Metal-free dual-phase full organic carbon nanotubes/g-C 3 N 4 heteroarchitectures for photocatalytic hydrogen production

Hydrogen generation from water using solar energy has grown into a promising approach for sustainable energy production. Over the last years, graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C3N4, CN), polymers based on the heptazine-group, have been widely applied as photocatalysts for H2 evolution. The poor charge separation efficiency of CN is considered the major drawback. Here, we investigated the effect of coupling CN with different types of carbon nanotubes on the charge transfer properties and the photocatalytic H2 evolution. We used carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of different wall number (single (SWCNTs), double (DWCNTs) and multi-walled (MWCNTs) CNTs) for the development of full-organic CN based composite photocatalysts. Photoactivity was drastically affected by the content but more importantly by the nature of the CNTs. The SWCNTs functionalized CN composites were the most active presenting approximately 2\u20135 times higher H2 evolution than the corresponding DWCNTs and MWCNTs functionalized CN under both solar and pure visible light irradiation. Photoactivity was primarily controlled by the improved electronic properties linked with the abundance and stability of photogenerated charges as evidenced by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Transient absorption spectroscopy verified the transfer of reactive electrons from CN to CNTs. CNTs functioned as electron acceptors improving charge separation. The data suggest that charge transfer is inversely proportional to the wall number of the CNTs and that photoactivity is directly controlled by the size at the nanoscale of the CNTs used. In the CNTs/CN nanocomposites, photogenerated electrons are transferred more efficiently from CN when SWCNTs are used, providing more available electrons for H2 production

Influence of electrolyte co-additives on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

The presence of specific chemical additives in the redox electrolyte results in an efficient increase of the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The most effective additives are 4-tert-butylpyridine (TBP), N-methylbenzimidazole (NMBI) and guanidinium thiocyanate (GuNCS) that are adsorbed onto the photoelectrode/electrolyte interface, thus shifting the semiconductor's conduction band edge and preventing recombination with triiodides. In a comparative work, we investigated in detail the action of TBP and NMBI additives in ionic liquid-based redox electrolytes with varying iodine concentrations, in order to extract the optimum additive/I2 ratio for each system. Different optimum additive/I2 ratios were determined for TBP and NMBI, despite the fact that both generally work in a similar way. Further addition of GuNCS in the optimized electrolytic media causes significant synergistic effects, the action of GuNCS being strongly influenced by the nature of the corresponding co-additive. Under the best operation conditions, power conversion efficiencies as high as 8% were obtained

Integrated Network Management of Hybrid Networks

We describe our collaborative efforts towards the design and implementation of a next generation integrated network management system for hybrid networks (INMS/HN). We describe the overall software architecture of the system at its current stage of development. This network management system is specifically designed to address issues relevant for complex heterogeneous networks consisting of seamlessly interoperable terrestrial and satellite networks. Network management systems are a key element for interoperability in such networks. We describe the integration of configuration management and performance management. The next step in this integration is fault management. In particular we describe the object model, issues of the Graphical User Interface (GUI), browsing tools and performance data graphical widget displays, management information database (MIB) organization issues. Several components of the system are being commercialized by Hughes Network Systems. A revised version of this report has been published in Proceedings of the 1st Conference of Commercial Development of Space, Part One, pp. 345-350, Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 7-11, 1996.</ul

Next Generation Network Management Technology

Today's telecommunications networks are becoming increasingly large, complex, mission critical and heterogeneous in several dimensions. For example, the underlying physical transmission facilities of a given network may be ﲭixed media (copper, fiber- optic, radio, and satellite); the sub networks may be acquired from different vendors due to economic, performance, or general availability reasons; the information being transmitted over the network may be ﲭultimedia (video, data, voice, and images) and, finally, varying performance criteria may be imposed e.g. data transfer may require high throughput while the others, whose concern is voice communications, may require low call blocking probability. For these reasons, future telecommunications networks are expected to be highly complex in their services and operations. Due to this growing complexity and the disparity among management systems for individual sub networks, efficient network management systems have become critical to the current and future success of telecommunications companies. This paper addresses a research and development effort which focuses on prototyping configuration management, since that is the central process of network management and all other network management functions must be built upon it. Our prototype incorporates ergonomically designed graphical user interfaces tailored to the network configuration management subsystem and to the proposed advanced object-oriented database structure. The resulting design concept follows open standards such as Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) and incorporates object oriented programming methodology to associate data with functions, permit customization, and provide an open architecture environment. A revised version of this technical report has been published in The 12th Symposium on Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion/Commercialization, pp. 75-82, Albuquerque, NM, January 8-12, 1995.</ul

