Effect of Microwave Radiation on the Synthesis of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) and the Subsequent Photovoltaic Performance of CdS/P3HT Solar Cells

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is a semiconductor polymer that has been proved to be a good electron donor in organic or hybrid solar cells. In this work, a detailed study of P3HT synthesis in CH2Cl2 solvent by oxidative method with and without MW assistance has been conducted. Effects of synthesis process parameters on the physical properties of P3HT products and their application in hybrid CdS/P3HT photovoltaic devices were studied. It is observed that the use of MW as well as the reaction time affected the reaction yield and properties of the polymer products. It was found that, by the traditional method (without MW), the maximum yield and the properties of the polymer products were similar after 2 h or 24 h of synthesis. The optimal reaction time with MW for P3HT polymerization in CH2Cl2 solvent was 1 h, and the obtained P3HT product showed similar or better properties than those P3HT polymers synthesized by the traditional method in the same solvent. The effect of using MW during the synthesis was to increase yield and crystal size of P3HT. Larger energy conversion efficiency of ITO/CdS/P3HT/CP-Au devices was obtained when the P3HT product had higher molecular weight and head/tail-head/tail (HT-HT) triad contents

Caracterización Óptica y Morfológica de Materiales Compuestos de P30T y Nanotubos de Carbono Funcionalizados.

El presente articulo evalúa el efecto de la funcionalización sobre la dispersión de nanotubos de carbono de pared sencilla (SWCNTs, Single Wall Carbono Nanotubes) y deparedmúltiplc (MWCNTs, Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes) en peliculas compuestas de los nanotubos con poli-3-octiltiofeno (P30T). El método de funcionalización empleado fue mediante el uso de HN03, H2 O2 y el ácido [2-(3-tienil)etil]-fosfónico a bajas concentraciones, perlodos de tratamiento relativamente cortos y aplicación de baja energia de sonicaciÓD. El objetivo de emplear condiciones experimentales leves es lograr funcionalizar a los nanotubos (CNTs) ocasionando daño mfnimo en su estructura. Se observaron mediante TEM y SEM cambios en la moñologia superficial de los nanotubos tratados y de las peHculas compuestas, estos cambios se corroboraron también a través de FTIR.. En las propiedades ópticas de absorbancia de las películas compuestas de SWCNTs-P30T se observó la aparición de nuevas bandas de energia, diferentes a las del P30T pristino

Caracterización óptica y morfológica de materiales compuestos de P3OT y nanotubos de carbono funcionalizados

El presente artículo evalúa el efecto de la funcionalización sobre la dispersión de nanotubos de carbono de pared sencilla (SWCNTs, Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes) y de pared múltiple (MWCNTs, Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes) en películas compuestas de los nanotubos con poli-3-octiltiofeno (P3OT). El método de funcionalización empleado fue mediante el uso de HNO3, H2O2 y el ácido [2-(3-tienil)etil]-fosfónico a bajas concentraciones, periodos de tratamiento relativamente cortos y aplicación de baja energía de sonicación. El objetivo de emplear condiciones experimentales leves es lograr funcionalizar a los nanotubos (CNTs) ocasionando daño mínimo en su estructura. Se observaron mediante TEM y SEM cambios en la morfología superficial de los nanotubos tratados y de las películas compuestas, estos cambios se corroboraron también a través de FTIR. En las propiedades ópticas de absorbancia de las películas compuestas de SWCNTs-P3OT se observó la aparición de nuevas bandas de energía, diferentes a las del P3OT pristino

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium report, data summary of 50 countries for 2010-2015: Device-associated module

•We report INICC device-associated module data of 50 countries from 2010-2015.•We collected prospective data from 861,284 patients in 703 ICUs for 3,506,562 days.•DA-HAI rates and bacterial resistance were higher in the INICC ICUs than in CDC-NHSN's.•Device utilization ratio in the INICC ICUs was similar to CDC-NHSN's. Background: We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2010-December 2015 in 703 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific. Methods: During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 861,284 patients hospitalized in INICC hospital ICUs for an aggregate of 3,506,562 days. Results: Although device use in INICC ICUs was similar to that reported from CDC-NHSN ICUs, DA-HAI rates were higher in the INICC ICUs: in the INICC medical-surgical ICUs, the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection, 4.1 per 1,000 central line-days, was nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.8 per 1,000 central line-days reported from comparable US ICUs, the overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher, 13.1 versus 0.9 per 1,000 ventilator-days, as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, 5.07 versus 1.7 per 1,000 catheter-days. From blood cultures samples, frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (29.87% vs 10%) and to imipenem (44.3% vs 26.1%), and of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (73.2% vs 28.8%) and to imipenem (43.27% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC ICUs compared with CDC-NHSN ICUs. Conclusions: Although DA-HAIs in INICC ICU patients continue to be higher than the rates reported in CDC-NSHN ICUs representing the developed world, we have observed a significant trend toward the reduction of DA-HAI rates in INICC ICUs as shown in each international report. It is INICC's main goal to continue facilitating education, training, and basic and cost-effective tools and resources, such as standardized forms and an online platform, to tackle this problem effectively and systematically