare GaAs is typically as high as 10 to the 6th power to 10 to the 7th power cm/sec, which dramatically lowers the efficiency of GaAs solar cells. Early attempts to circumvent this problem by making an ultra thin junction (xj less than .1 micron) proved unsuccessful when compared to lowering S sub rec by surface passivation. Present day GaAs solar cells use an GaAlAs window layer to passivate the top surface. The advantages of GaAlAs in surface passivation are its high bandgap energy and lattice matching to GaAs. Although GaAlAs is successful in reducing the surface recombination velocity, it has other inherent problems of chemical instability (Al readily oxidizes) and ohmic contact formation. The search for new, more stable window layer materials requires a means to compare their surface passivation ability. Therefore, a device structure is needed to easily test the performance of different passivating candidates. Such a test device is described.

  19. Effect of Doping Phosphorescent Material and Annealing Treatment on the Performance of Polymer Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zixuan Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A series of polymer solar cells (PSCs with P3HT:PCBM or P3HT:PCBM:Ir(btpy3 blend films as the active layer were fabricated under the same conditions. Effects of phosphorescent material Ir(btpy3 doping concentration and annealing temperature on the performance of PSCs were investigated. The short-circuit current density (Jsc and open-circuit voltage (Voc are increased by adopting P3HT:PCBM:Ir(btpy3 blend films as the active layer when the cells do not undergo annealing treatment. The increased Jsc should be attributed to the increase of photon harvesting induced by doping phosphorescent material Ir(btpy3 and the effective energy transfer from Ir(btpy3 to P3HT. The effective energy transfer from Ir(btpy3 to P3HT was demonstrated by time-resolved photoluminescence (PL spectra. The increased Voc is due to the photovoltaic effect between Ir(btpy3 and PCBM. The power conversion efficiency (PCE of PSCs with P3HT:PCBM as the active layer is increased from 0.19% to 1.49% by annealing treatment at 140°C for 10 minutes. The PCE of PSCs with P3HT:PCBM:Ir(btpy3 as the active layer is increased from 0.49% to 0.95% by annealing treatment at lower temperature at 100°C for 10 minutes.

  20. Extended abstracts of the 8. international symposium on new materials and nano-materials for electrochemical systems : emerging trends and challenges in new materials development for sustainable energy and environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savadogo, O.; Ma, Z.F.

    2010-01-01

    This conference provided a forum to highlight the advances made in the development of new materials and nano-materials for electrochemical systems, including fuel cells. Electrochemical energy system devices have the potential to provide new applications for high power mobile systems as an alternative to internal combustion engines. They also have the potential for applications in hand-held personal electronic devices, uninterrupted power supply and auxiliary power supply. However, additional advances in unit cell material and design are still needed before mass production of fuel cells can begin. Cost, reliability, service life, electrode performance and power density are among the technical challenges facing commercialization. In addition to a plenary and general session, the sessions of the conference were entitled: low temperature fuel cells; high temperature fuel cells; advanced secondary rechargeable batteries; hydrogen production and storage; electrochemical supercapacitors; and poster session. All 166 presentations at this conference have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database

  1. Investigations on quinquethiophenes as donor materials in organic solar cells; Untersuchungen an Quinquethiophenen zur Verwendung als Donator in Organischen Solarzellen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schulze, Kerstin

