Gradual Optimization of Molecular Aggregation and Stacking Enables Over 19% Efficiency in Binary Organic Solar Cells.

Volatile solid additive is an effective and simple strategy for morphology control in organic solar cells (OSCs). The development of environmentally friendly new additives which can also be easily removed without high-temperature thermal annealing treatment is currently a trend, and the working mechanism needs to be further studied. Herein, a highly volatile and non-halogenated solid additive 1-benzothiophene (BBT) is reported to regulate molecular aggregation and stacking of active layer components. According to the film-forming kinetics process, a momentary intermediate phase is formed during spin-coating, which slows down the film-forming process and leads to more ordered molecular stacking in the solid film after introducing solid additive BBT. Subsequently, after solvent vapor annealing (SVA) further treatment, the resultant blend films exhibit a tighter and more ordered molecular stacking. Consequently, the synergistic effect of solid additive BBT and SVA treatment can effectively control morphology of active layer and improve carrier transport characteristics, thereby enhancing the performance of OSCs. Finally, in D18-Cl:N3 system, an impressive power conversion efficiency of 19.53% is achieved. The work demonstrates that the combination of highly volatile solid additives and SVA treatment is an effective morphology control strategy, guiding the development of efficient OSCs.

Effects of astaxanthin supplementation during vitrification and liquid nitrogen vapor freezing on motility, morphology, survival, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and DNA fragmentation of post-cryopreserved human sperm.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of astaxanthin supplementation in cryopreservation media on post-thawed sperm motility, viability, morphology, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and DNA fragmentation in two cryopreservation techniques using vitrification and liquid nitrogen vapor freezing. METHODS: Thirty normozoospermic semen samples were used in the study. Post-prepared semen samples were divided into 1) non-cryopreserved control, 2) and 3) vitrified without (V) and with astaxanthin 0.5 µM (V+ATX), 4) and 5) frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor without (L) and with astaxanthin 0.5 µM (L+ATX). RESULTS: Cryopreservation using vitrification and liquid nitrogen vapor freezing significantly decreased sperm motility and viability and increased ROS levels. However, no changes were seen in sperm morphology or DNA fragmentation. The addition of astaxanthin in cryopreservation media significantly increased post-thawed motility in both vitrification (77.6±8.9% vs. 69.0±9.5% in V+ATX and V) and vapor freezing (57.0±13.3% vs. 47.7±14.6% in L+ATX and L); it significantly increased sperm viability in vitrification (75.0±11.9% vs. 65.9±11.1% in V+ATX and V), and significantly decreased ROS level in both vitrification (4.7 (2.6-8.3) RLU/sec/106 vs. 10.6 (9.4-16.0) RLU/sec/106 in V+ATX and V) and vapor freezing (4.6 (3.3-10.5) RLU/sec/106 vs. 10.3 (7.9-18.6) RLU/ sec/106 in L+ATX and L). Astaxanthin supplementation in cryopreservation media did not affect sperm morphology or DNA fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS: Astaxanthin supplementation improved post-cryopreserved sperm motility, decreased ROS levels in both vitrification and liquid nitrogen vapor freezing and improved sperm viability only in the vitrification technique.

Large-Area Growth of High-Optical-Quality MoSe2/hBN Heterostructures with Tunable Charge Carrier Concentration.

Van der Waals heterostructures open up vast possibilities for applications in optoelectronics, especially since it was recognized that the optical properties of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) can be enhanced by adjacent hBN layers. However, although many micrometer-sized structures have been fabricated, the bottleneck for applications remains the lack of large-area structures with electrically tunable photoluminescence emission. In this study, we demonstrate the electrical charge carrier tuning for large-area epitaxial MoSe2 grown directly on epitaxial hBN. The structure is produced in a multistep procedure involving Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) growth of large-area hBN, a wet transfer of hBN onto a SiO2/Si substrate, and the subsequent Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) growth of monolayer MoSe2. The electrically induced change of the carrier concentration is deduced from the evolution of well-resolved charged and neutral exciton intensities. Our findings show that it is feasible to grow large-area, electrically addressable, high-optical-quality van der Waals heterostructures.

