Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics

We have used Soxhlet solvent purification to fractionate a broad molecular weight distribution of the polycarbazole polymer PCDTBT into three lower polydispersity molecular weight fractions. Organic photovoltaic devices were made using a blend of the fullerene acceptor PC71BM with the molecular weight fractions. An average power conversion efficiency of 5.89% (peak efficiency of 6.15%) was measured for PCDTBT blend devices with a number average molecular weight of Mn = 25.5 kDa. There was significant variation between the molecular weight fractions with low (Mn = 15.0 kDa) and high (Mn = 34.9 kDa) fractions producing devices with average efficiencies of 5.02% and 3.70% respectively. Neutron reflectivity measurements on these polymer:PC71BM blend layers showed that larger molecular weights leads to an increase in the polymer enrichment layer thickness at the anode interface, this improves efficiency up to a limiting point where the polymer solubility causes a reduction of the PCDTBT concentration in the active layer

NMR Studies on Interactions between Diperoxovanadate and 1-Ethyl-1H-Imidazole

To understand the effects of organic ligands on the reaction equilibrium, interactions between a series of diperoxovanadate complexes [OV(O-2)(2)L](-) (L=D2O or HOD, the corresponding peroxovanadate species (bpV)) and [OV (O-2)(2)LL'](n-) {n=1-2; LL' =3-hydroxyl-picolinate (3-OH-pic), 2-(2'-pyridine)-imidazole (py-im), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), the corresponding peroxovanadate species bpV(3-OH-pic), bpV(py-im), and bpV(phen)} and 1-ethyl-1H-imidazole (N-Et-im) in solution were explored using multinuclear (H-1, C-13, and V-51) magnetic resonance, COSY (con-elated spectroscopy), HSQC (heteronuclear single quantum coherence) and variable temperature nuclear magnetic responance (NMR) using 0.15 mol.L-1 NaCl ionic medium to mimic physiological conditions. Experimental results indicated that the reactivity of these four complexes with 1-ethyl-1H-imidazole decreased as follows: bpV > bpV(3-OH-pic)> bpV(py-im)> bpV(phen). The coordinating ability, the steric effect, and the molecular weight of these organic ligands affected the reaction equilibrium. A new six-coordinated peroxovanadate species [OV(O-2)(2)(N-Et-im)](-) was formed because of competitive coordination.National Natural Science Foundation of China [20772027, 20803020]; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation [20070410805]; Science Research Foundation of Ministry of Health & United Fujian Provincial Health ; Education Project for Tackling the Key Research [WKJ2008-2-036]; Health and Science and Technology of Xiamen, China [3502Z20051027

Calcium distribution in developing anthers of lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Potassium antimonite was used to locate calcium in the anthers of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). There are no calcium precipitates in young anthers. After meiosis of microspore mother cells, calcium precipitates first appear in the tapetal cells, from which some small secretive vesicles containing many calcium precipitates are secreted into the locule. At a late stage of the microspore, tapetal cells completely degenerate and their protoplasts move into the locule with many calcium precipitates. The calcium precipitates increase in the early microspores, and in the exine. When the microspores form some small vacuoles containing calcium precipitates, and those vacuoles then fuse to form a large one, the calcium precipitates evidently decrease. The large vacuole of bicellular pollen grain discomposes and calcium precipitates again appear in the cytoplasm and then decrease. When the pollen matures, most calcium precipitates are located in its exine with only a few in the cytoplasm.National Natural Science Foundation of China [30670126

Calcium changes during megasporogenesis and megaspore degeneration in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Potassium pyroantimonate was used to localize loosely-bound calcium in young ovules of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) during megasporogenesis to investigate the relationship between ionically available calcium and megaspore degeneration. At the megasporocyte (megaspore mother cell) stage, few calcium precipitates were located in the ovule. Following meiosis in the megasporocyte, a linear tetrad of four megaspores is formed, with three of the four megaspores degenerating from the micropylar end inward. Only the chalazal-most megaspore continues to develop, becoming the functional megaspore. A decrease in amount of calcium precipitates in the megaspore, particularly in the nucleus, precedes the breakdown of the micropylar megaspores, which subsequently undergo structural disintegration and loss of recognizable cellular features. A partial recovery of calcium precipitates occurs during later degeneration. The functional megaspore retains a consistently higher concentration of calcium precipitates during development, which is retained in the developing embryo sac. This, to our knowledge, is the first report related to calcium dynamics during megaspore degeneration, and may facilitate future research aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of megasporogenesis

Preparation and optical properties of worm-like gold nanorods

A type of worm-like nanorods was successfully synthesized through conventional gold nanorods reacting with Na2S2O3 or Na2S. The generated worm-like gold nanorods comprise shrunk nanorod cores and enwrapped shells. Therefore, a gold-gold sulfide core-shell structure is formed in the process, distinguishing from their original counterparts. The formation of the gold chalcogenide layers was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Experimental results showed that the thickness of the gold chalcogenide layers is controllable. Since the increase of shell thickness and decrease of gold nanorod core take place simultaneously, it allows one to tune the plasmon resonance of nanorods. Proper adjustment of reaction time, temperature, additives and other experimental conditions will produce worm-like gold nanorods demonstrating desired longitudinal plasmon wavelength (LPW) with narrow size distributions, only limited by properties of starting original gold nanorods. The approach presented herein is capable of selectively changing LPW of the gold nanorods. Additionally, the formed wormlike nanorods possess higher sensitive property in localized surface plasmon resonance than the original nanorods. Their special properties were characterized by spectroscopic methods such as Vis-NIR, fluorescence and resonance light scattering. These features imply that the gold nanorods have potential applications in biomolecular recognition study and biosensor fabrications. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved