Most animal experiments on cosmetics safety are prohibited and since March 2013, this obligation includes sensitization tests. However, until now there has been no validated alternative in vitro method. In this work, 400 compounds used in the cosmetic industry were selected to cover the greatest diversity of structures, biological activities and sensitizing potential.Thesemolecules were submit…
First reported by Farnum as much as 40 years ago, diketopyrrolopyrroles (2,5-dihydropyrrolo[4,3- c ]pyrrolo-1,4-diones) are currently one of the most widely used dyes, with applications that span high-quality pigments, fi eldeffect transistors, bulk-heterojunction solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells,and fl uorescence imaging. Due to the breadth of their utility, there have been several foc…
Offshore and near-shore wind energy is one of the major renewable energy resources, which already make a substantial contribution to the energy supply in Europe. Nevertheless, development is still in the start-up phase, with new projects being planned and implemented continuously. This development needs to be informed, to enable deployment at the most suitable/ideal locations.However, in order…
In this study, three different kinds of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of washed pretreated corn stover with water-insoluble solids (WIS)content of 20% were investigated to find which one resulted in highest ethanol yield at high-solids loadings. The different methods were batch SSF, prehydrolysis followed by batch SSF and fed-batch SSF. Batch-SSF resulted in an ethanol y…
The human brain, with all its complexity, relies on an interconnected network of organic biological microfi bers, known as neurons, which facilitate the propagation of information across the body. Through the use of electrical action potentials, these signals are processed using different spatio-temporal principles (Figure S1, Supporting Information) that rely on the biochemical nature of axons…
Fluid mechanics is an exciting and fascinating subject with unlimited practical applications ranging from microscopic biological systems to automobiles, airplanes, and spacecraft propulsion. Fluid mechanics has also historically been one of the most challenging subjects for undergraduate students because proper analysis of fluid mechanics problems requires not only knowledge of the concept…
A study, entitled “Wabamun Lake Sequestration Project” or “WASP,” was performed to evaluate large-scale CO2 storage opportunities in the Wabamun area including potential risks. The project examined the feasibility of storing 20 megatons (Mt) of CO2 per year over 50 years. This scale is one order of magnitude larger than the typical benchmark (1 Mt/year) used in academic research and co…
In this paper, we demonstrate a two-step laser crystallization process for thin film silicon solar cells on glass. In a first step a 5mm thick amorphous silicon layer is crystallized by a diode laser to get the absorber. The multicrystalline layer consists of grains with sizes in the range of 1mmto 10mm. In a second step a thin amorphous silicon layer is epitaxially crystallized by an excimer l…
There is tremendous interest in one-dimensional nanostructures, since they permit enhanced properties as well as new paradigms for electronic, optical,optoelectronic, and photonic devices. Besides inorganic systems, nanowires (NWs) and nanotubes (NTs) containing an optically active polymer are now being intensively investigated. This article reviews recent developments in the various preparati…
Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have attracted a great deal of interest from the viewpoints of both fundamental studies and applications. Photoluminescence (PL) is one of the intriguing properties of GQDs, however, the mechanism of the PL in GQDs is not fully understood. In the present study, a drastic change in the PL from UV to red light region is reported among GQDs separated by size-exclusion …
The growth of a multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) ingot for solar cell applications was attempted using a Liquinert quartz crucible. A mc-Si ingot was also grown in a quartz crucible coated with Si3N4 powder for comparison with that from the Liquinert quartz crucible. The mc-Si ingot grown in the Liquinert quartz crucible had a shinier surface which has few impurity particles and higher minority…
Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films are prepared by a low temperature (100 8C) aqueous solution deposition method with a subsequent UV post-deposition treatment at 140 8C. Film growth is governed by the retrograde solubility of zinc–ammine complexes at basic conditions (pH 11.4). Aluminum was introduced into the film as a dopant by co-precipitation, either using an aluminum metal foil …