PRISM: three-dimensional sub-diffractive phase-resolved imaging spectroscopic method.

We demonstrate a genuine method for three-dimensional pictorial reconstructions of two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and hybrid specimens based on confocal Raman data collected in a back-scattering geometry of a 532-nm setup. The protocol, or the titular PRISM (Phase-Resolved Imaging Spectroscopic Method), allows for sub-diffractive and material-resolved imaging of the object's constituent material phases. The spacial component comes through either the signal distal attenuation ratio (direct mode) or subtle light-matter interactions, including interference enhancement and light absorption (indirect mode). The phase component is brought about by scrutinizing only selected Raman-active modes. We illustrate the PRISM approach in common real-life examples, including photolithographically structured amorphous Al2O3, reactive-ion-etched homoepitaxial SiC, and Chemical Vapor Deposition graphene transferred from copper foil onto a Si substrate and AlGaN microcolumns. The method is implementable in widespread Raman apparatus and offers a leap in the quality of materials imaging. The lateral resolution of PRISM is stage-limited by step motors to 100 nm. At the same time, the vertical accuracy is estimated at a nanometer scale due to the sensitivity of one of the applied phenomena (interference enhancement) to the physical property of the material (layer thickness).

Zincophile Zn2+ Conductor Regulation by Ultrathin Nano MoO3 Coating for Dendrite-Free Zn Anode.

Aqueous battery with nonflammable and instinctive safe properties has received great attention. However, issues related to Zn anode such as side reactions and rampant dendrite growth hinder the long-term circulation of AZMBs. Herein, an ultrathin(35 nm) MoO3 coating is deposited on the Zn anode by means of vacuum vapor deposition for the first time. Due to the peculiar layer structure of MoO3, insertion of Zn2+ in ZnxMoO3 acts as Zn2+ ion conductor, which regulates Zn2+ deposition in an ordered manner. Additionally, the MoO3 coating can also inhibit the hydrogen evolution and corrosion reactions at the interface. Therefore, both Zn//MoO3@Cu asymmetric battery and Zn symmetric battery cells manage to deliver satisfactory electrochemical performances. The symmetric cell assembled with MoO3@Zn shows a significant long cycle life of more than 1600 h at a current density of 2 mA cm-2. Meanwhile, the MoO3@Zn//Cu asymmetric cell exhibits an ultrahigh Zn deposition/stripping efficiency of 99.82% after a stable cycling of 650 h at 2 mA cm-2. This study proposes a concept of "zincophile Zn2+ conductor regulation" to dictate Zn electrodeposition and broadens novel design of vacuum evaporation for nano MoO3 modified Zn anodes.

Predictors of achieving a minimal clinically important difference in lower urinary tract symptoms 3 months after Rezum therapy.

Introduction: Gaining insight into patient characteristics to predict the success of procedures is crucial for improving outcomes and for preoperative counselling. We identified predictors of achieving a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) 3 months after Rezum. Material and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients treated with Rezum. Patients with moderate or severe LUTS and a recorded International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at 3 months were included and categorised into 2 cohorts based on experiencing a MCID at 3 months (≥ 25% improvement in IPSS). Predictors were identified through multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Out of 174 patients, 134 (77%) achieved a MCID at 3 months, and those who did had a higher median baseline IPSS (20 [16-26] vs 15 [10-21], P <0.001) and were more likely to have severe LUTS at baseline (53.0% vs 35.0%, P = 0.046) when compared to those who did not experience a MCID at 3 months. Higher baseline IPSS (OR: 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.17) and larger baseline prostate volumes (OR: 1.03, 95% CI 1.0-1.05) were predictors of achieving a MCID at 3 months. More specifically, a significantly greater proportion of patients with severe LUTS (83.5 vs 70.8%, P = 0.046) and prostate volume ≥60 cc (94.6 vs 71.4%, P = 0.003) achieved MCID at 3 months when compared to patients with moderate LUTS and prostate volumes <60 cc, respectively. Conclusions: More than three-quarters of patients treated with Rezum achieved a MCID at 3 months. Patients with severe LUTS and prostate volumes ≥ 60 cc may be optimal candidates for experiencing early relief in LUTS following Rezum.

