Plastic scintillator with effective pulse shape discrimination for neutron and gamma detection

DOEpatents

Zaitseva, Natalia P.; Carman, M Leslie; Cherepy, Nerine; Glenn, Andrew M.; Hamel, Sebastien; Payne, Stephen A.; Rupert, Benjamin L.

2016-04-12

In one embodiment, a scintillator material includes a polymer matrix; and a primary dye in the polymer matrix, the primary dye being a fluorescent dye, the primary dye being present in an amount of 5 wt % or more; wherein the scintillator material exhibits an optical response signature for neutrons that is different than an optical response signature for gamma rays. In another embodiment, a scintillator material includes a polymer matrix; and a primary dye in the polymer matrix, the primary dye being a fluorescent dye, the primary dye being present in an amount greater than 10 wt %.

Role of charge separation mechanism and local disorder at hybrid solar cell interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrenreich, Philipp; Pfadler, Thomas; Paquin, Francis; Dion-Bertrand, Laura-Isabelle; Paré-Labrosse, Olivier; Silva, Carlos; Weickert, Jonas; Schmidt-Mende, Lukas

2015-01-01

Dye-sensitized metal oxide polymer hybrid solar cells deliver a promising basis in organic solar cell development due to many conceptual advantages. Since the power conversion efficiency is still in a noncompetitive state, it has to be understood how the photocurrent contribution can be maximized (i.e., which dye-polymer properties are most beneficial for efficient charge generation in hybrid solar cells). By the comparison of three model systems for hybrid solar cells with Ti O2 -dye-polymer interfaces, this paper was aimed at elucidating the role of the exact mechanism of charge generation. In the exciton dissociation (ED) case, an exciton that is generated in the polymer is split at the dye-polymer interface. Alternatively, this exciton can be transferred to the dye via an energy transfer (ET), upon which charge separation occurs between dye and Ti O2 . For comparison, the third case is included in which the high lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the dye does not allow exciton separation or ET from the dye to the polymer, so that the dye only is responsible for charge generation. To separate effects owing to differences in energy levels of the involved materials from the impact of local order and disorder in the polymer close to the interface, this paper further comprises a detailed analysis of the polymer crystallinity based on the H-aggregate model. While the massive impact of the poly(3-hexylthiophene) crystallinity on device function has been outlined for bare metal oxide-polymer interfaces, it has not been considered for hybrid solar cells with dye-sensitized Ti O2 . The results presented here indicate that all dye molecules in general influence the polymer morphology, which has to be taken into account for future optimization of hybrid solar cells. Apart from that, it can be suggested that ED on the polymer needs an additional driving force to work efficiently; thus, energy transfer seems to be currently the most promising strategy to increase the polymer photocurrent contribution.

RESEARCH ON THE ELECTRONIC AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYMER AND OTHER ORGANIC MOLECULAR THIN FILMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ALEXEI G. VITUKHNOVSKY; IGOR I. SOBELMAN - RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

1995-09-06

Optical properties of highly ordered films of poly(p-phenylene) (PPP) on different substrates, thin films of mixtures of conjugated polymers, of fullerene and its composition with polymers, molecular J-aggregates of cyanine dyes in frozen matrices have been studied within the framework of the Agreement. Procedures of preparation of high-quality vacuum deposited PPP films on different substrates (ITO, Si, GaAs and etc.) were developed. Using time-correlated single photon counting technique and fluorescence spectroscopy the high quality of PPP films has been confirmed. Dependence of structure and optical properties on the conditions of preparation were investigated. The fluorescence lifetime and spectra of highlymore » oriented vacuum deposited PPP films were studied as a function of the degree of polymerization. It was shown for the first time that the maximum fluorescence quantum yield is achieved for the chain length approximately equal to 35 monomer units. The selective excitation of luminescence of thin films of PPP was performed in the temperature range from 5 to 300 K. The total intensity of luminescence monotonically decreases with decreasing temperature. Conditions of preparation of highly cristallyne fullerene C{sub 60} films by the method of vacuum deposition were found. Composites of C{sub 60} with conjugated polymers PPV and polyacetylene (PA) were prepared. The results on fluorescence quenching, IR and resonant Raman spectroscopy are consistent with earlier reported ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer from PPV to C{sub 60} and show that the electron transfer is absent in the case of the PA-C{sub 60} composition. Strong quenching of PPV fluorescence was observed in the PPV-PA blends. The electron transfer from PPV to PA can be considered as one of the possible mechanisms of this quenching. The dynamics of photoexcitations in different types of J-aggregates of the carbocyanine dye was studied at different temperatures in frozen matrices. The optical properties of relatively simple J-aggregates with pure intrasegment relaxation, which they have found, may clarify the problem of the relationship between intrasegment and intersegment processes in the formation of luminescent states in more complicated conjugated polymers, which is important for construction of electroluminescence and photosensitive devices.« less

Polymer based plasmonic elements with dye molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Douguo; Wang, Xiangxian; Chen, Yikai; Han, Lu; Wang, Pei; Ming, Hai

2012-11-01

Recently, dielectric loaded surface plasmons (SPs) elements are inducing highly interesting in the field of nanooptics, which are composed of dielectric nanostructures fabricated on a metallic thin film. This configuration will provide a route to novel integrated micro-optical devices and components combining photonics and electronics on the same chip. The advantages are easy fabrication, easy integration, and also the potential to realizing active plasmonic devices. In this talk, we will present our recent work in this field. Polymer (PMMA) nano-structures are fabricated on a silver film by the electron beam lithography (EBL) and laser interference lithography. These nano-structures are used to manipulate the behaviors of the SPs, such as converging, diverging, and guiding the propagation of SPs in subwavelength scale. Except for the pure PMMA nano-structures, dye materials (Rhodamine B, RhB) doped PMMA structures are also fabricated on the silver film. The RhB molecules will work as the active medium to excite the SPs or compensation the loss of SPs wave. The dye doped PMMA nanostructure provides a choice to realize active plasmonic elements, such as SPs Bragg gratings. On the other hand, the interaction between the fluorescence molecules and SPs will give rise to some new optical phenomena, such as directional fluorescence emission, anisotropic fluorescence emission. These polymer based plasmonic structures are investigated with a home-built leakage radiation microscopy (LRM).

Optical Sensors Based on Single on Arm Thin Film Waveguide Interferometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkisov, S. S.; Diggs, D.; Curley, M.; Adamovsky, Grigory (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Single-arm dual-mode optical waveguide interferometer utilizes interference between two modes of different order. Sensing effect results from the change in propagation conditions of the modes caused by the environment. The waveguide is made as an open asymmetric structure containing a dye-doped polymer film onto a quartz substrate. It is more sensitive to the change of environment than its conventional polarimetric analog using orthogonal modes (TE and TM) of the same order. The sensor still preserves the option of operating in polarimetric regime using a variety of mode combinations such as TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 0) (conventional) TE(sub 0)/TM(sub 1), TE(sub 1)/TM(sub 0), or TE(sub 1)/TM(sub 1) but can also work in nonpolarimetric regime using combinations TE(sub 0)/TE(sub 1) or TM(sub 0)/TM(sub 1). Utilization of different mode combinations simultaneously makes the device more versatile. Application of the sensor to gas sensing is based on doping polymer film with an organic indicator dye targeting a particular gaseous reagent. Change of the optical absorption spectrum of the dye caused by the gaseous pollutant results in change of the reactive index of the dye-doped polymer film that can be detected by the sensor. As indicator dyes we utilize Bromocresol Purple doped into polymer poly(methyl) methacrylate that is sensitive to small concentrations of ammonia. The indicator dye demonstrated an irreversible increase in optical absorption near the peak at 350 nm being exposed to 5% ammonia in pure nitrogen at 600 Torr. The dye also showed reversible growth of the absorption peak near 600 nm after exposure to a vapor of standard medical ammonia spirit (65% alcohol). We have built a breadboard prototype of the sensor with He-Ne laser as a light source and with a single mode fiber input and a multimode fiber output. The prototype showed a sensitivity to temperature change of the order of 2 C per 2pi phase shift. The sensitivity of the sensor to the presence of dTy ammonia is not less than 300 ppm per 2pi phase shift. The proposed sensor can be used as a robust stand-alone instrument for continuous environment pollution monitoring.

Fluorescent Polymer Nanoparticles Based on Dyes: Seeking Brighter Tools for Bioimaging

PubMed Central

Reisch, Andreas; Klymchenko, Andrey S.

2017-01-01

Speed, resolution and sensitivity of today's fluorescence bioimaging can be drastically improved by fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) that are many-fold brighter than organic dyes and fluorescent proteins. While the field is currently dominated by inorganic NPs, notably quantum dots (QDs), fluorescent polymer NPs encapsulating large quantities of dyes (dye-loaded NPs) have emerged recently as attractive alternative. These new nanomaterials, inspired from the fields of polymeric drug delivery vehicles and advanced fluorophores, can combine superior brightness with biodegradability and low toxicity. Here, we describe the strategies for synthesis of dye-loaded polymer NPs by emulsion polymerization and assembly of pre-formed polymers. Superior brightness requires strong dye loading without aggregation caused quenching (ACQ). Only recently several strategies of dye design were proposed to overcome ACQ in polymer NPs: aggregation induced emission (AIE), dye modification with bulky side groups and use of bulky hydrophobic counterions. The resulting NPs now surpass the brightness of QDs by ~10-fold for comparable size and start reaching the level of the brightest conjugated polymer NPs. Other properties, notably photostability, color, blinking as well as particle size and surface chemistry are also systematically analyzed. Finally, major and emerging applications of dye-loaded NPs for in vitro and in vivo imaging are reviewed. PMID:26901678

Influence of ZnO nanorod on the luminescent and electrical properties of fluorescent dye-doped polymer nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, T.; Xu, Z.; Qian, L.; Tao, D. L.; Teng, F.; Xu, X. R.

2006-11-01

The luminescent properties of fluorescent dye-doped polymer dispersed with ZnO nanorods were investigated. Embedding ZnO nanorods in blend film results in a blue-shifted emission of fluorescent dye. It is accounted for in terms of the difference in permittivity between inorganic oxide nano-material and dye-doped polymer. Moreover, polymer light-emitting diodes with the addition of ZnO nanorods showed the lower threshold voltage and the higher charge current and electroluminescence efficiency.

Quadratic electroabsorption studies of molecular motion in dye-doped polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poga, Constantina; Kuzyk, Mark G.; Dirk, Carl W.

1993-02-01

This paper reports on quadratic electroabsorption studies of thin-film solid solutions of squarylium dye molecules in poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer with the aim of understanding the role of electronic and reorientational mechanisms in the third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibility. We present a generalized theory of the quadratic electrooptic response that includes both electronic mechanisms and molecular reorientation and show that the ratio of two independent third-order susceptibility tensor components, namely (chi) (3)3333/(chi) (3)1133, determines the relative contribution of each mechanism. Based on these theoretical results, we have designed and built an experiment that determines this ratio as a function of temperature and wavelength. Results show that at room temperature and near the first electronic transition wavelength, the response is dominated by the electronic mechanism, and that the reorientational contribution dominates when the sample is heated above its glass transition temperature. Furthermore, results show that, off-resonance, the sign of the imaginary part of the third-order susceptibility is positive. Quadratic electroabsorption is thus shown to be a versatile tool for measuring the imaginary part of the third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibility which yields information about the interaction of polymer and dopant molecule.

Optical and morphological characterizations of pyronin dye-poly (vinyl alcohol) thin films formed on glass substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meral, Kadem, E-mail: kademm@atauni.edu.tr; Arik, Mustafa, E-mail: marik@tatauni.edu.tr; Onganer, Yavuz, E-mail: yonganer@atauni.edu.tr

Thin films of pyronin dye mixed with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on glass substrate were prepared by using spin-coating technique. The optical and morphological properties of the thin films were studied by UV-Vis., steady-state fluorescence spectroscopies and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The thin films on glass substrate were fabricated at various [PVA]/[dye] (P/D) ratios. Hence, the monomeric and H-aggregates thin films of pyronin dye mixed with PVA were formed as a function of the dye and PVA concentration. It was determined that while the monomeric thin films showed strong fluorescence, the formation of H-aggregates in the thin film caused to decreasingmore » the fluorescence intensity. AFM studies demonstrated that the morphology of the thin film was drastically varied with changing the optical property of the thin film such as monomeric and H-aggregates thin films.« less

Characteristics of color optical shutter with dye-doped polymer network liquid crystal.

PubMed

Lee, G H; Hwang, K Y; Jang, J E; Jin, Y W; Lee, S Y; Jung, J E

2011-03-01

The optical properties and the theoretical prediction of color optical shutter with dye-doped polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) were investigated. The view-angle dependence of reflectance according to the bias conditions showed distinctive characteristics, which could be explained from the effects of dye absorption and path length. It was also shown that the thickness dependence of reflectance was strongly influenced by the light-scattering coefficient. Our experimental results matched up well with the theoretical prediction based on the light scattering of liquid crystals in polymer network and the absorption of dichroic dye. This work indicates potential to improve the optical device using dye-doped liquid crystal-polymer composite.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical Properties of Polyaniline Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rami, Soukaina

Conjugated polymers have been used in various applications (battery, supercapacitor, electromagnetic shielding, chemical sensor, biosensor, nanocomposite, light-emitting-diode, electrochromic display etc.) due to their excellent conductivity, electrochemical and optical properties, and low cost. Polyaniline has attracted the researchers from all disciplines of science, engineering, and industry due to its redox properties, environmental stability, conductivity, and optical properties. Moreover, it is a polymer with fast electroactive switching and reversible properties displayed at low potential, which is an important feature in many applications. The thin oriented polyaniline films have been fabricated using self-assembly, Langmuir-Blodgett, in-situ self-assembly, layer-by-layer, and electrochemical technique. The focus of this thesis is to synthesize and characterize polyaniline thin films with and without dyes. Also, the purpose of this thesis is to find the fastest electroactive switching PANI electrode in different electrolytic medium by studying their electrochemical properties. These films were fabricated using two deposition techniques: in-situ self-assembly and electrochemical deposition. The characterization of these films was done using techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). FTIR and UV-spectroscopy showed similar results in the structure of the polyaniline films. However, for the dye incorporated films, since there was an addition in the synthesis of the material, peak locations shifted, and new peaks corresponding to these materials appeared. The 1 layer PANI showed compact film morphology, comparing to other PANI films, which displayed a fiber-like structure. Finally, the electrochemical properties of these thin films were studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in different scenarios. These scenarios included the study in different acid based electrolytes and different gel based electrolytes. The ultra-thin self-assembled PANI films were shown to have a faster switching time, especially for the 1 layer PANI, whereas the color contrast could be observed for the film containing the dye molecule. Also, HCl based electrolyte gave the best electrochemical reversibility compared to other acids used. For the gelatin and PVA based electrolytes, having the same concentration, the results were similar. Hence, the change in the electrolyte consistencies, from liquid to semi-solid, did not change the electrochemical properties of the films. Finally, in the EIS, it was shown that these PANI thin films exhibit a pseudo-capacitance behavior, and as the film thickness grew, the capacitance increased.

Chemotaxis of Molecular Dyes in Polymer Gradients in Solution.

PubMed

Guha, Rajarshi; Mohajerani, Farzad; Collins, Matthew; Ghosh, Subhadip; Sen, Ayusman; Velegol, Darrell

2017-11-08

Chemotaxis provides a mechanism for directing the transport of molecules along chemical gradients. Here, we show the chemotactic migration of dye molecules in response to the gradients of several different neutral polymers. The magnitude of chemotactic response depends on the structure of the monomer, polymer molecular weight and concentration, and the nature of the solvent. The mechanism involves cross-diffusion up the polymer gradient, driven by favorable dye-polymer interaction. Modeling allows us to quantitatively evaluate the strength of the interaction and the effect of the various parameters that govern chemotaxis.

A Triphenylamine-Based Conjugated Polymer with Donor-π-Acceptor Architecture as Organic Sensitizer for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Fang, Zhen; Su, Mingjuan; Saeys, Mark; Liu, Bin

2009-09-17

A conjugated polymer containing an electron donating backbone (triphenylamine) and an electron accepting side chain (cyanoacetic acid) with conjugated thiophene units as the linkers has been synthesized. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are fabricated utilizing this material as the dye sensitizer, resulting a typical power conversion efficiency of 3.39% under AM 1.5 G illumination, which represents the highest efficiency for polymer dye-sensitized DSSCs reported so far. The results show the good promise of conjugated polymers as sensitizers for DSSC applications. Copyright © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A general synthesis strategy for the multifunctional 3D polypyrrole foam of thin 2D nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Jiangli; Mo, Maosong; Liu, Zhuming; Ye, Dapeng; Cheng, Zhihua; Xu, Tong; Qu, Liangti

2018-05-01

A 3D macroporous conductive polymer foam of thin 2D polypyrrole (PPy) nanosheets is developed by adopting a novel intercalation of guest (monomer Py) between the layers of the lamellar host (3D vanadium oxide foam) template-replication strategy. The 3D PPy foam of thin 2D nanosheets exhibits diverse functions including reversible compressibility, shape memory, absorption/adsorption and mechanically deformable supercapacitor characteristics. The as-prepared 3D PPy foam of thin nanosheets is highly light weight with a density of 12 mg·cm-3 which can bear the large compressive strain up to 80% whether in wet or dry states; and can absorb organic solutions or extract dye molecules fast and efficiently. In particular, the PPy nanosheet-based foamas a mechanically deformable electrode material for supercapacitors exhibits high specific capacitance of 70 F·g-1 at a fast charge-discharge rate of 50 mA·g-1, superior to that of any other typical pure PPy-based capacitor. We envision that the strategy presented here should be applicable to fabrication of a wide variety of organic polymer foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures and even inorganic foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures, and thus allow for exploration of their advanced physical and chemical properties.

A general synthesis strategy for the multifunctional 3D polypyrrole foam of thin 2D nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Jiangli; Mo, Maosong; Liu, Zhuming; Ye, Dapeng; Cheng, Zhihua; Xu, Tong; Qu, Liangti

2018-06-01

A 3D macroporous conductive polymer foam of thin 2D polypyrrole (PPy) nanosheets is developed by adopting a novel intercalation of guest (monomer Py) between the layers of the lamellar host (3D vanadium oxide foam) template-replication strategy. The 3D PPy foam of thin 2D nanosheets exhibits diverse functions including reversible compressibility, shape memory, absorption/adsorption and mechanically deformable supercapacitor characteristics. The as-prepared 3D PPy foam of thin nanosheets is highly light weight with a density of 12 mg·cm-3 which can bear the large compressive strain up to 80% whether in wet or dry states; and can absorb organic solutions or extract dye molecules fast and efficiently. In particular, the PPy nanosheet-based foam as a mechanically deformable electrode material for supercapacitors exhibits high specific capacitance of 70 F·g-1 at a fast charge-discharge rate of 50 mA·g-1, superior to that of any other typical pure PPy-based capacitor. We envision that the strategy presented here should be applicable to fabrication of a wide variety of organic polymer foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures and even inorganic foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures, and thus allow for exploration of their advanced physical and chemical properties.

Improvement of amplified spontaneous emission performance by doping tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) in dye-doped polymer thin films.

PubMed

Lu, Wu; You, Han; Fang, Junfeng; Ma, Dongge

2007-04-20

A well-known red fluorescent dye 4-(dicy-anomethylene)-2-t-butyl-6(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB) was codoped with an electron transport organic molecule tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq(3)) in a host matrix of polystyrene (PS), and the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) was studied by optically pumping. It was found that the ASE performance was significantly improved by the introduction of Alq(3). The Alq(3):DCJTB:PS blending thin films showed a low threshold (2.4 microJ/pulse) and a high net gain coefficient (109.95 cm(-1)) compared with the pure DCJTB:PS system (threshold of 15.2 microJ/pulse and gain of 35.94 cm(-1)). The improvement of the ASE performance was considered to be attributable to the effective Föster energy transfer from Alq(3) to DCJTB. Our results demonstrate that the Alq(3):DCJTB could be a promising candidate as gain medium for red organic diode lasers.

Nanotextured thin films for detection of chemicals by surface enhanced Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korivi, Naga; Jiang, Li; Ahmed, Syed; Nujhat, Nabila; Idrees, Mohanad; Rangari, Vijaya

2017-11-01

We report on the development of large area, nanostructured films that function as substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of chemicals. The films are made of polyethylene terephthalate layers partially embedded with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and coated with a thin layer of gold. The films are fabricated by a facile method involving spin-coating, acid dip, and magnetron sputtering. The films perform effectively as SERS substrates when used in the detection of dye pollutants such as Congo red dye, with an enhancement factor of 1.1  ×  106 and a detection limit of 10-7 M which is the lowest reported for CR detection by freestanding SERS film substrates. The films have a long shelf life, and cost US0.20 per cm2 of active area, far less than commercially available SERS substrates. This is the first such work on the use of a polymer layer modified with carbon nanotubes to create a nano-scale texture and arbitrary ‘hot-spots’, contributing to the SERS effect.

Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Performances of Pyridine Based Monomer and Polymer Capped ZnO Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

PubMed

Singh, Satbir; Raj, Tilak; Singh, Amarpal; Kaur, Navneet

2016-06-01

The present research work describes the comparative analysis and performance characteristics of 4-pyridine based monomer and polymer capped ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells. The N, N-dimethyl-N4-((pyridine-4yl)methylene) propaneamine (4,monomer) and polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base (5, polymer) dyes were synthesized through one step condensation reaction between 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde 1 and N, N-dimethylpropylamine 2/polyamine 3. Products obtained N, N-dimethyl-N4-((pyridine-4yl)methylene)propaneamine (4) and polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base (5) were purified and characterized using 1H, 13C NMR, mass, IR and CHN spectroscopy. Both the dyes 4 and 5 were further coated over ZnO nanoparticles and characterized using SEM, DLS and XRD analysis. Absorption profile and emission profile was monitored using fluorescence and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. A thick layer of these inbuilt dye linked ZnO nanoparticles of dyes (4) and (5) was pasted on one of the conductive side of ITO glass followed with a liquid electrolyte and counter electrode of the same conductive glass. Polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base polymer (5) decorated dye sensitized solar cell has shown better exciting photovoltaic properties in the form of short circuit current density (J(sc) = 6.3 mA/cm2), open circuit photo voltage (V(oc) = 0.7 V), fill factor (FF = 0.736) than monomer decorated dye sensitized solar cell. Polymer dye (5) based ZnO solar cell has shown a maximum solar power to electrical conversion efficiency of 3.25%, which is enhanced by 2.16% in case of monomer dye based ZnO solar cell under AM 1.5 sun illuminations.

Facile synthesis of fluorescent polymer nanoparticles by covalent modification-nanoprecipitation of amine-reactive ester polymers.

PubMed

Lee, Yeonju; Hanif, Sadaf; Theato, Patrick; Zentel, Rudolf; Lim, Jeewoo; Char, Kookheon

2015-06-01

Emission wavelength control in fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) is crucial for their applications. In the case of inorganic quantum dots or dye-impregnated silica NPs, such a control is readily achieved by changing the size of the particles or choosing appropriate fluorescent dyes, respectively. A similar modular approach for controlling the emission wavelength of fluo-rescent polymer NPs, however, is difficult. This article reports on fluorescent polymer NPs, the synthesis of which provides a platform for a modular approach towards the preparation of fluorescent NPs of desired emission wavelength. Atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is employed to synthesize reactive ester polymers, which are then easily modified with a commercially available dye and subsequently subjected to nanoprecipitation. The resulting NPs, with low size polydispersity, show an enhanced emission quantum yield when compared with the same dye molecules in solution. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Application of concentrating plasmonic luminescent down-shifting layers for photovoltaic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, H.; Rafiee, M.; Chandra, S.; Sethi, A.; McCormack, S. J.

2017-02-01

In this paper, concentrating structures of plasmonic luminescent downshifting composite layers (c-pLDS) containing lumogen yellow dye and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to increase the efficiency of Photovoltaic (PV) devices were investigated. The c-pLDS structures allowed for a wider absorption range of both wavelength shifting and light concentration with a strong energy transfer that red shifts photons to wavelengths which gives greater spectral response of solar cells. The optimum dye concentration in a poly(methyl,methacrylate) polymer of a thin layer 10μm spin coated on glass substrate was established. Subsequently, plasmonic coupling with Ag NPs was introduced for the c-pLDS composite structures. Plasmonic coupling has been observed to produce fluorescence emission enhancement of up to 20% for the dye c-pLDS layer. The c-pLDS layer was modelled for CdTe mini modules (15x15 cm) and compared with a blank PMMA/GLASS and dye c-LDS structure. It has been demonstrated that the addition of c-pLDS layers containing lumogen yellow dye increases the optical efficiency and the Short circuit current (Jsc) of CdTe solar cells. An increase of 7.3% in the optical efficiency has been achieved and a 30% in the Jsc was obtained when a c-pLDS composite layer is used.

Monitoring the layer-by-layer self-assembly of graphene and graphene oxide by spectroscopic ellipsometry.

PubMed

Zhou, Kai-Ge; Chang, Meng-Jie; Wang, Hang-Xing; Xie, Yu-Long; Zhang, Hao-Li

2012-01-01

Thin films of graphene oxide, graphene and copper (II) phthalocyanine dye have been successfully fabricated by electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly approach. We present the first variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) investigation on these graphene-dye hybrid thin films. The thickness evaluation suggested that our LbL assembly process produces highly uniform and reproducible thin films. We demonstrate that the refractive indices of the graphene-dye thin films undergo dramatic variation in the range close to the absorption of the dyes. This investigation provides new insight to the optical properties of graphene containing thin films and shall help to establish an appropriate optical model for graphene-based hybrid materials.

Hollow Carbon Nanobubbles: Synthesis, Chemical Functionalization, and Container-Type Behavior in Water.

PubMed

Hofer, Corinne J; Grass, Robert N; Zeltner, Martin; Mora, Carlos A; Krumeich, Frank; Stark, Wendelin J

2016-07-18

Thin-walled, hollow carbon nanospheres with a hydrophobic interior and good water dispersability can be synthesized in two steps: First, metal nanoparticles, coated with a few layers of graphene-like carbon, are selectively modified on the outside with a covalently attached hydrophilic polymer. Second, the metal core is removed at elevated temperature treatment with acid, leaving a well-defined carbon-based hydrophobic cavity. Loading experiments with the dye rhodamine B and doxorubicin confirmed the filling and release of a cargo and adjustment of a dynamic equilibrium (cargo-loaded versus release). Rhodamine B preferably accumulates in the interior of the bubbles. Filled nanobubbles allowed constant dye release into pure water. Studies of the concentration-dependent loading and release show an unusual hysteresis. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Recent progress in reversible photodegradation of Disperse Orange 11 when doped in PMMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramini, Shiva K.; Anderson, Benjamin; Kuzyk, Mark G.

2011-12-01

We report observations that dye-doped PMMA polymer with the organic dye Disperse Orange 11 exhibits self healing after photodegradation by continuous optical pumping whereas in liquid solution, degradation is permanent. This observation illustrates the important role of the polymer matrix in facilitating recovery of the dye molecules. In this work, we report on linear optical absorbance studies that confirm the existence of a quasi-stable state that is not formed in liquid solution. Studies as a function of dye concentration and temperature support our hypothesis of the role of molecular interactions in the decay and healing process that is mediated by the polymer host.

Exploiting Fast Exciton Diffusion in Dye-Doped Polymer Nanoparticles to Engineer Efficient Photoswitching.

PubMed

Trofymchuk, Kateryna; Prodi, Luca; Reisch, Andreas; Mély, Yves; Altenhöner, Kai; Mattay, Jochen; Klymchenko, Andrey S

2015-06-18

Photoswitching of bright fluorescent nanoparticles opens new possibilities for bioimaging with superior temporal and spatial resolution. However, efficient photoswitching of nanoparticles is hard to achieve using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to a photochromic dye, because the particle size is usually larger than the Förster radius. Here, we propose to exploit the exciton diffusion within the FRET donor dyes to boost photoswitching efficiency in dye-doped polymer nanoparticles. To this end, we utilized bulky hydrophobic counterions that prevent self-quenching and favor communication of octadecyl rhodamine B dyes inside a polymer matrix of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide). Among tested counterions, only perfluorinated tetraphenylborate that favors the exciton diffusion enables high photoswitching efficiency (on/off ratio ∼20). The switching improves with donor dye loading and requires only 0.1-0.3 wt % of a diphenylethene photochromic dye. Our nanoparticles were validated both in solution and at the single-particle level. The proposed concept paves the way to new efficient photoswitchable nanomaterials.

Dye-Incorporated Polynaphthalenediimide Acceptor for Additive-Free High-Performance All-Polymer Solar Cells.

PubMed

Chen, Dong; Yao, Jia; Chen, Lie; Yin, Jingping; Lv, Ruizhi; Huang, Bin; Liu, Siqi; Zhang, Zhi-Guo; Yang, Chunhe; Chen, Yiwang; Li, Yongfang

2018-04-16

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) can offer unique advantages for applications in flexible devices, and naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based polymer acceptors are the widely used polymer acceptors. However, their power conversion efficiency (PCE) still lags behind that of state-of-the-art polymer solar cells, due to low light absorption, suboptimal energy levels and the strong aggregation of the NDI-based polymer acceptor. Herein, a rhodanine-based dye molecule was introduced into the NDI-based polymer acceptor by simple random copolymerization and showed an improved light absorption coefficient, an up-shifted lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level and reduced crystallization. Consequently, additive-free all-PSCs demonstrated a high PCE of 8.13 %, which is one of the highest performance characteristics reported for all-PSCs to date. These results indicate that incorporating a dye into the n-type polymer gives insight into the precise design of high-performance polymer acceptors for all-PSCs. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Pervaporation of Water-Dye, Alcohol-Dye, and Water-Alcohol Mixtures Using a Polyphosphazene Membrane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Orme, Christopher Joseph; Harrup, Mason Kurt; Mccoy, John Dwane

A novel phosphazene heteropolymer (HPP) was synthesized that contained three differing pendant groups: 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol (MEE), 4-methoxyphenol, and 2-allylphenol. The resulting polymer is an amorphous elastomer with good film forming properties where MEE and 4-methoxyphenol pendant groups influenced the hydrophilicity and the solvent compatibility of the polymer. Sorption studies were performed to characterize the polymer in terms of Hansen solubility parameters. Additionally, group contributions were used to predict the Hansen parameters for the polymer and these data compared favorably with the observed solubility behavior with 15 solvents that ranged from hydrocarbons to water. Homopolymers synthesized from MEE and 4-methoxyphenol were alsomore » studied for solubility revealing different behaviors with each representing a limit in hydrophilicity; MEE formed a water-soluble hydrophilic polymer and 4-methoxyphenol yielded a hydrophobic polymer. Membranes formed from HPP were characterized for use as pervaporation membranse using five different feeds: water–dye, methanol–dye, 2-propanol–dye, water–2-propanol, and water–methanol. Fluxes of methanol and isopropanol were greater than for water. For the alcohol–water separations, the alcohol was the favored permeate in all cases with higher fluxes observed for higher alcohol feed concentrations, however, separation factors declined.« less

Dye-impregnated polymer-filled porous glass: a new composite material for solid state dye lasers and laser beam control optical elements (Abstract Only)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koldunov, M. F.; Manenkov, Alexander A.; Sitnikov, N. M.; Dolotov, S. M.

1994-07-01

Polymer-filled microporous glass (PFMG) composite materials have been recently proposed as a proper host for dyes to create solid-state dye lasers and laser beam control elements (Q-switchers, etc.) [1,2]. In this paper we report investigation of some laser-related properties of Polymethilmethacrylate (PMAA) - filled porous glass doped with Rhodamine 6G perchiorate (active lasing dye) and 1055 dye (passive bleachable dye): laser induced damage threshold, lasmg efficiency, bleaching efficiency, and microhardness have been measured. All these characteristics have been found to be rather high indicating that PFMG composite materials are perspective hosts for dye impregnation and fabrication highly effective solid-state dye lasers and other laser related elements (Q-switchers, mode-lockers, modeselectors, spatial filters).

Fabrication of Microcapsules for Dye-Doped Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal-Based Smart Windows.

PubMed

Kim, Mingyun; Park, Kyun Joo; Seok, Seunghwan; Ok, Jong Min; Jung, Hee-Tae; Choe, Jaehoon; Kim, Do Hyun

2015-08-19

A dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) is an attractive material for application in smart windows. Smart windows using a PDLC can be operated simply and have a high contrast ratio compared to those of other devices that employed photochromic or thermochromic material. However, in conventional dye-doped PDLC methods, dye contamination can cause problems and has a limited degree of commercialization of electric smart windows. Here, we report on an approach to resolve dye-related problems by encapsulating the dye in monodispersed capsules. By encapsulation, a fabricated dye-doped PDLC had a contrast ratio of >120 at 600 nm. This fabrication method of encapsulating the dye in a core-shell structured microcapsule in a dye-doped PDLC device provides a practical platform for dye-doped PDLC-based smart windows.

Fabrication of a dye-doped liquid crystal light shutter by thermal curing of polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Byeong-Hun; Ji, Seong-Min; Kim, Jin-Hun; Huh, Jae-Won; Yoon, Tae-Hoon

2017-07-01

We report a thermal curing method for fabrication of a dye-doped polymer-stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC) light shutter, which can prevent the decrease in absorption and discoloration of the dye caused by the UV curing process. We found that the measured transmittance in the opaque state of a dye-doped PSLC cell fabricated by thermal curing was approximately 35% lower than that of a dye-doped PSLC cell fabricated by UV curing. Thermal curing can be an alternative approach for fabrication of a dye-doped PSLC light shutter which can be used to provide high visibility of a see-through display.

Dispersion of the Photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-Sulfonatophenyl)-porphyrin by the Amphiphilic Polymer Poly(vinylpirrolidone) in Highly Porous Solid Materials Designed for Photodynamic Therapy.

PubMed

Díaz, Claudia; Catalán-Toledo, José; Flores, Mario E; Orellana, Sandra L; Pesenti, Héctor; Lisoni, Judit; Moreno-Villoslada, Ignacio

2017-08-03

The ability of the amphiphilic and biocompatible poly(vinylpyrrolidone) to avoid self-aggregation of the photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin in aqueous solution in the presence of the biocompatible polycation chitosan, polymer that induces the dye self-aggregation, is shown. This is related to the tendency of the dye to undergo preferential solvation by the amphiphilic polymer. Importantly, the dispersant ability of this polymer is transferred to the solid state. Thus, aerogels made of the biocompatible polymers chitosan and chondroitin sulfate, and containing the photosensitizer dispersed by the amphiphilic polymer have been synthesized. Production of reactive oxygen species by the aerogel containing the amphiphilic polymer was faster than when the polymer was absent, correlating with the relative concentration of dyes dispersed as monomers. The aerogels presented here constitute low cost biocompatible materials bearing a conventional photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy, easy to produce, store, transport, and manage in clinical practice.

Higher Efficiency for Quasi-Solid State Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Under Low Light Irradiance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desilva, Ajith; Bandara, T. M. W. J.; Fernado, H. D. N. S.; Fernando, P. S. L.; Dissanayake, M. A. K. L.; Jayasundara, W. J. M. J. S. R.; Furlani, M.; Mellander, B.-E.

2014-03-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), lower cost solar energy conversion devices are alternative green energy source. The liquid based electrolyte DSSCs have higher efficiencies with many practical issues while the quasi-solid-state DSSCs resolve the key problems but efficiencies are relatively low. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based gel polymer electrolytes were fabricated as DSSCs by incorporating ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate plasticizers and tetrapropylammonium iodide salt. A thin layer of electrolyte was sandwiched between the TiO2 anode (sensitized with N719 dye) and the Pt counter electrode. The electrolyte had an ionic conductivity of 2.6 mS/cm at 25 degrees of Celsius. DSSCs incorporating this gel electrolyte revealed Vsc circuit, Jsc, fill factor (FF) and efficiency values of 0.71 V, 11.8 mA, 51 percent and 4.2 percent respectively under 1 sun irradiation. The efficiency of the cell increased with decreasing solar irradiance achieving up to 10 percent efficiency and 80 percent FF at low irradiance values. This work uncovers that quasi-solid state DSSCs can reach efficiencies close to that of liquid electrolytes based cells.

Surface functionalization of quantum dots with fine-structured pH-sensitive phospholipid polymer chains.

PubMed

Liu, Yihua; Inoue, Yuuki; Ishihara, Kazuhiko

2015-11-01

To add novel functionality to quantum dots (QDs), we synthesized water-soluble and pH-responsive block-type polymers by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The polymers were composed of cytocompatible 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer segments, which contain a small fraction of active ester groups and can be used to conjugate biologically active compounds to the polymer, and pH-responsive poly(2-(N,N-diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA)) segments. One terminal of the polymer chain had a hydrophobic alkyl group that originated from the RAFT initiator. This hydrophobic group can bind to the hydrophobic layer on the QD surface. A fluorescent dye was conjugated to the polymer chains via the active ester group. The block-type polymers have an amphiphilic nature in aqueous medium. The polymers were thus easily bound to the QD surface upon evaporation of the solvent from a solution containing the block-type polymer and QDs, yielding QD/fluorescence dye-conjugated polymer hybrid nanoparticles. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the QDs (donors) and the fluorescent dye molecules (acceptors) was used to obtain information on the conformational dynamics of the immobilized polymers. Higher FRET efficiency of the QD/fluorescent dye-conjugated polymer hybrid nanoparticles was observed at pH 7.4 as compared to pH 5.0 due to a stretching-shrinking conformational motion of the poly(DEAEMA) segments in response to changes in pH. We concluded that the block-type MPC polymer-modified nanoparticles could be used to evaluate the pH of cells via FRET fluorescence based on the cytocompatibility of the MPC polymer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metal peroxide- polymer composites for dye degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anshu, Ashwini; Vijayaraghavan, R.

2017-11-01

Semiconductor metal oxides/its composites with polymers have been explored for dye degradation through photocatalytic mechanism; these require UV or visible light for activation. Hence, there is need to develop (photo) catalyst that work in absence/presence of light. Towards this objective we are exploring metal peroxides and its composites for dye degradation. Here, we report our work on magnesium peroxide and its composites for dye degradation by photochemical pathways. The nanocomposites are synthesized from monomers and peroxides. The synthesized composites have been characterized by IR, DRS and powder XRD. The composites did not degrade dyes in dark.

Spectroscopic studies of the mechanism of reversible photodegradation of 1-substituted aminoanthraquinone-doped polymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hung, Sheng-Ting, E-mail: Sheng-Ting.Hung@jila.colorado.edu; Clays, Koen; Department of Chemistry, University of Leuven, Leuven B-3001

2016-03-21

The mechanism of reversible photodegradation of 1-substituted aminoanthraquinones doped into poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene is investigated. Time-dependent density functional theory is employed to predict the transition energies and corresponding oscillator strengths of the proposed reversibly and irreversibly damaged dye species. Ultraviolet–visible and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy are used to characterize which species are present. FTIR spectroscopy indicates that both dye and polymer undergo reversible photodegradation when irradiated with a visible laser. These findings suggest that photodegradation of 1-substituted aminoanthraquinones doped in polymers originates from interactions between dyes and photoinduced thermally degraded polymers, and the metastable product may recover ormore » further degrade irreversibly.« less

Thermally and optically tunable lasing properties from dye-doped holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal in capillaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Maozhou; Dai, Haitao; Wang, Dongshuo; Yang, Yue; Luo, Dan; Zhang, Xiaodong; Liu, Changlong

2018-03-01

In this paper, we investigated tunable lasing properties from the dye-doped holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) gratings in capillaries with thermal and optical manners. The thermally tunable range of the lasing from the dye-doped HPDLC reached 8.60 nm with the temperature ranging from 23 °C to 50 °C. The optically tunable laser emission was achieved by doping azo-dye in HPDLC. The transition of azo-dye from trans- to cis-state could induce the reorientation of LC molecules after UV light irradiation, which resulted in the variation of refractive index contrast of LC-rich/polymer-rich layer in HPDLC. Experimentally, the emission wavelength of lasing showed a blueshift (about 2 nm) coupled with decreasing output intensities. The tunable laser based on HPDLC may enable more applications in laser displays, optical communication, biosensors, etc.

Room temperature synthesis of a Zn(II) metal-organic coordination polymer for dye removal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbasi, Alireza, E-mail: aabbasi@khayam.ut.ac.ir; Gharib, Maniya; Najafi, Mahnaz

2016-03-15

A new one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymer, [Zn(4,4′-bpy)(H{sub 2}O){sub 4}](ADC)·4H{sub 2}O (1) (4,4′-bpy=4,4′-bipyridine and H{sub 2}ADC=acetylenedicarboxylic acid), was synthesized at room temperature. The crystal structure of the coordination polymer was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 was also characterized by FT-IR, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic activity of 1 was evaluated in the color removal of Bismarck brown as a representative of dye pollutant in water under mild conditions. Coordination polymer 1 exhibited good catalytic activity and stability in the decolorization of Bismarck brown and could be easily recovered and reused for at leastmore » three cycles. - Graphical abstract: A new 1D coordination polymer as catalyst for the degradation of Bismarck brown aqueous solution. - Highlights: • A 1D coordination polymer has been synthesized at room temperature. • The prepared compound was utilized for color removal of Bismarck brown dye. • Good catalytic activity and stability in the dye decolorization has been found.« less

In situ photoelectrochemical/photocatalytic study of a dye discoloration in a microreactor system using TiO2 thin films.

PubMed

Montero-Ocampo, C; Gago, A; Abadias, G; Gombert, B; Alonso-Vante, N

2012-11-01

In this work, we report in situ studies of UV photoelectrocatalytic discoloration of a dye (indigo carmine) by a TiO(2) thin film in a microreactor to demonstrate the driving force of the applied electrode potential and the dye flow rate toward dye discoloration kinetics. TiO(2) 65-nm-thick thin films were deposited by PVD magnetron sputtering technique on a conducting glass substrate of fluorinated tin oxide. A microreactor to measure the discoloration rate, the electrode potential, and the photocurrent in situ, was developed. The dye solutions, before and after measurements in the microreactor, were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. The annealed TiO(2) thin films had anatase structure with preferential orientation (101). The discoloration rate of the dye increased with the applied potential to TiO(2) electrode. Further, acceleration of the photocatalytic reaction was achieved by utilizing dye flow recirculation to the microreactor. In both cases the photoelectrochemical/photocatalytic discoloration kinetics of the dye follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, with first-order kinetics. The feasibility of dye discoloration on TiO(2) thin film electrodes, prepared by magnetron sputtering using a flow microreactor system, has been clearly demonstrated. The discoloration rate is enhanced by applying a positive potential (E (AP)) and/or increasing the flow rate. The fastest discoloration and shortest irradiation time (50 min) produced 80% discoloration with an external anodic potential of 0.931 V and a flow rate of 12.2 mL min(-1).

Worm-like mesoporous TiO2 thin films templated using comb copolymer for dye-sensitized solar cells with polymer electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jae Hun; Park, Cheol Hun; Jung, Jung Pyo; Kim, Jong Hak

2015-12-01

A comb copolymer consisting of hydrophobic poly(2-[3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyphenyl] ethyl methacrylate) (PBEM) and hydrophilic poly(oxyethylene methacrylate) (POEM) is synthesized via one-pot free radical polymerization. The PBEM-POEM comb copolymer is used as an agent to direct the structure toward one consisting of worm-like mesoporous TiO2 (WM-TiO2) films. The selective, preferential interaction between the titania precursor and the hydrophilic POEM chains is responsible for the formation of a well-organized worm-like mesostructure. The morphology of the WM-TiO2 films is characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In particular, the effects of film thickness on the optical and electrochemical properties are systematically investigated. The introduction of the WM-TiO2 layer between the nanocrystalline TiO2 (NC-TiO2) layer and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass results in increased transmittance of visible light due to an antireflective property, decreased interfacial resistance and suppressed charge recombination at the interfaces of NC-TiO2/FTO glass. As a result, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with a polymer electrolyte is improved from 5.3% to 6.6% at an optimum film thickness (310 nm). The obtained efficiency represents a higher efficiency for the N719-based DSSC with a solvent-free, polymer electrolyte.

Fundamental characteristics of degradation-recoverable solid-state DFB polymer laser.

PubMed

Yoshioka, Hiroaki; Yang, Yu; Watanabe, Hirofumi; Oki, Yuji

2012-02-13

A novel solid-state dye laser with degradation recovery was proposed and demonstrated. Polydimethylsiloxane was used as a nanoporous solid matrix to enable the internal circulation of dye molecules in the solid state. An internal circulation model for the dye molecules was also proposed and verified numerically by assuming molecular mobility and using a proposed diffusion equation. The durability of the laser was increased 20.5-fold compared with that of a conventional polymethylmethacrylate laser. This novel laser solves the low-durability problem of dye-doped polymer lasers.

Fabrication and characterization of ZnO:In thin film as photoanode for DSSC using natural fruit dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, Ili Salwani; Norizan, Mohd Natashah; Hanifiah, Mohd Khairul Fikri Mohd; Amin, Intan Azanni Mohd; Shahimin, Mukhzeer Mohamad

2015-05-01

Dye synthesized solar cell (DSSC) is the third generation solar cell and is considered as low cost solar cell as it does not involved neither complicated fabrication process nor expensive materials. DSSC is made of two conductive glasses, photoanode, counter electrode, electrolyte and dye. Previously, majority of the researchers have been using titanium dioxide and ruthenium as the photoanode and dye respectively. This project is carried out to produce a lower cost DSSC by using natural fruit as the dye and exploring the potential of zinc oxide (ZnO) and indium (In) as the photoanode. The morphology of the thin film surfaces were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy which shows that the increment of indium dopant changes the rough surface texture of the thin film and directly reduces the empty spaces between the particles. Theoretically, this structure can help to reduce the light reflection on the solar cell surface. The thin ZnO:In films are immersed in 3 different fruit dyes (plum, apple and orange). The electrical properties of the DSSCs are displayed in the I-V curves and from this research, it shows that the highest efficiency of DSSC is gained from the dopant combination of ZnO0.8In0.2 for all the dyes. The best efficiency of this research is the DSSC using plum dye with 0.34% compared to apple dye and orange dye which give 0.23% and 0.19% respectively.

Non-conjugate potential-stepping phenothiazine and phenoxazine based polymer hole-transport material for dye-sensitized solar cells & increasing void space in porous titanium dioxide: To study diffusion properties of a cobalt mediator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persson, Kristoffer

As energy demands increase so has the search for alternative sources of energy. Although, fossil fuels have proven useful in energy production, they are also detrimental due to the negative impact on our environment. Considering the current alternative energy sources, such as wind, hydroelectric, biofuels, etc, one source of alternative energy shines above the rest, solar energy. Solar energy provides a possible solution to the energy demands of our modern world with little effect on the environment. The only waste produced from the solar cell industry is from producing and recycling the cells. After production, solar cells require no resources to function other than solar radiation, and no waste is produced. The sun has been powering life on this planet for billions of years, and bombards the earth with 3x1024 J of energy per year. Only 0.02% of this energy is currently needed to power the world, thus making the sun a viable solution to energy demands, while decreasing current pollution issues. This thesis focuses on dye sensitized solar cell (DSSCs), in particular, the Grätzel cell, which incorporates thin films of TiO2 as the semiconductor, DSSC's work very similarly to a battery, but instead of using chemical energy to drive electrons through the circuit, it uses photons. Several issues have arisen with these types of solar cells and their use in the modern world. One particular problem is that the iodide/triiodide (I -/I3-) mediator, which currently produces the most efficient DSSCs, is corrosive and volatile. To address this and other issues, a conductive phenothiazine (PTZ) and phenoxazine (POZ) based polymer is hypothesized to be a suitable replacement for the mediator and solvent by acting as a charge separator and hole transport material, without any volatile or corrosive problems. This polymer would hypothetically function similarly to proposed electron transport in DNA. When charges are injected into a DNA strand they are transferred through π-stacking interactions at the center of the helix, which allows electrons to tunnel through the DNA strand. A potential-stepping block co-polymer incorporating phenothiazine (PTZ) and phenoxazine (POZ) groups attached to the polymer backbone can π-stack like the base pairs in DNA. By creating a two-block co-polymer, with one composed of PTZ monomers and the other of POZ monomers, charge separation can be achieved by trapping the hole on the POZ groups due to their more negative oxidation potentials. This potential-stepping polymer charge separator is the focus of the first part of this thesis. The second section of this thesis is centered on diffusion issues in DSSCs where the I-/ I3- mediator is replaced with tris((2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-di-tert-butyl)cobalt(III) perchlorate, CoDTB+3 (ClO4-) 3 (DTB = 4,4‧-di-tert-butyl-2,2‧-bipyridine). The cobalt mediator has many advantages: it is non-corrosive, non-volatile, and it is able to be tuned to optimize the electron transfer process to the dye by simple structural modifications of the ligand. However, cobalt mediators have small diffusion coefficients on the order of 1x10-7 cm2 s-1 or less in TiO2 mesoporous thin films. It has been hypothesized that changing the structure of the TiO2 layer or increasing the void space in the films in the correct manner may dramatically increase the effective rate of diffusion. The introduction of appropriate void space will hypothetically create channels and allow faster diffusion of the mediator. The second half of this thesis explores the effects of introducing void space into TiO2 thin films using various nanoparticles.

Fluorescent Sensing of Chlorophenols in Water Using an Azo Dye Modified β-Cyclodextrin Polymer

PubMed Central

Ncube, Phendukani; Krause, Rui W.; Mamba, Bhekie B.

2011-01-01

A water soluble azo dye modified β-cyclodextrin polymer 4 was synthesized and used as a chemosensor for the detection of chlorinated phenols, model chlorinated by-products (CBPs) of water treatment for drinking purposes. The characterization of the intermediates and the azo dye modified β-CD polymer was done by UV/Vis Spectrophotometry, FT-IR and 1H-NMR spectroscopies. The chlorophenols were capable of quenching the fluorescence of the polymer. The polymer showed greater sensitivity towards 2,4-dichlorophenol, with a sensitivity factor of 0.35 compared to 0.05 and 0.12 for phenol and 4-chlorophenol, respectively. The stability constants (Ks) of the pollutants were also determined by the Benesi-Hildebrand method to be 2.104 × 103 M−1 for 2,4-dichlorophenol and 1.120 × 102 M−1 for 4-chlorophenol. PMID:22163864

Multi-wavelength laser from dye-doped cholesteric polymer films.

PubMed

Huang, Yuhua; Wu, Shin-Tson

2010-12-20

A multi-wavelength laser is demonstrated using a dye-doped cholesteric polymer film whose reflection bandwidth is broadened with several oscillations. Due to the abrupt change of the density of state between oscillation peak and valley, each oscillation functions as a photonic band gap for generating a laser wavelength under the excitation of a pumping laser. As a result, a multiple wavelength laser is generated. Results indicate that the dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal polymer film is a good candidate for fabricating broadband lasers such as white light lasers. Potential applications include experimental testing of laser materials, identification markers, information displays, and inertial confinement laser fusion.

System and plastic scintillator for discrimination of thermal neutron, fast neutron, and gamma radiation

DOEpatents

Zaitseva, Natalia P.; Carman, M. Leslie; Faust, Michelle A.; Glenn, Andrew M.; Martinez, H. Paul; Pawelczak, Iwona A.; Payne, Stephen A.

2017-05-16

A scintillator material according to one embodiment includes a polymer matrix; a primary dye in the polymer matrix, the primary dye being a fluorescent dye, the primary dye being present in an amount of 3 wt % or more; and at least one component in the polymer matrix, the component being selected from a group consisting of B, Li, Gd, a B-containing compound, a Li-containing compound and a Gd-containing compound, wherein the scintillator material exhibits an optical response signature for thermal neutrons that is different than an optical response signature for fast neutrons and gamma rays. A system according to one embodiment includes a scintillator material as disclosed herein and a photodetector for detecting the response of the material to fast neutron, thermal neutron and gamma ray irradiation.

Antimicrobial azobenzene compounds and their potential use in biomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessa, L.; Concilio, S.; Iannelli, P.; De Santis, F.; Porta, A.; Piotto, S.

2016-04-01

We recently synthesized a class of active compounds with azobenzene structure [1] and lowest in silico toxicity values. The antimicrobial activity of these molecules and their thermal stability are very promising and indicate that they may have interesting and therapeutically significant applications. This work aims to develop new materials with antibacterial and antifungal activity inserting different percentages of synthetic antimicrobial azo compounds in commercial polymer matrices. We realized thin films using solvent casting and melt compounding techniques. The obtained materials retained the proprieties of the pure matrices. This means that azo dye dissolved in the matrix does not influence the thermal behavior and the morphology of the material. Tested films exhibited the capability to inhibit biofilms formation of S. aureus and C. albicans. Spectrophotometric investigation of the azo compound released from the polymer matrices confirmed that the realized materials might be interesting for biomedical tools, antibacterial surfaces, and films for active packaging.

Interfacial polymerization for colorimetric labeling of protein expression in cells.

PubMed

Lilly, Jacob L; Sheldon, Phillip R; Hoversten, Liv J; Romero, Gabriela; Balasubramaniam, Vivek; Berron, Brad J

2014-01-01

Determining the location of rare proteins in cells typically requires the use of on-sample amplification. Antibody based recognition and enzymatic amplification is used to produce large amounts of visible label at the site of protein expression, but these techniques suffer from the presence of nonspecific reactivity in the biological sample and from poor spatial control over the label. Polymerization based amplification is a recently developed alternative means of creating an on-sample amplification for fluorescence applications, while not suffering from endogenous labels or loss of signal localization. This manuscript builds upon polymerization based amplification by developing a stable, archivable, and colorimetric mode of amplification termed Polymer Dye Labeling. The basic concept involves an interfacial polymer grown at the site of protein expression and subsequent staining of this polymer with an appropriate dye. The dyes Evans Blue and eosin were initially investigated for colorimetric response in a microarray setting, where both specifically stained polymer films on glass. The process was translated to the staining of protein expression in human dermal fibroblast cells, and Polymer Dye Labeling was specific to regions consistent with desired protein expression. The labeling is stable for over 200 days in ambient conditions and is also compatible with modern mounting medium.

Reconfigurable Solid-state Dye-doped Polymer Ring Resonator Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrahalim, Hengky; Fan, Xudong

2015-12-01

This paper presents wavelength configurable on-chip solid-state ring lasers fabricated by a single-mask standard lithography. The single- and coupled-ring resonator hosts were fabricated on a fused-silica wafer and filled with 3,3‧-Diethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (CY3), Rhodamine 6G (R6G), and 3,3‧-Diethylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (CY5)-doped polymer as the reconfigurable gain media. The recorded lasing threshold was ~220 nJ/mm2 per pulse for the single-ring resonator laser with R6G, marking the lowest threshold shown by solid-state dye-doped polymer lasers fabricated with a standard lithography process on a chip. A single-mode lasing from a coupled-ring resonator system with the lasing threshold of ~360 nJ/mm2 per pulse was also demonstrated through the Vernier effect. The renewability of the dye-doped polymer was examined by removing and redepositing the dye-doped polymer on the same resonator hosts for multiple cycles. We recorded consistent emissions from the devices for all trials, suggesting the feasibility of employing this technology for numerous photonic and biochemical sensing applications that entail for sustainable, reconfigurable, and low lasing threshold coherent light sources on a chip.

Reconfigurable Solid-state Dye-doped Polymer Ring Resonator Lasers

PubMed Central

Chandrahalim, Hengky; Fan, Xudong

2015-01-01

This paper presents wavelength configurable on-chip solid-state ring lasers fabricated by a single-mask standard lithography. The single- and coupled-ring resonator hosts were fabricated on a fused-silica wafer and filled with 3,3′-Diethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (CY3), Rhodamine 6G (R6G), and 3,3′-Diethylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (CY5)-doped polymer as the reconfigurable gain media. The recorded lasing threshold was ~220 nJ/mm2 per pulse for the single-ring resonator laser with R6G, marking the lowest threshold shown by solid-state dye-doped polymer lasers fabricated with a standard lithography process on a chip. A single-mode lasing from a coupled-ring resonator system with the lasing threshold of ~360 nJ/mm2 per pulse was also demonstrated through the Vernier effect. The renewability of the dye-doped polymer was examined by removing and redepositing the dye-doped polymer on the same resonator hosts for multiple cycles. We recorded consistent emissions from the devices for all trials, suggesting the feasibility of employing this technology for numerous photonic and biochemical sensing applications that entail for sustainable, reconfigurable, and low lasing threshold coherent light sources on a chip. PMID:26674508

Reconfigurable Solid-state Dye-doped Polymer Ring Resonator Lasers.

PubMed

Chandrahalim, Hengky; Fan, Xudong

2015-12-17

This paper presents wavelength configurable on-chip solid-state ring lasers fabricated by a single-mask standard lithography. The single- and coupled-ring resonator hosts were fabricated on a fused-silica wafer and filled with 3,3'-Diethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (CY3), Rhodamine 6G (R6G), and 3,3'-Diethylthiadicarbocyanine iodide (CY5)-doped polymer as the reconfigurable gain media. The recorded lasing threshold was ~220 nJ/mm(2) per pulse for the single-ring resonator laser with R6G, marking the lowest threshold shown by solid-state dye-doped polymer lasers fabricated with a standard lithography process on a chip. A single-mode lasing from a coupled-ring resonator system with the lasing threshold of ~360 nJ/mm(2) per pulse was also demonstrated through the Vernier effect. The renewability of the dye-doped polymer was examined by removing and redepositing the dye-doped polymer on the same resonator hosts for multiple cycles. We recorded consistent emissions from the devices for all trials, suggesting the feasibility of employing this technology for numerous photonic and biochemical sensing applications that entail for sustainable, reconfigurable, and low lasing threshold coherent light sources on a chip.

Design of a new bottom antireflective coating composition for KrF resist

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizutani, Kazuyoshi; Momota, Makoto; Aoai, Toshiaki; Yagihara, Morio

1999-06-01

A study for a new organic bottom antireflective coating (BARC) composition is described. A structural design of a light-absorbing dye was most important because dye structure not only plays a role in eliminating reflection from a substrate but also shows influence on dry etch rate of BARC material to a considerable extent. For example, an anthracene moiety with large absorption at 248 nm had undesirable dry etch resistance. 3-Hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid moiety was found to be one of suitable dyes for KrF BARC compositions, and the polymer bearing the dye showed enough absorbance and good erodability in dry etch. The BARC polymer was eroded as one and a half times faster than a novolak resin, and a little faster than an anthracene incorporated polymer. The result was discussed from the concepts of Ohnishi parameter and the ring parameter for dry etch durability of resist materials. BARC polymer should be thermoset by hard bake to eliminate intermixing with resist compositions. The BARC polymer bearing hydroxy group which is useful for a crosslinking reaction was thermoset in the presence of melamine-formaldehyde crosslinker and an acid catalyst after baking over 200 degrees C.

Direct observation of single flexible polymers using single stranded DNA†

PubMed Central

Brockman, Christopher; Kim, Sun Ju

2012-01-01

Over the last 15 years, double stranded DNA (dsDNA) has been used as a model polymeric system for nearly all single polymer dynamics studies. However, dsDNA is a semiflexible polymer with markedly different molecular properties compared to flexible chains, including synthetic organic polymers. In this work, we report a new system for single polymer studies of flexible chains based on single stranded DNA (ssDNA). We developed a method to synthesize ssDNA for fluorescence microscopy based on rolling circle replication, which generates long strands (>65 kb) of ssDNA containing “designer” sequences, thereby preventing intramolecular base pair interactions. Polymers are synthesized to contain amine-modified bases randomly distributed along the backbone, which enables uniform labelling of polymer chains with a fluorescent dye to facilitate fluorescence microscopy and imaging. Using this approach, we synthesized ssDNA chains with long contour lengths (>30 μm) and relatively low dye loading ratios (~1 dye per 100 bases). In addition, we used epifluorescence microscopy to image single ssDNA polymer molecules stretching in flow in a microfluidic device. Overall, we anticipate that ssDNA will serve as a useful model system to probe the dynamics of polymeric materials at the molecular level. PMID:22956981

Sorption isotherms, kinetic and optimization process of amino acid proline based polymer nanocomposite for the removal of selected textile dyes from industrial wastewater.

PubMed

Raghunath, Sharista; Anand, K; Gengan, R M; Nayunigari, Mithil Kumar; Maity, Arjun

2016-12-01

In this article, adsorption and kinetic studies were carried out on three textile dyes, namely Reactive Blue 222 (RB 222), Reactive Red 195 (RR 195) and Reactive Yellow 145 (RY 145). The dyes studied in a mixture were adsorbed under various conditions onto PRO-BEN, a bentonite modified with a new cationic proline polymer (l-proline-epichlorohydrin polymer). The proline polymer was characterized by 1 H NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and TEM. The PRO-BEN composite was characterized by FT-IR, dynamic light scattering (DLS) (zeta potential), TEM imaging, SEM/EDX and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (characterize the binding energy). During adsorption studies, factors involving pH, temperature, the initial concentrations of the dyes and the quantity of PRO-BEN used during adsorption were established. The results revealed that the adsorption mechanism was categorized by the Langmuir type 1 isotherm. The adsorption data followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The intraparticle diffusion model indicated that adsorption did not only depend on the intraparticle diffusion of the dyes. The thermodynamic parameters verified that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. The Gibbs free energy values indicated that physisorption had occurred. Successful adsorption of dyes from an industrial effluent was achieved. Desorption studies concluded that PRO-BEN desorbed the dyes better than alumina. This can thereby be viewed as a recyclable remediation material. The PRO-BEN composite could be a cost efficient alternative towards the removal of organic dyes in wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantification of protein concentration by the Bradford method in the presence of pharmaceutical polymers.

PubMed

Carlsson, Nils; Borde, Annika; Wölfel, Sebastian; Kerman, Björn; Larsson, Anette

2011-04-01

We investigated how the Bradford assay for measurements of protein released from a drug formulation may be affected by a concomitant release of a pharmaceutical polymer used to formulate the protein delivery device. The main result is that polymer-caused perturbations of the Coomassie dye absorbance at the Bradford monitoring wavelength (595nm) can be identified and corrected by recording absorption spectra in the region of 350-850mm. The pharmaceutical polymers Carbopol and chitosan illustrate two potential types of perturbations in the Bradford assay, whereas the third polymer, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), acts as a nonperturbing control. Carbopol increases the apparent absorbance at 595nm because the polymer aggregates at the low pH of the Bradford protocol, causing a turbidity contribution that can be corrected quantitatively at 595nm by measuring the sample absorbance at 850nm outside the dye absorption band. Chitosan is a cationic polymer under Bradford conditions and interacts directly with the anionic Coomassie dye and perturbs its absorption spectrum, including 595nm. In this case, the Bradford method remains useful if the polymer concentration is known but should be used with caution in release studies where the polymer concentration may vary and needs to be measured independently. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organic Solid-State Tri-Wavelength Lasing from Holographic Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal and a Distributed Feedback Laser with a Doped Laser Dye and a Semiconducting Polymer Film.

PubMed

Liu, Minghuan; Liu, Yonggang; Peng, Zenghui; Wang, Shaoxin; Wang, Qidong; Mu, Quanquan; Cao, Zhaoliang; Xuan, Li

2017-05-07

Organic solid-state tri-wavelength lasing was demonstrated from dye-doped holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) distributed feedback (DFB) laser with semiconducting polymer poly[-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene] (MEH-PPV) and laser dye [4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran] (DCM) by a one-step holography technique, which centered at 605.5 nm, 611.9 nm, and 671.1 nm. The temperature-dependence tuning range for the tri-wavelength dye-doped HPDLC DFB laser was as high as 8 nm. The lasing emission from the 9th order HPDLC DFB laser with MEH-PPV as active medium was also investigated, which showed excellent s-polarization characterization. The diffraction order is 9th and 8th for the dual-wavelength lasing with DCM as the active medium. The results of this work provide a method for constructing the compact and cost-effective all solid-state smart laser systems, which may find application in scientific and applied research where multi-wavelength radiation is required.

Assessment of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in the preconcentration of disperse red 73 dye prior to photoelectrocatalytic treatment.

PubMed

Franco, Jefferson Honorio; Aissa, Alejandra Ben; Bessegato, Guilherme Garcia; Fajardo, Laura Martinez; Zanoni, Maria Valnice Boldrin; Pividori, María Isabel; Del Pilar Taboada Sotomayor, Maria

2017-02-01

Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) have become a research hotspot due to their two important characteristics: target recognition and magnetic separation. This paper presents the preparation, characterization, and optimization of an MMIP for the preconcentration of disperse red 73 dye (DR73) and its subsequent efficient degradation by photoelectrocatalytic treatment. The MMIPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed homogeneous distribution of the particles. Excellent encapsulation of magnetite was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A study of dye binding showed that the dye was retained more selectively in the MIP, compared to the NIP. The release of DR73 from the imprinted polymers into methanol and acetic acid was analyzed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The extracts showed higher absorbance values for MMIP, compared to MNIP, confirming greater adsorption of dye in the MMIP material. The extracts were then subjected to photoelectrocatalytic treatment. LC-MS/MS analysis following this treatment showed that the dye was almost completely degraded. Hence, the combination of MMIP extraction and photoelectrocatalysis offers an alternative way of selectively removing an organic contaminant, prior to proceeding with its complete degradation.

Fabrication and characterization of medical grade polyurethane composite catheters for near-infrared imaging.

PubMed

Stevenson, André T; Reese, Laura M; Hill, Tanner K; McGuire, Jeffrey; Mohs, Aaron M; Shekhar, Raj; Bickford, Lissett R; Whittington, Abby R

2015-06-01

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are hollow polymeric tubes that transport nutrients, blood and medications to neonates. To determine proper PICC placement, frequent X-ray imaging of neonates is performed. Because X-rays pose severe health risks to neonates, safer alternatives are needed. We hypothesize that near infrared (NIR) polymer composites can be fabricated into catheters by incorporating a fluorescent dye (IRDye 800CW) and visualized using NIR imaging. To fabricate catheters, polymer and dye are dry mixed and pressed, sectioned, and extruded to produce hollow tubes. We analyzed surface roughness, stiffness, dye retention, NIR contrast intensity, and biocompatibility. The extrusion process did not significantly alter the mechanical properties of the polymer composites. Over a period of 23 days, only 6.35 ± 5.08% dye leached out of catheters. The addition of 0.025 wt% dye resulted in a 14-fold contrast enhancement producing clear PICC images at 1 cm under a tissue equivalent. The addition of IRDye 800CW did not alter the biocompatibility of the polymer and did not increase adhesion of cells to the surface. We successfully demonstrated that catheters can be imaged without the use of harmful radiation and still maintain the same properties as the unaltered medical grade equivalent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dry-spray deposition of TiO2 for a flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using a nanoparticle deposition system (NPDS).

PubMed

Kim, Min-Saeng; Chun, Doo-Man; Choi, Jung-Oh; Lee, Jong-Cheon; Kim, Yang Hee; Kim, Kwang-Su; Lee, Caroline Sunyong; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2012-04-01

TiO2 powders were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates for application to the photoelectrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In the conventional DSSC manufacturing process, a semiconductor oxide such as TiO2 powder requires a sintering process at higher temperature than the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of polymers, and thus utilization of flexible polymer substrates in DSSC research has been constrained. To overcome this restriction related to sintering, we used a nanoparticle deposition system (NPDS) that could produce a thin coating layer through a dry-spray method under atmospheric pressure at room temperature. The powder was sprayed through a slit-type nozzle having a 0.4 x 10 mm2 rectangular outlet. In order to determine the deposited TiO2 thickness, five kinds of TiO2 layered specimens were prepared, where the specimens have single and double layer structures. Deposited powders on the ITO coated PET substrates were observed using FE-SEM and a scan profiler The thicker TiO2 photoelectrode with a DSSC having a double layer structure showed higher energy efficiency than the single layer case. The highest fabricated flexible DSSC displayed a short circuit current density J(sc) = 1.99 mA cm(-2), open circuit voltage V(oc) = 0.71 V, and energy efficiency eta = 0.94%. These results demonstrate the possibility of utilizing the dry-spray method to fabricate a TiO2 layer on flexible polymer substrates at room temperature under atmospheric pressure.

Multicolored Emission and Lasing in DCM-Adamantane Plasma Nanocomposite Optical Films.