One of the original dreams of three-dimensional (3D) dielectric photonic crystals has been to provide a 3D “designer electromagnetic vacuum”, which would allow tailoring of the spontaneous emission from emitters such as two-level systems, atoms,molecules, defects, or quantum dots located inside this artifi cial environment. This idea opens a wealth of opportunities. [ 1–3 ] For example, i…
The one-step selective oxidation of methanol to dimethoxymethane (DMM)was demonstrated over titania-supported molybdenum oxide catalysts, containing different amounts of molybdenum and prepared using two different impregnation techniques, namely wet impregnation and incipient wetness impregnation. The corresponding catalysts exhibited both acidic and redox properties, which are necessary for t…
This work reports the synthesis of photovoltaic-grade Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin films with Zn-poor compositions (Zn/ Sn
Fluid mechanics is concerned with the behaviour ofliquids and gases at rest and in motion. The proper understanding of mechanics of fluids is important in many branches of engineering: in biomechanics the flow of blood is of interest; ocean currents require a knowledge of fluid mechanics; chemical processing of plants require a thorough knowledge of fluid mechanics; aeronautical engineers requi…
Large-scale structural color fl exible coatings have been hard to create, and patterning color on them is key to many applications, including large-area strain sensors, wall-size displays, security devices, and smart fabrics. To achieve controlled tuning, a micro-imprinting technique is applied here to pattern both the surface morphology and the structural color of the polymer opal fi lms (POF…
The purpose of this article is to study the impact of oxyfuel combustion applied to a rotary kiln producing lime. Aspects of interest are product quality, energy efficiency, stack gas composition, carbon dioxide emissions, and possible benefits related to carbon dioxide capture. The method used is based on multicomponent chemical equilibrium calculations to predict process conditions. A generic…
In this work, pneumatic spray pyrolysis was used to deposit Cu2ZnSnS4 kesterite thin film layers onto soda lime glass substrates/Mo coated substrates (substrate configuration).Furthermore, pneumatic spray pyrolysis was also tested as a potential way to grow kesterite thin film layers on ZnO nanorod arrays on SnO2:F coated glass substrates (superstrate cell configuration). In this case semi-tr…
Technological applications increasingly demand materials with sophisticated features and improved functionalities. In this context, multifunctional materials (MFMs) are especially attractive as they are often capable of responding to different physical,chemical and/or biological stimuli. A particularly useful property that has been incorporated into MFMs is the shapememory effect (SME), which w…
In recent years, research about the application and optimization of PV panels has grown rapidly. Especially for stand-alone solar systems there have been some problems related to first stages of design and application. Finding the optimum slope of PV panels in order to maximize the absorbed solar radiation is considered as one of the major obstacles. Although in Malaysia there have been some r…
Layered transparent photonic stacks are known to give rise to highly brilliant color in a variety of living organisms. [ 1 ] The biomimetic replication of these structures not only offers a wide range of applications, but can also be used as a tool to gain understanding of the biological processes responsible for the self-assembly of these structures in nature. Recent studies showed that cellul…
Optical sensing from the ultraviolet (UV) to the near infrared (NIR) range have broad applications including imaging, telecommunications,biomedicine, environmental monitoring and defence sensing. [ 1–3 ] It is desirable to have a photodetector with a response spectrum covering a broad spectral range from UV to NIR. However, commercially available solid-state photodetectors have relatively nar…
The gyroid is a continuous and triply periodic cubic morphology which possesses a constant mean curvature surface across a range of volumetric fi ll fractions. Found in a variety of natural and synthetic systems which form through self-assembly, from butterfl y wing scales to block copolymers, the gyroid also exhibits an inherent chirality not observed in any other similar morphologies. These …
Plasmonic metasurfaces are investigated that consist of a sub-wavelength line pattern in an ultrathin (∼10 nm) silver fi lm, designed for extraordinary suppressed transmission (EOST) in the visible spectral range. Measurements with a near-fi eld scanning optical microscope (NSOM) demonstrate that farfi eld irradiation resonantly excites antenna-like (bright) modes that are localized on the m…