Elastomeric Sensor-Triboelectric Nanogenerator Coupled System for Multimodal Strain Sensing and Organic Vapor Detection.

Stretchable, flexible sensors are one of the most critical components of smart wearable electronics and Internet of Things (IoT), thereby attracting multipronged research interest in the last decades. Following miniaturization and multicomponent development of several sensors in one could further propel the demand for wireless, multimodal platforms. Greener substitutes to conventional sensors that can operate in a self-powered configuration are highly desirable in terms of all-in-one sensor utilities. However, fabrication of composite-based ultrastretchable, self-powered sensors with multifunctionality, robustness, and conformability is still only partially achieved and, therefore, demands further investigation. In this work, we report a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG)-based multifunctional strain and organic vapor sensor using cross-linked ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) elastomer and conducting carbon black as active fillers in the presence of an ionic liquid. The resulting piezoresistive sensor demonstrates ultrahigh gauge factor (GF > 220k) and wide range strain sensitivity and is, therefore, suitable for subtle-to-high frequency motion detection devices. Supported by excellent triboelectric outputs (force sensitivity 0.5 V/N in the range of 50-300 N, maximum output voltage VOC ∼ 178 V, short circuit current ISC ∼ 18 µA, maximum power density 0.11 mW/cm2), the hybrid sensors offer remarkable mechanical toughness and seamless voltage generation under contact-separation, even after several thousand cycles of operations. Furthermore, the sensor substrates exhibited reproducible organic vapor-sensing behavior, with high responsivity of 1.92 and 1 for ethanol and acetone, respectively, under flowing vapor conditions. This work lays a strong foundation for developing a truly multimodal, TENG-based, self-powered organic vapor and strain sensors.

Maternal third hand exposure to e-cigarette vapor alters lung and bone marrow immune cell responses in offspring in the absence or presence of flu infection.

There is increasing evidence that third hand exposure to e-cigarette vapor (e-vapor) can have detrimental effects on the lungs. However, whether maternal exposure during pregnancy results in harmful changes to the offspring is unknown. Using two different e-cigarette settings (low versus high power), BALB/c mice were subjected to third hand e-vapor (e-vapor deposited onto towels, towels changed daily) in the absence or presence of nicotine, before, during, and after pregnancy. Male adult offspring were then infected with mouse-adapted influenza A virus (A/PR/8/34 H1N1) and lung and bone marrow immune cell responses assessed 7 days post infection. Maternal third hand exposure to low power (MLP) or high power (MHP) e-vapor with nicotine (MLP+NIC and MHP+NIC, respectively) increased the percentage of lung immune cells and neutrophils in the bone marrow. Interestingly, Flu-infected offspring from MLP+NIC and MHP+NIC groups had lower percentages of lung alveolar macrophages, and more pronounced increases in neutrophils in the bone marrow, when compared to offspring from MSham Flu controls. Flu infection also decreased the percentage of lung CD4+ T cells and increased the percentage of lung CD8+ T cells, irrespective of maternal exposure (MLP-/+NIC and MHP-/+NIC). Significantly, both MLP+NIC and MHP+NIC resulted in blunted activation of lung CD4+ T cells, but only MLP+NIC caused blunted activation of lung CD8+ T cells. Together, we show for the first time that maternal third hand exposure to e-vapor results in significant, long-lived effects on lung and bone marrow immune cell responses in offspring at baseline and in response to Flu infection.

Eddy covariance measurements reveal a decreased carbon sequestration strength 2010-2022 in an African semiarid savanna.

Monitoring the changes of ecosystem functioning is pivotal for understanding the global carbon cycle. Despite its size and contribution to the global carbon cycle, Africa is largely understudied in regard to ongoing changes of its ecosystem functioning and their responses to climate change. One of the reasons is the lack of long-term in situ data. Here, we use eddy covariance to quantify the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and its components-gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) for years 2010-2022 for a Sahelian semiarid savanna to study trends in the fluxes. Significant negative trends were found for NEE (12.7 ± 2.8 g C m2 year-1), GPP (39.6 ± 7.9 g C m2 year-1), and Reco (32.2 ± 8.9 g C m2 year-1). We found that NEE decreased by 60% over the study period, and this decrease was mainly caused by stronger negative trends in rainy season GPP than in Reco. Additionally, we observed strong increasing trends in vapor pressure deficit, but no trends in rainfall or soil water content. Thus, a proposed explanation for the decrease in carbon sink strength is increasing atmospheric dryness. The warming climate in the Sahel, coupled with increasing evaporative demand, may thus lead to decreased GPP levels across this biome, and lowering its CO2 sequestration.

Controlled Vapor-Liquid-Solid Growth of Long and Remarkably Thin Pb1-xSnxTe Nanowires with Strain-Tunable Ferroelectric Phase Transition.

The Pb1-xSnxTe family of compounds possess a wide range of intriguing and useful physical properties, including topologically protected surface states, robust ferroelectricity, remarkable thermoelectric properties, and potential topological superconductivity. Compared to bulk crystals, one-dimensional (1D) nanowires (NWs) offer a unique platform to enhance the functional properties and enable new capabilities, e.g., to realize 1D Majorana zero modes for quantum computations. However, it has been challenging to achieve controlled synthesis of ultrathin Pb1-xSnxTe (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) nanowires in the truly 1D region. In this work, we report on a Au-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of remarkably thin (20-30 nm) and sufficiently long (several to tens of micrometers) Pb1-xSnxTe nanowires of high single-crystalline quality in a controlled fashion. This controlled growth was achieved by enhancing the incorporation of Te into the Au catalyst particle to facilitate the precipitation of the Sn/Pb species and suppress the enlargement of the particle, which we identified as a major challenge for the growth of ultrathin nanowires. Our growth strategy can be easily extended to other compound and alloy nanowires, where the constituent elements have different incorporation rates into the catalyst particle. Furthermore, the growth of thin Pb1-xSnxTe nanowires enabled strain-dependent electrical transport measurements, which shows an enhancement of electrical resistance and ferroelectric transition temperature induced by uniaxial tensile strain along the nanowire axial direction, consistent with density functional theory calculations of the structural phase stability.

Can pure cellulose nanofibril films replace polyolefins as water vapor barriers in packaging?

Despite significant research into cellulose nanofibril (CNF) films as substitutes to synthetic plastic materials, commercial applications remain very limited. One major hindrance is the poor water vapor barrier properties of CNF films compared to polyolefins, a critical property for product protection, such as food safety and preservation. To date, it is unknown whether full moisture barrier properties can be achieved with materials made by the assembly of nanofibers and fibrils. A comprehensive understanding of the effect of film structure on water vapor transport properties is required. Here, over 200 films were produced with a wide range of grammages from 30 g/m2 to 580 g/m2 by casting and spray deposition. Their structures were quantified by µCT and SEM and related to their water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs). Porosity and pore connectivity decreased with increasing film grammage, which correlates with the exponential decrease in WVTR. However, the WVTR plateaued at 30 g/m2day, indicating that the known open space and adsorption diffusion mechanisms cannot be fully eliminated by producing high grammage films. Pure cellulose nanofibril films therefore cannot replace polyolefins in packaging applications, requiring modifications such as coating and nanofillers.

