An Integrated Assessment Framework for Water Resources Management: A DSS Tool and a Pilot Study Application

Decision making for the management of water resources is a complex and difficult task. This is due to the complex socio-economic system that involves a large number of interest groups pursuing multiple and conflicting objectives, within an often intricate legislative framework. Several Decision Support Systems have been developed but very few have indeed proved to be effective and truly operational. MULINO (Multisectoral, Integrated and Operational Decision Support System for Sustainable Use of Water Resources at the Catchment Scale) is a project funded under the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Research and the key action line dedicated to operational management schemes and decision support system for sustainable use of water resources. The MULINO DSS (mDSS) integrates hydrological models with multi-criteria decision methods and adopts the DPSIR (Driving Force Pressure State Impact Response) framework developed by the European Environment Agency. The DPSIR was converted from a static reporting scheme into a dynamic framework for integrated assessment modelling (IAM) and multi-criteria evaluation procedures. This paper presents the methodological framework and the intermediate results of the mDSS tool through its application in a pilot study area located in the Watershed of the Lagoon of Venice

Green Inks for the Fabrication of Organic Solar Cells: A Case Study on PBDTTPD:PC61BM Bulk Heterojunctions

Nonhalogenated ecofriendly solvents are an important asset to avoid costly safety precautions during the fabrication of organic solar cells by printing. Yet, in the past, the quest for suitable nontoxic solvents has widely used empirical approaches. Herein, a comprehensive solubility study is rolled out embracing Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs), tailoring of binary solvents and rational choices of solvent additives, identifying ecofriendly solvents or solvent combinations for the deposition of poly‐benzodithophene‐thienopyrroledione (PBDTTPD)/fullerene thin‐film blends. A particular challenge is the low polymer solubility even in common halogenated solvents. Following the HSPs, initially, a list of suitable solvent candidates is identified which are tested toward their applicability in solar cell fabrication. Among the shortlisted solvents, significant differences between p‐xylene and o‐xylene are observed, which can be compensated using solvent additives. The ecofriendly green solvent eucalyptol in combination with benzaldehyde and p‐anisaldehyde in a ternary solvent mixture gives rise to decent solar cell performances. Solar cells are produced with power conversion efficiencies matching those conventionally fabricated from state‐of‐the‐art halogenated solvents comprising chlorobenzene and chloronaphthalene. Notably, the Hansen solubility approach provides an initial choice of solvents, but comes to its limits in predicting the best micromorphology formation, or if solvents react with the organic semiconductors