In this work we studied the interface growth upon deposition of indium-tin oxide (ITO) on amorphous hydrogenated Si (a-Si:H)/crystalline Si (c-Si) structures. The analysis methods used were X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) in combination with in situ film growth with magnetron sputtering. The analysis was complemented with transmission elec…
Structural, optical, and electrical properties of multilayer stacks ZnO:Al/Ag/ZnO:Al and ZrO2/Ag/ZrO2 are studied. The stacks are deposited on glass substrates without heating by consecutive r.f. magnetron sputtering of ZnO:Al and Ag or ZrO2 and Ag targets, respectively. The properties of samples as-deposited and annealed in forming gas atmosphere, at 180 8C for 1 h are compared. The structural…
Li-ion batteries are the powerhouse for the digital electronic revolution in this modern mobile society, exclusively used in mobile phones and laptop computers. The success of commercial Li-ion batteries i the 1990s was not an overnight achievement, but a result of intensive research and contribution by many great scientists and engineers. Then much efforts have been put to further improve the…
(Ga,In)N/GaN multiple quantum well blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on mesa-patterned silicon substrates with improved electro-optic characteristics are demonstrated.The active regions are grown on top of high-reflectivity AlN/(Al,Ga)N distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). Due to efficient stress relaxation at the mesa edges, crack formation during growth or upon the post-growth coolingd…
The blocking problems in equipment and flowlines caused by precipitation of wax solids is a well-known problem and large research efforts have been focused on developing procedures dealing with wax deposition. Among the different alternatives, the use of chemicals is frequently used to inhibit wax precipitation.The presence of these compounds modifies the size and/or the shape of the paraffini…
Production of biogas utilizing agricultural wastes is one of the most demanding technologies for generating energy in sustainable manner considering environmental concerns. However, though the agricultural wastes are available in abundance,the technologies used for the production of biogas such as biological and thermochemical processes are not very efficient. In the present article, we describ…
This paper aims at providing an updated overview of the main achievements in the development of solar cells based on Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTS(Se)) kesterite absorbers obtained by electrodeposition. Although undoubtedly challenging, the ultimate goal is to learn from the past works and build a solid framework for future advances in this field. What is the reason for the lower efficiency of electro…
This paper aims toward the first step for green campus approach for Indian School of Mines (ISM) campus. Comparative study of the performances for nine different commercialized solar panels made of Maxeon Cell Technology, HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer), monocrystalline silicon (Mono C-Si), polycrystalline silicon (Poly C-Si), Micromorph, SCHOTT, amorphous silicon (a-Si), CIGS, …
To produce smooth, crack-free, and highly crystalline absorber layers are the main challenges in the fabrication of thin film solar cells using nanoparticle-based solution-processing technologies.In this work, we report on the optimization of the spray deposition parameters to produce highly homogeneous CuIn1xGaxS2 thin films with controlled thickness using nanoparticle-based inks. We further …
Technological evolution of fl exible optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells or light emitting diodes, [ 1–6 ] must be accompanied by that of fl exible optical and electronic materials in order to fulfi ll the increasing requirements of higher performance and functionality. In that regard, last years have seen a boost of the research in this fi eld, a wide variety of approaches having bee…
Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) provide an opportunity to develop new and more accurate safety assessment processes for drugs and other chemicals, and may ultimately play an important role in regulatory decision making. Not only can the development and application of AOPs pave theway for the development of improved evidence-based approaches for hazard and risk assessment, there is also the pro…
The purpose of this work is to verify the possibility to process highly doped Si supporting substrates using a 2-step process:(i) sintering of a low-cost Si powder based ingot using hot pressing and a ELKEM Silgrain material as a feedstock; and (ii) wafering of such ingots using multi-wire sawing technique similar to that, which is used for cast multi-Si or Cz-Si grown ingots. Moreover, the pos…
Achieving an effi cient spectral tuning in liquid-crystal (LC)-loaded active photonic metamaterials has so far remained a challenge due to strong surface anchoring of LC molecules. This paper reports on a novel approach in the development of hybrid metamaterials that enables to overcome this problem and engage for the fi rst time in-plane switching of liquid-crystal molecules on the nanoscale.…