Antifungal effect of cinnamon essential oil against Penicillium oxalicum on rice noodles.

Plant essential oils have been extensively investigated for their application in food industry due to their broad antimicrobial spectrum and safety. However, rare studies investigated their application in decontaminating rice noodles from fungal contamination. In this study, the cinnamon essential oil was screened out among 12 species of plant essential oils, and its antifungal activity against Penicillium oxalicum isolated from rice noodles was investigated. Our study revealed that cinnamon essential oil inhibited the spore germination in a concentration-dependent manner, and a dosage of 0.025% (v/v) could entirely disable the spore germination. The disruption of the fungal plasma membrane was evidenced by the change of plasma membrane permeability and the leakage of cellular components. The cinnamon essential oil in vapor phase (0.00625% [v/v]) could totally inhibit the growth of fungi inoculated on rice noodles. In addition to the potential application in inactivating fungi germination on rice noodles, this study also demonstrated the feasibility of cinnamon essential as an environmental disinfectant. This study is the first report that cinnamon essential oil has been studied for decontaminating rice noodles from fungal contamination with P. oxalicum, which not only broadens the application field of plant essential oil but also provides an alternative approach for rice noodle preservation.

Efficient and Stable Red Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes via Thermodynamic Crystallization Control.

Efficient and stable red perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) demonstrate promising potential in high-definition displays and biomedical applications. Although significant progress has been made in device performance, meeting commercial demands remains a challenge in the aspects of long-term stability and high external quantum efficiency (EQE). Here, an in situ crystallization regulation strategy is developed for optimizing red perovskite films through ingenious vapor design. Mixed vapor containing dimethyl sulfoxide and carbon disulfide (CS2) is incorporated to conventional annealing, which contributes to thermodynamics dominated perovskite crystallization for well-aligned cascade phase arrangement. Additionally, the perovskite surface defect density is minimized by the CS2 molecule adsorption. Consequently, the target perovskite films exhibit smooth exciton energy transfer, reduced defect density, and blocked ion migration pathways. Leveraging these advantages, spectrally stable red PeLEDs are obtained featuring emission at 668, 656, and 648 nm, which yield record peak EQEs of 30.08%, 32.14%, and 29.04%, along with prolonged half-lifetimes of 47.7, 60.0, and 43.7 h at the initial luminances of 140, 250, and 270 cd m-2, respectively. This work provides a universal strategy for optimizing perovskite crystallization and represents a significant stride toward the commercialization of red PeLEDs.

Enhanced Responsivity and Photostability of Cs3Bi2I9-Based Self-Powered Photodetector via Chemical Vapor Deposition Engineering.

Lead-based halide perovskites have gained significant prominence in recent years in optoelectronics and photovoltaics, owing to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Nonetheless, the toxicity of lead (Pb) and the stability concern pose obstacles to their potential for future large-scale market development. Herein, stable lead-free Cs3Bi2I9 (CBI) films are presented with smooth and compact morphologies synthesized via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), demonstrating their application as an UV photodetector in a self-powered way. The self-powered photodetectors (SPDs) exhibit remarkable characteristics, including a responsivity of 1.57 A W-1 and an impressive specific detectivity of 3.38 × 1013 Jones under the illumination of 365 nm at zero bias. Furthermore, the SPDs exhibit a nominal decline (≈2.2%) in the photocurrent under constant illumination over 500 h, highlighting its impressive long-term operational stability. Finally, the real-time UV-detection capability of the device is demonstrated by measuring the photocurrent under various conditions, including room light and sunlight at different times. These findings offer a new platform for synthesizing stable and high-quality perovskite films, and SPDs for advancing the development of wearable and portable electronics.

Direct Growth of Wafer-Scale Self-Separated GaN on Reusable 2D Material Substrates.