    2008-07-01

    Organic photovoltaics could in the future represent a possibility for energy production from renewable energy sources. The advance consists here first of all in the potential of a very reasonable fabrication, for instance a production in the role-to-role procedurre, which can be prusued so on flexible substrates like for instance foils. Although the material costs are low, until the commercialization of organic solar cells among others an increasement of their power efficiency is necessary. Preferably in organic solar cells donor and acceptor materials should be applied, the absorption spectra and energy levels of which are ideally matched, because so can high zero-current voltages be reached. Additionally high absorption coefficents of the materials over a large spectral range can lead to high current densities in these photovoltaic components. In this thesis novel quinquethiophenes as donors in organic solar cells are studied, which consist as basic unit of five thiophene rings as well as dicyanovinyl end groups and alkyl side chains. The studied materials possess a high absorption coefficient and reach because of the high ionization potential high zero-current voltages in organic solar cells under application of the fullerenet C{sub 60} as acceptor. Simultaneously a efficient separation of the excitons on the acceptor-donor interface occurs. However the high ionization potential of the quinquethiophenes puts special requirements to the further solar-cell structure. Within this thesis it is shown that adifference between internal voltage and zero-current voltage influences decidingly the shape of the solar-cell characteristic and can generate a S-shape in the neighbourhood of the zero-current voltage. The internal voltage is hereby determined by the contacting of the photoactive layers. An increasement of the internal voltage of the solar cell can be reached by a corresponding material choice. So in this thesis it is shown that organic solar cells based on these

  2. Energy Materials Center at Cornell: Final Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abruña, Héctor [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States); Mutolo, Paul F [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)

    2015-01-02

    The mission of the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc2) was to achieve a detailed understanding, via a combination of synthesis of new materials, experimental and computational approaches, of how the nature, structure, and dynamics of nanostructured interfaces affect energy conversion and storage with emphasis on fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors. Our research on these systems was organized around a full system strategy for; the development and improved performance of materials for both electrodes at which storage or conversion occurs; understanding their internal interfaces, such as SEI layers in batteries and electrocatalyst supports in fuel cells, and methods for structuring them to enable high mass transport as well as high ionic and electronic conductivity; development of ion-conducting electrolytes for batteries and fuel cells (separately) and other separator components, as needed; and development of methods for the characterization of these systems under operating conditions (operando methods) Generally, our work took industry and DOE report findings of current materials as a point of departure to focus on novel material sets for improved performance. In addition, some of our work focused on studying existing materials, for example observing battery solvent degradation, fuel cell catalyst coarsening or monitoring lithium dendrite growth, employing in operando methods developed within the center.

  3. Mould Design and Material selection for Film Insert Moulding of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Packaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wöhner, Timo; Senkbeil, S.; Olesen, T. L.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the mould design for an injection moulding (IM) process for the production of a methanol container for the use in small, passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) systems, which are intended to be used in behind-the-ear hearing aid systems. One of the crucial properties...... for the production of containers with different venting area and location of the venting holes and the use of different membrane thicknesses by using the same mould. Mould design and material selection are presented....

  4. Atomic Layer Deposition on Porous Materials: Problems with Conventional Approaches to Catalyst and Fuel Cell Electrode Preparation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tzia Ming Onn

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Atomic layer deposition (ALD offers exciting possibilities for controlling the structure and composition of surfaces on the atomic scale in heterogeneous catalysts and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC electrodes. However, while ALD procedures and equipment are well developed for applications involving flat surfaces, the conditions required for ALD in porous materials with a large surface area need to be very different. The materials (e.g., rare earths and other functional oxides that are of interest for catalytic applications will also be different. For flat surfaces, rapid cycling, enabled by high carrier-gas flow rates, is necessary in order to rapidly grow thicker films. By contrast, ALD films in porous materials rarely need to be more than 1 nm thick. The elimination of diffusion gradients, efficient use of precursors, and ligand removal with less reactive precursors are the major factors that need to be controlled. In this review, criteria will be outlined for the successful use of ALD in porous materials. Examples of opportunities for using ALD to modify heterogeneous catalysts and SOFC electrodes will be given.

