19% Efficient P3CT-Na Based MAPbI3 Solar Cells with a Simple Double-Filtering Process

A high-efficiency inverted-type CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) solar cell was fabricated by using a ultrathin poly[3-(4-carboxybutyl)thiophene-2,5-diyl]-Na (P3CT-Na) film as the hole transport layer. The averaged power conversion efficiency (PCE) can be largely increased from 11.72 to 18.92% with a double-filtering process of the P3CT-Na solution mainly due to the increase in short-circuit current density (JSC) from 19.43 to 23.88 mA/cm2, which means that the molecular packing structure of P3CT-Na thin film can influence the formation of the MAPbI3 thin film and the contact quality at the MAPbI3/P3CT-Na interface. Zeta potentials, atomic-force microscopic images, absorbance spectra, photoluminescence spectra, X-ray diffraction patterns, and Raman scattering spectra are used to understand the improvement in the JSC. Besides, the light intensity-dependent and wavelength-dependent photovoltaic performance of the MAPbI3 solar cells shows that the P3CT-Na thin film is not only used as the hole transport layer but also plays an important role during the formation of a high-quality MAPbI3 thin film. It is noted that the PCE values of the best P3CT-Na based MAPbI3 solar cell are higher than 30% in the yellow-to-near infrared wavelength range under low light intensities. On the other hand, it is predicted that the double-filtering method can be readily used to increase the PCE of polymer based solar cells

Conformal Loading Effects of P3CT-Na Polymers on the Performance of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

The conformal loading effects of P3CT-Na polymers on ITO/glass samples were investigated using different concentrations of P3TC-Na/water solution, which significantly influenced the device efficiency of the resultant inverted perovskite solar cells. The obtained water-droplet contact angle images, surface morphological images, photoluminescence spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns show that the hydrophilic moiety of the P3CT-Na polymers plays an important role in the conformal loading effects, thereby resulting in a smoother perovskite crystalline film due to the formation of merged grains. It is noted that the average power conversion efficiency increases from 14.83% to 17.27% with a decrease in the concentration of the P3CT-Na/water solution from 60 wt% to 48 wt%

Conversion of Escherichia coli into Mixotrophic CO2 Assimilation with Malate and Hydrogen Based on Recombinant Expression of 2-Oxoglutarate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase Using Adaptive Laboratory Evolution

We report the mixotrophic growth of Escherichia coli based on recombinant 2-oxoglutarate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (OGOR) to assimilate CO2 using malate as an auxiliary carbon source and hydrogen as an energy source. We employ a long-term (~184 days) two-stage adaptive evolution to convert heterotrophic E. coli into mixotrophic E. coli. In the first stage of evolution with serine, diauxic growth emerges as a prominent feature. At the end of the second stage of evolution with malate, the strain exhibits mixotrophy with CO2 as an essential substrate for growth. We expect this work will open new possibilities in the utilization of OGOR for microbial CO2 assimilation and future hydrogen-based electro-microbial conversion

Conversion of <i>Escherichia coli</i> into Mixotrophic CO₂ Assimilation with Malate and Hydrogen Based on Recombinant Expression of 2-Oxoglutarate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase Using Adaptive Laboratory Evolution

We report the mixotrophic growth of Escherichia coli based on recombinant 2-oxoglutarate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (OGOR) to assimilate CO2 using malate as an auxiliary carbon source and hydrogen as an energy source. We employ a long-term (~184 days) two-stage adaptive evolution to convert heterotrophic E. coli into mixotrophic E. coli. In the first stage of evolution with serine, diauxic growth emerges as a prominent feature. At the end of the second stage of evolution with malate, the strain exhibits mixotrophy with CO2 as an essential substrate for growth. We expect this work will open new possibilities in the utilization of OGOR for microbial CO2 assimilation and future hydrogen-based electro-microbial conversion

Conversion of Escherichia coli into Mixotrophic CO2 Assimilation with Malate and Hydrogen Based on Recombinant Expression of 2-Oxoglutarate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase Using Adaptive Laboratory Evolution

We report the mixotrophic growth of Escherichia coli based on recombinant 2-oxoglutarate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (OGOR) to assimilate CO2 using malate as an auxiliary carbon source and hydrogen as an energy source. We employ a long-term (~184 days) two-stage adaptive evolution to convert heterotrophic E. coli into mixotrophic E. coli. In the first stage of evolution with serine, diauxic growth emerges as a prominent feature. At the end of the second stage of evolution with malate, the strain exhibits mixotrophy with CO2 as an essential substrate for growth. We expect this work will open new possibilities in the utilization of OGOR for microbial CO2 assimilation and future hydrogen-based electro-microbial conversion

Characterization of the Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Producing <i>Rhodopseudomonas palustris</i> as a Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium under Photoautotrophic and Photoheterotrophic Culture Conditions

Rhodopseudomonas palustris is a purple non-sulfide bacterium (PNSB), and some strains have been proven to promote plant growth. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of these PNSBs remains limited. Based on genetic information, R. palustris possesses the ability to produce pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ). PQQ is known to play a crucial role in stimulating plant growth, facilitating phosphorous solubilization, and acting as a reactive oxygen species scavenger. However, it is still uncertain whether growth conditions influence R. palustris’s production of PQQ and other characteristics. In the present study, it was found that R. palustris exhibited a higher expression of genes related to PQQ synthesis under autotrophic culture conditions as compared to acetate culture conditions. Moreover, similar patterns were observed for phosphorous solubilization and siderophore activity, both of which are recognized to contribute to plant-growth benefits. However, these PNSB culture conditions did not show differences in Arabidopsis growth experiments, indicating that there may be other factors influencing plant growth in addition to PQQ content. Furthermore, the endophytic bacterial strains isolated from Arabidopsis exhibited differences according to the PNSB culture conditions. These findings imply that, depending on the PNSB’s growing conditions, it may interact with various soil bacteria and facilitate their infiltration into plants

Metabolic Damage Presents Differently in Young and Early-Aged C57BL/6 Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

Background: Obesity in old individuals is increasing at alarming rates, and this population is more vulnerable to the deleterious metabolic effects of obesity than younger individuals. However, at present, there is no ideal obesity model to evaluate the interaction of aging and obesity. Methods: The development of a metabolic damage model in response to a fixed period of high-fat diet (HFD) feeding was examined in mice of different ages. Mice aged 6 weeks (young group) and 44 weeks (elderly group) were fed a standard diet or HFD for 12 weeks, and their metabolic characteristics were studied. Inflammation was determined by the serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed from stool samples. Results: After 12-week feeding, weight gain; elevated serum levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, and LPS; increased homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); fat accumulation; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score (NAS); and gut microbiota changes occurred in response to HFD feeding in both young and elderly groups (p<0.05). HFD-induced serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, cholesterol, triglyceride, and insulin; HOMA-IR; fat accumulation; NAS; and gut microbiota changes were significantly higher in the elderly group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Aging in an obese mouse model does not increase LPS but exacerbates NAFLD severity, dyslipidemia, insulin insensitivity, fat accumulation, and gut microbiota changes. This obesity model might help elucidate target or multiple organ alterations associated with metabolic disorder and aging