Free-standing gallium nitride has been prepared using various methods; however, the removal of the original substrate is still challenging with low success rates. In this work, 2-inch free-standing GaN films are obtained by direct growth on a fluoro phlogopite mica by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy. Depending on the van der Waals (vdW) interaction between GaN and mica, the effect of the significant lattice mismatch is effectively reduced; thus, enabling the production of a high-quality wafer-scale GaN film on mica. The vdW-induced cracks at GaN-mica interface are found to be initiated near the interface so that GaN can easily separate from mica during rapid cooling. Owing to the hydrophilic nature of mica, the residual GaN on the mica can be lifted off by following deionized water treatment, and the mica substrate can be repeatedly used to grow free-standing GaN films. The self-separated GaN films grown on both pristine and used mica substrates are single crystallinity and strain-free. Additionally, a fully functional ultraviolet light-emitting diode is demonstrated to show that the self-separated GaN films are of device quality. The proposed approach achieves epitaxial growth of wafer-scale single-crystalline GaN on 2D materials and provides a new substrate option in the technology of III-V materials.

Persistence of two coronaviruses and efficacy of steam vapor disinfection on two types of carpet.

BACKGROUND: Coronaviruses, a group of highly transmissible and potentially pathogenic viruses, can be transmitted indirectly to humans via fomites. To date, no study has investigated their persistence on carpet fibers. Establishing persistence is essential before testing the efficacy of a disinfectant. METHODS: The persistence of BCoV and HCoV OC43 on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and nylon carpet was first determined using infectivity and RT-qPCR assays. Then, the disinfectant efficacy of steam vapor was evaluated against both coronaviruses on nylon carpet. RESULTS: Immediately after inoculation of carpet coupons, 32.50% of BCoV and 3.87% of HCoV OC43 were recovered from PET carpet, compared to 34.86% of BCoV and 24.37% of HCoV OC43 recovered from nylon carpet. After incubation at room temperature for 1 h, BCoV and HCoV OC43 showed a 3.6 and > 2.8 log10 TCID50 reduction on PET carpet, and a 0.6 and 1.8 log10 TCID50 reduction on nylon carpet. Based on first-order decay kinetics, the whole gRNA of BCoV and HCoV OC43 were stable with k values of 1.19 and 0.67 h- 1 on PET carpet and 0.86 and 0.27 h- 1 on nylon carpet, respectively. A 15-s steam vapor treatment achieved a > 3.0 log10 TCID50 reduction of BCoV and > 3.2 log10 TCID50 reduction of HCoV OC43 on nylon carpet. CONCLUSION: BCoV was more resistant to desiccation on both carpet types than HCoV OC43. Both viruses lost infectivity quicker on PET carpet than on nylon carpet. Steam vapor inactivated both coronaviruses on nylon carpet within 15 s.

Dynamic evaluation of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle combined with a PCM storage tank for improving condenser performance.

In this study, a vapor compression refrigeration cycle integrated with a phase change material (PCM) storage tank has been dynamically simulated over a 24-h period. The primary objective of this system is to reduce electric energy consumption during on-peak hours (12:00-19:00) and shift it to off-peak hours (1:00-10:00). During off-peak hours, the vapor compression refrigeration system stores cooling energy in the PCM storage tank. The stored cooling energy is then reused during on-peak hours to pre-cool the condenser inlet refrigerant, enhancing the cooling system's performance and reducing electric consumption during on-peak hours. Oleic acid, eutectic mixtures of 45 % capric acid and 55 % lauric acid by weight (CL), a commercial blend of salt hydrate and paraffin wax (SP224A), and CaCl2.6H2O have been selected as the PCM mediums. The effects of weather conditions and PCM storage tank parameters on the system's performance have been investigated. The results indicate that SP224A performs the best in most weather conditions. The maximum electric peak load shaving occurred under Ramsar city weather conditions, achieving 98.85 %. Additionally, the compressor's electric energy consumption is reduced by about 23.38 %. Moreover, increasing the length of PCM storage pipes leads to a reduction in compressor energy consumption during on-peak hours, as well as electric peak load shaving, with an improvement of up to 156 %.

