Realization of Conductive Wells for Rear Side Electrical Contact of Integrated Solar Cell

AbstractThe so-called integrated solar cell (i-Cell) consists of several small area sub-cells manufactured by bonding monocrystalline Si (mono-Si) thin foils (20-60μm) ontocost effective insulating substrates on which local conductive wells have been previously integrated. In this paper, we report on the realization of deep recrystallized conductive wells acting as the rear side electrical contact of each sub-cell. These conductive wells have been produced by screen-printing of a thick aluminum (Al) layer followed by a fast-firing process for the formation of the back electrode of each sub-cell. The i-Cell delivers a high voltage and a low current, which reduces the resistive losses in the interconnections of i-cells and modules. The influence of firing temperature profile on the depths and electrical properties of conductive wells are investigated. The feasibility of i-Cell realized on these deep recrystallized conductive wells has been demonstrated. The preliminary results, obtained from 156x156 mm2 i-Cell on which four sub-cells are connected in series, show an efficiency over 16%, with a short circuit current of 2.1 A and an open circuit voltage of 2.5V

Anodic oxidation of 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid on synthetic boron-doped diamond electrodes

The anodic oxidn. of 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (CPA) on synthetic B-doped diamond thin film electrodes in acid media was studied, using cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis. The results showed that in the potential region where the supporting electrolyte is stable, reactions occur, resulting in the loss of activity due to electrode fouling. Electrolysis at high anodic potentials in the region of electrolyte decompn. causes complex oxidn. reactions that lead to the complete incineration of CPA. There is no indication of electrode fouling under these conditions. The exptl. were compared with a theor. model. This model is based on the assumption that the electrochem. oxidn. of CPA by electrogenerated hydroxyl radicals is a fast reaction and that the process is diffusion-controlled. [on SciFinder (R)

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION BY INFRARED AND MOSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPIES OF SOME NEW SnR2 (R = Me, Ph, Bu) RESIDUE CONTAINING ARBOXYALKYLPHOSPHONATE ADDUCTS AND DERIVATIVES

Four new carboxyalkylphosphonate SnR2 residue (R = Me, Ph, Bu) containing adducts and derivatives i.e. {(Cy2NH2)3(O2CCH2PO3)(SnBu2Cl2)} (1), {[(SnMe2Cl)(O2CCH2PO3H2)]4[Cy2NH2Cl]} (2), {(Me4N)(SnPh2Cl)[O2C(CH2)2 PO3H](SnPh2)[O2C(CH2)2PO3H]} (3) and {(Cy2NH2)2(O2CCH2PO3H)(SnPh2Cl2)2} (4), have been synthesized from one-pot reactions carried out in solution. All compounds have been investigated by spectral techniques (infrared and Mossbauer). The spectral studies have evidenced presence of several characteristic bands, especially υ (C=O), υ (OH), υ (CO2–), υ (PO32–) vibrations coming from carboxyalkylphosphonate ions, with wide absorption due to the NH2 groups coming from the dicyclohexylammonium counter ion (for 1, 2 and 4) and the intense doublet which show the presence of phenyl groups (for 3 and 4). In the solid state, the proposed structures are discrete or of infinite chain however hydrogen bonding patterns may occur. Event in this investigation is the presence, for compound 3, of two types of arrangement at Sn centers viz. an octahedron and a trigonal bipyramidal whose presence are ascertained by the Mossbauer parameters. The neutral or acidic carboxyalkylphosphonate ions exhibit a diversity of coordination behavior towards the Sn atoms: monochelating (carboxylate and phosphonate O-donor), monochelating through the carboxylate and unidentate coordinating O-donor through the phosphonic acid or acidic phosphonate, bichelating with chelations from carboxylate and acidic phosphonate, and unidentate from both the carboxylate and phosphonic aci

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION BY INFRARED AND MOSSBAUER SPECTROSCOPIES OF SOME NEW SnR2 (R = Me, Ph, Bu) RESIDUE CONTAINING ARBOXYALKYLPHOSPHONATE ADDUCTS AND DERIVATIVES

Four new carboxyalkylphosphonate SnR2 residue (R = Me, Ph, Bu) containing adducts and derivatives i.e. {(Cy2NH2)3(O2CCH2PO3)(SnBu2Cl2)} (1), {[(SnMe2Cl)(O2CCH2PO3H2)]4[Cy2NH2Cl]} (2), {(Me4N)(SnPh2Cl)[O2C(CH2)2 PO3H](SnPh2)[O2C(CH2)2PO3H]} (3) and {(Cy2NH2)2(O2CCH2PO3H)(SnPh2Cl2)2} (4), have been synthesized from one-pot reactions carried out in solution. All compounds have been investigated by spectral techniques (infrared and Mossbauer). The spectral studies have evidenced presence of several characteristic bands, especially υ (C=O), υ (OH), υ (CO2–), υ (PO32–) vibrations coming from carboxyalkylphosphonate ions, with wide absorption due to the NH2 groups coming from the dicyclohexylammonium counter ion (for 1, 2 and 4) and the intense doublet which show the presence of phenyl groups (for 3 and 4). In the solid state, the proposed structures are discrete or of infinite chain however hydrogen bonding patterns may occur. Event in this investigation is the presence, for compound 3, of two types of arrangement at Sn centers viz. an octahedron and a trigonal bipyramidal whose presence are ascertained by the Mossbauer parameters. The neutral or acidic carboxyalkylphosphonate ions exhibit a diversity of coordination behavior towards the Sn atoms: monochelating (carboxylate and phosphonate O-donor), monochelating through the carboxylate and unidentate coordinating O-donor through the phosphonic acid or acidic phosphonate, bichelating with chelations from carboxylate and acidic phosphonate, and unidentate from both the carboxylate and phosphonic aci

Transcriptional Portrait of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae during Acute Disease - Potential Strategies for Survival and Persistence in the Host

BACKGROUND: Gene expression profiles of bacteria in their natural hosts can provide novel insight into the host-pathogen interactions and molecular determinants of bacterial infections. In the present study, the transcriptional profile of the porcine lung pathogen Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was monitored during the acute phase of infection in its natural host. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Bacterial expression profiles of A. pleuropneumoniae isolated from lung lesions of 25 infected pigs were compared in samples taken 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours post experimental challenge. Within 6 hours, focal, fibrino hemorrhagic lesions could be observed in the pig lungs, indicating that A. pleuropneumoniae had managed to establish itself successfully in the host. We identified 237 differentially regulated genes likely to encode functions required by the bacteria for colonization and survival in the host. This group was dominated by genes involved in various aspects of energy metabolism, especially anaerobic respiration and carbohydrate metabolism. Remodeling of the bacterial envelope and modifications of posttranslational processing of proteins also appeared to be of importance during early infection. The results suggested that A. pleuropneumoniae is using various strategies to increase its fitness, such as applying Na+ pumps as an alternative way of gaining energy. Furthermore, the transcriptional data provided potential clues as to how A. pleuropneumoniae is able to circumvent host immune factors and survive within the hostile environment of host macrophages. This persistence within macrophages may be related to urease activity, mobilization of various stress responses and active evasion of the host defenses by cell surface sialylation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The data presented here highlight the importance of metabolic adjustments to host conditions as virulence factors of infecting microorganisms and help to provide insight into the mechanisms behind the efficient colonization and persistence of A. pleuropneumoniae during acute disease

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Oxidation of pressed sintered silicon substrate for Integrated Solar Cell

International audienc

Realization of Conductive Wells for the Rear Side Electrical Contact of Integrated Solar Cell

International audienc