PubMed

Alcaire, María; Cerdán, Luis; Zamarro, Fernando Lahoz; Aparicio, Francisco J; González, Juan Carlos; Ferrer, Francisco J; Borras, Ana; Espinós, Juan Pedro; Barranco, Angel

2017-03-15

We present a low-temperature versatile protocol for the fabrication of plasma nanocomposite thin films to act as tunable emitters and optical gain media. The films are obtained by the remote plasma-assisted deposition of a 4-(dicyano-methylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylamino-styryl)-4H-pyran (DCM) laser dye alongside adamantane. The experimental parameters that determine the concentration of the dye in the films and their optical properties, including light absorption, the refractive index, and luminescence, are evaluated. Amplified spontaneous emission experiments in the DCM/adamantane nanocomposite waveguides show the improvement of the copolymerized nanocomposites' properties compared to films that were deposited with DCM as the sole precursor. Moreover, one-dimensional distributed feed-back laser emission is demonstrated and characterized in some of the nanocomposite films that are studied. These results open new paths for the optimization of the optical and lasing properties of plasma nanocomposite polymers, which can be straightforwardly integrated as active components in optoelectronic devices.

Development of Processible Electroactive Oligomers and Polymers

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-01

of structure and electroactive properties. Electroactive molecules including fused ring (ladder oligomers) dyes , squarylium -heterocyclic moieties...Electroactive molecules including fused ring (ladder oligomers) dyes , squarylium -heterocyclic moieties, phenylpolyenes, thienylpolyenes, carbocyanine dyes ...phenylpolyenes, thienylpolyenes, carbocyanine dyes , and tetraazaannulenes have also been synthetically incorporated into a variety of traditional

Thiourea incorporated poly(ethylene oxide) as transparent gel polymer electrolyte for dye sensitized solar cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavithra, Nagaraj; Velayutham, David; Sorrentino, Andrea; Anandan, Sambandam

2017-06-01

A new series of transparent gel polymer electrolytes are prepared by adding various weight percent of thiourea coupled with poly(ethylene oxide) for the application of dye-sensitized solar cells. Coupling of thiourea in the presence of iodine undergoes dimerization reaction to produce formamidine disulfide. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy shows that the interactions of thiourea and formamidine disulfide with electronegative ether linkage of poly(ethylene oxide) results in conformational changes of gel polymer electrolytes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry experiments reveal an increment in ionic conductivity and tri-iodide diffusion coefficient, for thiourea modified gel polymer electrolytes. Finally, the prepared electrolytes are used as a redox mediator in dye-sensitized solar cells and the photovoltaic properties were studied. Apart from transparency, the gel polymer electrolytes with thiorurea show higher photovoltaic properties compared to bare gel polymer electrolyte and a maximum photocurrent efficiency of 7.17% is achieved for gel polymer electrolyte containing 1 wt% of thiourea with a short circuit current of 11.79 mA cm-2 and open circuit voltage of 834 mV. Finally, under rear illumination, almost 90% efficiency is retained upon compared to front illumination.

Interfacial Polymerization for Colorimetric Labeling of Protein Expression in Cells

PubMed Central

Lilly, Jacob L.; Sheldon, Phillip R.; Hoversten, Liv J.; Romero, Gabriela; Balasubramaniam, Vivek; Berron, Brad J.

2014-01-01

Determining the location of rare proteins in cells typically requires the use of on-sample amplification. Antibody based recognition and enzymatic amplification is used to produce large amounts of visible label at the site of protein expression, but these techniques suffer from the presence of nonspecific reactivity in the biological sample and from poor spatial control over the label. Polymerization based amplification is a recently developed alternative means of creating an on-sample amplification for fluorescence applications, while not suffering from endogenous labels or loss of signal localization. This manuscript builds upon polymerization based amplification by developing a stable, archivable, and colorimetric mode of amplification termed Polymer Dye Labeling. The basic concept involves an interfacial polymer grown at the site of protein expression and subsequent staining of this polymer with an appropriate dye. The dyes Evans Blue and eosin were initially investigated for colorimetric response in a microarray setting, where both specifically stained polymer films on glass. The process was translated to the staining of protein expression in human dermal fibroblast cells, and Polymer Dye Labeling was specific to regions consistent with desired protein expression. The labeling is stable for over 200 days in ambient conditions and is also compatible with modern mounting medium. PMID:25536421

Self-assembled dye-doped polymer microspheres as whispering gallery mode lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaogang; Sun, Hongyi; Yang, Hongqin; Wu, Xiang; Xie, Shusen

2016-10-01

Microlasers based on high-Q whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonances are promising low-threshold laser sources for bio-sensing and imaging applications. In this talk, we demonstrate a cost effective approach to obtain size-controllable polymer microspheres, which can be served as good WGM microcavities. By injecting SU-8 solution into low-refractiveindex UV polymer, self-assembled spherical droplet with smooth surface can be created inside the elastic medium and then solidified by UV exposure. The size of the microspheres can be tuned from several to hundreds of microns. WGM Lasing has been achieved by optically pumping the dye-doped microspheres with ns lasers. Experimental results show that the microsphere lasers have high quality factors and low lasing thresholds. The self-assembled dye-doped polymer microspheres would provide an excellent platform for the micro-laser sources in on-chip biosensing and imaging systems.

The effect of pump depletion on reversible photodegradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Benjamin; Hung, Sheng-Ting; Kuzyk, Mark G.

2014-05-01

We model the effect of pump depletion on reversible photodegradation using the extended domain model [Anderson and Kuzyk, arXiv:1309.5176v1, 2013] and the Beer-Lambert law. We find that neglecting pump absorption in the analysis of the linear optical transmittance leads to an underestimate of the degree and rate of photodegradation. The model is used to accurately measure the molecular absorbance cross sections of the three species involved in photodegradation of disperse orange 11 dye in (poly)methyl-methacralate polymer (DO11/PMMA). Finally we find that the processing history of a dye-doped polymer affects reversible photodegradation, with polymerized monomer solutions of DO11 being more photostable than those prepared from solvent evaporated dye-polymer solutions.

Synthesis and optical properties of azo -dye-attached novel second-order NLO polymers with high thermal stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushiwata, Takami; Okamoto, Etsuya; Komatsu, Kyoji; Kaino, Toshikuni

2001-06-01

Novel second order nonlinear optical (NLO) polymethacrylate or polyacrylate polymers with high glass transition temperatures containing an azo dye attached as side-chain have been prepared using a new approach from polymethacrylic acid or polyacrylic acid as starting materials. Glass transition temperatures of 150 approximately 170 degree Celsius were obtained for Disperse red 1 dye attached polymethacrylic acid. These are attributed to the hydrogen bonding between the residual carboxyl groups in the starting polymers. Poled films by corona poling exhibited large NLO susceptibilities, (chi) (2)33 up to 53 pm/V at a wavelength of 1.3 micrometer. Due to the high glass transition temperatures of the polymers, long-term stability of the optical nonlinearity at 100 degrees Celsius was observed for 200 hrs or more. However residual carboxyl groups caused absorbance decrease mainly by hydrolysis of the ester bonds of the polymers investigated by UV-Vis absorption measurement. The stability of induced polar order of the NLO polymer was enhanced by using aminoalkyl chromophore and imidizing it thermally to introduce imide structure into the polymer main-chain. This imidized polymer exhibited (chi) (2)33 of 45 pm/V at a wavelength of 1.3 micrometer and maintained about 90% of the initial value after 230 hrs or more at 100 degrees Celsius.

Photochemical modification of polymeric materials and the polarization of light in ionomeric guest/host systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Bo

Photochemical methods were introduced to develop important extrusion processes, through which polymers can either be functionalized or modified by altering molecular weight characteristics. Therefore, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) incorporated with a small amount of light-reactive functional groups was synthesized. These functional groups can be activated by UV irradiation in a post extrusion process to produce high molecular weight polymer and/or crosslinked polymer. Environmental stress cracking resistance of these polymers was examined and correlated to damping using dynamic mechanic analysis. To improve industrial reactive extrusion process of preparing maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAR-g-PP), photografting was proposed and studied. Using benzophenone (BP) as the initiator, grafting efficiency was significantly improved compared to peroxide initiated grafting. Moreover, nearly constant conversion of maleic anhydride was observed in photografting. The high efficiency of benzophenone initiated photografting was attributed to the formation of the excited triplet state maleic anhydride. A rate constant of 6.0*109 M-1*sec-1 for the quenching of triplet state BP with MAH was obtained using laser photolysis spectroscopy. In a comparison, the hydrogen abstraction process from polypropylene by the triplet state BP molecules has a rate constant of 4.1*105 M-1*sec-1. In solution grafting with the use of benzene as the solvent, a facile triplet state energy transfer process may also occur leading to the formation of the excited triplet state MAH. Spectroscopic methods involving light were also used for the study of the guest-host interactions in polymer systems. The use of ionomers as the matrix for the oriented guest/host systems, cationic dye systems in particular, was shown to enhance polarization efficiency as well as dye uptake as comparing to conventional polymers, such as poly(vinyl alcohol). It was found that the dye molecules in carboxylated EVOH (EVOH-COONa) have higher degree of orientation than in EVOH, while polymer chain orientation is quite similar in these two polymers. The difference in the dye orientation was attributed to the ion-ion interactions between dye molecules and carboxylate groups of the modified polymer.

Testing a generalized domain model of photodegradation and self-healing using novel optical characterization techniques and the effects of an applied electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Benjamin R.

Reversible photodegradation is a relatively new phenomenon which is not well understood. Previous research into the phenomenon has focused primarily on non-linear measurements such as amplified spontaneous emission(ASE) and two-photon fluorescence(TPF). We expand on this research by considering linear optical mea- surements, such as transmittance imaging and absorption spectroscopy, of disperse orange 11(DO11) dye-doped (poly)methyl-methacralate(PMMA) thin films and find photodegradation to contain both a reversible component and irreversible component, with the irreversible component having a small nonlinear susceptibility. From absorption measurements, and the small nonlinear susceptibility of the irreversible component, we hypothesize that the reversible component corresponds to damage to the dye, and the irreversible component is due to damage to the polymer host. Also, we develop models of depth dependent photodegradation taking pump beam absorption and propagation into account. We find that pump absorption must be taken into account, and that ignoring the effect leads to an underestimation of the true decay rate and degree of damage. In addition, we find pump propagation effects occur on large length scales, such that they are negligible when compared to absorption and typical sample thicknesses. Finally, we perform electric field dependent reversible photodegradation measurements and find that the underlying mechanism of reversible photodegradation is sensitive to the dye-doped polymer's electrical properties. We develop an extension to the correlated chromophore domain model to include the effect of an applied field, and find the model to fit experimental data for varying intensity, temperature, and applied electric field with only one set of model parameters.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamad, Ili Salwani; Norizan, Mohd Natashah; Hanifiah, Mohd Khairul Fikri Mohd

Dye synthesized solar cell (DSSC) is the third generation solar cell and is considered as low cost solar cell as it does not involved neither complicated fabrication process nor expensive materials. DSSC is made of two conductive glasses, photoanode, counter electrode, electrolyte and dye. Previously, majority of the researchers have been using titanium dioxide and ruthenium as the photoanode and dye respectively. This project is carried out to produce a lower cost DSSC by using natural fruit as the dye and exploring the potential of zinc oxide (ZnO) and indium (In) as the photoanode. The morphology of the thin filmmore » surfaces were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy which shows that the increment of indium dopant changes the rough surface texture of the thin film and directly reduces the empty spaces between the particles. Theoretically, this structure can help to reduce the light reflection on the solar cell surface. The thin ZnO:In films are immersed in 3 different fruit dyes (plum, apple and orange). The electrical properties of the DSSCs are displayed in the I-V curves and from this research, it shows that the highest efficiency of DSSC is gained from the dopant combination of ZnO{sub 0.8}In{sub 0.2} for all the dyes. The best efficiency of this research is the DSSC using plum dye with 0.34% compared to apple dye and orange dye which give 0.23% and 0.19% respectively.« less

Time-dependent efficiency measurements of polymer solar cells with dye additives: unexpected initial increase of efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandaccari, Kyle J.; Chesmore, Grace E.; Bugaj, Mitchel; Valverde, Parisa Tajalli-Tehrani; Barber, Richard P.; McNelis, Brian J.

2018-04-01

We report the effects of the addition of two azo-dye additives on the time-dependent efficiency of polymer solar cells. Although the maximum efficiencies of devices containing different amounts of dye do not vary greatly over the selected concentration range, the time dependence results reveal a surprising initial increase in efficiency in some samples. We observe this effect to be correlated with a leakage current, although a specific mechanism is not yet identified. We also present the measured lifetimes of these solar cells, and find that variations in dye concentrations produce a small effect at most. Characterization of the bulk heterojunction layer (active layer) morphology using atomic-force microscope (AFM) imaging reveals reordering patterns which suggest that the primary effects of the dyes arise via structural, not absorptive, characteristics.

Studies of absorption coefficient cum electro-optic performance of polymer dispersed liquid crystal doped with CNT and dichroic dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Vandna; Kumar, Pankaj

2017-11-01

Absorption coefficient of doped polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) is a critical factor for their device performance and depends on dopants parameters like solubility, order parameter and extinction coefficients, in addition to configuration and orientation of the droplets. In this study, a fixed amount (0.125% wt/wt) of multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and orange azo dichroic dye was doped in PDLC and measured the OFF state absorption coefficient. Considering the theory based on Beer's law and followed by extinction coefficients of CNT and dye, the OFF state transmission for dye doped PDLC was found lower compared to CNT doped PDLC. As a result, absorption coefficient for dye doped PDLC was higher and resulted in the superior contrast ratio. The experimental results were found be consistent with the theoretical results.

Thin film-coated polymer webs

DOEpatents

Wenz, Robert P.; Weber, Michael F.; Arudi, Ravindra L.

1992-02-04

The present invention relates to thin film-coated polymer webs, and more particularly to thin film electronic devices supported upon a polymer web, wherein the polymer web is treated with a purifying amount of electron beam radiation.

Protection of oxidative hair color fading from shampoo washing by hydrophobically modified cationic polymers.

PubMed

Zhou, Y; Foltis, L; Moore, D J; Rigoletto, R

2009-01-01

The fading of oxidative color in hair as a result of daily shampoo washing activities has become a common problem and a source of frequent complaints by consumers. The fading occurs primarily through hair dye solubility in water. One aspect of the current study investigates the physical and chemical factors that influence hair color fading during the washing process. This is accomplished by testing hair dye dissolution in water from dyed hair samples with variation of surfactant type, pH, and hair type. Furthermore, a new approach to preventing color fading is developed aiming to provide an effective barrier function for hair dye from dissolving into water. The preliminary investigation of a series of polymers with various functional groups indicates that polymers with hydrophobically modified and cationic functionalities are most effective in preventing hair dye dissolution in water. It is also evident that a synergistic effect of the polymer's hydrophobic moieties and cationic charges are important on hair color protection during shampoo washing processes. A primary example of a polymer within this category is a cationic terpolymer of vinylpyrrolidone, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide, and methacryloylaminopropyl lauryldimonium chloride (INCI: Polyquaternium-55). The color protection benefit of this polymer is evaluated using newly developed methodologies for evaluating hair color changes, such as hair color fading tests through multiple shampoo washes with mannequin heads and hair tresses, both derived from human hair, colorimetry, and quantitative digital image analysis. In addition, new infrared spectroscopic imaging techniques are used to detect the hair dye deposition behavior inside hair fibers both with and without the color protection treatment. Both visual and instrumental measurement results indicate that Polyquaternium-55 provides a high level of color protection when formulated in a hair color protection regimen with up to 50% color protection. This regimen significantly outperforms commercial products that were tested containing a color protection claim. The proposed mechanism for the anti-fading action of hydrophobically modified polymers includes a cationic charge-reinforced hydrophobic barrier. This model is supported by evaluating the color fastness effect of several different polymer chemistries and by measuring hair surface hydrophobicity changes.

Integrated optical components in thin films of polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkisov, Sergey; Abdeldayem, Hossin; Venkateswarlu, Putcha; Teague, Zedric

1995-01-01

The results will be reported on the study of integrated optical components based on nonlinear optical polymeric films. Polymers poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyimide (PI) doped with organic laser dyes 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-p dimethylaminostyryl-4H pyran (DCM) and 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 - pentamethyl-2,6 -diethyl-pyrromethene -BF2-complex (Pyrommethene 567, PM-567) were selected as materials for light guiding films. Additionally, UV polymerized polydiacetylene (PDA) on glass substrate was used as a waveguide material. Optical waveguides were fabricated using spin coating of preoxidized silicon wafers (1.5 micrometer silicon oxide layer) with organic dye/polymer solution followed by soft baking. the modes in slab waveguides were studied using prism coupling techniques. Measured values of mode coupling angles in multimode waveguides were used to calculate film thickness and refractive index for different polarizations. Refractive index anisotropy was found in PDA waveguide. The optimal conditions of spin coating for single mode waveguide fabrication were estimated. Propagation losses were measured by collecting the light scattered from the trace of a propagating mode either by scanning photo detector or by CCD camera. Different types of light coupling techniques were used including end-dire coupling, prism and grating coupling. Mechanical printing technique was developed for coupling grating fabrication resulting in gratings with 4% diffraction efficiency. The gratings demonstrated good stability with diffraction efficiency relaxation rate 2.4 dB/hour at a temperature approximately 15-20 C below glass transition point. Dye doped waveguides were transversally pumped with frequency doubled Nd:YAG Q-switched laser producing intensive light emission with apparent 6 kW/sq cm pump threshold and spectrum narrowing near 617 nm peak in the case of DCM doped waveguide. PM-567 doped waveguide pumped with CW Ar(+) laser (514 nm wavelength) far below threshold (0.1 W/sq.cm pump power) demonstrated emission spectrum narrowing near 616 nm peak with 18% power conversion slope efficiency. In this case emission spectrum modification was caused by the enhanced light absorption along the direction of propagating waveguide modes. Changing length, thickness, and other morphlogical waveguide parameters one can modify emission spectrum in predictable direction. The results show that polymeric waveguides, especially based on high temperature polymers such as Pl, can be used to produce a varietiy of active and passive silicon compatible integrated optical components for aerospace applications.

Flexible Polymer/Metal/Polymer and Polymer/Metal/Inorganic Trilayer Transparent Conducting Thin Film Heaters with Highly Hydrophobic Surface.

PubMed

Kang, Tae-Woon; Kim, Sung Hyun; Kim, Cheol Hwan; Lee, Sang-Mok; Kim, Han-Ki; Park, Jae Seong; Lee, Jae Heung; Yang, Yong Suk; Lee, Sang-Jin

2017-09-27

Polymer/metal/polymer and polymer/metal/inorganic trilayer-structured transparent electrodes with fluorocarbon plasma polymer thin film heaters have been proposed. The polymer/metal/polymer and polymer/metal/inorganic transparent conducting thin films fabricated on a large-area flexible polymer substrate using a continuous roll-to-roll sputtering process show excellent electrical properties and visible-light transmittance. They also exhibit water-repelling surfaces to prevent wetting and to remove contamination. In addition, the adoption of a fluorocarbon/metal/fluorocarbon film permits an outer bending radius as small as 3 mm. These films have a sheet resistance of less than 5 Ω sq -1 , sufficient to drive light-emitting diode circuits. The thin film heater with the fluorocarbon/Ag/SiN x structure exhibits excellent heating characteristics, with a temperature reaching 180 °C under the driving voltage of 13 V. Therefore, the proposed polymer/metal/polymer and polymer/metal/inorganic transparent conducting electrodes using polymer thin films can be applied in flexible and rollable displays as well as automobile window heaters and other devices.

Contribution of Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to the analysis of vehicle headlights: Dye(s) characterization.

PubMed

Muehlethaler, Cyril; Cheng, Yin Pak; Islam, Syed K; Lombardi, John R

2018-06-01

Although ubiquitous on accident scenes, the polymers from headlight optics are often neglected in hit-and-run cases, and their evidential value restrained to direct comparison once a corresponding vehicle is found. Multilayered automotive paint fragments are preferred for their access to corresponding databases (PDQ, EUCAP) to infer models and brands of cars. The potential of polymers headlights for providing forensic intelligence has never been exploited, principally due to the lack of diversity, of appropriate databases, and of case examples. The motives are very simple however. Headlight polymers suffer from a lack of differentiation, and about 90% of them are composed of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The discriminating powers using techniques in sequence typically range from 30 to 60%. In this paper, we take advantage of the extreme sensitivity of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to analyze the dye composition of the polymer headlights. The measurements by standard Raman spectroscopy at 488, 633, and 785nm permits us to identify the polymer type with relative ease. 51 out of 53 samples are composed of PMMA, the two remaining being either Polycarbonate or Polybutylene terephthalate. Additionally, using SERS with silver colloids at 488 and 633nm, provides enhanced spectra of the dyes used in the composition with an extreme sensitivity and specificity. With SERS we are able to differentiate the majority of the headlights with a remarkable 90-100% discriminating power. Solvent Orange 60, Solvent Red 52 and Solvent Red 111 were successfully identified as dyes used in the manufacture of the headlights. These results demonstrate that a combined Raman-SERS approach has the potential to replace an otherwise lengthy sequence of many different analytical techniques. With one single instrument, we offer the possibility to combine an analysis of the polymer type, and of the dye components with high discriminating capabilities. These results open up new opportunities for exploiting headlight plastics in road accidents investigations. It has the potential to help in source attribution, and/or database building in a forensic intelligence perspective. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Passive mode locking of a Nd:YAG laser with a thin gelatine-film saturable absorber containing organic-dye J-aggregates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Avdeeva, V I; Shapiro, Boris I; Kuch'yanov, Aleksandr S

2003-06-30

Ultrashort pulses of duration {approx}13 ps are first obtained in a passively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser with a negative feedback using a thin gelatine-film saturable absorber containing organic-dye J-aggregates. (control of laser radiation parameters)

Analysis and Identification of Acid-Base Indicator Dyes by Thin-Layer Chromatography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Daniel D.

2007-01-01

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) is a very simple and effective technique that is used by chemists by different purposes, including the monitoring of the progress of a reaction. TLC can also be easily used for the analysis and identification of various acid-base indicator dyes.

Distinct Interfacial Fluorescence in Oil-in-Water Emulsions via Exciton Migration of Conjugated Polymers.

PubMed

Koo, Byungjin; Swager, Timothy M

2017-09-01

Commercial dyes are extensively utilized to stain specific phases for the visualization applications in emulsions and bioimaging. In general, dyes emit only one specific fluorescence signal and thus, in order to stain various phases and/or interfaces, one needs to incorporate multiple dyes and carefully consider their compatibility to avoid undesirable interactions with each other and with the components in the system. Herein, surfactant-type, perylene-endcapped fluorescent conjugated polymers that exhibit two different emissions are reported, which are cyan in water and red at oil-water interfaces. The interfacially distinct red emission results from enhanced exciton migration from the higher-bandgap polymer backbone to the lower-bandgap perylene endgroup. The confocal microscopy images exhibit the localized red emission exclusively from the circumference of oil droplets. This exciton migration and dual fluorescence of the polymers in different physical environments can provide a new concept of visualization methods in many amphiphilic colloidal systems and bioimaging. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An organic dye-polymer (phenol red-poly (vinyl alcohol)) composite architecture towards tunable -optical and -saturable absorption characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sreedhar, Sreeja, E-mail: sreejasreedhar83@gmail.com; Muneera, C. I., E-mail: drcimuneera@hotmail.com; Illyaskutty, Navas

2016-05-21

Herein, we demonstrate that blending an organic dye (guest/filler), with a vinyl polymer (host template), is an inexpensive and simple approach for the fabrication of multifunctional photonic materials which could display an enhancement in the desirable properties of the constituent materials and, at the same time provide novel synergistic properties for the guest-host system. A new guest-host nanocomposite system comprising Phenol Red dye and poly (vinyl alcohol) as guest and host template, respectively, which exhibits tunable optical characteristics and saturable absorption behavior, is introduced. The dependence of local electronic environment provided by the polymer template and the interactions of themore » polymer molecules with the encapsulated guest molecules on the observed optical/nonlinear absorption behavior is discussed. An understanding of the tunability of the optical/ photophysical processes, with respect to the filler content, as discussed herein could help in the design of improved optical materials for several photonic device applications like organic light emitting diodes and saturable absorbers.« less

Solar generation and storage of O2 (a 1 delta g)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Twarowski, Allen J.; Dao, Phan; Good, Lisa A.

1988-01-01

An investigation was performed of the technical steps required to design a solar powered oxygen-iodine laser. Singlet delta oxygen is formed upon transfer of energy from selected photoexcited dye molecules to ground state molecular oxygen and then is concentrated and stored as an endoperoxide by reaction with an aromatic hydrocarbon. The endoperoxide, when heated, releases singlet oxygen in high yield thus providing a regenerable source of laser fuel. Energy transfer from dye molecules to molecular oxygen was investigated. When dye molecules were adsorbed to polymer substrates it was observed that the dye became embedded in the polymer matrix. Porphin dyes were incorporated into films of 1,4-dimethyl-2-poly(vinylnaphthalene), 2PVN. An endoperoxide was formed when porphin-doped 2PVN was exposed to visible radiation. This demonstrates the possibility of generating singlet oxygen using solar energy and concentrating and storing it in one simple step. Transport of energy by exciton migration in polycrystalline dye films was also investigated.

Dye-sensitized solar cells

DOEpatents

Skotheim, T.A.

1980-03-04

A low-cost dye-sensitized Schottky barrier solar cell is comprised of a substrate of semiconductor with an ohmic contact on one face, a sensitizing dye adsorbed onto the opposite face of the semiconductor, a transparent thin-film layer of a reducing agent over the dye, and a thin-film layer of metal over the reducing agent. The ohmic contact and metal layer constitute electrodes for connection to an external circuit and one or the other or both are made transparent to permit light to penetrate to the dye and be absorbed therein for generating electric current. The semiconductor material chosen to be the substrate is one having a wide bandgap and which therefore is transparent; the dye selected is one having a ground state within the bandgap of the semiconductor to generate carriers in the semiconductor, and a first excited state above the conduction band edge of the semiconductor to readily conduct electrons from the dye to the semiconductor; the reducing agent selected is one having a ground state above the ground state of the sensitizer to provide a plentiful source of electrons to the dye during current generation and thereby enhance the generation; and the metal for the thin-film layer of metal is selected to have a Fermi level in the vicinity of or above the ground state of the reducing agent to thereby amply supply electrons to the reducing agent. 3 figs.

Dye-sensitized solar cells

DOEpatents

Skotheim, Terje A. [Berkeley, CA

1980-03-04

A low-cost dye-sensitized Schottky barrier solar cell comprised of a substrate of semiconductor with an ohmic contact on one face, a sensitizing dye adsorbed onto the opposite face of the semiconductor, a transparent thin-film layer of a reducing agent over the dye, and a thin-film layer of metal over the reducing agent. The ohmic contact and metal layer constitute electrodes for connection to an external circuit and one or the other or both are made transparent to permit light to penetrate to the dye and be absorbed therein for generating electric current. The semiconductor material chosen to be the substrate is one having a wide bandgap and which therefore is transparent; the dye selected is one having a ground state within the bandgap of the semiconductor to generate carriers in the semiconductor, and a first excited state above the conduction band edge of the semiconductor to readily conduct electrons from the dye to the semiconductor; the reducing agent selected is one having a ground state above the ground state of the sensitizer to provide a plentiful source of electrons to the dye during current generation and thereby enhance the generation; and the metal for the thin-film layer of metal is selected to have a Fermi level in the vicinity of or above the ground state of the reducing agent to thereby amply supply electrons to the reducing agent.

Dye-sensitized Schottky barrier solar cells

DOEpatents

Skotheim, Terje A.

1978-01-01

A low-cost dye-sensitized Schottky barrier solar cell comprised of a substrate of semiconductor with an ohmic contact on one face, a sensitizing dye adsorbed onto the opposite face of the semiconductor, a transparent thin-film layer of a reducing agent over the dye, and a thin-film layer of metal over the reducing agent. The ohmic contact and metal layer constitute electrodes for connection to an external circuit and one or the other or both are made transparent to permit light to penetrate to the dye and be absorbed therein for generating electric current. The semiconductor material chosen to be the substrate is one having a wide bandgap and which therefore is transparent; the dye selected is one having a ground state within the bandgap of the semiconductor to generate carriers in the semiconductor, and a first excited state above the conduction band edge of the semiconductor to readily conduct electrons from the dye to the semiconductor; the reducing agent selected is one having a ground state above the ground state of the sensitizer to provide a plentiful source of electrons to the dye during current generation and thereby enhance the generation; and the metal for the thin-film layer of metal is selected to have a Fermi level in the vicinity of or above the ground state of the reducing agent to thereby amply supply electrons to the reducing agent.

Distributed feedback laser biosensor incorporating a titanium dioxide nanorod surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Chun; Lu, Meng; Zhang, Wei; Cunningham, Brian T.

2010-04-01

A dielectric nanorod structure is used to enhance the label-free detection sensitivity of a vertically-emitting distributed feedback laser biosensor (DFBLB). The device is comprised of a replica molded plastic grating that is subsequently coated with a dye-doped polymer layer and a TiO2 nanorod layer produced by the glancing angle deposition technique. The DFBLB emission wavelength is modulated by the adsorption of biomolecules, whose greater dielectric permittivity with respect to the surrounding liquid media will increase the laser wavelength in proportion to the density of surface-adsorbed biomaterial. The nanorod layer provides greater surface area than a solid dielectric thin film, resulting in the ability to incorporate a greater number of molecules. The detection of a monolayer of protein polymer poly (Lys, Phe) is used to demonstrate that a 90 nm TiO2 nanorod structure improves the detection sensitivity by a factor of 6.6 compared to an identical sensor with a nonporous TiO2 surface.

Versatile alignment layer method for new types of liquid crystal photonic devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finnemeyer, V.; Bryant, D.; Lu, L.

2015-07-21

Liquid crystal photonic devices are becoming increasingly popular. These devices often present a challenge when it comes to creating a robust alignment layer in pre-assembled cells. In this paper, we describe a method of infusing a dye into a microcavity to produce an effective photo-definable alignment layer. However, previous research on such alignment layers has shown that they have limited stability, particularly against subsequent light exposure. As such, we further describe a method of utilizing a pre-polymer, infused into the microcavity along with the liquid crystal, to provide photostability. We demonstrate that the polymer layer, formed under ultraviolet irradiation ofmore » liquid crystal cells, has been effectively localized to a thin region near the substrate surface and provides a significant improvement in the photostability of the liquid crystal alignment. This versatile alignment layer method, capable of being utilized in devices from the described microcavities to displays, offers significant promise for new photonics applications.« less

Surface grafting of zwitterionic polymers onto dye doped AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles through surface-initiated ATRP for biological imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Liucheng; Liu, Xinhua; Liu, Meiying; Huang, Long; Xu, Dazhuang; Jiang, Ruming; Huang, Qiang; Wen, Yuanqing; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-10-01

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dyes have recently been intensively explored for biological imaging applications owing to their outstanding optical feature as compared with conventional organic dyes. The AIE-active luminescent silica nanoparticles (LSNPs) are expected to combine the advantages both of silica nanoparticles and AIE-active dyes. Although the AIE-active LSNPs have been prepared previously, surface modification of these AIE-active LSNPs with functional polymers has not been reported thus far. In this work, we reported a rather facile and general strategy for preparation of polymers functionalized AIE-active LSNPs through the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The AIE-active LSNPs were fabricated via direct encapsulation of AIE-active dye into silica nanoparticles through a non-covalent modified Stöber method. The ATRP initiator was subsequently immobilized onto these AIE-active LSNPs through amidation reaction between 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy-silane and 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide. Finally, the zwitterionic 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) was selected as model monomer and grafted onto MSNs through ATRP. The characterization results suggested that LSNPs can be successfully modified with poly(MPC) through surface-initiated ATRP. The biological evaluation results demonstrated that the final SNPs-AIE-pMPC composites possess low cytotoxicity, desirable optical properties and great potential for biological imaging. Taken together, we demonstrated that AIE-active LSNPs can be fabricated and surface modified with functional polymers to endow novel functions and better performance for biomedical applications. More importantly, this strategy developed in this work could also be extended for fabrication of many other LSNPs polymer composites owing to the good monomer adoptability of ATRP.

Microplates with adaptive surfaces.

PubMed

Akbulut, Meshude; Lakshmi, Dhana; Whitcombe, Michael J; Piletska, Elena V; Chianella, Iva; Güven, Olgun; Piletsky, Sergey A

2011-11-14

Here we present a new and versatile method for the modification of the well surfaces of polystyrene microtiter plates (microplates) with poly(N-phenylethylene diamine methacrylamide), (poly-NPEDMA). The chemical grafting of poly-NPEDMA to the surface of microplates resulted in the formation of thin layers of a polyaniline derivative bearing pendant methacrylamide double bonds. These were used as the attachment point for various functional polymers through photochemical grafting of various, for example, acrylate and methacrylate, polymers with different functionalities. In a model experiment, we have modified poly-NPEDMA-coated microplates with a small library of polymers containing different functional groups using a two-step approach. In the first step, double bonds were activated by UV irradiation in the presence of N,N-diethyldithiocarbamic acid benzyl ester (iniferter). This enabled grafting of the polymer library in the second step by UV irradiation of solutions of the corresponding monomers in the microplate wells. The uniformity of coatings was confirmed spectrophotometrically, by microscopic imaging and by contact angle measurements (CA). The feasibility of the current technology has been shown by the generation of a small library of polymers grafted to the microplate well surfaces and screening of their affinity to small molecules, such as atrazine, a trio of organic dyes, and a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA). The stability of the polymers, reproducibility of measurement, ease of preparation, and cost-effectiveness make this approach suitable for applications in high-throughput screening in the area of materials research.

Highly efficient monolithic dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Kwon, Jeong; Park, Nam-Gyu; Lee, Jun Young; Ko, Min Jae; Park, Jong Hyeok

2013-03-01

Monolithic dye-sensitized solar cells (M-DSSCs) provide an effective way to reduce the fabrication cost of general DSSCs since they do not require transparent conducting oxide substrates for the counter electrode. However, conventional monolithic devices have low efficiency because of the impediments resulting from counter electrode materials and spacer layers. Here, we demonstrate highly efficient M-DSSCs featuring a highly conductive polymer combined with macroporous polymer spacer layers. With M-DSSCs based on a PEDOT/polymer spacer layer, a power conversion efficiency of 7.73% was achieved, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest efficiency for M-DSSCs to date. Further, PEDOT/polymer spacer layers were applied to flexible DSSCs and their cell performance was investigated.

Photovoltaic and thermal properties of electrolytes based on electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoro propylene)/poly(methyl methacrylate) nanofibers for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Jang, Young-Wook; Won, Du-Hyun; Kim, Young-Keun; Hwang, Won-Pill; Jang, Sung-Il; Jeong, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Mi-Ra; Lee, Jin-Kook

2014-08-01

We prepared electrospun polymer nanofibers by electrospnning method and investigated about their applications to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Electrospun polymer nanofibers applied to the polymer matrix in electrolyte for DSSCs. To improve the stiffness of polymer nanofiber, poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoro propylene)/Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PVDF-HFP/PMMA) blend nanofibers were prepared and examined. In the electrospun PVDF-HFP/PMMA (1:1) blend nanofibers, the best results of VOC, JSC, FF, and efficiency of the DSSC devices showed 0.71 V, 12.8 mA/cm2, 0.61, and 5.56% under AM 1.5 illumination.

Photobleaching effect in azo-dye containing epoxy resin films: the potentiality of carbon nanotubes as azo-dye dispensers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz Costanzo, Guadalupe; Goyanes, Silvia; Ledesma, Silvia

2015-04-01

Azo-dye molecules may suffer from bleaching under certain illumination conditions. When this photoinduced process occurs, it generates an irreversible effect that is characterized by the loss of absorption of the dye molecule. Moreover, the well-known isomerization of azodye molecules does not occur anymore. In this work it is shown how the addition of a small amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) helps to decrease the bleaching effect in a photosensitive guest-host azo-polymer film. Two different systems were fabricated using an epoxy resin as polymer matrix. An azo-dye, Disperse Orange 3, was used as photosensitive material in both systems and MWCNTs were added into one of them. The optical response of the polymeric systems was studied considering the degree of photoinduced birefringence. Photobleaching of the azo-dye was observed in all cases however, the effect is lower for the composite material containing 0.2 wt % MWCNTs. The weak interaction between MWCNTs and dye molecules is less favorable when the material is heated. The optical behavior of the heated composite material suggests that carbon nanotubes can be potentially used as azo dye dispensers. The results are interpreted in terms of the non-covalent interaction between azo-dye molecules and MWCNTs.

Nanopatterned conductive polymer films as a Pt, TCO-free counter electrode for low-cost dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Kwon, Jeong; Ganapathy, Veerappan; Kim, Young Hun; Song, Kyung-Deok; Park, Hong-Gyu; Jun, Yongseok; Yoo, Pil J; Park, Jong Hyeok

2013-09-07

A low-cost nanopatterned highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) thin film was fabricated on a flexible plastic substrate via a chemical polymerization method combined with a nanoimprinting technique and used as a platinum (Pt), TCO-free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The catalytic properties of the nanopatterned PEDOT as the counter electrode in DSSCs were studied using cyclic voltammetry, J-V measurements, impedance spectroscopy, and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. The nanopatterned PEDOT counter electrodes exhibit better functionality as a counter electrode for tri-iodide reduction when compared to non-patterned PEDOT-based counter electrodes. The Pt and TCO-free DSSCs with a nanopatterned PEDOT-based counter electrode exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 7.1% under one sunlight illumination (100 mW cm(-2)), which is comparable to that of conventional DSSCs with standard platinum Pt/FTO paired counter electrodes. The ability to modulate catalytic functionality with changes in nanoscale morphology represents a promising route for developing new counter electrodes of Pt and TCO-free DSSCs.

Three-dimensional single-molecule localization with nanometer accuracy using Metal-Induced Energy Transfer (MIET) imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karedla, Narain; Chizhik, Anna M.; Stein, Simon C.; Ruhlandt, Daja; Gregor, Ingo; Chizhik, Alexey I.; Enderlein, Jörg

2018-05-01

Our paper presents the first theoretical and experimental study using single-molecule Metal-Induced Energy Transfer (smMIET) for localizing single fluorescent molecules in three dimensions. Metal-Induced Energy Transfer describes the resonant energy transfer from the excited state of a fluorescent emitter to surface plasmons in a metal nanostructure. This energy transfer is strongly distance-dependent and can be used to localize an emitter along one dimension. We have used Metal-Induced Energy Transfer in the past for localizing fluorescent emitters with nanometer accuracy along the optical axis of a microscope. The combination of smMIET with single-molecule localization based super-resolution microscopy that provides nanometer lateral localization accuracy offers the prospect of achieving isotropic nanometer localization accuracy in all three spatial dimensions. We give a thorough theoretical explanation and analysis of smMIET, describe its experimental requirements, also in its combination with lateral single-molecule localization techniques, and present first proof-of-principle experiments using dye molecules immobilized on top of a silica spacer, and of dye molecules embedded in thin polymer films.

Photodegradation and Photophysics of Laser Dyes

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-30

research. "The Photophysics and Photochem istry of’ Orgainic Laser Dyecs uander Conditions oit Binding to Polymethacrylic Acid in Water** thcsis...c 13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 wotrds) 6 The solubilization of laser dyes in water with the aid of the polyelectrolyte, poly(methacr,-- lic acid ) (PMAA...moderately acidic pH. Polymer-bound dyes in water display markedly enhanced emission yield, lifetime, and polarization. Dye materials are also less

Method to protect charge recombination in the back-contact dye-sensitized solar cell.

PubMed

Yoo, Beomjin; Kim, Kang-Jin; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Kyungkon; Ko, Min Jae; Kim, Yong Hyun; Kim, Won Mok; Park, Nam-Gyu

2010-09-13

We prepared a back-contact dye-sensitized solar cell and investigated effect of the sputter deposited thin TiO₂ film on the back-contact ITO electrode on photovoltaic property. The nanocrystalline TiO₂ layer with thickness of about 11 μm formed on a plain glass substrate in the back-contact structure showed higher optical transmittance than that formed on an ITO-coated glass substrate, which led to an improved photocurrent density by about 6.3%. However, photovoltage was found to decrease from 817 mV to 773 mV. The photovoltage recovered after deposition of a 35 nm-thick thin TiO₂ film on the surface of the back-contact ITO electrode. Little difference in time constant for electron transport was found for the back-contact ITO electrodes with and without the sputter deposited thin TiO₂ film. Whereas, time constant for charge recombination increased after introduction of the thin TiO₂ film, indicating that such a thin TiO₂ film protected back electron transfer, associated with the recovery of photovoltage. As the result of the improved photocurrent density without deterioration of photovoltage, the back-contact dye-sensitized solar cell exhibited 13.6% higher efficiency than the ITO-coated glass substrate-based dye-sensitized solar cell.

Emission characteristics in solution-processed asymmetric white alternating current field-induced polymer electroluminescent devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yonghua; Xia, Yingdong; Smith, Gregory M.; Gu, Yu; Yang, Chuluo; Carroll, David L.

2013-01-01

In this work, the emission characteristics of a blue fluorophor poly(9, 9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) combined with a red emitting dye: Bis(2-methyl-dibenzo[f,h]quinoxaline)(acetylacetonate)iridium (III) [Ir(MDQ)2(acac)], are examined in two different asymmetric white alternating current field-induced polymer electroluminescent (FIPEL) device structures. The first is a top-contact device in which the triplet transfer is observed resulting in the concentration-dependence of the emission similar to the standard organic light-emitting diode (OLED) structure. The second is a bottom-contact device which, however, exhibits concentration-independence of emission. Specifically, both dye emission and polymer emission are found for the concentrations as high as 10% by weight of the dye in the emitter. We attribute this to the significant different carrier injection characteristics of the two FIPEL devices. Our results suggest a simple and easy way to realize high-quality white emission.

Photophysics of Laser Dye-Doped Polymer Membranes for Laser-Induced Fluorescence Photogrammetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorrington, Adrian A.; Jones, Thomas W.; Danehy, Paul M.

2004-01-01

Laser-induced fluorescence target generation in dye-doped polymer films has recently been introduced as a promising alternative to more traditional photogrammetric targeting techniques for surface profiling of highly transparent or reflective membrane structures. We investigate the photophysics of these dye-doped polymers to help determine their long-term durability and suitability for laser-induced fluorescence photogrammetric targeting. These investigations included experimental analysis of the fluorescence emission pattern, spectral content, temporal lifetime, linearity, and half-life. Results are presented that reveal an emission pattern wider than normal Lambertian diffuse surface scatter, a fluorescence time constant of 6.6 ns, a pump saturation level of approximately 20 micro J/mm(exp 2), and a useful lifetime of more than 300,000 measurements. Furthermore, two demonstrations of photogrammetric measurements by laser-induced fluorescence targeting are presented, showing agreement between photogrammetric and physically measured dimensions within the measurement scatter of 100 micron.

New type of standalone gas sensors based on dye, thin films, and subwavelength structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnieper, Marc; Davoine, Laurent; Holgado, Miguel; Casquel del Campo, Rafael; Barranco, Angel

2009-02-01

A new gas sensor was developed to enable visual indication of a contamination by specific gases like NO2, SO2, UV, etc. The sensor works with a combination of subwavelength structures and specific active dye thin film layers. The objective is to use the optical changes of the dye thin films after exposure and a custom designed subwavelength structure, a suited combination of both will produce a strong color change. The indication should be visible for the human eye. To enhance this visual aspect, we used a reference sensor sealed into a non-contaminated atmosphere. This work was realized within the PHODYE STREP Project, a collaboration of the 6th Framework Program Priority Information Society Technologies.

DNA detection using water-soluble conjugated polymers and peptide nucleic acid probes

PubMed Central

Gaylord, Brent S.; Heeger, Alan J.; Bazan, Guillermo C.

2002-01-01

The light-harvesting properties of cationic conjugated polymers are used to sensitize the emission of a dye on a specific peptide nucleic acid (PNA) sequence for the purpose of homogeneous, “real-time” DNA detection. Signal transduction is controlled by hybridization of the neutral PNA probe and the negative DNA target. Electrostatic interactions bring the hybrid complex and cationic polymer within distances required for Förster energy transfer. Conjugated polymer excitation provides fluorescein emission >25 times higher than that obtained by exciting the dye, allowing detection of target DNA at concentrations of 10 pM with a standard fluorometer. A simple and highly sensitive assay with optical amplification that uses the improved hybridization behavior of PNA/DNA complexes is thus demonstrated. PMID:12167673

Evidences of long lived cages in functionalized polymers: Effects on chromophore dynamic and spectroscopic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prampolini, Giacomo; Monti, Susanna; De Mitri, Nicola; Barone, Vincenzo

2014-05-01

The formation of long-lived cages in a functionalized polymer is evidenced through an integrated computational approach. The investigated material is described with a purposely refined force field and long lasting simulations are used to sample the configurational space of the complex. The resulting virtual scenario is validated by comparing calculated and experimental spectra. The deeper insight offered by the computational procedure has lead to the identification of flexible cage like structures of the polymer bundle, that evolve very slowly, readapting their shape to the thermal movements of the probe, hence affecting the broadening of the electronic spectra. pair correlation functions between the center of mass of the dye and the surrounding heavy atoms mean fields W(δi) due to the surrounding environment experienced by δi, where δi are the torsional angles of the dye most influencing its optical behavior [24] residence times that characterize the resulting first neighbor shells of the dye. These descriptors were all very useful to depict the polymer caging effect, also through the comparison with the behavior of toluene molecules around the dye. As suggested by the examination of the position and trend of the first neighbor peaks of the pair correlation functions computed for the NfO-TEMPO EES in polymer and in toluene solution (see left panel of Figure 1), the polymer chains are closer to the dye (Rmax1tolu=6.6 Å, Rmax1polymer=5.1 Å) more tightly packed and persistently located in that region. On the contrary, toluene molecules are farther from the dye, exchange more frequently between the different shells and allow the probe to rearrange its groups in quite different conformations. Indeed, the greater mobility of toluene around the solute and the short-lived cage formed in this case are confirmed by the absence of definite minima between the first and the second coordination shells (R=8.8 Å). This implies a fast and continuous motion of the solvent molecules between the two zones and a significant modulation of the flexibility and mobility of the dye. Very similar trends were found for the same g (r) computed in the GS. For this latter state, the impact on the distribution of the values adopted by the δ1 dihedral angle, which defines the orientation of the naphthalene ring in relation to the carboxyl group (Figure 4), is evident in the right panel of Figure 1: in toluene solution there are two distinct peaks centered around 0° and ±180°, meaning that two planar conformations are equally probable. Instead, inside the polymer only the δ1≈0° conformer is populated, confirming that the initial orientation of this portion of the probe is preserved by the hindering action of the close polymer chains which prevent a complete rotation of the naphthoyloxy group. The same constraining was also found in the EES, though less evident because of a decreased flexibility of the δ1 torsion.In order to support this view, the effect on dye’s flexibility of the intermolecular interactions of the latter with the polymer bundle was checked and compared with the one due to the dye-solvent interactions established in toluene solution. This was accomplished through a mean field descriptor which was connected to the torsional degrees of freedom, as detailed in the Supporting Information. In this particular case it was interesting to examine the specific behavior of the δ1 dihedral angle. The resulting mean field W (δ1) in the polymer and in toluene solution, displayed in Figure 2, presents a marked difference between the two surrounding media with toluene leading to a nearly vanishing and flatter W(δ1). It is also worth noticing that the entanglement of the polymer around the dye creates a supplementary well, centered at about δ1 = 0, that constrains this angle to librate within a limited interval rather than exploring the complete range of values.Further proofs of the existence of a tight and stable cleft and its constraining action on the dye, can be evinced from the analysis of selected dynamic properties, related to NfO-TEMPO translational and rotational motions and to the residence times of the neighboring groups into the first neighbors shell. All the details for the calculations of the latter three properties are also defined in the Supporting Information. As far as the dye translational dynamics is concerned, the mean square displacement (MSD) of the probe in the two different environments was monitored as a function of time and shown with solid lines in Figure 3. When the probe is grafted onto the polymer (orange line), the MSD reveals a sub-diffusive regime which is identified by the plateau visible in the logarithmic scale the Figure referenced above. This is a typical signature of a β-relaxation, that takes place from the end of the pure ballistic dynamics (hundreds of femtoseconds) to the onset of the linear behavior (visible after around 100 ps). It could be speculated that this trend might be due on the one hand, to the intrinsic sub-diffusive character of the dynamics of the polymer bundle which is transmitted to the dye through the grafting process, and on the other hand, to the polymer cage around the probe which prevents it from reaching a true diffusive regime. This analysis can be extended to the re-orientational processes, by investigating the relaxation of the main molecular axes of the dye (α,β,γ). To this end, the auto correlation function of the first Legendre polynomial (P1) of one (β) of the tumbling axes is plotted vs time and shown in Figure 3. A qualitatively similar behavior was found for the other axes. The different role played by the two embeddings appears clearly from the comparison of the two data sets. Indeed, while in the less structured solvent (toluene), a relatively fast reorientation of the dye takes place, and the P1 function drops below 0.5 after ∼10 ps, in the other case (polymer) a neat plateau again appears in the 1-100 ps range, and the correlation never vanishes, at least in the first 3 ns.From a different point of view, it can be inferred that the limited number of possible orientations of the molecule inside the cage is strongly related to the flexibility of the cage itself. Correlation between the constrained dynamics of the dye and the formation of hindering cages was investigated by computing the probability that a neighboring unit (either a toluene molecule or a methylene group of the polymer) remains within the first shell after a definite time. Comparison between the two embeddings reveals that a complete renewal of the original first neighbor shell takes place within few hundreds of ps in toluene solution, whereas the probability of remaining within the polymer cage never completely decays during the first 3 ns. Even more interestingly, the residence function in the polymer exhibits a plateau in a time interval very close to the one found for the translational and re-orientational motion of the dye.The hypothesis that the long lived cage found around the chromophore and sketched in Figure 4 is effectively responsible for the difference in the experimental broadening [23], UV/visible spectra were simulated by averaging the vertical optical transitions computed at TD-DFT level on different sets of snapshots, extracted from MD-NPT trajectories performed on the dye in its EES, in toluene solution [13] and in the polymer matrix [27]. The resulting emission spectra are shown in Figure 5. In the top panel the experimental [23] spectra are displayed, recorded in toluene solution 1.4·10-5 M (green) and in polymer film (orange). It may be worth mentioning that the polymer degree of crystallinity in such conditions is very low (∼5%). [31,32] It is evident that notwithstanding the different environment, the maximum emission wavelengths are not remarkably shifted, being 360 and 365 nm, respectively. On the contrary, as observed by Passaglia and coworkers [23], a major difference appears in the line shape of the two signals, the spectrum in toluene being significantly broader than its polymer analog. This difference can be quantified with a decrease in full width at half maximum (FWFM) of about 19%. The computed emission spectra are instead displayed in Figure 5 bottom panel. A systematic blue shift of ∼20 nm in the peaks positions, that results in maxima located at 340 (toluene) and 344 nm (polymer), can be ascribed to the chosen DFT functional, as discussed in detail in Ref. [13], where the choice of the functional was discussed specifically for the NfO-TEMPO chromophore. More important, the broadening of the experimental line shapes and their general trends are very well reproduced by the dynamical computational approach: the FWHM is indeed reduced by almost the same amount (17%) and the different slopes in band decays are also reproduced with rather good accuracy.In summary, the computational strategy defined in this Letter has been able to reproduce the effects of a complex anisotropic medium, namely an amorphous polymer matrix, on the fluorescence emission of a dye grafted onto its chains, disclosing the key features of the caging process responsible for the reduced rotational motion of the naphthoyloxy moiety. The narrowing of the electronic spectral signals was a consequence of this entrapment. The comparison of these findings with the outcomes in toluene solution reveals a highly dynamic behavior of the short-lived solvent cage and suggests that rationally engineering polymer structures used to obtain selective immobilization strategies could be a powerful technique for improving some spectroscopic properties of the dyes and specific features of composites materials. Furthermore, the proposed procedure is general enough to be applied also for more polar and interacting environments, in order to unravel both energetic and entropic effects, that can effectively tune the performances of novel dye-based devices.

Method of dye removal for the textile industry

DOEpatents

Stone, Mark L.

2000-01-01

The invention comprises a method of processing a waste stream containing dyes, such as a dye bath used in the textile industry. The invention comprises using an inorganic-based polymer, such as polyphosphazene, to separate dyes and/or other chemicals from the waste stream. Membranes comprising polyphosphazene have the chemical and thermal stability to survive the harsh, high temperature environment of dye waste streams, and have been shown to completely separate dyes from the waste stream. Several polyphosplhazene membranes having a variety of organic substituent have been shown effective in removing color from waste streams.

Aromatic Diimides - Potential Dyes for Use in Smart Films and Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Michael A.; Tyson, Daniel S.; Ilhan, Faysal; Carbaugh, Ashley

2008-01-01

New aromatic diimide fluorescent dyes have been prepared with potential for use as chemical sensors and in chromogenic polymers. These dyes have been designed to utilize excited state electron transfer reactions as the means for sensing chemical species. For example, an aniline en-dcapped anthryl diimides functions effectively as an "on-off" sensor for pH and the detection of phosphoryl halide based chemical warfare agents, such as Sarin. In the absence of analytes, fluorescence from this dye is completely quenched by excited state electron transfer from the terminal amines. Reaction of these amines inhibits electron transfer and activates the fluorescence of the dye. Another substituted anthryl diimide is presented with the capability to detect pH and nitroaromatic compounds, such as TNT. Films prepared by doping small amounts (less than 0.1 weight percent) of several of these dyes in polymers such as linear low density polyethylene exhibit thermochromism. At room temperature, these films fluoresce reddish-orange. Upon heating, the fluorescence turns green. This process is reversible cooling the films to room temperature restores the orange emission.

Polyethersulfone - barium chloride blend ultrafiltration membranes for dye removal studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rambabu, K.; Srivatsan, N.; Gurumoorthy, Anand V. P.

2017-11-01

A series of Polyethersulfone (PES) - barium chloride (BaCl2) blend ultra filtration membrane was developed by varying the BaCl2 concentration in the dope solution. Prepared membranes were subjected to membrane characterization and their performance was studied through dye rejection tests. Morphological studies through SEM and AFM showed that the composite membranes exhibited differences in morphologies, porosities and properties due to the BaCl2 addition as compared with pristine PES membrane. Addition of the inorganic modifier enhanced the hydrophilicity and water permeability of the blend membrane system. Polymer enhanced ultrafiltration of dye solutions showed that the proposed blend system had better performance in terms of flux and rejection efficiency than the pure polymer membrane. The performance of the 2 wt% BaCl2 blend membrane was more promising for application to real time dye wastewater studies.

Ultrafast Fabrication of Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells by Ultrasonic Spray-Coating Technology

PubMed Central

Han, Hyun-Gyu; Weerasinghe, Hashitha C.; Min Kim, Kwang; Soo Kim, Jeong; Cheng, Yi-Bing; Jones, David J.; Holmes, Andrew B.; Kwon, Tae-Hyuk

2015-01-01

This study investigates novel deposition techniques for the preparation of TiO2 electrodes for use in flexible dye-sensitized solar cells. These proposed new methods, namely pre-dye-coating and codeposition ultrasonic spraying, eliminate the conventional need for time-consuming processes such as dye soaking and high-temperature sintering. Power conversion efficiencies of over 4.0% were achieved with electrodes prepared on flexible polymer substrates using this new deposition technology and N719 dye as a sensitizer. PMID:26420466

Monitoring solute interactions with poly(ethylene oxide)-modified colloidal silica nanoparticles via fluorescence anisotropy decay.

PubMed

Tleugabulova, Dina; Duft, Andy M; Brook, Michael A; Brennan, John D

2004-01-06

The fluorescence-based nanosize metrology approach, proposed recently by Geddes and Birch (Geddes, C. D.; Birch, D. J. S. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 2000, 270, 191), was used to characterize the extent of binding of a fluorescent cationic solute, rhodamine 6G (R6G), to the surface of silica particles after modification of the surface with the hydrophilic polymer poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) of various molecular weights. The measurement of the rotational dynamics of R6G in PEO solutions showed the absence of strong interactions between R6G and PEO chains in water and the ability of the dye to sense the presence of polymer clusters in 30 wt % solutions. Time-resolved anisotropy decays of polymer-modified Ludox provided direct evidence for distribution of the dye between bound and free states, with the bound dye showing two decay components: a nanosecond decay component that is consistent with local motions of bound probes and a residual anisotropy component due to slow rotation of large silica particles. The data showed that the dye was strongly adsorbed to unmodified silica nanoparticles, to the extent that less than 1% of the dye was present in the surrounding aqueous solution. Addition of PEO blocked the adsorption of the dye to a significant degree, with up to 50% of the probe being present in the aqueous solution for Ludox samples containing 30 wt % of low molecular weight PEO. The addition of such agents also decreased the value and increased the fractional contribution of the nanosecond rotational correlation time, suggesting that polymer adsorption altered the degree of local motion of the bound probe. Atomic force microscopy imaging studies provided no evidence for a change in the particle size upon surface modification but did suggest interparticle aggregation after polymer adsorption. Thus, this redistribution of the probe is interpreted as being due to coverage of particles with the polymer, resulting in lower adsorption of R6G to the silica. The data clearly show the power of time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements for probing the modification of silica surfaces and suggest that this method should prove useful in characterization of new chromatographic stationary phases and nanocomposite materials.

Synthesis, surface modification and biological imaging of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) dye doped silica nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Liucheng; Liu, Meiying; Xu, Dazhuang; Wan, Qing; Huang, Qiang; Jiang, Ruming; Shi, Yingge; Deng, Fengjie; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-05-01

Fluorescent silica nanoparticles (FSNPs) have been extensively investigated for various biomedical applications in recently years. However, the aggregation of organic dyes in silica nanoparticles also leads the significant fluorescence quenching owing to the aggregation caused quenching effects of organic dyes. Herein, we developed a rather facile strategy to fabricate FSNPs with desirable fluorescent properties through non-covalent incorporation of fluorophores with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature into silica nanoparticles, which were subsequently modified with functional polymers. The resultant FSNPs polymer nanocomposites (named as FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA)) exhibited uniform spherical morphology, high water dispersiity, and bright red fluorescence. Cytotoxicity results indicate that FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) possess excellent biocompatibility. Cell uptake behavior suggests FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) are of great potential for biological imaging applications. Taken together, we have reported a facile method for the fabrication of FSNPs through non-covalent encapsulation using an AIE-active dye. These FSNPs can be further functionalized with functional polymers through ring-opening reaction and the resultant FSNPs-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) showed great potential for biological imaging. More importantly, we believe that many other functional components could also be integrated into these FSNPs through the facile ring-opening reaction. Therefore, this method should be a facile and general tool for fabrication of polymer functionalized AIE-active FSNPs.

Plastic scintillator enhancement through Quantum Dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tam, Alan; Boyraz, Ozdal; Nilsson, Mikael

2017-08-01

Plastic scintillators such as Polyvinyl Toluene (PVT) are used for radiation detection but due to their poor performance they are not widely implemented. In order to circumnavigate this, dopants are added to enhance scintillation by energy transfer otherwise lost through non-radiative processes. In this work, we exploit the effects of energy transfer through the use of short wavelength emission Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dots (QD) as the transfer stimulant. Scintillation enhancement was observed as Cadmium Sulfide QD with scintillating dyes are embedded in PVT polymer matrix for beta and gamma radiation. Energy transfer was observed between Quantum Dots, scintillating dye, and the host polymer. Different concentrations of QD and 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) dye are investigated to characterize the energy transfer.

Near-IR-induced dissociation of thermally-sensitive star polymers.

PubMed

Dai, Yuqiong; Sun, Hao; Pal, Sunirmal; Zhang, Yunlu; Park, Sangwoo; Kabb, Christopher P; Wei, Wei David; Sumerlin, Brent S

2017-03-01

Responsive systems sensitive to near-infrared (NIR) light are promising for triggered release due to efficient deep tissue penetration of NIR irradiation relative to higher energy sources ( e.g. , UV), allowing for spatiotemporal control over triggering events with minimal potential for tissue damage. Herein, we report star polymers containing thermally-labile azo linkages that dissociate during conventional heating or during localized heating via the photothermal effect upon NIR irradiation. Controlled release during conventional heating was investigated for the star polymers loaded with a model dye, with negligible release being observed at 25 °C and >80% release at 90 °C. Star polymers co-loaded with NIR-responsive indocyanine green showed rapid dye release upon NIR irradiation ( λ ≥ 715 nm) due to the photothermally-induced degradation of azo linkages within the cores of the star polymers. This approach provides access to a new class of delivery and release systems that can be triggered by noninvasive external stimulation.

Anisotropic Dye Adsorption and Anhydrous Proton Conductivity in Smectic Liquid Crystal Networks: The Role of Cross-Link Density, Order, and Orientation.

PubMed

Liang, Ting; van Kuringen, Huub P C; Mulder, Dirk J; Tan, Shuai; Wu, Yong; Borneman, Zandrie; Nijmeijer, Kitty; Schenning, Albertus P H J

2017-10-11

In this work, the decisive role of rigidity, orientation, and order in the smectic liquid crystalline network on the anisotropic proton and adsorbent properties is reported. The rigidity in the hydrogen-bonded polymer network has been altered by changing the cross-link density, the order by using different mesophases (smectic, nematic, and isotropic phases), whereas the orientation of the mesogens was controlled by alignment layers. Adding more cross-linkers improved the integrity of the polymer films. For the proton conduction, an optimum was found in the amount of cross-linker and the smectic organization results in the highest anhydrous proton conduction. The polymer films show anisotropic proton conductivity with a 54 times higher conductivity in the direction perpendicular to the molecular director. After a base treatment of the smectic liquid crystalline network, a nanoporous polymer film is obtained that also shows anisotropic adsorption of dye molecules and again straight smectic pores are favored over disordered pores in nematic and isotropic networks. The highly cross-linked films show size-selective adsorption of dyes. Low cross-linked materials do not show this difference due to swelling, which decreases the order and creates openings in the two-dimensional polymer layers. The latter is, however, beneficial for fast adsorption kinetics.

Fabrication and mechanical behavior of dye-doped polymer optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Changhong; Kuzyk, Mark G.; Ding, Jow-Lian; Johns, William E.; Welker, David J.

2002-07-01

The purpose of this article is to study the materials physics behind dye-doped polymethyl metharcylate (PMMA) that is important for the optical fiber drawing process. We report effects of the fabrication process on the mechanical properties of the final fiber. The qualitative degree of polymer chain alignment is found to increase with the drawing force, which in turn decreases with the drawing temperature and increases with the drawing ratio. The chain alignment relaxes when the fibers are annealed at 95 degC with a commensurate decrease in fiber length and increase in diameter. The annealed fiber has higher ductility but lower strength than the unannealed fiber. Both the yield and tensile strengths are dependent on the strain rate. The relationship between tensile strength, sigmab, and fiber diameter, d, is found empirically to be sigmab[is proportional to]d-0.5. The yield strength appears to be less sensitive to the fiber diameter than the tensile strength. For PMMA doped with disperse red 1 azo dye, the yield strength, tensile strength, and Young's modulus peak at a dye concentration of 0.0094 wt %. These results are useful for designing polymer optical fibers with well-defined mechanical properties.

Chemically Modified Polyvinyl Chloride for Removal of Thionine Dye (Lauth’s Violet)

PubMed Central

Silva, Cleuzilene V.; Royer, Betina; Rodrigues Filho, Guimes; Cerqueira, Daniel A.; Assunção, Rosana M. N.

2017-01-01

The chemical modification of hydrophobic polymer matrices is an alternative way to elchange their surface properties. The introduction of sulfonic groups in the polymer changes the surface properties such as adhesion, wettability, catalytic ability, and adsorption capacity. This work describes the production and application of chemically modified polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as adsorbent for dyes removal. Chemical modification of PVC was evaluated by infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis, which indicated the presence of sulfonic groups on PVC. The chemically modified PVC (PVCDS) showed an ion exchange capacity of 1.03 mmol−1, and efficiently removed the thionine dye (Lauth’s violet) from aqueous solutions, reaching equilibrium in 30 min. The adsorption kinetics was better adjusted for a pseudo second order model. This result indicates that the adsorption of thionine onto PVCDS occurs by chemisorption. Among the models for the state of equilibrium, SIPS and Langmuir exhibited the best fit to the experimental results and PVCDS showed high adsorption capacities (370 mg−1). Thus, it is assumed that the system presents homogeneous characteristics to the distribution of active sites. The modification promoted the formation of surface characteristics favorable to the dye adsorption by the polymer. PMID:29137158

Physico-chemical properties of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposite capped with 1-chloro-9,10-bis (phenyl ethynyl) anthracene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anandalli, Mallikarjun; Kanakaraj, T. M.; Hebbar, Vidyashree; Naik, Jagadish; Bhajantri, R. F.

2018-05-01

The nanocomposite films of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/zinc oxide (ZnO) capped with different weight (0.25wt%,1wt%) percentage of fluorescence dye 1-chlor-9,10-bis (phenyl ethynyl anthracene (C30H17Cl) were prepared using solution casting method. ZnO powder dispersed in the polymer matrix uniformly, enhance the optical and physical properties of nanocomposite. Interaction of fluorescence dye and ZnO with polymer matrix gives the emerging applications, due to the fact that the dye C30H17Cl emits yellow light and it has wide band gap, hole transporting material. The prepared samples have been studied using the experimental techniques such as FTIR, UV-Visible (indirect energy gap plots), XRD, AFM. The FTIR used to confirm the peaks of ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrix and interaction of the dye. From the UV-Visible technique, the optical band gap of the nanocomposites has been investigated, and the obtained optical band gap reduces with increase in weight % of dye in PMMA/ZnO. The AFM results show the surface morphology and smoothness of the nanocomposite films. The crystallinity of the PMMA/ZnO:C30H17Cl nanocomposite has been estimated using powder XRD patterns. The prepared nanocomposites films useful for the wide range of applications.

Structural, dynamic and photophysical properties of a fluorescent dye incorporated in an amorphous hydrophobic polymer bundle.

PubMed

De Mitri, N; Prampolini, G; Monti, S; Barone, V

2014-08-21

The properties of a low molecular weight organic dye, namely 4-naphthyloxy-1-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, covalently bound to an apolar polyolefin were investigated by means of a multi-level approach, combining classical molecular dynamics simulations, based on purposely parameterized force fields, and quantum mechanical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and its time-dependent extension (TD-DFT). The structure and dynamics of the dye in its embedding medium were analyzed and discussed taking the entangling effect of the surrounding polymer into account, and also by comparing the results to those obtained for a different environment, i.e. toluene solution. Finally, the influence was investigated of long lived cages found in the polymeric embedding on photophysical properties, in terms of the slow and fast dye's internal dynamics, by comparing computed IR and UV spectra with their experimental counterparts.

pH-sensitive Itaconic acid based polymeric hydrogels for dye removal applications.

PubMed

Sakthivel, M; Franklin, D S; Guhanathan, S

2016-12-01

A series of Itaconic Acid (IA) based pH-sensitive polymeric hydrogels were synthesized by condensation polymerization of Itaconic Acid (IA) with Ethylene Glycol (EG) in the presence of an acid medium resulted into pre-polymer. Further, pre-polymer were co-polymerized with Acrylic Acid (AA) through free radical polymerization using Potassium persulphate (KPS). The structural and surface morphological characterizations of the synthesized hydrogels were studied using FT-IR spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) respectively. The swelling and swelling equilibrium were performed at varies pH (4.0-10.0). Further, the effects of IA, EG and AA on swelling properties have also been investigated. Thermal stability of synthesized hydrogels have been investigated by TGA, DTA and DSC. The synthesized hydrogels have shown good ability to uptake a Cationic dye. The Methylene blue has been chosen as a model cationic dye. The results of dye removal using IA hydrogels found to have excellent dye removal capacity. Such kind of IA based hydrogels may be recommended for eco-friendly environmental application. viz., removal of dyes and metal ions and sewage water treatment, purification of water etc. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of energy transfer between semiconducting polymer dot donors and hydrophilic and hydrophobic Cy5 acceptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lix, Kelsi; Algar, W. Russ

2016-09-01

Semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) are rapidly emerging fluorescent probes for bioanalysis. Pdots have extraordinarily strong absorption and bright emission compared to other commonly used fluorescent probes, making them very attractive for applications involving Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Here, we investigated two FRET systems with green-emitting poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) Pdots as donors and two different Cyanine 5 (Cy5) dyes as acceptors. A hydrophilic sulfo-Cy5 dye was directly conjugated to the Pdot surface using carbodiimide chemistry, and a hydrophobic Cy5 dye was observed to spontaneously partition into the core of the Pdot. FRET was observed to depend on the acceptor dye concentration with both systems, and was characterized using a combination of fluorescence emission spectra, excitation spectra, and lifetime measurements. Much stronger quenching of Pdot emission and FRET-sensitized acceptor dye emission were observed for the hydrophobic Cy5 system, and these trends were attributed to reduced donor-acceptor distances in comparison to the hydrophilic sulfo-Cy5 system. Current limitations in the experimental format are discussed. The results show that Pdots are effective FRET donors for acceptor dyes located both within and at the surface of Pdots.