  5. Alternative approaches of SiC & related wide bandgap materials in light emitting & solar cell applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wellmann, Peter; Syväjärvi, Mikael; Ou, Haiyan

    2014-03-01

    Materials for optoelectronics give a fascinating variety of issues to consider. Increasingly important are white light emitting diode (LED) and solar cell materials. Profound energy savings can be done by addressing new materials. White light emitting diodes are becoming common in our lighting scene. There is a great energy saving in the transition from the light bulb to white light emitting diodes via a transition of fluorescent light tubes. However, the white LEDs still suffer from a variety of challenges in order to be in our daily use. Therefore there is a great interest in alternative lighting solutions that could be part of our daily life. All materials create challenges in fabrication. Defects reduce the efficiency of optical transitions involved in the light emitting diode materials. The donor-acceptor co-doped SiC is a potential light converter for a novel monolithic all-semiconductor white LED. In spite of considerable research, the internal quantum efficiency is far less than theoretically predicted and is likely a fascinating scientific field for studying materials growth, defects and optical transitions. Still, efficient Si-based light source represents an ongoing research field in photonics that requires high efficiency at room temperature, wavelength tuning in a wide wavelength range, and easy integration in silicon photonic devices. In some of these devices, rare earth doped materials is considered as a potential way to provide luminescence spanning in a wide wavelength range. Divalent and trivalent oxidation states of Eu provide emitting centers in the visible region. In consideration, the use of Eu in photonics requires Eu doped thin films that are compatible with CMOS technology but for example faces material science issues like a low Eu solid solubility in silica. Therefore approaches aim to obtain efficient light emission from silicon oxycarbide which has a luminescence in the visible range and can be a host material for rare earth ions. The

  6. Characterizing automotive fuel cell materials by soft x-ray scanning transmission x-ray microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hitchcock, A. P.; Lee, V.; Wu, J.; Cooper, G.; West, M. M.; Berejnov, V.; Soboleva, T.; Susac, D.; Stumper, J.

    2016-01-01

    Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM-FC) based engines are being developed rapidly for near-term implementation in hydrogen fueled, mass production, personal automobiles. Research is focused on understanding and controlling various degradation processes (carbon corrosion, Pt migration, cold start), and reducing cost by reducing or eliminating Pt catalyst. We are using soft X-ray scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at the S 2p, C 1s, O 1s and F 1s edges to study a variety of issues related to optimization of PEM-FC materials for automotive applications. A method to efficiently and accurately measure perfluorosulfonic acid distributions was developed and is being used to better understand how different loadings and preparation methods affect the ionomer distribution in the cathode. Progress towards an environmental cell capable of controlling the temperature and humidity of a PEM-FC sample in the STXM is described. Methods for studying the 3D chemical structure of PEM-FC are outlined

  7. Characterizing automotive fuel cell materials by soft x-ray scanning transmission x-ray microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hitchcock, A. P., E-mail: aph@mcmaster.ca; Lee, V.; Wu, J.; Cooper, G. [Chemistry & Chemical Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1 (Canada); West, M. M.; Berejnov, V. [Faculty of Health Sciences Electron Microscopy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5 (Canada); Soboleva, T.; Susac, D.; Stumper, J. [Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation Corp., Burnaby BC V5J 5J8 (Canada)

    2016-01-28

    Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM-FC) based engines are being developed rapidly for near-term implementation in hydrogen fueled, mass production, personal automobiles. Research is focused on understanding and controlling various degradation processes (carbon corrosion, Pt migration, cold start), and reducing cost by reducing or eliminating Pt catalyst. We are using soft X-ray scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at the S 2p, C 1s, O 1s and F 1s edges to study a variety of issues related to optimization of PEM-FC materials for automotive applications. A method to efficiently and accurately measure perfluorosulfonic acid distributions was developed and is being used to better understand how different loadings and preparation methods affect the ionomer distribution in the cathode. Progress towards an environmental cell capable of controlling the temperature and humidity of a PEM-FC sample in the STXM is described. Methods for studying the 3D chemical structure of PEM-FC are outlined.

