Synthesis and Applications of Dicationic Iodide Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been receiving growing attentions as a potential alternative to order photovoltaic devices due to their high efficiency and low manufacturing cost. DSSCs are composed of a photosensitizing dye adsorbed on a mesoporous film of nanocrystalline TiO2 as a photoelectrode, an electrolyte containing triiodide/iodide redox couple, and a platinized counter electrode. To improve photovoltaic properties of DSSCs, new dicationic salts based on ionic liquids were synthesized. Quite comparable efficiencies were obtained from electrolytes with new dicationic iodide salts. The best cell performance of 7.96% was obtained with dicationic salt of PBDMIDI

On the cross section ratio sigma_n/sigma_p in eta photoproduction

The recently discovered enhancement of eta photoproduction on the quasi-free neutron at energies around sqrt(s)~1.67 GeV is addressed within a SU(3) coupled channel model. The quasi-free cross sections on proton and neutron, sigma_n and sigma_p, can be quantitatively explained. In this study, the main source for the peak in sigma_n/sigma_p is a coupled channel effect in S-wave that explains the dip-bump structure in gamma n --> eta n. In particular, the photon coupling to the intermediate meson-baryon states is important. The stability of the result is extensively tested and consistency with several pion- and photon-induced reactions is ensured.Comment: Version accepted by Phys. Lett.

Efficient Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes with Randomly Oriented Nanocrystals

Ruddlesden-Popper phase (RP-phase) perovskites that consist of 2D perovskite slabs interleaved with bulky organic ammonium (OA) are favorable for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The critical limitation of LED applications is that the insulating OA arranged in a preferred orientation limits charge transport. Therefore, the ideal solution is to achieve a randomly connected structure that can improve charge transport without hampering the confinement of the electron-hole pair. Here, a structurally modulated RP-phase metal halide perovskite (MHP), (PEA)(2)(CH3NH3)(m-1)PbmBr3m+1 is introduced to make the randomly oriented RP-phase unit and ensure good connection between them by applying modified nanocrystal pinning, which leads to an increase in the efficiency of perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs). The randomly connected RP-phase MHP forces contact between inorganic layers and thereby yields efficient charge transport and radiative recombination. Combined with an optimal dimensionality, (PEA)(2)(CH3NH3)(2)Pb3Br10, the structurally modulated RP-phase MHP exhibits increased photoluminescence quantum efficiency, from 0.35% to 30.3%, and their PeLEDs show a 2,018 times higher current efficiency (20.18 cd A(-1)) than in the 2D PeLED (0.01 cd A(-1)) and 673 times than in the 3D PeLED (0.03 cd A(-1)) using the same film formation process. This approach provides insight on how to solve the limitation of RP-phase MHP for efficient PeLEDs.

2-Substitution of Adenine Nucleotide Analogues Containing a Bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane Ring System Locked in a Northern Conformation: Enhanced Potency as P2Y 1 Receptor Antagonists

Preference for the northern (N) ring conformation of the ribose moiety of adenine nucleotide 3′,5′-bisphosphate antagonists of P2Y1 receptors was established by using a ring-constrained methanocarba (a bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane) ring as a ribose substitute (Nandanan et al. J. Med. Chem. 2000, 43, 829–842). We have now combined the ring-constrained (N)-methanocarba modification with other functionalities at the 2-position of the adenine moiety. A new synthetic route to this series of bisphosphate derivatives was introduced, consisting of phosphorylation of the pseudoribose moiety prior to coupling with the adenine base. The activity of the newly synthesized analogues was determined by measuring antagonism of 2-methylthio-ADP-stimulated phospholipase C (PLC) activity in 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells expressing the recombinant human P2Y1 receptor and by using the radiolabeled antagonist [3H]2-chloro-N6-methyl-(N)-methanocarba-2′-deoxyadenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate 5 in a newly developed binding assay in Sf9 cell membranes. Within the series of 2-halo analogues, the most potent molecule at the hP2Y1 receptor was an (N)-methanocarba N6-methyl-2-iodo analogue 12, which displayed a Ki value in competition for binding of [3H]5 of 0.79 nM and a KB value of 1.74 nM for inhibition of PLC. Thus, 12 is the most potent antagonist selective for the P2Y1 receptor yet reported. The 2-iodo group was substituted with trimethyltin, thus providing a parallel synthetic route for the introduction of an iodo group in this high-affinity antagonist. The (N)-methanocarba-2-methylthio, 2-methylseleno, 2-hexyl, 2-(1-hexenyl), and 2-(1-hexynyl) analogues bound less well, exhibiting micromolar affinity at P2Y1 receptors. An enzymatic method of synthesis of the 3′,5′-bisphosphate from the corresponding 3′-monophosphate, suitable for the preparation of a radiophosphorylated analogue, was explored

Effect of sulphur vacancy on geometric and electronic structure of MoS2 induced by molecular hydrogen treatment at room temperature

Investigations into the interaction between molecular hydrogen and molybdenum disulphide have been in increasing demand to improve the understanding of the hydrodesulphurisation process, especially the creation of sulphur vacancies which result in coordinatively unsaturated sites in MoS 2. Here we present comprehensive studies of the structural and electronic modulation caused by exposure of MoS2 to H2 over a low temperature range, which may be helpful for industrial applications. Detail investigations were conducted with Raman spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and electrical transport properties as a function of H2 gas pressure up to 24 bar from 295 K to 350 K. Upon exposure to H2, we observed bond-softening using Raman spectroscopy, a decrease in d-spacing from the TEM results, and an increase in conductance, all of which are consistent with the first-principles calculations. The results demonstrate the formation of sulphur vacancies even under low H2 pressure at low temperature.close2