Continuous Digital Light Processing (cDLP): Highly Accurate Additive Manufacturing of Tissue Engineered Bone Scaffolds.

PubMed

Dean, David; Jonathan, Wallace; Siblani, Ali; Wang, Martha O; Kim, Kyobum; Mikos, Antonios G; Fisher, John P

2012-03-01

Highly accurate rendering of the external and internal geometry of bone tissue engineering scaffolds effects fit at the defect site, loading of internal pore spaces with cells, bioreactor-delivered nutrient and growth factor circulation, and scaffold resorption. It may be necessary to render resorbable polymer scaffolds with 50 μm or less accuracy to achieve these goals. This level of accuracy is available using Continuous Digital Light processing (cDLP) which utilizes a DLP(®) (Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX) chip. One such additive manufacturing device is the envisionTEC (Ferndale, MI) Perfactory(®). To use cDLP we integrate a photo-crosslinkable polymer, a photo-initiator, and a biocompatible dye. The dye attenuates light, thereby limiting the depth of polymerization. In this study we fabricated scaffolds using the well-studied resorbable polymer, poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF), titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) as a dye, Irgacure(®) 819 (BASF [Ciba], Florham Park, NJ) as an initiator, and diethyl fumarate as a solvent to control viscosity.

Scattering-layer-induced energy storage function in polymer-based quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Xi; Jiang, Hongrui

2015-03-09

Photo-self-charging cells (PSCs) are compact devices with dual functions of photoelectric conversion and energy storage. By introducing a scattering layer in polymer-based quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells, two-electrode PSCs with highly compact structure were obtained. The charge storage function stems from the formed ion channel network in the scattering layer/polymer electrolyte system. Both the photoelectric conversion and the energy storage functions are integrated in only the photoelectrode of such PSCs. This design of PSC could continuously output power as a solar cell with considerable efficiency after being photo-charged. Such PSCs could be applied in highly-compact mini power devices.

Optothermally actuated capillary burst valve

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksen, Johan; Bilenberg, Brian; Kristensen, Anders; Marie, Rodolphe

2017-04-01

We demonstrate the optothermal actuation of individual capillary burst valves in an all-polymer microfluidic device. The capillary burst valves are realised in a planar design by introducing a fluidic constriction in a microfluidic channel of constant depth. We show that a capillary burst valve can be burst by raising the temperature due to the temperature dependence of the fluid surface tension. We address individual valves by using a local heating platform based on a thin film of near infrared absorber dye embedded in the lid used to seal the microfluidic device [L. H. Thamdrup et al., Nano Lett. 10, 826-832 (2010)]. An individual valve is burst by focusing the laser in its vicinity. We demonstrate the capture of single polystyrene 7 μm beads in the constriction triggered by the bursting of the valve.

High-throughput measurement of polymer film thickness using optical dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunlan, Jaime C.; Mehrabi, Ali R.; Ly, Tien

2005-01-01

Optical dyes were added to polymer solutions in an effort to create a technique for high-throughput screening of dry polymer film thickness. Arrays of polystyrene films, cast from a toluene solution, containing methyl red or solvent green were used to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique. Measurements of the peak visible absorbance of each film were converted to thickness using the Beer-Lambert relationship. These absorbance-based thickness calculations agreed within 10% of thickness measured using a micrometer for polystyrene films that were 10-50 µm. At these thicknesses it is believed that the absorbance values are actually more accurate. At least for this solvent-based system, thickness was shown to be accurately measured in a high-throughput manner that could potentially be applied to other equivalent systems. Similar water-based films made with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) dyed with malachite green oxalate or congo red did not show the same level of agreement with the micrometer measurements. Extensive phase separation between polymer and dye resulted in inflated absorbance values and calculated thickness that was often more than 25% greater than that measured with the micrometer. Only at thicknesses below 15 µm could reasonable accuracy be achieved for the water-based films.

PEO based polymer composite with added acetamide, NaI/I2 as gel polymer electrolyte for dye sensitized solar cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narasimha Rao, B.; Padma suvarna, R.; Giribabu, L.; Raghavender, M.; kumar, V. Ramesh

2018-02-01

Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) with added acetamide, NaI/I2 have been prepared for dye-sensitized solar cells application (DSSC). The Dye-sensitized solar cell investigated the performance of the optimized gel polymer electrolyte. GPEs synthesized by adding up of acetamide with different wt% in poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly (ethylene glycol) dimethyl ether (PEGDME) with NaI/I2. A maximum power conversion efficiency of 5.92% is achieved for PEO/PEGDME with 10 wt% acetamide in the photovoltaic performance under 100 mW/cm2 illumination and it exhibits maximum ionic conductivity (σ = 2.81×10-3 S/cm) among all electrolytes, compared to PEO without acetamide (η = 4.35%). The gain in open circuit voltage (Voc) was observed for GPEs due to the decrease in the recombination effect and electron lifetime increases by the addition of acetamide on the PEO. The fill factor (FF) is increased due to the growth in the ionic conductivity and amorphous nature of the GPE increases by the addition of acetamide on the PEO.

Fabrication and characterization of nanowalls CdS/dye sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulelah, Haider; Ali, Basil; Mahdi, M. A.; Hassan, J. J.; Al-Taay, H. F.; Jennings, P.

2017-06-01

A microwave assisted chemical bath deposition (MA-CBD) was adopted to fabricate nanowalls CdS nanocrystalline thin film. Nanomaterials (such as nanowalls structure) have attracted significant attention due to their fascinating properties and unique applications, especially in optoelectronic nanodevices. Here we describe the fabrication of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based nanowalls cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystalline thin films. The surface morphology, crystalline structure, and optical properties of the prepared nanocrystalline thin films are investigated. Rhodamine B, Malachite green, Eosin methylene blue, and Cresyl violet perchlorate dyes are used to fabricate the DSSCS devices. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics show that the nanowall CdS/Eosin methylene blue device is the highest conversion efficiency of 0.89% under 100 mW/cm2. However, heat treatment of the fabricated solar cells causes significant enhancement in the output of all devices.

Novel synthesis of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposites for photocatalytic applications

PubMed Central

Di Mauro, Alessandro; Cantarella, Maria; Nicotra, Giuseppe; Pellegrino, Giovanna; Gulino, Antonino; Brundo, Maria Violetta; Privitera, Vittorio; Impellizzeri, Giuliana

2017-01-01

The incorporation of nanostructured photocatalysts in polymers is a strategic way to obtain novel water purification systems. This approach takes the advantages of: (1) the presence of nanostructured photocatalyst; (2) the flexibility of polymer; (3) the immobilization of photocatalyst, that avoids the recovery of the nanoparticles after the water treatment. Here we present ZnO-polymer nanocomposites with high photocatalytic performance and stability. Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) powders were coated with a thin layer of ZnO (80 nm thick) by atomic layer deposition at low temperature (80 °C). Then the method of sonication and solution casting was performed so to obtain the ZnO/PMMA nanocomposites. A complete morphological, structural, and chemical characterization was made by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. The remarkable photocatalytic efficiency of the nanocomposites was demonstrated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and phenol in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation. The composites also resulted reusable and stable, since they maintained an unmodified photo-activity after several MB discoloration runs. Thus, these results demonstrate that the proposed ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite is a promising candidate for photocatalytic applications and, in particular, for novel water treatment. PMID:28098229

SFG characterization of a cationic ONLO dye in biological thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Lewis E.; Casford, Michael T.; Elder, Delwin L.; Davies, Paul B.; Johal, Malkiat S.

2013-10-01

Biopolymer-based thin films, such as those composed of CTMA-DNA, can be used as a host material for NLOactive dyes for applications such as electro-optic (EO) switching and second harmonic generation. Previous work by Heckman et al. (Proc. SPIE 6401, 640108-2) has demonstrated functioning DNA-based EO modulators. Improved performance requires optimization of both the first hyperpolarizabilities (β) and degree of acentric ordering exhibited by the chromophores. The cationic dye DANPY-1 (Proc. SPIE 8464, 846409-D) has a high affinity for DNA and a substantial hyperpolarizability; however, its macroscopic ordering has not been previously characterized. We have characterized the acentric ordering of the dye using sum-frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy in surface-immobilized DNA and on planar metal and dielectric surfaces.

Random lasing in dye-doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Rina; Shi, Rui-xin; Wu, Xiaojiao; Wu, Jie; Dai, Qin

2016-09-01

A dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film was designed and fabricated, and random lasing action was studied. A mixture of laser dye, nematic liquid crystal, chiral dopant, and PVA was used to prepare the dye-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film by means of microcapsules. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that most liquid crystal droplets in the polymer matrix ranged from 30 μm to 40 μm, the size of the liquid crystal droplets was small. Under frequency doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG laser-pumped optical excitation, a plurality of discrete and sharp random laser radiation peaks could be measured in the range of 575-590 nm. The line-width of the lasing peak was 0.2 nm and the threshold of the random lasing was 9 mJ. Under heating, the emission peaks of random lasing disappeared. By detecting the emission light spot energy distribution, the mechanism of radiation was found to be random lasing. The random lasing radiation mechanism was then analyzed and discussed. Experimental results indicated that the size of the liquid crystal droplets is the decisive factor that influences the lasing mechanism. The surface anchor role can be ignored when the size of the liquid crystal droplets in the polymer matrix is small, which is beneficial to form multiple scattering. The transmission path of photons is similar to that in a ring cavity, providing feedback to obtain random lasing output. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61378042), the Colleges and Universities in Liaoning Province Outstanding Young Scholars Growth Plans, China (Grant No. LJQ2015093), and Shenyang Ligong University Laser and Optical Information of Liaoning Province Key Laboratory Open Funds, China.

Nanostructured ZnO-TiO2 thin film oxide as anode material in electrooxidation of organic pollutants. Application to the removal of dye Amido black 10B from water.

PubMed

El-Kacemi, Sana; Zazou, Hicham; Oturan, Nihal; Dietze, Matthias; Hamdani, Mohamed; Es-Souni, Mohammed; Oturan, Mehmet A

2017-01-01

Electrochemical oxidative degradation of diazo dye Amido black 10B (AB10B) as model pollutant in water has been studied using nanostructured ZnO-TiO 2 thin films deposited on graphite felt (GrF) substrate as anode. The influence of various operating parameters, namely the current intensity, the nature and concentration of catalyst, the nature of electrode materials (anode/cathode), and the adsorption of dye and ambient light were investigated. It was found that the oxidative degradation of AB10B followed pseudo first-order kinetics. The optimal operating conditions for the degradation of 0.12 mM (74 mg L -1 ) dye concentration and mineralization of its aqueous solution were determined as GrF-ZnO-TiO 2 thin film anode, 100 mA current intensity, and 0.1 mM Fe 2+ (catalyst) concentration. Under these operating conditions, discoloration of AB10B solution was reached at 60 min while 6 h treatment needed for a mineralization degree of 91 %. Therefore, this study confirmed that the electrochemical process is effective for the degradation of AB10B in water using nanostructured ZnO-TiO 2 thin film anodes.

Thin-film Organic-based Solar Cells for Space Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Harris, Jerry D.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Anglin, Emily J.; Raffaelle, Ryne P.; Clark, Harry R., Jr.; Gardner, Susan T. P.; Sun, Sam S.

2002-01-01

Recent advances in dye-sensitized and organic polymer solar cells have lead NASA to investigate the potential of these devices for space power generation. Dye-sensitized solar cells were exposed to simulated low-earth orbit conditions and their performance evaluated. All cells were characterized under simulated air mass zero (AM0) illumination. Complete cells were exposed to pressures less than 1 x 10(exp -7) torr for over a month, with no sign of sealant failure or electrolyte leakage. Cells from Solaronix SA were rapid thermal cycled under simulated low-earth orbit conditions. The cells were cycled 100 times from -80 C to 80 C, which is equivalent to 6 days in orbit. The best cell had a 4.6 percent loss in efficiency as a result of the thermal cycling. In a separate project, novel -Bridge-Donor-Bridge- Acceptor- (-BDBA-) type conjugated block copolymer systems have been synthesized and characterized by photoluminescence (PL). In comparison to pristine donor or acceptor, the PL emissions of final -B-D-B-A- block copolymer films were quenched over 99 percent. Effective and efficient photo induced electron transfer and charge separation occurs due to the interfaces of micro phase separated donor and acceptor blocks. The system is very promising for a variety high efficiency light harvesting applications. Under an SBIR contract, fullerene-doped polymer-based photovoltaic devices were fabricated and characterized. The best devices showed overall power efficiencies of approx. 0.14 percent under white light. Devices fabricated from 2 percent solids content solutions in chlorobenzene gave the best results. Presently, device lifetimes are too short to be practical for space applications.

Thin-Film Organic-Based Solar Cells for Space Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Sheila G.; Harris, Jerry D.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Anglin, Emily J.; Raffaelle, Ryne P.; Clark, Harry R., Jr.; Gardner, Susan T. P.; Sun, Sam S.

2001-01-01

Recent advances in dye-sensitized and organic polymer solar cells have lead NASA to investigate the potential of these devices for space power generation. Dye-sensitaized solar cells were exposed to simulated low-earth orbit conditions and their performance evaluated. All cells were characterized under simulated air mass zero (AM0) illumination. Complete cells were exposed to pressures less than 1 x 10 (exp -7)torr for over a month, with no sign of sealant failure or electrolyte leakage. Cells from Solaronix SA were rapid thermal cycled under simulated low-earth orbit conditions. The cells were cycled 100 times from -80 C to 80 C, which is equivalent to 6 days in orbit. The best cell had a 4.6% loss in efficiency as a result of the thermal cycling. In a separate project, novel -Bridge-Donor-Bridge-Acceptor- (-BDBA-) type conjugated block copolymer systems have been synthesized and characterized by photoluminescence (PL). In comparison to pristine donor or acceptor, the PL emissions of final -B-D-B-A- block copolymer films were quenched over 99%. Effective and efficient photo induced electron transfer and charge separation occurs due to the interfaces of micro phase separated donor and acceptor blocks. The system is very promising for a variety high efficiency light harvesting applications. Under an SBIR contract, fullerene-doped polymer-based photovoltaic devices were fabricated and characterized. The best devices showed overall power efficiencies of approximately 0.14% under white light. Devices fabricated from 2% solids content solutions in chlorobenzene gave the best results. Presently, device lifetimes are too short to be practical for space applications.

Effect of methyl red dye on dielectric and conductivity properties of PEO/CdCl{sub 2} electrolytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamath, Archana; Devendrappa, H., E-mail: dehu2010@gmail.com

2016-05-06

In this report the conductivity and dielectric properties of polyethylene oxide-cadmium chloride (PEO/CdCl{sub 2}) polymer electrolyte films doped with an azo dye methyl red (MR) are discussed. The films were prepared by solution casting technique at different concentrations of the dye in PEO/CdCl{sub 2} electrolyte. The thermal behavior, chemical interaction of the dye with the electrolyte and surface morphology were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively. The conductivity and dielectric properties were measured as a function of composition and temperature using complex impedance spectroscopy. The temperature dependent electrical conductivitymore » of the films exhibited Arrhenius type behavior. Conductivity and dielectric results also signify the enhancement in the amorphous phase of the polymer electrolyte dye systems. The value of highest conductivity observed is 1.21x10{sup −4} at 343K and the conductivity of the film was enhanced by a three orders of magnitude.« less

Dewetting of Thin Polymer Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dixit, P. S.; Sorensen, J. L.; Kent, M.; Jeon, H. S.

2001-03-01

DEWETTING OF THIN POLYMER FILMS P. S. Dixit,(1) J. L. Sorensen,(2) M. Kent,(2) H. S. Jeon*(1) (1) Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, jeon@nmt.edu (2) Department 1832, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM. Dewetting of thin polymer films is of technological importance for a variety of applications such as protective coatings, dielectric layers, and adhesives. Stable and smooth films are required for the above applications. Above the glass transition temperature (Tg) the instability of polymer thin films on a nonwettable substrate can be occurred. The dewetting mechanism and structure of polypropylene (Tg = -20 ^circC) and polystyrene (Tg = 100 ^circC) thin films is investigated as a function of film thickness (25 Åh < 250 Åand quenching temperature. Contact angle measurements are used in conjunction with optical microscope to check the surface homogeneity of the films. Uniform thin films are prepared by spin casting the polymer solutions onto silicon substrates with different contact angles. We found that the stable and unstable regions of the thin films as a function of the film thickness and quenching temperature, and then constructed a stability diagram for the dewetting of thin polymer films. We also found that the dewetting patterns of the thin films are affected substantially by the changes of film thickness and quenching temperature.

Highly Efficient Organic Photovoltaic Cells from Polymer-Aligned Carbon Nanotube Dispersed Heterojunctions

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

semiconducting VA-SWNTs, and muiltcomponent micropatterns of VA- CNTs . We also designed and synthesized several classes of novel low bandgap...photovoltaic active polymers, and polymer-/TiO2–coated VA- CNTs , critical to developing high efficient polymer photovoltaic cells and dye-sensitized solar...an efficient solar absorption and charge separation/collection. Besides, novel N-doped CNT fuel cells, polymer/quantum dot light-emitting diodes, and

High resolution TEM and 3D imaging of polymer-based and dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suh, Youngjoon

Since 1950s, solar energy has been the most attractive energy source as an alternative to fossil fuels including oil and natural gas. However, these types of solar cells have high raw material and manufacturing costs. So, alternative solar cells using low cost materials and manufacturing processes have been actively studied for more than 10 years. The power conversion efficiency of some of the alternative solar cells has been recently improved so much as to be used for real life applications in the near future. However, their relatively short lifetime still remains as a bottleneck in their commercialized use. In this dissertation, we studied cross sections of three types of solar cells using TEM micrographs and TEM related analysis methods; selected area diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, electron tomography, and nanobeam diffraction. A thin Ag layer used for a top metal electrode in an inverted polymer solar cell was broken down into particles. Absorption of water by the PEDOT:PSS layer followed by corrosion of the Ag layer was thought to be the main cause of this phenomenon. The structure and materials of the photoactive layer in hybrid polymer solar cells have an important influence on the performance of the solar cell devices. Three kinds of efforts were made to improve the electrical characteristics of the devices; removal of a dark TiO2 layer at the polymer/TiO2 interface, using bulk heterojunction structures, and coating a fullerene interlayer on the inorganic nanostructure. An optimum concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) combined with Ru could increase the interface area of CNTs, and improve the performances of dye sensitized solar cells. In order to develop plastic solar cell, two different methods of mixing TiO2 particles with either nanoglues or PMMA were tried. Cross-sectional TEM microstructures were examined to come up with optimum processing parameters such as the sintering temperature and the amount of PMMA added into the structure. Cross-sectional TEM and electron tomography have been very useful for developing new kinds of solar cell structures as well as finding various defects in the structures.

Kinetic approach to degradation mechanisms in polymer solar cells and their accurate lifetime predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshad, Muhammad Azeem; Maaroufi, AbdelKrim

2018-07-01

A beginning has been made in the present study regarding the accurate lifetime predictions of polymer solar cells. Certain reservations about the conventionally employed temperature accelerated lifetime measurements test for its unworthiness of predicting reliable lifetimes of polymer solar cells are brought into light. Critical issues concerning the accelerated lifetime testing include, assuming reaction mechanism instead of determining it, and relying solely on the temperature acceleration of a single property of material. An advanced approach comprising a set of theoretical models to estimate the accurate lifetimes of polymer solar cells is therefore suggested in order to suitably alternate the accelerated lifetime testing. This approach takes into account systematic kinetic modeling of various possible polymer degradation mechanisms under natural weathering conditions. The proposed kinetic approach is substantiated by its applications on experimental aging data-sets of polymer solar materials/solar cells including, P3HT polymer film, bulk heterojunction (MDMO-PPV:PCBM) and dye-sensitized solar cells. Based on the suggested approach, an efficacious lifetime determination formula for polymer solar cells is derived and tested on dye-sensitized solar cells. Some important merits of the proposed method are also pointed out and its prospective applications are discussed.

Laser patterning of transparent polymers assisted by plasmon excitation.

PubMed

Elashnikov, R; Trelin, A; Otta, J; Fitl, P; Mares, D; Jerabek, V; Svorcik, V; Lyutakov, O

2018-06-13

Plasmon-assisted lithography of thin transparent polymer films, based on polymer mass-redistribution under plasmon excitation, is presented. The plasmon-supported structures were prepared by thermal annealing of thin Ag films sputtered on glass or glass/graphene substrates. Thin films of polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene and polylactic acid were then spin-coated on the created plasmon-supported structures. Subsequent laser beam writing, at the wavelength corresponding to the position of plasmon absorption, leads to mass redistribution and patterning of the thin polymer films. The prepared structures were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy and confocal and AFM microscopy. The shape of the prepared structures was found to be strongly dependent on the substrate type. The mechanism leading to polymer patterning was examined and attributed to the plasmon-heating. The proposed method makes it possible to create different patterns in polymer films without the need for wet technological stages, powerful light sources or a change in the polymer optical properties.

Characterization of the excited states of a squaraine molecule with quadratic electroabsorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poga, C.; Brown, T. M.; Kuzyk, M. G.; Dirk, Carl W.

1995-04-01

We apply quadratic electroabsorption spectroscopy (QES) to thin-film solid solutions of squarylium dye molecules in poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer to study the dye's electronic excited states and to investigate the importance of these states with regard to their contribution to the third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibility. We first show that the room-temperature tensor ratio a= chi (3)3333/ chi (3)1133 \\approximately 3 throughout most of the visible region to establish that the electronic mechanism dominates. Because QES is a third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibility measurement, it can be used to identify two photon states. By obtaining good agreement between the quadratic electroabsorption spectrum and a three level model, we conclude that there are two dominant states that contribute to the near-resonant and a two-photon state that are separated by less than 0.2 eV in energy. QES is thus shown to be a versatile tool for measuring the nature of excited states in a molecule. Furthermore, by applying a Kramers-Kronig transformation to determine the real part of the response, we are able to assess the two-photon all-optical device figure of merit of these materials. Such an

Vapor deposition routes to conformal polymer thin films

PubMed Central

Moni, Priya; Al-Obeidi, Ahmed

2017-01-01

Vapor phase syntheses, including parylene chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and initiated CVD, enable the deposition of conformal polymer thin films to benefit a diverse array of applications. This short review for nanotechnologists, including those new to vapor deposition methods, covers the basic theory in designing a conformal polymer film vapor deposition, sample preparation and imaging techniques to assess film conformality, and several applications that have benefited from vapor deposited, conformal polymer thin films. PMID:28487816

Dendritic polymer imaging systems for the evaluation of conjugate uptake and cleavage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, Harald R.; Nagel, Gregor; Wedepohl, Stefanie; Calderón, Marcelo

2015-02-01

Fluorescent turn-on probes combined with polymers have a broad range of applications, e.g. for intracellular sensing of ions, small molecules, or DNA. In the field of polymer therapeutics, these probes can be applied to extend the in vitro characterization of novel conjugates beyond cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies. This is particularly true in cases in which polymer conjugates contain drugs attached by cleavable linkers. Better information on the intracellular linker cleavage and drug release would allow a faster evaluation and optimization of novel polymer therapeutic concepts. We therefore developed a fluorescent turn-on probe that enables direct monitoring of pH-mediated cleavage processes over time. This is achieved by exploiting the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two dyes that have been coupled to a dendritic polymer. We demonstrate the use of this probe to evaluate polymer uptake and intracellular release of cargo in a cell based microplate assay that is suitable for high throughput screening.Fluorescent turn-on probes combined with polymers have a broad range of applications, e.g. for intracellular sensing of ions, small molecules, or DNA. In the field of polymer therapeutics, these probes can be applied to extend the in vitro characterization of novel conjugates beyond cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies. This is particularly true in cases in which polymer conjugates contain drugs attached by cleavable linkers. Better information on the intracellular linker cleavage and drug release would allow a faster evaluation and optimization of novel polymer therapeutic concepts. We therefore developed a fluorescent turn-on probe that enables direct monitoring of pH-mediated cleavage processes over time. This is achieved by exploiting the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between two dyes that have been coupled to a dendritic polymer. We demonstrate the use of this probe to evaluate polymer uptake and intracellular release of cargo in a cell based microplate assay that is suitable for high throughput screening. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Including detailed synthetic procedures of the dye and conjugate synthesis, as well as cellular uptake and inhibitor studies. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04467c

Polythiophene thin films by surface-initiated polymerization: Mechanistic and structural studies

DOE PAGES

Youm, Sang Gil; Hwang, Euiyong; Chavez, Carlos A.; ...

2016-06-15

The ability to control nanoscale morphology and molecular organization in organic semiconducting polymer thin films is an important prerequisite for enhancing the efficiency of organic thin-film devices including organic light-emitting and photovoltaic devices. The current “top-down” paradigm for making such devices is based on utilizing solution-based processing (e.g., spin-casting) of soluble semiconducting polymers. This approach typically provides only modest control over nanoscale molecular organization and polymer chain alignment. A promising alternative to using solutions of presynthesized semiconducting polymers pursues instead a “bottom-up” approach to prepare surface-grafted semiconducting polymer thin films by surface-initiated polymerization of small-molecule monomers. Herein, we describe themore » development of an efficient method to prepare polythiophene thin films utilizing surface-initiated Kumada catalyst transfer polymerization. In this study, we provided evidence that the surface-initiated polymerization occurs by the highly robust controlled (quasi-“living”) chain-growth mechanism. Further optimization of this method enabled reliable preparation of polythiophene thin films with thickness up to 100 nm. Extensive structural studies of the resulting thin films using X-ray and neutron scattering methods as well as ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy revealed detailed information on molecular organization and the bulk morphology of the films, and enabled further optimization of the polymerization protocol. One of the remarkable findings was that surface-initiated polymerization delivers polymer thin films showing complex molecular organization, where polythiophene chains assemble into lateral crystalline domains of about 3.2 nm size, with individual polymer chains folded to form in-plane aligned and densely packed oligomeric segments (7-8 thiophene units per each segment) within each domain. Achieving such a complex mesoscale organization is virtually impossible with traditional methods relying on solution processing of presynthesized polymers. Another significant advantage of surface-confined polymer thin films is their remarkable stability toward organic solvents and other processing conditions. In addition to controlled bulk morphology, uniform molecular organization, and stability, a unique feature of the surface-initiated polymerization is that it can be used for the preparation of large-area uniformly nanopatterned polymer thin films. Lastly, this was demonstrated using a combination of particle lithography and surface-initiated polymerization. In general, surface-initiated polymerization is not limited to polythiophene but can be also expanded toward other classes of semiconducting polymers and copolymers.« less

Studies of mechanisms of decay and recovery in organic dye-doped polymers using spatially resolved white light interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Benjamin; Bernhardt, Elizabeth; Kuzyk, Mark

2012-10-01

Several organic dyes have been shown to self heal when doped in a polymer matrix. Most measurements to date use optical absorbance, amplified spontaneous emission, or digital imaging as a probe. Each method determines a subset of the relevant parameters. We have constructed a white light interferometric microscope, which measures the absorption spectrum and change in refractive index during decay and recovery simultaneously at multiple points in the material. We report on preliminary measurements and results concerning the microscopes spatial resolution.

A Rewritable, Reprogrammable, Dual Light-Responsive Polymer Actuator.

PubMed

Gelebart, Anne Helene; Mulder, Dirk J; Vantomme, Ghislaine; Schenning, Albertus P H J; Broer, Dirk J

2017-10-16

We report on the fabrication of a rewritable and reprogrammable dual-photoresponsive liquid crystalline-based actuator containing an azomerocyanine dye that can be locally converted into the hydroxyazopyridinium form by acid treatment. Each dye absorbs at a different wavelength giving access to programmable actuators, the folding of which can be controlled by using different colors of light. The acidic patterning is reversible and allows the erasing and rewriting of patterns in the polymer film, giving access to reusable, adjustable soft actuators. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Method Of Signal Amplification In Multi-Chromophore Luminescence Sensors

DOEpatents

Levitsky, Igor A.; Krivoshlykov, Sergei G.

2004-02-03

A fluorescence-based method for highly sensitive and selective detection of analyte molecules is proposed. The method employs the energy transfer between two or more fluorescent chromophores in a carefully selected polymer matrix. In one preferred embodiment, signal amplification has been achieved in the fluorescent sensing of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) using two dyes, 3-aminofluoranthene (AM) and Nile Red (NR), in a hydrogen bond acidic polymer matrix. The selected polymer matrix quenches the fluorescence of both dyes and shifts dye emission and absorption spectra relative to more inert matrices. Upon DMMP sorption, the AM fluorescence shifts to the red at the same time the NR absorption shifts to the blue, resulting in better band overlap and increased energy transfer between chromophores. In another preferred embodiment, the sensitive material is incorporated into an optical fiber system enabling efficient excitation of the dye and collecting the fluorescent signal form the sensitive material on the remote end of the system. The proposed method can be applied to multichromophore luminescence sensor systems incorporating N-chromophores leading to N-fold signal amplification and improved selectivity. The method can be used in all applications where highly sensitive detection of basic gases, such as dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), Sarin, Soman and other chemical warfare agents having basic properties, is required, including environmental monitoring, chemical industry and medicine.

Demonstration and Validation of a Fractured Rock Passive Flux Meter

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

Thick continuous lines are stream lines and thin dashed lines are potential lines. Green lines are isochrones, i.e., dye , tracer or contaminant...layer of cloth material impregnated with a visible dye . The core inflates separately from the two end packers to provide a mechanism for holding the one...leaches visible dyes and tracers from the internal and external sorbent layers and produces residual dye and tracer distributions. Visual

Resonance Energy Transfer Studies from Derivatives of Thiophene Substituted 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles to Coumarin-334 Dye in Liquid and Dye-Doped Polymer Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, Lohit; Deshapande, Narahari; Khazi, Imtiyaz Ahamed M.; Malimath, G. H.

2018-02-01

In the present work, we have carried out energy transfer studies using newly synthesised derivatives of thiophene substituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles namely, 2-(-4-(thiophene-3-yl)phenyl)-5-(5-(thiophene-3-yl)thiophene-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole [TTO], 2-(-4-(benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)phenyl)-5-(5-(benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiozole [TBO] and 2-(4-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)phenyl)-5-(5-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole [TMO] as donors and laser dye coumarin-334 as acceptor in ethanol and dye-doped polymer (poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) media following steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. Bimolecular quenching constant ( k q), translation diffusion rate parameter ( k d), diffusion length ( D l), critical transfer distance ( R 0), donor- acceptor distance ( r) and energy transfer efficiency ( E T) are calculated. It is observed that, critical transfer distance is more than the diffusion length for all the pairs. Further, bimolecular quenching constant is also more than the translation diffusion rate parameter. Hence, our experimental findings suggest that overall energy transfer is due to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between donor and acceptor in both the media and for all the pairs. In addition, considerable increase in fluorescence intensity and energy transfer efficiency is observed in dye-doped polymer matrix systems as compared to liquid media. This suggests that, these donor-acceptor pairs doped in PMMA matrix may be used for applications such as energy transfer dye lasers (ETDL) to improve the efficiency and photostability, to enhance tunability and for plastic scintillation detectors.

Nonlinear-optical studies of organic liquids and polymer optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigil, Steven Richard

We present the results of non-resonant optical Kerr effect measurements of the neat organic liquids nitrobenzene, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl-methacrylate. We also present the results of one- photon resonant optical Kerr effect measurements of solutions of the organic dyes indole squarylium and silicon-phthalocyanine:methylmethacrylate (separately) in carbon tetrachloride. Fits of the molecular third-order susceptibility theory to the one-photon resonant data indicate the presence of high-lying two-photon states for each of the dye molecules studied. We also present results concerning light coupling in dye- doped dual-core polymer optical fibers. Measurements of the coupling length at low intensity are in agreement with linear coupling length calculations. Intensity- dependent coupling is observed as the intensity launched into the fiber is increased.

High conversion efficiency distributed feedback laser from a dye-doped holographic transmission grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lijuan; Zhang, Guiyang; Kong, Xiaobo; Liu, Yonggang; Xuan, Li

2018-01-01

A high conversion efficiency distributed feedback (DFB) laser from a dye-doped holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (HPDLC) transmission grating structure was reported. The alignment polyimide (PI) films were used to control the orientation of the phase separated liquid crystals (LCs) to increase the refractive index difference between the LC and the polymer, so it can provide better light feedback. The lasing wavelength located at 645.8 nm near the maximum of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) spectrum with the lowest threshold 0.97 μ J/pulse and the highest conversion efficiency 1.6% was obtained. The laser performance under electric field were also investigated and illustrated. The simple configuration, one-step fabrication organic dye laser shows the potential to realize ultra-low cost plastic lasers.

Fabrication of Natural Sensitizer Extracted from Mixture of Purple Cabbage, Roselle, Wormwood and Seaweed with High Conversion Efficiency for DSSC.

PubMed

Chang, Ho; Lai, Xuan-Rong

2016-02-01

This study aims to deal with the influence of different solvent in extraction of natural sensitizer and different thickness of photoelectrode thin film on the photoelectric conversion efficiency and the electron transport properties for the prepared dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The natural dyes of anthocyanin and chlorophyll dyes are extracted from mixture of purple cabbage and roselle and mixture of wormwood and seaweed, respectively. The experimental results show the cocktail dye extracted with ethanol and rotating speed of spin coating at 1000 rpm can achieve the greatest photoelectric conversion efficiency up to 1.85%. Electrochemical impedance result shows that the effective diffusion coefficient for the prepared DSSC with the thickness of photoelectrode thin film at 21 microm are 5.23 x 10(-4) cm2/s.

Holographic Recording Materials Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verber, C. M.; Schwerzel, R. E.; Perry, P. J.; Craig, R. A.

1976-01-01

Organic photorefractive materials were evaluated for application in a reversible holographic memory system. Representative indigo and thioindigo derivatives and several stilbene derivatives were studied as well as 15, 16-dialkyldihydropyrene derivatives the following goals were achieved: (1) the successful writing of phase holograms in a thioindigo/polymer gel system, (2) the successful writing and erasing of phase holograms in a variety of indigo/polymer gel and indigo/solid polymer systems, and (3) the identification of indigoid dyes and 15, 16-dialkyldihydropyrene derivatives as materials potentially suitable for utilization in an operational system. Photochemical studies of the stilbene, indigo, thioindigo, and dialkyldihydropyrene derivatives in solution and in a variety of polymer matrix materials were conducted with the goal of optimizing the photorefractive behavior of the chemical system as a whole. The spectroscopic properties required of optimal photorefractive materials were identified, and it was shown that both the indigoid dyes and the dialkyldihydropyrenes closely match the required properties.

Photochromic cross-link polymer for color changing and sensing surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Richard; Shi, Jianmin; Forsythe, Eric; Srour, Merric

2016-12-01

Photochromic cross-link polymers were developed using patented ultraviolet (UV) photoinitiator and commercial photochromic dyes. The photochromic dyes have been characterized by measuring absorbance before and after UV activation using UV-visible (Vis) spectrometry with varying activation intensities and wavelengths. Photochromic cross-link polymers were characterized by a dynamic xenon and UV light activation and fading system. The curing processes on cloth were established and tested to obtain effective photochromic responses. Both PulseForge photonic curing and PulseForge plus heat surface curing processes had much better photochromic responses (18% to 19%, 16% to 25%, respectively) than the xenon lamp treatment (8%). The newly developed photochromic cross-link polymer showed remarkable coloration contrasts and fast and comparable coloration and fading rates. Those intelligent, controlled color changing and sensing capabilities will be used on flexible and "drapeable" surfaces, which will incorporate ultra-low power sensors, sensor indicators, and identifiers.

Laser performance of Coumarin 540A dye molecules in polymeric host media with different viscosities: From liquid solution to solid polymer matrix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Costela, A.; Garcia-Moreno, I.; Barroso, J.

1998-01-01

Photophysical parameters and lasing properties of Coumarin 540A dye molecules are studied in solutions of increasing viscosity, from liquid solutions in 1,4-dioxane to solid solutions in poly(methyl methacrylate). The fluorescence quantum yield and lasing efficiencies decrease as the viscosity of the solution increases, reflecting the strong influence of the rigidity of the medium on the radiative processes. The photodegradation mechanisms acting on the fluorophores are analyzed by following the dependence of laser induced fluorescence and laser output on the number of pump laser pulses. The fluorescence redistribution after pattern photobleaching technique is used, and Fick{close_quote}s second law is applied tomore » study the diffusion of dye molecules in the highly viscous polymer solutions. The diffusion coefficients of the dye molecules as a function of the increased viscosity of the medium are determined. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Semiconductor-nanocrystal/conjugated polymer thin films

DOEpatents

Alivisatos, A. Paul; Dittmer, Janke J.; Huynh, Wendy U.; Milliron, Delia

2014-06-17

The invention described herein provides for thin films and methods of making comprising inorganic semiconductor-nanocrystals dispersed in semiconducting-polymers in high loading amounts. The invention also describes photovoltaic devices incorporating the thin films.

Semiconductor-nanocrystal/conjugated polymer thin films

DOEpatents

Alivisatos, A. Paul; Dittmer, Janke J.; Huynh, Wendy U.; Milliron, Delia

2010-08-17

The invention described herein provides for thin films and methods of making comprising inorganic semiconductor-nanocrystals dispersed in semiconducting-polymers in high loading amounts. The invention also describes photovoltaic devices incorporating the thin films.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric analysis of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells: comparison of in situ photoelectrochemical polymerization in aqueous micellar and organic media.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinbao; Ellis, Hanna; Yang, Lei; Johansson, Erik M J; Boschloo, Gerrit; Vlachopoulos, Nick; Hagfeldt, Anders; Bergquist, Jonas; Shevchenko, Denys

2015-04-07

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (sDSCs) are devoid of such issues as electrolyte evaporation or leakage and electrode corrosion, which are typical for traditional liquid electrolyte-based DSCs. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is one of the most popular and efficient p-type conducting polymers that are used in sDSCs as a solid-state hole-transporting material. The most convenient way to deposit this insoluble polymer into the dye-sensitized mesoporous working electrode is in situ photoelectrochemical polymerization. Apparently, the structure and the physicochemical properties of the generated conducting polymer, which determine the photovoltaic performance of the corresponding solar cell, can be significantly affected by the preparation conditions. Therefore, a simple and fast analytical method that can reveal information on polymer chain length, possible chemical modifications, and impurities is strongly required for the rapid development of efficient solar energy-converting devices. In this contribution, we applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) for the analysis of PEDOT directly on sDSCs. It was found that the PEDOT generated in aqueous micellar medium possesses relatively shorter polymeric chains than the PEDOT deposited from an organic medium. Furthermore, the micellar electrolyte promotes a transformation of one of the thiophene terminal units to thiophenone. The introduction of a carbonyl group into the PEDOT molecule impedes the growth of the polymer chain and reduces the conductivity of the final polymer film. Both the simplicity of sample preparation (only application of the organic matrix onto the solar cell is needed) and the rapidity of analysis hold the promise of making MALDI MS an essential tool for the physicochemical characterization of conducting polymer-based sDSCs.

Comparative study on deposition of fluorine-doped tin dioxide thin films by conventional and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis methods for dye-sensitized solar modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Icli, Kerem Cagatay; Kocaoglu, Bahadir Can; Ozenbas, Macit

2018-01-01

Fluorine-doped tin dioxide (FTO) thin films were produced via conventional spray pyrolysis and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) methods using alcohol-based solutions. The prepared films were compared in terms of crystal structure, morphology, surface roughness, visible light transmittance, and electronic properties. Upon investigation of the grain structures and morphologies, the films prepared using ultrasonic spray method provided relatively larger grains and due to this condition, carrier mobilities of these films exhibited slightly higher values. Dye-sensitized solar cells and 10×10 cm modules were prepared using commercially available and USP-deposited FTO/glass substrates, and solar performances were compared. It is observed that there exists no remarkable efficiency difference for both cells and modules, where module efficiency of the USP-deposited FTO glass substrates is 3.06% compared to commercial substrate giving 2.85% under identical conditions. We demonstrated that USP deposition is a low cost and versatile method of depositing commercial quality FTO thin films on large substrates employed in large area dye-sensitized solar modules or other thin film technologies.

Near-infrared optical-absorption behavior in high-beta nonlinear optical chromophore-polymer guest-host materials. II. Dye spacer length effects in an amorphous polycarbonate copolymer host

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barto, Richard R.; Frank, Curtis W.; Bedworth, Peter V.; Ermer, Susan; Taylor, Rebecca E.

2005-06-01

In the second of a three-part series, spectral absorption behavior of nonlinear optical (NLO) dyes incorporated into amorphous polycarbonate, comprised of a homologous series of dialkyl spacer groups extending from the midsection of the dye molecule, is characterized by UV-Vis and photothermal deflection spectroscopy. The dyes are structural analogs of the NLO dye FTC [2-(3-cyano-4-{2-[5-(2-{4-[ethyl-(2-methoxyethyl)amino]phenyl}vinyl)-3,4-diethylthiophen-2-yl]vinyl}-5,5-dimethyl-5H-furan-2-ylidene)malononitrile]. Previous Monte Carlo calculations [B. H. Robinson and L. R. Dalton, J. Phys. Chem. A 104, 4785 (2000)] predict a strong dependence of the macroscopic nonlinear optical susceptibility on the chromophore waist: length aspect ratio in electric-field-poled films arising from interactions between chromophores. It is expected that these interactions will play a role in the absorption characteristics of unpoled films, as well. The spacer groups range in length from diethyl to dihexyl, and each dye is studied over a wide range of concentrations. Among the four dyes studied, a universal dependence of near-IR loss on inhomogeneous broadening of the dye main absorption peak is found. The inhomogeneous width and its concentration dependence are seen to vary with spacer length in a manner characteristic of the near-IR loss-concentration slope at transmission wavelengths of 1.06 and 1.3μm, but not at 1.55μm. The lower wavelength loss behavior is assigned to purely Gaussian broadening, and is described by classical mixing thermodynamic quantities based on the Marcus theory of inhomogeneous broadening [R. A. Marcus, J. Chem. Phys. 43, 1261 (1965)], modeled as a convolution of dye-dye dipole broadening and dye-polymer van der Waals broadening. The Gaussian dipole interactions follow a Loring dipole-broadening description [R. F. Loring, J. Phys. Chem. 94, 513 (1990)] dominated by the excited-state dipole moment, and have a correlated homogeneous broadening contribution. The long-wavelength loss behavior has a non-Gaussian dye-dye dipole contribution which follows Kador's broadening analysis [L. Kador, J. Chem. Phys. 95, 5574 (1991)], with a net broadening described by a convolution of this term with a Gaussian van der Waals interaction given by Obata et al. [M. Obata, S. Machida, and K. Horie, J. Polym. Sci. B 37, 2173 (1999)], with each term governed by the dye spacer length. A minimum in broadening and loss-concentration slope at a spacer length of four carbons per alkyl at all wavelengths has important consequences for practical waveguide devices, and is of higher aspect ratio than the spherical limit shown by Robinson and Dalton to minimize dipole interactions under a poling field.

Confinement induced densification in supported unentangled polymer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradipkanti, L.; Satapathy, Dillip K.

2017-05-01

We report the densification phenomena inunentangled and low-molecular weight polystyrene (PS) thin films supported on solid substrates having thickness from 25 nm to 230 nm. The mass density of the thin polymer films were extracted from X-ray reflectivity profiles and also from the refractive index by using Clausius and Mossotti equation. The mass densityof polymeris found to increasesignificantly with decrease in film thickness below ten times the radius of gyration of the polymer. The net increase in mass density of the polymer film upon reduction in thickness is discussed in terms of three-layer model and the presence of unentangled polymer chains. We conjecture that, the densification of ultra-thin polymer films can strongly alter the polymer conformations at film/substrate interface.

Polydiacetylene-enclosed near-infrared fluorescent semiconducting polymer dots for bioimaging and sensing.

PubMed

Wu, Pei-Jing; Kuo, Shih-Yu; Huang, Ya-Chi; Chen, Chuan-Pin; Chan, Yang-Hsiang

2014-05-20

Semiconducting polymer dots (P-dots) recently have emerged as a new type of ultrabright fluorescent probe with promising applications in biological imaging and detection. With the increasing desire for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescing probes for in vivo biological measurements, the currently available NIR-emitting P-dots are very limited and the leaching of the encapsulated dyes/polymers has usually been a concern. To address this challenge, we first embedded the NIR dyes into the matrix of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-co-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-co-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PF-BT-DBT) polymer and then enclosed the doped P-dots with polydiacetylenes (PDAs) to avoid potential leakage of the entrapped NIR dyes from the P-dot matrix. These PDA-enclosed NIR-emitting P-dots not only emitted much stronger NIR fluorescence than conventional organic molecules but also exhibited enhanced photostability over CdTe quantum dots, free NIR dyes, and gold nanoclusters. We next conjugated biomolecules onto the surface of the resulting P-dots and demonstrated their capability for specific cellular labeling without any noticeable nonspecific binding. To employ this new class of material as a facile sensing platform, an easy-to-prepare test paper, obtained by soaking the paper into the PDA-enclosed NIR-emitting P-dot solution, was used to sense external stimuli such as ions, temperature, or pH, depending on the surface functionalization of PDAs. We believe these PDA-coated NIR-fluorescing P-dots will be very useful in a variety of bioimaging and analytical applications.

Chemical vapor deposition and characterization of polysilanes polymer based thin films and their applications in compound semiconductors and silicon devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oulachgar, El Hassane

As the semiconductors industry is moving toward nanodevices, there is growing need to develop new materials and thin films deposition processes which could enable strict control of the atomic composition and structure of thin film materials in order to achieve precise control on their electrical and optical properties. The accurate control of thin film characteristics will become increasingly important as the miniaturization of semiconductor devices continue. There is no doubt that chemical synthesis of new materials and their self assembly will play a major role in the design and fabrication of next generation semiconductor devices. The objective of this work is to investigate the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process of thin film using a polymeric precursor as a source material. This process offers many advantages including low deposition cost, hazard free working environment, and most importantly the ability to customize the polymer source material through polymer synthesis and polymer functionalization. The combination between polymer synthesis and CVD process will enable the design of new generation of complex thin film materials with a wide range of improved chemical, mechanical, electrical and optical properties which cannot be easily achieved through conventional CVD processes based on gases and small molecule precursors. In this thesis we mainly focused on polysilanes polymers and more specifically poly(dimethylsilanes). The interest in these polymers is motivated by their distinctive electronic and photonic properties which are attributed to the delocalization of the sigma-electron along the Si-Si backbone chain. These characteristics make polysilane polymers very promising in a broad range of applications as a dielectric, a semiconductor and a conductor. The polymer-based CVD process could be eventually extended to other polymer source materials such as polygermanes, as well as and a variety of other inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic polymers. This work has demonstrated that a polysilane polymeric source can be used to deposit a wide range of thin film materials exhibiting similar properties with conventional ceramic materials such as silicon carbide (SiC), silicon oxynitride (SiON), silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) silicon dioxide (SiO2) and silicon nitride (Si3N4). The strict control of the deposition process allows precise control of the electrical, optical and chemical properties of polymer-based thin films within a broad range. This work has also demonstrated for the first time that poly(dimethylsilmaes) polymers deposited by CVD can be used to effectively passivate both silicon and gallium arsenide MOS devices. This finding makes polymer-based thin films obtained by CVD very promising for the development of high-kappa dielectric materials for next generation high-mobility CMOS technology. Keywords. Thin films, Polymers, Vapor Phase Deposition, CVD, Nanodielectrics, Organosilanes, Polysilanes, GaAs Passivation, MOSFET, Silicon Oxynitride, Integrated Waveguide, Silicon Carbide, Compound Semiconductors.

Preparation of lysine-decorated polymer-brush-grafted magnetic nanocomposite for the efficient and selective adsorption of organic dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Shiyao; Wang, Xin; Tan, Yebang

2018-05-01

A novel magnetic nanocomposite (Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4) containing amphoteric polymer brushes was synthesized by combining surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization and lysine modification. The chemical structure of Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4 was confirmed by multiple methods, such as FT-IR, TGA, elemental analysis. The core-brush morphology was clearly observed by transmission electron microscopy. Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4 was then used to selectively and efficiently adsorb hazardous dyes. Adsorption results showed that Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4 had considerable adsorption capacity (0.54 and 0.85 mmol·g-1 for LY and MEB, respectively) and rapid adsorption rate (within 10 min), which can be attributed to the nanosize and abundant adsorptive polymer brushes. The selective adsorption of a mixture of lemon yellow (pH = 4.0) and methylene blue (pH = 10.0) was achieved through the amphoteric polymer brushes. Similar to traditional adsorbent materials, Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4 also showed easy magnet-assisted separation property. Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4 adsorbent can also be regenerated to reduce application cost. Overall, results demonstrated that Lys-PGMA@Fe3O4 nanocomposite was an excellent adsorbent material for removing dye pollutants from wastewater.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Youm, Sang Gil; Hwang, Euiyong; Chavez, Carlos A.

The ability to control nanoscale morphology and molecular organization in organic semiconducting polymer thin films is an important prerequisite for enhancing the efficiency of organic thin-film devices including organic light-emitting and photovoltaic devices. The current “top-down” paradigm for making such devices is based on utilizing solution-based processing (e.g., spin-casting) of soluble semiconducting polymers. This approach typically provides only modest control over nanoscale molecular organization and polymer chain alignment. A promising alternative to using solutions of presynthesized semiconducting polymers pursues instead a “bottom-up” approach to prepare surface-grafted semiconducting polymer thin films by surface-initiated polymerization of small-molecule monomers. Herein, we describe themore » development of an efficient method to prepare polythiophene thin films utilizing surface-initiated Kumada catalyst transfer polymerization. In this study, we provided evidence that the surface-initiated polymerization occurs by the highly robust controlled (quasi-“living”) chain-growth mechanism. Further optimization of this method enabled reliable preparation of polythiophene thin films with thickness up to 100 nm. Extensive structural studies of the resulting thin films using X-ray and neutron scattering methods as well as ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy revealed detailed information on molecular organization and the bulk morphology of the films, and enabled further optimization of the polymerization protocol. One of the remarkable findings was that surface-initiated polymerization delivers polymer thin films showing complex molecular organization, where polythiophene chains assemble into lateral crystalline domains of about 3.2 nm size, with individual polymer chains folded to form in-plane aligned and densely packed oligomeric segments (7-8 thiophene units per each segment) within each domain. Achieving such a complex mesoscale organization is virtually impossible with traditional methods relying on solution processing of presynthesized polymers. Another significant advantage of surface-confined polymer thin films is their remarkable stability toward organic solvents and other processing conditions. In addition to controlled bulk morphology, uniform molecular organization, and stability, a unique feature of the surface-initiated polymerization is that it can be used for the preparation of large-area uniformly nanopatterned polymer thin films. Lastly, this was demonstrated using a combination of particle lithography and surface-initiated polymerization. In general, surface-initiated polymerization is not limited to polythiophene but can be also expanded toward other classes of semiconducting polymers and copolymers.« less

The effect of confinement on the crystalline microstructure of polymer: fullerene bulk heterojunctions

DOE PAGES

Ashraf, A.; Dissanayake, D. M. N. M.; Eisaman, M. D.

2015-07-01

We investigate the effect of confinement on the coherence length and the crystalline microstructure of the polymer component of polymer: fullerene bulk heterojunction thin films using grazing incidence wide angle x-ray scattering. We find that the polymer crystallite size decreases and the alignment of the molecules along the surface normal increases, as the thin-film thickness is reduced from 920nm to < 20nm and approaches the thin-film confinement regime. Furthermore, we find that the polymer crystallite size near the surface (air interface) is lower than the crystallite size in the bulk or the bottom (substrate interface) of bulk heterojunction films thickermore » than the confinement regime. Variation in polymer crystallite size can cause changes in charge carrier mobility and recombination rates, which in turn affect the performance of bulk heterojunction thin film devices such as photovoltaics and photodetectors« less

Time-dependent efficiency measurements of donor-acceptor, dye-sensitized polymer solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandaccari, Kyle; Chesmore, Grace; Tajalli-Tehrani Valverde, Parisa; Bugaj, Mitchel; McNelis, Brian; Barber, Richard, Jr.

The fullerene/polymer active layer pairing of PCBM/P3HT has become the model system within the field of polymer solar cell research. A large body of work concerned with reporting improved efficiencies for this system exists, but truly quantitative studies of device lifetime and long-term degradation tendencies are much rarer. Here, we report the effects of two donor-acceptor diazo dye sensitizers on efficiency and lifetime upon addition into the PCBM/P3HT active layer at varied concentrations. The electrical and efficiency measurements were supplemented by time-dependent UV-visible spectroscopy studies and morphology investigations via atomic-force microscopy (AFM). This pairing with spectroscopy offers an internal check on the data as the rate of change in absorbance of the active layer correlates almost exactly to the rate of power conversion efficiency decrease. Additionally, AFM imaging reveals different morphology patterns when dye concentrations and functionalities change. Such observations suggest that such small-molecule sensitizers exert yet undetermined effects on the organization of components within the active layer at the molecular level.

Composition and method of preparation of solid state dye laser rods

DOEpatents

Hermes, Robert E.

1992-01-01

The present invention includes solid polymeric-host laser rods prepared using bulk polymerization of acrylic acid ester comonomers which, when admixed with dye(s) capable of supporting laser oscillation and polymerized with a free radical initiator under mild thermal conditions, produce a solid product having the preferred properties for efficient lasing. Unsaturated polymerizable laser dyes can also be employed as one of the comonomers. Additionally, a method is disclosed which alleviates induced optical stress without having to anneal the polymers at elevated temperatures (>85.degree. C.).

Ternary semitransparent organic solar cells with a laminated top electrode

PubMed Central

Makha, Mohammed; Testa, Paolo; Anantharaman, Surendra Babu; Heier, Jakob; Jenatsch, Sandra; Leclaire, Nicolas; Tisserant, Jean-Nicolas; Véron, Anna C.; Wang, Lei; Nüesch, Frank; Hany, Roland

2017-01-01

Abstract Tinted and colour-neutral semitransparent organic photovoltaic elements are of interest for building-integrated applications in windows, on glass roofs or on facades. We demonstrate a semitransparent organic photovoltaic cell with a dry-laminated top electrode that achieves a uniform average visible transmittance of 51% and a power conversion efficiency of 3%. The photo-active material is based on a majority blend composed of a visibly absorbing donor polymer and a fullerene acceptor, to which a selective near-infrared absorbing cyanine dye is added as a minority component. Our results show that organic ternary blends are attractive for the fabrication of semitransparent solar cells in general, because a guest component with a complementary absorption can compensate for the inevitably reduced current generation capability of a high-performing binary blend when applied as a thin, semitransparent film. PMID:28179960

Ternary semitransparent organic solar cells with a laminated top electrode.

PubMed

Makha, Mohammed; Testa, Paolo; Anantharaman, Surendra Babu; Heier, Jakob; Jenatsch, Sandra; Leclaire, Nicolas; Tisserant, Jean-Nicolas; Véron, Anna C; Wang, Lei; Nüesch, Frank; Hany, Roland

2017-01-01

Tinted and colour-neutral semitransparent organic photovoltaic elements are of interest for building-integrated applications in windows, on glass roofs or on facades. We demonstrate a semitransparent organic photovoltaic cell with a dry-laminated top electrode that achieves a uniform average visible transmittance of 51% and a power conversion efficiency of 3%. The photo-active material is based on a majority blend composed of a visibly absorbing donor polymer and a fullerene acceptor, to which a selective near-infrared absorbing cyanine dye is added as a minority component. Our results show that organic ternary blends are attractive for the fabrication of semitransparent solar cells in general, because a guest component with a complementary absorption can compensate for the inevitably reduced current generation capability of a high-performing binary blend when applied as a thin, semitransparent film.

Ternary semitransparent organic solar cells with a laminated top electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makha, Mohammed; Testa, Paolo; Anantharaman, Surendra Babu; Heier, Jakob; Jenatsch, Sandra; Leclaire, Nicolas; Tisserant, Jean-Nicolas; Véron, Anna C.; Wang, Lei; Nüesch, Frank; Hany, Roland

2017-12-01

Tinted and colour-neutral semitransparent organic photovoltaic elements are of interest for building-integrated applications in windows, on glass roofs or on facades. We demonstrate a semitransparent organic photovoltaic cell with a dry-laminated top electrode that achieves a uniform average visible transmittance of 51% and a power conversion efficiency of 3%. The photo-active material is based on a majority blend composed of a visibly absorbing donor polymer and a fullerene acceptor, to which a selective near-infrared absorbing cyanine dye is added as a minority component. Our results show that organic ternary blends are attractive for the fabrication of semitransparent solar cells in general, because a guest component with a complementary absorption can compensate for the inevitably reduced current generation capability of a high-performing binary blend when applied as a thin, semitransparent film.

Compact Ozone Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) Transmitter Using Solid-State Dye Polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Alton L., Jr.; DeYoung, Russell J.; Elsayid-Ele, Hani

2001-01-01

A new potential DIAL laser transmitter is described that uses solid-state dye laser materials to make a simpler, more compact, lower mass laser system. Two solid-state dye laser materials were tested to evaluate their performance in a laser oscillator cavity end pumped by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm. The polymer host polymethyl-methacrylate was injected with a pyrromethene laser dye, PM 580, or PM 597. A narrowband laser oscillator cavity was constructed to produce visible wavelengths of 578 and 600 nm which were frequency doubled into the UV region (299 or 300 nm) by using a BBO crystal, resulting in a maximum energy of 11 mJ at a wavelength of 578 nm when pumped by the Nd:YAG laser at an energy of 100 mJ (532 nm). A maximum output energy of 378 microJ was achieved in the UV region at a wavelength of 289 nm but lasted only 2000 laser shots at a repetition rate of 10 Hz. The results are promising and show that a solid-state dye laser based ozone DIAL system is possible with improvements in the design of the laser transmitter.

The effect of polymer architecture on the interdiffusion in thin polymer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caglayan, Ayse; Yuan, Guangcui; Satija, Sushil K.; Uhrig, David; Hong, Kunlun; Akgun, Bulent

Branched polymer chains have been traditionally used in industrial applications as additives. Recently they have found applications in electrochromic displays, lithography, biomedical coatings and targeting multidrug resistant bacteria. In some of these applications where they are confined in thin layers, it is important to understand the relation between the mobility and polymer chain architecture to optimize the processing conditions. Earlier interdiffusion measurements on linear and cyclic polymer chains demonstrated the key role of chain architecture on mobility. We have determined the vertical diffusion coefficients of the star polystyrene chains in thin films as a function of number of polymer arms, molecular weight per arm, and film thickness using neutron reflectivity (NR) and compare our results with linear chains of identical total molecular weight. Bilayer samples of 4-arm and 8-arm protonated polystyrenes (hPS) and deuterated polystyrenes (dPS) were used to elucidate the effect of polymer chain architecture on polymer diffusion. NR measurements indicate that the mobility of polymer chains in thin films get faster as the number of polymer arms increases and the arm molecular weight decreases. Both star polymers showed faster interdiffusion compared to their linear analog. Diffusion coefficient of branched PS chains has a weak dependence on the film thickness.

Phase equilibria in polymer-blend thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarke, Nigel; Souche, Mireille

2010-03-01

To describe equilibrium concentration profiles in thin films of polymer mixtures, we propose a Hamiltonian formulation of the Flory-Huggins-de Gennes theory describing a polymer blend thin film. We first focus on the case of 50:50 polymer blends confined between anti-symmetric walls. The different phases of the system and the transitions between them, including finite size effects, are systematically studied through their relation with the geometry of the Hamiltonian flow in phase space. This method provides an easy and efficient way, with strong graphical insight, to infer the qualitative physical behavior of polymer blend thin films. The addition of a further degree of freedom in the system, namely a solvent, may result in a chaotic behavior of the system, characterized by the existence of solutions with exponential sensitivity to initial conditions. Such solutions and there subsequent contribution to the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of the system are well described in Hamiltonian formalism. A fully consistent treatment of the Flory-Huggins-de Gennes theory of thin film polymer blend solutions, in the spirit of the Hamiltonian approach will be presented. 1. M. Souche and N. Clarke, J. Chem. Phys., submitted.

Water-induced phase separation of miconazole-poly (vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) amorphous solid dispersions: Insights with confocal fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Saboo, Sugandha; Taylor, Lynne S

2017-08-30

The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) to study the water-induced phase separation of miconazole-poly (vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (mico-PVPVA) amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), induced during preparation, upon storage at high relative humidity (RH) and during dissolution. Different fluorescent dyes were added to drug-polymer films and the location of the dyes was evaluated using CFM. Orthogonal techniques, in particular atomic force microscopy (AFM) coupled with nanoscale infrared spectroscopy (AFM-nanoIR), were used to provide additional analysis of the drug-polymer blends. The initial miscibility of mico-PVPVA ASDs prepared under low humidity conditions was confirmed by AFM-nanoIR. CFM enabled rapid identification of drug-rich and polymer-rich phases in phase separated films prepared under high humidity conditions. The identity of drug- and polymer-rich domains was confirmed using AFM-nanoIR imaging and localized IR spectroscopy, together with Lorentz contact resonance (LCR) measurements. The CFM technique was then utilized successfully to further investigate phase separation in mico-PVPVA films exposed to high RH storage and to visualize phase separation dynamics following film immersion in buffer. CFM is thus a promising new approach to study the phase behavior of ASDs, utilizing drug and polymer specific dyes to visualize the evolution of heterogeneity in films exposed to water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Room temperature rubbing for few-layer two-dimensional thin flakes directly on flexible polymer substrates

PubMed Central

Yu, Yan; Jiang, Shenglin; Zhou, Wenli; Miao, Xiangshui; Zeng, Yike; Zhang, Guangzu; Liu, Sisi

2013-01-01

The functional layers of few-layer two-dimensional (2-D) thin flakes on flexible polymers for stretchable applications have attracted much interest. However, most fabrication methods are “indirect” processes that require transfer steps. Moreover, previously reported “transfer-free” methods are only suitable for graphene and not for other few-layer 2-D thin flakes. Here, a friction based room temperature rubbing method is proposed for fabricating different types of few-layer 2-D thin flakes (graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), and tungsten disulphide (WS2)) on flexible polymer substrates. Commercial 2-D raw materials (graphite, h-BN, MoS2, and WS2) that contain thousands of atom layers were used. After several minutes, different types of few-layer 2-D thin flakes were fabricated directly on the flexible polymer substrates by rubbing procedures at room temperature and without any transfer step. These few-layer 2-D thin flakes strongly adhere to the flexible polymer substrates. This strong adhesion is beneficial for future applications. PMID:24045289

An application of polymer-enhanced capillary transient isotachophoresis with an emissive boronic acid functionalized squarylium dye as an on-capillary labeling agent for gram-positive bacteria.

PubMed

Saito, Shingo; Maeda, Takeshi; Nakazumi, Hiroyuki; Colyer, Christa L

2013-01-01

In this paper, the characterization and application of the "PectI" (polymer-enhanced capillary transient isotachophoresis) technique for the separation and detection of same genus, gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus globigii (Bg) and Bacillus subtilis, is demonstrated by employing a boronic acid-functionalized squarylium dye (SQ-BA) as an on-capillary labeling agent, including the quantitative performance and applicability to crude samples. The effect of borate in the separation buffer was also investigated, which revealed that borate strongly affects the separation behavior of bacteria.

75 FR 11403 - Certain New Chemicals; Receipt and Status Information

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-10

... ferrite P-09-0583 01/14/10 12/16/09 (G) Anthraquinone acid dye salt P-09-0584 01/14/10 12/16/09 (G) Copper phthalocyanine direct dye salt P-09-0585 12/07/09 11/20/09 (G) Polymer of aliphatic cyclic methacrylic acid and...

A Polymer Electrolyte for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on a Poly(Polyvinylidenefluoride-Co-Hexafluoropropylene)/Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose Blend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Won, Lee Ji; Kim, Jae Hong; Thogiti, Suresh

2018-05-01

A novel polymer blend electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was synthesized by quasi-solidifying a liquid-based electrolyte containing an iodide/triiodide redox couple and supporting salts with a mixture of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and indigenous hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). A high ionic conductivity of 8.8 × 10-4 S cm-1 was achieved after introducing 5 wt% of HPMC with respect to the weight of PVDH-HFP. DSSCs were fabricated using gel polymer blend electrolytes, and the J-V characteristics of the fabricated devices were analyzed. Under optimal conditions, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of cells with the novel HPMC-blended gel electrolyte (5.34%) was significantly greater than that of cells without HPMC (3.97%).

Fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using annato seeds (Bixa orellana Linn)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haryanto, Ditia Allindira; Landuma, Suarni; Purwanto, Agus

2014-02-24

The Fabrication of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using Annato seeds has been conducted in this study. Annato seeds (Bixa orellana Linn) used as a sensitizer for dye sensitized solar cell. The experimental parameter was concentration of natural dye. Annato seeds was extracted using etanol solution and the concentration was controlled by varying mass of Annato seeds. A semiconductor TiO{sub 2} was prepared by a screen printing method for coating glass use paste of TiO{sub 2}. Construction DSSC used layered systems (sandwich) consists of working electrode (TiO{sub 2} semiconductor-dye) and counter electrode (platina). Both are placed on conductive glass andmore » electrolytes that occur electrons cycle. The characterization of thin layer of TiO{sub 2} was conducted using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscpy) analysis showed the surface morphology of TiO{sub 2} thin layer and the cross section of a thin layer of TiO{sub 2} with a thickness of 15–19 μm. Characterization of natural dye extract was determined using UV-Vis spectrometry analysis shows the wavelength range annato seeds is 328–515 nm, and the voltage (V{sub oc}) and electric current (I{sub sc}) resulted in keithley test for 30 gram, 40 gram, and 50 gram were 0,4000 V; 0,4251 V; 0,4502 V and 0,000074 A; 0,000458 A; 0,000857 A, respectively. The efficiencies of the fabricated solar cells using annato seeds as senstizer for each varying mass are 0,00799%, 0,01237%, and 0,05696%.« less

Enhancing the color gamut of white displays using novel deep-blue organic fluorescent dyes to form color-changed thin films with improved efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei-Ting; Huang, Wen-Yao

2012-10-01

This study used the novel fluorescence based deep-blue-emitting molecule BPVPDA in an organic fluorescent color thin film to exhibit deep blue color with CIE coordinates of (0.13, 0.16). The developed original organic RGB color thin film technology enables the optimization of the distinctive features of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) and thin-film-transistor (TFT) LCD display. The color filter structure maintains the same high resolution to obtain a higher level of brightness in comparison with conventional organic RGB color thin film. The image-processing engine is designed to achieve a sharp text image for a TFT LCD with organic color thin films. The organic color thin films structure uses an organic dye dopant in a limpid photoresist. With this technology, the following characteristics can be obtained: 1. high color reproduction of gamut ratio, and 2. improved luminous efficiency with organic color fluorescent thin film. This performance is among the best results ever reported for a color-filter used on TFT-LCD or OLED.

Enhancing the color gamut of white displays using novel deep-blue organic fluorescent dyes to form color-changed thin films with improved efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wei-ting; Huang, Wen-Yao

2012-06-01

This study used novel fluorescence based deep-blue-emitting molecules, namely BPVPDA, an organic fluorescence color thin film using BPVPDA exhibit deep blue fluorine with CIE coordinates of (0.13,0.16). The developed original Organic RGB color thin film technology enables the optimization of the distinctive features of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) and (TFT) LCD display. The color filter structure maintains the same high resolution to obtain a higher level of brightness, in comparison with conventional organic RGB color thin film. The image-processing engine is designed to achieve a sharp text image for a thin-film-transistor (TFT) LCD with organic color thin films. The organic color thin films structure uses organic dye dopent in limpid photo resist. With this technology , the following characteristics can be obtained: (1) high color reproduction of gamut ratio, and (2) improved luminous efficiency with organic color fluorescence thin film. This performance is among the best results ever reported for a color-filter used on TFT-LCD and OLED.