  8. DNA polymeric films as a support for cell growth as a new material for regenerative medicine: Compatibility and applicability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayme, Cristiano Ceron; de Paula, Leonardo Barcelos; Rezende, Nayara; Calori, Italo Rodrigo; Franchi, Leonardo Pereira; Tedesco, Antonio Claudio

    2017-11-15

    DNA polymeric films (DNA-PFs) are a promising drug delivery system (DDS) in modern medicine. In this study, we evaluated the growth behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells on DNA-PFs. The morphological, biochemical, and cytometric features of OSCC cell adhesion on DNA-PFs were also assessed. An initial, temporary alteration in cell morphology was observed at early time points owing to the inhibition of cell attachment to the film, which then returned to a normal morphological state at later time points. MTT and resazurin assays showed a moderate reduction in cell viability related to increased DNA concentration in the DNA-PFs. Flow cytometry studies showed low cytotoxicity of DNA-PFs, with cell viabilities higher than 90% in all the DNA-PFs tested. Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis also showed average cell cycle phase distributions at later time points, indicating that OSCC cell growth is maintained in the presence of DNA-PFs. These results show high biocompatibility of DNA-PFs and suggest their use in designing "dressing material," where the DNA film acts as a support for cell growth, or with incorporation of active or photoactive compounds, which can induce tissue regeneration and are useful to treat many diseases, especially oral cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Karakterisasi Sensor Gas Lpg (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Dari Bahan Komposit Semikonduktor Tio2(cuo)

    OpenAIRE

    Dewi, Ratna Sari; -, Elvaswer

    2015-01-01

    The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG's) sensor in the form of composite has been characterized. The steps of manufacturing processes are the mixing of materials, calcinations at 500ºC for 4 hours, blended, compacted and sintered at 700ºC for 4 hours. The sensor was tested at room temperature through current (I)-voltage (V) characteristics, sensitivity, and conductivity. Based on measurement I-V characteristic it's known that sample with 10% addition of CuO have sensitivity of 10 at 10 volt vol...

  10. Importance of Fuel Cell Tests for Stability Assessment—Suitability of Titanium Diboride as an Alternative Support Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christina Roth

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Carbon corrosion is a severe issue limiting the long-term stability of carbon-supported catalysts, in particular in the highly dynamic conditions of automotive applications. (Doped oxides have been discussed as suitable alternatives to replace carbon, but often suffer from poor electron conductivity. That is why non-oxide ceramics, such as tungsten carbide and titanium nitride, have been discussed recently. Titanium diboride has also been proposed, due to its promising activity and stability in an aqueous electrochemical cell. In this work, Pt nanoparticles were deposited onto μm-sized TiB2 particles with improved grain size, manufactured into porous gas diffusion electrodes and tested in a realistic polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM fuel cell environment. In contrast to the model studies in an aqueous electrochemical cell, in the presence of oxygen and high potentials at the cathode side of a real fuel cell, TiB2 becomes rapidly oxidized as indicated by intensely colored regions in the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA. Moreover, already the electrode manufacturing process led to the formation of titanium oxides, as shown by X-ray diffraction measurements. This demonstrates that Cyclic Voltammetry (CV measurements in an aqueous electrochemical cell are not sufficient to prove stability of novel materials for fuel cell applications.

  11. Enhancement of discharge performance of Li/CF x cell by thermal treatment of CF x cathode material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sheng S.; Foster, Donald; Read, Jeffrey

    In this work we demonstrate that the thermal treatment of CF x cathode material just below the decomposition temperature can enhance discharge performance of Li/CF x cells. The performance enhancement becomes more effective when heating a mixture of CF x and citric acid (CA) since CA serves as an extra carbon source. Discharge experiments show that the thermal treatment not only reduces initial voltage delay, but also raises discharge voltage. Whereas the measurement of powder impedance indicates the thermal treatment does not increase electronic conductivity of CF x material. Based on these facts, we propose that the thermal treatment results in a limited decomposition of CF x, which yields a subfluorinated carbon (CF x- δ), instead of a highly conductive carbon. In the case of CF x/AC mixture, the AC provides extra carbon that reacts with F 2 and fluorocarbon radicals generated by the thermal decomposition of CF x to form subfluorinated carbon. The process of thermal treatment is studied by thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction, and the effect of treatment conditions such as heating temperature, heating time and CF x/CA ratio on the discharge performance of CF x cathode is discussed. As an example, a Li/CF x cell using CF x treated with CA at 500 °C under nitrogen for 2 h achieved theretical specific capacity when being discharged at C/5. Impedance analysis indicates that the enhanced performance is attributed to a significant reduction in the cell reaction resistance.

  12. Insights to regenerate materials: learning from nature

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Aznar, J. M.; Valero, C.; Gómez-Benito, M. J.; Javierre, E.

    2016-08-01

    Self-healing materials, both biological and engineered, integrate the ability to repair themselves and recover their functionality using the resources inherently available to them. Although significant advances have been made, in recent years, for the design of different concepts of self-healing materials, this work aims to provide some insights into how living materials are able to regenerate or heal when a fracture or injury occurs. The main sensors that regulate this adaptive and regenerative behavior are the cells. These are able to sense the mechanical alterations in their surroundings and regulate their activity in order to remove dead tissue and/or create new tissue. Therefore, understanding how cells are able to regenerate tissues under complex and multiphysics conditions can define the biomimetics guidelines to heal through inert or traditional engineering materials. In this work, we present a combination of experiments and different kinds of multiscale and multiphysics models in order to understand how mechanics regulate some mechanisms at cell and tissue level. This combination of results aims to gain insight into the development of novel strategies for self-healing materials, mimicking the behavior induced by cells and biological tissues.

  13. Enhanced Power Conversion Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells with an Up-Conversion Material of Er3+-Yb3+-Li+ Tri-doped TiO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhenlong; Qin, Jianqiang; Shi, Wenjia; Liu, Yanyan; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Yuefeng; Gao, Huiping; Mao, Yanli

    2018-05-11

    In this paper, Er 3+ -Yb 3+ -Li + tri-doped TiO 2 (UC-TiO 2 ) was prepared by an addition of Li + to Er 3+ -Yb 3+ co-doped TiO 2 . The UC-TiO 2 presented an enhanced up-conversion emission compared with Er 3+ -Yb 3+ co-doped TiO 2 . The UC-TiO 2 was applied to the perovskite solar cells. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells without UC-TiO 2 was 14.0%, while the PCE of the solar cells with UC-TiO 2 was increased to 16.5%, which presented an increase of 19%. The results suggested that UC-TiO 2 is an effective up-conversion material. And this study provided a route to expand the spectral absorption of perovskite solar cells from visible light to near-infrared using up-conversion materials.

  14. Direct C-H Arylation Meets Perovskite Solar Cells: Sn-Free Synthesis Shortcut to High Performance Hole-Transporting Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yu-Chieh; Lee, Kun-Mu; Lai, Chia-Hsin; Liu, Ching-Yuan

    2018-03-30

    In contrast to the traditional multistep synthesis, we demonstrate herein a two-step synthesis-shortcut to triphenylamine-based hole-transporting materials (HTMs) through sequential direct C-H arylations. These hole-transporting molecules are fabricated in perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs), exhibiting promising efficiencies up to 17.69%, which is comparable to PSCs utilizing the commercially available spiro-OMeTAD as HTM. This is the first report describing the use of step-saving C-H activations/arylations in the facile synthesis of small-molecule HTMs for perovskite solar cells. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Morphological aspects of starch and cell wall material mobilization in developing lupine cotyledons and the effect of kinetin on these processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fortunat Młodzianowski

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In the cotyledons of dry lupine seeds the presence of starch was not demonstrated. Its formation during seed imbibition in darkness is accompanied by a reduction in the thickness of cell walls containing hemicelluloses. It is believed that the products of hemicellulose hydrolysis, particullarily in isolated cotyledons, arę the main source of materials for the synthesis of starch, In the process of cell wall decomposition the invaginations of plasmalemma appear to be involved. Kinetin enhance the hydrolysis of cell walls and the mobilization of starch in isolated cotyledons.

