Derivation of the Explicit Equation Relating Mass-Transfer-Limited-Current to Voltage at the Interface between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions (ITIES)

A relation between the potential drop across the boundary layer and the potential drop at the double layer at the liquid-liquid interface was put forward by Indenbom to give an indication of the polarizability of the interface. We used this same approach, demonstrating that feasible assumptions allow to eliminate all the others variables in order to know the relationship between the current across the interface as a function of the total potential from one bulk solution to the other (i.e. I vs. ). The final expression is mathematically similar to the Butler-Volmer equation for classical electrode kinetics.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

Characterization of Doping and Electropolymerization of Free Standing Films of Polyterthiophene

To characterize the doping and electropolymerize a free-standing semiconducting polymer, the technique of electrodeposition at the Interface between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions (ITIES) was used. The potential use of such films for photovoltaic applications led to a 'plain' terthiophene being chosen as the starting monomer in order to have a longer conjugation length. A new design of a 4-electrode cell allowed us to operate at a relatively high potential but where the potential is still low compared with a value that would damage the formed polymer. The doping level is investigated by both cyclic voltammetric and steady state techniques.JRC.H.8-Renewable energie

Electropolymerized PV Cells

Electropolymerization offers numerous advantages for making the cheap and resilient layers of semiconducting polymer layers which would be required for a commercially viable plastic solar cells. But until now the layers were too defective. By analysing the literature and adding our own observations, we have used reverse-pulse electropolymerization to make a relatively perfect layer of plain (unsubstituted) polythiophene. Plain polythiophene has much better resistance to photo-oxidation than alkyl-substituted polythiophenes; it cannot be deposited by solvent evaporation because it is insoluble. We have also produced a small PV cell using electropolymerized polythiophene as electron donor, and carbon nanotubes as acceptor material.JRC.H.8-Renewable energie

Electropolymerized Polythiophene Layer Extracted from the Interface Between Two Immiscible Electrolyte Solutions: Current-Time Ananlysis

Polythiophene was formed by electropolymerization at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions, using terthiophene as the starting monomer in 1,2-dichloroethane. The water phase contained a redox couple to allow removal of electrons through the interface. For the first time, a layer of polythiophene was produced which was strong enough to extract. The mechanism of electropolymerization was found to be similar to that in the electrodeposition of polythiophene on metals: progressive nucleation and 2D growth precedes 3D growth, ascribed to precipitation of oligomers from solution. The polymer extracted was found to be partially oxidized (irreversibly doped) to a conductive state, and stable in air.JRC.H.8-Renewable energie

Could GILZ be the answer to glucocorticoid toxicity in lupus?

Glucocorticoids (GC) are used globally to treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Their anti-inflammatory actions are mainly mediated via binding to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), creating a GC/GR complex, which acts in both the cytoplasm and nucleus to regulate the transcription of a host of target genes. As a result, signaling pathways such as NF-κB and AP-1 are inhibited, and cell activation, differentiation and survival and cytokine and chemokine production are suppressed. However, the gene regulation by GC can also cause severe side effects in patients. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a multisystem autoimmune disease, characterized by a poorly regulated immune response leading to chronic inflammation and dysfunction of multiple organs, for which GC is the major current therapy. Long-term GC use, however, can cause debilitating adverse consequences for patients including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis and contributes to irreversible organ damage. To date, there is no alternative treatment which can replicate the rapid effects of GC across multiple immune cell functions, effecting disease control during disease flares. Research efforts have focused on finding alternatives to GC, which display similar immunoregulatory actions, without the devastating adverse metabolic effects. One potential candidate is the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ). GILZ is induced by low concentrations of GC and is shown to mimic the action of GC in several inflammatory processes, reducing immunity and inflammation in in vitro and in vivo studies. Additionally, GILZ has, similar to the GC-GR complex, the ability to bind to both NF-κB and AP-1 as well as DNA directly, to regulate immune cell function, while potentially lacking the GC-related side effects. Importantly, in SLE patients GILZ is under-expressed and correlates negatively with disease activity, suggesting an important regulatory role of GILZ in SLE. Here we provide an overview of the actions and use of GC in lupus, and discuss whether the regulatory mechanisms of GILZ could lead to the development of a novel therapeutic for lupus. Increased understanding of the mechanisms of action of GILZ, and its ability to regulate immune events leading to lupus disease activity has important clinical implications for the development of safer anti-inflammatory therapies