Laser assisted glass frit sealing for production large area DSCs panels

For the first time laser assisted sealing using lead-free glass frit was successfully applied for producing aDSC panel with a total sealed area of 1638 cm2 and active area of 990 cm2. The panel comprises 90 DSCsindividual glass sealed cells (140 mm 13 mm) arranged in 10 sub-modules (150 mm 150 mm).Indoor aging of individual sub-modules in dark and at ambient temperature for 100 days showed rathersmall decrease of the photocurrent conversion efficiency: 1.23 104 day1. The DSC panel was testedunder outdoor working conditions during 47 days in summer time (Porto, Portugal), where the averageday illumination level was about 6 kW h m2. After 47 days of continuous power production the assembled panel kept 86% of the initial efficiency. No leakage of electrolyte or visual defects in the sealed glassfrit were detected. Glass sealed DSCs performed superior stability under 1000 h of ageing in a climaticchamber when compared to polymer sealed cells. The results show that the laser assisted sealing canbe applied to large area DSC modules

Active corrosion protection coating for a ZE41 magnesium alloy created by combining PEO and sol-gel techniques

An active protective coating for ZE41 magnesium alloy was produced by sealing an anodic layer, loaded with 1,2,4-triazole, with a sol-gel film. An anodic oxide layer was formed using PEO in a silicate-fluoride alkaline solution. This thin (1.8 mu m) porous PEO layer was impregnated with corrosion inhibitor 1,2,4-triazole and sealed with a silica-based sol-gel film modified with titanium oxide. For the first time it was demonstrated that this relatively thin PEO-based composite coating revealed high barrier properties and provided superior protection against corrosion attack during 1 month of continuous exposure to 3% NaCl. A scanning vibrating electrode technique showed a sharp decrease (100 times) of corrosion activity in micro defects formed in the 1,2,4-triazole doped composite coating, when compared to blank samples

Electrochemical deposition of zinc from deep eutectic solvent on barrier alumina layers

The direct use of high-ordered porous templates of anodic aluminium oxide for formation of nanostructures via electrochemical deposition is difficult because the presence of the of barrier alumina layer in the bottom of pores. In this paper, zinc electrodeposition from a solution of ZnCl2 in a choline chloride/ethylene glycol eutectic mixture on dense alumina layers of different thicknesses was studied. In a potentiostatic regime, the deposition on a barrier layer was found to be hardly possible even when the layer is a native alumina film (about 2 nm thick). Choline and ethylene glycol form an adsorbed stable layer at the alumina/electrolyte interface and thereby block the access of zinc chloride anions to the electrode. It has been shown that zinc can be directly deposited on a barrier layer by means of application of a combined potential mode in which an AC component of 50 mV superimposed on the DC potential of -1.6 V. Increasing the temperature of the eutectic solution allows zinc electrodeposition in a potentiostatic regime already at 50 degrees C. By application of any of these conditions, zinc can be deposited on a barrier alumina layer up to about 60 nm thick. The range of frequencies of the AC component and the temperature range where the deposition is optimal were considered. The mechanism of unblocking of the electrode by the alternating potential and by the temperature rise has been suggested. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Electrochemical deposition of Fe and Fe/CNTs composites from strongly alkaline hematite suspensions

Cathodic electrodeposition of Fe and Fe/CNTs composites from Fe2O3 suspensions in 10 M NaOH was reported for the first time. Triethanolamine (TEA) was used as an additive in the plating suspension and found to improve the morphology and adhesion of the deposits. TEA acted as an effective stabilizer for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in strongly alkaline media and facilitated incorporation of CNTs into Fe matrix during the deposition, giving rise to Fe/CNTs composites. Current efficiency, microstructure, morphology of Fe deposits and Fe/CNTs composites as well as carbon content in Fe/CNTs revealed at different deposition conditions were determined

Plasma anodized ZE41 magnesium alloy sealed with hybrid epoxy-silane coating

Anodic coatings on magnesium ZE41 alloy were formed by DC plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in spark regime in solution composed of NaOH, Na2SiO3 and KF. The positive effect of poly(ethylene oxide) addition into the anodizing electrolyte on PEO process, anodic film porosity and its protective performance was described. Anodic films were sealed with hybrid epoxy-silane formulation. The corrosion behavior of the coated ZE41 was studied through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 0.6 M NaCl solution. Resulting duplex PEO/epoxy-silane coating provides good protective performance without significant signs of corrosion during 1 month of immersion test. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Metal Imaging on Surface of Mirco- and Nanoelectronic Devices by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Possibility to Measure at Nanometer Range

An analytical mass spectrometric method for the elemental analysis of nano-bioelectronic devices involved in bioengineering research was developed and applied for measurements of selected metals (Au, Ti, Pt, Cr, etc.) on interdigitated electrode array chips (IDA-chip). An imaging laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (LA-ICP-MS) procedure was used to map the elements of interest on the surface of the analyzed sample. The obtained images of metals were in a good agreement and corresponded to the micro- and nanofabricated metal electrode pattern. For the analysis at nanometer resolution scale a NF-LA-ICP-MS (NF-near-field) procedure was applied, which utilize thin Ag needle to enhance laser beam energy and improve spatial resolution of the method. The results show a approximately 100x enhancement of analyte signal, when the needle was positioned in the "near-field region" to the sample surface and the laser shot was performed. In addition, mass spectrometric studies of reproducibly for five separated NF-LA shots in different places of analyzed sample yielded an RSD of the measurement of 16%