Enhanced Buried Interface Engineering for Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated via Vapor-Solid Reaction.

Vapor-deposited inverted perovskite solar cells utilizing self-assembled monolayer (SAM) as hole transport material have gained significant attention for their high efficiencies and compatibility with silicon/perovskite monolithic tandem devices. However, as a small molecule, the SAM layer suffers low thermal tolerance in comparison with other metal oxide or polymers, rendering poor efficiency in solar device with high-temperature (> 160 °C) fabricating procedures. In this study, a dual modification approach involving AlOx and F-doped phenyltrimethylammonium bromide (F-PTABr) layers is introduced to enhance the buried interface. The AlOx dielectric layer improves the interface contact and prevents the upward diffusion of SAM molecules during the vapor-solid reaction at 170 °C, while the F-PTABr layer regulates crystal growth and reduces the interfacial defects. As a result, the AlOx/F-PTABr-treated perovskite film exhibits a homogeneous, pinhole-free morphology with improved crystal quality compared to the control films. This leads to a champion power conversion efficiency of 21.53% for the inverted perovskite solar cells. Moreover, the encapsulated devices maintained 90% of the initial efficiency after 600 h of ageing at 85 °C in air, demonstrating promising potential for silicon/perovskite tandem application.

Pb-based metal organic framework as substrate: Chemical vapor generation-visual/smartphone colorimetric analytical system for sensitive and selective detection of sulfide ion in water and beers.

A visual/smartphone colorimetric system was developed for the sensitive and selective detection of sulfide ion (S2-) using chemical vapor generation (CVG) as a gaseous sampling technique. S2- in samples were converted into H2S after the addition of H2SO4, which separated from the solution during CVG process, ensuring high efficiency of vapor generation (sensitivity) and eliminated interferences (selectivity). The H2S was subsequently reacted with Pb-BTC and PbS was thus formed, causing the test paper turned to black. It was utilized for the detection of S2- by visual/smartphone colorimetric system. Detectable limits of 0.05 µg/mL and 0.2 µg/mL were obtained under smartphone mode and visual mode, respectively. Furthermore, this colorimetric system was successfully used for the analysis of S2- in several beer samples and water samples, with recoveries ranging 97 %-111 %. This system represents a potential miniaturized, easy used and high-effective method for rapid and on-site detection of S2-.

Using the group contribution method to predict the flash temperature of biodiesel and ethanol mixtures.

This article presents a novel approach to predict the flash temperature of biodiesel and ethanol mixtures using the Group Contribution Method (GCM). Expanding on the pioneering work by Liaw et al. (2003), our method employs GCM to calculate the activity coefficients of biodiesel and ethanol components in the mixture. Estimating these coefficients, crucial for accurate flash temperature prediction, involves a comprehensive analysis of composition, functional groups, and vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data. For this purpose, the composition of the mixture components in biodiesel, the functional groups within each biodiesel component, the composition ratios of biodiesel and ethanol in the mixture, and the functional groups present in ethanol are considered. Given that the use of UNIQUAC and NRTL models requires estimating adjustable parameters, VLE data for ethanol and biodiesel mixtures are employed to calculate the activity coefficients. This approach not only aids in estimating these coefficients but also facilitates determining the values associated with each functional group. Flash temperature predictions for biodiesel and ethanol mixtures obtained through various models, including the ideal solution, UNIQUAC, NRTL, and our proposed GCM, are rigorously assessed. The results indicate that the GCM method outperforms the alternatives, exhibiting the lowest error with a deviation of just 1.72 K compared to deviations of 1.77 K, 1.75 K, and 1.73 K for the ideal solution, UNIQUAC, and NRTL models, respectively. This research offers a promising approach for flash point estimation in complex systems, such as biodiesel-ethanol blends, contributing to the ongoing exploration in this field.