Age-dependent alterations in the inflammatory response to pulmonary challenge

The aging lung is increasingly susceptible to infectious disease. Changes in pulmonary physiology and function are common in older populations, and in those older than 60 years, pneumonia is the major cause of infectious death. Understanding age-related changes in the innate and adaptive immune systems, and how they affect both pulmonary and systemic responses to pulmonary challenge are critical to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of the elderly patient. In this observational study, we examined age-associated differences in inflammatory responses to pulmonary challenge with cell wall components from Gram-positive bacteria. Thus, male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 6 months or greater than 18 months (approximating humans of 20 and 55-65 years), were challenged, intratracheally, with lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan. Cellular and cytokine evaluations were performed on both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and plasma, 24 h post-challenge. The plasma concentration of free thyroxine, a marker of severity in non-thyroidal illness, was also evaluated. The older animals had an increased chemotactic gradient in favor of the airspaces, which was associated with a greater accumulation of neutrophils and protein. Furthermore, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), an inflammatory mediator and putative biomarker in acute lung injury, was increased in both the plasma and BAL of the older, but not young animals. Conversely, plasma free thyroxine, a natural inhibitor of MIF, was decreased in the older animals. These findings identify age-associated inflammatory/metabolic changes following pulmonary challenge that it may be possible to manipulate to improve outcome in the older, critically ill patient

sensitized solar cells

A series of three heteroleptic ruthenium complexes containing 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxamide ligands with different substituents (propyl, benzyl or 2-phenylethyl) was synthesized as possible sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their structure was characterized with H-1 NMR and FTIR while their optical and electrochemical properties were also investigated. The observed optical differences were associated to structural properties of the three complexes and different electron donor strength of the ancillary ligands. In particular, ruthenium complex with propyl based ligand showed higher molar extinction coefficient succeeding better light harvesting. Semitransparent dye sensitized solar cells employing quasi-solid-state electrolyte and the three ruthenium complexes were constructed under the same fabrication conditions and electrically characterized under standard conditions of light irradiance (100 mW/cm(2), AM 1.5). Their behavior was compared with that of commercially available ruthenium complex D907 with increased conjugation length of the ancillary ligand, in terms of current- voltage characteristic curves under simulated solar light and in the dark while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was also used for local resistance to charge transfer across the TiO2-dye/electrolyte interface. The influence of ancillary ligands into ruthenium complexes was discussed in terms of the cells' efficiency. A maximum overall performance of 5.0% was monitored for ruthenium complex with propyl substituent in comparison to 5.1% that was measured for semitransparent quasi-solid state devices with commercial D907. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

White light electroluminescence by organic-inorganic heterostructures with CdSe quantum dots as red light emitters

We have developed a white organic light-emitting diode featuring a double emission layer comprising a blue light-emitting conductive polymer as a host material for Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) quantum dots as red light emitters and tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminium thin layer for green light emission. The Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates of the emitting light of the device were found to be (0.32,0.40) which were only slightly changed over a range of applied voltages between 5 and 10 volts. The use of CdSe nanocrystalline quantum dots (surface-stabilized with hexadecylamine/ trioctylphosphine oxide ligands) in the hybrid heterostructure with poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) conductive polymer was studied for a variety of CdSe concentrations developing the performance of the device in means of overcoming segregation problems in the blend. Besides, constituents' ratio was further examined for the exploration of possible energy transfer from polymer host material to the CdSe quantum dots as a key factor for well-balanced emission in the electroluminescent devices. Copyright © 2011 Ilker Oner et al

dye sensitized solar cells

Six ruthenium(II) complexes as charge-transfer sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are synthesized. The absorption and electrochemical properties of newly synthesized ruthenium-dye molecules contained one bipyridine (bpy) ligand with two carboxylic groups have been investigated. Among them, four ruthenium(II) complexes contain a second bpy ligand with branching and non-branching side groups containing C and H only and the remaining two ruthenium(II) complexes instead of a second bipyridine (bpy) ligand, they consisted of a pyridine (py) ligand with side groups containing -C-O-C-molecular group. Dye sensitized solar cells employing quasi-solid state electrolyte and the six ruthenium complexes are constructed and electrically characterized under standard conditions of light irradiance (1000 W/m(2), AM 1.5). Their behavior is compared with that of commercially available ruthenium complex D907 in terms of current-voltage characteristic curves under simulated light and dark while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed comparable results for local resistance to charge transfer across the TiO2-electrolyte interface and free electron lifetimes for two bipyridine and commercial D907 complexes. The influence of molecular side groups into ruthenium-dye molecules is discussed in terms of the cells' efficiency. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved