Abstract The morphology of bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells controls many the performance characteristics devices. However, measuring this is challenging because small length-scales and low contrast between materials. Here we use nanoscale photocurrent mapping, ultrafast fluorescence exciton diffusion to observe detailed a high-performance blend PTB7:PC 71 BM. We show that optimized blends consist elongated fullerene-rich polymer-rich fibre-like domains, which are 10–50 nm wide...

The effect of acceptor energy level on electron transfer rate in blends the polymer solar-cell material poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7) is studied using time-resolved fluorescence. Fast less than 2 ps observed for a driving force between 0.2 and 0.6 eV slower outside this range. This dependence described by Marcus theory with reorganization ≈0.4 eV. Organic semiconductors have...

We studied crystallinity and exciton harvesting in bulk heterojunctions of the semiconducting polymer PffBT4T-2OD electron acceptor PC71BM that are used to make highly efficient organic solar cells. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering shows size crystalline domains increases ∼18 nm photovoltaic blends upon thermal annealing at 100 °C for 5 min. These larger than typical diffusion lengths conjugated polymers. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements show length from ∼14 ∼24...

This work reports the optimization of a method using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) for simultaneous determination zearalenone and alternariol mycotoxins. The was optimized chemometric approach where in conditions, cartridges with mixture (50:50, w/w) both MIPs, were loaded 30 mL sample, washed 2 ACN/water (20/80, v/v) eluted 2.5 trifluoroacetic acid/MeOH (3/97, v/v). extracts analyzed by HPLC coupled to fluorescence detector (FLD). has been applied validated analysis mycotoxins...

Singlet exciton diffusion was studied in the efficient organic photovoltaic electron donor material DTS(FBTTh2)2. Three complementary time-resolved fluorescence measurements were performed: quenching planar heterojunctions with an acceptor, exciton-exciton annihilation, and depolarization. The average diffusivity increases upon annealing from 1.6 × 10-3 to 3.6 cm2 s-1, resulting enhancement of mean two-dimensional length (LD = (4Dτ)1/2) 15 27 nm. About 30% excitons get trapped very quickly...

While a plethora of protocols exist for the synthesis sub-10-nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), independent control over size and surface composition remains restricted. This poses particular challenge systematic studies AuNP structure–function relationships optimization crucial design parameters. To this end, we report on modular two-step approach based AuNPs in oleylamine (OAm) followed by subsequent functionalization with thiol ligands mixtures thereof. The OAm-capped enables fine-tuning core...

The arrangement of nanoscale building blocks into patterns with microscale periodicity is challenging to achieve via self-assembly processes. Here, we report on the phase-transition-driven collective assembly gold nanoparticles in a thermotropic liquid crystal. A temperature-induced transition from isotropic nematic phase under anchoring-driven planar alignment leads individual nanometer-sized particles arrays micrometer-sized agglomerates, whose size and characteristic spacing can be tuned...

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is one of the basic analytical procedures in chemistry and allows demonstration various chemical principles an educational setting. An often-overlooked aspect TLC capability to quantify isolated target compounds unknown sample. Here, we present a suitable route implement quantitative analysis lesson plan. We provide both stand-alone software online webapp that allow students obtain information from developed plate two experiments, namely, absorbance-based...

Pulmonary surfactant (PS) has been proposed as an efficient drug delivery vehicle for inhaled therapies. Its ability to adsorb and spread interfacially transport different drugs associated with it studied mainly by surface balance designs, typically interconnecting various compartments interfacial paper bridges, mimicking in vitro the respiratory air–liquid interface. It demonstrated that only a monomolecular layer of PS/drug is able cross this bridge. However, films are organized...

Three 'D-π-A-π-A' based dyes have been synthesized featuring MeO-, MeS- and Me2N- as donor residues benzothiadiazole cyanoacrylic acid acceptor units. UV–vis spectroscopy, solution electrochemistry DFT modelling indicated that the residue has most significant effect on optical redox properties of a photosensitizer. DSSCs with functionalized dye gave highest power conversion efficiency series (η = 5.61%), presumably due to better ability this unit, which promotes more effective intramolecular...