Phase equilibria in polymer blend thin films: A Hamiltonian approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souche, M.; Clarke, N.

2009-12-01

We propose a Hamiltonian formulation of the Flory-Huggins-de Gennes theory describing a polymer blend thin film. We then focus on the case of 50:50 polymer blends confined between antisymmetric walls. The different phases of the system and the transitions between them, including finite-size effects, are systematically studied through their relation with the geometry of the Hamiltonian flow in phase space. This method provides an easy and efficient way, with strong graphical insight, to infer the qualitative physical behavior of polymer blend thin films.

Molecular separations using nanostructured porous thin films fabricated by glancing angle deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezuidenhout, Louis Wentzel

Biomolecular separation techniques are an enabling technology that indirectly in.uence many aspects of our lives. Advances have led to faster analyses, reduced costs, higher specificity, and new analytical techniques, impacting areas such as health care, environmental monitoring, polymer sciences, agriculture, and nutrition. Further development of separations technology is anticipated to follow the path of computing technology such that miniaturization through the development of microfluidics technology, lab-on-a-chip systems, and other integrative, multi-component systems will further extend our analysis capabilities. Creation of new and improvement of existing separation technologies is an integral part of the pathway to miniaturized systems. the work of this thesis investigates molecular separations using porous nanostructured films fabricated by the thin film process glancing angle deposition (GLAD). Structural architecture, pore size and shape, and film density can be finely controlled to produce high-surface area thin films with engineered morphology. The characteristic size scales and structural control of GLAD films are well-suited to biomolecules and separation techniques, motivating investigation into the utility and performance of GLAD films for biomolecular separations. This project consisted of three phases. First, chromatographic separation of dye molecules on silica GLAD films was demonstrated by thin layer chromatography Direct control of film nanostructure altered the separation characteristics; most strikingly, anisotropic structures provided two-dimensional analyte migration. Second, nanostructures made with GLAD were integrated in PDMS microfluidic channels using a sacrificial etching process; DNA molecules (10/48 kbp and 6/10/20 kbp mixtures) were electrophoretically separated on a microfluidic chip using a porous bed of SiO2 vertical posts. Third, mass spectrometry of proteins and drugs in the mass range of 100-1300 m/z was performed using laser desorption/ionization (LDI) on silicon GLAD films, and the influence of film thickness, porosity, structure, and substrate on performance was characterized. The application of GLAD nanostructured thin films to biomolecular separations is demonstrated and validated in this thesis. Chromatographic separation of dye molecules, electrophoretic separation of DNA molecules, and mass spectrometric isolation of small proteins and drug molecules by laser desorption ionization were demonstrated using GLAD films. All three methods yielded promising results and establish GLAD as a potential technology for biomolecular separations.

Comparison of Hydrazone Heterobifunctional Crosslinking Agents for Reversible Conjugation of Thiol-Containing Chemistry

PubMed Central

Christie, R. James; Anderson, Diana J.; Grainger, David W.

2010-01-01

Reversible covalent conjugation chemistries that allow site- and condition-specific coupling and uncoupling reactions are attractive components in nanotechnologies, bioconjugation methods, imaging and drug delivery systems. Here, we compare three heterobifunctional crosslinkers, containing both thiol- and amine- reactive chemistry, to form pH-labile hydrazones with hydrazide derivatives of the known and often published water-soluble polymer, poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylamide)] (pHPMA), while subsequently coupling thiol-containing molecules to the crosslinker via maleimide addition. Two novel crosslinkers were prepared from the popular heterobifunctional crosslinking agent, succinimidyl-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC), modified to contain either terminal aldehyde groups (i.e., 1-(N-3-propanal)-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane carboxamide, PMCA) or methylketone groups (i.e., 1-(N-3-butanone)-4-(N-maleimidomethyl) cyclohexane carboxamide, BMCA). A third crosslinking agent was the commercially available N-4-acetylphenyl maleimide (APM). PMCA and BMCA exhibited excellent reactivity towards hydrazide-derivatized pHPMA with essentially complete hydrazone conjugation to polymer reactive sites, while APM coupled only ~ 60% of available reactive sites on the polymer despite a 3-fold molar excess relative to polymer hydrazide groups. All polymer hydrazone conjugates bearing these bifunctional agents were then further reacted with thiol-modified tetramethylrhodamine dye, confirming crosslinker maleimide reactivity after initial hydrazone polymer conjugation. Incubation of dye-labeled polymer conjugates in phosphate buffered saline at 37°C showed that hydrazone coupling resulting from APM exhibited the greatest difference in stability between pH 7.4 and 5.0, with hydrolysis and dye release increased at pH 5.0 over a 24hr incubation period. Polymer conjugates bearing hydrazones formed from crosslinker BMCA exhibited intermediate stability with hydrolysis much greater at pH 5.0 at early time points, but hydrolysis at pH 7.4 was significant after 5 hrs. Hydrazones formed with the PMCA crosslinker showed no difference in release rates at pH 7.4 and 5.0. PMID:20695431

End-functionalized ROMP polymers for Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Madkour, Ahmad E.; Koch, Amelie H. R.; Lienkamp, Karen; Tew, Gregory N.

2010-01-01

We present two novel allyl-based terminating agents that can be used to end-functionalize living polymer chains obtained by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using Grubbs’ third generation catalyst. Both terminating agents can be easily synthesized and yield ROMP polymers with stable, storable activated ester groups at the chain-end. These end-functionalized ROMP polymers are attractive building blocks for advanced polymeric materials, especially in the biomedical field. Dye-labeling and surface-coupling of antimicrobially active polymers using these end-groups were demonstrated. PMID:21499549

Controlled placement and orientation of nanostructures

DOEpatents

Zettl, Alex K; Yuzvinsky, Thomas D; Fennimore, Adam M

2014-04-08

A method for controlled deposition and orientation of molecular sized nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) on substrates is disclosed. The method comprised: forming a thin layer of polymer coating on a substrate; exposing a selected portion of the thin layer of polymer to alter a selected portion of the thin layer of polymer; forming a suspension of nanostructures in a solvent, wherein the solvent suspends the nanostructures and activates the nanostructures in the solvent for deposition; and flowing a suspension of nanostructures across the layer of polymer in a flow direction; thereby: depositing a nanostructure in the suspension of nanostructures only to the selected portion of the thin layer of polymer coating on the substrate to form a deposited nanostructure oriented in the flow direction. By selectively employing portions of the method above, complex NEMS may be built of simpler NEMSs components.

Novel Polymers for High Efficiency Renewable and Portable Power Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-30

photoelectric, thermoelectric , energy conversions, charge transfer, energy transfer, photoluminescence (PL). REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11. SPONSOR...of polymer/dye interface of photo generated excitons in the covalent system resulting in more efficient exciton dissociations. 4) For thermoelectric ...studies, it appears the thermoelectric charge carrier generations of the four conjugated polymers doped with iodine at room temperature are in the

Gas response behaviour and photochemistry of borondiketonate in acrylic polymer matrices for sensing applications.

PubMed

Arias Espinoza, Juan Diego; Sazhnikov, Viacheslav; Smits, Edsger C P; Ionov, Dmirity; Kononevich, Yuriy; Yakimets, Iryna; Alfimov, Mikael; Schoo, Herman F M

2014-11-01

The fluorescent spectra in combination with gas response behavior of acrylic polymers doped with dibenzoyl(methanato)boron difluoride (DBMBF2) were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence lifetime. The role of acrylic matrix polarity upon the fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetime was analyzed. Changes in emission of the dye doped polymers under exposure to toluene, n-hexane and ethanol were monitored. The fluorescence lifetimes were measured for the singlet excited state as well as the exciplex formed between DBMBF2 and toluene. A reduction of the transition energy to the first singlet-excited state in the four polymers was observed, compared to solution. Reversible exciplex formation, viz. a red shifted fluorescence emission was perceived when exposing the polymers to toluene, while for hexane and ethanol only reversible reduction of the fluorescence occurred. Longer singlet and shorter exciplex lifetimes were observed for non-polar matrixes. The latter mechanism is explained in function of the lower charge transfer character of the exciplex in non-polar matrixes. Additionally, the quantum yield of the dye in the polymer matrix increased almost seventh-fold compared to values for solution.

A polarized view on DNA under tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Mameren, Joost; Vermeulen, Karen; Wuite, Gijs J. L.; Peterman, Erwin J. G.

2018-03-01

In the past decades, sensitive fluorescence microscopy techniques have contributed significantly to our understanding of the dynamics of DNA. The specific labeling of DNA using intercalating dyes has allowed for quantitative measurement of the thermal fluctuations the polymers undergo. On the other hand, recent advances in single-molecule manipulation techniques have unraveled the mechanical and elastic properties of this intricate polymer. Here, we have combined these two approaches to study the conformational dynamics of DNA under a wide range of tensions. Using polarized fluorescence microscopy in conjunction with optical-tweezers-based manipulation of YOYO-intercalated DNA, we controllably align the YOYO dyes using DNA tension, enabling us to disentangle the rapid dynamics of the dyes from that of the DNA itself. With unprecedented control of the DNA alignment, we resolve an inconsistency in reports about the tilted orientation of intercalated dyes. We find that intercalated dyes are on average oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the DNA, yet undergo fast dynamics on the time scale of absorption and fluorescence emission. In the overstretching transition of double-stranded DNA, we do not observe changes in orientation or orientational dynamics of the dyes. Only beyond the overstretching transition, a considerable depolarization is observed, presumably caused by an average tilting of the DNA base pairs. Our combined approach thus contributes to the elucidation of unique features of the molecular dynamics of DNA.

Convective polymer assembly for the deposition of nanostructures and polymer thin films on immobilized particles.

PubMed

Richardson, Joseph J; Björnmalm, Mattias; Gunawan, Sylvia T; Guo, Junling; Liang, Kang; Tardy, Blaise; Sekiguchi, Shota; Noi, Ka Fung; Cui, Jiwei; Ejima, Hirotaka; Caruso, Frank

2014-11-21

We report the preparation of polymer particles via convective polymer assembly (CPA). Convection is used to move polymer solutions and cargo through an agarose gel that contains immobilized template particles. This method both coats and washes the particles in a process that is amenable to automation, and does not depend on passive diffusion or electrical currents, thus facilitating incorporation of fragile and nanoscale objects, such as liposomes and gold nanoparticles, into the thin polymer films. Template dissolution leads to the formation of stable polymer particles and capsules.

Rheological Behavior Xanthan and SlurryPro Polymer Solutions Evaluated as Shear Thinning Delivery Fluids for Subsurface Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, L.; Oostrom, M.; Truex, M.; Vermeul, V.

2011-12-01

Shear thinning fluids can be applied as a delivery means to enhance the uniformity of remedial amendment distribution in heterogeneous aquifers, thereby to improve remediation performance. The rheological behavior of biopolymer xanthan gum and synthetic polymer SlurryPro were tested, and their influence on the amendment delivery performance was evaluated. The impact of polymer concentration, basic water chemistry, salinity (e.g., Br-, Na+, Ca2+ concentrations), remedial amendments (phosphate, sodium lactate, ethyl lactate, lactate oil, whey), sediments, and the mixing approach on the rheological properties of the polymer solutions was determined. The SlurryPro polymer lost shear-thinning properties even at relatively low solution ionic strength. However, the xanthan gum polymer maintained shear-thinning properties under most of the tested conditions, though with some loss in absolute viscosity with increasing ionic strength. Xanthan appeared to be the better candidate for enhanced amendment delivery. Increasing in xanthan concentration not only increased the solution viscosity, but also increased degree of shear thinning. Addition of salt decreased the solution viscosity and the degree of shear thinning, while the influence was diminished when the polymer concentration was higher. After reaching a critical xanthan concentration, addition of salt increased solution viscosity. The degradation of xanthan and SlurryPro in the presence of site aquifer materials and microbes was studied in batch tests in which the field sediment/water ratio was simulated. The viscosity of the polymer solutions dropped 85% or more in the first week, while the solution chemical oxygen demand (COD) decreasing occurred at a much slower rate.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Routh, Prahlad K.; Nykypanchuk, Dmytro; Venkatesh, T. A.

Large area, device relevant sized microporous thin films are formed with commercially available polythiophenes by the breath figure technique, a water-assisted micro patterning method, with such semitransparent thin films exhibiting periodicity and uniformity dictated by the length of the polymer side chain. Compared to drop casted thin films, the microporous thin films exhibit increased crystallinity due to stronger packing of the polymer inside the honeycomb frame.

Improved photocurrent of a poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-ClO₄⁻/TiO₂ thin film-modified counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Sakurai, Sho; Kawamata, Yuka; Takahashi, Masashi; Kobayashi, Koichi

2011-01-01

We prepared a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-ClO₄⁻-supported TiO₂ thin-film electrode as a counter electrode on a transparent conductive oxide glass electrode for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using a combination of sol-gel and electropolymerization methods. The photocurrent-voltage characteristics indicate that DSSCs with PEDOT-ClO₄⁻/TiO₂ thin-film counter electrodes had a high photovoltaic conversion efficiency similar to that of PEDOT-ClO₄⁻/TiO₂ particle composite-film electrodes. Furthermore, it was found that the photocurrent was increased by attaching a reflector to the opposite side of the transparent counter electrode.

Experimental elaboration and analysis of dye-sensitized TiO2 solar cells (DSSC) dyed by natural dyes and conductive polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

KałuŻyński, P.; Maciak, E.; Herzog, T.; Wójcik, M.

2016-09-01

In this paper we propose low cost and easy in development fully working dye-sensitized solar cell module made with use of a different sensitizing dyes (various anthocyanins and P3HT) for increasing the absorption spectrum, transparent conducting substrates (vaccum spattered chromium and gold), nanometer sized TiO2 film, iodide and methyl viologen dichloride based electrolyte, and a counter electrode (vaccum spattered platinum or carbon). Moreover, some of the different technologies and optimization manufacturing processes were elaborated for energy efficiency increase and were presented in this paper.

Preparation of redox polymer cathodes for thin film rechargeable batteries

DOEpatents

Skotheim, T.A.; Lee, H.S.; Okamoto, Yoshiyuki.

1994-11-08

The present invention relates to the manufacture of thin film solid state electrochemical devices using composite cathodes comprising a redox polymer capable of undergoing oxidation and reduction, a polymer solid electrolyte and conducting carbon. The polymeric cathode material is formed as a composite of radiation crosslinked polymer electrolytes and radiation crosslinked redox polymers based on polysiloxane backbones with attached organosulfur side groups capable of forming sulfur-sulfur bonds during electrochemical oxidation.

Symmetry Breaking in Side Chains Leading to Mixed Orientations and Improved Charge Transport in Isoindigo-alt-Bithiophene Based Polymer Thin Films.

PubMed

Xue, Guobiao; Zhao, Xikang; Qu, Ge; Xu, Tianbai; Gumyusenge, Aristide; Zhang, Zhuorui; Zhao, Yan; Diao, Ying; Li, Hanying; Mei, Jianguo

2017-08-02

The selection of side chains is important in design of conjugated polymers. It not only affects their intrinsic physical properties, but also has an impact on thin film morphologies. Recent reports suggested that a face-on/edge-on bimodal orientation observed in polymer thin films may be responsible for a three-dimensional (3D) charge transport and leads to dramatically improved mobility in donor-acceptor based conjugated polymers. To achieve a bimodal orientation in thin films has been seldom explored from the aspect of molecular design. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy involving the use of asymmetric side chains that enables an isoindigo-based polymer to adopt a distinct bimodal orientation, confirmed by the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. As a result, the polymer presents an average high mobility of 3.8 ± 0.7 cm 2 V -1 s -1 with a maximum value of 5.1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , in comparison with 0.47 and 0.51 cm 2 V -1 s -1 obtained from the two reference polymers. This study exemplifies a new strategy to develop the next generation polymers through understanding the property-structure relationship.

Tailoring Pore Size and Chemical Interior of near 1 nm Sized Pores in a Nanoporous Polymer Based on a Discotic Liquid Crystal

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A triazine based disc shaped molecule with two hydrolyzable units, imine and ester groups, was polymerized via acyclic diene metathesis in the columnar hexagonal (Colhex) LC phase. Fabrication of a cationic nanoporous polymer (pore diameter ∼1.3 nm) lined with ammonium groups at the pore surface was achieved by hydrolysis of the imine linkage. Size selective aldehyde uptake by the cationic porous polymer was demonstrated. The anilinium groups in the pores were converted to azide as well as phenyl groups by further chemical treatment, leading to porous polymers with neutral functional groups in the pores. The pores were enlarged by further hydrolysis of the ester groups to create ∼2.6 nm pores lined with −COONa surface groups. The same pores could be obtained in a single step without first hydrolyzing the imine linkage. XRD studies demonstrated that the Colhex order of the monomer was preserved after polymerization as well as in both the nanoporous polymers. The porous anionic polymer lined with −COOH groups was further converted to the −COOLi, −COONa, −COOK, −COOCs, and −COONH4 salts. The porous polymer lined with −COONa groups selectively adsorbs a cationic dye, methylene blue, over an anionic dye. PMID:28416888

Molecular and Nanoscale Engineering of High Efficiency Excitonic Solar Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jenekhe, Samson A.; Ginger, David S.; Cao, Guozhong

We combined the synthesis of new polymers and organic-inorganic hybrid materials with new experimental characterization tools to investigate bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells and hybrid organic-inorganic solar cells during the 2007-2010 period (phase I) of this project. We showed that the bulk morphology of polymer/fullerene blend solar cells could be controlled by using either self-assembled polymer semiconductor nanowires or diblock poly(3-alkylthiophenes) as the light-absorbing and hole transport component. We developed new characterization tools in-house, including photoinduced absorption (PIA) spectroscopy, time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (TR-EFM) and conductive and photoconductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM and pc-AFM), and used them to investigatemore » charge transfer and recombination dynamics in polymer/fullerene BHJ solar cells, hybrid polymer-nanocrystal (PbSe) devices, and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); we thus showed in detail how the bulk photovoltaic properties are connected to the nanoscale structure of the BHJ polymer solar cells. We created various oxide semiconductor (ZnO, TiO 2) nanostructures by solution processing routes, including hierarchical aggregates and nanorods/nanotubes, and showed that the nanostructured photoanodes resulted in substantially enhanced light-harvesting and charge transport, leading to enhanced power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells.« less

Highly stable gel electrolytes for dye solar cells based on chemically engineered polymethacrylic hosts.

PubMed

De Gregorio, Gian Luca; Agosta, Rita; Giannuzzi, Roberto; Martina, Francesca; De Marco, Luisa; Manca, Michele; Gigli, Giuseppe

2012-03-25

Four different species of ionically conductive polymers were synthesized and successfully implemented to formulate novel quasi-solid electrolytes for dye solar cells. A power conversion efficiency superior to 85% of the correspondent liquid electrolyte as well as an excellent cell's stability was demonstrated after 500 days of storage.

Quantification of alginate by aggregation induced by calcium ions and fluorescent polycations.

PubMed

Zheng, Hewen; Korendovych, Ivan V; Luk, Yan-Yeung

2016-01-01

For quantification of polysaccharides, including heparins and alginates, the commonly used carbazole assay involves hydrolysis of the polysaccharide to form a mixture of UV-active dye conjugate products. Here, we describe two efficient detection and quantification methods that make use of the negative charges of the alginate polymer and do not involve degradation of the targeted polysaccharide. The first method utilizes calcium ions to induce formation of hydrogel-like aggregates with alginate polymer; the aggregates can be quantified readily by staining with a crystal violet dye. This method does not require purification of alginate from the culture medium and can measure the large amount of alginate that is produced by a mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture. The second method employs polycations tethering a fluorescent dye to form suspension aggregates with the alginate polyanion. Encasing the fluorescent dye in the aggregates provides an increased scattering intensity with a sensitivity comparable to that of the conventional carbazole assay. Both approaches provide efficient methods for monitoring alginate production by mucoid P. aeruginosa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel, one-step synthesis of zwitterionic polymer nanoparticles via distillation-precipitation polymerization and its application for dye removal membrane.

PubMed

Ibrahim, G P Syed; Isloor, Arun M; Inamuddin; Asiri, Abdullah M; Ismail, Norafiqah; Ismail, Ahmed Fauzi; Ashraf, Ghulam Md

2017-11-21

In this work, poly(MBAAm-co-SBMA) zwitterionic polymer nanoparticles were synthesized in one-step via distillation-precipitation polymerization (DPP) and were characterized. [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) as monomer and N, N'-methylene bis(acrylamide) (MBAAm) as cross-linker are used for the synthesis of nanoparticles. As  far as our knowledge, this is the first such report on the synthesis of poly(MBAAm-co-SBMA) nanoparticles via DPP. The newly synthesized nanoparticles were further employed for the surface modification of polysulfone (PSF) hollow fiber membranes for dye removal. The modified hollow fiber membrane exhibited the improved permeability (56 L/ m 2 h bar) and dye removal (>98% of Reactive Black 5 and >80.7% of Reactive orange 16) with the high permeation of salts. Therefore, the as-prepared membrane can have potential application in textile and industrial wastewater treatment.

High Brightness and Color Contrast Displays Constructed from Nematic Droplet/Polymer Films Incorporating Pleochroic Dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drzaic, Paul S.; Wiley, Richard C.; McCoy, James A.

1989-07-01

A new class of high-brightness, high color contrast reflective-mode displays can be constructed from nematic droplet/polymer (NCAP) films. In these films, a high order parameter pleochroic dye can be dissolved in the nematic, leading to a film with both controllable absorbance and scattering. The physics behind the operation of these films is discussed. The intrinsic optical order parameter of a guest-host mixture is related to the performance of the NCAP film. It is shown that the scattering effects inherent in these films can be used to amplify the effects of the controllable dye absorbance, leading to excellent optical performance for a reflective-mode display. A typical construction of a display cell is given, and examples of applications are discussed. Touch switches may easily be fabricated within the display, so that an integrated control/display module can be constructed.

Electrically assisted bandedge mode selection of photonic crystal lasing in chiral nematic liquid crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chun-Ta; Chen, Chun-Wei; Yang, Tzu-Hsuan; Nys, Inge; Li, Cheng-Chang; Lin, Tsung-Hsien; Neyts, Kristiaan; Beeckman, Jeroen

2018-01-01

Selection of the bandedge lasing mode of a photonic crystal laser has been realized in a fluorescent dye doped chiral nematic liquid crystal by exerting electrical control over the mode competition. The bandedge lasing can be reversibly switched from the short-wavelength edge mode to the long-wavelength edge mode by applying a voltage of only 20 V, without tuning the bandgap. The underlying mechanism is the field-induced change in the order parameter of the fluorescent dye in the liquid crystal. The orientation of the transition dipole moment determines the polarization state of the dye emission, thereby promoting lasing in the bandedge mode that favors the emission polarization. Moreover, the dynamic mode-selection capability is retained upon polymer-stabilizing the chiral nematic liquid crystal laser. In the polymer-stabilized system, greatly improved stability and lasing performance are observed.

Cost-effective three dimensional Ag/polymer dyes/graphene-carbon spheres hybrids for high performance nonenzymatic sensor and its application in living cell H2O2 detection.

PubMed

Lu, Baoping; Yuan, Xuna; Ren, Yuehong; Shi, Qinghua; Wang, Song; Dong, Jinlong; Nan, Ze-Dong

2018-05-03

We describe a facile method to synthesize a new type of catalyst by electrodepositing Ag nanocrystals (AgNCs) on the different polymer dyes, Poly (methylene blue) (PMB) or Poly (4-(2-Pyridylazo)-Resorcinol) (PAR) modified graphene‑carbon spheres (GS) hybrids. The self-assembled GS take dual advantages of carbon spheres and graphene. Carbon spheres acts as nano-spacers prevent the aggregation of graphene and guarantee the fast electron transfer of GS. Secondly, polymerized dyes used here are beneficial for AgNCs growing as a linker. The effects of dyes on the growth habits, morphologies and catalytic properties for AgNCs were investigated. A novel electrochemical nonenzymatic sensor for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) detection is fabricated based on the Ag/Polymer dyes/GS ternary composites modified glass carbon electrode (GCE) for the first time. It was found that the proposed electrodes, especially for Ag/PMB/GS/GCE, displayed a peculiar electrocatalytic activity towards H 2 O 2 reduction synergistically as compared to Ag/PAR/GS/GCE or Ag/GS/GCE alone. Ag/PMB/GS/GCE showed a linear response over the H 2 O 2 concentration range of 0.5 to 1112 μM. The detection limit and sensitivity is 0.15 μM and 400 μA mM -1  cm -2 , respectively. These outstanding results enable the practical application of Ag/PMB/GS/GCE for the H 2 O 2 tracking released from MCF-7 (human breast cancer cells) with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light amplification and lasing from dyes doped in DNA-complex thin films prepared by soaking method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawabe, Yutaka; Suzuki, Takemasa; Iisaka, You

2014-08-01

An alternative fabrication method for dye-doped DNA-surfactant complex films was developed and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and lasing under low energy optical pumping were demonstrated. In this new preparation technique, thin DNA-cethyltrimethylammonium (CTMA) complex films made by a spin coating method were stained with a hemicyanine dye by soaking them in acetone solution of the dye for one day. Molar ratio of the dye to DNA base pair for the final products was estimated to be 0.2, the value was much higher than those achieved via usual mixing method. ASE threshold value under pumping of a pulsed frequency-doubled YAG laser was about 0.3 mJ/cm2. Laser emission was also attained under the excitation with two interfering beams forming a dynamic grating of gain coefficient. Durability test indicated that 70% of their initial performance was maintained after 1 hour of continuous pumping. The technique was applied to water soluble dyes because the DNA complex was insoluble to water as well as acetone. We employed anionic Eosin Y dye, succeeding in sample formation and ASE emission. Different types of surfactants were also complexed with DNA, showing variation of emission peak wavelength. These results give a clue about the structure of the complex or interaction modes between DNA and surfactants, strongly suggesting that dye molecules are not intercalated into nor bound to DNA double strand directly, but are incorporated in the complex system via ion-exchange process or aggregating with cationic surfactants.

Preliminary study of application of Moringa oleifera resin as polymer electrolyte in DSSC solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saehana, Sahrul; Darsikin, Muslimin

2016-04-01

This study reports the preliminary study of application of Moringa oleifera resin as polymer electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). We found that polymer electrolyte membrane was formed by using solution casting methods. It is observed that polymer electrolyte was in elastic form and it is very potential to application as DSSC component. Performance of DSSC which employing Moringa oleifera resin was also observed and photovoltaic effect was found.

Nano-crystalline thin and nano-particulate thick TiO{sub 2} layer: Cost effective sequential deposition and study on dye sensitized solar cell characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Das, P.; Sengupta, D.; CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research

Highlights: • Thin TiO{sub 2} layer is deposited on conducting substrate using sol–gel based dip coating. • TiO{sub 2} nano-particles are synthesized using hydrothermal route. • Thick TiO{sub 2} particulate layer is deposited on prepared thin layer. • Dye sensitized solar cells are made using thin and thick layer based photo-anode. • Introduction of thin layer in particulate photo-anode improves the cell efficiency. - Abstract: A compact thin TiO{sub 2} passivation layer is introduced between the mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate layer and the conducting glass substrate to prepare photo-anode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In order to understand the effectmore » of passivation layer, other two DSSCs are also developed separately using TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate and compact thin film based photo-anodes. Nano-particles are prepared using hydrothermal synthesis route and the compact passivation layer is prepared by simply dip coating the precursor sol prepared through wet chemical route. The TiO{sub 2} compact layer and the nano-particles are characterised in terms of their micro-structural features and phase formation behavior. It is found that introduction of a compact TiO{sub 2} layer in between the mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nano-particulate layer and the conducting substrate improves the solar to electric conversion efficiency of the fabricated cell. The dense thin passivation layer is supposed to enhance the photo-excited electron transfer and prevent the recombination of photo-excited electrons.« less

Investigation of star polymer nanoshells for use in diagnostic imaging and photothermal cancer therapy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomez, Lizabeth

Gold nanoshells can be designed to possess high light scattering and strong absorption of near-infrared light. Thus, they have the potential to be used in biological applications as contrast agents for diagnostic imaging as well as for thermal ablation of tumor cells in future cancer treatments. In this study, gold nanoshells with dye-loaded star polymer cores were investigated. Uniform near-infrared gold nanoshells with 100 nm diameters were successfully generated using different batches of star polymer templates and were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The star polymers used were block copolymer structures with a hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) core and a hydrophilic poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethracrylate) (DMAEMA) outer shell. Within this work, a general procedure was established in order to achieve a desired gold nanoshell size regardless of the star polymer batch used, since the synthesis process conditions can cause star polymers to vary in size as well in the number and length of amino-functionalized arms. Control of the gold nanoshell diameter was optimized after an in-depth analysis of the synthesis parameters that affected the formation and final size of the dye-loaded star polymer gold nanoshells. The main parameters examined were pH of the gold seeds used to nucleate the templates and the ratio of star polymer to gold hydroxide used during the growth of the outer gold shell.

Influence of dehydrated nanotubed titanic acid on charge transport and luminescent properties of polymer light-emitting diodes with fluorescent dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Lei; Bera, Debasis; Jin, Zhen-Sheng; Du, Zu-Liang; Xu, Zheng; Teng, Feng; Liu, Wei

2007-09-01

In this paper, we discuss the influence of dehydrated nanotubed titanic acid (DNTA) on charge transport and luminescent properties of polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) doped with fluorescent dye. Photoluminescence results confirm the efficient energy transfer from PVK to 4-(dicyanom-ethylene)-2- t-butyl-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl)-4H-pyran (DCJTB) and tris-(8-hydroxtquinoline) aluminum (Alq 3) in a DNTA-doped device. The device showed lower turn-on voltages and higher charge current by doping with DNTA, which also caused a shift in the exciton's recombination region.

Light budget and optimization strategies for display applications of dichroic nematic droplet/polymer films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drzaic, Paul S.

1991-06-01

A detailed light budget is performed on reflective displays made from nematic droplet/polymer (NCAP) films incorporating dichroic dyes. It is shown that the radiance of these displays can be modeled using a simple scheme involving the convolution of the transmission spectra of the various components of the display. Comparisons are made between the relative importance of these optical elements in the display. It is shown that first-surface reflection (glare) is an important factor in reducing the optical performance of these displays, but that the effect of glare can be minimized through the proper choice of dye concentration.

Statistical optimization and artificial neural network modeling for acridine orange dye degradation using in-situ synthesized polymer capped ZnO nanoparticles.

PubMed

Dhiman, Nitesh; Markandeya; Singh, Amrita; Verma, Neeraj K; Ajaria, Nidhi; Patnaik, Satyakam

2017-05-01

ZnO NPs were synthesized by a prudent green chemistry approach in presence of polyacrylamide grafted guar gum polymer (pAAm-g-GG) to ensure uniform morphology, and functionality and appraised for their ability to degrade photocatalytically Acridine Orange (AO) dye. These ZnO@pAAm-g-GG NPs were thoroughly characterized by various spectroscopic, XRD and electron microscopic techniques. The relative quantity of ZnO NPs in polymeric matrix has been estimated by spectro-analytical procedure; AAS and TGA analysis. The impact of process parameters viz. NP's dose, contact time and AO dye concentration on percentage photocatalytic degradation of AO dyes were evaluated using multivariate optimizing tools, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) involving Box-Behnken Design (BBD) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Congruity of the BBD statistical model was implied by R 2 value 0.9786 and F-value 35.48. At RSM predicted optimal condition viz. ZnO@pAAm-g-GG NP's dose of 0.2g/L, contact time of 210min and AO dye concentration 10mg/L, a maximum of 98% dye degradation was obtained. ANOVA indicated appropriateness of the model for dye degradation owing to "Prob.>F" less than 0.05 for variable parameters. We further, employed three layers feed forward ANN model for validating the BBD process parameters and suitability of our chosen model. The evaluation of Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm (ANN1) and Gradient Descent with adaptive learning rate (ANN2) model employed to scrutinize the best method and found experimental values of AO dye degradation were in close to those with predicated value of ANN 2 modeling with minimum error. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) microcomposite containing magnetic iron core nanoparticles as a drug carrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, Sweta; Carpenter, Everett E.

2008-04-01

Today many potent anticancer drugs like cisplatin are available which carry a number of side effects. A promising way of reducing the side effects is to target the drug to tissue sites by coating it with biocompatible materials like Poly (dl-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymer where controlled drug release is achieved during the biodegradation of the polymer. Also the efficacy of anticancer drugs like cisplatin increases at elevated temperatures, so if local heating can be achieved where the drug is targeted. Local heating can be achieved by introducing iron core nanoparticles in the composites along with the drug, which can be heated by the 2.4 GHz microwaves. Local heating of the nanocomposites also helps to swell the polymer shell and enhance the drug release. The magnetic nanocomposites were synthesized using iron nanoparticles, PLGA and a fluorescent dye, tris-(2,2'bipyridyl) dichlororuthenium (II) using an oil-in-emulsion technique. The emulsion contains PLGA, dye, and iron nanoparticles dissolved in the oil phase and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a stabilizer. As the sample is homogenized, and dried, uniform 100 nm composites are formed where the dye and iron nanoparticles are encapsulated in a PLGA shell. Control of the thickness and loading efficiency of the nanocomposite can be controlled by varying the ratio of PLGA, iron, and dye. The amount of loading was determined using TGA confirming from 20-50% (w/w) loading. As the dye is released from the composite the fluorescence intensity decreases due to self-quenching. This self-quenching allows for the determination of the release kinetics as a function of temperature using fluorescence spectroscopy. Initial results suggest that there is a release of 5-10% of the dye from the composite at 25°C and complete release after the nanocomposite reaches 90°C. Using local microwave heating the complete release of the dye can be accomplished with three two second pulses of 2.4 GHz microwaves. This allows for the complete drug delivery platform which allows for the controlled release using microwave frequency.

Remedial Amendment Delivery near the Water Table Using Shear Thinning Fluids: Experiments and Numerical Simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oostrom, Martinus; Truex, Michael J.; Vermeul, Vincent R.

2014-08-19

The use of shear thinning fluids (STFs) containing xanthan is a potential enhancement for emplacing a solute amendment near the water table and within the capillary fringe. Most research to date related to STF behavior has involved saturated and confined conditions. A series of flow cell experiments were conducted to investigate STF emplacement in variable saturated homogeneous and layered heterogeneous systems. Besides flow visualization using dyes, amendment concentrations and pressure data were obtained at several locations. The experiments showed that injection of STFs considerably improved the subsurface distribution near the water table by mitigating preferential flow through higher permeability zonesmore » compared to no-polymer injections. The phosphate amendment migrated with the xanthan SFT without retardation. Despite the high viscosity of the STF, no excessive mounding or preferential flow were observed in the unsaturated zone. The STOMP simulator was able to predict the experimentally observed fluid displacement and amendment concentrations reasonably well. Cross flow between layers could be interpreted as the main mechanism to transport STFs into lower permeability layers based on the observed pressure gradient and concentration data in layers of differing hydraulic conductivity.« less

Modeling solvent evaporation during thin film formation in phase separating polymer mixtures

DOE PAGES

Cummings, John; Lowengrub, John S.; Sumpter, Bobby G.; ...

2018-02-09

Preparation of thin films by dissolving polymers in a common solvent followed by evaporation of the solvent has become a routine processing procedure. However, modeling of thin film formation in an evaporating solvent has been challenging due to a need to simulate processes at multiple length and time scales. In this paper, we present a methodology based on the principles of linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics, which allows systematic study of various effects such as the changes in the solvent properties due to phase transformation from liquid to vapor and polymer thermodynamics resulting from such solvent transformations. The methodology allows for themore » derivation of evaporative flux and boundary conditions near each surface for simulations of systems close to the equilibrium. We apply it to study thin film microstructural evolution in phase segregating polymer blends dissolved in a common volatile solvent and deposited on a planar substrate. Finally, effects of the evaporation rates, interactions of the polymers with the underlying substrate and concentration dependent mobilities on the kinetics of thin film formation are studied.« less

Modeling solvent evaporation during thin film formation in phase separating polymer mixtures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cummings, John; Lowengrub, John S.; Sumpter, Bobby G.

Preparation of thin films by dissolving polymers in a common solvent followed by evaporation of the solvent has become a routine processing procedure. However, modeling of thin film formation in an evaporating solvent has been challenging due to a need to simulate processes at multiple length and time scales. In this paper, we present a methodology based on the principles of linear non-equilibrium thermodynamics, which allows systematic study of various effects such as the changes in the solvent properties due to phase transformation from liquid to vapor and polymer thermodynamics resulting from such solvent transformations. The methodology allows for themore » derivation of evaporative flux and boundary conditions near each surface for simulations of systems close to the equilibrium. We apply it to study thin film microstructural evolution in phase segregating polymer blends dissolved in a common volatile solvent and deposited on a planar substrate. Finally, effects of the evaporation rates, interactions of the polymers with the underlying substrate and concentration dependent mobilities on the kinetics of thin film formation are studied.« less

Ad-hoc surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy methodologies for the detection of artist dyestuffs: thin layer chromatography-surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and in situ on the fiber analysis.

PubMed

Brosseau, Christa L; Gambardella, Alessa; Casadio, Francesca; Grzywacz, Cecily M; Wouters, Jan; Van Duyne, Richard P

2009-04-15

Tailored ad-hoc methods must be developed for successful identification of minute amounts of natural dyes on works of art using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). This article details two of these successful approaches using silver film over nanosphere (AgFON) substrates and silica gel coupled with citrate-reduced Ag colloids. The latter substrate functions as the test system for the coupling of thin-layer chromatography and SERS (TLC-SERS), which has been used in the current research to separate and characterize a mixture of several artists' dyes. The poor limit of detection of TLC is overcome by coupling with SERS, and dyes which co-elute to nearly the same spot can be distinguished from each other. In addition, in situ extractionless non-hydrolysis SERS was used to analyze dyed reference fibers, as well as historical textile fibers. Colorants such as alizarin, purpurin, carminic acid, lac dye, crocin, and Cape jasmine were thus successfully identified.

Syntheses, structures and selective dye adsorption of five formic-based coordination polymers prepared by in-situ hydrolysis of N, N‧-dimethylformamide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zheng; Meng, Xiang-min; Zhang, Dong-mei; Zhang, Xia; Wang, Mei; Jin, Fan; Fan, Yu-hua

2017-04-01

Five functional coordination polymers (formic-based CPs) namely: {[Cu2(CHOO)3(bibp)2]·CHOO}n (1), {[Co2(CHOO)3(bibp)2]·NO3·H2O}n (2), {[Ni2(CHOO)3(bibp)2]·NO3·H2O}n (3) [Co(CHOO)2(bbibp)]n (4) and [Zn(CHOO)2(bbibp)]n (5) (bibp=4,4‧-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl, bbibp=4,4‧-bis(benzoimidazo-1-yl)biphenyl) have been successfully hydrothermally synthesized using the in-situ hydrolysis of N, N‧-dimethylformamide (DMF) as the source of formate. All of these five polymers were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectra, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Complexes 1-3 have the similar three-dimensional 3D kag topological framework built from the bibp ligand as the support member between the neighboring formic planes. Both complexes 4 and 5 have the similar one-dimensional 1D linear chain which is further assembled into 3D supermolecular structure by C-H…O hydrogen bonds. The dyes adsorption experiments have also been investigated systematically. The results show that complexes 2 and 3 exhibit high selective adsorption ability towards anionic dyes in their aqueous solution. Moreover, complex 2 displays good reversibility in the process of the dyes adsorption-release. Meanwhile, the unusual blocking phenomenon was firstly observed when complex 2 was in MO/OIV aqueous solutions with different concentration.

Holistic assessment of covalently-labelled core-shell polymeric nanoparticles with fluorescent contrast agents towards theranostic applications

PubMed Central

Gustafson, Tiffany P.; Lim, Young H.; Flores, Jeniree A.; Heo, Gyu Seong; Zhang, Fuwu; Zhang, Shiyi; Samarajeewa, Sandani; Raymond, Jeffery E.; Wooley, Karen L.

2014-01-01

The successful development of degradable polymeric nanostructures as optical probes for use in nanotheranostic applications requires the intelligent design of materials such that their surface response, degradation, drug delivery and imaging properties are all optimized. In the case of imaging, optimization must result in materials that allow differentiation between unbound optical contrast agents and labeled polymeric materials as they undergo degradation. In this study, we have shown that use of traditional electrophoretic gel-plate assays for determination of the purity of dye-conjugated degradable nanoparticles is limited, due to polymer degradation characteristics. To overcome these limitations, we have outlined a holistic approach to evaluating dye-and peptide-polymer nanoparticle conjugation by utilizing steady-state fluorescence, anisotropy, and emission and anisotropy life-time decay profiles, through which nanoparticle-dye binding can be assessed independent of perturbations, such as those presented during the execution of electrolyte gel-based assays. This approach has been demonstrated to provide an overall understanding of the spectral signature-structure-function relationship, ascertaining key information on interactions between the fluorophore, polymer and solvent components that have a direct and measurable impact on the emissive properties of the optical probe. The use of these powerful techniques provides feedback that can be utilized to improve nanotheranostics by evaluating dye emissivity in degradable nanotheranostic systems, which has become increasingly important as modern platforms transition to architectures intentionally reliant on degradation and built-in environmental responses. PMID:24392760

Synthesis and Characterization of Thin Film Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Polymer Electrolytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maranchi, Jeffrey P.; Kumta, Prashant N.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Raffaelle, Ryne P.

2002-01-01

The present paper describes the integration of thin film electrodes with polymer electrolytes to form a complete thin film lithium-ion battery. Thin film batteries of the type, LiCoO2 [PAN, EC, PC, LiN(CF3SO2)2] SnO2 have been fabricated. The results of the synthesis and characterization studies will be presented and discussed.

Symmetry Breaking in Side Chains Leading to Mixed Orientations and Improved Charge Transport in Isoindigo- alt -Bithiophene Based Polymer Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xue, Guobiao; Zhao, Xikang; Qu, Ge

The selection of side chains is important in design of conjugated polymers. It not only affects their intrinsic physical properties, but also has an impact on thin film morphologies. Recent reports suggested that a face-on/edge-on bimodal orientation observed in polymer thin films may be responsible for a three-dimensional (3D) charge transport and leads to dramatically improved mobility in donor–acceptor based conjugated polymers. To achieve a bimodal orientation in thin films has been seldom explored from the aspect of molecular design. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy involving the use of asymmetric side chains that enables an isoindigo-based polymer to adoptmore » a distinct bimodal orientation, confirmed by the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. As a result, the polymer presents an average high mobility of 3.8 ± 0.7 cm2 V–1 s–1 with a maximum value of 5.1 cm2 V–1 s–1, in comparison with 0.47 and 0.51 cm2 V–1 s–1 obtained from the two reference polymers. This study exemplifies a new strategy to develop the next generation polymers through understanding the property-structure relationship.« less

Solid-state radioluminescent compositions

DOEpatents

Clough, Roger L.; Gill, John T.; Hawkins, Daniel B.; Renschler, Clifford L.; Shepodd, Timothy J.; Smith, Henry M.

1991-01-01

A solid state radioluminescent composition for light source comprises an optically clear polymer organic matrix containing tritiated organic materials and dyes capable of "red" shifting primary scintillation emissions from the polymer matrix. The tritiated organic materials are made by reducing, with tritium, an unsaturated organic compound that prior to reduction contains olefinic or alkynylic bonds.

PicoGreen dye as an active medium for plastic lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradeep, C.; Vallabhan, C. P. G.; Radhakrishnan, P.; Nampoori, V. P. N.

2015-08-01

Deoxyribonucleic acid lipid complex thin films are used as a host material for laser dyes. We tested PicoGreen dye, which is commonly used for the quantification of single and double stranded DNA, for its applicability as lasing medium. PicoGreen dye exhibits enhanced fluorescence on intercalation with DNA. This enormous fluorescence emission is amplified in a planar microcavity to achieve yellow lasing. Here the role of DNA is not only a host medium, but also as a fluorescence dequencher. With the obtained results we have ample reasons to propose PicoGreen dye as a lasing medium, which can lead to the development of DNA based bio-lasers.

Nanophotonics: Energy Transfer towards Enhanced Luminescent Chemosensing

PubMed Central

Aad, Roy; Couteau, Christophe; Lérondel, Gilles

2015-01-01

We discuss a recently proposed novel photonic approach for enhancing the fluorescence of extremely thin chemosensing polymer layers. We present theoretical and experimental results demonstrating the concept of gain-assisted waveguided energy transfer (G-WET) on a very thin polymer nanolayer spincoated on an active ZnO thin film. The G-WET approach is shown to result in an 8-fold increase in polymer fluorescence. We then extend the G-WET concept to nanostructured media. The benefits of using active nanostructured substrates on the sensitivity and fluorescence of chemosensing polymers are discussed. Preliminary theoretical results on enlarged sensing surface and photonic band-gap are presented. PMID:28788025

Method of synthesizing polymers from a solid electrolyte

DOEpatents

Skotheim, Terje A.

1985-01-01

A method of synthesizing electrically conductive polymers from a solvent-free solid polymer electrolyte wherein an assembly of a substrate having an electrode thereon, a thin coating of solid electrolyte including a solution of PEO complexed with an alkali salt, and a thin transparent noble metal electrode are disposed in an evacuated chamber into which a selected monomer vapor is introduced while an electric potential is applied across the solid electrolyte to hold the thin transparent electrode at a positive potential relative to the electrode on the substrate, whereby a highly conductive polymer film is grown on the transparent electrode between it and the solid electrolyte.

Method of synthesizing polymers from a solid electrolyte

DOEpatents

Skotheim, T.A.

1984-10-19

A method of synthesizing electrically conductive polymers from a solvent-free solid polymer electrolyte is disclosed. An assembly of a substrate having an electrode thereon, a thin coating of solid electrolyte including a solution of PEO complexed with an alkali salt, and a thin transparent noble metal electrode are disposed in an evacuated chamber into which a selected monomer vapor is introduced while an electric potential is applied across the solid electrolyte to hold the thin transparent electrode at a positive potential relative to the electrode on the substrate, whereby a highly conductive polymer film is grown on the transparent electrode between it and the solid electrolyte.

Chain Conformation near the Buried Interface in Nanoparticle-Stabilized Polymer Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barkley, Deborah A.; Jiang, Naisheng; Sen, Mani

It is known that when nanoparticles are added to polymer thin films, they often migrate to the film-substrate interface and form an “immobile interfacial layer”, which has been believed as the origin of suppression of dewetting. We here report an alternative mechanism of dewetting suppression from the structural aspect of a polymer. Dodecane thiol-functionalized gold (Au) nanoparticles embedded in PS thin films prepared on Si substrates were used as a model. It was found that thermal annealing promotes irreversible polymer adsorption onto the substrate surface along with the surface migration of the nanoparticles. We also revealed that the surface migrationmore » causes additional nanoconfined space for the adsorbed polymer chains. As a result, the self-organization process of the strongly adsorbed polymer chains on the solid surface was so hindered that the chain conformations were randomized and expanded in the film normal direction. Here, the resultant chain conformation allows the interpenetration between free chains and the adsorbed chains, promoting adhesion and hence stabilizing the thin film.« less

Thickness Dependence of Failure in Ultra-thin Glassy Polymer Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bay, Reed; Shimomura, Shinichiro; Liu, Yujie; Ilton, Mark; Crosby, Alfred

The physical properties of polymer thin films change as the polymer chains become confined. Similar changes in mechanical properties have been observed, though these critical properties have only been explored a limited extent and with indirect methods. Here, we use a recently developed method to measure the complete uniaxial stress strain relationship of polymer thin films of polystyrene films (PS, Mw =130kg/mol, 490kg/mol, and 853kg/mol) as a function of thickness (20 nm-220nm). In this method, we hold a `dog-bone' shaped film on water between a flexible cantilever and a movable rigid boundary, measuring force-displacement from the cantilever deflection. From our measurements, we find that the modulus decreases as the PS chains become confined. The PS thin films exhibit ``ideal perfectly plastic'' behavior due to crazing, which differs from the typical brittle response of bulk PS. The draw stress due to crazing decreases with film thickness. These results provide new fundamental insight into how polymer behavior is altered due to structural changes in the entangled polymer network upon confinement. NSF DMR 1608614.

Chain Conformation near the Buried Interface in Nanoparticle-Stabilized Polymer Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Barkley, Deborah A.; Jiang, Naisheng; Sen, Mani; ...

2017-09-26

It is known that when nanoparticles are added to polymer thin films, they often migrate to the film-substrate interface and form an “immobile interfacial layer”, which has been believed as the origin of suppression of dewetting. We here report an alternative mechanism of dewetting suppression from the structural aspect of a polymer. Dodecane thiol-functionalized gold (Au) nanoparticles embedded in PS thin films prepared on Si substrates were used as a model. It was found that thermal annealing promotes irreversible polymer adsorption onto the substrate surface along with the surface migration of the nanoparticles. We also revealed that the surface migrationmore » causes additional nanoconfined space for the adsorbed polymer chains. As a result, the self-organization process of the strongly adsorbed polymer chains on the solid surface was so hindered that the chain conformations were randomized and expanded in the film normal direction. Here, the resultant chain conformation allows the interpenetration between free chains and the adsorbed chains, promoting adhesion and hence stabilizing the thin film.« less

Ultrathin Polymer Films, Patterned Arrays, and Microwells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Mingdi

2002-05-01

The ability to control and tailor the surface and interface properties of materials is important in microelectronics, cell growth control, and lab-on-a-chip devices. Modification of material surfaces with ultrathin polymer films is attractive due to the availability of a variety of polymers either commercially or by synthesis. We have developed two approaches to the attachment of ultrathin polymer films on solid substrates. In the first method, a silane-functionalized perfluorophenyl azide (PFPA-silane) was synthesized and used to covalently immobilize polymer thin films on silicon wafers. Silanization of the wafer surface with the PFPA-silane introduced a monolayer of azido groups which in turn covalently attached the polymer film by way of photochemically initiated insertion reactions. The thickness of the film could be adjusted by the type and the molecular weight of the polymer. The method is versatile due to the general C-H and/or N-H insertion reactions of crosslinker; and therefore, no specific reactive functional groups on the polymers are required. Using this method, a new type of microwell array was fabricated from covalently immobilized polymer thin films on flat substrates. The arrays were characterized with AFM, XPS, and TOF-SIMS. The second method describes the attachment of polymer thin films on solid substrates via UV irradiation. The procedure consisted of spin-coating a polymer film and irradiating the film with UV light. Following solvent extraction, a thin film remained. The thickness of the film, from a few to over a hundred nanometers, was controlled by varying solution concentration and the molecular weight of the polymer.

Optical properties of cyanine dyes in nanotubes of chrysotile asbestos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starovoytov, Anton A.; Vartanyan, Tigran A.; Belotitskii, Vladimir I.; Kumzerov, Yuri A.; Sysoeva, Anna A.

2017-08-01

Optical properties of cyanine dye molecules incorporated in nanotubes of natural chrysotile asbestos are studied. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of dye in asbestos have the similar shapes as in the ethanol solution, apart from small blue shift of the maxima. The Stokes shift in asbestos is smaller than in the ethanol solution. The fluorescence decay times of the dyes in asbestos nanotubes are found to be larger than that in the case of thin films of the same dyes formed on the transparent dielectric supports. This observation is rationalized in terms of the stereoisomerization hindrance in the excited electronic state of dye molecules. At the same time linear dichroism and fluorescence anisotropy observed in the experiment indicate that the embedded dye molecules are well-isolated monomer oriented predominantly along asbestos nanotubes.

Gum karaya based hydrogel nanocomposites for the effective removal of cationic dyes from aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mittal, Hemant; Maity, Arjun; Ray, Suprakas Sinha

2016-02-01

Biodegradable hydrogel nanocomposites (HNC) of gum karaya (GK) grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) incorporated silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC NPs) were synthesized using the in situ graft copolymerization method and tested for the adsorption of cationic dyes from aqueous solution. The structure and morphology of the HNC were characterized using different spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The results showed that the surface area and porosity of the hydrogel polymer significantly increased after nanocomposite formation with SiC NPs. The HNC was employed for the removal of cationic dyes, i.e., malachite green (MG) and rhodamine B (RhB) from the aqueous solution. The HNC was found to remove 91% (MG) and 86% (RhB) of dyes with a polymer dose of 0.5 and 0.6 g l-1 in neutral medium, respectively. The adsorption process was found to be highly pH dependent and followed the pseudo-second-order rate model. The adsorption isotherm data fitted well with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity of 757.57 and 497.51 mg g-1 for MG and RhB, respectively. Furthermore, the HNC was demonstrated as a versatile adsorbent for the removal of both cationic and anionic dyes from the simulated wastewater. The HNC showed excellent regeneration capacity and was successfully used for the three cycles of adsorption-desorption. In summary, the HNC has shown its potential as an environment friendly and efficient adsorbent for the adsorption of cationic dyes from contaminated water.

Structure of Irreversibly Adsorbed Star Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akgun, Bulent; Aykan, Meryem Seyma; Canavar, Seda; Satija, Sushil K.; Uhrig, David; Hong, Kunlun

Formation of irreversibly adsorbed polymer chains on solid substrates have a huge impact on the wetting, glass transition, aging and polymer chain mobility in thin films. In recent years there has been many reports on the formation, kinetics and dynamics of these layers formed by linear homopolymers. Recent studies showed that by varying the number of polymer arms and arm molecular weight one can tune the glass transition temperature of thin polymer films. Using polymer architecture as a tool, the behavior of thin films can be tuned between the behavior of linear chains and soft colloids. We have studied the effect of polymer chain architecture on the structure of dead layer using X-ray reflectivity (XR) and atomic force microscopy. Layer thicknesses and densities of flattened and loosely adsorbed chains has been measured for linear, 4-arm, and 8-arm star polymers with identical total molecular weight as a function of substrate surface energy, annealing temperature and annealing time. Star polymers have been synthesized using anionic polymerization. XR measurements showed that 8-arm star PS molecules form the densest and the thickest dead layers among these three molecules.

Responsive Guest Encapsulation of Dynamic Conjugated Microporous Polymers.

PubMed

Xu, Lai; Li, Youyong

2016-06-30

The host-guest complexes of conjugated microporous polymers encapsulating C60 and dye molecules have been investigated systematically. The orientation of guest molecules inside the cavities, have different terms: inside the open cavities of the polymer, or inside the cavities formed by packing different polymers. The host backbone shows responsive dynamic behavior in order to accommodate the size and shape of incoming guest molecule or guest aggregates. Simulations show that the host-guest binding of conjugated polymers is stronger than that of non-conjugated polymers. This detailed study could provide a clear picture for the host-guest interaction for dynamic conjugated microporous polymers. The mechanism obtained could guide designing new conjugated microporous polymers.

Present status of solid state photoelectrochemical solar cells and dye sensitized solar cells using PEO-based polymer electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Pramod Kumar; Nagarale, R. K.; Pandey, S. P.; Rhee, H. W.; Bhattacharya, Bhaskar

2011-06-01

Due to energy crises in the future, much effort is being directed towards alternate sources. Solar energy is accepted as a novel substitute for conventional sources of energy. Out of the long list of various types of solar cells available on the market, solid state photoelectrochemical solar cells (SSPECs) and dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are proposed as an alternative to costly crystalline solar cell. This review provides a common platform for SSPECs and DSSCs using polymer electrolyte, particularly on polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based polymer electrolytes. Due to numerous advantageous properties of PEO, it is frequently used as an electrolyte in both SSPECs as well as DSSCs. In DSSCs, so far high efficiency (more than 11%) has been obtained only by using volatile liquid electrolyte, which suffers many disadvantages, such as corrosion, leakage and evaporation. The PEO-based solid polymer proves its importance and could be used to solve the problems stated above. The recent developments in SSPECs and DSSCs using modified PEO electrolytes by adding nano size inorganic fillers, blending with low molecular weight polymers and ionic liquid (IL) are discussed in detail. The role of ionic liquid in modifying the electrical, structural and photoelectrochemical properties of PEO polymer electrolytes is also described.

Long range self-assembly of polythiophene breath figures: Optical and morphological characterization

DOE PAGES

Routh, Prahlad K.; Nykypanchuk, Dmytro; Venkatesh, T. A.; ...

2015-09-01

Large area, device relevant sized microporous thin films are formed with commercially available polythiophenes by the breath figure technique, a water-assisted micro patterning method, with such semitransparent thin films exhibiting periodicity and uniformity dictated by the length of the polymer side chain. Compared to drop casted thin films, the microporous thin films exhibit increased crystallinity due to stronger packing of the polymer inside the honeycomb frame.

Dichroic Liquid Crystal Displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahadur, Birendra

The following sections are included: * INTRODUCTION * DICHROIC DYES * Chemical Structure * Chemical and Photochemical Stability * THEORETICAL MODELLING * DEFECTS CAUSED BY PROLONGED LIGHT IRRADIATION * CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AND PHOTOSTABILITY * OTHER PARAMETERS AFFECTING PHOTOSTABILITY * CELL PREPARATION * DICHROIC PARAMETERS AND THEIR MEASUREMENTS * Order Parameter and Dichroic Ratio Of Dyes * Absorbance, Order Parameter and Dichroic Ratio Measurements * IMPACT OF DYE STRUCTURE AND LIQUID CRYSTAL HOST ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF A DICHROIC MIXTURE * Order Parameter and Dichroic Ratio * EFFECT OF LENGTH OF DICHROIC DYES ON THE ORDER PARAMETER * EFFECT OF THE BREADTH OF DYE ON THE ORDER PARAMETER * EFFECT OF THE HOST ON THE ORDER PARAMETER * TEMPERATURE VARIATION OF THE ORDER PARAMETER OF DYES IN A LIQUID CRYSTAL HOST * IMPACT OF DYE CONCENTRATION ON THE ORDER PARAMETER * Temperature Range * Viscosity * Dielectric Constant and Anisotropy * Refractive Indices and Birefringence * solubility43,153-156 * Absorption Wavelength and Auxochromic Groups * Molecular Engineering of Dichroic Dyes * OPTICAL, ELECTRO-OPTICAL AND LIFE PARAMETERS * Colour And CIE Colour space120,160-166 * CIE 1931 COLOUR SPACE * CIE 1976 CHROMATICITY DIAGRAM * CIE UNIFORM COLOUR SPACES & COLOUR DIFFERENCE FORMULAE120,160-166 * Electro-Optical Parameters120 * LUMINANCE * CONTRAST AND CONTRAST RATIO * SWITCHING SPEED * Life Parameters and Failure Modes * DICHROIC MIXTURE FORMULATION * Monochrome Mixture * Black Mixture * ACHROMATIC BLACK MIXTURE FOR HEILMEIER DISPLAYS * Effect of Illuminant on Display Colour * Colour of the Field-On State * Effect of Dye Linewidth * Optimum Centroid Wavelengths * Effect of Dye Concentration * Mixture Formulation Using More Than Three Dyes * ACHROMATIC MIXTURE FOR WHITE-TAYLOR TYPE DISPLAYS * HEILMEIER DISPLAYS * Theoretical Modelling * Threshold Characteristic * Effects of Dye Concentration on Electro-optical Parameters * Effect of Cholesteric Doping * Effect of Alignment * Effect of Thickness * Impact of Order Parameter * Impact of the Host * Impact of Polarizer * Colour Applications * Multiplexing * QUARTER WAVE PLATE DICHROIC DISPLAYS * Operational Principle and Display Configuration11-13 * Electro-Optical Performance * DYE-DOPED TN DISPLAYS * Threshold Characteristic, Contrast Ratio and Switching Speed * PHASE CHANGE EFFECT DICHROIC LCDs * Theoretical Background * Threshold Characteristic and Molecular Orientation * MOLECULAR ORIENTATION DURING FIELD-INDUCED PHASE TRANSITION WITH HOMOGENEOUS WALL ALIGNMENT * MOLECULAR ORIENTATION DURING FIELD-INDUCED PHASE TRANSITION WITH HOMEOTROPIC WALL ALIGNMENT * Contrast Ratio, Transmission, Brightness and Switching Speed3,7,10,198-214 * Memory or Reminiscent Contrast * Electro-optical Performance vs. Temperature * Multiplexing Phase Change Dichroic LCDs * DOUBLE CELL DICHROIC LCDs3,9,14-17,232-234 * Double Cell Nematic Dichroic LCD3,8,9,14,15,233 * Double Cell One Pitch Cholesteric LCD16,17 * Double Cell Phase Change Dichroic LCD214,232 * POSITIVE MODE DICHROIC LCDS3,8,9 * Positive Mode Heilmeier Cells3,8,9,43,77,78,235-238 * USING PLEOCHROIC DYES3,8,9,43,235-238 * USING NEGATIVE DICHROIC DYES3,8,9,63,77,78156 * DUAL FREQUENCY ADDRESSED DICHROIC DISPLAYS75,238 * Positive Mode Dichroic LCDs Using λ/4 Plate * Positive Mode Double Cell Dichroic LCD * Positive Mode Dichroic LCDs Using Special Electrode patterns7,8,239-241 * Positive Mode Phase Change Dichroic LCDs3,8,9,230,243-248 * Dichroic LCDs Using an Admixture of Pleochroic and Negative Dichroic Dyes78,118 * SUPERTWIST DICHROIC EFFECT (SDE) DISPLAYS21-23 * FERROELECTRIC DICHROIC LCDs24-27 * Devices Using A Single Polarizer * Devices Using No Polarizer24-27 * POLYMER DISPERSED DICHROIC LCDs28-30,252-259 * DICHROIC POLYMER LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS * Heilmeier Type Displays * Guest-Host Cell Using an Admixture Of L.C. Polymer and Low Molecular Weight Liquid Crysta As Host * Polymeric Ferroelectric Dichroic LCDs * SMECTIC A DICHROIC LCDs * Laser Addressed Dichroic SA Displays * Thermally and Electrically Addressed Dichroic SA Displays * FLUORESCENT DICHROIC LCDs * ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS * REFERENCES

Visual gas sensors based on dye thin films and resonant waveguide gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davoine, L.; Schnieper, M.; Barranco, A.; Aparicio, F. J.

2011-05-01

A colorimetric sensor that provides a direct visual indication of chemical contamination was developed. The detection is based on the color change of the reflected light after exposure to a gas or a liquid. The sensor is a combination of a chemically sensitive dye layer and a subwavelength grating structure. To enhance the perception of color change, a reference area sealed under a non-contaminated atmosphere is used and placed next to the sensor. The color change is clearly visible by human eyes. The device is based on photonic resonant effects; the visible color is a direct reflection of some incoming light, therefore no additional supplies are needed. This makes it usable as a standalone disposable sensor. The dye thin film is deposited by Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on top of the subwavelength structure. The latter is made by combining a replication process of a Sol-Gel material and a thin film deposition. Lowcost fabrication and compatibility with environments where electricity cannot be used make this device very attractive for applications in hospitals, industries, with explosives and in traffic.

Cell type-specific delivery of short interfering RNAs by dye-functionalised theranostic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Press, Adrian T.; Traeger, Anja; Pietsch, Christian; Mosig, Alexander; Wagner, Michael; Clemens, Mark G.; Jbeily, Nayla; Koch, Nicole; Gottschaldt, Michael; Bézière, Nicolas; Ermolayev, Volodymyr; Ntziachristos, Vasilis; Popp, Jürgen; Kessels, Michael M.; Qualmann, Britta; Schubert, Ulrich S.; Bauer, Michael

2014-12-01

Efficient delivery of short interfering RNAs reflects a prerequisite for the development of RNA interference therapeutics. Here, we describe highly specific nanoparticles, based on near infrared fluorescent polymethine dye-derived targeting moieties coupled to biodegradable polymers. The fluorescent dye, even when coupled to a nanoparticle, mimics a ligand for hepatic parenchymal uptake transporters resulting in hepatobiliary clearance of approximately 95% of the dye within 45 min. Body distribution, hepatocyte uptake and excretion into bile of the dye itself, or dye-coupled nanoparticles can be tracked by intravital microscopy or even non-invasively by multispectral optoacoustic tomography. Efficacy of delivery is demonstrated in vivo using 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase siRNA as an active payload resulting in a reduction of plasma cholesterol levels if siRNA was formulated into dye-functionalised nanoparticles. This suggests that organ-selective uptake of a near infrared dye can be efficiently transferred to theranostic nanoparticles allowing novel possibilities for personalised silencing of disease-associated genes.

Sensitization of Nanocrystalline Metal Oxides with a Phosphonate-Functionalized Perylene Diimide for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation with a CoOx Catalyst.

PubMed

Kirner, Joel T; Finke, Richard G

2017-08-23

A planar organic thin film composed of a perylene diimide dye (N,N'-bis(phosphonomethyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide, PMPDI) with photoelectrochemically deposited cobalt oxide (CoO x ) catalyst was previously shown to photoelectrochemically oxidize water (DOI: 10.1021/am405598w). Herein, the same PMPDI dye is studied for the sensitization of different nanostructured metal oxide (nano-MO x ) films in a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell architecture. Dye adsorption kinetics and saturation decreases in the order TiO 2 > SnO 2 ≫ WO 3 . Despite highest initial dye loading on TiO 2 films, photocurrent with hydroquinone (H 2 Q) sacrificial reductant in pH 7 aqueous solution is much higher on SnO 2 films, likely due to a higher driving force for charge injection into the more positive conduction band energy of SnO 2 . Dyeing conditions and SnO 2 film thickness were subsequently optimized to achieve light-harvesting efficiency >99% at the λ max of the dye, and absorbed photon-to-current efficiency of 13% with H 2 Q, a 2-fold improvement over the previous thin-film architecture. A CoO x water-oxidation catalyst was photoelectrochemically deposited, allowing for photoelectrochemical water oxidation with a faradaic efficiency of 31 ± 7%, thus demonstrating the second example of a water-oxidizing, dye-sensitized photoelectrolysis cell composed entirely of earth-abundant materials. However, deposition of CoO x always results in lower photocurrent due to enhanced recombination between catalyst and photoinjected electrons in SnO 2 , as confirmed by open-circuit photovoltage measurements. Possible future studies to enhance photoanode performance are discussed, including alternative catalyst deposition strategies or structural derivatization of the perylene dye.

Sensitization of Nanocrystalline Metal Oxides with a Phosphonate-Functionalized Perylene Diimide for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation with a CoO x Catalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirner, Joel T.; Finke, Richard G.

A planar organic thin film composed of a perylene diimide dye (N,N'-bis(phosphonomethyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide, PMPDI) with photoelectrochemically deposited cobalt oxide (CoO x) catalyst was previously shown to photoelectrochemically oxidize water (DOI: 10.1021/am405598w). Herein, the same PMPDI dye is studied for the sensitization of different nanostructured metal oxide (nano-MO x) films in a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell architecture. Dye adsorption kinetics and saturation decreases in the order TiO 2 > SnO 2 >> WO 3. Despite highest initial dye loading on TiO 2 films, photocurrent with hydroquinone (H 2Q) sacrificial reductant in pH 7 aqueous solution is much higher on SnO 2 films, likelymore » due to a higher driving force for charge injection into the more positive conduction band energy of SnO 2. Dyeing conditions and SnO 2 film thickness were subsequently optimized to achieve light-harvesting efficiency >99% at the λmax of the dye, and absorbed photon-to-current efficiency of 13% with H 2Q, a 2-fold improvement over the previous thin-film architecture. A CoO x water-oxidation catalyst was photoelectrochemically deposited, allowing for photoelectrochemical water oxidation with a faradaic efficiency of 31 ± 7%, thus demonstrating the second example of a water-oxidizing, dye-sensitized photoelectrolysis cell composed entirely of earth-abundant materials. However, deposition of CoO x always results in lower photocurrent due to enhanced recombination between catalyst and photoinjected electrons in SnO 2, as confirmed by open-circuit photovoltage measurements. Possible future studies to enhance photoanode performance are also discussed, including alternative catalyst deposition strategies or structural derivatization of the perylene dye.« less

Sensitization of Nanocrystalline Metal Oxides with a Phosphonate-Functionalized Perylene Diimide for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation with a CoO x Catalyst

DOE PAGES

Kirner, Joel T.; Finke, Richard G.

