airbrush spray coating of amorphous titanium dioxide for inverted polymer solar cells

One of the main topics of organic photovoltaics manufacturing is the need for simple, low cost, and large area compatible techniques. Solution-based processes are the best candidates to achieve this aim. Among these, airbrush spray coating has successfully applied to deposit both active and PEDOT layers of bulk-heterojunction solar cells. However, this technique is not yet sufficiently studied for interfacial layers (electron and hole transporting layers or optical spacers). In this paper, we show that amorphous titanium dioxide ( ) films, obtained with an airbrush from a solution of titanium (IV) isopropoxide diluted in isopropanol, are successfully deposited on glass and PET substrates. Good surface covering results from the coalescence of droplets after optimizing the spray coating system. Simple inverted polymer solar cells are fabricated using as electron transporting layer obtaining encouraging electrical performances ( % on glass/FTO and 0.7% on PET/ITO substrates)

Delivering the EU Green Deal - Progress towards targets

This report provides a comprehensive assessment of progress towards the European Green Deal (EGD), the European Union’s transformative agenda for achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The analysis encompasses 154 quantifiable targets from 44 policy documents between 2019 and 2024 across key sectors such as climate, energy, circular economy, transport, agriculture and food, ecosystems and biodiversity, water, soil and air pollution. The study shows that significant achievement has been delivered so far but progress needs to accelerate in many areas. As of mid-2024, 32 of the 154 targets are currently “on track” and 64 are identified as “acceleration needed” meaning that more progress is needed to meet the targets on time. Furthermore, 15 of the targets are found to be “not progressing” or “regressing”, and for 43 of the targets no data is currently available. The timing of the binding policies, most of which have been recently agreed and are expected to deliver results in the coming years, is a significant factor influencing these assessments. This report integrates all EGD actions and related policies, offering an assessment of the EU’s green transition based on robust data and science. It identifies priority areas for intensified efforts to meet short-term implementation goals and contribute to the long-term ambition of a sustainable, fair, just, and climate-neutral Europe by 2050. This collective work serves as a benchmarking tool, providing scientifically grounded guidance for future EU policies and programmes.JRC.D.1 - Forests and Bio-Econom

Outcomes of elective liver surgery worldwide: a global, prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study

Background: The outcomes of liver surgery worldwide remain unknown. The true population-based outcomes are likely different to those vastly reported that reflect the activity of highly specialized academic centers. The aim of this study was to measure the true worldwide practice of liver surgery and associated outcomes by recruiting from centers across the globe. The geographic distribution of liver surgery activity and complexity was also evaluated to further understand variations in outcomes. Methods: LiverGroup.org was an international, prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study following the Global Surgery Collaborative Snapshot Research approach with a 3-month prospective, consecutive patient enrollment within January–December 2019. Each patient was followed up for 90 days postoperatively. All patients undergoing liver surgery at their respective centers were eligible for study inclusion. Basic demographics, patient and operation characteristics were collected. Morbidity was recorded according to the Clavien–Dindo Classification of Surgical Complications. Country-based and hospital-based data were collected, including the Human Development Index (HDI). (NCT03768141). Results: A total of 2159 patients were included from six continents. Surgery was performed for cancer in 1785 (83%) patients. Of all patients, 912 (42%) experienced a postoperative complication of any severity, while the major complication rate was 16% (341/2159). The overall 90-day mortality rate after liver surgery was 3.8% (82/2,159). The overall failure to rescue rate was 11% (82/ 722) ranging from 5 to 35% among the higher and lower HDI groups, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first to our knowledge global surgery study specifically designed and conducted for specialized liver surgery. The authors identified failure to rescue as a significant potentially modifiable factor for mortality after liver surgery, mostly related to lower Human Development Index countries. Members of the LiverGroup.org network could now work together to develop quality improvement collaboratives

Search for gravitational-lensing signatures in the full third observing run of the LIGO-Virgo network

Gravitational lensing by massive objects along the line of sight to the source causes distortions of gravitational wave-signals; such distortions may reveal information about fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In this work, we have extended the search for lensing signatures to all binary black hole events from the third observing run of the LIGO--Virgo network. We search for repeated signals from strong lensing by 1) performing targeted searches for subthreshold signals, 2) calculating the degree of overlap amongst the intrinsic parameters and sky location of pairs of signals, 3) comparing the similarities of the spectrograms amongst pairs of signals, and 4) performing dual-signal Bayesian analysis that takes into account selection effects and astrophysical knowledge. We also search for distortions to the gravitational waveform caused by 1) frequency-independent phase shifts in strongly lensed images, and 2) frequency-dependent modulation of the amplitude and phase due to point masses. None of these searches yields significant evidence for lensing. Finally, we use the non-detection of gravitational-wave lensing to constrain the lensing rate based on the latest merger-rate estimates and the fraction of dark matter composed of compact objects

Scale-up of bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells

Polymer solar cells (PSCs) have recently reported a marked improvement in conversion efficiency, exceeding 10%, thus reducing the gap with more mature photovoltaic technologies. Now the transfer of such performances to the large scale has to be carried out by using industrially relevant techniques such as spray and slot die coating, and inkjet, gravure, flexographic and screen printing. This work is focused on the scale up of the PSCs by exploiting spray coating, a simple and low cost method already successfully applied to PSC layers. Firstly in literature a fully sprayed module was fabricated on glass substrate by an automated machine in air. Moreover, modules comprising a sprayed active layer were realized on flexible substrates. Both of them yielded ~1% of efficiency and supplied small power electronic devices. The aim to increase the efficiency of the modules addressed the activity towards two aspects. The first one concerned the investigation of new sprayable materials, i.e. low-temperature TiOX and PFN as interlayers and PBDTTT-C-T:PC71BM as active layer, all processed in safe solvents. The second one regarded the influence of the patterning methods, such as mechanical scribing and additive patterning through aerosol jet pre-printing, on the electrical parameters of the device. Finally, a lot of attention was focused on the stability issue. Encapsulation with commercial polymers was employed by heat sealing and this method revealed to be effective in the assembly of a fully solution-processed panel for greenhouse applications. Furthermore, the intrinsic stability of the device structure was analyzed; it was demonstrated that the electron transport layer and the solvent in which it is dissolved have a great influence on the device stability