It is clear that in order to satisfy global energy demands whilst maintaining sustainable levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases, alternative energy sources are required. Due to its high chemical energy density and the benign by-product of its combustion reactions, hydrogen is one of the most promising of these. However, methods of hydrogen storage such as gas compression or liquefaction are no…
In this paper, an eco-friendly single-step process for the synthesis of biolubricant basestock from high free fatty acid (FFA) castor oil (CO) via epoxidation reaction was investigated. Influence of various process parameters on the structural modification of CO and their interaction with the maximum oxirane oxygen content (OOC) was optimized. Central composite design (CCD) as one of the tools …
Cardiovascular disease risk has been consistently linked with particulate matter (PM) exposure. Cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) are released into plasma and transfer microRNAs (miRNAs) between tissues. MVs can be produced by the respiratory system in response to proinflammatory triggers, enter the circulatory system and remotely modify gene expression in cardiovascular tissues. However, wheth…
Phospholipidosis (PLD) is characterized by an intracellular accumulation of phospholipids in lysosomes and concurrent development of concentric lamellar bodies. It is induced in humans and in animals by drugs with a cationic amphiphilic structure. The purpose of the present study was to identify a set of molecular biomarkers of PLD in rat blood and heart, hypothetically applicable in preclini…
Technology advances have enabled modification of the size and shape of the electronic components to the microscale, with commensurate scaling down of their power requirements to milliwatts and microwatt range. Consequently, many complex electronic systems and devices such as wearable medical and autonomous devices consume power in the range less than 200 lW, and wireless sensor networks in the…
Concerns have been raised regarding the human health effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), many of which are associated with and leaching from plastics. As infants are particularly vulnerable to EDCs, we have investigated whether plastic teethers for babies represent a relevant source of exposure. Applying effect-directed analysis, we use bioassays to screen teethers, toys used to …
Room temperature electroluminescence from semiconductor junctions is demonstrated. The junctions are fabricated by the exfoliation and direct mechanical adhesion of InSe and GaSe van der Waals layered crystals. Homojunction diodes formed from layers of p- and n-type InSe exhibit electroluminescence at energies close to the bandgap energy of InSe (Eg = 1.26 eV). In contrast, heterojunction diode…
Two methods of pulsed DC magnetron sputtering deposition have been used to form high rate, hydrogen-free crystalline silicon layers. The first method is in situ crystalline silicon deposition. The second method is high rate amorphous silicon deposition followed by an anneal to induce crystallization.Over 20 mm thick crystalline silicon can be formed on wafers up to 200mm round or 156mm square.…
Catalytic hydrotreating is an attractive method for upgrading bio-derived oils into renewable feedstocks with less oxygen content, suitable for producing valuable hydrocarbons through various petro-refinery processes. This study evaluates the catalytic activity of a commercial alumina (Al2O3) supported NiMo catalyst for hydrotreating tall oil feeds such as crude tall oil (CTO), distilled tall o…
This work details a methodology to characterize the performance of solar thermal and photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors using an indoor solar simulator. In this study, several cases have been compared to show that the methodology can be used to extract fundamental performance characteristics from a solar collector. In the first case, a serpentine collector was compared against a header rise…
In our previous studies, taurocholic acid (TA)-conjugated low-molecular-weight heparin derivative (LHT7) has been proven to be a potent anti-angiogenic agent by demonstrated successful blockage capability of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF). Preliminary safety evaluations were conducted based on its mechanism of action and chemical behavior. For this purpose, acute toxicity study, …
The burgeoning fi eld of nanophotonics has grown to be a major research area, primarily because of the ability to control and manipulate single quantum systems (emitters) and single photons on demand. For many years, studying nanophotonic phenomena was limited to traditional semiconductors (including silicon and GaAs) and experiments were carried out predominantly at cryogenic temperatures. In…