Accounting for a spatial trend in fine-scale ground-penetrating radar data: A comparative case study

In geostatistics, one of the challenges is to account for the spatial trend that is evident in a data-set. Two well-known kriging algorithms, namely universal kriging (UK) and intrinsic random function of order k (IRF-k), are mainly used to deal with the trend apparent in the data-set. These two algorithms differ in the way they account for the trend and they both have different advantages and drawbacks. In this study, the performances of UK, IRF-k, and ordinary kriging (OK) methods are compared on densely sampled ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data acquired to assist in delineation of the ore and waste contact within a laterite-type bauxite deposit. The original GPR data was first pre-processed to generate prediction and validation data sets in order to compare the estimation performance of each kriging algorithm. The structural analysis required for each algorithm was carried out and the resulting variograms and generalized covariance models were verified through cross-validation. The variable representing the elevation of the ore unit base was then estimated at the unknown locations using the prediction data-set. The estimated values were compared against the validation data using mean absolute error (MAE) and mean squared error (MSE) criteria. The results show although IRF-k slightly outperformed OK and UK, all the algorithms produced satisfactory and similar results. MSE values obtained from the comparison with the validation data were 0.1267, 0.1322, and 0.1349 for IRF-k, OK, and UK algorithms respectively. The similarity in the results generated by these algorithms is explained by the existence of a large data-set and the chosen neighbourhood parameters for the kriging technique

Synthesis and dye sensitized solar cell applications of Bodipy derivatives with bis-dimethylfluorenyl amine donor groups

Three Bodipy dyes with strong absorptivities in the visible and near infrared regions were designed, synthesized and their potential as photosensitizers for liquid electrolyte-based dye sensitized solar cells have been evaluated. For the first time Bodipy derivatives with bis-dimethylfluorenyl amine donor groups which were known for their bulky structures as donor groups have been used together. We altered our mostly used triphenylamine group with these and investigated the dye-sensitized solar cell efficiencies of this new class of Bodipy dyes. © The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 2015

Design and synthesis of soluble dibenzosuberane-substituted fullerene derivatives for bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Two new dibenzosuberane-substituted fullerene derivatives, dibenzosuberane-C60 monoadduct (DBSCMA) and bis-adduct (DBSCBA) were synthesized using a classical cyclopropanation reaction via a tosylhydrazone route for application as acceptor materials in polymer solar cells (PSCs). DBSCBA shows good solubility in common organic solvents and both derivatives were characterized by 1HNMR, 13C NMR, MALD-TOF, elemental analysis and UV-vis absorption measurements. The shift of fullerene energy levels induced by the dibenzosuberane substitution was investigated by using theoretical simulations and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Bulk-heterojunction PSCs based on poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and dibenzosuberane-C60 derivatives were fabricated and optimized by adjusting the donor/acceptor ratio and using thermal annealing and solvent additive. The morphologies of the active layers processed under different conditions were also examined by atomic force microscopy. When tested under an illumination of AM 1.5 G at 100 mW/ cm2, the highest power conversion efficiency of the devices using DBSCBA is 3.70% which is superior to that of conventional P3HT:PCBM devices. © 2013 Elsevier B.V

Millimetre-long transport of photogenerated carriers in topological insulators.

Excitons are spin integer particles that are predicted to condense into a coherent quantum state at sufficiently low temperature. Here by using photocurrent imaging we report experimental evidence of formation and efficient transport of non-equilibrium excitons in Bi2-xSbxSe3 nanoribbons. The photocurrent distributions are independent of electric field, indicating that photoexcited electrons and holes form excitons. Remarkably, these excitons can transport over hundreds of micrometers along the topological insulator (TI) nanoribbons before recombination at up to 40 K. The macroscopic transport distance, combined with short carrier lifetime obtained from transient photocurrent measurements, indicates an exciton diffusion coefficient at least 36 m2 s-1, which corresponds to a mobility of 6 × 104 m2 V-1 s-1 at 7 K and is four order of magnitude higher than the value reported for free carriers in TIs. The observation of highly dissipationless exciton transport implies the formation of superfluid-like exciton condensate at the surface of TIs

Variation of Stability Constants of Thorium Citrate Complexes with Ionic Strength

Citrate is among the organic anions which are expected to be present in the wastes planned for deposition in the WIPP repository. In this study, a solvent extraction method has been used to measure the stability constants of Th(IV) with citrate anions in aqueous solutions with (a) NaClO4 and (b) NaCI as the back-ground electrolytes. The ionic strengths were varied up to 5 m (NaCl) and 14 m (NaClO4). The data from the NaClO4 solutions at varying pH values were used to calculate thermodynamic stability constants through the use of Specific Ion Interaction Theory (SIT)

Design and characterization of Bodipy derivatives for bulk heterojunction solar cells

Two electron rich Bodipy dyes with strong absorptivities in the visible region were designed and synthesized as potential electron donors in bulk heterojunction photovoltaic constructs. Overall efficiency is above 1%, with impressive responsiveness at both UV and near-IR ends of the visible spectrum. Computational studies reveal an unexpected effect of meso-substituents on the electron transfer efficiency. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using red and near-IR absorbing bodipy sensitizers

Boron-dipyrrin dyes, through rational design, yield promising new materials. With strong electron-donor functionalities and anchoring groups for attachment to nanocrystalline TiO2, these dyes proved useful as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells. Their applicability in a solid-state electrolyte regime offers additional opportunities for practical applications. © 2010 American Chemical Society

A panchromatic boradiazaindacene (BODIPY) sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells

(Chemical Equation Presented) A novel distyryl-substituted boradiazaindacene (BODIPY) dye displays interesting properties as a sensitizer in DSSC systems, opening the way to further exploration of structure-efficiency correlation within this class of dyes. © 2008 American Chemical Society