2017-07-20

A planar organic thin film composed of a perylene diimide dye (N,N'-bis(phosphonomethyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide, PMPDI) with photoelectrochemically deposited cobalt oxide (CoO x) catalyst was previously shown to photoelectrochemically oxidize water (DOI: 10.1021/am405598w). Herein, the same PMPDI dye is studied for the sensitization of different nanostructured metal oxide (nano-MO x) films in a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell architecture. Dye adsorption kinetics and saturation decreases in the order TiO 2 > SnO 2 >> WO 3. Despite highest initial dye loading on TiO 2 films, photocurrent with hydroquinone (H 2Q) sacrificial reductant in pH 7 aqueous solution is much higher on SnO 2 films, likelymore » due to a higher driving force for charge injection into the more positive conduction band energy of SnO 2. Dyeing conditions and SnO 2 film thickness were subsequently optimized to achieve light-harvesting efficiency >99% at the λmax of the dye, and absorbed photon-to-current efficiency of 13% with H 2Q, a 2-fold improvement over the previous thin-film architecture. A CoO x water-oxidation catalyst was photoelectrochemically deposited, allowing for photoelectrochemical water oxidation with a faradaic efficiency of 31 ± 7%, thus demonstrating the second example of a water-oxidizing, dye-sensitized photoelectrolysis cell composed entirely of earth-abundant materials. However, deposition of CoO x always results in lower photocurrent due to enhanced recombination between catalyst and photoinjected electrons in SnO 2, as confirmed by open-circuit photovoltage measurements. Possible future studies to enhance photoanode performance are also discussed, including alternative catalyst deposition strategies or structural derivatization of the perylene dye.« less

Resonant third-order optical nonlinearities of thin films containing J-aggregates of a cyanine dye or a squarylium dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongyu; Jin, Zhaohui; Kasatani, Kazuo

2005-01-01

The third-order optical nonlinearities and responses of thin films containing the J-aggregates of a cyanine dye or a squarylium dye were measured using the degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) technique under resonant conditions. The sol-gel silica coating films containing the J-aggregates of the cyanine dye, NK-3261, are stable at room temperature and durable against laser beam irradiation. The temporal profiles of the DFWM signal were measured with a time resolution of 0.3 ps, and were found to consist of at least three components, i.e., the coherent instantaneous nonlinear response and the two slow responses with delay time constants of ca. 1.0 ps and ca. 5.6 ps. The contribution of the later was small. The electronic component of the effective third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility of the film had value of as high as ca. 3.0 x 10-7 esu. We also studied the neat film of a squarylium dye J-aggregates. The temporal profile of the DFWM signal of the neat film of squarylium dye was also found to consist of at least three components, the coherent instantaneous nonlinear response and the delayed response with decay time constants of ca. 0.6 ps and ca. 6.5 ps. The contribution of the slow tail was also very small. The electronic component of effective third-order optical nonlinear susceptibility of the neat film of squarylium dye had value of as high as ca. 3.6 x 10-8 esu.

Synthesis and characterization thin films of conductive polymer (PANI) for optoelectronic device application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarad, Amer N.; Ibrahim, Kamarulazizi; Ahmed, Nasser M.

2016-07-01

In this work we report preparation and investigation of structural and optical properties of polyaniline conducting polymer. By using sol-gel in spin coating technique to synthesize thin films of conducting polymer polyaniline (PANI). Conducting polymer polyaniline was synthesized by the chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline monomers. The thin films were characterized by technique: Hall effect, High Resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and UV-vis spectroscopy. Polyaniline conductive polymer exhibit amorphous nature as confirmed by HR-XRD. The presence of characteristic bonds of polyaniline was observed from FTIR spectroscopy technique. Electrical and optical properties revealed that (p-type) conductivity PANI with room temperature, the conductivity was 6.289×10-5 (Ω.cm)-1, with tow of absorption peak at 426,805 nm has been attributed due to quantized size of polyaniline conducting polymer.

Strongly hydrogen-bond acidic polymer and methods of making and using

DOEpatents

Grate, Jay W.; Kaganove, Steven N.

2000-01-01

The present invention is a sorbent polymer with the (AB)n sequence where the fluorinated interactive A segment is fluoroalkyl-substituted bisphenol and the oligosiloxane B segment is an oligodimethylsiloxane. More specifically, the fluoroalkyl-substituted bisphenol contains two allyl groups and the oligodimethylsiloxane has terminal Si--H groups. The sorbent polymer may be used as thin films on a variety of chemical sensors, or as a component of a thin film on a chemical sensor. Crosslinked sorbent polymers are processable into stable thin films on sensor devices. Sorbent polymers are also useful in sensor arrays, in surface acoustic wave sensors, and in cladding of optical fibers. Sensor arrays provide better selectivity than single sensors and permit identification and quantification of more than one species in a mixture. The sorbent polymer is synthesized by hydrosilylation polymerization which is achieved by catalyzed heating.

Spectroscopic studies of nanoparticle-sensitised photorefractive polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aslam, Farzana; Binks, David J.; Daniels, Steve; Pickett, Nigel; O'Brien, Paul

2005-09-01

We report on the absorbance and photoluminescence spectra of photorefractive polymer composites sensitized by three different types of nanoparticles. Each nanoparticle is passivated by 1-hexadecylamine (HDA) and the composites also consist of the charge transporting matrix poly( N-vinylcarbazole) and the dye 1-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-4-(4-nitrophenylazo) benzene. A strong spectral feature is observed that is attributed to a complex formed between the dye and HDA; elemental analysis indicates that the formation of this complex is determined by the metal content of the nanoparticle surface. The photoluminescence quantum yield for the complex is greatly reduced when the HDA is attached to the nanoparticle, indicating that a charge transfer occurs.

Organic nanofibers from squarylium dyes: local morphology, optical, and electrical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balzer, Frank; Schiek, Manuela; Osadnik, Andreas; Lützen, Arne; Rubahn, Horst-Günter

2012-02-01

Environmentally stable, non-toxic squarylium dyes with strong absorption maxima in the red and near infrared spectral region are known for almost fifty years. Despite the fact that their optoelectronic properties distinguish them as promising materials for organics based photovoltaic cells, they have regained attention only very recently. For their application in heterojunction solar cells knowledge of their nanoscopic morphology as well as nanoscopic electrical properties is paramount. In this paper thin films from two different squarylium dyes, from squarylium (SQ) and from hydroxy-squarylium (SQOH) are investigated. The thin films are either solution casted or vacuum sublimed onto substrates such as muscovite mica, which are known to promote self-assembly into oriented, crystalline nanostructures such as nanofibers. Local characterization is performed via (polarized) optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM).

Structural, Morphological, and Electron Transport Studies of Annealing Dependent In2O3 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

PubMed Central

Mahalingam, S.; Abdullah, H.; Shaari, S.; Muchtar, A.; Asshari, I.

2015-01-01

Indium oxide (In2O3) thin films annealed at various annealing temperatures were prepared by using spin-coating method for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The objective of this research is to enhance the photovoltaic conversion efficiency in In2O3 thin films by finding the optimum annealing temperature and also to study the reason for high and low performance in the annealed In2O3 thin films. The structural and morphological characteristics of In2O3 thin films were studied via XRD patterns, atomic force microscopy (AFM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), EDX sampling, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The annealing treatment modified the nanostructures of the In2O3 thin films viewed through FESEM images. The In2O3-450°C-based DSSC exhibited better photovoltaic performance than the other annealed thin films of 1.54%. The electron properties were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) unit. The In2O3-450°C thin films provide larger diffusion rate, low recombination effect, and longer electron lifetime, thus enhancing the performance of DSSC. PMID:26146652

Polylactic acid promotes healing of photodegraded disperse orange 11 molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubbs, Najee; Bridgewater, Mauricio; Stubbs, Micheala; Kabir, Amin; Crescimanno, Michael; Kuzyk, Mark G.; Dawson, Nathan J.

2018-02-01

We report on the recovery of a photodegraded organic molecule mediated by a biopolymer. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from disperse orange 11 (DO11) dye-doped polylactic acid (PLA) was used to monitor photodegradation while the material was being damaged by a strong pump laser. The ASE signal fully recovers over two hours time when the pump beam is blocked. The fluorescence spectra was also observed to recover after partial photobleaching the dye-doped polymer. PLA is the first biopolymer known to mediate the recovery of a photodegraded organic dye molecule.

Gas Permeation in Thin Glassy Polymer Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Donald

2011-03-01

The development of asymmetric and composite membranes with very thin dense ``skins'' needed to achieve high gas fluxes enabled the commercial use of membranes for molecular level separations. It has been generally assumed that these thin skins, with thicknesses of the order of 100 nm, have the same permeation characteristics as films with thicknesses of 25 microns or more. Thick films are easily made in the laboratory and have been used extensively for measuring permeation characteristics to evaluate the potential of new polymers for membrane applications. There is now evidence that this assumption can be in very significant error, and use of thick film data to select membrane materials or predict performance should be done with caution. This presentation will summarize our work on preparing films of glassy polymers as thin as 20 nm and characterizing their behavior by gas permeation, ellipsometry and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. Some of the most important polymers used commercially as gas separation membranes, i.e., Matrimid polyimide, polysulfone (PSF) and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO), have been made into well-defined thin films in our laboratories by spin casting techniques and their properties studied using the techniques we have developed. These thin films densify (or physically age) much faster than thicker films, and, as result, the permeability decreases, sometimes by several-fold over weeks or months for thin films. This means that the properties of these thin films can be very different from bulk films. The techniques, interpretations and implications of these observations will be discussed. In a broader sense, gas permeation measurements can be a powerful way of developing a better understanding of the effects of polymer chain confinement and/or surface mobility on the behavior of thin films.

Enhanced thermal conductance of polymer composites through embedding aligned carbon nanofibers

DOE PAGES

Nicholas, Roberts; Hensley, Dale K.; Wood, David

2016-07-08

The focus of this work is to find a more efficient method of enhancing the thermal conductance of polymer thin films. This work compares polymer thin films embedded with randomly oriented carbon nanotubes to those with vertically aligned carbon nanofibers. Thin films embedded with carbon nanofibers demonstrated a similar thermal conductance between 40–60 μm and a higher thermal conductance between 25–40 μm than films embedded with carbon nanotubes with similar volume fractions even though carbon nanotubes have a higher thermal conductivity than carbon nanofibers

Enhanced thermal conductance of polymer composites through embedding aligned carbon nanofibers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicholas, Roberts; Hensley, Dale K.; Wood, David

The focus of this work is to find a more efficient method of enhancing the thermal conductance of polymer thin films. This work compares polymer thin films embedded with randomly oriented carbon nanotubes to those with vertically aligned carbon nanofibers. Thin films embedded with carbon nanofibers demonstrated a similar thermal conductance between 40–60 μm and a higher thermal conductance between 25–40 μm than films embedded with carbon nanotubes with similar volume fractions even though carbon nanotubes have a higher thermal conductivity than carbon nanofibers

Peptide surface modification of P(HEMA-co-MMA)-b-PIB-b-P(HEMA-co-MMA) block copolymers.

PubMed

Ojha, Umaprasana; Feng, Dingsong; Chandekar, Amol; Whitten, James E; Faust, Rudolf

2009-06-02

Peptide surface modification of poly[(methyl methacrylate-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-b-isobutylene-b-(methyl methacrylate-co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)] P(MMA-co-HEMA)-b-PIB-b-P(MMA-co-HEMA) triblock copolymers with different HEMA/MMA ratios has been accomplished using an efficient synthetic procedure. The triblock copolymers were reacted with 4-fluorobenzenesulfonyl chloride (fosyl chloride) in pyridine to obtain the activated polymers [poly{(methyl methacrylate-co-fosyloxyethyl methacrylate)-b-isobutylene-b-(methyl methacrylate-co-fosyloxyethyl methacrylate)}] P(MMA-co-FEMA)-b-PIB-b-P(MMA-co-FEMA), with an activating efficiency of 80-90%. The resulting polymers were soluble in chloroform, and their solutions were used to coat thin uniform films with a predetermined thickness on smooth steel surfaces. The presence of reactive activating groups on the film surface was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), dye labeling, and confocal laser scanning microscopic studies. Activation of the triblock copolymer films was also achieved under heterogeneous conditions in polar (acetonitrile) and nonpolar (hexanes) media. The extent of activation was controlled by varying the dipping time and polarity of the medium. Peptide attachment was accomplished by immersing the coated steel strips into aqueous buffer solution of Gly-Gly or GYIGSR. XPS and solubility studies revealed successful attachment of peptides to the polymer surface. Virtually all remaining activating groups were successfully replaced in the subsequent step by a treatment with Tris(hydroxymethyl)amino methane in a buffered methanol/water mixture.

Improved Charge-Transfer Fluorescent Dyes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Michael

2005-01-01

Improved charge-transfer fluorescent dyes have been developed for use as molecular probes. These dyes are based on benzofuran nuclei with attached phenyl groups substituted with, variously, electron donors, electron acceptors, or combinations of donors and acceptors. Optionally, these dyes could be incorporated as parts of polymer backbones or as pendant groups or attached to certain surfaces via self-assembly-based methods. These dyes exhibit high fluorescence quantum yields -- ranging from 0.2 to 0.98, depending upon solvents and chemical structures. The wavelengths, quantum yields, intensities, and lifetimes of the fluorescence emitted by these dyes vary with (and, hence, can be used as indicators of) the polarities of solvents in which they are dissolved: In solvents of increasing polarity, fluorescence spectra shift to longer wavelengths, fluorescence quantum yields decrease, and fluorescence lifetimes increase. The wavelengths, quantum yields, intensities, and lifetimes are also expected to be sensitive to viscosities and/or glass-transition temperatures. Some chemical species -- especially amines, amino acids, and metal ions -- quench the fluorescence of these dyes, with consequent reductions in intensities, quantum yields, and lifetimes. As a result, the dyes can be used to detect these species. Another useful characteristic of these dyes is a capability for both two-photon and one-photon absorption. Typically, these dyes absorb single photons in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum (wavelengths < 400 nm) and emit photons in the long-wavelength ultraviolet, visible, and, when dissolved in some solvents, near-infrared regions. In addition, these dyes can be excited by two-photon absorption at near-infrared wavelengths (600 to 800 nm) to produce fluorescence spectra identical to those obtained in response to excitation by single photons at half the corresponding wavelengths (300 to 400 nm). While many prior fluorescent dyes exhibit high quantum yields, solvent-polarity- dependent fluorescence behavior, susceptibility to quenching by certain chemical species, and/or two-photon fluorescence, none of them has the combination of all of these attributes. Because the present dyes do have all of these attributes, they have potential utility as molecular probes in a variety of applications. Examples include (1) monitoring curing and deterioration of polymers; (2) monitoring protein expression; (3) high-throughput screening of drugs; (4) monitoring such chemical species as glucose, amines, amino acids, and metal ions; and (5) photodynamic therapy of cancers and other diseases.

Organic and Inorganic Dyes in Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films

PubMed Central

Ball, Vincent

2012-01-01

Polyelectrolyte multilayer films are a versatile functionalization method of surfaces and rely on the alternated adsorption of oppositely charged species. Among such species, charged dyes can also be alternated with oppositely charged polymers, which is challenging from a fundamental point of view, because polyelectrolytes require a minimal number of charges, whereas even monovalent dyes can be incorporated during the alternated adsorption process. We will not only focus on organic dyes but also on their inorganic counterparts and on metal complexes. Such films offer plenty of possible applications in dye sensitized solar cells. In addition, dyes are massively used in the textile industry and in histology to stain textile fibers or tissues. However, the excess of non bound dyes poses serious environmental problems. It is hence of the highest interest to design materials able to adsorb such dyes in an almost irreversible manner. Polyelectrolyte multilayer films, owing to their ion exchange behavior can be useful for such a task allowing for impressive overconcentration of dyes with respect to the dye in solution. The actual state of knowledge of the interactions between charged dyes and adsorbed polyelectrolytes is the focus of this review article.

Durability of switchable QR code carriers under hydrolytic and photolytic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ecker, Melanie; Pretsch, Thorsten

2013-09-01

Following a guest diffusion approach, the surface of a shape memory poly(ester urethane) (PEU) was either black or blue colored. Bowtie-shaped quick response (QR) code carriers were then obtained from laser engraving and cutting, before thermo-mechanical functionalization (programming) was applied to stabilize the PEU in a thermo-responsive (switchable) state. The stability of the dye within the polymer surface and long-term functionality of the polymer were investigated against UVA and hydrolytic ageing. Spectrophotometric investigations verified UVA ageing-related color shifts from black to yellow-brownish and blue to petrol-greenish whereas hydrolytically aged samples changed from black to greenish and blue to light blue. In the case of UVA ageing, color changes were accompanied by dye decolorization, whereas hydrolytic ageing led to contrast declines due to dye diffusion. The Michelson contrast could be identified as an effective tool to follow ageing-related contrast changes between surface-dyed and laser-ablated (undyed) polymer regions. As soon as the Michelson contrast fell below a crucial value of 0.1 due to ageing, the QR code was no longer decipherable with a scanning device. Remarkably, the PEU information carrier base material could even then be adequately fixed and recovered. Hence, the surface contrast turned out to be the decisive parameter for QR code carrier applicability.

Certain tricyclic and pentacyclic-hetero nitrogen rhodol dyes

DOEpatents

Haugland, Richard P.; Whitaker, James E.

1993-01-01

Novel fluorescent dyes based on the rhodol structure are provided. The new reagents contain functional groups capable of forming a stable fluorescent product with functional groups typically found in biomolecules or polymers including amines, phenols, thiols, acids, aldehydes and ketones. Reactive groups in the rhodol dyes include activated esters, isothiocyanates, amines, hydrazines, halides, acids, azides, maleimides, aldehydes, alcohols, acrylamides and haloacetamides. The products are detected by their absorbance or fluorescence properties. The spectral properties of the fluorescent dyes are sufficiently similar in wavelengths and intensity to fluorescein or rhodamine derivatives as to permit use of the same equipment. The dyes, however, show less spectral sensitivity to pH in the physiological range than does fluorescein, have higher solubility in non-polar solvents and have improved photostability and quantum yields.

The Kinetics and Dynamics of Elementary Gas-Phase Reactions

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

We report CRDS measurements of thin films of oxazine 1, oxazine 170 and malachite green dyes deposited on borosilicate substrates. The method...measure monolayer and sub-monolayer quantities of dye. The minimum observed concentration of malachite green in the present work was calculated to be...the dyes: at surface coverages of ~ 2.8 × 10-7 mol m-2, the ratio of malachite green dimers to monomers was estimated as Cd/Cm = 0.22. The Kinetics

Improvements in opti-chromic dosimeters for radiation processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humpherys, K. C.; Kantz, A. D.

"Opti-Chromic" dosimeters consisting of radiachromic dye in flourinated polymer tubing have been introduced as a dosimetry system in the range from 10 1 to 5 × 10 4 Gy. Batches of "Opti-Chromic" dosimeters have been produced to evaluate performance under large scale industrial conditions. A systematic study was undertaken to determine the effect of various dosimeter parameters on radiation sensitivity, shelf life, and response characteristics at the higher absorbed doses. These parameters were (A) Type of flourinated polymer tubing; (B) Organic solvent used to activate the radiachromic dye; (C) Concentration of radiachromic dye; (D) Additives to provide proper viscosity, color stability, and high-dose response. Prototype batches were produced and experimental dosimeters exposed to a range of absorbed doses and the response measured as a function of shelf life and dose. The results of the study are presented, and an improved formulation recommended for application to Food Processing. Other formulations may be of value in specific requirements of sensitivity or temperature.

Scanning Angle Raman spectroscopy in polymer thin film characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, Vy H.T.

The focus of this thesis is the application of Raman spectroscopy for the characterization of thin polymer films. Chapter 1 provides background information and motivation, including the fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy for chemical analysis, scanning angle Raman scattering and scanning angle Raman scattering for applications in thin polymer film characterization. Chapter 2 represents a published manuscript that focuses on the application of scanning angle Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of submicron thin films with a description of methodology for measuring the film thickness and location of an interface between two polymer layers. Chapter 3 provides an outlook and future directionsmore » for the work outlined in this thesis. Appendix A, contains a published manuscript that outlines the use of Raman spectroscopy to aid in the synthesis of heterogeneous catalytic systems. Appendix B and C contain published manuscripts that set a foundation for the work presented in Chapter 2.« less

Universal lab on a smartphone: a research of TiOPc thin film as a light dependence electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, PoHan; Hsu, Y. H.; Lee, C. K.

2014-02-01

In this paper, we study the photoconductivity of a polymer-based TiOPc (Titanium Oxide Phthalocyanine) thin-film for the development of a multi-opto-piezoelectric-valve-array. Using a polymer-based TiOPc thin film to serve as the electrode and a structural layer of a piezoelectric polymer, P(VDF-TrFE) poly[(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene], an optical control valve-array could be developed for manipulating multiple microdroplets for the application of digital microfluidic. In this ongoing project, the dependency of the light intensity, thickness, and composition of spin-coated polymer-based TiOPc thin-film was studied. The experimental finding suggested that a 14 to 55 times resistivity change could be achieved by controlling the film thickness to be between 0.9 μm and 1.5 μm with TiOPc concentration of 20% and 30% w/w compositions.

Mechanical comparison of a polymer nanocomposite to a ceramic thin-film anti-reflective filter.

PubMed

Druffel, Thad; Geng, Kebin; Grulke, Eric

2006-07-28

Thin-film filters on optical components have been in use for decades and, for those industries utilizing a polymer substrate, the mismatch in mechanical behaviour has caused problems. Surface damage including scratches and cracks induces haze on the optical filter, reducing the transmission of the optical article. An in-mold anti-reflective (AR) filter incorporating 1/4-wavelength thin films based on a polymer nanocomposite is outlined here and compared with a traditional vacuum deposition AR coating. Nanoindentation and nanoscratch techniques are used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the thin films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the resulting indentations and scratches are then compared to the force deflection curves to further explain the phenomena. The traditional coatings fractured by brittle mechanisms during testing, increasing the area of failure, whereas the polymer nanocomposite gave ductile failure with less surface damage.

A process for preparing an ultra-thin, adhesiveless, multi-layered, patterned polymer substrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Robert G. (Inventor); Kruse, Nancy H. M. (Inventor); Fox, Robert L. (Inventor); Tran, Sang Q. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A process for preparing an ultra-thin, adhesiveless, multi-layered, patterned polymer substrate is disclosed. The process may be used to prepare both rigid and flexible cables and circuit boards. A substrate is provided and a polymeric solution comprising a self-bonding, soluble polymer and a solvent is applied to the substrate. Next, the polymer solution is dried to form a polymer coated substrate. The polymer coated substrate is metallized and patterned. At least one additional coating of the polymeric solution is applied to the metallized, patterned, polymer coated substrate and the steps of metallizing and patterning are repeated. Lastly, a cover coat is applied. When preparing a flexible cable and flexible circuit board, the polymer coating is removed from the substrate.

Smart Polymer Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-27

films: Inhibition of dewetting in thin polymer films”, Carroll, Gregory T., Sojka, Melissa E., Lei, Xuegong, Turro, Nicholas J., Koberstein, Jeffrey T...at Sandia was that the polymer films, designed to have specific interactions with particular warfare agents, would dewet the surface of a surface...crosslinking or dewetting . Patterned dewetting constitutes a completely new way of generating micro thin film structures that might be useful in

Dye-Sensitized Core/Active Shell Upconversion Nanoparticles for Optogenetics and Bioimaging Applications

DOE PAGES

Wu, Xiang; Zhang, Yuanwei; Takle, Kendra; ...

2016-01-06

A near-infrared (NIR) dye-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) can broaden the absorption range and boost upconversion efficiency of UCNPs. We achieved significantly enhanced upconversion luminescence in dye-sensitized core/active shell UCNPs via the doping of ytterbium ions (Yb 3+ ) in the UCNP shell, which bridged the energy transfer from the dye to the UCNP core. As a result, we synergized the two most practical upconversion booster effectors (dye-sensitizing and core/shell enhancement) to amplify upconversion efficiency. We also demonstrated two biomedical applications using these UCNPs. By using dye-sensitized core/active shell UCNP embedded poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer implantable systems, we successfully shifted the optogeneticmore » neuron excitation window to a biocompatible and deep tissue penetrable 800 nm wavelength. Furthermore, UCNPs were water-solubilized with Pluronic F127 with high upconversion efficiency and can be imaged in a mouse model.« less

Process of changing the refractive index of a composite containing a polymer and a compound having large dipole moment and polarizability and applications thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peyghambarian, Nasser (Inventor); Hendrickx, Eric (Inventor); Volodin, Boris (Inventor); Marder, Seth R. (Inventor); Kippelen, Bernard (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Fused ring bridge, ring locked dyes that form thermally stable photorfractive compositions. The fused ring bridge structures are .pi.-conjugated bonds in benzene-, naphthalene- or anthracene-derived fused ring systems that connect donor and acceptor groups. The donor and acceptor groups contribute to a high molecular dipole moment and linear polarizability anisotropy. The polarization characteristics of the dye molecules are stabilized since the bonds in the fused ring bridge are not susceptible to rotation, reducing the opportunity for photoisomerization. The dyes are compatible with polymeric compositions, including thermoplastics. The dyes are electrically neutral but have charge transport, electronic and orientational properties such that upon illumination of a composition containing the dye, the dye facilitates refractive index modulation and a photorefractive effect that can be utilized advantageously in numerous applications such as in optical quality devices and biological imaging.

Isolation and Characterization of Precise Dye/Dendrimer Ratios

PubMed Central

Dougherty, Casey A.; Furgal, Joseph C.; van Dongen, Mallory A.; Goodson, Theodore; Banaszak Holl, Mark M.; Manono, Janet; DiMaggio, Stassi

2014-01-01

Fluorescent dyes are commonly conjugated to nanomaterials for imaging applications using stochastic synthesis conditions that result in a Poisson distribution of dye/particle ratios and therefore a broad range of photophysical and biodistribution properties. We report the isolation and characterization of generation 5 poly(amidoamine) (G5 PAMAM) dendrimer samples containing 1, 2, 3, and 4 fluorescein (FC) or 6-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester (TAMRA) dyes per polymer particle. For the fluorescein case, this was achieved by stochastically functionalizing dendrimer with a cyclooctyne `click' ligand, separation into sample containing precisely defined `click' ligand/particle ratios using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (rp-HPLC), followed by reaction with excess azide-functionalized fluorescein dye. For the TAMRA samples, stochastically functionalized dendrimer was directly separated into precise dye/particle ratios using rp-HPLC. These materials were characterized using 1H and 19F NMR, rp-HPLC, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, lifetime measurements, and MALDI. PMID:24604830

Effect of adsorbed/intercalated anionic dyes into the mechanical properties of PVA: layered zinc hydroxide nitrate nanocomposites.

PubMed

Marangoni, Rafael; Mikowski, Alexandre; Wypych, Fernando

2010-11-15

Zinc hydroxide nitrate (ZHN) was adsorbed with anions of blue dyes (Chicago sky blue, CSB; Evans blue, EB; and Niagara blue, NB) and intercalated with anions of orange dyes (Orange G, OG; Orange II, OII; methyl orange, MO). Transparent, homogeneous and colored nanocomposite films were obtained by casting after dispersing the pigments (dye-intercalated/adsorbed into LHSs) into commercial poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The films were characterized by XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and mechanical testing. The mechanical properties of the PVA compounded with the dye-intercalated/adsorbed ZHN were evaluated, and reasonable increases in Young's modulus and ultimate tensile strength were observed, depending on the amount and choice of layered filler. These results demonstrate the possibility of using a new class of layered hydroxide salts intercalated and adsorbed with anionic dyes to prepare multifunctional polymer nanocomposite materials. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tilted Orientation of Photochromic Dyes with Guest-Host Effect of Liquid Crystalline Polymer Matrix for Electrical UV Sensing

PubMed Central

Ranjkesh, Amid; Park, Min-Kyu; Park, Do Hyuk; Park, Ji-Sub; Choi, Jun-Chan; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Hak-Rin

2015-01-01

We propose a highly oriented photochromic dye film for an ultraviolet (UV)-sensing layer, where spirooxazine (SO) derivatives are aligned with the liquid crystalline UV-curable reactive mesogens (RM) using a guest-host effect. For effective electrical UV sensing with a simple metal-insulator-metal structure, our results show that the UV-induced switchable dipole moment amount of the SO derivatives is high; however, their tilting orientation should be controlled. Compared to the dielectric layer with the nearly planar SO dye orientation, the photochromic dielectric layer with the moderately tilted dye orientation shows more than seven times higher the UV-induced capacitance variation. PMID:26729116

Water Sorption in Electron-Beam Evaporated SiO2 on QCM Crystals and Its Influence on Polymer Thin Film Hydration Measurements.

PubMed

Kushner, Douglas I; Hickner, Michael A

2017-05-30

Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements are two critical characterization techniques routinely employed for hydration studies of polymer thin films. Water uptake by thin polymer films is an important area of study to investigate antifouling surfaces, to probe the swelling of thin water-containing ionomer films, and to conduct fundamental studies of polymer brush hydration and swelling. SiO 2 -coated QCM crystals, employed as substrates in many of these hydration studies, show porosity in the thin electron-beam (e-beam) evaporated SiO 2 layer. The water sorption into this porous SiO 2 layer requires correction of the optical and mass characterization of the hydrated polymer due to changes in the SiO 2 layer as it sorbs water. This correction is especially important when experiments on SiO 2 -coated QCM crystals are compared to measurements on Si wafers with dense native SiO 2 layers. Water adsorption filling void space during hydration in ∼200-260 nm thick SiO 2 layers deposited on a QCM crystal resulted in increased refractive index of the layer during water uptake experiments. The increased refractive index led to artificially higher polymer swelling in the optical modeling of the hydration experiments. The SiO 2 -coated QCM crystals showed between 6 and 8% void as measured by QCM and SE, accounting for 60%-85% of the measured polymer swelling in the low humidity regime (<20% RH) and 25%-40% of the polymer swelling in the high humidity regime (>70% RH) from optical modeling for 105 and 47 nm thick sulfonated polymer films. Correcting the refractive index of the SiO 2 layer for its water content resulted in polymer swelling that successfully resembled swelling measured on a silicon wafer with nonporous native oxide.

Performance impact of novel polymeric dyes in photoresist applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Ping-Hung; Mehtsun, Salem; Sagan, John P.; Shan, Jianhui; Gonzalez, Eleazar; Ding, Shuji; Khanna, Dinesh N.

1999-06-01

Dye compounds are commonly used in photoresists as a low cost and effective way to control swing and/or standing wave effect caused by thin film interference as well as reflective notching by reflective light from highly reflective substrate and topography. Convention dyes are typically a monomeric compound with high absorptivity at the wavelength of exposure light and compatible with the resist system selected. Because of the monomeric nature, conventional dyes are relatively low in molecular weight hence their thermal stability and sublimination propensity has always been an issue of concern. We recently synthesize several highly thermal stable diazotized polymeric dyes. Their thermal properties as well as compatibility with resist system were investigated. The impact of polymeric dyes on the resists lithographic performance, swing reduction and reflective notching control are discussed.

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) reengineering using TiO2 with natural dye (anthocyanin)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subodro, Rohmat; Kristiawan, Budi; Ramelan, Ari Handono; Wahyuningsih, Sayekti; Munawaroh, Hanik; Hanif, Qonita Awliya; Saputri, Liya Nikmatul Maula Zulfa

2017-01-01

This research on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) reengineering was carried out using TiO2 with natural dye (anthocyanin). The fabrication of active carbon layer/TiO2 DSSC solar cell was based on natural dye containing anthocyanins such as mangosteen peel, red rose flower, black glutinous rice, and purple eggplant peel. DSSC was prepared with TiO2 thin layer doped with active carbon; Natural dye was analyzed using UV-Vis and TiO2 was analyzed using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), meanwhile scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to obtain the size of the crystal. Keithley instrument test was carried out to find out I-V characteristics indicating that the highest efficiency occurred in DSSCs solar cell with 24-hour soaking with mangosteen peel 0.00047%.

Dye sensitized solar cell applications of CdTiO{sub 3}–TiO{sub 2} composite thin films deposited from single molecular complex

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ehsan, Muhammad Ali; Khaledi, Hamid; Pandikumar, Alagarsamy

2015-10-15

A heterobimetallic complex [Cd{sub 2}Ti{sub 4}(μ-O){sub 6}(TFA){sub 8}(THF){sub 6}]·1.5THF (1) (TFA=trifluoroacetato, THF=tetrahydrofuran) comprising of Cd:Ti (1:2) ratio was synthesized by a chemical reaction of cadmium (II) acetate with titanium (IV) isopropoxide and triflouroacetic acid in THF. The stoichiometry of (1) was recognized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and elemental analyses. Thermal studies revealed that (1) neatly decomposes at 450 °C to furnish 1:1 ratio of cadmium titanate:titania composite oxides material. The thin films of CdTiO{sub 3}–TiO{sub 2} composite oxides were deposited at 550 °C on fluorine doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrate in air ambient. The micro-structure, crystallinity,more » phase identification and chemical composition of microspherical architectured CdTiO{sub 3}–TiO{sub 2} composite thin film have been determined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The scope of composite thin film having band gap of 3.1 eV was explored as photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell application. - Graphical abstarct: Microspherical designed CdTiO{sub 3}–TiO{sub 2} composite oxides photoanode film has been fabricated from single source precursor [Cd{sub 2}Ti{sub 4}(μ-O){sub 6}(TFA){sub 8}(THF){sub 6}]·1.5THF via aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition technique for dye sensitized solar cell application. - Highlights: • Synthesis and characterization of a heterobimetallic Cd–Ti complex. • Fabrication of CdTiO{sub 3}–TiO{sub 2} thin film photoelectrode. • Application as dye sensitized photoanode for solar application.« less

Novel Effects of Compressed CO 2 Molecules on Structural Ordering and Charge Transport in Conjugated Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Naisheng; Sendogdular, Levent; Sen, Mani

We report the effects of compressed CO 2 molecules as a novel plasticization agent for poly(3- hexylthiophene) (P3HT) conjugated polymer thin films. In-situ neutron reflectivity experiment demonstrated the excess sorption of CO 2 molecules in the P3HT thin films (about 40 nm in thickness) at low pressure (P = 8.2 MPa) under the isothermal condition of T = 36 °C, which is far below the polymer bulk melting point. The results evidenced that these CO 2 molecules accelerated the crystallization process of the polymer on the basis of ex-situ grazing incidence Xray diffraction measurements after drying the films via rapidmore » depressurization to atmospheric pressure: not only the out-of-plane lamellar ordering of the backbone chains but also intra-plane π-π stacking of the side chains were significantly improved, when compared to those in the control P3HT films subjected to conventional thermal annealing (at T = 170 °C). Electrical measurements elucidated that the CO 2-annealed P3HT thin films exhibited enhanced charge carrier mobility along with decreased background charge carrier concentration and trap density compared to those in the thermally annealed counterpart. This is attributed to the CO 2-induced increase in polymer chain mobility that can drive the detrapping of molecular oxygen and healing of conformational defects in the polymer thin film. Given the universality of the excess sorption of CO 2regardless of the type of polymers, the present findings suggest that the CO 2 annealing near the critical point can be useful as a robust processing strategy for improving structural and electrical characteristics of other semiconducting conjugated polymers and related systems such as polymer: fullerene bulk heterojunction films.tion films.« less

Novel Effects of Compressed CO 2 Molecules on Structural Ordering and Charge Transport in Conjugated Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Naisheng; Sendogdular, Levent; Sen, Mani; ...

2016-10-06

We report the effects of compressed CO 2 molecules as a novel plasticization agent for poly(3- hexylthiophene) (P3HT) conjugated polymer thin films. In-situ neutron reflectivity experiment demonstrated the excess sorption of CO 2 molecules in the P3HT thin films (about 40 nm in thickness) at low pressure (P = 8.2 MPa) under the isothermal condition of T = 36 °C, which is far below the polymer bulk melting point. The results evidenced that these CO 2 molecules accelerated the crystallization process of the polymer on the basis of ex-situ grazing incidence Xray diffraction measurements after drying the films via rapidmore » depressurization to atmospheric pressure: not only the out-of-plane lamellar ordering of the backbone chains but also intra-plane π-π stacking of the side chains were significantly improved, when compared to those in the control P3HT films subjected to conventional thermal annealing (at T = 170 °C). Electrical measurements elucidated that the CO 2-annealed P3HT thin films exhibited enhanced charge carrier mobility along with decreased background charge carrier concentration and trap density compared to those in the thermally annealed counterpart. This is attributed to the CO 2-induced increase in polymer chain mobility that can drive the detrapping of molecular oxygen and healing of conformational defects in the polymer thin film. Given the universality of the excess sorption of CO 2regardless of the type of polymers, the present findings suggest that the CO 2 annealing near the critical point can be useful as a robust processing strategy for improving structural and electrical characteristics of other semiconducting conjugated polymers and related systems such as polymer: fullerene bulk heterojunction films.tion films.« less

S-SIMS and MetA-SIMS study of organic additives in thin polymer coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adriaensen, L.; Vangaever, F.; Lenaerts, J.; Gijbels, R.

2006-07-01

In the present study a methodology for TOF-S-SIMS measurements is developed to gain information on the distribution of molecules on and in polymer coatings (thickness ˜100 μm). Experiments were carried out on model systems consisting of one or more additive-containing polyvinylbutyral coatings. Several organic additives were selected: carbocyanine dyes, basonyl blue and the pharmaceutical risperidone. The additives have been measured as pure compounds on a Si substrate to obtain good reference spectra. After optimisation of the sample preparation method, the coatings were embedded in epoxy resin and stored in an oven (60 °C) for 24 h. Cross-sections were made by means of a microtome. S-SIMS spectra were taken on the prepared cross-sections before and after Au was deposited on the sample surface. Compared to the untreated samples, the Au covered samples give rise to more intense secondary ion signals. Generally, signals of the intact cations were more intense than those of the fragment ions. Apart from mass spectra, images of the additive distribution in the coatings could also be acquired by recording structural ion signals. It was possible to make secondary ion images of the additive molecule ions with a (sub)-micrometer lateral resolution.

Thin film DNA-complex-based dye lasers fabricated by immersion and conventional processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawabe, Yutaka; Suzuki, Yuki

2017-08-01

DNA based thin film dye laser is one of promising optical devices for future technology. Laser oscillation and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) were demonstrated by hemicyanine-doped DNA complex films prepared with `immersion method' as well as those made by a conventional way. In the immersion process, DNA-surfactant complex films were stained by immersion into an acetone solution including the dyes. In this study, three types of hemicyanines were incorporated with both methods, and laser oscillation was achieved with optically induced population grating formed in all of the complex films. The laser threshold values for six cases ranged in 0.07 - 0.18 mJ/cm2 , which was close to the best values made in DNA complex matrices. Continual pumping showed that laser oscillation persisted for 4 - 10 minutes. Immersion process gave superior laser capability especially for output efficiency over the conventional counterparts.

Direct Analysis of Textile Fabrics and Dyes Using IR Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization (MALDESI) Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Cochran, Kristin H.; Barry, Jeremy A.; Muddiman, David C.; Hinks, David

2012-01-01

The forensic analysis of textile fibers uses a variety of techniques from microscopy to spectroscopy. One such technique that is often used to identify the dye(s) within the fiber is mass spectrometry (MS). In the traditional MS method, the dye must be extracted from the fabric and the dye components are separated by chromatography prior to mass spectrometric analysis. Direct analysis of the dye from the fabric allows the omission of the lengthy sample preparation involved in extraction, thereby significantly reducing the overall analysis time. Herein, a direct analysis of dyed textile fabric was performed using the infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) source for MS. In MALDESI, an IR laser with wavelength tuned to 2.94 μm is used to desorb the dye from the fabric sample with the aid of water as the matrix. The desorbed dye molecules are then post-ionized by electrospray ionization (ESI). A variety of dye classes were analyzed from various fabrics with little to no sample preparation allowing for the identification of the dye mass and in some cases the fiber polymer. Those dyes that were not detected using MALDESI were also not observed by direct infusion ESI of the dye standard. PMID:23237031

International Conference on Electronic Processes in Organic Materials (6th) Held in Gurzuf, Crimea, Ukraine, on September 25-29, 2006

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-29

MEH-PPV and blends MEH-PPV/fullerene derivative to investigate the charge transfer process . Microstructure - properties correlation of blends polymer...liquid crystals 4. Nonlinear properties of organic structures and composites 5. Electronic processes within polymer composites 6. Nanostructures. Polymer...P.A.Kondratenko, Yu.M.Lopatkin, TN.Sakun. SPECTROSCOPIC PROPERTIES AND PROCESSES OF PHOTODISSOCIATION OF DYES ....... 32 D.-Q. Feng, D. Wisbey, Y. Ta4 Ya. B

Water-Soluble Conjugated Polymers: Self-Assembly and Biosensor Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazan, Guillermo

2005-03-01

Homogeneous assays can be designed which take advantage of the optical amplification of conjugated polymers and the self-assembly characteristic of aqueous polyelectrolytes. For example, a ssDNA sequence sensor comprises an aqueous solution containing a cationic water soluble conjugated polymer such as poly(9,9-bis(trimethylammonium)-hexyl)-fluorene phenylene) with a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) labeled with a dye (PNA-C*). Signal transduction is controlled by hybridization of the neutral PNA-C* probe and the negative ssDNA target, resulting in favorable electrostatic interactions between the hybrid complex and the cationic polymer. Distance requirements for Förster energy transfer are thus met only when ssDNA of complementary sequence to the PNA-C* probe is present. Signal amplification by the conjugated polymer provides fluorescein emission >25 times higher than that of the directly excited dye. Transduction by electrostatic interactions followed by energy transfer is a general strategy. Examples involving other biomolecular recognition events, such as DNA/DNA, RNA/protein and RNA/RNA, will also be provided. The mechanism of biosensing will be discussed, with special attention to the varying contributions of hydrophobic and electrostatic forces, polymer conformation, charge density, local concentration of C*s and tailored defect sites for aggregation-induced optical changes. Finally, the water solubility of these conjugated polymers opens possibilities for spin casting onto organic materials, without dissolving the underlying layers. This property is useful for fabricating multilayer organic optoelectronic devices by simple solution techniques.

Performance improvement of gel- and solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells by utilization the blending effect of poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluropropylene) and poly (acrylonitrile-co-vinyl acetate) co-polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesan, Shanmugam; Obadja, Nesia; Chang, Ting-Wei; Chen, Li-Tung; Lee, Yuh-Lang

2014-12-01

Poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and poly (acrylonitrile-co-vinyl acetate) (PAN-VA) are used as gelator to prepare gel- and solid-state polymer electrolytes for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) applications. The electrolytes prepared using PVDF-HFP have higher conductivities than those prepared using PAN-VA. In blended polymers, the conductivities of the electrolytes increase with increasing composition of PVDF-HFP; at 75% PVDF-HFP, conductivity of the blended polymer surpassed that of pure polymers. It is also found that the viscosity of the electrolyte prepared by PAN-VA (1.2 kPaS) is much lower than that by PVDF-HFP (11 kPaS). Therefore, increasing PAN-VA composition can decrease the viscosity of the electrolyte, improving the penetration of electrolytes in the TiO2 matrix. By controlling the ratio of PVDF-HFP/PAN-VA, the conductivity and viscosity of the electrolyte can be regulated and an optimal ratio based on the conversion efficiency of the gel- and solid state DSSCs is obtained at the ratio of 3/1. The highest efficiency achieved by the gel- and solid-state cells using the blending polymers are 6.3% and 4.88%, respectively, which are higher than those prepared using pure polymers (5.53% and 4.56%, respectively). The introduction of TiO2 fillers to the solid electrolyte can further increase the cell efficiency to 5.34%.

Effects of supercritical carbon dioxide on immobile bound polymer chains on solid substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sen, Mani; Asada, Mitsunori; Jiang, Naisheng; Endoh, Maya K.; Akgun, Bulent; Satija, Sushil; Koga, Tadanori

2013-03-01

Adsorbed polymer layers formed on flat solid substrates have recently been the subject of extensive studies because it is postulated to control the dynamics of technologically relevant polymer thin films, for example, in lithography. Such adsorbed layers have been reported to hinder the mobility of polymer chains in thin films even at a large length scale. Consequently, this bound layer remains immobile regardless of processing techniques (i.e. thermal annealing, solvent dissolution, etc). Here, we investigate the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a novel plasticizer for bound polystyrene layers formed on silicon substrates. In-situ swelling and interdiffusion experiments using neutron reflectivity were performed. As a result, we found the anomalous plasticization effects of scCO2 on the bound polymer layers near the critical point where the anomalous adsorption of CO2 molecules in polymer thin films has been reported previously. Acknowledgement: We acknowledge the financial support from NSF Grant No. CMMI-084626.

A solvent-based intelligence ink for oxygen.

PubMed

Mills, Andrew; Hazafy, David

2008-02-01

A solvent-based, irreversible oxygen indicator ink is described, comprising semiconductor photocatalyst nanoparticles, a solvent-soluble redox dye, mild reducing agent and polymer. Based on such an ink, a film -- made of titanium dioxide, a blue, solvent-soluble, coloured ion-paired methylene blue dye, glycerol and the polymer zein -- loses its colour rapidly (<30 s) upon exposure to UVA light and remains colourless in an oxygen-free atmosphere, returning to its original blue colour upon exposure to air. In the latter step the rate of colour recovery is proportional to the level of ambient oxygen and the same film can be UV-activated repeatedly. The mechanism of this novel, UV-activated, solvent-based, colorimetric oxygen indicator is discussed, along with its possible applications.

Characterization of the electro-optic effect in styrylpyridinium cyanine dye thin-film crystals by an ac modulation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimura, Tetsuzo

1987-09-01

The electro-optic effect in styrylpyridinium cyanine dye (SPCD) thin-film crystals is characterized by a newly developed ac modulation method that is effective in characterizing thin-film materials of small area. SPCD thin-film crystals 3-10 μm thick were grown from a methanol solution of SPCD. The crystal shows strong dichroism and anisotropy of refractive index, indicating that molecular dipole moments align along a definite direction (z axis). When an electric field is applied along the z axis, SPCD thin-film crystals show a large figure of merit of electro-optic phase retardation of 6.5×10-10 m/V, which is 5 times as large as in LiNbO3 crystal, 2 times that in 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (MNA) crystal, and is the largest ever reported in organic solids. The electro-optic coefficient r33 of SPCD crystals is estimated to be approximately 4.3×10-10 m/V, which is 6 times larger than that of an MNA crystal. This value is consistent with that expected from second-harmonic generation measurements.

Surface-mounted MOF templated fabrication of homochiral polymer thin film for enantioselective adsorption of drugs.

PubMed

Gu, Zhi-Gang; Fu, Wen-Qiang; Liu, Min; Zhang, Jian

2017-01-26

A self-polymerized chiral monomer 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (l-DOPA) has been introduced into the pores of an achiral surface-mounted metal organic framework (SURMOF), and then the homochiral poly(l-DOPA) thin film has been successfully formed after UV light irradiation and etching of the SURMOF. Remarkably, such a poly(l-DOPA) thin film exhibited enantioselective adsorption of naproxen. This study opened a SURMOF-templated approach for preparing porous polymer thin films.

Elongated phase separation domains in spin-cast polymer blend thin films characterized using a panoramic image.

PubMed

Zhang, Hong; Okamura, Yosuke

2018-02-14

Polymer thin films with micro/nano-structures can be prepared by a solvent evaporation induced phase separation process via spin-casting a polymer blend, where the elongated phase separation domains are always inevitable. The striation defect, as a thickness nonunifomity in spin-cast films, is generally coexistent with the elongated domains. Herein, the morphologies of polymer blend thin films are recorded from the spin-cast center to the edge in a panoramic view. The elongated domains are inclined to appear at the ridge regions of striations with increasing radial distance and align radially, exhibiting a coupling between the phase separation morphology and the striation defect that may exist. We demonstrate that the formation of elongated domains is not attributed to shape deformation, but is accomplished in situ. A possible model to describe the initiation and evolution of the polymer blend phase separation morphology during spin-casting is proposed.

Tailoring surface properties of ArF resists thin films with functionally graded materials (FGM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takemoto, Ichiki; Ando, Nobuo; Edamatsu, Kunishige; Fuji, Yusuke; Kuwana, Koji; Hashimoto, Kazuhiko; Funase, Junji; Yokoyama, Hiroyuki

2007-03-01

Our recent research effort has been focused on new top coating-free 193nm immersion resists with regard to leaching of the resist components and lithographic performance. We have examined methacrylate-based resins that control the surface properties of ArF resists thin films by surface segregation behavior. For a better understanding of the surface properties of thin films, we prepared the six resins (Resin 1-6) that have three types fluorine containing monomers, a new monomer (Monomer A), Monomer B and Monomer C, respectively. We blended the base polymer (Resin 0) with Resin (1-6), respectively. We evaluated contact angles, surface properties and lithographic performances of the polymer blend resists. The static and receding contact angles of the resist that contains Resin (1-6) are greater than that of the base polymer (Resin 0) resist. The chemical composition of the surface of blend polymers was investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was shown that there was significant segregation of the fluorine containing resins to the surface of the blend films. We analyzed Quantitative Structure-Property Relationships (QSPR) between the surface properties and the chemical composition of the surface of polymer blend resists. The addition of 10 wt% of the polymer (Resin 1-6) to the base polymer (Resin 0) did not influence the lithographic performance. Consequently, the surface properties of resist thin films can be tailored by the appropriate choice of fluorine containing polymer blends.

Surface functionalized SiO2 nanoparticles with cationic polymers via the combination of mussel inspired chemistry and surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization: Characterization and enhanced removal of organic dye.

PubMed

Huang, Qiang; Liu, Meiying; Mao, Liucheng; Xu, Dazhuang; Zeng, Guangjian; Huang, Hongye; Jiang, Ruming; Deng, Fengjie; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

2017-08-01

Monodispersed SiO 2 particles functionalized with cationic polymers poly-((3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride) (PAPTCl) were prepared using mussel inspired surface modification strategy and surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and zeta potential were employed to characterize these SiO 2 samples. The adsorption performance of the functionalized SiO 2 (donated as SiO 2 -PDA-PAPTCl) towards anionic organic dye Congo red (CR) was investigated to evaluate their potential environmental applications. We demonstrated that the surface of SiO 2 particles can be successfully functionalized with cationic PAPTCl. The adsorption capability of as-prepared SiO 2 was found to increases from 28.70 and 106.65mg/g after surface grafted with cationic polymers. The significant enhancement in the adsorption capability of SiO 2 -PDA-PAPTCl is mainly attributed to the introduction of cationic polymers. More importantly, this strategy is expected to be promising for fabrication of many other functional polymer nanocomposites for environmental applications due to the universality of mussel inspired chemistry and well designability and good monomer adaptability of SI-ATRP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chromovitrectomy: Update

PubMed Central

Al-Halafi, Ali M.

2013-01-01

The basic concept for the application of vital dyes during vitreoretinal surgery is to assist in highlighting preretinal membranes and tissues which are very thin and semitransparent and thus difficult to detect. The vital dyes may be classified according to different criteria, where the most commonly applied includes chemical classification. In ophthalmic surgery, vital dyes are widely used in cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. The vital dyes, indocyanine green, infracyanine green, and brilliant blue stain the internal limiting membrane, and trypan blue and triamcinolone acetonide help to visualize epiretinal membranes and vitreous, respectively. This review exhibits the current literature regarding the properties of vital dyes, techniques of application, indications, and toxicities during vitreoretinal surgery and, also suggests that the field of chromovitrectomy represents an expanding area of research. PMID:24371423

Large photorefractive effect in a thermally decomposed polymer compared with that in molecularly doped systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, Kenji; Arishima, Koichi; Sukegawa, Ken

1994-07-01

Photorefractive polymers with the same electro-optic effect were fabricated to investigate the photorefractive effects in different photoconductive systems. The photoconduction in the polymers was varied by the addition of squarylium dye to diethylaminobenzaldehyde-diphenylhydrazone (DEH), by the formation of a charge-transfer complex between tetracyanoquinodimethane and DEH, and by the thermal decomposition of DEH. The largest photorefractive effect was observed in the thermally decomposed polymer among these polymers. A diffraction efficiency of 1.1% and a beam-coupling gain coefficient of 10 cm-1 were achieved in a 34.9 V/μm dc electric field.

Thermal cycling and the optical and electrical characterization of self-assembled multilayer nile blue A-gold thin films.

PubMed

Geist, Brian; Spillman, William B; Claus, Richard O

2005-10-20

Some laser applications produce high power densities that can be dangerous to equipment and operators. We have fabricated thin-film coatings by using molecular electrostatic self-assembly to create a spectrally selective absorbing coating that is able to withstand thermal fluctuations from -20 degrees C to 120 degrees C. We made the thin-film coatings by alternating deposition of an organic dye and gold colloidal nanoparticles onto glass substrates. Nile Blue A perchlorate, with a maximum absorbance slightly above 632 nm, was chosen as the organic dye. Strong coupling between the dye molecules and the gold nanoparticles provides a redshift that increases as the film's thickness is increased. The incorporation of the gold colloidal nanoparticles also decreases the resistivity of the film. The resistivity of the film was measured with a four-point probe and found to be approximately 10 omega/cm for the two samples measured. Atomic-force microscopy was used to show that film thickness increased 2.4 nm per bilayer. The optical properties of the film were measured at the end of every 5 thermal cycles from -20 degrees C to 120 degrees C, and negligible degradation was observed after 30 cycles.

Design considerations for multi component molecular-polymeric nonlinear optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, K. D.; Kuzyk, M. G.; Fang, T.; Holland, W. R.; Cahill, P. A.

1990-08-01

We review our work on multi component polymeric nonlinear optical materials. These materials consist of nonlinear optical molecules incorporated in a polymeric host. A cross-linked triazine polymer incorporating a dicyanovinyl terminated azo dye was found to be relatively stable at 85 deg and possess an electro-optic coefficient of 11pm/V. We have also observed the zero dispersion condition in a new anomalous dispersion dye for phase matched second harmonic generation, and expect efficient conversion to the blue. A squarylium dye, ISQ, has been found to possess a large third order nonlinearity, and may display two-level behavior.

Guest-host polymer fibers for nonlinear optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzyk, M. G.; Paek, U. C.; Dirk, C. W.

1991-08-01

We report on the fabrication of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nonlinear optical fibers with dye-doped cores. The dye-doped cores have an elevated refractive index that defines a waveguiding region with a large third-order susceptibility and with single-mode dimensions. The measured third-order susceptibility of a squarylium-doped PMMA film material and the measured optical loss of the dye-doped fiber core results in a figure of merit that is suitable for all-optical device applications at λ=1.3 μm. The impact of further improvements in PMMA loss and chromophore nonlinearity are also discussed.

The in situ synthesis of PbS nanocrystals from lead(II) n-octylxanthate within a 1,3-diisopropenylbenzene–bisphenol A dimethacrylate sulfur copolymer

PubMed Central

Bear, J. C.; Mayes, A. G.; Parkin, I. P.; O'Brien, P.

2017-01-01

The synthesis of lead sulfide nanocrystals within a solution processable sulfur ‘inverse vulcanization’ polymer thin film matrix was achieved from the in situ thermal decomposition of lead(II) n-octylxanthate, [Pb(S2COOct)2]. The growth of nanocrystals within polymer thin films from single-source precursors offers a faster route to networks of nanocrystals within polymers when compared with ex situ routes. The ‘inverse vulcanization’ sulfur polymer described herein contains a hybrid linker system which demonstrates high solubility in organic solvents, allowing solution processing of the sulfur-based polymer, ideal for the formation of thin films. The process of nanocrystal synthesis within sulfur films was optimized by observing nanocrystal formation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Examination of the film morphology by scanning electron microscopy showed that beyond a certain precursor concentration the nanocrystals formed were not only within the film but also on the surface suggesting a loading limit within the polymer. We envisage this material could be used as the basis of a new generation of materials where solution processed sulfur polymers act as an alternative to traditional polymers. PMID:28878986

Characterisation of novel pH indicator of natural dye Oldenlandia umbellata L.

PubMed

Ramamoorthy, Siva; Mudgal, Gaurav; Rajesh, D; Nawaz Khan, F; Vijayakumar, V; Rajasekaran, C

2009-01-01

Oldenlandia umbellata L., commonly known as 'chay root', belongs to the family Rubiaceae and is one of the unexplored dye-yielding plants. The roots from this plant are the sources of red dye. Extraction protocol and dye characterisation have not been completely studied so far in this plant. Hence, in this article we have used UV spectrophotometry, thin layer chromatography, GC-MS, high-performance liquid chromatography and NMR to identify the five major colouring compounds, including 1,2,3-trimethoxyanthraquinone, 1,3-dimethoxy-2-hydroxyanthraquinone, 1,2-dimethoxyanthraquinone, 1-methoxy-2-hydroxyanthraquinone and 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone. It showed application feasibility as a new pH indicator.

Demonstration of versatile whispering-gallery micro-lasers for remote refractive index sensing.

PubMed

Wan, Lei; Chandrahalim, Hengky; Zhou, Jian; Li, Zhaohui; Chen, Cong; Cho, Sangha; Zhang, Hui; Mei, Ting; Tian, Huiping; Oki, Yuji; Nishimura, Naoya; Fan, Xudong; Guo, L Jay

2018-03-05

We developed chip-scale remote refractive index sensors based on Rhodamine 6G (R6G)-doped polymer micro-ring lasers. The chemical, temperature, and mechanical sturdiness of the fused-silica host guaranteed a flexible deployment of dye-doped polymers for refractive index sensing. The introduction of the dye as gain medium demonstrated the feasibility of remote sensing based on the free-space optics measurement setup. Compared to the R6G-doped TZ-001, the lasing behavior of R6G-doped SU-8 polymer micro-ring laser under an aqueous environment had a narrower spectrum linewidth, producing the minimum detectable refractive index change of 4 × 10 -4 RIU. The maximum bulk refractive index sensitivity (BRIS) of 75 nm/RIU was obtained for SU-8 laser-based refractive index sensors. The economical, rapid, and simple realization of polymeric micro-scale whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) laser-based refractive index sensors will further expand pathways of static and dynamic remote environmental, chemical, biological, and bio-chemical sensing.

Morphological appearances and photo-controllable coloration of dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal/polymer coaxial microfibers fabricated by coaxial electrospinning technique.

PubMed

Lin, Jia-De; Chen, Che-Pei; Chen, Lin-Jer; Chuang, Yu-Chou; Huang, Shuan-Yu; Lee, Chia-Rong

2016-02-08

This study systematically investigates the morphological appearance of azo-chiral dye-doped cholesteric liquid crystal (DDCLC)/polymer coaxial microfibers obtained through the coaxial electrospinning technique and examines, for the first time, their photocontrollable reflection characteristics. Experimental results show that the quasi-continuous electrospun microfibers can be successfully fabricated at a high polymer concentration of 17.5 wt% and an optimum ratio of 2 for the feeding rates of sheath to core materials at 25 °C and a high humidity of 50% ± 2% in the spinning chamber. Furthermore, the optical controllability of the reflective features for the electrospun fibers is studied in detail by changing the concentration of the azo-chiral dopant in the core material, the UV irradiation intensity, and the core diameter of the fibers. Relevant mechanisms are addressed to explain the optical-control behaviors of the DDCLC coaxial fibers. Considering the results, optically controllable DDCLC coaxial microfibers present potential applications in UV microsensors and wearable smart textiles or swabs.

Patterning of supported gold monolayers via chemical lift-off lithography

PubMed Central

Slaughter, Liane S; Cheung, Kevin M; Kaappa, Sami; Cao, Huan H; Yang, Qing; Young, Thomas D; Serino, Andrew C; Malola, Sami; Olson, Jana M; Link, Stephan

2017-01-01

The supported monolayer of Au that accompanies alkanethiolate molecules removed by polymer stamps during chemical lift-off lithography is a scarcely studied hybrid material. We show that these Au–alkanethiolate layers on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) are transparent, functional, hybrid interfaces that can be patterned over nanometer, micrometer, and millimeter length scales. Unlike other ultrathin Au films and nanoparticles, lifted-off Au–alkanethiolate thin films lack a measurable optical signature. We therefore devised fabrication, characterization, and simulation strategies by which to interrogate the nanoscale structure, chemical functionality, stoichiometry, and spectral signature of the supported Au–thiolate layers. The patterning of these layers laterally encodes their functionality, as demonstrated by a fluorescence-based approach that relies on dye-labeled complementary DNA hybridization. Supported thin Au films can be patterned via features on PDMS stamps (controlled contact), using patterned Au substrates prior to lift-off (e.g., selective wet etching), or by patterning alkanethiols on Au substrates to be reactive in selected regions but not others (controlled reactivity). In all cases, the regions containing Au–alkanethiolate layers have a sub-nanometer apparent height, which was found to be consistent with molecular dynamics simulations that predicted the removal of no more than 1.5 Au atoms per thiol, thus presenting a monolayer-like structure. PMID:29259879

Carbon nanotube network thin-film transistors on flexible/stretchable substrates

DOEpatents

Takei, Kuniharu; Takahashi, Toshitake; Javey, Ali

2016-03-29

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for flexible thin-film transistors. In one aspect, a device includes a polymer substrate, a gate electrode disposed on the polymer substrate, a dielectric layer disposed on the gate electrode and on exposed portions of the polymer substrate, a carbon nanotube network disposed on the dielectric layer, and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the carbon nanotube network.

Design of Polymers with Semiconductor, NLO and Structural Properties.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-04-22

polymer thin films. + 14 KV Needle electrod Polymer layer ITO electrode Substrate Heater and temperature control unit The second harmonic coefficients of...the solubily and processability through utilization of derivitization and precursor routes we have been able to form the first optical quality films...ethylene spacer, and therefore 14 possesses a great degree of solubility in organic solvents, necessary for the fabrication of optical quality thin films

Functionalized Polymeric Materials for Electronics and Optics

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-31

some of the physical characteristics of the photocrosslinkable systems derived from a cinnamate functionalized NLO-dye and the photoreactive polymers...chromophore. Figure 12.12 is a UV-Vis spectrum of polyvinyl cinnamate film doped with 10% of the cross-linkable NLO azo dye CNNB-R. The spectrum for the poled...can be similarly prepared from aqueous solutions containing aniline and hydrochloric or sulfuric acids . A very useful review of synthetic methods for

Ultrastrong exciton-photon coupling in single and coupled organic microcavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bin; Bramante, Rosemary; Valle, Brent; Singer, Kenneth; Khattab, Tawfik; Williams, Jarrod; Twieg, Robert

2015-03-01

We have demonstrated ultrastrong light-matter coupling in organic planar microcavities composed of a neat glassy organic dye film between two metallic (aluminum) mirrors in a half-cavity configuration. Such cavities are characterized by Q factors around 10. Tuning the thickness of the organic layer enables the observation of the ultrastrong coupling regime. Via reflectivity measurements, we observe a very large Rabi splitting around 1.227 eV between upper and lower polariton branches at room temperature, and we detect polariton emission from the lower polariton branch via photoluminescence measurements. The large splitting is due to the large oscillator strength of the neat dye glass, and to the match of the low-Q cavity spectral width to the broad absorption width of the dye film material. We also study the interaction between excitonic states of neat glassy organic dye and cavity modes within coupled microcavity structures. The high-reflectivity mirrors are formed from distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR), which are multilayer films fabricated using the coextrusion process, containing alternating layers of high (SAN25, n =1.57) and low (Dyneon THV 220G, n =1.37) refractive index dielectric polymers. Nonlinear optical measurements will be discussed. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation Center for Layered Polymer Systems (CLiPS) under Grant Number DMR-0423914.

Quasi-solid state electrolyte for semi-transparent bifacial dye-sensitized solar cell with over 10% power conversion efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Dae-Kue; Nam, Jung Eun; Jo, Hyo Jeong; Sung, Shi-Joon

2017-09-01

In traditional dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the liquid electrolyte (LE) presents a problem for long-term stability. Herein, we demonstrate a bifacial DSSC by combining a new metal-free organic dye and a quasi-solid state electrolyte (QSSE) that contains poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP)-based polymer gel. The incident light irradiates the front side of the DSSC, and the transmitted light is reused after reflection on the back side. Owing to the semi-transparent DSSC electrode, the reflected light can penetrate and be absorbed by the dye molecules in the DSSC, thereby enhancing the short-circuit current density and thus the overall power conversion efficiency (PCE). The PCE for the DSSC device with QSSE from bifacial irradiation is 10.37%, a value that is comparable to that obtained with LE-based DSSC (9.89%). The stability of the device is enhanced when the polymer gel containing PVdF-HFP is mixed with the LE, and the effectiveness of PVdF-HFP as a gelator is attributed to its interaction with the Li+ ions. Based on our preliminary results, this architecture can lead to more stable bifacial QSSE-based DSSCs without sacrificing the photovoltaic performance.

Clean Photothermal Heating and Controlled Release from Near-Infrared Dye Doped Nanoparticles without Oxygen Photosensitization.

PubMed

Guha, Samit; Shaw, Scott K; Spence, Graeme T; Roland, Felicia M; Smith, Bradley D

2015-07-21

The photothermal heating and release properties of biocompatible organic nanoparticles, doped with a near-infrared croconaine (Croc) dye, were compared with analogous nanoparticles doped with the common near-infrared dyes ICG and IR780. Separate formulations of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles and liposomes, each containing Croc dye, absorbed strongly at 808 nm and generated clean laser-induced heating (no production of (1)O2 and no photobleaching of the dye). In contrast, laser-induced heating of nanoparticles containing ICG or IR780 produced reactive (1)O2, leading to bleaching of the dye and also decomposition of coencapsulated payload such as the drug doxorubicin. Croc dye was especially useful as a photothermal agent for laser-controlled release of chemically sensitive payload from nanoparticles. Solution state experiments demonstrated repetitive fractional release of water-soluble fluorescent dye from the interior of thermosensitive liposomes. Additional experiments used a focused laser beam to control leakage from immobilized liposomes with very high spatial and temporal precision. The results indicate that fractional photothermal leakage from nanoparticles doped with Croc dye is a promising method for a range of controlled release applications.

Clean Photothermal Heating and Controlled Release From Near Infrared Dye Doped Nanoparticles Without Oxygen Photosensitization

PubMed Central

Guha, Samit; Shaw, Scott K.; Spence, Graeme T.; Roland, Felicia M.; Smith, Bradley D.

2015-01-01

The photothermal heating and release properties of biocompatible organic nanoparticles, doped with a near-infrared croconaine (Croc) dye, were compared with analogous nanoparticles doped with the common near-infrared dyes ICG and IR780. Separate formulations of lipid-polymer-hybrid nanoparticles and liposomes, each containing Croc dye, absorbed strongly at 808 nm and generated clean laser-induced heating (no production of 1O2 and no photobleaching of the dye). In contrast, laser-induced heating of nanoparticles containing ICG or IR780 produced reactive 1O2 leading to bleaching of the dye and also decomposition of co-encapsulated payload such as the drug Doxorubicin. Croc dye was especially useful as a photothermal agent for laser controlled release of chemically sensitive payload from nanoparticles. Solution state experiments demonstrated repetitive fractional release of water soluble fluorescent dye from the interior of thermosensitive liposomes. Additional experiments used a focused laser beam to control leakage from immobilized liposomes with very high spatial and temporal precision. The results indicate that fractional photothermal leakage from nanoparticles doped with Croc dye is a promising method for a range of controlled release applications. PMID:26149326

Photophysical properties, photodegradation characteristics, and lasing action for coumarin dye C540A in polymeric media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Guilford, II; Huang, Zhennian; Pacheco, Dennis P., Jr.; Russell, Jeffrey A.

2004-07-01

Tunable solid-state dye lasers operating in the blue-green spectral region are attractive for a variety of applications. An important consideration in assessing the viability of this technology is the service life of the gain medium, which is presently limited by dye photodegradation. In this study, solid polymeric samples consisting of the coumarin dye C540A in modified PMMA were subjected to controlled photodegradation tests. The excitation laser was a flashlamp-pumped dye laser operating at 440 nm with a pulse duration of 1 μs. A complementary set of data was obtained for dye in solution phase for comparison purposes. Photophysical properties of C540A in water solution of polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) have been investigated with a view to assess the suitability of the sequestering polymer (PMAA) as an effective additive to facilitate use of a water medium for highly efficient blue-green dye lasers. Lasing action of C540A in aqueous PMAA has been realized using flashlamp-pumped laser system, yielding excellent laser efficiencies superior to that achieved in ethanolic solutions with the same dye. Laser characterization of dye in media included measurement of laser threshold, slope efficiency, pulse duration and output wavelength.

Syntheses, structures and selective dye adsorption of five formic-based coordination polymers prepared by in-situ hydrolysis of N, N′-dimethylformamide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Zheng; Meng, Xiang-min; Zhang, Dong-mei

Five functional coordination polymers (formic-based CPs) namely: ([Cu{sub 2}(CHOO){sub 3}(bibp){sub 2}]·CHOO){sub n} (1), ([Co{sub 2}(CHOO){sub 3}(bibp){sub 2}]·NO{sub 3}·H{sub 2}O)n (2), ([Ni{sub 2}(CHOO){sub 3}(bibp){sub 2}]·NO{sub 3}·H{sub 2}O){sub n} (3) [Co(CHOO){sub 2}(bbibp)]{sub n} (4) and [Zn(CHOO){sub 2}(bbibp)]{sub n} (5) (bibp=4,4′-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl, bbibp=4,4′-bis(benzoimidazo-1-yl)biphenyl) have been successfully hydrothermally synthesized using the in-situ hydrolysis of N, N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) as the source of formate. All of these five polymers were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectra, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. Complexes 1–3 have the similar three-dimensional 3D kag topological framework built from the bibp ligand as the support member betweenmore » the neighboring formic planes. Both complexes 4 and 5 have the similar one-dimensional 1D linear chain which is further assembled into 3D supermolecular structure by C–H…O hydrogen bonds. The dyes adsorption experiments have also been investigated systematically. The results show that complexes 2 and 3 exhibit high selective adsorption ability towards anionic dyes in their aqueous solution. Moreover, complex 2 displays good reversibility in the process of the dyes adsorption-release. Meanwhile, the unusual blocking phenomenon was firstly observed when complex 2 was in MO/OIV aqueous solutions with different concentration.« less

Functional electrospun nanofibers for multimodal sensitive detection of biogenic amines in food via a simple dipstick assay.

PubMed

Yurova, Nadezhda S; Danchuk, Alexandra; Mobarez, Sarah N; Wongkaew, Nongnoot; Rusanova, Tatiana; Baeumner, Antje J; Duerkop, Axel

2018-01-01

Electrospun nanofibers (ENFs) are promising materials for rapid diagnostic tests like lateral flow assays and dipsticks because they offer an immense surface area while excluding minimal volume, a variety of functional surface groups, and can entrap functional additives within their interior. Here, we show that ENFs on sample pads are superior in comparison to standard polymer membranes for the optical detection of biogenic amines (BAs) in food using a dipstick format. Specifically, cellulose acetate (CA) fibers doped with 2 mg/mL of the chromogenic and fluorogenic amine-reactive chameleon dye Py-1 were electrospun into uniform anionic mats. Those extract cationic BAs from real samples and Py-1 transduces BA concentrations into a change of color, reflectance, and fluorescence. Dropping a BA sample onto the nanofiber mat converts the weakly fluorescent pyrylium dye Py-1 into a strongly red emitting pyridinium dye. For the first time, a simple UV lamp excites fluorescence and a digital camera acts as detector. The intensity ratio of the red to the blue channel of the digital image is dependent on the concentration of most relevant BAs indicating food spoilage from 10 to 250 μM. This matches the permitted limits for BAs in foods and no false positive signals arise from secondary and tertiary amines. BA detection in seafood samples was also demonstrated successfully. The nanofiber mat dipsticks were up to sixfold more sensitive than those using a polymer membrane with the same dye embedded. Hence, nanofiber-based tests are not only superior to polymer-based dipstick assays, but will also improve the performance of established tests related to food safety, medical diagnostics, and environmental testing. Graphical Absract ᅟ.

Thermally induced chain orientation for improved thermal conductivity of P(VDF-TrFE) thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Junnan; Tan, Aaron C.; Green, Peter F.

2017-01-01

A large increase in thermal conductivityκwas observed in a P(VDF-TrFE) thin film annealed above melting temperature due to extensive ordering of polymer backbone chains perpendicular to the substrate after recrystallization from the melt. This finding may lay out a straightforward method to improve the thin filmκof semicrystalline polymers whose chain orientation is sensitive to thermal annealing.

Influence of film structure on the dewetting kinetics of thin polymer films in the solvent annealing process.

PubMed

Zhang, Huanhuan; Xu, Lin; Lai, Yuqing; Shi, Tongfei

2016-06-28

On a non-wetting solid substrate, the solvent annealing process of a thin polymer film includes the swelling process and the dewetting process. Owing to difficulties in the in situ analysis of the two processes simultaneously, a quantitative study on the solvent annealing process of thin polymer films on the non-wetting solid substrate is extremely rare. In this paper, we design an experimental method by combining spectroscopic ellipsometry with optical microscopy to achieve the simultaneous in situ study. Using this method, we investigate the influence of the structure of swollen film on its dewetting kinetics during the solvent annealing process. The results show that for a thin PS film with low Mw (Mw = 4.1 kg mol(-1)), acetone molecules can form an ultrathin enriched layer between the PS film and the solid substrate during the swelling process. The presence of the acetone enriched layer accounts for the exponential kinetic behavior in the case of a thin PS film with low Mw. However, the acetone enriched layer is not observed in the case of a thin PS film with high Mw (Mw = 400 kg mol(-1)) and the slippage effect of polymer chains is valid during the dewetting process.

Conjugated foldamers with unusually high space-charge-limited current hole mobilities.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Dutta, Tanmoy; Gerasimchuk, Nikolay; Wu, Shijie; Shetye, Kuldeep; Jin, Lu; Wang, Ruixin; Zhu, Da-Ming; Peng, Zhonghua

2015-05-13

Charge carrier mobility and its optimization play a critical role in the development of cutting-edge organic electronic and optoelectronic devices. Even though space-charge-limited current (SCLC) hole mobilities as high as 1.4 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) have been reported for microscopically sized highly ordered liquid-crystalline conjugated small molecules, the SCLC hole mobility of device-sized thin films of conjugated polymers is still much lower, ranging from 10(-6) to 10(-3) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). Herein, we report the synthesis, characterizations, and thin-film SCLC mobility of three discotic conjugated polymers, INDT-TT, INDT-BT, and INDT-NDT. Optical studies indicate that polymer INDT-NDT adopts a folded conformation in solutions of good or poor solvents, whereas polymer INDT-TT stays as random monomeric chains in good solvents and interchain aggregates in poor solvents. INDT-BT polymer chains, however, stay as foldamers in dilute solutions of good solvents but interchain aggregates in concentrated solutions or poor solvents. Circular dichroism spectroscopy provides clear evidence for the helical folding of INDT-NDT in solutions. Thin films spin-coated from 1,2-dichlorobenzene solutions of the polymers show SCLC hole mobility of 2.20 × 10(-6), 8.79 × 10(-5), and 2.77 × 10(-2) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for INDT-TT, INDT-BT, and INDT-NDT, respectively. HRTEM and powder XRD measurements show that INDT-NDT pristine thin films contain nanocrystalline domains, whereas the INDT-TT and INDT-BT films are amorphous. Thin films of INDT-NDT:PC71BM blends show increased crystallinity and further improved SCLC hole mobility up to 1.29 × 10(-1) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), one of the highest SCLC mobility values ever recorded on solution-processed organic semiconducting thin films. The persistent folding conformation of INDT-NDT is believed to be responsible for the high crystallinity of its thin films and its high SCLC mobilities.

Visible light-activated immobilization of biomolecules on polymer substrates for bio-sensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sims, Wesley Daniel

This dissertation aims to add to the scientific knowledge of physics in the field of optics by investigating the feasibility to develop a novel technique for immobilization of dye- labeled biomolecules on a polymer substrate. The development of this platform could potentially be used for bio sensing of biohazards in food and the environment. The process is facilitated by excitation of a dye-label attached to the biomolecule of interest with visible light of 488 nm wavelength. Biomolecules from an aqueous medium can be attached at any desired spot on the substrate simply by exposing the area to light. The area of the focused laser beam can control the spot-size of immobilized biomolecules. The technique is used to fabricate microarrays of immobilized antibodies (immunomicroarray) having spot-size of the order of 1 micron. This is a significant improvement over the typical commercial microarrays with spot-size in 10-100 micron range. The immobilization technique is characterized by attaching phospholipids, which have been shown to be useful as platforms for bio sensing applications. It can further be developed by attaching common proteins like Avidin as well as other antibodies against toxins and pathogens known for potential bio-terrorism through food and water systems. Absorption of laser-excited dye labeled biomolecules within the polymer appears to be the mechanism for attachment technique.

Using Polarized Spectroscopy to Investigate Order in Thin-Films of Ionic Self-Assembled Materials Based on Azo-Dyes

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Mariam; Andersen, Frederik; Brend Bech, Ári; Bendixen, H. Krestian L.; Nawrocki, Patrick R.; Bloch, Anders J.; Bora, Ilkay; Bukhari, Tahreem A.; Bærentsen, Nicolai V.; Carstensen, Jens; Chima, Smeeah; Colberg, Helene; Dahm, Rasmus T.; Daniels, Joshua A.; Dinckan, Nermin; El Idrissi, Mohamed; Erlandsen, Ricci; Førster, Marc; Ghauri, Yasmin; Gold, Mikkel; Hansen, Andreas; Hansen, Kenn; Helmsøe-Zinck, Mathias; Henriksen, Mathias; Hoffmann, Sophus V.; Hyllested, Louise O. H.; Jensen, Casper; Kallenbach, Amalie S.; Kaur, Kirandip; Khan, Suheb R.; Kjær, Emil T. S.; Kristiansen, Bjørn; Langvad, Sylvester; Lund, Philip M.; Munk, Chastine F.; Møller, Theis; Nehme, Ola M. Z.; Nejrup, Mathilde Rove; Nexø, Louise; Nielsen, Simon Skødt Holm; Niemeier, Nicolai; Nikolajsen, Lasse V.; Nøhr, Peter C. T.; Skaarup Ovesen, Jacob; Paustian, Lucas; Pedersen, Adam S.; Petersen, Mathias K.; Poulsen, Camilla M.; Praeger-Jahnsen, Louis; Qureshi, L. Sonia; Schiermacher, Louise S.; Simris, Martin B.; Smith, Gorm; Smith, Heidi N.; Sonne, Alexander K.; Zenulovic, Marko R.; Winther Sørensen, Alma; Vogt, Emil; Væring, Andreas; Westermann, Jonas; Özcan, Sevin B.

2018-01-01

Three series of ionic self-assembled materials based on anionic azo-dyes and cationic benzalkonium surfactants were synthesized and thin films were prepared by spin-casting. These thin films appear isotropic when investigated with polarized optical microscopy, although they are highly anisotropic. Here, three series of homologous materials were studied to rationalize this observation. Investigating thin films of ordered molecular materials relies to a large extent on advanced experimental methods and large research infrastructure. A statement that in particular is true for thin films with nanoscopic order, where X-ray reflectometry, X-ray and neutron scattering, electron microscopy and atom force microscopy (AFM) has to be used to elucidate film morphology and the underlying molecular structure. Here, the thin films were investigated using AFM, optical microscopy and polarized absorption spectroscopy. It was shown that by using numerical method for treating the polarized absorption spectroscopy data, the molecular structure can be elucidated. Further, it was shown that polarized optical spectroscopy is a general tool that allows determination of the molecular order in thin films. Finally, it was found that full control of thermal history and rigorous control of the ionic self-assembly conditions are required to reproducibly make these materials of high nanoscopic order. Similarly, the conditions for spin-casting are shown to be determining for the overall thin film morphology, while molecular order is maintained. PMID:29462883

Using Polarized Spectroscopy to Investigate Order in Thin-Films of Ionic Self-Assembled Materials Based on Azo-Dyes.

PubMed

Kühnel, Miguel R Carro-Temboury Martin; Ahmad, Mariam; Andersen, Frederik; Bech, Ári Brend; Bendixen, H Krestian L; Nawrocki, Patrick R; Bloch, Anders J; Bora, Ilkay; Bukhari, Tahreem A; Bærentsen, Nicolai V; Carstensen, Jens; Chima, Smeeah; Colberg, Helene; Dahm, Rasmus T; Daniels, Joshua A; Dinckan, Nermin; Idrissi, Mohamed El; Erlandsen, Ricci; Førster, Marc; Ghauri, Yasmin; Gold, Mikkel; Hansen, Andreas; Hansen, Kenn; Helmsøe-Zinck, Mathias; Henriksen, Mathias; Hoffmann, Sophus V; Hyllested, Louise O H; Jensen, Casper; Kallenbach, Amalie S; Kaur, Kirandip; Khan, Suheb R; Kjær, Emil T S; Kristiansen, Bjørn; Langvad, Sylvester; Lund, Philip M; Munk, Chastine F; Møller, Theis; Nehme, Ola M Z; Nejrup, Mathilde Rove; Nexø, Louise; Nielsen, Simon Skødt Holm; Niemeier, Nicolai; Nikolajsen, Lasse V; Nøhr, Peter C T; Orlowski, Dominik B; Overgaard, Marc; Ovesen, Jacob Skaarup; Paustian, Lucas; Pedersen, Adam S; Petersen, Mathias K; Poulsen, Camilla M; Praeger-Jahnsen, Louis; Qureshi, L Sonia; Ree, Nicolai; Schiermacher, Louise S; Simris, Martin B; Smith, Gorm; Smith, Heidi N; Sonne, Alexander K; Zenulovic, Marko R; Sørensen, Alma Winther; Sørensen, Karina; Vogt, Emil; Væring, Andreas; Westermann, Jonas; Özcan, Sevin B; Sørensen, Thomas Just

2018-02-15

Three series of ionic self-assembled materials based on anionic azo-dyes and cationic benzalkonium surfactants were synthesized and thin films were prepared by spin-casting. These thin films appear isotropic when investigated with polarized optical microscopy, although they are highly anisotropic. Here, three series of homologous materials were studied to rationalize this observation. Investigating thin films of ordered molecular materials relies to a large extent on advanced experimental methods and large research infrastructure. A statement that in particular is true for thin films with nanoscopic order, where X-ray reflectometry, X-ray and neutron scattering, electron microscopy and atom force microscopy (AFM) has to be used to elucidate film morphology and the underlying molecular structure. Here, the thin films were investigated using AFM, optical microscopy and polarized absorption spectroscopy. It was shown that by using numerical method for treating the polarized absorption spectroscopy data, the molecular structure can be elucidated. Further, it was shown that polarized optical spectroscopy is a general tool that allows determination of the molecular order in thin films. Finally, it was found that full control of thermal history and rigorous control of the ionic self-assembly conditions are required to reproducibly make these materials of high nanoscopic order. Similarly, the conditions for spin-casting are shown to be determining for the overall thin film morphology, while molecular order is maintained.

Efficient and Stable Photovoltaic Characteristics of Quasi-Solid State DSSC using Polymer Gel Electrolyte Based on Ionic Liquid in Organosiloxane Polymer Gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pujiarti, H.; Arsyad, W. S.; Shobih; Muliani, L.; Hidayat, R.

2018-04-01

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is still one of the promising solar cell types among the third generation of solar cells because of easiness of fabrication and variety of available materials. In this type of solar cell, the electrolyte is one of the important components for regenerating excited dyes and transporting electric charge carriers to the counter electrode. Indeed, the power conversion efficiency of DSSC can be then significantly affected by the chemical and physical properties of the electrolyte. The simplest electrolyte system of an I-/I3 - redox couple in an organic solvent, however, has some drawbacks due to corrosive properties, volatile and leakage problem. Use of solid phase or gel phase electrolyte may overcome those problems, but it is often considered to suppress the efficiency due to low ion diffusion. Here, we report the photovoltaic characteristics of DSSC using polymer gel electrolyte (PGE), which is composed of ionic liquid and an organosiloxane polymer gel. The better cell performance with power conversion efficiency of about 6% has been obtained by optimizing the mesoporous size of the TiO2 layer and the PGE viscosity.

Dispelling clichés at the nanoscale: the true effect of polymer electrolytes on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Bella, Federico; Sacco, Adriano; Massaglia, Giulia; Chiodoni, Angelica; Pirri, Candido Fabrizio; Quaglio, Marzia

2015-07-28

In the field of dye-sensitized solar cells, polymer electrolytes are among the most studied materials due to their ability to ensure both high efficiency and stability, the latter being a critical point of these devices. Hundreds of polymeric matrices have been proposed over the years, and their functionalization with several groups, the variation of their molecular weight and the tuning of the crosslinking degree have been investigated. However, the true effect that polymeric matrices have on the cell parameters has often been addressed superficially, and hundreds of papers justify the obtained results with a simple bibliographic reference to other systems (sometimes completely different). This work proposes a system of nanoscale growth and crosslinking of a polymer electrolyte inside a nanostructured photoanode. Electrochemical and photovoltaic parameters are carefully monitored as a function of thickness and degree of penetration of the electrolyte. The results derived from this study refute many clichés generally accepted and taken for granted in many literature articles, and – for the first time – a compromise between the amount of polymer, cell efficiency and stability is achieved.

Thermal analysis studies of doping effects on the conformational motions of polymer chains in solid solutions with lasing molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalogeras, Ioannis M.; Pallikari, Fotini; Vassilikou-Dova, Aglaia; Neagu, Eugen R.

2007-05-01

The advancement of the solid-state dye laser performance largely depends on the systematic study of the dye-matrix interactions at the nanoscopic scale. The current work deals with blends of a comparatively inert dye host, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), with nonionic/apolar (substituted perylenes) and ionic/polar (rhodamine 6G, pyrromethene 567) dyes at ≈10-4 mol L-1 loading. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermally stimulated currents (TSC) were used to explore the relative strength of inter- and intramolecular guest-host interactions by monitoring blending-induced modifications of the high-temperature signals: the segmental relaxation, the space-charge relaxation, and the liquid-liquid transition. Both techniques revealed the antiplasticizing role of the oligomeric organics on the relaxation dynamics of polymer segments, evidenced by clear glass-transition temperature upshifts. It becomes apparent that this effect is independent of the size, polarity, and ionicity of the dopant, signifying a common mechanism underway. It is suggested that, at least for the dyes under investigation, the chromophores simply fill the voids within the matrix, imposing strong steric hindrances on the rearrangement of the long-range structure. A comparison between the present results and earlier low-temperature dielectric data reveals that the large-scale relaxation dynamics show stronger perturbations due to blending, in comparison to the localized rotational motion of the pendant groups. DSC provided estimates for the unconverted monomer percentages in the solid blends. These were also determined more accurately by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which additionally confirmed that the tacticity of the chains is not affected by the presence of the dye.

Dynamic studies of nano-confined polymer thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, Kun

Polymer thin films with the film thickness (h0 ) below 100 nm often exhibit physical properties different from the bulk counterparts. In order to make the best use of polymer thin films in applications, it is important to understand the physical origins of these deviations. In this dissertation, I will investigate how different factors influence dynamic properties of polymer thin films upon nano-confinement, including glass transition temperature (Tg), effective viscosity (etaeff) and self-diffusion coefficient (D ). The first part of this dissertation concerns the impacts of the molecular weight (MW) and tacticity on the Tg's of nano-confined polymer films. Previous experiments showed that the Tg of polymer films could be depressed or increased as h0 decreases. While these observations are usually attributed to the effects of the interfaces, some experiments suggested that MW's and tacticities might also play a role. To understand the effects of these factors, the Tg's of silica-based poly(alpha-methyl styrene) (PalphaMS/SiOx) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA/SiOx) thin films were studied, and the results suggested that MW's and tacticities influence Tg in nontrivial ways. The second part concerns an effort to resolve the long-standing controversy about the correlation between different dynamics of polymer thin films upon nano-confinement. Firstly, I discuss the experimental results of Tg, D and etaeff of poly(isobutyl methacrylate) films supported by silica (PiBMA/SiOx). Both T g and D were found to be independent of h 0, but etaeff decreased with decreasing h 0. Since both D and etaeff describe transport phenomena known to depend on the local friction coefficient or equivalently the local viscosity, it is questionable why D and etaeff displayed seemingly inconsistent h 0 dependencies. We envisage the different h0 dependencies to be caused by Tg, D and etaeff being different functions of the local T g's (Tg,i) or viscosities (eta i). By assuming a three-layer model, we were able to account for the experimental data and resolve the inconsistency. By extending the same ideas to the analogous data of silica-based polystyrene films (PS/SiOx), we found a resolution to the inconsistency regarding the effects of nano-confinement on the dynamics of polymer thin films.

Structured Ionomer Thin Films at Water Interface: Molecular Dynamics Simulation Insight

DOE PAGES

Aryal, Dipak; Agrawal, Anupriya; Perahia, Dvora; ...

2017-08-23

Controlling the structure and dynamics of thin films of ionizable polymers at water interfaces is critical to their many applications. As the chemical diversity within one polymer is increased, controlling the structure and dynamics of the polymer, which is a key to their use, becomes a challenge. Here molecular dynamics simulations (MD) are used to obtain molecular insight into the structure and dynamics of thin films of one such macromolecule at the interface with water. The polymer consists of an ABCBA topology with randomly sulfonated polystyrene (C), tethered symmetrically to flexible poly(ethylene- r-propylene) blocks (B), and end-capped by a poly(more » t-butylstyrene) block (A). The compositions of the interfacial and bulk regions of thin films of the ABCBA polymers are followed as a function of exposure time to water. We find that interfacial rearrangements take place where buried ionic segments migrate toward the water interface. The hydrophobic blocks collapse and rearrange to minimize their exposure to water. In conclusion, the water that initially drives interfacial reengagements breaks the ionic clusters within the film, forming a dynamic hydrophilic internal network within the hydrophobic segments.« less

Enhancing the functionality of cotton fabric by physical and chemical pre-treatments: A comparative study.

PubMed

Gargoubi, Sondes; Tolouei, Ranna; Chevallier, Pascale; Levesque, Lucie; Ladhari, Neji; Boudokhane, Chedly; Mantovani, Diego

2016-08-20

Recently, antimicrobial and decontaminating textiles, such as cotton a natural carbohydrate polymer, are generating more attention. Plant materials used for natural dyes are expected to impart biofunctional properties and high added valued functional textiles. In the current study, surface modification of cotton to maximize the dye amount on the surface has been investigated. Physical modification using nitrogen-hydrogen plasma, chemical modification using chitosan and chemical modification using dopamine as biopolymers imparting amino groups were explored. Furthermore, dye exhaustion of curcumin, as a natural functional dye has been studied. Dye stability tests were also performed after fabric washing using hospital washing protocol to predict the durability of the functionalizations. The results demonstrated that cotton surfaces treated with dopamine exhibit a high level of dye uptake (78%) and a good washing fastness. The use of non-toxic and natural additives during cotton finishing process could give the opportunity of cradle to cradle design for antimicrobial textile industries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle/Polymer assembled microcapsules with pH sensing property.

PubMed

Zhang, Pan; Song, Xiaoxue; Tong, Weijun; Gao, Changyou

2014-10-01

The dual-labeled microcapsules via nanoparticle/polymer assembly based on polyamine-salt aggregates can be fabricated for the ratiometric intracellular pH sensing. After deposition of SiO2 nanoparticles on the poly(allylamine hydrochloride)/multivalent anionic salt aggregates followed by silicic acid treatment, the generated microcapsules are stable in a wide pH range (3.0 ∼ 8.0). pH sensitive dye and pH insensitive dye are simultaneously labeled on the capsules, which enable the ratiometric pH sensing. Due to the rough and positively charged surface, the microcapsules can be internalized by several kinds of cells naturally. Real-time measurement of intracellular pH in several living cells shows that the capsules are all located in acidic organelles after being taken up. Furthermore, the negatively charged DNA and dyes can be easily encapsulated into the capsules via charge interaction. The microcapsules with combination of localized pH sensing and drug loading abilities have many advantages, such as following the real-time transportation and processing of the carriers in cells. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Normal and Reversed-Phase Thin Layer Chromatography of Green Leaf Extracts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sjursnes, Birte Johanne; Kvittingen, Lise; Schmid, Rudolf

2015-01-01

Introductory experiments of chromatography are often conducted by separating colored samples, such as inks, dyes, and plant extracts, using filter paper, chalk, or thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates with various solvent systems. Many simple experiments have been reported. The relationship between normal chromatography and reversed-phase…

Detecting Aspiration and Penetration Using FEES With and Without Food Dye.

PubMed

Marvin, Stevie; Gustafson, Sara; Thibeault, Susan

2016-08-01

The objective of this investigation was to determine if there were differences in identifying airway invasion (penetration or aspiration) during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluations of swallowing (FEES) for green-dyed versus non-dyed liquids. Forty adult inpatients in an acute care hospital underwent FEES, with both green-dyed liquids and naturally white liquids. Three speech-language pathologists rated aspiration and penetration for trials of nectar-thick milk and thin milk, both with and without green food dye. A subset of participants having excess pharyngeal/laryngeal secretions, as measured by the Secretions Severity Scale, were also analyzed for a difference in the detection of airway invasion and pharyngeal residue. No significant differences were found between dyes in airway invasion across all bolus types within participants. Significant differences were found in penetration ratings for large volumes of thin liquids (90 ml), between participants. When examining only discrepant airway invasion judgments for green-white swallow pairs, statistically significantly deeper airway invasion was measured for green-dyed boluses versus white for three of the five bolus types. Repeat rater reliability was better for dyed versus undyed liquids. Findings suggest that the use of green dye may allow for improved judgment of airway invasion.

Linking Precursor Alterations to Nanoscale Structure and Optical Transparency in Polymer Assisted Fast-Rate Dip-Coating of Vanadium Oxide Thin Films

PubMed Central

Glynn, Colm; Creedon, Donal; Geaney, Hugh; Armstrong, Eileen; Collins, Timothy; Morris, Michael A.; Dwyer, Colm O’

2015-01-01

Solution processed metal oxide thin films are important for modern optoelectronic devices ranging from thin film transistors to photovoltaics and for functional optical coatings. Solution processed techniques such as dip-coating, allow thin films to be rapidly deposited over a large range of surfaces including curved, flexible or plastic substrates without extensive processing of comparative vapour or physical deposition methods. To increase the effectiveness and versatility of dip-coated thin films, alterations to commonly used precursors can be made that facilitate controlled thin film deposition. The effects of polymer assisted deposition and changes in solvent-alkoxide dilution on the morphology, structure, optoelectronic properties and crystallinity of vanadium pentoxide thin films was studied using a dip-coating method using a substrate withdrawal speed within the fast-rate draining regime. The formation of sub-100 nm thin films could be achieved rapidly from dilute alkoxide based precursor solutions with high optical transmission in the visible, linked to the phase and film structure. The effects of the polymer addition was shown to change the crystallized vanadium pentoxide thin films from a granular surface structure to a polycrystalline structure composed of a high density of smaller in-plane grains, resulting in a uniform surface morphology with lower thickness and roughness. PMID:26123117

The influence of polymer architectures on the dewetting behavior of thin polymer films: from linear chains to ring chains.

PubMed

Wang, Lina; Xu, Lin; Liu, Binyuan; Shi, Tongfei; Jiang, Shichun; An, Lijia

2017-05-03

The dewetting behavior of ring polystyrene (RPS) film and linear polystyrene (LPS) film on silanized Si substrates with different grafting densities and PDMS substrate was investigated. Results showed that polymer architectures greatly influenced the dewetting behavior of the thin polymer film. On the silanized Si substrate with 69% grafting density, RPS chains exhibited stronger adsorption compared with LPS chains, and as a result the wetting layer formed more easily. For LPS films, with a decreased annealing temperature, the stability of the polymer film changed from non-slip dewetting via apparent slip dewetting to apparently stable. However, for RPS films, the polymer film stability switched from apparent slip dewetting to apparently stable. On the silanized Si substrate with 94% grafting density, the chain adsorption became weaker and the dewetting processes were faster than that on the substrate with 69% grafting density at the same experimental temperature for both the LPS and RPS films. Moreover, on the PDMS substrate, LPS films always showed non-slip dewetting, while the dewetting kinetics of RPS films switched from non-slip dewetting to slip dewetting behaviour. Forming the wetting layer strongly influenced the stability and dewetting behavior of the thin polymer films.

Two-photon excited fluorescence from a pseudoisocyanine-attached gold-coated tip via a thin tapered fiber under a weak continuous wave excitation.

PubMed

Ren, Fang; Takashima, Hideaki; Tanaka, Yoshito; Fujiwara, Hideki; Sasaki, Keiji

2013-11-18

A simple tapered fiber based photonic-plasmonic hybrid nanostructure composed of a thin tapered fiber and a pseudoisocyanine (PIC)-attached Au-coated tip was demonstrated. Using this simple hybrid nanostructure, we succeeded in observing two-photon excited fluorescence from the PIC dye molecules under a weak continuous wave excitation condition. From the results of the tip-fiber distance dependence and excitation polarization dependence, we found that using a thin tapered fiber and an Au-coated tip realized efficient coupling of the incident light (~95%) and LSP excitation at the Au-coated tip, suggesting the possibility of efficiently inducing two-photon excited fluorescence from the PIC dye molecules attached on the Au-coated tip. This simple photonic-plasmonic hybrid system is one of the promising tools for single photon sources, highly efficient plasmonic sensors, and integrated nonlinear plasmonic devices.

Applications of large-area nanopatterning to energy generation and storage devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Eric N.

This dissertation encompasses the creation and testing of nanostructured, electrochemically-active energy generation and storage devices, and development of the associated fabrication techniques. The fabricated devices include nanopatterned, plasmonically-active, TiO2+Au thin films for Photocatalytic Water Splitting (PCW), TiO2-based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) incorporating nanopatterned, plasmonically-active metallic front electrodes, and Si nanopillar anodes for Li-ion batteries. Techniques were also developed for encapsulation and removal of wet-etched Si nanowires from their mother substrates. TiO2 was the first material to be widely used for PCW. Its use is hampered by its large bandgap (~3.2eV), and poor recombination lifetimes. Au nanoparticles (NPs) have been previously used to improve recombination lifetimes in TiO2 by separating photogenerated carriers near the NP edges, and to increase photocurrents by injecting plasmonically-excited hot electrons into the TiO2 conduction band. Using nanostructured TiO 2+Au electrodes, we aim to increase the PCW efficiency of TiO2 -based electrodes. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) employ visible-absorbing dyes anchored to a high-surface-area semiconducting scaffold. The front transparent conducting electrode (TCE) is typically ITO, a scarce and expensive material. We aim to increase the efficiency of thin-film DSSCs and eliminate the use of ITO by using a metallic subwavelength array (MESH) of nanoholes as the front TCE. Silicon holds promise as a high-capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries, as it can store ~10x the Li of graphite, the current leading anode material (3569 vs. 372 mAh/g). However, Si undergoes dramatic (>300%) volume expansion upon "lithiation", pulverizing any structure with non-nanoscopic dimensions (>250nm). We created large-area arrays of "nanopillars" with sub-100nm diameters, using roll-to-roll-compatible flexible-mold NIL on commercially-available metal substrates. Ordered nanopatterning by NIL combined with Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching (MACE) techniques is ideal for creating large-area arrays of high aspect-ratio nanowires, for use in solar cells or battery anodes. We introduce a polymer encapsulation technique that allows separation of the nanowire array from the mother substrate, while leaving the array structure, and original metal nanopattern, intact.

Biodegradable Photo-Crosslinked Thin Polymer Networks Based on Vegetable Oil Hydroxyfatty Acids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Novel crosslinked thin polymer networks based on vegetable oil hydroxyfatty acids (HFAs) were prepared by UV photopolymerization and their mechanical properties were evaluated. Two raw materials, castor oil and 7,10-dihydroxy-8(E)-octadecenoic acid (DOD) were used as sources of mono- and di-HFAs, r...

Construction of dual-functional polymer nanomaterials with near-infrared fluorescence imaging and polymer prodrug by RAFT-mediated aqueous dispersion polymerization.

PubMed

Tian, Chun; Niu, Jinyun; Wei, Xuerui; Xu, Yujie; Zhang, Lifen; Cheng, Zhenping; Zhu, Xiulin

2018-05-31

The performance of functional polymer nanomaterials is a vigorously discussed topic in polymer science. We devoted ourselves to investigating polymer nanomaterials based on near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging and polymer prodrug in this study. Aza-boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) is an important organic dye, having characteristics such as environmental resistance, light resistance, high molar extinction coefficient, and fluorescence quantum yield. We incorporated it into our target monomer, which can be polymerized without changing its parent structure in a polar solvent and copolymerized with water-soluble monomer to improve the solubility of the dye in an aqueous solution. At the same time, the hydrophobic drug camptothecin (CPT) was designed as a prodrug monomer, and the polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) with NIR fluorescence imaging and prodrug were synthesized in situ in reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)-mediated aqueous dispersion polymerization. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the final uniform size of the dual-functional polymeric NPs morphology. The dual-functional polymeric NPs had a strong absorption and emission signal in the NIR region (>650 nm) based on the fluorescence tests. In consideration of the long-term biological toxicity, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results indicated that the dual-functional NPs with controlled drug content exhibited effective capability of killing HeLa cells. In addition, in vivo imaging of the dual-functional NPs was observed in real time, and the fluorescent signals clearly demonstrated the dynamic process of prodrug transfer.

Comparative Studies on Dyeability with Direct, Acid and Reactive Dyes after Chemical Modification of Jute with Mixed Amino Acids Obtained from Extract of Waste Soya Bean Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaumik, Nilendu Sekhar; Konar, Adwaita; Roy, Alok Nath; Samanta, Ashis Kumar

2017-12-01

Jute fabric was treated with mixed natural amino acids obtained from waste soya bean seed extract for chemical modification of jute for its cataionization and to enhance its dyeability with anionic dyes (like direct, reactive and acid dye) as well enabling soya modified jute for salt free dyeing with anionic reactive dyes maintaining its eco-friendliness. Colour interaction parameters including surface colour strength were assessed and compared for both bleached and soya-modified jute fabric for reactive dyeing and compared with direct and acid dye. Improvement in K/S value (surface colour strength) was observed for soya-modified jute even in absence of salt applied in dye bath for reactive dyes as well as for direct and acid dyes. In addition, reactive dye also shows good dyeability even in acid bath in salt free conditions. Colour fastness to wash was evaluated for bleached and soya-modified jute fabric after dyeing with direct, acid and reactive dyes are reported. Treatment of jute with soya-extracted mixed natural amino acids showed anchoring of some amino/aldemine groups on jute cellulosic polymer evidenced from Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy. This amino or aldemine group incorporation in bleached jute causes its cationization and hence when dyed in acid bath for reactive dye (instead of conventional alkali bath) showed dye uptake for reactive dyes. Study of surface morphology by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of said soya-modified jute as compared to bleached jute was studied and reported.

Development of dye-sensitized solar cells composed of liquid crystal embedded, electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) nanofibers as polymer gel electrolytes.

PubMed

Ahn, Sung Kwang; Ban, Taewon; Sakthivel, P; Lee, Jae Wook; Gal, Yeong-Soon; Lee, Jin-Kook; Kim, Mi-Ra; Jin, Sung-Ho

2012-04-01

In order to overcome the problems associated with the use of liquid electrolytes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a new system composed of liquid crystal embedded, polymer electrolytes has been developed. For this purpose, three types of DSSCs have been fabricated. The cells contain electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (e-PVdF-co-HFP) polymer gel electrolyte, with and without doping with the liquid crystal E7 and with a liquid electrolyte. The morphologies of the newly prepared DSSCs were explored using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Analysis of the FE-SEM images indicate that the DSSC composed of E7 embedded on e-PVdF-co-HFP polymer gel electrolyte has a greatly regular morphology with an average diameter. The ionic conductivity of E7 embedded on e-PVdF-co-HFP polymer gel electrolyte was found to be 2.9 × 10(-3) S/cm at room temperature, a value that is 37% higher than that of e-PVdF-co-HFP polymer gel electrolyte. The DCCS containing the E7 embedded, e-PVdF-co-HFP polymer gel electrolyte was observed to possess a much higher power conversion efficiency (PCE = 6.82%) than that of an e-PVdF-co-HFP nanofiber (6.35%). In addition, DSSCs parameters of the E7 embedded, e-PVdF-co-HFP polymer gel electrolyte (V(oc) = 0.72 V, J(sc) = 14.62 mA/cm(2), FF = 64.8%, and PCE = 6.82% at 1 sun intensity) are comparable to those of a liquid electrolyte (V(oc) = 0.75 V, J(sc) = 14.71 mA/cm(2), FF = 64.9%, and PCE = 7.17%, both at a 1 sun intensity).

Lights on: Dye dequenching reveals polymersome fusion with polymer, lipid and stealth lipid vesicles

DOE PAGES

Henderson, Ian M.; Collins, Aaron M.; Quintana, Hope A.; ...

2015-12-13

In this study, we develop a quantitative dye dequenching technique for the measurement of polymersome fusion, using it to characterize the salt mediated, mechanically-induced fusion of polymersomes with polymer, lipid, and so-called stealth lipid vesicles. While dye dequenching has been used to quantitatively explore liposome fusion in the past, this is the first use of dye dequenching to measure polymersome fusion of which we are aware. In addition to providing quantitative results, dye dequenching is ideal for detecting fusion in instances where DLS results would be ambiguous, such as low yield levels and size ranges outside the capabilities of DLS.more » The dye chosen for this study was a cyanine derivative, 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR), which proved to provide excellent data on the extent of polymersome fusion. Using this technique, we have shown the limited fusion capabilities of polymersome/liposome heterofusion, notably DOPC vesicles fusing with polymersomes at half the efficiency of polymersome homofusion and DPPC vesicles showing virtually no fusion. In addition to these key heterofusion experiments, we determined the broad applicability of dye dequenching in measuring kinetic rates of polymersome fusion; and showed that even at elevated temperatures or over multiple weeks' time, no polymersome fusion occurred without agitation. Stealth liposomes formed from DPPC and PEO-functionalized lipid, however, fused with polymersomes and stealth liposomes with relatively high efficiency, lending support to our hypothesis that the response of the PEO corona to salt is a key factor in the fusion process. This last finding suggests that although the conjugation of PEO to lipids increases vesicle biocompatibility and enables their longer circulation times, it also renders the vesicles subject to destabilization under high salt and shear (e.g. in the circulatory system) that may lead to, in this case, fusion.« less

Nanostructured zinc oxide photoelectrodes by green routes M-SILAR and electrodeposition for dye sensitized solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaikwad, M. A.; Suryawanshi, M. P.; Maldar, P. S.; Dongale, T. D.; Moholkar, A. V.

2018-04-01

Surfactant-free, ultrasound assisted modified successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (M-SILAR) method and home-made microcontroller based low-cost potentiostat system are employed to prepare zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure based thin films. The comparison between physicochemical as well as photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the nanostructures prepared via two different template free, simplistic and cost-effective green routes have been discussed in detail. X-ray diffraction and Raman analysis confirm the formation of phase pure ZnO with the hexagonal crystal structure. Surface morphology significantly affects the physicochemical as well as PEC properties of ZnO thin films. Nanorods (NRs) and nanosheets (NSs) based ZnO thin films sensitized with N3 dye have been directly used as photoelectrodes in the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.59% is achieved with Jsc of 4.04 mA/cm2 and Voc of 0.44 V for the DSSC in which the M-SILAR deposited 1-D ZnO NRs based thin film is used as the photoanode. While relatively less PCE of 0.29% with Jsc of 2.53 mA/cm2 and Voc of 0.36 V is obtained for DSSC prepared using electrodeposited 2-D ZnO NSs. In the NSs like 2-D surface morphology, the presence of multiple grain boundaries are acted as traps for the diffusing electrons, which reduces the electron mobility through it.

Molecular surface area based predictive models for the adsorption and diffusion of disperse dyes in polylactic acid matrix.

PubMed

Xu, Suxin; Chen, Jiangang; Wang, Bijia; Yang, Yiqi

2015-11-15

Two predictive models were presented for the adsorption affinities and diffusion coefficients of disperse dyes in polylactic acid matrix. Quantitative structure-sorption behavior relationship would not only provide insights into sorption process, but also enable rational engineering for desired properties. The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for three disperse dyes were measured. The predictive model for adsorption affinity was based on two linear relationships derived by interpreting the experimental measurements with molecular structural parameters and compensation effect: ΔH° vs. dye size and ΔS° vs. ΔH°. Similarly, the predictive model for diffusion coefficient was based on two derived linear relationships: activation energy of diffusion vs. dye size and logarithm of pre-exponential factor vs. activation energy of diffusion. The only required parameters for both models are temperature and solvent accessible surface area of the dye molecule. These two predictive models were validated by testing the adsorption and diffusion properties of new disperse dyes. The models offer fairly good predictive ability. The linkage between structural parameter of disperse dyes and sorption behaviors might be generalized and extended to other similar polymer-penetrant systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facile preparation of hierarchical nanostructured CuInS2 counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhas, C. Ravi; Christy, A. Jennifer; Venkatesh, R.; Santhoshi Monica, S. Esther; Panda, Subhendu K.; Subramanian, B.; Ravichandran, K.; Sudhagar, P.; Ezhil Raj, A. Moses

2017-12-01

CuInS2 (CIS) thin films have been synthesized onto the glass substrates for different solvent volumes (10, 30, 50 and 70 ml) by nebulizer spray technique. The effect of solvent volume on the structural, morphological, compositional, optical and electrical properties of CIS thin films has been investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns suggest that the obtained CIS films are polycrystalline with the tetragonal structure. The surface morphology of the prepared CIS films purely depends on the solvent volume. The elemental quantitative investigation and the stoichiometric ratio of the CIS thin films were verified from XPS and EDS. High absorbance with the optical band gap of 1.13 eV was obtained at the higher solvent volume. All the deposited CIS thin films exhibited p-type semiconducting behavior with the high electrical conductivity and carrier concentration. CIS thin films deposited onto the FTO substrate were used as a counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cells. CIS CEs possessed high electrocatalytic behavior and fast electron charge transfer at the CE/electrolyte interface. The CIS CE prepared using 50 ml solvent volume generated high energy conversion efficiency of about 3.25%.

Investigation of Radiation Resistant Polymer Photodetectors for Space Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-11

54 A. XPD Data 54 B. Bibliography 56 iv FIGURES Figure Page 1. Electron transfer in a self-assembled dye-sensitized heterojunction device...electrooptic technology for space applications. By employing molecular engineering to achieve selective orientation of π- electrons within the polymer...temperature, vacuum and radiation induced degradation. Many of these adverse effects are well known for a wide variety of inorganic electronic materials

The Statistical Segment Length of DNA: Opportunities for Biomechanical Modeling in Polymer Physics and Next-Generation Genomics.

PubMed

Dorfman, Kevin D

2018-02-01

The development of bright bisintercalating dyes for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the 1990s, most notably YOYO-1, revolutionized the field of polymer physics in the ensuing years. These dyes, in conjunction with modern molecular biology techniques, permit the facile observation of polymer dynamics via fluorescence microscopy and thus direct tests of different theories of polymer dynamics. At the same time, they have played a key role in advancing an emerging next-generation method known as genome mapping in nanochannels. The effect of intercalation on the bending energy of DNA as embodied by a change in its statistical segment length (or, alternatively, its persistence length) has been the subject of significant controversy. The precise value of the statistical segment length is critical for the proper interpretation of polymer physics experiments and controls the phenomena underlying the aforementioned genomics technology. In this perspective, we briefly review the model of DNA as a wormlike chain and a trio of methods (light scattering, optical or magnetic tweezers, and atomic force microscopy (AFM)) that have been used to determine the statistical segment length of DNA. We then outline the disagreement in the literature over the role of bisintercalation on the bending energy of DNA, and how a multiscale biomechanical approach could provide an important model for this scientifically and technologically relevant problem.

Influence of chemically p-type doped active organic semiconductor on the film thickness versus performance trend in cyanine/C60 bilayer solar cells

PubMed Central

Jenatsch, Sandra; Geiger, Thomas; Heier, Jakob; Kirsch, Christoph; Nüesch, Frank; Paracchino, Adriana; Rentsch, Daniel; Ruhstaller, Beat; C Véron, Anna; Hany, Roland

2015-01-01

Simple bilayer organic solar cells rely on very thin coated films that allow for effective light absorption and charge carrier transport away from the heterojunction at the same time. However, thin films are difficult to coat on rough substrates or over large areas, resulting in adverse shorting and low device fabrication yield. Chemical p-type doping of organic semiconductors can reduce Ohmic losses in thicker transport layers through increased conductivity. By using a Co(III) complex as chemical dopant, we studied doped cyanine dye/C60 bilayer solar cell performance for increasing dye film thickness. For films thicker than 50 nm, doping increased the power conversion efficiency by more than 30%. At the same time, the yield of working cells increased to 80%. We addressed the fate of the doped cyanine dye, and found no influence of doping on solar cell long term stability. PMID:27877804

Syntheses, structures, electrochemistry and catalytic oxidation degradation of organic dyes of two new coordination polymers derived from Cu(II) and Mn(II) and 1-(tetrazo-5-yl)-4-(triazo-1-yl)benzene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Song, Ming; Mu, Bao; Huang, Ru-Dan, E-mail: huangrd@bit.edu.cn

Two new coordination polymers (CPs), namely, [Cu{sub 2}(ttbz)(H{sub 2}btc){sub 2}(OH)]{sub n} (1) and [Mn(ttbz){sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}]{sub n} (2) (Httbz =1-(tetrazo-5-yl)-4-(triazo-1-yl)benzene, H{sub 3}btc =1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid), have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Complex 1 exhibits a (3,5,5,5)-connected 2D layer with a Schläfli symbol of (3·4{sup 2})(3·4{sup 4}0.5{sup 2}0.6{sup 3})(3{sup 2}0.4{sup 4}0.5{sup 2}0.6{sup 2})(3{sup 2}0.4{sup 4}0.5{sup 3}0.6), in which the ttbz{sup -} ligand can be described as μ{sub 5}-bridge, linking Cu(II) ions into a 2D layer and H{sub 2}btc{sup -} ions play a supporting role in complex 1. The ttbz{sup -} ligand in complex 2 represents the bridging coordination mode, connectingmore » two Mn(II) ions to form the infinite 1D zigzag chains, respectively, which are further connected by two different types of hydrogen bonds to form a 3D supramolecular. Furthermore, catalytic oxidation activities toward organic dyes and electrochemical behaviors of the title complexes have been investigated at room temperature in aqueous solutions, indicating these complexes may be applicable to color removal in a textile wastewater stream and practical applications in areas of electrocatalytic reduction toward nitrite, respectively. - Graphical abstract: Two new coordination polymers based on different structural characteristics have been hydrothermally synthesized by the mixed ligands. The catalytic oxidation activities toward organic dyes and electrochemical behaviors of the title complexes have been investigated. - Highlights: • The organic ligand containing the tetrazolyl group and triazolyl group with some advantages has been used. • Two new coordination polymers with different structural characteristics has been discussed in detail. • Catalytic oxidation activities toward organic dyes and electrochemical behaviors of the title complexes have been investigated.« less

Dewetting of thin polymer films: an X-ray scattering study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller-Buschbaum, P.; Stamm, M.

1998-06-01

The surface morphology of different dewetting states of thin polymer films (polystyrene) on top of silicon substrates was investigated. With diffuse X-ray scattering in the region of total external reflection a high in-plane resolution was achieved. We observe a new nano-dewetting structure which coexists with the well known mesoscopic dewetting structures of holes, cellular pattern and drops. This nano-dewetting structure consists of small dimples with a diameter in the nanometer range. It results from the dewetting of a remaining ultra-thin polymer layer and can be explained with theoretical predictions of spinodal decomposition. The experimental results of the scattering study are confirmed with scanning-force microscopy measurements.

Dual-Input AND Gate From Single-Channel Thin-Film FET

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miranda, F. A.; Pinto, N. J.; Perez, R.; Mueller, C. H.

2008-01-01

A regio-regular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RRP3HT) thin-film transistor having a split-gate architecture has been fabricated on a doped silicon/silicon nitride substrate and characterized. RRP3HT is a semiconducting polymer that has a carrier mobility and on/off ratio when used in a field effect transistor (FET) configuration. This commercially available polymer is very soluble in common organic solvents and is easily processed to form uniform thin films. The most important polymer-based device fabricated and studied is the FET, since it forms the building block in logic circuits and switches for active matrix (light-emitting-diode) (LED) displays, smart cards, and radio frequency identification (RFID) cards.

Application of Chlorophyll as Sensitizer for ZnS Photoanode in a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panda, B. B.; Mahapatra, P. K.; Ghosh, M. K.

2018-03-01

Zinc sulphide thin films have been synthesized by the electrodeposition method onto stainless steel substrate followed by dipping in acetone solution of chlorophyll in different time intervals to form photosensitised thin films. The photoelectrochemical parameters of the films have been studied using the photoelectrochemical cell having the cell configuration as follows {{photoelectrode/NaOH}}({1{{M}}} ) + {{S}}({1{{M}}} ) + {{N}}{{{a}}_2}{{S}}({1{{M}}} ){{/C}} ({{{graphite}}} ) . The photoelectrochemical characterization of the semiconductor film and dye-sensitised films has been carried out by measuring current-voltage (I-V) in the dark, power output and photoresponse. The study proves that the conductivity of both ZnS film and dye-sensitised ZnS films are n-type. The power output curves illustrate that open circuit voltage (V oc) and short circuit current (I sc) increase from 0.210 V to 0.312 V and from 0.297 mA to 0.533 mA, respectively. The fill factor initially decreases from 0.299 to 0.213 and then increases to 0.297 irregularly whereas efficiency increases from 0.047% to 0.123%. The UV-Vis absorbance spectrum of chlorophyll in acetone shows the presence of chlorophyll. The structural morphology of the ZnS thin films has also been analysed by using x-ray diffraction technique (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The XRD pattern shows the formation of nanocrystalline ZnS thin films of size 65 nm and the SEM images confirm the formation of fibrous film of ZnS. The energy diffraction analysis of x-ray confirms the formation of ZnS thin films.

Optical characterizations of silver nanoprisms embedded in polymer thin film layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlberg, Miriam; Pourcin, Florent; Margeat, Olivier; Le Rouzo, Judikael; Berginc, Gerard; Sauvage, Rose-Marie; Ackermann, Jorg; Escoubas, Ludovic

2017-10-01

The precise control of light-matter interaction has a wide range of applications and is currently driven by the use of nanoparticles (NPs) by the recent advances in nanotechnology. Taking advantage of the material, size, shape, and surrounding media dependence of the optical properties of plasmonic NPs, thin film layers with tunable optical properties are achieved. The NPs are synthesized by wet chemistry and embedded in a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymer thin film layer. Spectrophotometer and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements are coupled to finite-difference time domain numerical modeling to optically characterize the heterogeneous thin film layers. Silver nanoprisms of 10 to 50 nm edge size exhibit high absorption through the visible wavelength range. A simple optical model composed of a Cauchy law and a Lorentz law, accounting for the optical properties of the nonabsorbing polymer and the absorbing property of the nanoprisms, fits the spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. Knowing the complex optical indices of heterogeneous thin film layers let us design layers of any optical properties.

Noncontact viscoelastic measurement of polymer thin films in a liquid medium using a long-needle AFM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Dongshi; Barraud, Chloe; Charlaix, Elisabeth; Tong, Penger

We report noncontact measurement of the viscoelastic property of polymer thin films in a liquid medium using frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM) with a newly developed long-needle probe. The probe contains a long vertical glass fiber with one end adhered to a cantilever beam and the other end with a sharp tip placed near the liquid-film interface. The nanoscale flow generated by the resonant oscillation of the needle tip provides a precise hydrodynamic force acting on the soft surface of the thin film. By accurately measuring the mechanical response of the thin film, we obtain the elastic and loss moduli of the thin film using the linear response theory of elasto-hydrodynamics. The experiment verifies the theory and demonstrates its applications. The technique can be used to accurately measure the viscoelastic property of soft surfaces, such as those made of polymers, nano-bubbles, live cells and tissues. This work was supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong SAR.

Polymer thin film as coating layer to prevent corrosion of metal/metal oxide film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Suman; Kundu, Sarathi

2018-04-01

Thin film of polymer is used as coating layer and the corrosion of metal/metal oxide layer is studied with the variation of the thickness of the coating layer. The thin layer of polystyrene is fabricated using spin coating method on copper oxide (CuO) film which is deposited on glass substrate using DC magnetron sputtering technique. Thickness of the polystyrene and the CuO layers are determined using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) technique. CuO thin films coated with the polystyrene layer are exposed to acetic acid (2.5 v/v% aqueous CH3COOH solution) environments and are subsequently analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface morphology of the film before and after interaction with the acidic environment is determined using AFM. Results obtained from the XRR and UV-Vis spectroscopy confirm that the thin film of polystyrene acts as an anticorrosion coating layer and the strength of the coating depends upon the polymer layer thickness at a constant acid concentration.

Polymer Brushes as Functional, Patterned Surfaces for Nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

Welch, M Elizabeth; Xu, Youyong; Chen, Hongjun; Smith, Norah; Tague, Michele E; Abruña, Héctor D; Baird, Barbara; Ober, Christopher K

2013-01-01

Polymer brushes have many desirable characteristics such as the ability to tether molecules to a substrate or change the properties of a surface. Patterning of polymer films has been an area of great interest due to the broad range of applications including bio-related and medicinal research. Consequently, we have investigated patterning techniques for polymer brushes which allow for two different functionalities on the same surface. This method has been applied to a biosensor device which requires both polymer brushes and a photosensitizer to be polymerized on a patterned gold substrate. Additionally, the nature of patterned polymer brushes as removable thin films was explored. An etching process has enabled us to lift off very thin membranes for further characterization with the potential of using them as Janus membranes for biological applications.

Optimal parameters for laser tissue soldering: II. Premixed versus separate dye-solder techniques.

PubMed

McNally, K M; Sorg, B S; Chan, E K; Welch, A J; Dawes, J M; Owen, E R

2000-01-01

Laser tissue soldering by using an indocyanine green (ICG)-doped protein solder applied topically to the tissue surface and denatured with a diode laser was investigated in Part I of this study. The depth of light absorption was predominantly determined by the concentration of the ICG dye added to the solder. This study builds on that work with an in vitro investigation of the effects of limiting the zone of heat generation to the solder-tissue interface to determine whether more stable solder-tissue fusion can be achieved. An alternative laser tissue soldering technique was investigated, which increased light absorption at the vital solder-tissue interface. A thin layer of ICG dye was smeared over the surface to be treated, the protein solder was then placed directly on top of the dye, and the solder was denatured with an 808-nm diode laser. Because laser light at approximately 800 nm is absorbed primarily by the ICG dye, this thin layer of ICG solution restricted the heat source to the space between the solder and the tissue surfaces. A tensile strength analysis was conducted to compare the separate dye-solder technique with conventional techniques of laser tissue soldering for which a premixed dye-solder is applied directly to the tissue surface. The effect of hydration on bond stability of repairs formed by using both techniques was also investigated using tensile strength and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Equivalent results in terms of tensile strength were obtained for the premixed dye-solder technique using protein solders containing 0.25 mg/ml ICG (liquid solder, 220 +/- 35 N/cm(2); solid solder, 602 +/- 32 N/cm(2)) and for the separate dye-solder technique (liquid solder, 228 +/- 41 N/cm(2); solid solder, 578 +/- 29 N/cm(2)). The tensile strength of native bovine thoracic aorta was 596 +/- 31 N/cm(2). Repairs created by using the separate dye-solder technique were more stable during hydration than their premixed dye-solder counterparts. The conventional premixed dye-solder was simpler and approximately twice as fast to apply. The separate dye-solder technique, however, increased the shelf-life of the solder, because the dye was mixed at the time of the experiment, thus conserving its spectral absorbency properties. Two laser-assisted tissue soldering techniques have been evaluated for repairing aorta incisions in vitro. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these techniques are discussed. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Polymer-assisted aqueous deposition of metal oxide films

DOEpatents

Li, DeQuan [Los Alamos, NM; Jia, Quanxi [Los Alamos, NM

2003-07-08

An organic solvent-free process for deposition of metal oxide thin films is presented. The process includes aqueous solutions of necessary metal precursors and an aqueous solution of a water-soluble polymer. After a coating operation, the resultant coating is fired at high temperatures to yield optical quality metal oxide thin films.

Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Conjugated Polymer Entailing Triethylene Glycols as Side Chains with High Thin-Film Charge Mobility without Post-Treatments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Si-Fen; Liu, Zi-Tong; Cai, Zheng-Xu

Side chain engineering of conjugated donor-acceptor polymers is a new way to manipulate their optoelectronic properties. Two new diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-terthiophene-based conjugated polymers PDPP3T-1 and PDPP3T-2, with both hydrophilic triethylene glycol (TEG) and hydrophobic alkyl chains, are reported. It is demonstrated that the incorporation of TEG chains has a significant effect on the interchain packing and thin-film morphology with noticeable effect on charge transport. Polymer chains of PDPP3T-1 in which TEG chains are uniformly distributed can self-assemble spontaneously into a more ordered thin film. As a result, the thin film of PDPP3T-1 exhibits high saturated hole mobility up to 2.6 cm(2)more » V-1 s(-1) without any post-treatment. This is superior to those of PDPP3T with just alkyl chains and PDPP3T-2. Moreover, the respective field effect transistors made of PDPP3T-1 can be utilized for sensing ethanol vapor with high sensitivity (down to 100 ppb) and good selectivity.« less

Dye laser traveling wave amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidson, F.; Hohman, J.

1984-01-01

A flashlamp pumped dye laser suitable for use as a single stage amplifier is described. Particular emphasis is placed on the efforts to increase output pulse energy and improve the temporal profile of the injected pulse. By using high power thin film polarizers, output energies reach from 4 to 45 mJ. Various dispersive elements are used to develop an amplified pulse with an extremely clean temporal profile.

Why we need to look beyond the glass transition temperature to characterize the dynamics of thin supported polymer films.

PubMed

Zhang, Wengang; Douglas, Jack F; Starr, Francis W

2018-05-29

There is significant variation in the reported magnitude and even the sign of [Formula: see text] shifts in thin polymer films with nominally the same chemistry, film thickness, and supporting substrate. The implicit assumption is that methods used to estimate [Formula: see text] in bulk materials are relevant for inferring dynamic changes in thin films. To test the validity of this assumption, we perform molecular simulations of a coarse-grained polymer melt supported on an attractive substrate. As observed in many experiments, we find that [Formula: see text] based on thermodynamic criteria (temperature dependence of film height or enthalpy) decreases with decreasing film thickness, regardless of the polymer-substrate interaction strength ε. In contrast, we find that [Formula: see text] based on a dynamic criterion (relaxation of the dynamic structure factor) also decreases with decreasing thickness when ε is relatively weak, but [Formula: see text] increases when ε exceeds the polymer-polymer interaction strength. We show that these qualitatively different trends in [Formula: see text] reflect differing sensitivities to the mobility gradient across the film. Apparently, the slowly relaxing polymer segments in the substrate region make the largest contribution to the shift of [Formula: see text] in the dynamic measurement, but this part of the film contributes less to the thermodynamic estimate of [Formula: see text] Our results emphasize the limitations of using [Formula: see text] to infer changes in the dynamics of polymer thin films. However, we show that the thermodynamic and dynamic estimates of [Formula: see text] can be combined to predict local changes in [Formula: see text] near the substrate, providing a simple method to infer information about the mobility gradient.

Thin Crystal Film Polarizer for Display Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paukshto, Michael

2003-03-01

Optiva Inc. has pioneered the development of nano-thin crystalline film (TCF) optical coatings for use in information displays and other applications. TCF is a material based on water-based dichroic dye solutions. Disk-like dye molecules aggregate in a ``plane-to-plane" manner; this self-assembly results in formation of highly anisometric rod-like stacks. These stacks have an aspect ratio of approximately 200:1. At a certain threshold of dye concentration, a nematic ordering of the rod-like stacks appears. Such a system acquires polarizing properties according to the following mechanism. Flow-induced alignment is known to occur in the lyotropic systems in a shear flow. In our case, the material undergoes shear alignment while being coated onto a glass or plastic substrate. In the coated thin film, the long molecular stacks are oriented in the flow direction parallel to the flow direction and substrate plane. The planes of the dye molecules are perpendicular to the substrate plane with the optical transition oscillators lying in the molecule plane. After the coating, as the thin film dries, crystallization occurs due to water evaporation. In a dry film, the molecular planes maintain their orthogonal orientation with respect to the substrate surface. TCF is known to possess properties of an E-mode polarizer. TCF technology has now migrated out of the R stage into manufacturing and is currently being incorporated into new display products. This presentation will provide an overview of TCF technology. The first part of the presentation will describe material structure, optical properties and characterization, material processing and associated coating equipment. This will be followed by a presentation on optical modeling and simulation of display performance with TCF components. Comparisons of display performance will be made for exemplar configurations of a variety of LCDs, including TN, STN and AMLCD designs in both transmissive and reflective modes.

Ratiometric Nanothermometer Based on Rhodamine Dye-Incorporated F127-Melamine-Formaldehyde Polymer Nanoparticle: Preparation, Characterization, Wide-Range Temperature Sensing, and Precise Intracellular Thermometry.

PubMed

Wu, Youshen; Liu, Jiajun; Ma, Jingwen; Liu, Yongchun; Wang, Ya; Wu, Daocheng

2016-06-15

A series of fluorescent nanothermometers (FTs) was prepared with Rhodamine dye-incorporated Pluronic F-127-melamine-formaldehyde composite polymer nanoparticles (R-F127-MF NPs). The highly soluble Rhodamine dye molecules were bound with Pluronic F127 micelles and subsequently incorporated in the cross-linked MF resin NPs during high-temperature cross-link treatment. The morphology and chemical structure of R-F127-MF NPs were characterized with dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Fluorescence properties and thermoresponsivities were analyzed using fluorescence spectra. R-F127-MF NPs are found to be monodispersed, presenting a size range of 88-105 nm, and have bright fluorescence and high stability in severe treatments such as autoclave sterilization and lyophilization. By simultaneously incorporating Rhodamine B and Rhodamine 110 (as reference) dyes at a doping ratio of 1:400 in the NPs, ratiometric FTs with a high sensibility of 7.6%·°C(-1) and a wide temperature sensing range from -20 to 110 °C were obtained. The FTs exhibit good stability in solutions with varied pH, ionic strengths, and viscosities and have similar working curves in both intracellular and extracellular environments. Cellular temperature variations in Hela cells during microwave exposure were successfully monitored using the FTs, indicating their considerable potential applications in the biomedical field.

Effect of The Addition of PEG and PVA Polymer for Gel Electrolytes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) with Chlorophyll as Dye Sensitizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seni, Ramadhanti S.; Puspitasari, Nurrisma; Endarko

2017-07-01

Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) is a third-generation solar cell that consists of a working electrode, electrolyte and counter electrode. One of the most important parts of DSSC is an electrolyte that roles as a medium and regenerates the electron transport of electrons in the dye. However, the liquid electrolyte has a lack of stability in long-term use and easily evaporate or leak in DSSC. Therefore, this study aims to investigate an effect of the addition of polymer material such as PEG 1000, 4000 and PVA 60000 for fabricating a gel electrolyte to solve the problems of liquid electrolyte. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles used in this study was prepared using co-precipitation (CPT) method which produces TiO2 anatase phase with a crystal size of 11.1 nm. DSSC has been successfully conducted and analyzed to evaluate its performance. The results showed that the efficiency of DSSC cells using gel electrolyte prepared with PVA 60000 was better than a liquid electrolyte, PEG 1000, 4000, with the efficiency could be obtained at 0.083, 0.018, 0.033, and 0.054%, respectively. The results demonstrated that the addition PEG and/or PVA could be enhanced the performance of DSSC due to gel electrolyte produced current and voltage more stable compared to the liquid electrolyte.

Dynamic-template-directed multiscale assembly for large-area coating of highly-aligned conjugated polymer thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohammadi, Erfan; Zhao, Chuankai; Meng, Yifei

Solution processable semiconducting polymers have been under intense investigations due to their diverse applications from printed electronics to biomedical devices. However, controlling the macromolecular assembly across length scales during solution coating remains a key challenge, largely due to the disparity in timescales of polymer assembly and high-throughput printing/coating. Herein we propose the concept of dynamic templating to expedite polymer nucleation and the ensuing assembly process, inspired by biomineralization templates capable of surface reconfiguration. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal that surface reconfigurability is key to promoting template–polymer interactions, thereby lowering polymer nucleation barrier. Employing ionic-liquid-based dynamic template during meniscus-guided coating results inmore » highly aligned, highly crystalline donor-acceptor polymer thin films over large area (41cm 2) and promoted charge transport along both the polymer backbone and the π-π stacking direction in field-effect transistors. We further demonstrate that the charge transport anisotropy can be reversed by tuning the degree of polymer backbone alignment.« less

Dynamic-template-directed multiscale assembly for large-area coating of highly-aligned conjugated polymer thin films

PubMed Central

Mohammadi, Erfan; Zhao, Chuankai; Meng, Yifei; Qu, Ge; Zhang, Fengjiao; Zhao, Xikang; Mei, Jianguo; Zuo, Jian-Min; Shukla, Diwakar; Diao, Ying

2017-01-01

Solution processable semiconducting polymers have been under intense investigations due to their diverse applications from printed electronics to biomedical devices. However, controlling the macromolecular assembly across length scales during solution coating remains a key challenge, largely due to the disparity in timescales of polymer assembly and high-throughput printing/coating. Herein we propose the concept of dynamic templating to expedite polymer nucleation and the ensuing assembly process, inspired by biomineralization templates capable of surface reconfiguration. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal that surface reconfigurability is key to promoting template–polymer interactions, thereby lowering polymer nucleation barrier. Employing ionic-liquid-based dynamic template during meniscus-guided coating results in highly aligned, highly crystalline donor–acceptor polymer thin films over large area (>1 cm2) and promoted charge transport along both the polymer backbone and the π–π stacking direction in field-effect transistors. We further demonstrate that the charge transport anisotropy can be reversed by tuning the degree of polymer backbone alignment. PMID:28703136

Dynamic-template-directed multiscale assembly for large-area coating of highly-aligned conjugated polymer thin films

DOE PAGES

Mohammadi, Erfan; Zhao, Chuankai; Meng, Yifei; ...

2017-07-13

Solution processable semiconducting polymers have been under intense investigations due to their diverse applications from printed electronics to biomedical devices. However, controlling the macromolecular assembly across length scales during solution coating remains a key challenge, largely due to the disparity in timescales of polymer assembly and high-throughput printing/coating. Herein we propose the concept of dynamic templating to expedite polymer nucleation and the ensuing assembly process, inspired by biomineralization templates capable of surface reconfiguration. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal that surface reconfigurability is key to promoting template–polymer interactions, thereby lowering polymer nucleation barrier. Employing ionic-liquid-based dynamic template during meniscus-guided coating results inmore » highly aligned, highly crystalline donor-acceptor polymer thin films over large area (41cm 2) and promoted charge transport along both the polymer backbone and the π-π stacking direction in field-effect transistors. We further demonstrate that the charge transport anisotropy can be reversed by tuning the degree of polymer backbone alignment.« less

Application of Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering to the analysis of synthetic dyes found in ballpoint pen inks.

PubMed

Geiman, Irina; Leona, Marco; Lombardi, John R

2009-07-01

The applicability of Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to the analysis of synthetic dyes commonly found in ballpoint inks was investigated in a comparative study. Spectra of 10 dyes were obtained using a dispersive system (633 nm, 785 nm lasers) and a Fourier transform system (1064 nm laser) under different analytical conditions (e.g., powdered pigments, solutions, thin layer chromatography [TLC] spots). While high fluorescence background and poor spectral quality often characterized the normal Raman spectra of the dyes studied, SERS was found to be generally helpful. Additionally, dye standards and a single ballpoint ink were developed on a TLC plate following a typical ink analysis procedure. SERS spectra were successfully collected directly from the TLC plate, thus demonstrating a possible forensic application for the technique.

Space Environmentally Stable Polyimides and Copolyimides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Kent A.; Connell, John W.

