Optical studies of titanium dioxide/silver/gold (TiO₂/Ag/Au) nanocomposites as photo anode in dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the performances of the photo anodes depend on the bandgap of semiconducting nanomaterials. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is usually used in preparation of photo anode but it absorbs only the ultraviolet light, owing to its large bandgap of about 3.2 eV, and another drawback is that TiO2 has low electron mobility. In this study, optical studies of (TiO2/Ag/Au) nanocomposites as photo anode were carried out in order to test the possibility of improving the efficiency of the DSSCs. Dye molecule was extracted from the leave of sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) using ethanol as solvent. TiO2/Ag/Au were deposited on a glass substrate using doctor blade method; the deposited thin films were annealed in a furnace at 450 °C for 1 h after which the annealed thin films were dye loaded for 12 h with Mimosa pudica extract. The dye loaded thin films of TiO2/Ag/Au were then characterized with a UV-vis spectroscopy to get the transmittance. The absorbance and the optical band gap were calculated. The optical absorption spectra and optical bandgap spectra of TiO2/Ag/Au thin films were examined. The maximum absorption was observed within the range of the visible region when the position of TiO2/Ag/Au is of volume ratio 1:1:0.8 and optical bandgap of 3.75eV. Anticipatedly, the performance characterization with further review on TiO2 with Ag/Au nanocomposites using M. pudica extract, as a sensitizer will enhance the development of an authentic and competitive dye sensitized solar cell.</jats:p

Therapeutic drug monitoring of monoclonal antibodies in inflammatory and malignant disease: translating TNF-ɑ experience to oncology

Lack of response to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has been associated with inadequate mAb serum concentrations. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of mAbs has the potential to guide to more effective dosing in individual patients. This review discusses the mechanisms responsible for interpatient variability of mAb pharmacokinetics, summarizes exposure-response data of mAbs used in inflammatory and malignant disease, presents current evidence of mAb-TDM in inflammatory disease, and provides hurdles and required future steps for further implementing mAb-TDM