We report on the phase behaviour of methanol (MeOH) and thermotropic liquid crystal 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) study novel routes for extraction target compounds.

At present, drug dosage is based on standardised approaches that disregard pharmakokinetic differences between patients and lead to non-optimal efficacy unnecessary side effects. In this work, we demonstrate the potential of pH-mediated fluorescence spectroscopy for therapeutic monitoring in complex media. We apply principle simultaneous quantification chemotherapeutic prodrug Irinotecan its active metabolite SN-38 from human plasma across clinically relevant concentration range, i.e....

We have demonstrated controlled assembly between CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and a fullerene (C60) derivative via complementary three-point hydrogen bonding interactions. The recognition-mediated facilitated an interpenetrated network morphology hence efficient charge transfer from QD to C60.

The synthesis and characterization of three solution processable diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivatives featuring acceptor units attached to the core by alkyne linker is reported. Cyclic voltammetry density functional theory calculations indicate that DPP possess similar HOMO LUMO energies. Solar cells were fabricated blending synthesized with [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyrate methyl ester. influence donor:acceptor blend ratio, film thickness, annealing temperature, time on device performance was...

Coplanar metal-free organic dyes featuring a furylethynyl spacer with different donor residues (MeO-, MeS-, and Me₂N-) have been synthesized. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations predicted that the Me₂N- residue would facilitate more effective charge transfer from to acceptor than MeO- MeS- residues. In agreement DFT calculations, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated functionalized dye exhibited best power conversion efficiency (η), 2.88%. Furthermore, effect of furan on...

One of the major difficulties in development evanescent wave optical fiber sensors (EWOFS) lies complexity manufacturing chemosensitive element, particularly when using plastic fibers (POFs). While these are appealing waveguides thanks to their low cost, ease connectorization and robustness, need for removing cladding material complicates EWOFS fabrication. In this paper we discuss how 3D printing filaments can serve as an alternative commercially available POF EWOFS. process replacing...

Herein, we report on the phase behaviour of a binary liquid-liquid mixture composed methanol (MeOH) and thermotropic liquid crystal 4-Cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). The corresponding diagram combines features conventional with characteristics that are particular to nematic crystal. We observe four arrangements as function composition temperature, namely monophasic isotropic, nematic, biphasic isotropic-isotropic isotropic-nematic, an upper critical solution temperature 298 K. interplay...

Herein, we report on the phase behaviour of a binary liquid-liquid mixture composed methanol (MeOH) and thermotropic liquid crystal 4-Cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). The corresponding diagram combines features conventional with characteristics that are particular to nematic crystal. We observe four arrangements as function composition temperature, namely monophasic isotropic, nematic, biphasic isotropic-isotropic isotropic-nematic, an upper critical solution temperature 298 K. interplay...

The arrangement of nanoscale building blocks into patterns with microscale periodicity is challenging to achieve via self-assembly processes. Here, we report on the phase transition-driven collective assembly gold nanoparticles in a thermotropic liquid crystal. A temperature-induced transition from isotropic nematic leads individual nanometre-sized particles arrays micrometre-sized aggregates, whose size and characteristic spacing can be tuned by varying cooling rate. This fully reversible...

The arrangement of nanoscale building blocks into patterns with microscale periodicity is challenging to achieve via self-assembly processes. Here, we report on the phase transition-driven collective assembly gold nanoparticles in a thermotropic liquid crystal. A temperature-induced transition from isotropic nematic leads individual nanometre-sized particles arrays micrometre-sized aggregates, whose size and characteristic spacing can be tuned by varying cooling rate. This fully reversible...

At present, drug dosage is based on standardised approaches that disregard pharmakokinetic differences between patients and lead to non-optimal efficacy unnecessary side effects. In this work, we demonstrate the potential of pH-mediated fluorescence spectroscopy for therapeutic monitoring in complex media. We apply principle simultaneous quantification chemotherapeutic prodrug Irinotecan its active metabolite SN-38 from human plasma across clinically relevant concentration range, i.e....