Come strutturare un sistema di contabilitŕ ambientale per il territorio e gli enti locali. Una proposta di integrazione fra il sistema CLEAR e l'approccio NAMEA

Negli ultimi decenni il concetto di contabilitŕ ambientale ha attraversato un notevole sviluppo dal punto di vista teorico, applicativo e nelle possibili utilizzazioni. Al momento presente da una parte, a livello macroeconomico, gli uffici statistici nazionali e comunitari assieme ad organizzazioni internazionali hanno lavorato ad un sistema di conti integrati economico-ambientali (SEEA) che ‘completa' attraverso conti satellite il sistema di contabilitŕ nazionale. Dall'altra parte iniziative locali, come Agenda 21, coordinate anche da organizzazioni internazionali, come ICLEI, hanno avviato una serie di sperimentazioni che introducono la rendicontazione sull'ambiente negli enti pubblici locali. Si tratta di due sistemi diversi che operano a diversi livelli instituzionali. Ci si chiede quindi se č possibile ed utile trovare fra essi un punto di incontro. Puň essere utile perchč, da una parte, a scala sub-regionale una contabilitŕ ambientale del territorio č del tutto assente e, dall'altra, sarebbe di aiuto una rigorosa base metodologica per la rendicontazione ambientale degli enti locali. Tale impostazione diventa possibile nel momento in cui si fa una chiara distinzione fra i moduli contabili veri e propri e gli indicatori da inserire nei documenti atti alla comunicazione. In questo lavoro si propone un sistema di integrazione fra i conti integrati economico- ambientali (SEEA) e il bilancio ambientale diffuso in molti comuni e province italiani (CLEAR). Nello specifico si presenta una possibile integrazione fra i dati NAMEA- emissioni in atmosfera e rifiuti e alcuni indicatori dei conti fisici CLEAR nella Provincia di Torino.</jats:p

Come strutturare un sistema di contabilità ambientale per il territorio e gli enti locali. Una proposta di integrazione fra il sistema CLEAR e l'approccio NAMEA

Negli ultimi decenni il concetto di contabilità ambientale ha attraversato un notevole sviluppo dal punto di vista teorico, applicativo e nelle possibili utilizzazioni. Al momento presente da una parte, a livello macroeconomico, gli uffici statistici nazionali e comunitari assieme ad organizzazioni internazionali hanno lavorato ad un sistema di conti integrati economico-ambientali (SEEA) che ‘completa’ attraverso conti satellite il sistema di contabilità nazionale. Dall’altra parte iniziative locali, come Agenda 21, coordinate anche da organizzazioni internazionali, come ICLEI, hanno avviato una serie di sperimentazioni che introducono la rendicontazione sull’ambiente negli enti pubblici locali. Si tratta di due sistemi diversi che operano a diversi livelli instituzionali. Ci si chiede quindi se è possibile ed utile trovare fra essi un punto di incontro. Può essere utile perchè, da una parte, a scala sub-regionale una contabilità ambientale del territorio è del tutto assente e, dall’altra, sarebbe di aiuto una rigorosa base metodologica per la rendicontazione ambientale degli enti locali. Tale impostazione diventa possibile nel momento in cui si fa una chiara distinzione fra i moduli contabili veri e propri e gli indicatori da inserire nei documenti atti alla comunicazione. In questo lavoro si propone un sistema di integrazione fra i conti integrati economico- ambientali (SEEA) e il bilancio ambientale diffuso in molti comuni e province italiani (CLEAR). Nello specifico si presenta una possibile integrazione fra i dati NAMEA- emissioni in atmosfera e rifiuti e alcuni indicatori dei conti fisici CLEAR nella Provincia di Torino.Contabilità ambientale, NAMEA, eco-budget, CLEAR, emissioni in atmosfera, indicatori ambientali

Prossima fermata Farini : da ex scalo ferroviario a parte integrante della città

LAUREA SPECIALISTIC

Electrochemical Performance of Biopolymer-Based Hydrogel Electrolyte for Supercapacitors with Eco-Friendly Binders

An environmentally friendly hydrogel based on gelatin has been investigated as a gel polymer electrolyte in a symmetric carbon-based supercapacitor. To guarantee the complete sustainability of the devices, biomaterials from renewable resources (such as chitosan, casein and carboxymethyl cellulose) and activated carbon (from coconut shells) have been used as a binder and filler within the electrode, respectively. The electrochemical properties of the devices have been compared by using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge curves and impedance spectroscopy. Compared to the liquid electrolyte, the hydrogel supercapacitors show similar energy performance with an enhancement of stability up to 12,000 cycles (e.g., chitosan as a binder). The most performant device can deliver ca. 5.2 Wh/kg of energy at a high power density of 1256 W/kg. A correlation between the electrochemical performances and charge storage mechanisms (involving faradaic and non-faradaic processes) at the interface electrode/hydrogel has been discussed