2000-01-01

Polyimides with a unique combination of properties including low color in thin films, atomic oxygen (AO), ultra-violet (UV) radiation resistance, solubility in organic solvents in the imide form, high glass transition (T(sub g)) temperatures and high thermal stability have been prepared and characterized. The polymers were prepared by reacting a novel aromatic diamine with aromatic dianhydrides in a polar aprotic solvent. The solubility of the polymers in the imide form as well as the color density of thin films were dependent upon the chemical structure of the dianhydride. Several thin films (25-50 mm thick) prepared by solution casting of amide acid or imide solutions exhibited very low color and high optical transparency (approximately 90%) as determined by UV/visible spectroscopy. The polymers exhibited T(sub g)s >200 C depending upon the structure of the dianhydride and temperatures of 5% weight loss approximately 500C in air as determined by dynamic thermogravimetric analysis. Thin films coated with silver/inconel were exposed to a high fluence of AO and 1000 equivalent solar hours of UV radiation. The effects of these exposures on optical properties were minor. These space environmentally durable polymers are potentially useful in a variety of applications on spacecraft such as thin film membranes on antennas, second-surface mirrors, thermal/optical coatings and multi-layer thermal insulation (MLI) blanket materials. The chemistry, physical and mechanical properties of the polymers as well as their responses to AO and UV exposure will be discussed.

Multilayer polymer dielectric films for hollow glass waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kendall, Wesley; Harrington, James A.

2018-02-01

Hollow glass waveguides (HGWs) have been extensively investigated for the transmission of broadband, high-power radiation, particularly in the mid-infrared. One area of particular interest is the deposition of dielectric thin films within the hollow core of the HGW in order to reduce the losses at desired wavelengths. By implementing a thin film multilayer structure with high index mismatch between adjacent films, it is possible to dramatically improve the losses of the waveguides due to the thin film interference effect. Existing multilayer film research has utilized heavy metal halides, which although provide considerable index contrast, are toxic and unsuitable for clinical applications in which they are often used. Polymer dielectric thin films provide desirable optical properties for HGWs but are hindered by solvent compatibility in the deposition procedure. This work demonstrates implementation of a polymer multilayer dielectric thin film stack within a HGW, using ChemoursTM Teflon AF (n = 1.29) as the low-index material and polystyrene (n = 1.59) as the high-index material. These two polymers were deposited using liquid phase techniques within a HGW; the absorption spectra of waveguide as each layer was deposited on was analyzed in the mid-IR with an FTIR, and straight and bending losses were measured on a CO2 laser. Appreciable losses were realized with the addition of the second polymer film and the interference bands red-shifted with the second layer, suggesting the successful creation of the multilayer structure.

MLKL forms disulfide bond-dependent amyloid-like polymers to induce necroptosis

PubMed Central

Liu, Shuzhen; Liu, Hua; Johnston, Andrea; Hanna-Addams, Sarah; Reynoso, Eduardo; Xiang, Yougui

2017-01-01

Mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) is essential for TNF-α–induced necroptosis. How MLKL promotes cell death is still under debate. Here we report that MLKL forms SDS-resistant, disulfide bond-dependent polymers during necroptosis in both human and mouse cells. MLKL polymers are independent of receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 and 3 (RIPK1/RIPK3) fibers. Large MLKL polymers are more than 2 million Da and are resistant to proteinase K digestion. MLKL polymers are fibers 5 nm in diameter under electron microscopy. Furthermore, the recombinant N-terminal domain of MLKL forms amyloid-like fibers and binds Congo red dye. MLKL mutants that cannot form polymers also fail to induce necroptosis efficiently. Finally, the compound necrosulfonamide conjugates cysteine 86 of human MLKL and blocks MLKL polymer formation and subsequent cell death. These results demonstrate that disulfide bond-dependent, amyloid-like MLKL polymers are necessary and sufficient to induce necroptosis. PMID:28827318

MLKL forms disulfide bond-dependent amyloid-like polymers to induce necroptosis.

PubMed

Liu, Shuzhen; Liu, Hua; Johnston, Andrea; Hanna-Addams, Sarah; Reynoso, Eduardo; Xiang, Yougui; Wang, Zhigao

2017-09-05

Mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) is essential for TNF-α-induced necroptosis. How MLKL promotes cell death is still under debate. Here we report that MLKL forms SDS-resistant, disulfide bond-dependent polymers during necroptosis in both human and mouse cells. MLKL polymers are independent of receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 and 3 (RIPK1/RIPK3) fibers. Large MLKL polymers are more than 2 million Da and are resistant to proteinase K digestion. MLKL polymers are fibers 5 nm in diameter under electron microscopy. Furthermore, the recombinant N-terminal domain of MLKL forms amyloid-like fibers and binds Congo red dye. MLKL mutants that cannot form polymers also fail to induce necroptosis efficiently. Finally, the compound necrosulfonamide conjugates cysteine 86 of human MLKL and blocks MLKL polymer formation and subsequent cell death. These results demonstrate that disulfide bond-dependent, amyloid-like MLKL polymers are necessary and sufficient to induce necroptosis.

On-column labeling of gram-positive bacteria with a boronic acid functionalized squarylium cyanine dye for analysis by polymer-enhanced capillary transient isotachophoresis.

PubMed

Saito, Shingo; Massie, Tara L; Maeda, Takeshi; Nakazumi, Hiroyuki; Colyer, Christa L

2012-03-06

A new asymmetric, squarylium cyanine dye functionalized by boronic acid ("SQ-BA") was designed and synthesized for on-capillary labeling of gram-positive bacteria to provide for high sensitivity detection by way of a modified form of capillary electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF). The CE-based separation employed a polymer-enhanced buffer with capillary transient isotachophoresis in a new hybrid method dubbed "PectI." It was found that the addition of various monosaccharides to SQ-BA in a batch aqueous solution greatly enhanced the emission of the boronic acid functionalized dye by a factor of up to 18.3 at a long wavelength (λ(ex) = 630 nm, λ(em) = 660 nm) with a high affinity constant (K = ~10(2.80) M(-1)) superior to other sugar probes. Semiempirical quantum mechanics calculations suggest that the mechanism for this high enhancement may involve the dissociation of initially nonemissive dye associates (stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond) upon complex formation with sugars. The fluorescence emission of SQ-BA was also significantly enhanced in the presence of a gram-positive bacterial spore, Bacillus globigii (Bg), which serves as a simulant of B. anthracis (or anthrax) and which possesses a peptidoglycan (sugar)-rich spore coat to provide ample sites for interaction with the dye. Several peaks were observed for a pure Bg sample even with polyethyleneoxide (PEO) present in the CE separation buffer, despite the polymer's previously demonstrated ability to focus microoorganisms to a single peak during migration. Likewise, several peaks were observed for a Bg sample when capillary transient isotachophoresis (ctITP) alone was employed. However, the new combination of these techniques as "PectI" dramatically and reproducibly focused the bacteria to a single peak with no staining procedure. Using PectI, the trace detection of Bg spores (corresponding to approximately three cells per injection) along with separation efficiency enough to separate Bg from another gram-positive bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (resolution, R(s) = 6.09, and apparent plate number, N = 2.7-3.3 × 10(5)), were successfully achieved.

Comparison of precursor infiltration into polymer thin films via atomic layer deposition and sequential vapor infiltration using in-situ quartz crystal microgravimetry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Padbury, Richard P.; Jur, Jesse S., E-mail: jsjur@ncsu.edu

Previous research exploring inorganic materials nucleation behavior on polymers via atomic layer deposition indicates the formation of hybrid organic–inorganic materials that form within the subsurface of the polymer. This has inspired adaptations to the process, such as sequential vapor infiltration, which enhances the diffusion of organometallic precursors into the subsurface of the polymer to promote the formation of a hybrid organic–inorganic coating. This work highlights the fundamental difference in mass uptake behavior between atomic layer deposition and sequential vapor infiltration using in-situ methods. In particular, in-situ quartz crystal microgravimetry is used to compare the mass uptake behavior of trimethyl aluminummore » in poly(butylene terephthalate) and polyamide-6 polymer thin films. The importance of trimethyl aluminum diffusion into the polymer subsurface and the subsequent chemical reactions with polymer functional groups are discussed.« less

Dithiopheneindenofluorene (TIF) Semiconducting Polymers with Very High Mobility in Field-Effect Transistors.

PubMed

Chen, Hu; Hurhangee, Michael; Nikolka, Mark; Zhang, Weimin; Kirkus, Mindaugas; Neophytou, Marios; Cryer, Samuel J; Harkin, David; Hayoz, Pascal; Abdi-Jalebi, Mojtaba; McNeill, Christopher R; Sirringhaus, Henning; McCulloch, Iain

2017-09-01

The charge-carrier mobility of organic semiconducting polymers is known to be enhanced when the energetic disorder of the polymer is minimized. Fused, planar aromatic ring structures contribute to reducing the polymer conformational disorder, as demonstrated by polymers containing the indacenodithiophene (IDT) repeat unit, which have both a low Urbach energy and a high mobility in thin-film-transistor (TFT) devices. Expanding on this design motif, copolymers containing the dithiopheneindenofluorene repeat unit are synthesized, which extends the fused aromatic structure with two additional phenyl rings, further rigidifying the polymer backbone. A range of copolymers are prepared and their electrical properties and thin-film morphology evaluated, with the co-benzothiadiazole polymer having a twofold increase in hole mobility when compared to the IDT analog, reaching values of almost 3 cm 2 V -1 s -1 in bottom-gate top-contact organic field-effect transistors. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Structural Ordering of Semiconducting Polymers and Small-Molecules for Organic Electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Hara, Kathryn Allison

Semiconducting polymers and small-molecules can be readily incorporated into electronic devices such as organic photovoltaics (OPVs), thermoelectrics (OTEs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). Organic materials offer the advantage of being processable from solution to form flexible and lightweight thin films. The molecular design, processing, and resulting thin film morphology of semiconducting polymers drastically affect the optical and electronic properties. Charge transport within films of semiconducting polymers relies on the nanoscale organization to ensure electronic coupling through overlap of molecular orbitals and to provide continuous transport pathways. While the angstrom-scale packing details can be studied using X-ray scattering methods, an understanding of the mesoscale, or the length scale over which smaller ordered regions connect, is much harder to achieve. Grain boundaries play an important role in semiconducting polymer thin films where the average grain size is much smaller than the total distance which charges must traverse in order to reach the electrodes in a device. The majority of semiconducting polymers adopt a lamellar packing structure in which the conjugated backbones align in parallel pi-stacks separated by the alkyl side-chains. Only two directions of transport are possible--along the conjugated backbone and in the pi-stacking direction. Currently, the discussion of transport between crystallites is centered around the idea of tie-chains, or "bridging" polymer chains connecting two ordered regions. However, as molecular structures become increasingly complex with the development of new donor-acceptor copolymers, additional forms of connectivity between ordered domains should be considered. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) is a powerful tool for directly imaging the crystalline grain boundaries in polymer and small-molecule thin films. Recently, structures comparable to quadrites were discovered in the semiconducting polymer, PSBTBT, where the angle of chain overlap could be predicted by the geometry of the backbone and alkyl side-chains. Such structures are hypothesized to improve the electronic connectivity and enable 3D transport. Now, it has been determined that another semiconducting polymer, PBDTTPD, forms cross-chain structures in thin films. PBDTTPD is a low band-gap donor-acceptor copolymer used in high efficiency OPVs. The effect of the alkyl side-chains on intercrystallite order is determined by examining three different derivatives of the PBDTTPD polymer with HRTEM. Additionally, the expansion and contraction of films during thermal annealing and slow cooling is monitored through in-situ grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) measurements. Results show that minor variations in side-chain structure drive both crystallite orientation and the formation of crossed structures. Overall, these studies suggest design principles to continue to advance the field of organic electronics.

Implantable polymer/metal thin film structures for the localized treatment of cancer by Joule heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kan-Dapaah, Kwabena; Rahbar, Nima; Theriault, Christian; Soboyejo, Wole

2015-04-01

This paper presents an implantable polymer/metal alloy thin film structure for localized post-operative treatment of breast cancer. A combination of experiments and models is used to study the temperature changes due to Joule heating by patterned metallic thin films embedded in poly-dimethylsiloxane. The heat conduction within the device and the surrounding normal/cancerous breast tissue is modeled with three-dimensional finite element method (FEM). The FEM simulations are used to explore the potential effects of device geometry and Joule heating on the temperature distribution and lesion (thermal dose). The FEM model is validated using a gel model that mimics biological media. The predictions are also compared to prior results from in vitro studies and relevant in vivo studies in the literature. The implications of the results are discussed for the potential application of polymer/metal thin film structures in hyperthermic treatment of cancer.

Improvement of N-phthaloylchitosan based gel polymer electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells using a binary salt system.

PubMed

Yusuf, S N F; Azzahari, A D; Selvanathan, V; Yahya, R; Careem, M A; Arof, A K

2017-02-10

A binary salt system utilizing lithium iodide (LiI) as the auxiliary component has been introduced to the N-phthaloylchitosan (PhCh) based gel polymer electrolyte consisting of ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethylformamide (DMF), tetrapropylammonium iodide (TPAI), and iodine (I 2 ) in order to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with efficiency of 6.36%, photocurrent density, J SC of 17.29mAcm -2 , open circuit voltage, V OC of 0.59V and fill factor, FF of 0.62. This efficiency value is an improvement from the 5.00% performance obtained by the DSSC consisting of only TPAI single salt system. The presence of the LiI in addition to the TPAI improves the charge injection rates and increases the iodide contribution to the total conductivity and both factors contribute to the increase in efficiency of the DSSC. The interaction behavior between polymer-plasticizer-salt was thoroughly investigated using EIS, FTIR spectroscopy and XRD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polymer immobilized enzyme optrodes for the detection of penicillin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kulp, T.J.; Camins, I.; Angel, S.M.

The preparation and performance of two enzyme-based fiber-optic sensors (optrodes) capable of detecting penicillin are described. Each sensor consists of a polymer membrane that is covalently attached to the tip of a glass optical fiber. The membrane contains the enzyme penicillinase and a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye. A signal is produced when the enzyme catalyzes the cleavage of the ..beta..-lactam ring of penicillin to produce penicilloic acid and, consequently, a pH change in the microenvironment of the membrane. The sensors differ in the way the polymer membrane is constructed and in the type of pH indicator dye used. Both optrodes exhibitmore » response times (40-60 s) significantly lower than those of the corresponding enzyme electrodes (2 min). Each gives a linear response over the concentration range of 0.00025 to 0.01 M penicillin G, when measured in a 0.005 M phosphate buffer. The data indicate that these immobilization strategies produce similar results and may be considered complementary alternatives in future enzyme optrode applications.« less

Fabrication of microscale materials with programmable composition gradients.

PubMed

Laval, Cédric; Bouchaudy, Anne; Salmon, Jean-Baptiste

2016-04-07

We present an original microfluidic technique coupling pervaporation and the use of Quake valves to fabricate microscale materials (∼10 × 100 μm(2) × 1 cm) with composition gradients along their longest dimension. Our device exploits pervaporation of water through a thin poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membrane to continuously pump solutions (or dispersions) contained in different reservoirs connected to a microfluidic channel. This pervaporation-induced flow concentrates solutes (or particles) at the tip of the channel up to the formation of a dense material. The latter invades the channel as it is constantly enriched by an incoming flux of solutes/particles. Upstream Quake valves are used to select which reservoir is connected to the pervaporation channel and thus which solution (or dispersion) enriches the material during its growth. The microfluidic configuration of the pervaporation process is used to impose controlled growth along the channel thus enabling one to program spatial composition gradients using appropriate actuations of the valves. We demonstrate the possibilities offered by our technique through the fabrication of dense assemblies of nanoparticles and polymer composites with programmed gradients of fluorescent dyes. We also address the key issue of the spatial resolution of our gradients and we show that well-defined spatial modulations down to ≈50 μm can be obtained within colloidal materials, whereas gradients within polymer materials are resolved on length scales down to ≈1 mm due to molecular diffusion.

Functional patterned coatings by thin polymer film dewetting.

PubMed

Telford, Andrew M; Thickett, Stuart C; Neto, Chiara

2017-12-01

An approach for the fabrication of functional polymer surface coatings is introduced, where micro-scale structure and surface functionality are obtained by means of self-assembly mechanisms. We illustrate two main applications of micro-patterned polymer surfaces obtained through dewetting of bilayers of thin polymer films. By tuning the physical and chemical properties of the polymer bilayers, micro-patterned surface coatings could be produced that have applications both for the selective attachment and patterning of proteins and cells, with potential applications as biomaterials, and for the collection of water from the atmosphere. In all cases, the aim is to achieve functional coatings using approaches that are simple to realize, use low cost materials and are potentially scalable. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strong coupling between surface plasmon polariton and laser dye rhodamine 800

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valmorra, Federico; Bröll, Markus; Schwaiger, Stephan; Welzel, Nadine; Heitmann, Detlef; Mendach, Stefan

2011-08-01

We report on strong coupling between surface plasmon polaritons on a thin silver film and laser dye Rhodamine 800. Attenuated total reflection measurements reveal that the pure surface plasmon polaritons interact with the Rhodamine 800 absorption lines exhibiting pronounced anticrossings in the dispersion relation. We show that the corresponding energy gap can be tailored by the concentration of dye molecules in the dielectric matrix between 50 meV and 70 meV. We can well model our data by a classical transfer matrix approach as well as by a quantum mechanical coupled oscillator ansatz.

Fluorescent porous film modified polymer optical fiber via "click" chemistry: stable dye dispersion and trace explosive detection.

PubMed

Ma, Jiajun; Lv, Ling; Zou, Gang; Zhang, Qijin

2015-01-14

In this paper, we report a facile strategy to fabricate fluorescent porous thin film on the surface of U-bent poly(methyl methacrylate) optical fiber (U-bent POF) in situ via "click" polymerization for vapor phase sensing of explosives. Upon irradiation of evanescent UV light transmitting within the fiber under ambient condition, a porous film (POSS-thiol cross-linking film, PTCF) is synthesized on the side surface of the fiber by a thiol-ene "click" reaction of vinyl-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS-V8) and alkane dithiols. When vinyl-functionalized porphyrin, containing four allyl substituents at the periphery, is added into precursors for the polymerization, fluorescence porphyrin can be covalently bonded into the cross-linked network of PTCF. This "fastened" way reduces the aggregation-induced fluorescence self-quenching of porphyrin and enhances the physicochemical stability of the porous film on the surface of U-bent POF. Fluorescent signals of the PTCF/U-bent POF probe made by this method exhibit high fluorescence quenching toward trace TNT and DNT vapor and the highest fluorescence quenching efficiency is observed for 1, 6-hexanedimercaptan-based film. In addition, because of the presence of POSS-V8 with multi cross-linkable groups, PTCF exhibits well-organized pore network and stable dye dispersion, which not only causes fast and sensitive fluorescence quenching against vapors of nitroaromatic compounds, but also provides a repeatability of the probing performance.

Thin layer chitosan-coated cellulose filter paper as substrate for immobilization of catalytic cobalt nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kamal, Tahseen; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Haider, Sajjad; Alghamdi, Yousef Gamaan; Asiri, Abdullah M

2017-11-01

A facile approach utilizing synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles in green polymers of chitosan (CS) coating layer on high surface area cellulose microfibers of filter paper (CFP) is described for the catalytic reduction of nitrophenol and an organic dye using NaBH 4 . Simple steps of CFP coating with 1wt% CS aqueous solution followed by Co 2+ ions adsorption from 0.2M CoCl 2 aqueous solution were carried out to prepare pre-catalytic strips. The Co 2+ loaded pre-catalytic strips of CS-CFP were treated with 0.19M NaBH 4 aqueous solution to convert the ions into nanoparticles. Successful Co nanoparticles formation was assessed by various characterization techniques of FESEM, EDX and XRD analyzes. TGA analyses were carried out on CFP, CS-CFP, and Co-CS-CFP for the determination of the amount of Co particles formed on the CS-FP, and to track their thermal properties. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the Co-CS-CFP showed an excellent catalytic activity and reusability in the reduction reactions a nitroaromatic compound of 2,6-dintirophenol (2,6-DNP) and brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) dye by NaBH 4 . The Co-CS-CFP catalyzed the reduction reactions of 2,6-DNP and BCB by NaBH 4 with psuedo-first order rate constants of 0.0451 and 0.1987min -1 , respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Directed Self-Organization of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles in Polymer Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ren

The controlled organization of nanoparticle (NP) constituents into superstructures of well-defined shape, composition and connectivity represents a continuing challenge in the development of novel hybrid materials for many technological applications. Surface modification of NPs with grafted polymer ligands has emerged as a versatile means to control the interaction and organization of particle constituents in polymer-matrix composite materials. In this study, by incorporating polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) into polymeric thin films, we aim to understand and control the spatial organization of PGNPs through the interactions between polymer brush layer and matrix chains. As model systems, we investigate thermodynamic behaviors of polystyrene-tethered gold nanoparticles (denoted as AuPS) dispersed in polymer thin film matrices with identical and different chemical compositions (PS and PMMA, respectively), and evaluate the influence of external perturbation fields on directed organization of nanofillers. With the presence of unfavorable enthalpic interactions between grafted and free polymer chains (i.e. AuPS/ PMMA blend thin films), phase-separated structures are generated upon thermal annealing, characterized with morphologies ranging from discrete droplets to spinodal structures, which is consistent with composition-dependent classic binary polymer blends phase separation. The phase separation kinetics of AuPS/ PMMA blends exhibit distinct features compared to the parent PS/ PMMA homopolymer blends. We further illustrate phase-separated AuPS-rich domains can be directed into unidirectionally aligned anisotropic structures through soft-shear dynamic zone annealing (DZA-SS) process with tunable domain aspect ratios. To exert exquisite control over the shape, size and location of phase-separated PGNP domains, topographically patterned elastomer confinement is introduced to PGNP/ polymer blend thin films during thermal annealing. When the phase-separated lengthscale coincides with confined pattern dimension, long-range ordered submicron-sized AuPS domains are generated in PMMA matrices with dense and well-dispersed nanoparticle distribution. Furthermore, preferential segregation of AuPS nanoparticles at patterned mesa regions can be induced in PS matrices where enthalpic interactions are absent. This selective segregation is achieved due to the local perturbation of grafted chains when confined in a restricted space. The efficiency of this particle segregation process within patterned mesa-trench films can be tuned by changing the relative entropic confinement effects on grafted and matrix chains. This physical pattern directed PGNP organization strategy is applicable to versatile pattern geometries and nanoparticle compositions.

Coordinative nanoporous polymers synthesized with hydrogen-bonded columnar liquid crystals.

PubMed

Ishihara, Shinsuke; Furuki, Yusuke; Hill, Jonathan P; Ariga, Katsuhiko; Takeoka, Shinji

2012-10-01

In this paper, we report the development of nanoporous polymer which demonstrates the coordination property toward zinc porphyrin. A hydrogen-bonded columnar liquid crystalline precursor composed of a triphenylene template and three equivalent of the surrounding dendric amphiphile bearing a pyridyl head group and a polymerizable aliphatic chain, was covalently fixed by photopolymerization, and then the subsequent selective removal of the template successively resulted in a nanoporous polymer in which the pore wall is modified with pyridyl groups. The nanoporous polymer reflected the conformation of template, and displayed considerable coordination ability of the pyridyl groups towards zinc porphyrin. The coordinative nanoporous polymer is promising as a nano-scaled scaffold for the organization of dyes into functional supramolecular architectures.

Graphene as a thin-film catalyst booster: graphene-catalyst interface plays a critical role.

PubMed

Chae, Sieun; Jin Choi, Won; Sang Chae, Soo; Jang, Seunghun; Chang, Hyunju; Lee, Tae Il; Kim, Youn Sang; Lee, Jeong-O

2017-12-08

Due to its extreme thinness, graphene can transmit some surface properties of its underlying substrate, a phenomenon referred to as graphene transparency. Here we demonstrate the application of the transparency of graphene as a protector of thin-film catalysts and a booster of their catalytic efficiency. The photocatalytic degradation of dye molecules by ZnO thin films was chosen as a model system. A ZnO thin film coated with monolayer graphene showed greater catalytic efficiency and long-term stability than did bare ZnO. Interestingly, we found the catalytic efficiency of the graphene-coated ZnO thin film to depend critically on the nature of the bottom ZnO layer; graphene transferred to a relatively rough, sputter-coated ZnO thin film showed rather poor catalytic degradation of the dye molecules while a smooth sol-gel-synthesized ZnO covered with monolayer graphene showed enhanced catalytic degradation. Based on a systematic investigation of the interface between graphene and ZnO thin films, we concluded the transparency of graphene to be critically dependent on its interface with a supporting substrate. Graphene supported on an atomically flat substrate was found to efficiently transmit the properties of the substrate, but graphene suspended on a substrate with a rough nanoscale topography was completely opaque to the substrate properties. Our experimental observations revealed the morphology of the substrate to be a key factor affecting the transparency of graphene, and should be taken into account in order to optimally apply graphene as a protector of catalytic thin films and a booster of their catalysis.

Impact of the Crystallite Orientation Distribution on Exciton Transport in Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymers.

PubMed

Ayzner, Alexander L; Mei, Jianguo; Appleton, Anthony; DeLongchamp, Dean; Nardes, Alexandre; Benight, Stephanie; Kopidakis, Nikos; Toney, Michael F; Bao, Zhenan

2015-12-30

Conjugated polymers are widely used materials in organic photovoltaic devices. Owing to their extended electronic wave functions, they often form semicrystalline thin films. In this work, we aim to understand whether distribution of crystallographic orientations affects exciton diffusion using a low-band-gap polymer backbone motif that is representative of the donor/acceptor copolymer class. Using the fact that the polymer side chain can tune the dominant crystallographic orientation in the thin film, we have measured the quenching of polymer photoluminescence, and thus the extent of exciton dissociation, as a function of crystal orientation with respect to a quenching substrate. We find that the crystallite orientation distribution has little effect on the average exciton diffusion length. We suggest several possibilities for the lack of correlation between crystallographic texture and exciton transport in semicrystalline conjugated polymer films.

Relationship between tribology and optics in thin films of mechanically oriented nanocrystals.

PubMed

Wong, Liana; Hu, Chunhua; Paradise, Ruthanne; Zhu, Zina; Shtukenberg, Alexander; Kahr, Bart

2012-07-25

Many crystalline dyes, when rubbed unidirectionally with cotton on glass slides, can be organized as thin films of highly aligned nanocrystals. Commonly, the linear birefringence and linear dichroism of these films resemble the optical properties of single crystals, indicating precisely oriented particles. Of 186 colored compounds, 122 showed sharp extinction and 50 were distinctly linearly dichroic. Of the latter 50 compounds, 88% were more optically dense when linearly polarized light was aligned with the rubbing axis. The mechanical properties of crystals that underlie the nonstatistical correlation between tribological processes and the direction of electron oscillations in absorption bands are discussed. The features that give rise to the orientation of dye crystallites naturally extend to colorless molecular crystals.

Fix it first : utilizing the seismic property analyzer and MMLS to develop guidelines for the use of polymer modified thin lift HMA vs. surface treatments.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-09-01

The main objective of this study was to develop thin lift overlay mixtures with polymer modified asphalt for use in New England. As part of this : research a comprehensive literature review and internet survey was conducted. Moreover, laboratory test...

Investigation of transition States in bulk and freestanding film polymer glasses.

PubMed

Jain, Tushar S; de Pablo, Juan J

2004-04-16

We have performed transition state searches on the potential energy landscape for bulk and freestanding film polymer glasses and identified connected minima. An analysis of the displacements between minima shows that the sites that undergo the greatest displacement are highly localized in space for both the bulk and the thin-film systems studied. In the case of the thin film, the clusters originate at the surface and penetrate into the center of the film thereby coupling the relaxation in the center of the film to the mobile surface layer. Furthermore, the energy barriers between minima are lower in the thin film than in the bulk system. These findings can rationalize the experimentally observed depression of the glass transition temperature in freestanding polymer films.

Sequence-Independent Cloning and Post-Translational Modification of Repetitive Protein Polymers through Sortase and Sfp-Mediated Enzymatic Ligation.

PubMed

Ott, Wolfgang; Nicolaus, Thomas; Gaub, Hermann E; Nash, Michael A

2016-04-11

Repetitive protein-based polymers are important for many applications in biotechnology and biomaterials development. Here we describe the sequential additive ligation of highly repetitive DNA sequences, their assembly into genes encoding protein-polymers with precisely tunable lengths and compositions, and their end-specific post-translational modification with organic dyes and fluorescent protein domains. Our new Golden Gate-based cloning approach relies on incorporation of only type IIS BsaI restriction enzyme recognition sites using PCR, which allowed us to install ybbR-peptide tags, Sortase c-tags, and cysteine residues onto either end of the repetitive gene polymers without leaving residual cloning scars. The assembled genes were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using inverse transition cycling (ITC). Characterization by cloud point spectrophotometry, and denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with fluorescence detection confirmed successful phosphopantetheinyl transferase (Sfp)-mediated post-translational N-terminal labeling of the protein-polymers with a coenzyme A-647 dye (CoA-647) and simultaneous sortase-mediated C-terminal labeling with a GFP domain containing an N-terminal GG-motif in a one-pot reaction. In a further demonstration, we installed an N-terminal cysteine residue into an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) that was subsequently conjugated to a single chain poly(ethylene glycol)-maleimide (PEG-maleimide) synthetic polymer, noticeably shifting the ELP cloud point. The ability to straightforwardly assemble repetitive DNA sequences encoding ELPs of precisely tunable length and to post-translationally modify them specifically at the N- and C- termini provides a versatile platform for the design and production of multifunctional smart protein-polymeric materials.

Fabrication of multilayered thin films via spin-assembly

DOEpatents

Chiarelli, Peter A.; Robinson, Jeanne M.; Casson, Joanna L.; Johal, Malkiat S.; Wang, Hsing-Lin

2007-02-20

An process of forming multilayer thin film heterostructures is disclosed and includes applying a solution including a first water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto a substrate to form a first coating layer on the substrate, drying the first coating layer on the substrate, applying a solution including a second water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto the substrate having the first coating layer to form a second coating layer on the first coating layer wherein the second water-soluble polymer is of a different material than the first water-soluble polymer, and drying the second coating layer on the first coating layer so as to form a bilayer structure on the substrate. Optionally, one or more additional applying and drying sequences can be repeated with a water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species, so that a predetermined plurality of layers are built up upon the substrate.

Simultaneous identification of synthetic and natural dyes in different food samples by UPLC-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Badal Kumar; Mathiyalagan, Siva; Dalavai, Ramesh; Ling, Yong-Chien

2017-11-01

Fast foods and variety food items are populating among the food lovers. To improve the appearance of the food product in surviving gigantic competitive environment synthetic or natural food dyes are added to food items and beverages. Although regulatory bodies permit addition of natural colorants due to its safe and nontoxic nature in food, synthetic dyes are stringently controlled in all food products due to their toxicity by regulatory bodies. Artificial colors are need certification from the regulatory bodies for human consumption. To analyze food dyes in different food samples many analytical techniques are available like high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), spectroscopic and gas chromatographic methods. However all these reported methods analyzed only synthetic dyes or natural dyes. Not a single method has analyzed both synthetic and natural dyes in a single run. In this study a robust ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous identification of 6 synthetic dyes (Tartrazine, Indigo carmine, Briliant blue, Fast green, malachite green, sunset yellow) and one natural dye (Na-Cu-Chlorophyllin) was developed using acquitic UPLC system equipped with Mass detector and acquity UPLC HSS T3 column (1.8 μm, 2.1 × 50 mm, 100Å). All the dyes were separated and their masses were determined through fragments’ masses analyses.

Surface plasmon resonance effect of silver nanoparticles on a TiO2 electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Haeng-Yun; Yeo, In-Seon; Kim, Tae-Un; Ki, Hyun-Chul; Gu, Hal-Bon

2018-02-01

In this study, we exploit local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in order to improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In order to investigate the effect of LSPR, Ag nanoparticles of several sizes were formed using electro-beam equipment; sizes were varied by changing the annealing time. DSSCs were fabricated by coating Ag nanoparticles onto a TiO2 thin film. Finally, TiO2 nanoparticles were layered onto the Ag nanoparticles via a titanium tetra-isopropoxide (TTIP) treatment. This study used nanoparticle-coated TiO2 thin films as photoelectrodes, and manufactured the cell in the unit of the DSSCs. We compared the behavior of the electrical properties of DSSCs depending on the presence or absence of Ag nanoparticles, as well as on the nanoparticle size. The Ag particles did not affect dye adsorption because the content of Ag particles is very low (0.13%) compared to that in TiO2 in the photoelectrode. The DSSCs with LSPR showed increased electric current density compared to those without LSPR, and improved the solar conversion efficiency (η) by 24%. The current density of the DSSCs increased because the light absorption of the dye increased. Therefore, we determined that LSPR affects the electrical properties of DSSCs.

Optical properties of thin merocyanine dye layers for photovoltaic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dikova, J.; Kitova, S.; Stoyanova, D.; Vasilev, A.; Deligeorgiev, T.; Angelova, S.

2014-05-01

The potentiality was studied of our newly synthesized push-pull type merocyanine dye, labeled A1, for use as an electron donating component in solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells. For the purpose, a soluble n-type fullerene, (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), which is currently and in the ear future without an alternative, was chosen as an acceptor. The optical constants (n and k) of thin films obtained by spin coating from solutions in chlorobenzene of A1 and of an A1/PCBM blend were determined by spectrophotometric measurements. Further, an optical simulation of a standard BHJ cell with an active layer of an A1dye/PCMB blend was performed using a transfer-matrix formalism. Thus, the optimum thickness of the active layer was calculated to be about 80 nm, which provides overlapping of the total absorption with the solar spectrum in the broad range 400 nm - 800 nm. Finally, the maximum current density, Jsc, was determined to be 13 mA cm2 assuming that the internal quantum efficiency, IQE, is unity. Comparing the calculated Jsc with data on some advanced small-molecule BHJ devices, the prospects for practical applications of the new merocyanine dye are discussed.

The Contribution of Prohibitin 1 to Prostate Cancer Chemoresistance

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

ceramide-PEG5K in normal BALB/c mice after i.v. injection. The siRNA was labeled with near infrared (NIR) dye DY647. (B) Ex vivo fluorescence image of...ceramide-PEG5K (Right) siRNA NPs at 18 h. The siRNA was labeled with dye DY547. (Scale bar, 10 μm.) Zhu et al. PNAS | June 23, 2015 | vol. 112 | no...Woodrow KA, et al. (2009) Intravaginal gene silencing using biodegradable polymer nanoparticles densely loaded with small-interfering RNA. Nat Mater

Preparation and Properties of Hybrid Nanostructures of Zinc Tetraphenylporphyrinate and an Amphiphilic Copolymer of N-Vinylpyrrolidone in a Neutral Aqueous Buffer Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurmaz, S. V.; Gak, V. Yu.; Kurmaz, V. A.; Konev, D. V.

2018-02-01

Water-soluble forms of a hydrophobic dye, zinc tetraphenylporphyrinate, are obtained via its solubilization by polymer particles of the micellar type formed by a copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone with triethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Hydrodynamic radii R h and the size distribution of such particles in neutral aqueous buffer solutions are determined via dynamic light scattering. The electrochemical activity of the encapsulated dye is found, and its photochemical properties (absorption and fluorescence) are studied.

Polymer-coated compliant receivers for intact laser-induced forward transfer of thin films: experimental results and modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feinaeugle, Matthias; Horak, Peter; Sones, Collin L.; Lippert, Thomas; Eason, Rob W.

2014-09-01

In this study, we investigate both experimentally and numerically laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) of thin films to determine the role of a thin polymer layer coating the receiver with the aim of modifying the rate of deceleration and reduction of material stress preventing intact material transfer. A numerical model of the impact phase during LIFT shows that such a layer reduces the modelled stress. The evolution of stress within the transferred deposit and the substrate as a function of the thickness of the polymer layer, the transfer velocity and the elastic properties of the polymer are evaluated. The functionality of the polymer layer is verified experimentally by LIFT printing intact 1- m-thick bismuth telluride films and polymeric light-emitting diode pads onto a layer of 12-m-thick polydimethylsiloxane and 50-nm-thick poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) blended with poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), respectively. Furthermore, it is demonstrated experimentally that the introduction of such a compliant layer improves adhesion between the deposit and its substrate.

Thiazole yellow G dyed PVA films for optoelectronics: microstructrural, thermal and photophysical studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hebbar, Vidyashree; Bhajantri, R. F.; Naik, Jagadish; Rathod, Sunil G.

2016-07-01

In this paper, we report the microstructural, optical and fluorescence properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/Thiazole Yellow G (TY) dye composite prepared by solvent casting. The formation of change-transfer complex as a result of the interaction between the dye molecules and polymer chain is confirmed in FTIR, FT-Raman, XRD and DSC studies. SEM studies present the morphology of the samples. The UV-visible absorption spectra possess characteristic peaks of the TY dye corresponding to n-π* transition along with a characteristic peak of PVA. The composites exhibit the decreasing energy gap and increasing refractive index with an increase in wt.% of the TY dye. The fluorescence-quenching phenomena are observed in emission wavelength range of 391-406 nm upon excitation in the vicinity of absorption maxima (335 nm) with the quantum yield of 0.72 for lowest concentration of dye. The prepared composites bear high brightness, and improved thermal stability, which make them a promising material for sensors and optoelectronic applications.

A new polymerizable fluorescent PET chemosensor of fluoride (F-) based on naphthalimide-thiourea dye.

PubMed

Alaei, Parvaneh; Rouhani, Shohre; Gharanjig, Kamaladin; Ghasemi, Jahanbakhsh

2012-05-01

A novel N-allyl-4-amino-substituted 1,8-naphthalimide dye, containing thiourea functional group with intense yellow-green fluorescence was successfully synthesized. Copolymerization was done with styrene. The photophysical characteristics of dye and its copolymer in solution and solid film were investigated in the presence of halide ions. The results reveal that the fluorescence emissions of the monomer dye and also its polymer were 'switched off' in the presence of fluoride ions. The dye showed spectral shifts and intensity changes in the presence of more fluoride ions which lead to detect certain fluoride concentrations of 10-150 mM at visible wavelengths. By adding the fluoride ions, green-yellow to purple color changes occurs and the green fluorescence emission quenches, all of which easily observed by naked eyes. These phenomena are essential for producing a dual responsive chemosensor for fluoride ions. The polymeric sensor, in the film state exhibited a fast response to the fluoride ions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of the side chain and substrate on polythiophene thin film surface, bulk, and buried interfacial structures.

PubMed

Xiao, Minyu; Jasensky, Joshua; Zhang, Xiaoxian; Li, Yaoxin; Pichan, Cayla; Lu, Xiaolin; Chen, Zhan

2016-08-10

The molecular structures of organic semiconducting thin films mediate the performance of various devices composed of such materials. To fully understand how the structures of organic semiconductors alter on substrates due to different polymer side chains and different interfacial interactions, thin films of two kinds of polythiophene derivatives with different side-chains, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(3-potassium-6-hexanoate thiophene) (P3KHT), were deposited and compared on various surfaces. A combination of analytical tools was applied in this research: contact angle goniometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize substrate dielectric surfaces with varied hydrophobicity for polymer film deposition; X-ray diffraction and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to examine the polythiophene film bulk structure; sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was utilized to probe the molecular structures of polymer film surfaces in air and buried solid/solid interfaces. Both side-chain hydrophobicity and substrate hydrophobicity were found to mediate the crystallinity of the polythiophene film, as well as the orientation of the thiophene ring within the polymer backbone at the buried polymer/substrate interface and the polymer thin film surface in air. For the same type of polythiophene film deposited on different substrates, a more hydrophobic substrate surface induced thiophene ring alignment with the surface normal at both the buried interface and on the surface in air. For different films (P3HT vs. P3KHT) deposited on the same dielectric substrate, a more hydrophobic polythiophene side chain caused the thiophene ring to align more towards the surface at the buried polymer/substrate interface and on the surface in air. We believe that the polythiophene surface, bulk, and buried interfacial molecular structures all influence the hole mobility within the polythiophene film. Successful characterization of an organic conducting thin film surface, buried interfacial, and bulk structures is a first crucial step in understanding the structure-function relationship of such films in order to optimize device performance. An in-depth understanding on how the side-chain influences the interfacial and surface polymer orientation will guide the future molecular structure design of organic semiconductors.

Enhanced magnetoelectric coupling in a composite multiferroic system via interposing a thin film polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Zhuyun; Mohanchandra, Kotekar P.; Lo Conte, Roberto; Ty Karaba, C.; Schneider, J. D.; Chavez, Andres; Tiwari, Sidhant; Sohn, Hyunmin; Nowakowski, Mark E.; Scholl, Andreas; Tolbert, Sarah H.; Bokor, Jeffrey; Carman, Gregory P.; Candler, Rob N.

2018-05-01

Enhancing the magnetoelectric coupling in a strain-mediated multiferroic composite structure plays a vital role in controlling magnetism by electric fields. An enhancement of magnetoelastic coupling between ferroelectric single crystal (011)-cut [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3](1-x)-[PbTiO3]x (PMN-PT, x≈ 0.30) and ferromagnetic polycrystalline Ni thin film through an interposed benzocyclobutene polymer thin film is reported. A nearly twofold increase in sensitivity of remanent magnetization in the Ni thin film to an applied electric field is observed. This observation suggests a viable method of improving the magnetoelectric response in these composite multiferroic systems.

Extraordinary Corrosion Protection from Polymer-Clay Nanobrick Wall Thin Films.

PubMed

Schindelholz, Eric J; Spoerke, Erik D; Nguyen, Hai-Duy; Grunlan, Jaime C; Qin, Shuang; Bufford, Daniel C

2018-06-20

Metals across all industries demand anticorrosion surface treatments and drive a continual need for high-performing and low-cost coatings. Here we demonstrate polymer-clay nanocomposite thin films as a new class of transparent conformal barrier coatings for protection in corrosive atmospheres. Films assembled via layer-by-layer deposition, as thin as 90 nm, are shown to reduce copper corrosion rates by >1000× in an aggressive H 2 S atmosphere. These multilayer nanobrick wall coatings hold promise as high-performing anticorrosion treatment alternatives to costlier, more toxic, and less scalable thin films, such as graphene, hexavalent chromium, or atomic-layer-deposited metal oxides.

Development of a γ-alumina- nanoparticle-functionalized porous polymer monolith for the enrichment of Sudan dyes in red wine samples.

PubMed

Li, Wanjun; Zhou, Xiao; Ye, Juanjuan; Jia, Qiong

2013-10-01

Monolithic materials were synthesized in capillaries by in situ polymerization with N-isopropylacrylamide, glycidyl methacrylate, and ethylene dimethacrylate as the monomers, and methanol and PEG as the porogens. With γ-alumina nanoparticles attached to the surface of the porous monolithic column via epoxide groups, a novel polymer monolith microextraction (PMME) material was prepared with a good mechanical stability and a high extraction capacity. SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to characterize the modified monolithic column, demonstrating that γ-alumina nanoparticles were effectively functionalized onto the monolithic column. In addition, a new method was developed for the analysis of Sudan I-IV dyes using PMME coupled with HPLC. In order to obtain the optimum extraction efficiency, the PMME conditions including desorption solvent type, sample pH, sample volume, sample flow rate, and eluent flow rate were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, we obtained acceptable linearities, low LODs, and good intra- and interday RDSs. When applied to the determination of Sudan I-IV dyes in red wine samples, satisfactory recoveries were obtained in the range of 84.0-115.9%. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhanced surface hydrophilicity of thin-film composite membranes for nanofiltration: an experimental and DFT study.

PubMed

Lv, Zhiwei; Hu, Jiahui; Zhang, Xuan; Wang, Lianjun

2015-10-07

In the current study, thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration membranes desirable for water softening were successfully developed through interfacial polymerization using N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine (HEDA) as the amine monomer in the aqueous phase. The hydrophilicity of the membrane surface was greatly enhanced with the introduction of the residual hydroxyl groups during the fabrication process. The TFC membranes possessed a permeate flux of 15.8 L m(-2) h(-1) under 0.6 MPa, with a rejection of 85.9%, 73.8%, and 99.8% for Na2SO4, MgSO4 and Congo red, respectively. The interplays of the solvent, solute and polymer matrix on the separation performance were investigated by means of the solubility parameter study. Moreover, density functional theory was employed to calculate the Fukui function by the Hirshfeld charge, which gave the global and local softness values to predict the reactivity of the atomic sites in the HEDA molecule. The findings of this study support the possible forming mechanism of the barrier layer for the first time. The TFC membrane was found to be stable and displayed good separation ability over a week-long filtration process. The combined results of this work suggest that these HEDA/TMC TFC nanofiltration membranes are promising candidates for various applications, such as desalination and dye removal from wastewater.

Adsorption mechanism for xanthene dyes to cellulose granules.

PubMed

Tabara, Aya; Yamane, Chihiro; Seguchi, Masaharu

2012-01-01

The xanthene dyes, erythrosine, phloxine, and rose bengal, were adsorbed to charred cellulose granules. The charred cellulose granules were preliminarily steeped in ionic (NaOH, NaCl, KOH, KCl, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)), nonionic (glucose, sucrose, and ethanol), and amphipathic sucrose fatty acid ester (SFAE) solutions, and adsorption tests on the dye to the steeped and charred cellulose granules were conducted. Almost none of the dye was adsorbed when the solutions of ionic and amphipathic molecules were used, but were adsorbed in the case of steeping in the nonionic molecule solutions. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and the Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) profiles of SFAE which was adsorbed to the charred cellulose granules and extracted by ethyl ether suggested the presence of hydrophobic sites on the surface of the charred cellulose granules. We confirmed that the xanthene dyes could bind to the charred cellulose granules by ionic and hydrophobic bonds.

Rose bengal in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) thin films: self-quenching by photoactive energy traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezquerra Riega, Sergio D.; Rodríguez, Hernán B.; San Román, Enrique

2017-03-01

The effect of dye concentration on the fluorescence,ΦF, and singlet molecular oxygen,ΦΔ, quantum yields of rose bengal loaded poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) thin films (∼200 nm thick) was investigated, with the aim of understanding the effect of molecular interactions on the photophysical properties of dyes in crowded constrained environments. Films were characterized by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) production was quantified using a chemical monitor, and the triplet decay was determined by laser flash-photolysis. For the monomeric dilute dye, ΦF = 0.05 ± 0.01 and ΦΔ = 0.76 ± 0.14. The effect of humidity and the photostability of the dye were also investigated. Spectral changes in absorption and fluorescence in excess of 0.05 M and concentration self-quenching after 0.01 M are interpreted in the context of a quenching radius model. Calculations of energy migration and trapping rates were performed assuming random distribution of the dye. Best fits of fluorescence quantum yields with concentration are obtained in the whole concentration range with a quenching radius r Q = 1.5 nm, in the order of molecular dimensions. Agreement is obtained only if dimeric traps are considered photoactive, with an observed fluorescence quantum yield ratio ΦF,trap/ΦF,monomer ≈ 0.35. Fluorescent traps are capable of yielding triplet states and 1O2. Results show that the excited state generation efficiency, calculated as the product between the absorption factor and the fluorescence quantum yield, is maximized at around 0.15 M, a very high concentration for random dye distributions. Relevant information for the design of photoactive dyed coatings is provided.

Antimicrobial activity of biopolymer-antibiotic thin films fabricated by advanced pulsed laser methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristescu, R.; Popescu, C.; Dorcioman, G.; Miroiu, F. M.; Socol, G.; Mihailescu, I. N.; Gittard, S. D.; Miller, P. R.; Narayan, R. J.; Enculescu, M.; Chrisey, D. B.

2013-08-01

We report on thin film deposition by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) of two polymer-drug composite thin film systems. A pulsed KrF* excimer laser source (λ = 248 nm, τ = 25 ns, ν = 10 Hz) was used to deposit composite thin films of poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) containing several gentamicin concentrations. FTIR spectroscopy was used to demonstrate that MAPLE-transferred materials exhibited chemical structures similar to those of drop cast materials. Scanning electron microscopy data indicated that MAPLE may be used to fabricate thin films of good morphological quality. The activity of PDLLA-gentamicin composite thin films against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria was demonstrated using drop testing. The influence of drug concentration on microbial viability was also assessed. Our studies indicate that polymer-drug composite thin films prepared by MAPLE may be used to impart antimicrobial activity to implants, medical devices, and other contact surfaces.

Rapid fabrication of mesoporous TiO2 thin films by pulsed fibre laser for dye sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadi, Aseel; Alhabradi, Mansour; Chen, Qian; Liu, Hong; Guo, Wei; Curioni, Michele; Cernik, Robert; Liu, Zhu

2018-01-01

In this paper we demonstrate for the first time that a fibre laser with a wavelength of 1070 nm and a pulse width of milliseconds can be applied to generate mesoporous nanocrystalline (nc) TiO2 thin films on ITO coated glass in ambient atmosphere, by complete vaporisation of organic binder and inter-connection of TiO2 nanoparticles, without thermally damaging the ITO layer and the glass substrate. The fabrication of the mesoporous TiO2 thin films was achieved by stationary laser beam irradiation of 1 min. The dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with the laser-sintered TiO2 photoanode reached higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.20% for the TiO2 film thickness of 6 μm compared with 2.99% for the furnace-sintered. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revealed that the laser sintering under the optimised condition effectively decreased charge transfer resistance and increased electron lifetime of the TiO2 thin films. The use of the fibre laser with over 40% wall-plug efficiency offers an economically-feasible, industrial viable solution to the major challenge of rapid fabrication of large scale, mass production of mesoporous metal oxide thin film based solar energy systems, potentially for perovskite and monolithic tandem solar cells, in the future.

Kinetically driven self-assembly of a binary solute mixture with controlled phase separation via electro-hydrodynamic flow of corona discharge.

PubMed

Jung, Hee Joon; Huh, June; Park, Cheolmin

2012-10-21

This feature article describes a new and facile process to fabricate a variety of thin films of non-volatile binary solute mixtures suitable for high performance organic electronic devices via electro-hydrodynamic flow of conventional corona discharge. Both Corona Discharge Coating (CDC) and a modified version of CDC, Scanning Corona Discharge Coating (SCDC), are based on utilizing directional electric flow, known as corona wind, of the charged uni-polar particles generated by corona discharge between a metallic needle and a bottom plate under a high electric field (5-10 kV cm(-1)). The electric flow rapidly spreads out the binary mixture solution on the bottom plate and subsequently forms a smooth and flat thin film in a large area within a few seconds. In the case of SCDC, the static movement of the bottom electrode on which a binary mixture solution is placed provides further control of thin film formation, giving rise to a film highly uniform over a large area. Interesting phase separation behaviors were observed including nanometer scale phase separation of a polymer-polymer binary mixture and vertical phase separation of a polymer-organic semiconductor mixture. Core-shell type phase separation of either polymer-polymer or polymer-colloidal nanoparticle binary mixtures was also developed with a periodically patterned microstructure when the relative location of the corona wind was controlled to a binary solution droplet on a substrate. We also demonstrate potential applications of thin functional films with controlled microstructures by corona coating to various organic electronic devices such as electroluminescent diodes, field effect transistors and non-volatile polymer memories.

Kinetically driven self-assembly of a binary solute mixture with controlled phase separation via electro-hydrodynamic flow of corona discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Hee Joon; Huh, June; Park, Cheolmin

2012-09-01

This feature article describes a new and facile process to fabricate a variety of thin films of non-volatile binary solute mixtures suitable for high performance organic electronic devices via electro-hydrodynamic flow of conventional corona discharge. Both Corona Discharge Coating (CDC) and a modified version of CDC, Scanning Corona Discharge Coating (SCDC), are based on utilizing directional electric flow, known as corona wind, of the charged uni-polar particles generated by corona discharge between a metallic needle and a bottom plate under a high electric field (5-10 kV cm-1). The electric flow rapidly spreads out the binary mixture solution on the bottom plate and subsequently forms a smooth and flat thin film in a large area within a few seconds. In the case of SCDC, the static movement of the bottom electrode on which a binary mixture solution is placed provides further control of thin film formation, giving rise to a film highly uniform over a large area. Interesting phase separation behaviors were observed including nanometer scale phase separation of a polymer-polymer binary mixture and vertical phase separation of a polymer-organic semiconductor mixture. Core-shell type phase separation of either polymer-polymer or polymer-colloidal nanoparticle binary mixtures was also developed with a periodically patterned microstructure when the relative location of the corona wind was controlled to a binary solution droplet on a substrate. We also demonstrate potential applications of thin functional films with controlled microstructures by corona coating to various organic electronic devices such as electroluminescent diodes, field effect transistors and non-volatile polymer memories.

Sol-gel spin coated well adhered MoO3 thin films as an alternative counter electrode for dye sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutta, Geeta R.; Popuri, Srinivasa R.; Wilson, John I. B.; Bennett, Nick S.

2016-11-01

In this work, we aim to develop a viable, inexpensive and non-toxic material for counter electrodes in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We employed an ultra-simple synthesis process to deposit MoO3 thin films at low temperature by sol-gel spin coating technique. These MoO3 films showed good transparency. It is predicted that there will be 150 times reduction of precursors cost by realizing MoO3 thin films as a counter electrode in DSSCs compared to commercial Pt. We achieved a device efficiency of about 20 times higher than that of the previous reported values. In summary we develop a simple low cost preparation of MoO3 films with an easily scaled up process along with good device efficiency. This work encourages the development of novel and relatively new materials and paves the way for massive reduction of industrial costs which is a prime step for commercialization of DSSCs.

Conductive polymer-based material

DOEpatents

McDonald, William F [Utica, OH; Koren, Amy B [Lansing, MI; Dourado, Sunil K [Ann Arbor, MI; Dulebohn, Joel I [Lansing, MI; Hanchar, Robert J [Charlotte, MI

2007-04-17

Disclosed are polymer-based coatings and materials comprising (i) a polymeric composition including a polymer having side chains along a backbone forming the polymer, at least two of the side chains being substituted with a heteroatom selected from oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus and combinations thereof; and (ii) a plurality of metal species distributed within the polymer. At least a portion of the heteroatoms may form part of a chelation complex with some or all of the metal species. In many embodiments, the metal species are present in a sufficient concentration to provide a conductive material, e.g., as a conductive coating on a substrate. The conductive materials may be useful as the thin film conducting or semi-conducting layers in organic electronic devices such as organic electroluminescent devices and organic thin film transistors.

Initiated chemical vapor deposition polymers for high peak-power laser targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baxamusa, Salmaan H.; Lepro, Xavier; Lee, Tom

2016-12-05

Here, we report two examples of initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) polymers being developed for use in laser targets for high peak-power laser systems. First, we show that iCVD poly(divinylbenzene) is more photo-oxidatively stable than the plasma polymers currently used in laser targets. Thick layers (10–12 μm) of this highly crosslinked polymer can be deposited with near-zero intrinsic film stress. Second, we show that iCVD epoxy polymers can be crosslinked after deposition to form thin adhesive layers for assembling precision laser targets. The bondlines can be made as thin as ~ 1 μm, approximately a factor of 2 thinner thanmore » achievable using viscous resin-based adhesives. These bonds can withstand downstream coining and stamping processes.« less

Oxygen sensitive polymeric nanocapsules for optical dissolved oxygen sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Zhijuan; Cai, Chenxin; Guo, Fei; Ye, Changhuai; Luo, Yingwu; Ye, Shuming; Luo, Jianchao; Zhu, Fan; Jiang, Chunyue

2018-04-01

Immobilization of the oxygen-sensitive probes (OSPs) in the host matrix greatly impacts the performance and long-term usage of the optical dissolved oxygen (DO) sensors. In this work, fluorescent dyes, as the OSPs, were encapsulated with a crosslinked fluorinated polymer shell by interfacial confined reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer miniemulsion polymerization to fabricate oxygen sensitive polymeric nanocapsules (NCs). The location of fluorescent dyes and the fluorescent properties of the NCs were fully characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrometer, x-ray photoelectron spectrometer and fluorescent spectrum. Dye-encapsulated capacity can be precisely tuned from 0 to 1.3 wt% without self-quenching of the fluorescent dye. The crosslinked fluorinated polymer shell is not only extremely high gas permeability, but also prevents the fluorescent dyes from leakage in aqueous as well as in various organic solvents, such as ethanol, acetone and tetrahydrofuran (THF). An optical DO sensor based on the oxygen sensitive NCs was fabricated, showing high sensitivity, short response time, full reversibility, and long-term operational stability of online monitoring DO. The sensitivity of the optical DO sensor is 7.02 (the ratio of the response value in fully deoxygenated and saturated oxygenated water) in the range 0.96-14.16 mg l-1 and the response time is about 14.3 s. The sensor’s work curve was fit well using the modified Stern-Volmer equation by two-site model, and its response values are hardly affected by pH ranging from 2 to 12 and keep constant during continuous measurement for 3 months. It is believed that the oxygen sensitive polymeric NCs-based optical DO sensor could be particularly useful in long-term online DO monitoring in both aqueous and organic solvent systems.

Thin polymer etalon arrays for high-resolution photoacoustic imaging

PubMed Central

Hou, Yang; Huang, Sheng-Wen; Ashkenazi, Shai; Witte, Russell; O’Donnell, Matthew

2009-01-01

Thin polymer etalons are demonstrated as high-frequency ultrasound sensors for three-dimensional (3-D) high-resolution photoacoustic imaging. The etalon, a Fabry-Perot optical resonator, consists of a thin polymer slab sandwiched between two gold layers. It is probed with a scanning continuous-wave (CW) laser for ultrasound array detection. Detection bandwidth of a 20-μm-diam array element exceeds 50 MHz, and the ultrasound sensitivity is comparable to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) equivalents of similar size. In a typical photoacoustic imaging setup, a pulsed laser beam illuminates the imaging target, where optical energy is absorbed and acoustic waves are generated through the thermoelastic effect. An ultrasound detection array is formed by scanning the probing laser beam on the etalon surface in either a 1-D or a 2-D configuration, which produces 2-D or 3-D images, respectively. Axial and lateral resolutions have been demonstrated to be better than 20 μm. Detailed characterizations of the optical and acoustical properties of the etalon, as well as photoacoustic imaging results, suggest that thin polymer etalon arrays can be used as ultrasound detectors for 3-D high-resolution photoacoustic imaging applications. PMID:19123679

Communication: Polarizable polymer chain under external electric field in a dilute polymer solution.

PubMed

Budkov, Yu A; Kolesnikov, A L; Kiselev, M G

2015-11-28

We study the conformational behavior of polarizable polymer chain under an external homogeneous electric field within the Flory type self-consistent field theory. We consider the influence of electric field on the polymer coil as well as on the polymer globule. We show that when the polymer chain conformation is a coil, application of external electric field leads to its additional swelling. However, when the polymer conformation is a globule, a sufficiently strong field can induce a globule-coil transition. We show that such "field-induced" globule-coil transition at the sufficiently small monomer polarizabilities goes quite smoothly. On the contrary, when the monomer polarizability exceeds a certain threshold value, the globule-coil transition occurs as a dramatic expansion in the regime of first-order phase transition. The developed theoretical model can be applied to predicting polymer globule density change under external electric field in order to provide more efficient processes of polymer functionalization, such as sorption, dyeing, and chemical modification.

Optimizing photovoltaic performance in CuInS 2 and CdS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells by using an agar-based gel polymer electrolyte

DOE PAGES

Raphael, E.; Jara, D. H.; Schiavon, M. A.

2017-01-19

Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) offer new opportunities to address the clean energy challenge, being one of the top candidates for third generation photovoltaics. Like dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), QDSSCs normally use liquid electrolytes that suffer from issues such as evaporation or leakage. In this study a gel polysulfide electrolyte was prepared containing a natural polymer, agar, and was used as a quasi-solid-state electrolyte in solar cells to replace the conventional liquid electrolytes. This gel electrolyte shows almost the same conductivity as the liquid one. The solar cells were fabricated using CuInS 2 quantum dots (QDs), previously synthesized, deposited onmore » TiO 2 photoanodes by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). CdS was deposited on TiO 2 by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)–Cu 2S, brass, and thin film CuxS were used as counter electrodes. Compared to a liquid polysulfide water based electrolyte, solar cells based on CuInS 2 and CdS using gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) exhibit greater incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE = 51.7% at 520 nm and 72.7% at 440 nm), photocurrent density (J sc = 10.75 and 13.51 mA cm -2), and power conversion efficiency (η = 2.97 and 2.98%) while exhibiting significantly enhanced stability. The solar cells employing the agar-based gel polymeric electrolyte are about a factor of 0.20 more stable than using a liquid electrolyte. The higher photovoltaic performance is due to the good conductivity and high wettability as well as the superior permeation capability of the gel electrolyte into the mesoporous matrix of a TiO 2 film« less

Optimizing photovoltaic performance in CuInS 2 and CdS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells by using an agar-based gel polymer electrolyte

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raphael, E.; Jara, D. H.; Schiavon, M. A.

Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) offer new opportunities to address the clean energy challenge, being one of the top candidates for third generation photovoltaics. Like dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), QDSSCs normally use liquid electrolytes that suffer from issues such as evaporation or leakage. In this study a gel polysulfide electrolyte was prepared containing a natural polymer, agar, and was used as a quasi-solid-state electrolyte in solar cells to replace the conventional liquid electrolytes. This gel electrolyte shows almost the same conductivity as the liquid one. The solar cells were fabricated using CuInS 2 quantum dots (QDs), previously synthesized, deposited onmore » TiO 2 photoanodes by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). CdS was deposited on TiO 2 by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)–Cu 2S, brass, and thin film CuxS were used as counter electrodes. Compared to a liquid polysulfide water based electrolyte, solar cells based on CuInS 2 and CdS using gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) exhibit greater incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE = 51.7% at 520 nm and 72.7% at 440 nm), photocurrent density (J sc = 10.75 and 13.51 mA cm -2), and power conversion efficiency (η = 2.97 and 2.98%) while exhibiting significantly enhanced stability. The solar cells employing the agar-based gel polymeric electrolyte are about a factor of 0.20 more stable than using a liquid electrolyte. The higher photovoltaic performance is due to the good conductivity and high wettability as well as the superior permeation capability of the gel electrolyte into the mesoporous matrix of a TiO 2 film« less

Magnetic polymer microcapsules loaded with Nile Red fluorescent dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartel, Marta; Wysocka, Barbara; Krug, Pamela; Kępińska, Daria; Kijewska, Krystyna; Blanchard, Gary J.; Kaczyńska, Katarzyna; Lubelska, Katarzyna; Wiktorska, Katarzyna; Głowala, Paulina; Wilczek, Marcin; Pisarek, Marcin; Szczytko, Jacek; Twardowski, Andrzej; Mazur, Maciej

2018-04-01

Fabrication of multifunctional smart vehicles for drug delivery is a fascinating challenge of multidisciplinary research at the crossroads of materials science, physics and biology. We demonstrate a prototypical microcapsule system that is capable of encapsulating hydrophobic molecules and at the same time reveals magnetic properties. The microcapsules are prepared using a templated synthesis approach where the molecules to be encapsulated (Nile Red) are present in the organic droplets that are suspended in the polymerization solution which also contains magnetic nanoparticles. The polymer (polypyrrole) grows on the surface of organic droplets encapsulating the fluorescent dye in the core of the formed microcapsule which incorporates the nanoparticles into its wall. For characterization of the resulting structures a range of complementary physicochemical methodology is used including optical and electron microscopy, magnetometry, 1H NMR and spectroscopy in the visible and X-ray spectral ranges. Moreover, the microcapsules have been examined in biological environment in in vitro and in vivo studies.

New type of nonglossy image-receiving sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aono, Toshiaki; Shibata, Takeshi; Nakamura, Yoshisada

1990-07-01

We have developed a new type of non-glossy surface of an image receiving sheet for a photothermographic color hardcopy system. There is a basic conflict in realizing uniform dye transfer with use of a receiving sheet having a matted surface, because when the degree of roughness exceeds a certain extent, uneven dye transfer readily takes place. It: has been solved by use of "microscopic" phase separation of a certain water-soluble polymer blend which constitutes the surface layer of the image receiving sheet. One of the preferable polymer blends for our purpose proved to be a ternary system, consisting of sodium salt of polymethacrylic acid (PMAA-Na), ammonium salt of polyacrylic acid (PAA-NH4) and water. Phase separation, which proceeded during the evaporation of water from the coated mixture, turned out to be of a spinodal decomposition type and thus capable of stably providing a desirable non-glossy surface.

Pulsed laser deposition of plasmonic nanostructured gold on flexible transparent polymers at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCann, Ronán; Hughes, Cian; Bagga, Komal; Stalcup, Apryll; Vázquez, Mercedes; Brabazon, Dermot

2017-06-01

In this paper, we outline a novel technique for the deposition of nanostructured thin films utilizing a modified form of pulsed laser deposition (PLD). We demonstrate confined atmospheric PLD (CAP) for the deposition of gold on cyclic olefin polymer substrates. The deposition process is a simplified form of conventional PLD, with deposition conducted under atmospheric conditions and the substrate and target in close proximity. It was found that this confinement results in the deposition of nanostructured thin films on the substrate. Infrared spectroscopy showed no significant change of polymer surface chemistry as a result of the deposition process, and optical spectroscopy revealed plasmonic behavior of the resulting thin film. The effect of laser fluence on the deposition process was also examined with more uniform films deposited at higher fluences.

A Route Towards Sustainability Through Engineered Polymeric Interfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reeja-Jayan, B; Kovacik, P; Yang, R

2014-05-30

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of polymer films represent the marriage of two of the most important technological innovations of the modern age. CVD as a mature technology for growing inorganic thin films is already a workhorse technology of the microfabrication industry and easily scalable from bench to plant. The low cost, mechanical flexibility, and varied functionality offered by polymer thin films make them attractive for both macro and micro scale applications. This review article focuses on two energy and resource efficient CVD polymerization methods, initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) and oxidative Chemical Vapor Deposition (oCVD). These solvent-free, substrate independent techniquesmore » engineer multi-scale, multi-functional and conformal polymer thin film surfaces and interfaces for applications that can address the main sustainability challenges faced by the world today.« less

Improving the Performance of Gold-Nanoparticle-Doped Solid-State Dye Laser Using Thermal Conversion Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, N. T. M.; Lien, N. T. H.; Hoang, N. D.; Hoa, D. Q.

2018-04-01

Energy transfer between spherical gold nanoparticles with size of more than 15 nm and molecules of organic dye 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4 H-pyran (DCM) has been studied. Such radiative energy transfer led to high local temperature, giving rise to a bleaching effect that resulted in rapid degradation of the laser medium. Gold nanoparticles were dispersed at concentrations from 5 × 109 particles/mL to 5 × 1010 particles/mL in DCM polymethylmethacrylate polymer using a radical polymerization process with 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as initiator. Using the fast thermoelectric cooling method, the laser medium stability was significantly improved. The output stability of a distributed feedback dye laser pumped by second-harmonic generation from a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser was investigated. Moreover, bidirectional energy transfer between gold nanoparticles and dye molecules was observed.

Organic Thin Films Deposited by Emulsion-Based, Resonant Infrared, Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation: Fundamentals and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Wangyao

Thin film deposition techniques are indispensable to the development of modern technologies as thin film based optical coatings, optoelectronic devices, sensors, and biological implants are the building blocks of many complicated technologies, and their performance heavily depends on the applied deposition technique. Particularly, the emergence of novel solution-processed materials, such as soft organic molecules, inorganic compounds and colloidal nanoparticles, facilitates the development of flexible and printed electronics that are inexpensive, light weight, green and smart, and these thin film devices represent future trends for new technologies. One appealing feature of solution-processed materials is that they can be deposited into thin films using solution-processed deposition techniques that are straightforward, inexpensive, high throughput and advantageous to industrialize thin film based devices. However, solution-processed techniques rely on wet deposition, which has limitations in certain applications, such as multi-layered film deposition of similar materials and blended film deposition of dissimilar materials. These limitations cannot be addressed by traditional, vacuum-based deposition techniques because these dry approaches are often too energetic and can degrade soft materials, such as polymers, such that the performance of resulting thin film based devices is compromised. The work presented in this dissertation explores a novel thin film deposition technique, namely emulsion-based, resonant infrared, matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE), which combines characteristics of wet and dry deposition techniques for solution-processed materials. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE to deposit uniform and continuous organic, nanoparticle and blended films, as well as hetero-structures that otherwise are difficult to achieve. However, fundamental understanding of the growth mechanisms that govern emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE is still missing, which increases the difficulty of using rational design to improve the performance of initial RIR-MAPLE devices that have been demonstrated. As a result, it is important to study the fundamentals of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE in order to provide insight into the long-term prospects for this thin film deposition technique. This dissertation explores the fundamental deposition mechanisms of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE by considering the effects of the emulsion target composition (namely, the primary solvent, secondary solvent, and surfactant) on the properties of deposited polymer films. The study of primary solvent effects on hydrophobic polymer deposition helps identify the unique method of film formation for emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE, which can be described as cluster-by-cluster deposition of emulsified particles that yields two levels of ordering (i.e., within the clusters and among the clusters). The generality of this film formation mechanism is tested by applying the lessons learned to hydrophilic polymer deposition. Based on these studies, the deposition design rules to achieve smooth polymer films, which are important for different device applications, are identified according to the properties of the polymer. After discussion of the fundamental deposition mechanisms, three applications of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE, namely thin film deposition of organic solar cells, polymer/nanoparticle hybrid solar cells, and antimicrobial/fouling-release multifunctional films, are studied. The work on organic solar cells identifies the ideal deposition mode for blended films with nanoscale domain sizes, as well as demonstrates the relationships among emulsion target composition, film properties, and corresponding device performance. The studies of polymer/nanoparticle hybrid solar cells demonstrate precise control of colloidal nanoparticle deposition, in which the integrity of nanoparticles is maintained and a distinct film morphology is achieved when co-deposited with polymers. Finally, the application of antimicrobial and fouling-release multifunctional films demonstrates the importance of blended film deposition with nanoscale phase separation, a key feature to achieving reusable bio-films that can kill bacteria when illuminated with ultraviolet light. Thus, this dissertation provides great insight to the fundamentals of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE, serves as a valuable reference for future development, and paves the pathway for wider adoption of this unique thin film deposition technique, especially for organic solar cells.