  16. Role of Nuclear Based Techniques in Development and Characterization of Materials for Hydrogen Storage and Fuel Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-02-01

    Today various materials for fuel cell applications are urgently needed, including potential electrodes for the molten carbonate fuel cells. Identification of appropriate storage concepts are also urgently needed in order to initiate necessary steps for implementation of such technologies in daily life. Recent progress in nuclear analyses and observation/imaging techniques can significantly contribute to a successful achievement of ongoing research challenges. Primary importance is given to areas of characterization and in-situ testing of materials and/or components of hydrogen storage and fuel cell systems. Dedicated attention is addressed to issues related to hydrogen storage concepts, such as metal hydrides and other systems (e.g. fullerene structures) as well as their stability and the changes induced by hydrogen sorption process. In total 14 papers report on various scientific and research issues related to hydrogen storage and conversion technologies. Based on presented results, it can be concluded that nuclear- based techniques, specifically those involving neutrons, X rays and particle beams, play very important roles in ongoing research activities among many IAEA Member States. A short overview of individual reports is summarized below. The presented papers give an overview of typical applications of such techniques and their experimental setups based either on X ray or neutron sources, which can be used effectively to study specific properties of materials for hydrogen storage as well as microstructural features and hydrogen interaction with solid matter. The papers presented by Canadian, Dutch, Italian and Norwegian groups, report on research results related to application of thermal neutron scattering and neutron diffraction in studies of hydrogen containing materials, particularly in situ characterization as a means to study metal hydrides' structure and their modification upon hydrogen sorption. The investigation on solid state hydrogen storage

  17. Trade-off between Photon Management Efficacy and Material Quality in Thin-Film Solar Cells on Nanostructured Substrates of High Aspect Ratio Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan H. Chin

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Although texturing of the transparent electrode of thin-film solar cells has long been used to enhance light absorption via light trapping, such texturing has involved low aspect ratio features. With the recent development of nanotechnology, nanostructured substrates enable improved light trapping and enhanced optical absorption via resonances, a process known as photon management, in thin-film solar cells. Despite the progress made in the development of photon management in thin-film solar cells using nanostructures substrates, the structural integrity of the thin-film solar cells deposited onto such nanostructured substrates is rarely considered. Here, we report the observation of the reduction in the open circuit voltage of amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto a nanostructured substrate with increasing areal number density of high aspect ratio structures. For a nanostructured substrate with the areal number density of such nanostructures increasing in correlation with the distance from one edge of the substrate, a correlation between the open circuit voltage reduction and the increase of the areal number density of high aspect ratio nanostructures of the front electrode of the small-size amorphous silicon solar cells deposited onto different regions of the substrate with graded nanostructure density indicates the effect of the surface morphology on the material quality, i.e., a trade-off between photon management efficacy and material quality. This observed trade-off highlights the importance of optimizing the morphology of the nanostructured substrate to ensure conformal deposition of the thin-film solar cell.

  18. Application of Inorganic Materials in Organic Solar Cells%无机材料在有机太阳能电池中的应用

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    车广波; 袁晶; 苏斌; 刘春波; 赵静; 李丽丽

    2013-01-01

    Although organic materials have been widely utilized for the fabrications of organic solar cells as they are inexpensive,easily prepared and compatible with substrates,the development of organic solar cells has been hindered mainly due to their low carrier mobility,poor stability and unsatisfactory matching with the solar spectrum.On the other hand,inorganic materials have high electron mobility and absorption spectra matching with the solar spectrum.Therefore the power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells is still not competitive with those of inorganic solar cells.If the advantages of both organic and inorganic materials could be combined,the performance of organic solar cells would be enhanced.At present,some progresses have been made in inorganic-organic hybird solar cells.Usually,the inorganic materials were used in the acceptor layer,cathode buffer layer and anode buffer layer to improve the energy conversion efficiency of organic solar cells.In this article we discussed the applications of some inorganic materials in organic solar cells and the recent research progresses as well as the perspectives in this field.%无机材料电子迁移率高、光谱响应范围与太阳光谱匹配,而有机材料价格低廉、合成方法简单、容易制作在基底上,因此在太阳能电池中具有更广阔的应用前景.目前,阻碍有机太阳能电池发展的主要原因是材料的载流子迁移率低、器件稳定性差、吸收光谱与太阳光谱不匹配,导致光电转换效率较低.若能将有机、无机材料二者的优点相结合,将可提高有机太阳能电池的能量转换效率.目前的研究已经取得了一定进展,无机材料在受体层、阴极缓冲层、阳极缓冲层中的应用均不同程度地提高了有机太阳能电池的能量转换效率.本文综述了目前该领域的研究现状,并对今后的研究提出了展望.

  19. LBL coating of type I collagen and hyaluronic acid on aminolyzed PLLA to enhance the cell-material interaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Y. Zhao

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present work is to assemble extracellular matrix components onto poly (L-lactic acid (PLLA films using layer-by-layer (LBL depositing method to enhance the cell-material interaction. To introduce charges onto the hydrophobic and neutral PLLA surface so that the electronic assembly can be processed, poly (ethylene imine (PEI was covalently bonded to modify the PLLA films. Positively charged collagen I (Col I was then deposited onto the aminolyzed PLLA film surface in a LBL assembly manner using hyaluronic acid (HA as a negatively charged polyelectrolyte. The PEI modification efficiency was monitored via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS measurements. The results of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR and Water contact angle (WCA monitoring the LBL assemble process presented that the HA/Col I deposited alternately onto the PLLA surface. The surface topography of the films was observed by Atomic force microscope (AFM. In vitro osteoblast culture found that the presence of Col I layer greatly improved the cytocompatibility of the PLLA films in terms of cell viability, cell proliferation and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP expression. Furthermore, osteoblast extensions were found to be directed by contact guidance of the aligned Col I fibrils. Thus, these very flexible systems may allow broad applications for improve the bioactivity of polymeric materials, which might be a potential application for bone tissue engineering.

  20. A Mismatch Between Patient Education Materials About Sickle Cell Disease and the Literacy Level of Their Intended Audience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClure, Elizabeth; Ng, Jared; Vitzthum, Kelly; Rudd, Rima

    2016-05-12

    Despite the first goal of the 2010 National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy, the literacy demands of much health information exceeds the reading skills of most US adults. The objective of this study was to assess the health literacy level of publicly available patient education materials for people with sickle cell disease (SCD). We used 5 validated tools to evaluate 9 print and 4 online patient education materials: the simple measure of gobbledygook (SMOG) to assess reading grade level, the Peter Mosenthal and Irwin Kirsch readability formula (PMOSE/IKIRSCH) to assess structure and density, the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) to assess actionability (how well readers will know what to do after reading the material) and understandability, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Clear Communication Index (Index) to obtain a comprehensive literacy demand score, and the Printed Cancer Education Materials for African Americans Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool. Materials' scores reflected high reading levels ranging from 8th grade to 12th grade, appropriate (low) structural demand, and low actionability relative to understandability. CDC suggests that an appropriate Index score should fall in or above the 90th percentile. The scores yielded by materials evaluated in this assessment ranged from the 44th to the 76th percentiles. Eight of the 13 materials scored within the acceptable range for cultural sensitivity. Reading levels of available patient education materials exceed the documented average literacy level of the US adult population. Health literacy demands should be a key consideration in the revision and development of patient education materials for people with SCD.