Engineering Nanoscale Polymers in Photovoltaics and Supercapacitors: Experimental and Theoretical Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolin, Yuriy Y.

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and carbon-based supercapacitors are promising energy conversion and storage systems, respectively, because they can be made inexpensively, have good performance, and can be integrated into portable and flexible electronics. Both systems utilize nanostructured porous electrodes, leading to fewer diffusion limitations and higher active surface areas for interfacial processes compared to planar electrodes. A major drawback of the DSSC design is the use of a liquid electrolyte, since it is prone to leakage and evaporation--hindering DSSC applications, durability, and thermal stability. A polymer electrolyte (PE) can overcome these shortcomings; however, the integration of a PE within the mesoporous TiO2 photoanode of DSSCs with pore openings of 10-20 nm and photoanode thicknesses of 10 microm is very challenging. Solution-based deposition methods such as spin coating and drop casting to deposit PEs has led to incomplete pore filling inside the mesoporous photoanode, resulting in lower than optimal efficiencies. To overcome these challenges, a solvent-free method called initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) was adopted to deposit PEs within the porous TiO2 electrode. In iCVD, the monomer and initiator are vapors which easily penetrate into the porous electrode. By carefully controlling the iCVD processing parameters, complete pore filling of PEs into the TiO2 photoanode was achieved, leading to 50% improvement in conversion efficiency. Polymers with ether, ester, pyridine, pyrrolidone, imidazole and epoxy functionality were synthesized and integrated. The findings indicated that DSSC characteristics, including open circuit voltage, short circuit current density and fill factor, can be tuned by polymer chemistry. A promising approach to improve the energy density of supercapacitor electrodes is to integrate inexpensive conducting polymers (CPs), such as polyaniline (PANI). Unfortunately, most CPs are insoluble, and integrating CPs into tortuous electrode pores with aspect ratios of >10,000 while preserving the intrinsic pore structures, to retain the double layer capacitance, is very challenging. Therefore, similarly to the iCVD process, oxidative CVD (oCVD) was chosen to bypass the limited solubility of CPs to deposit thin conformal CP films onto porous electrodes. By controlling the oCVD deposition parameters, PANI films on the order of a few nm were integrated into carbide-derived-carbon (CDC) electrodes, leading to a doubling of the capacitance. This yielded a PANI-only capacitance of 690 F/g, close to the theoretical value of 750 F/g. This work also combined experiments with first-principles modeling to develop a model-guided design and optimization framework, allowing for optimal device design and the intelligent selection of polymer chemistries with minimal experimental investigations. For example, to determine the effects of PE chemistry on DSSC processes, parameter estimation and parametric sensitivity studies were conducted which indicated that a shift in the conduction band of TiO2 and a suppression of the back electron transfer at the dye-TiO2-PE interface was induced by the side group PE chemistry. Furthermore, optimal design specifications for a PE DSSC were calculated using the model, and optimally performing DSSCs were subsequently fabricated and tested, validating the model.

Simulated Space Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) Exposure Testing for Polymer Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dever, Joyce A.; Pietromica, Anthony J.; Stueber, Thomas J.; Sechkar, Edward A.; Messer, Russell K.

2002-01-01

Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation of wavelengths between 115 and 200 nm produced by the sun in the space environment can cause degradation to polymer films producing changes in optical, mechanical, and chemical properties. These effects are particularly important for thin polymer films being considered for ultra-lightweight space structures, because, for most polymers, VUV radiation is absorbed in a thin surface layer. NASA Glenn Research Center has developed facilities and methods for long-term ground testing of polymer films to evaluate space environmental VUV radiation effects. VUV exposure can also be used as part of sequential simulated space environmental exposures to determine combined damaging effects. This paper will describe the effects of VUV on polymer films and the necessity for ground testing. Testing practices used at Glenn Research Center for VUV exposure testing will be described including characterization of the VUV radiation source used, calibration procedures traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and testing techniques for VUV exposure of polymer surfaces.

Gas Separation Properties of Polyimide Thin Films on Ceramic Supports for High Temperature Applications

PubMed Central

Escorihuela, Sara; Brinkmann, Torsten

2018-01-01

Novel selective ceramic-supported thin polyimide films produced in a single dip coating step are proposed for membrane applications at elevated temperatures. Layers of the polyimides P84®, Matrimid 5218®, and 6FDA-6FpDA were successfully deposited onto porous alumina supports. In order to tackle the poor compatibility between ceramic support and polymer, and to get defect-free thin films, the effect of the viscosity of the polymer solution was studied, giving the entanglement concentration (C*) for each polymer. The C* values were 3.09 wt. % for the 6FDA-6FpDA, 3.52 wt. % for Matrimid®, and 4.30 wt. % for P84®. A minimum polymer solution concentration necessary for defect-free film formation was found for each polymer, with the inverse order to the intrinsic viscosities (P84® ≥ Matrimid® >> 6FDA-6FpDA). The effect of the temperature on the permeance of prepared membranes was studied for H2, CH4, N2, O2, and CO2. As expected, activation energy of permeance for hydrogen was higher than for CO2, resulting in H2/CO2 selectivity increase with temperature. More densely packed polymers lead to materials that are more selective at elevated temperatures. PMID:29518942

Correlating Transport with Nanostructure and Chemical Identity in Radical Polymer Conducting Glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudouris, Bryan; Rostro, Lizbeth; Baradwaj, Aditya; Hay, Martha

2015-03-01

Radical polymers are an emerging class of macromolecules that are composed of non-conjugated backbones which bear stable radical groups at the pendant positions. Because of these stable radical sites, these glassy materials are able to conduct charge in the solid state through a series of oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions. Importantly, the redox-active behavior is controlled by both the local chemical environment of the radical polymer groups and by the nanoscale structure of the materials. Here, we demonstrate that proper control of the pendant group chemical functionality allows for the fabrication of transparent and conducting amorphous thin films which have solid-state hole mobility and electrical conductivity values on the same order as those seen in common conjugated, semicrystalline polymer systems [e.g., poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)]. Furthermore, we show that control of the nanostructure of the materials aids in facilitating transport in these radical polymer thin films. In turn, we implement simultaneous spectroscopic and electrical characterization measurements in order to elucidate the exact mechanism of charge transport in radical polymers. Finally, we demonstrate that, because there is ready control over the molecular properties of these materials, developing bendable and stretchable transparent conducting thin films is relatively straightforward with this unique class of organic electronic materials.

Ultra-thin silicon/electro-optic polymer hybrid waveguide modulators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qiu, Feng; Spring, Andrew M.; Sato, Hiromu

2015-09-21

Ultra-thin silicon and electro-optic (EO) polymer hybrid waveguide modulators have been designed and fabricated. The waveguide consists of a silicon core with a thickness of 30 nm and a width of 2 μm. The cladding is an EO polymer. Optical mode calculation reveals that 55% of the optical field around the silicon extends into the EO polymer in the TE mode. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator was prepared using common coplanar electrodes. The measured half-wave voltage of the MZI with 7 μm spacing and 1.3 cm long electrodes is 4.6 V at 1550 nm. The evaluated EO coefficient is 70 pm/V, which is comparable to that ofmore » the bulk EO polymer film. Using ultra-thin silicon is beneficial in order to reduce the side-wall scattering loss, yielding a propagation loss of 4.0 dB/cm. We also investigated a mode converter which couples light from the hybrid EO waveguide into a strip silicon waveguide. The calculation indicates that the coupling loss between these two devices is small enough to exploit the potential fusion of a hybrid EO polymer modulator together with a silicon micro-photonics device.« less

Dye sensitized solar cell applications of CdTiO3-TiO2 composite thin films deposited from single molecular complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehsan, Muhammad Ali; Khaledi, Hamid; Pandikumar, Alagarsamy; Huang, Nay Ming; Arifin, Zainudin; Mazhar, Muhammad

2015-10-01

A heterobimetallic complex [Cd2Ti4(μ-O)6(TFA)8(THF)6]·1.5THF (1) (TFA=trifluoroacetato, THF=tetrahydrofuran) comprising of Cd:Ti (1:2) ratio was synthesized by a chemical reaction of cadmium (II) acetate with titanium (IV) isopropoxide and triflouroacetic acid in THF. The stoichiometry of (1) was recognized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and elemental analyses. Thermal studies revealed that (1) neatly decomposes at 450 °C to furnish 1:1 ratio of cadmium titanate:titania composite oxides material. The thin films of CdTiO3-TiO2 composite oxides were deposited at 550 °C on fluorine doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrate in air ambient. The micro-structure, crystallinity, phase identification and chemical composition of microspherical architectured CdTiO3-TiO2 composite thin film have been determined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The scope of composite thin film having band gap of 3.1 eV was explored as photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cell application.

Charge transfer from an adsorbed ruthenium-based photosensitizer through an ultra-thin aluminium oxide layer and into a metallic substrate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gibson, Andrew J.; Temperton, Robert H.; Handrup, Karsten

2014-06-21

The interaction of the dye molecule N3 (cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarbo-xylato) -ruthenium(II)) with the ultra-thin oxide layer on a AlNi(110) substrate, has been studied using synchrotron radiation based photoelectron spectroscopy, resonant photoemission spectroscopy, and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Calibrated X-ray absorption and valence band spectra of the monolayer and multilayer coverages reveal that charge transfer is possible from the molecule to the AlNi(110) substrate via tunnelling through the ultra-thin oxide layer and into the conduction band edge of the substrate. This charge transfer mechanism is possible from the LUMO+2 and 3 in the excited state but not from the LUMO,more » therefore enabling core-hole clock analysis, which gives an upper limit of 6.0 ± 2.5 fs for the transfer time. This indicates that ultra-thin oxide layers are a viable material for use in dye-sensitized solar cells, which may lead to reduced recombination effects and improved efficiencies of future devices.« less

Isolation, Separation, and Identification of Synthetic Food Colors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, E. A.; Renyk, G.

1982-01-01

Describes a simple, inexpensive experiment for extraction of synthetic dyes permitted in foodstuffs, and their separation and identification using thin-layer chromatography and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy. (Author/SK)

Studies on surface morphology and electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS thin films in presence of gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhowal, Ashim Chandra; Kundu, Sarathi

2018-04-01

PEDOT:PSS is a water soluble conducting polymer consists of positively charged PEDOT and negatively charged PSS. However, this polymer suffers low conductivity problem which restrict its use. In this paper, electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS thin films is improved by using charged gold nanoparticles. The nanoparticles used are synthesized using lysozyme protein. The nanoparticles coated with lysozyme protein possess positive zeta potential. In the presence of gold nanoparticles due to electrostatic interaction between positively charged nanoparticles and negatively charged PSS chains, modification takes place in the surface morphology and electrical behaviors of PEDOT:PSS thin films. The changes in the polymer matrix conformations in the presence of nanoparticles are studied by Fourier transformed Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, whereas the surface morphology of prepared thin films before and after interaction with nanoparticles is investigated through atomic force microscopy (AFM). Four probe method is used to measure the variation of electrical conductivity from I-V characteristics curves.

Positron lifetime spectroscopy for investigation of thin polymer coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Jag J.; Sprinkle, Danny R.; Eftekhari, Abe

1993-01-01

In the aerospace industry, applications for polymer coatings are increasing. They are now used for thermal control on aerospace structures and for protective insulating layers on optical and microelectronic components. However, the effectiveness of polymer coatings depends strongly on their microstructure and adhesion to the substrates. Currently, no technique exists to adequately monitor the quality of these coatings. We have adapted positron lifetime spectroscopy to investigate the quality of thin coatings. Results of measurements on thin (25-micron) polyurethane coatings on aluminum and steel substrates have been compared with measurements on thicker (0.2-cm) self-standing polyurethane discs. In all cases, we find positron lifetime groups centered around 560 psec, which corresponds to the presence of 0.9-A(exp 3) free-volume cells. However, the number of these free-volume cells in thin coatings is larger than in thick discs. This suggests that some of these cells may be located in the interfacial regions between the coatings and the substrates. These results and their structural implications are discussed in this report.

Low-power upconversion in dye-doped polymer nanoparticles.

PubMed

Simon, Yoan C; Bai, Shuo; Sing, Michelle K; Dietsch, Hervé; Achermann, Marc; Weder, Christoph

2012-04-13

Examples of nanoscale low-power upconverting systems are rapidly increasing because of their potential application in numerous areas such as bioimaging or drug delivery. The fabrication of dye-doped cross-linked rubbery nanoparticles that exhibit upconversion even at relatively low power densities is reported here. The nanoparticles were prepared by surfactant-free emulsion polymerization of n-butylacrylate with divinylbenzene as a cross-linker, followed by dyeing of the resulting particles with a two-chromophore system composed of a palladium porphyrin sensitizer, and diphenylanthracene. Blue emission (≈440 nm) of these systems was observed upon excitation at 532 nm. In addition to their optical properties, the particles were characterized by electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Method for separating water soluble organics from a process stream by aqueous biphasic extraction

DOEpatents

Chaiko, David J.; Mego, William A.

1999-01-01

A method for separating water-miscible organic species from a process stream by aqueous biphasic extraction is provided. An aqueous biphase system is generated by contacting a process stream comprised of water, salt, and organic species with an aqueous polymer solution. The organic species transfer from the salt-rich phase to the polymer-rich phase, and the phases are separated. Next, the polymer is recovered from the loaded polymer phase by selectively extracting the polymer into an organic phase at an elevated temperature, while the organic species remain in a substantially salt-free aqueous solution. Alternatively, the polymer is recovered from the loaded polymer by a temperature induced phase separation (cloud point extraction), whereby the polymer and the organic species separate into two distinct solutions. The method for separating water-miscible organic species is applicable to the treatment of industrial wastewater streams, including the extraction and recovery of complexed metal ions from salt solutions, organic contaminants from mineral processing streams, and colorants from spent dye baths.

H-aggregate analysis of P3HT thin films-Capability and limitation of photoluminescence and UV/Vis spectroscopy.

PubMed

Ehrenreich, Philipp; Birkhold, Susanne T; Zimmermann, Eugen; Hu, Hao; Kim, Kwang-Dae; Weickert, Jonas; Pfadler, Thomas; Schmidt-Mende, Lukas

2016-09-01

Polymer morphology and aggregation play an essential role for efficient charge carrier transport and charge separation in polymer-based electronic devices. It is a common method to apply the H-aggregate model to UV/Vis or photoluminescence spectra in order to analyze polymer aggregation. In this work we present strategies to obtain reliable and conclusive information on polymer aggregation and morphology based on the application of an H-aggregate analysis on UV/Vis and photoluminescence spectra. We demonstrate, with P3HT as model system, that thickness dependent reflection behavior can lead to misinterpretation of UV/Vis spectra within the H-aggregate model. Values for the exciton bandwidth can deviate by a factor of two for polymer thicknesses below 150 nm. In contrast, photoluminescence spectra are found to be a reliable basis for characterization of polymer aggregation due to their weaker dependence on the wavelength dependent refractive index of the polymer. We demonstrate this by studying the influence of surface characteristics on polymer aggregation for spin-coated thin-films that are commonly used in organic and hybrid solar cells.

Simultaneous RGB lasing from a single-chip polymer device.

PubMed

Yamashita, Kenichi; Takeuchi, Nobutaka; Oe, Kunishige; Yanagi, Hisao

2010-07-15

This Letter describes the fabrication and operation of a single-chip white-laser device. The laser device has a multilayered structure consisting of three laser layers. Each laser layer comprises polymer claddings and a waveguide core doped with organic dye. In each laser layer, grating corrugations were fabricated by UV-nanoimprint lithography that act as distributed-feedback cavity structures. Under optical pumping, lasing output with red, green, and blue colors was simultaneously obtained from the sample edge.

Magnetic Spin Effects in Photoprocesses inside Polymeric Photoconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumyantsev, B. M.; Berendyaev, V. I.; Pebalk, A. V.

2018-06-01

Magnetic spin effects are detected and studied in the processes of sensitized current-carrier photogeneration and luminescence inside polymer photoconductor films based on polyimides and composites of polymers with carbazole moieties combined with electron acceptors (chemical sensitization) and dyes (spectral sensitization). The effect an electric field has on the quantum yield of photogeneration and the luminescence of excited charge-transfer complexes (reversible and irreversible effects) at spectral sensitization is studied in the presence of O2.

Development of Thin Solar Cells for Space Applications at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickman, John E.; Hepp, Aloysius; Banger, Kulbinder K.; Harris, Jerry D.; Jin, Michael H.

2003-01-01

NASA GRC Thin Film Solar Cell program is developing solar cell technologies for space applications which address two critical metrics: higher specific power (power per unit mass) and lower launch stowed volume. To be considered for space applications, an array using thin film solar cells must offer significantly higher specific power while reducing stowed volume compared to the present technologies being flown on space missions, namely crystalline solar cells. The NASA GRC program is developing single-source precursors and the requisite deposition hardware to grow high-efficiency, thin-film solar cells on polymer substrates at low deposition temperatures. Using low deposition temperatures enables the thin film solar cells to be grown on a variety of polymer substrates, many of which would not survive the high temperature processing currently used to fabricate thin film solar cells. The talk will present the latest results of this research program.

Characterization of Homopolymer and Polymer Blend Films by Phase Sensitive Acoustic Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngwa, Wilfred; Wannemacher, Reinhold; Grill, Wolfgang

2003-03-01

CHARACTERIZATION OF HOMOPOLYMER AND POLYMER BLEND FILMS BY PHASE SENSITIVE ACOUSTIC MICROSCOPY W Ngwa, R Wannemacher, W Grill Institute of Experimental Physics II, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Abstract We have used phase sensitive acoustic microscopy (PSAM) to study homopolymer thin films of polystyrene (PS) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), as well as PS/PMMA blend films. We show from our results that PSAM can be used as a complementary and highly valuable technique for elucidating the three-dimensional (3D) morphology and micromechanical properties of thin films. Three-dimensional image acquisition with vector contrast provides the basis for: complex V(z) analysis (per image pixel), 3D image processing, height profiling, and subsurface image analysis of the polymer films. Results show good agreement with previous studies. In addition, important new information on the three dimensional structure and properties of polymer films is obtained. Homopolymer film structure analysis reveals (pseudo-) dewetting by retraction of droplets, resulting in a morphology that can serve as a starting point for the analysis of polymer blend thin films. The outcome of confocal laser scanning microscopy studies, performed on the same samples are correlated with the obtained results. Advantages and limitations of PSAM are discussed.

Retention of Antibacterial Activity in Geranium Plasma Polymer Thin Films

PubMed Central

Al-Jumaili, Ahmed; Bazaka, Kateryna

2017-01-01

Bacterial colonisation of biomedical devices demands novel antibacterial coatings. Plasma-enabled treatment is an established technique for selective modification of physicochemical characteristics of the surface and deposition of polymer thin films. We investigated the retention of inherent antibacterial activity in geranium based plasma polymer thin films. Attachment and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli was significantly reduced on the surfaces of samples fabricated at 10 W radio frequency (RF) power, compared to that of control or films fabricated at higher input power. This was attributed to lower contact angle and retention of original chemical functionality in the polymer films fabricated under low input power conditions. The topography of all surfaces was uniform and smooth, with surface roughness of 0.18 and 0.69 nm for films fabricated at 10 W and 100 W, respectively. Hardness and elastic modules of films increased with input power. Independent of input power, films were optically transparent within the visible wavelength range, with the main absorption at ~290 nm and optical band gap of ~3.6 eV. These results suggest that geranium extract-derived polymers may potentially be used as antibacterial coatings for contact lenses. PMID:28902134

Seebeck Effects in N-Type and P-Type Polymers Driven Simultaneously by Surface Polarization and Entropy Differences Based on Conductor/Polymer/Conductor Thin-Film Devices

DOE PAGES

Hu, Dehua; Liu, Qing; Tisdale, Jeremy; ...

2015-04-15

This paper reports Seebeck effects driven by both surface polarization difference and entropy difference by using intramolecular charge-transfer states in n-type and p-type conjugated polymers, namely IIDT and IIDDT, based on vertical conductor/polymer/conductor thin-film devices. Large Seebeck coefficients of -898 V/K and 1300 V/K from are observed from n-type IIDT p-type IIDDT, respectively, when the charge-transfer states are generated by a white light illumination of 100 mW/cm2. Simultaneously, electrical conductivities are increased from almost insulating states in dark condition to conducting states under photoexcitation in both n-type IIDT and p-type IIDDT devices. We find that the intramolecular charge-transfer states canmore » largely enhance Seebeck effects in the n-type IIDT and p-type IIDDT devices driven by both surface polarization difference and entropy difference. Furthermore, the Seebeck effects can be shifted between polarization and entropy regimes when electrical conductivities are changed. This reveals a new concept to develop Seebeck effects by controlling polarization and entropy regimes based on charge-transfer states in vertical conductor/polymer/conductor thin-film devices.« less

Tunable passively Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser with Chitosan/MoS2 saturable absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, H.; Aidit, S. N.; Ooi, S. I.; Tiu, Z. C.

2018-07-01

Chitosan, an organic polymer derived from the outer skeletons of crustacean and in the cell wall of fungi is explored as polymer host to develop thin film saturable absorber (SA). As a polymer, Chitosan shows high thermal stability as well as significant transmission characteristics. The highly transparent polymer serves as a good host for SA materials, and a composite Chitosan/MoS2 thin film is demonstrated to successfully generate stable Q-switched lasing output at operating wavelength of 1561.5 nm. At maximum pump power of 280.5 mW, the generated pulse exhibits maximum pulse repetition rate and pulse energy of 79.4 kHz and 43.69 nJ respectively as well as minimum pulse width of 1.02 μs. The overall efficiency of the laser cavity with the Chitosan/MoS2 thin film SA is approximately 0.93%. These results reflect the outstanding performance of Chitosan/MoS2 SA as compared to other MoS2 SA prepared using mechanical exfoliation and optical deposition technique. Moreover, the Chitosan polymer is shown to be a highly potential host in the SA fabrication process due to its promising performance which is comparable to PVA.

Vacuum ellipsometry as a method for probing glass transition in thin polymer films.

PubMed

Efremov, Mikhail Yu; Soofi, Shauheen S; Kiyanova, Anna V; Munoz, Claudio J; Burgardt, Peter; Cerrina, Franco; Nealey, Paul F

2008-04-01

A vacuum ellipsometer has been designed for probing the glass transition in thin supported polymer films. The device is based on the optics of a commercial spectroscopic phase-modulated ellipsometer. A custom-made vacuum chamber evacuated by oil-free pumps, variable temperature optical table, and computer-based data acquisition system was described. The performance of the tool has been demonstrated using 20-200 nm thick poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene films coated on silicon substrates at 10(-6)-10(-8) torr residual gas pressure. Both polymers show pronounced glass transitions. The difficulties in assigning in the glass transition temperature are discussed with respect to the experimental challenges of the measurements in thin polymer films. It is found that the experimental curves can be significantly affected by a residual gas. This effect manifests itself at lower temperatures as a decreased or even negative apparent thermal coefficient of expansion, and is related to the uptake and desorption of water by the samples during temperature scans. It is also found that an ionization gauge--the standard accessory of any high vacuum system--can cause a number of spurious phenomena including drift in the experimental data, roughening of the polymer surface, and film dewetting.

Painting Supramolecular Polymers in Organic Solvents by Super-resolution Microscopy

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Despite the rapid development of complex functional supramolecular systems, visualization of these architectures under native conditions at high resolution has remained a challenging endeavor. Super-resolution microscopy was recently proposed as an effective tool to unveil one-dimensional nanoscale structures in aqueous media upon chemical functionalization with suitable fluorescent probes. Building upon our previous work, which enabled photoactivation localization microscopy in organic solvents, herein, we present the imaging of one-dimensional supramolecular polymers in their native environment by interface point accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography (iPAINT). The noncovalent staining, typical of iPAINT, allows the investigation of supramolecular polymers’ structure in situ without any chemical modification. The quasi-permanent adsorption of the dye to the polymer is exploited to identify block-like arrangements within supramolecular fibers, which were obtained upon mixing homopolymers that were prestained with different colors. The staining of the blocks, maintained by the lack of exchange of the dyes, permits the imaging of complex structures for multiple days. This study showcases the potential of PAINT-like strategies such as iPAINT to visualize multicomponent dynamic systems in their native environment with an easy, synthesis-free approach and high spatial resolution. PMID:29697958

Electrochemical and structural characterization of polymer gel electrolytes based on a PEO copolymer and an imidazolium-based ionic liquid for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Freitas, Flavio S; de Freitas, Jilian N; Ito, Bruno I; De Paoli, Marco-A; Nogueira, Ana F

2009-12-01

Polymer electrolytes based on mixtures of poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide) and 1-methyl-3-propyl-imidazolium iodide (MPII) were investigated, aiming at their application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The interactions between the copolymer and the ionic liquid were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and (1)H NMR. The results show interactions between the ether oxygen in the polymer and the hydrogen in the imidazolium cations. The ionic conductivities, electrochemical behaviors, and thermal properties of the electrolytes containing different concentrations of MPII were investigated. The electrolyte containing 70 wt % MPII presented the highest ionic conductivity (2.4 x 10(-3) S cm(-1)) and a diffusion coefficient of 1.9 x 10(-7) cm(2) s(-1). The influence of LiI addition to the electrolytes containing different concentrations of MPII was also investigated. The DSSC assembled with the electrolyte containing 70 wt % MPII showed an efficiency of 3.84% at 100 mW cm(-2). The stability of the devices for a period of 30 days was also evaluated using sealed cells. The devices assembled with the electrolyte containing less ionic liquid showed to be more stable.

Dynamic Mechanical Characterization of Thin Film Polymer Nanocomposites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herring, Helen M.; Gates, Thomas S. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

Many new materials are being produced for aerospace applications with the objective of maximizing certain ideal properties without sacrificing others. Polymer composites in various forms and configurations are being developed in an effort to provide lighter weight construction and better thermal and electrical properties and still maintain adequate strength and stability. To this end, thin film polymer nanocomposites, synthesized for the purpose of influencing electrical conductivity using metal oxide particles as filler without incurring losses in mechanical properties, were examined to determine elastic modulus and degree of dispersion of particles. The effects of various metal oxides on these properties will be discussed.

Manufacturing polymer thin films in a micro-gravity environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vera, Ivan

1987-01-01

This project represents Venezuela's first scientific experiment in space. The apparatus for the automatic casting of two polymer thin films will be contained in NASA's Payload No. G-559 of the Get Away Special program for a future orbital space flight in the U.S. Space Shuttle. Semi-permeable polymer membranes have important applications in a variety of fields, such as medicine, energy, and pharmaceuticals and in general fluid separation processes, such as reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and electrodialysis. The casting of semi-permeable membranes in space will help to identify the roles of convection in determining the structure of these membranes.

Orienting semi-conducting π-conjugated polymers.

PubMed

Brinkmann, Martin; Hartmann, Lucia; Biniek, Laure; Tremel, Kim; Kayunkid, Navaphun

2014-01-01

The present review focuses on the recent progress made in thin film orientation of semi-conducting polymers with particular emphasis on methods using epitaxy and shear forces. The main results reported in this review deal with regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s and poly(dialkylfluorenes). Correlations existing between processing conditions, macromolecular parameters and the resulting structures formed in thin films are underlined. It is shown that epitaxial orientation of semi-conducting polymers can generate a large palette of semi-crystalline and nanostructured morphologies by a subtle choice of the orienting substrates and growth conditions. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dielectric property study of poly(4-vinylphenol)-graphene oxide nanocomposite thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Dhrubojyoti

2018-05-01

Thin film capacitor device having a sandwich structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass/polymer or polymer nanocomposite /silver has been fabricated and their dielectric and leakage current properties has been studied. The dielectric properties of the capacitors were characterized for frequencies ranging from 1 KHz to 1 MHz. 5 wt% Poly(4-vinylphenol)(PVPh)-Graphene (GO) nanocomposite exhibited an increase in dielectric constant to 5.6 and small rise in dielectric loss to around˜0.05 at 10 KHz w.r.t polymer. The DC conductivity measurements reveal rise of leakage current in nanocomposite.

Viscoelastic Thin Polymer Films under Transient Residual Stresses: Two-Stage Dewetting on Soft Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Akhrass, S.; Reiter, G.; Hou, S. Y.; Yang, M. H.; Chang, Y. L.; Chang, F. C.; Wang, C. F.; Yang, A. C.-M.

2008-05-01

A nonmonotonic, two-stage dewetting behavior was observed for spin coated thin viscoelastic polymer films on soft elastic substrates. At times shorter than the relaxation time of the polymer (t<τrep), dewetting generated deep trenches in the soft rubbery substrate which, in turn, almost stopped dewetting. At later stages (t≫τrep), dewetting accelerated, accompanied by an unstable rim. However, holes nucleated at t<τrep showed only this second-stage behavior. Our observations are attributed to large elastic deformations in the substrate caused by transient residual stresses within the film.

Solution-processed small molecule-polymer blend organic thin-film transistors with hole mobility greater than 5 cm2/Vs.

PubMed

Smith, Jeremy; Zhang, Weimin; Sougrat, Rachid; Zhao, Kui; Li, Ruipeng; Cha, Dongkyu; Amassian, Aram; Heeney, Martin; McCulloch, Iain; Anthopoulos, Thomas D

2012-05-08

Using phase-separated organic semiconducting blends containing a small molecule, as the hole transporting material, and a conjugated amorphous polymer, as the binder material, we demonstrate solution-processed organic thin-film transistors with superior performance characteristics that include; hole mobility >5 cm(2) /Vs, current on/off ratio ≥10(6) and narrow transistor parameter spread. These exceptional characteristics are attributed to the electronic properties of the binder polymer and the advantageous nanomorphology of the blend film. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thin-film encapsulation of organic electronic devices based on vacuum evaporated lithium fluoride as protective buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yingquan; Ding, Sihan; Wen, Zhanwei; Xu, Sunan; Lv, Wenli; Xu, Ziqiang; Yang, Yuhuan; Wang, Ying; Wei, Yi; Tang, Ying

2017-03-01

Encapsulation is indispensable for organic thin-film electronic devices to ensure reliable operation and long-term stability. For thin-film encapsulating organic electronic devices, insulating polymers and inorganic metal oxides thin films are widely used. However, spin-coating of insulating polymers directly on organic electronic devices may destroy or introduce unwanted impurities in the underlying organic active layers. And also, sputtering of inorganic metal oxides may damage the underlying organic semiconductors. Here, we demonstrated that by utilizing vacuum evaporated lithium fluoride (LiF) as protective buffer layer, spin-coated insulating polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sputtered inorganic material Er2O3, can be successfully applied for thin film encapsulation of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)-based organic diodes. By encapsulating with LiF/PVA/LiF trilayer and LiF/Er2O3 bilayer films, the device lifetime improvements of 10 and 15 times can be achieved. These methods should be applicable for thin-film encapsulation of all kinds of organic electronic devices. Moisture-induced hole trapping, and Al top electrode oxidation are suggest to be the origins of current decay for the LiF/PVA/LiF trilayer and LiF/Er2O3 bilayer films encapsulated devices, respectively.

Tuning Bandgap of p-Type Cu2Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se)4 Semiconductor Thin Films via Aqueous Polymer-Assisted Deposition.

PubMed

Yi, Qinghua; Wu, Jiang; Zhao, Jie; Wang, Hao; Hu, Jiapeng; Dai, Xiao; Zou, Guifu

2017-01-18

Bandgap engineering of kesterite Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 with well-controlled stoichiometric composition plays a critical role in sustainable inorganic photovoltaics. Herein, a cost-effective and reproducible aqueous solution-based polymer-assisted deposition approach is developed to grow p-type Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films with tunable bandgap. The bandgap of Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films can be tuned within the range 1.05-1.95 eV using the aqueous polymer-assisted deposition by accurately controlling the elemental compositions. One of the as-grown Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films exhibits a hall coefficient of +137 cm 3 /C. The resistivity, concentration and carrier mobility of the Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 thin film are 3.17 ohm·cm, 4.5 × 10 16 cm -3 , and 43 cm 2 /(V·S) at room temperature, respectively. Moreover, the Cu 2 ZnSn(S, Se) 4 thin film when used as an active layer in a solar cell leads to a power conversion efficiency of 3.55%. The facile growth of Cu 2 Zn(Sn, Ge)(S, Se) 4 thin films in an aqueous system, instead of organic solvents, provides great promise as an environmental-friendly platform to fabricate a variety of single/multi metal chalcogenides for the thin film industry and solution-processed photovoltaic devices.

Critical Role of Surface Energy in Guiding Crystallization of Solution-Coated Conjugated Polymer Thin Films

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Fengjiao; Mohammadi, Erfan; Luo, Xuyi; ...

2017-10-02

It is well-known that substrate surface properties have a profound impact on morphology of thin films solution coated atop and the resulting solid-state properties. However, design rules for guiding the substrate selection have not yet been established. Such design rules are particularly important for solution coated semiconducting polymers, as the substratedirected thin film morphology can impact charge transport properties by orders of magnitude. We hypothesize that substrate surface energies dictate the thin film morphology by modulating the free energy barrier to heterogeneous nucleation. To test this hypothesis, we systematically vary the substrate surface energy via surface functionalization techniques. We performmore » in-depth morphology and device characterizations to establish the relationship between substrate surface energy, thin film morphology and charge transport properties, employing a donor-accepter (D-A) conjugated polymer. Here, we find that decreasing the substrate surface energy progressively increases thin film crystallinity, degree of molecular ordering and extent of domain alignment. Notably, the enhanced morphology on the lowest surface energy substrate lead to a 10-fold increase in the charge carrier mobility. We further develop a free energy model relating the substrate surface energy to the penalty of heterogeneous nucleation from solution in the thin film geometry. The model correctly predicts the experimental trend, thereby validating our hypothesis. This work is a significant step towards establishing design rules and understanding the critical role of substrates in determining morphology of solution coated thin films.« less

Critical Role of Surface Energy in Guiding Crystallization of Solution-Coated Conjugated Polymer Thin Films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Fengjiao; Mohammadi, Erfan; Luo, Xuyi

It is well-known that substrate surface properties have a profound impact on morphology of thin films solution coated atop and the resulting solid-state properties. However, design rules for guiding the substrate selection have not yet been established. Such design rules are particularly important for solution coated semiconducting polymers, as the substratedirected thin film morphology can impact charge transport properties by orders of magnitude. We hypothesize that substrate surface energies dictate the thin film morphology by modulating the free energy barrier to heterogeneous nucleation. To test this hypothesis, we systematically vary the substrate surface energy via surface functionalization techniques. We performmore » in-depth morphology and device characterizations to establish the relationship between substrate surface energy, thin film morphology and charge transport properties, employing a donor-accepter (D-A) conjugated polymer. Here, we find that decreasing the substrate surface energy progressively increases thin film crystallinity, degree of molecular ordering and extent of domain alignment. Notably, the enhanced morphology on the lowest surface energy substrate lead to a 10-fold increase in the charge carrier mobility. We further develop a free energy model relating the substrate surface energy to the penalty of heterogeneous nucleation from solution in the thin film geometry. The model correctly predicts the experimental trend, thereby validating our hypothesis. This work is a significant step towards establishing design rules and understanding the critical role of substrates in determining morphology of solution coated thin films.« less

Elaboration and Characterization of TiO2 and Study of the Influence of The Number of Thin Films on the Methylene Blue Adsorption Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madoui, Karima; Medjahed, Aicha; Hamici, Melia; Djamila, Abdi; Boudissa, Mokhtar

2018-05-01

Thin films of titanium oxide (TiO2) deposited on glass substrates were fabricated by using the sol-gel route. The realization of these thin layers was made using the dip-coating technique with a solution of titanium isopropoxyde as a precursor. The samples prepared with different numbers of deposited layers were annealed at 400 ° C for 2 hours. The main purposes of this work were investigations of both the effect of the number of thin TiO2 layers on the crystal structure of the anatase form first and, their ability to adsorb the solution of methylene blue in order to make colored filters from a photocatalytic process. The deposited titanium-oxide layers were characterized by using various techniques: namely, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-Visible spectrometry. The result obtained by using the XRD technique showed the appearance of an anatase phase, as was confirmed by using Raman spectroscopy. The AFM surface analysis allowed the surface topography to be characterized and the surface roughness to be measured, which increased with increasing number of layers. The UV-Visible spectra showed that the TiO2 films had a good transmittance varying from 65% to 95% according to the number of layers. The gap energy varied as a function of the number of deposited layers. The as deposited TiO2 layers were tested as a photocatalyst towards the adsorption of methylene blue dye. The results obtained during this study showed that the adsorption capacity varied according to the number of deposited thin layers and the exposing duration to ultraviolet (UV) light. The maximum absorption rate of the dye was obtained for the two-layer sample. Seventy-two hours of irradiation allowed the adsorption intensity of the dye to be maximized for two-layer films.

An ionic liquid-gated polymer thin film transistor with exceptionally low "on" resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Algarni, Saud A.; Althagafi, Talal M.; Smith, Patrick J.; Grell, Martin

2014-05-01

We report the ionic liquid (IL) gating of a solution processed semiconducting polymer, poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (PBTTT). IL gating relies on the poor solubility of PBTTT, which requires hot chlorinated benzenes for solution processing. PBTTT, thus, resists dissolution even in IL, which otherwise rapidly dissolves semiconducting polymers. The resulting organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) display low threshold, very high carrier mobility (>3 cm2/Vs), and deliver high currents (in the order of 1 mA) at low operational voltages. Such OTFTs are interesting both practically, for the addressing of current-driven devices (e.g., organic LEDs), and for the study of charge transport in semiconducting polymers at very high carrier density.

Tuning relaxation dynamics and mechanical properties of polymer films of identical thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kchaou, Marwa; Alcouffe, Pierre; Chandran, Sivasurender; Cassagnau, Philippe; Reiter, Günter; Al Akhrass, Samer

2018-03-01

Using dewetting as a characterization tool, we demonstrate that physical properties of thin polymer films can be regulated and tuned by employing variable processing conditions. For different molecular weights, the variable behavior of polystyrene films of identical thickness, prepared along systematically altered pathways, became predictable through a single parameter P , defined as the ratio of time required over time available for the equilibration of polymers. In particular, preparation-induced residual stresses, the corresponding relaxation times as well as the rupture probability of such films (of identical thickness) varied by orders of magnitude following scaling relations with P . Our experimental findings suggest that we can predictably enhance properties and hence maximize the performance of thin polymer films via appropriately chosen processing conditions.

DNA-based dye lasers: progress in this half a decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawabe, Yutaka

2016-09-01

After the invention of DNA-surfactant films and the proposal of dye doping into them by Ogata, many applications were demonstrated. Among them tunable thin film laser is one of the most attractive functional devices. Development and progress in DNA based lasers after the first observation of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) by us has been reviewed in a former paper published in 2011.1 In this proceeding, progresses in the subsequent half a decade are described.

Dewetting of polymer thin films on modified curved surfaces: preparation of polymer nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes by anodic aluminum oxide templates.

PubMed

Liu, Chih-Ting; Tsai, Chia-Chan; Chu, Chien-Wei; Chi, Mu-Huan; Chung, Pei-Yun; Chen, Jiun-Tai

2018-04-18

We study the dewetting behaviors of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films coated in the cylindrical nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates by thermal annealing. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) are introduced to modify the pore surfaces of the AAO templates to induce the dewetting process. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the dewetting-induced morphology transformation from the PMMA thin films to PMMA nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes can be observed. The sizes of the PMMA nanoparticles can be controlled by the original PMMA solution concentrations. The dewetting phenomena on the modified nanopores are explained by taking into account the excess intermolecular interaction free energy (ΔG). This work opens a new possibility for creating polymer nanoparticles with asymmetric shapes in confined geometries.

Synthesis and characterization of nanocomposite polymer blend electrolyte thin films by spin-coating method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chapi, Sharanappa; Niranjana, M.; Devendrappa, H., E-mail: dehu2010@gmail.com

2016-05-23

Solid Polymer blend electrolytes based on Polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) complexed with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs; Synthesized by Co-precipitation method) thin films have prepared at a different weight percent using the spin-coating method. The complexation of the NPs with the polymer blend was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The variation in film morphology was examined by polarized optical micrographs (POMs). The thermal behavior of blends was investigated under non-isothermal conditions by differential thermal analyses (DTA). A single glass transition temperature for each blend was observed, which supports the existence ofmore » compatibility of such system. The obtained results represent that the ternary based thin films are prominent materials for battery and optoelectronic device applications.« less

Measurement of glucose concentration by image processing of thin film slides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piramanayagam, Sankaranaryanan; Saber, Eli; Heavner, David

2012-02-01

Measurement of glucose concentration is important for diagnosis and treatment of diabetes mellitus and other medical conditions. This paper describes a novel image-processing based approach for measuring glucose concentration. A fluid drop (patient sample) is placed on a thin film slide. Glucose, present in the sample, reacts with reagents on the slide to produce a color dye. The color intensity of the dye formed varies with glucose at different concentration levels. Current methods use spectrophotometry to determine the glucose level of the sample. Our proposed algorithm uses an image of the slide, captured at a specific wavelength, to automatically determine glucose concentration. The algorithm consists of two phases: training and testing. Training datasets consist of images at different concentration levels. The dye-occupied image region is first segmented using a Hough based technique and then an intensity based feature is calculated from the segmented region. Subsequently, a mathematical model that describes a relationship between the generated feature values and the given concentrations is obtained. During testing, the dye region of a test slide image is segmented followed by feature extraction. These two initial steps are similar to those done in training. However, in the final step, the algorithm uses the model (feature vs. concentration) obtained from the training and feature generated from test image to predict the unknown concentration. The performance of the image-based analysis was compared with that of a standard glucose analyzer.

Ruthenium(ii)-polypyridyl zirconium(iv) metal-organic frameworks as a new class of sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Maza, W A; Haring, A J; Ahrenholtz, S R; Epley, C C; Lin, S Y; Morris, A J

2016-01-01

A series of Ru(ii)L 2 L' (L = 2,2'-bipyridyl, L' = 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid), RuDCBPY, -containing zirconium(iv) coordination polymer thin films have been prepared as sensitizing materials for solar cell applications. These metal-organic framework (MOF) sensitized solar cells, MOFSCs, each are shown to generate photocurrent in response to simulated 1 sun illumination. Emission lifetime measurements indicate the excited state quenching of RuDCBPY at the MOF-TiO 2 interface is extremely efficient (>90%), presumably due to electron injection into TiO 2 . A mechanism is proposed in which RuDCBPY-centers photo-excited within the MOF-bulk undergo isotropic energy migration up to 25 nm from the point of origin. This work represents the first example in which a MOFSC is directly compared to the constituent dye adsorbed on TiO 2 (DSC). Importantly, the MOFSCs outperformed their RuDCBPY-TiO 2 DSC counterpart under the conditions used here and, thus, are solidified as promising solar cell platforms.

Waveguides in Thin Film Polymeric Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sakisov, Sergey; Abdeldayem, Hossin; Venkateswarlu, Putcha; Teague, Zedric

1996-01-01

Results on the fabrication of integrated optical components in polymeric materials using photo printing methods will be presented. Optical waveguides were fabricated by spin coating preoxidized silicon wafers with organic dye/polymer solution followed by soft baking. The waveguide modes were studied using prism coupling technique. Propagation losses were measured by collecting light scattered from the trace of a propagation mode by either scanning photodetector or CCD camera. We observed the formation of graded index waveguides in photosensitive polyimides after exposure of UV light from a mercury arc lamp. By using a theoretical model, an index profile was reconstructed which is in agreement with the profile reconstructed by the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin calculation technique using a modal spectrum of the waveguides. Proposed mechanism for the formation of the graded index includes photocrosslinking followed by UV curing accompanied with optical absorption increase. We also developed the prototype of a novel single-arm double-mode interferometric sensor based on our waveguides. It demonstrates high sensitivity to the chance of ambient temperature. The device can find possible applications in aeropropulsion control systems.

Labelling Polymers and Micellar Nanoparticles via Initiation, Propagation and Termination with ROMP

PubMed Central

Thompson, Matthew P.; Randolph, Lyndsay M.; James, Carrie R.; Davalos, Ashley N.; Hahn, Michael E.

2014-01-01

In this paper we compare and contrast three approaches for labelling polymers with functional groups via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). We explored the incorporation of functionality via initiation, termination and propagation employing an array of novel initiators, termination agents and monomers. The goal was to allow the generation of selectively labelled and well-defined polymers that would in turn lead to the formation of labelled nanomaterials. Norbornene analogues, prepared as functionalized monomers for ROMP, included fluorescent dyes (rhodamine, fluorescein, EDANS, and coumarin), quenchers (DABCYL), conjugatable moieties (NHS esters, pentafluorophenyl esters), and protected amines. In addition, a set of symmetrical olefins for terminally labelling polymers, and for the generation of initiators in situ is described. PMID:24855496

Topographic measurement of buried thin-film interfaces using a grazing resonant soft x-ray scattering technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gann, Eliot; Watson, Anne; Tumbleston, John R.; Cochran, Justin; Yan, Hongping; Wang, Cheng; Seok, Jaewook; Chabinyc, Michael; Ade, Harald

2014-12-01

The internal structures of thin films, particularly interfaces between different materials, are critical to system properties and performance across many disciplines, but characterization of buried interface topography is often unfeasible. In this work, we demonstrate that grazing resonant soft x-ray scattering (GRSoXS), a technique measuring diffusely scattered soft x rays from grazing incidence, can reveal the statistical topography of buried thin-film interfaces. By controlling and predicting the x-ray electric field intensity throughout the depth of the film and simultaneously the scattering contrast between materials, we are able to unambiguously identify the microstructure at different interfaces of a model polymer bilayer system. We additionally demonstrate the use of GRSoXS to selectively measure the topography of the surface and buried polymer-polymer interface in an organic thin-film transistor, revealing different microstructure and markedly differing evolution upon annealing. In such systems, where only indirect control of interface topography is possible, accurate measurement of the structure of interfaces for feedback is critically important. While we demonstrate the method here using organic materials, we also show that the technique is readily extendable to any thin-film system with elemental or chemical contrasts exploitable at absorption edges.

Exploring ways to control the properties of polymer thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clough, Andrew R.

Understanding the causes of deviations from bulk-like properties observed in polymer thin films is of interest both from a fundamental standpoint and in order to tailor the properties of polymer thin films used by industry as coatings and in the production of microelectronic devices. As thicknesses are decreased below 100 nm, interfacial effects start to become important. In addition, a confinement effect occurs when the film thickness becomes comparable to the unperturbed size of the polymer chain. In this thesis, we modify polymer films in a controllable way in order to study how some of these properties may be related and potentially adjusted. One of these properties is the glass transition temperature, which is seen to vary with the film thickness for films thinner than 100 nm. While there appears to be a consensus that the variation is attributable to the interactions the polymer has with the film interfaces, important questions concerning how the observed changes may affect the onset of large scale, liquid-like motions in the films have been seldom investigated. We modify the substrate interface with grafted polymer chains, which is known to instill interfacial slippage, to investigate the relation, if any, between the glass transition temperature and large scale chain motions in the films. As another part of the effort to find ways to control the properties of polymer films, we study the effect of swelling films with solvents of different qualities. Studies have shown that modifying the solvent quality used when preparing films by spin-coating, in which solvent from a polymer solution is rapidly removed to form thin uniform films, can affect some properties by modifying the degree of inter-chain entanglement in the film. As it is often difficult to spin-coat films when the solvent is poor, we investigate whether solvent swelling can also be used to modify this entanglement. We find that solvent swelling is able to modify the degree of entanglement in the films. Most importantly, swelling with a poor solvent allows us to reduce the degree of inter-chain entanglement, bringing the film further from equilibrium.

High-temperature crystallized thin-film PZT on thin polyimide substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tianning; Wallace, Margeaux; Trolier-McKinstry, Susan; Jackson, Thomas N.

2017-10-01

Flexible piezoelectric thin films on polymeric substrates provide advantages in sensing, actuating, and energy harvesting applications. However, direct deposition of many inorganic piezoelectric materials such as Pb(Zrx,Ti1-x)O3 (PZT) on polymers is challenging due to the high temperature required for crystallization. This paper describes a transfer process for PZT thin films. The PZT films are first grown on a high-temperature capable substrate such as platinum-coated silicon. After crystallization, a polymeric layer is added, and the polymer-PZT combination is removed from the high-temperature substrate by etching away a release layer, with the polymer layer then becoming the substrate. The released PZT on polyimide exhibits enhanced dielectric response due to reduction in substrate clamping after removal from the rigid substrate. For Pb(Zr0.52,Ti0.48)0.98Nb0.02O3 films, release from Si increased the remanent polarization from 17.5 μC/cm2 to 26 μC/cm2. In addition, poling led to increased ferroelastic/ferroelectric realignment in the released films. At 1 kHz, the average permittivity was measured to be around 1160 after release from Si with a loss tangent below 3%. Rayleigh measurements further confirmed the correlation between diminished substrate constraint and increased domain wall mobility in the released PZT films on polymers.

Elucidating the Charge Transfer Mechanism in Radical Polymer Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Sanjoy; Boudouris, Bryan

The active role of polymers in organic electronics has attracted significant attention in recent decades. Beyond conventional conjugated polymers, recently radical polymers have received a great deal of consideration by the community. Radical polymers are redox-active macromolecules with non-conjugated backbones functionalized with persistent radical sites. Because of their nascent nature, many open questions regarding the physics of their solid-state charge transfer mechanism still exist. In order to address these questions, well-defined radical polymers were synthesized and blended in a manner such that there was tight control over the radical density within the conducting thin films. We demonstrate that the systematic manipulation of the radical-to-radical spacing in open-shell macromolecules leads to exponential changes in the macroscopic electrical conductivity, and temperature-independent charge transport behaviour. Thus, a clear picture emerges that charge transfer in radical polymers is dictated by a tunnelling mechanism between proximal sites. This behavior is consistent with a distinct mechanism similar to redox reactions in biological media, but is unique relative to transport in common conjugated polymers. These results constitute the first experimental insight into the mechanism of solid-state electrical conduction in radical polymers.

Efficiency of Nb-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anuntahirunrat, Jirapat; Sung, Youl-Moon; Pooyodying, Pattarapon

2017-09-01

The technological of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) had been improved for several years. Due to its simplicity and low cost materials with belonging to the part of thin films solar cells. DSSCs have numerous advantages and benefits among the other types of solar cells. Many of the DSSC devices had use organic chemical that produce by specific method to use as thin film electrodes. The organic chemical that widely use to establish thin film electrodes are Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and many other chemical substances. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles had been used in DSSCs applications as thin film electrodes. Nanoparticles are a part of nanomaterials that are defined as a single particles 1-100 nm in diameter. From a few year ZnO widely used in DSSC applications because of its optical, electrical and many others properties. In particular, the unique properties and utility of ZnO structure. However the efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles based solar cells can be improved by doped various foreign impurity to change the structures and properties. Niobium (Nb) had been use as a dopant of metal oxide thin films. Using specification method to doped the ZnO nanoparticles thin film can improved the efficiencies of DSSCs. The efficiencies of Nb-doped ZnO can be compared by doping 0 at wt% to 5 at wt% in ZnO nanoparticles thin films that prepared by the spin coating method. The thin film electrodes doped with 3 at wt% represent a maximum efficiencies with the lowest resistivity of 8.95×10-4 Ω·cm.

Solar/UV-induced photocatalytic degradation of three commercial textile dyes.

PubMed

Neppolian, B; Choi, H C; Sakthivel, S; Arabindoo, Banumathi; Murugesan, V

2002-01-28

The photocatalytic degradation of three commercial textile dyes with different structure has been investigated using TiO(2) (Degussa P25) photocatalyst in aqueous solution under solar irradiation. Experiments were conducted to optimise various parameters viz. amount of catalyst, concentration of dye, pH and solar light intensity. Degradation of all the dyes were examined by using chemical oxygen demand (COD) method. The degradation efficiency of the three dyes is as follows: Reactive Yellow 17(RY17) > Reactive Red 2(RR2) > Reactive Blue 4 (RB4), respectively. The experimental results indicate that TiO(2) (Degussa P25) is the best catalyst in comparison with other commercial photocatalysts such as, TiO(2) (Merck), ZnO, ZrO(2), WO(3) and CdS. Though the UV irradiation can efficiently degrade the dyes, naturally abundant solar irradiation is also very effective in the mineralisation of dyes. The comparison between thin-film coating and aqueous slurry method reveals that slurry method is more efficient than coating but the problems of leaching and the requirement of separation can be avoided by using coating technique. These observations indicate that all the three dyes could be degraded completely at different time intervals. Hence, it may be a viable technique for the safe disposal of textile wastewater into the water streams.

Determining thickness and refractive index from free-standing ultra-thin polymer films with spectroscopic ellipsometry

DOE PAGES

Hilfiker, James N.; Stadermann, Michael; Sun, Jianing; ...

2016-08-27

It is a well-known challenge to determine refractive index (n) from ultra-thin films where the thickness is less than about 10 nm. In this paper, we discovered an interesting exception to this issue while characterizing spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) data from isotropic, free-standing polymer films. Ellipsometry analysis shows that both thickness and refractive index can be independently determined for free-standing films as thin as 5 nm. Simulations further confirm an orthogonal separation between thickness and index effects on the experimental SE data. Effects of angle of incidence and wavelength on the data and sensitivity are discussed. Finally, while others have demonstratedmore » methods to determine refractive index from ultra-thin films, our analysis provides the first results to demonstrate high-sensitivity to the refractive index from ultra-thin layers.« less

Luminescence enhancement in nanocomposite consisting of polyvinyl alcohol incorporated gold nanoparticles and Nile blue 690 perchlorate.

PubMed

Chubinidze, Ketevan; Partsvania, Besarion; Sulaberidze, Tamaz; Khuskivadze, Aleksandre; Davitashvili, Elene; Koshoridze, Nana

2014-11-01

We have experimentally demonstrated that the emission of visible light from the polymer matrix doped with luminescent dye and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) can be enhanced with the use of surface plasmon coupling. GNPs can enhance the luminescence intensity of nearby luminescent dye because of the interactions between the dipole moments of the dye and the surface plasmon field of the GNPs. The electric charge on the GNPs and the distance between GNPs and luminescent dye molecules have a significant effect on the luminescence intensity, and this enhancement depends strongly upon the excitation wavelength of the pumping laser source. In particular, by matching the plasmon frequency of GNPs to the frequency of the laser light source we have observed a strong luminescence enhancement of the nanocomposite consisting of GNPs coupled with luminescent dye Nile blue 690 perchlorate. This ability of controlling luminescence can be beneficially used in developing contrast agents for highly sensitive and specific optical sensing and imaging. This opens new possibilities for plasmonic applications in the solar energy field.

Water-based thixotropic polymer gel electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Park, Se Jeong; Yoo, Kichoen; Kim, Jae-Yup; Kim, Jin Young; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Bongsoo; Kim, Honggon; Kim, Jong Hak; Cho, Jinhan; Ko, Min Jae

2013-05-28

For the practical application of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), it is important to replace the conventional organic solvents based electrolyte with environmentally friendly and stable ones, due to the toxicity and leakage problems. Here we report a noble water-based thixotropic polymer gel electrolyte containing xanthan gum, which satisfies both the environmentally friendliness and stability against leakage and water intrusion. For application in DSSCs, it was possible to infiltrate the prepared electrolyte into the mesoporous TiO2 electrode at the fluidic state, resulting in sufficient penetration. As a result, this electrolyte exhibited similar conversion efficiency (4.78% at 100 mW cm(-2)) and an enhanced long-term stability compared to a water-based liquid electrolyte. The effects of water on the photovoltaic properties were examined elaborately from the cyclic voltammetry curves and impedance spectra. Despite the positive shift in the conduction band potential of the TiO2 electrode, the open-circuit voltage was enhanced by addition of water in the electrolyte due to the greater positive shift in the I(-)/I3(-) redox potential. However, due to the dye desorption and decreased diffusion coefficient caused by the water content, the short-circuit photocurrent density was reduced. These results will provide great insight into the development of efficient and stable water-based electrolytes.

Colorimetric polymer-metal nanocomposite sensor of ammonia for the agricultural industry of confined animal feeding operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkisov, Sergey S.; Czarick, Michael; Fairchild, Brian D.; Liang, Yi; Kukhtareva, Tatiana; Curley, Michael J.

2014-02-01

The proposed colorimetric sensor of ammonia for the confined animal feeding industry uses the method of optoelectronic spectroscopic measurement of the reversible change of the color of a nanocomposite reagent film in response to ammonia. The film is made of a gold nanocolloid in a polymer matrix with an ammonia-sensitive indicator dye additive. The response of the indicator dye (increase of the optical absorption between 550 and 650 nm) is enhanced by the nanoparticles (˜8 nm in size) in two ways: (a) concentration of the optical field near the nanoparticle due to the plasmon resonance and (b) catalytic acceleration of the chemical reaction of deprotonization of the indicator dye in the presence of ammonia and water vapor. This enhancement helps to miniaturize the sensing element without compromising its sensitivity of <1 parts per million (ppm) for the range 0 to 100 ppm. The sensor underwent field tests in commercial poultry farms in Georgia and Arkansas and was compared against a scientific-grade photoacoustic gas analyzer. The coefficient of correlation between the sensor and the photoacoustic data for several weeks of continuous side-by-side operation in a commercial poultry house was ˜0.9 and the linear regression slope was 1.0. The conclusions on the necessary improvements were made.

Photocatalytic degradation of polystyrene plastic under fluorescent light.

PubMed

Shang, Jing; Chai, Ming; Zhu, Yongfa

2003-10-01

Plastic is used widely all over the world, due to the fact that it is low cost, is easily processable, and has lightweight properties. However, the hazard of discarding waste plastic, so-called "white pollution", is becoming more and more severe. In this paper, solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of polystyrene (PS) plastic, one of the most common commercial plastics, over copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) sensitized TiO2 photocatalyst (TiO2/CuPc) has been investigated under fluorescent light irradiation in the air. UV-vis spectra show that TiO2/CuPc extends its photoresponse range to visible light, contrasting to only UV light absorption of pure TiO2. The PS photodegradation experiments exhibit that higher PS weight loss rate, lower PS average molecular weight, less amount of volatile organic compounds, and more CO2 can be obtained in the system of PS-(TiO2/CuPc), in comparison with the PS-TiO2 system. Therefore, PS photodegradation over TiO2 CuPc composite is more complete and efficient than over pure TiO2, suggesting the potential application of dye-sensitized TiO2 catalyst in the thorough photodegradation of PS plastic under fluorescent light. During the photodegradation of PS plastic, the reactive oxygen species generated on TiO2 or TiO2/CuPc particle surfaces play important roles in chain scission. The present study demonstrates that the combination of polymer plastic with dye-sensitized TiO2 catalyst in the form of thin film is a practical and useful way to photodegrade plastic contaminants in the sunlight.

Picosecond Vibrational Spectroscopy of Shocked Energetic Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franken, Jens; Hare, David; Hambir, Selezion; Tas, Guray; Dlott, Dana

1997-07-01

We present a new technique which allows the study of the properties of shock compressed energetic materials via vibrational spectroscopy with a time resolution on the order of 25 ps. Shock waves are generated using a near-IR laser at a repetition rate of 80 shocks per second. Shock pressures up to 5 GPa are obtained; shock risetimes are as short as 25 ps. This technique enables us to estimate shock pressures and temperatures as well as to monitor shock induced chemistry. The shock effects are probed by ps coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS). The sample consists of four layers, a glass plate, a thin polycrystalline layer of an energetic material, a buffer layer and the shock generating layer. The latter is composed of a polymer, a near-IR absorbing dye and a high explosive (RDX) as a pressure booster. The main purpose of the buffer layer, which consists of an inert polymer, is to delay the arrival of the shock wave at the sample by more than 1 ns until after the shock generating layer has ablated away. High quality, high resolution (1 cm-1) low-background vibrational spectra could be obtained. So far this technique has been applied to rather insensitive high explosives such as TATB and NTO. In the upcoming months we are hoping to actually observe chemistry in real time by shocking more sensitive materials. This work was supported by the NSF, the ARO and the AFOSR

Exploration of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition as a method for thin-film fabrication with biological applications.

PubMed

Vasudev, Milana C; Anderson, Kyle D; Bunning, Timothy J; Tsukruk, Vladimir V; Naik, Rajesh R

2013-05-22

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been used historically for the fabrication of thin films composed of inorganic materials. But the advent of specialized techniques such as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) has extended this deposition technique to various monomers. More specifically, the deposition of polymers of responsive materials, biocompatible polymers, and biomaterials has made PECVD attractive for the integration of biotic and abiotic systems. This review focuses on the mechanisms of thin-film growth using low-pressure PECVD and current applications of classic PECVD thin films of organic and inorganic materials in biological environments. The last part of the review explores the novel application of low-pressure PECVD in the deposition of biological materials.

Structures and properties of poly(3-alkylthiophene) thin-films fabricated though vapor-phase polymerization.

PubMed

Back, Ji-Woong; Song, Eun-Ah; Lee, Keum-Joo; Lee, Youn-Kyung; Hwang, Chae-Ryong; Jo, Sang-Hyun; Jung, Woo-Gwang; Kim, Jin-Yeol

2012-02-01

Organic semiconducting polymer thin-films of 3-hexylthiophene, 3-octylthiophene, 3-decylthiophene, containing highly oriented crystal were fabricated by gas-phase polymerization using the CVD technique. These poly(3-alkylthiophene) films had a crystallinity up to 80%, and possessed a Hall mobility up to 10 cm2/Vs. The degree of crystalinity and the mobility values increased as the alkyl chain length increased. The crystal structure of the polymers was composed of stacked layers constructed by a side-by-side arrangement of alkyl chains and in-plane pi-pi stacking. These thin films are capable of being applied to organic electronics as the active materials used in thin-film transistors and organic photovoltaic cells.

Inelastic deformation of plasma polymerised thin films facilitated by transient dense plasma focus irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grant, Daniel S.; Rawat, Rajdeep S.; Bazaka, Kateryna; Jacob, Mohan V.

2017-09-01

The high degree of crosslinking present in plasma polymerised thin films, coupled with their high molecular weight, imbues these films with properties similar to those of thermosetting polymers. For instance, such films tend to be relatively hard, insoluble, and to date have not exhibited plasticity when subjected to elevated temperatures. In this paper it is demonstrated that plasma polymers can, in fact, undergo plastic deformation in response to the application of extremely short-lived thermal treatment delivered by a dense plasma focus device, as evidenced by the evolution of bubble-like structures from the thin film. This finding suggests new avenues for texturing plasma thin films, and synthesising cavities that may find utility as thermal insulators or domains for material encapsulation.

Utilization of Corn Cob and TiO2 Photocatalyst Thin Films for Dyes Removal.

PubMed

Gan, Hui-Yee; Leow, Li-Eau; Ong, Siew-Teng

2017-01-01

The effectiveness of using TiO2 and corn cob films to remove Malachite Green oxalate (MG) and Acid Yellow 17 (AY 17) from binary dye solution was studied. The immobilization method in this study can avoid the filtration step which is not suited for practical applications. Batch studies were performed under different experimental conditions and the parameters studied involved initial pH of dye solution, initial dye concentration and contact time and reusability. The equilibrium data of MG and AY 17 conform to Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. The percentage removal of MG remained high after four sorption cycles, however for AY 17, a greater reduction was observed. The removal of both dyes were optimized and modeled via Plackett- Burman design (PB) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). IR spectrum and surface conditions analyses were carried out using fourier-transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively.

Molecular Strategies for Morphology Control in Semiconducting Polymers for Optoelectronics.

PubMed

Rahmanudin, Aiman; Sivula, Kevin

2017-06-28

Solution-processable semiconducting polymers have been explored over the last decades for their potential applications in inexpensively fabricated transistors, diodes and photovoltaic cells. However, a remaining challenge in the field is to control the solid-state self-assembly of polymer chains in thin films devices, as the aspects of (semi)crystallinity, grain boundaries, and chain entanglement can drastically affect intra-and inter-molecular charge transport/transfer and thus device performance. In this short review we examine how the aspects of molecular weight and chain rigidity affect solid-state self-assembly and highlight molecular engineering strategies to tune thin film morphology. Side chain engineering, flexibly linking conjugation segments, and block co-polymer strategies are specifically discussed with respect to their effect on field effect charge carrier mobility in transistors and power conversion efficiency in solar cells. Example systems are taken from recent literature including work from our laboratories to illustrate the potential of molecular engineering semiconducting polymers.

Computational modeling of in vitro biological responses on polymethacrylate surfaces

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Jayeeta; Lewitus, Dan Y; Chandra, Prafulla; Joy, Abraham; Bushman, Jared; Knight, Doyle; Kohn, Joachim

2011-01-01

The objective of this research was to examine the capabilities of QSPR (Quantitative Structure Property Relationship) modeling to predict specific biological responses (fibrinogen adsorption, cell attachment and cell proliferation index) on thin films of different polymethacrylates. Using 33 commercially available monomers it is theoretically possible to construct a library of over 40,000 distinct polymer compositions. A subset of these polymers were synthesized and solvent cast surfaces were prepared in 96 well plates for the measurement of fibrinogen adsorption. NIH 3T3 cell attachment and proliferation index were measured on spin coated thin films of these polymers. Based on the experimental results of these polymers, separate models were built for homo-, co-, and terpolymers in the library with good correlation between experiment and predicted values. The ability to predict biological responses by simple QSPR models for large numbers of polymers has important implications in designing biomaterials for specific biological or medical applications. PMID:21779132

Enhancement of mechanical properties of polymers by thin flake addition and apparatus for producing such thin flakes

DOEpatents

Bunnell, Sr., Lee R.

1991-01-01

Compositions in accordance with the invention comprise a polymer and flake reinforcing material distributed throughout the polymer in an effective amount to structurally reinforce the polymer. Individual flakes of the flake material (a) are less than or equal to 1,000 Angstroms in thickness, (b) have an aspect ratio greater than or equal to 100, and (c) are preferably significantly randomly oriented throughout the polymer. A novel apparatus for shear grinding a platy solid material into such individual flakes comprises a cylindrical shearing drum and a shear grinder received therein. The shearing drum has a longitudinal axis and an internal surface formed about a first predetermined radius of curvature. The cylindrical drum is supported for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The shear grinder has an external surface formed about a second predetermined radius of curvature. The second radius of curvature is slightly less than the first radius of curvature.

Issues and Consequences of Atomic Oxygen Undercutting of Protected Polymers in Low Earth Orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banks, Bruce A.; Snyder, Aaron; Miller, Sharon K.; Demko, Rikako

2002-01-01

Hydrocarbon based polymers that are exposed to atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit are slowly oxidized which results in recession of their surface. Atomic oxygen protective coatings have been developed which are both durable to atomic oxygen and effective in protecting underlying polymers. However, scratches, pin window defects, polymer surface roughness and protective coating layer configuration can result in erosion and potential failure of protected thin polymer films even though the coatings are themselves atomic oxygen durable. This paper will present issues that cause protective coatings to become ineffective in some cases yet effective in others due to the details of their specific application. Observed in-space examples of failed and successfully protected materials using identical protective thin films will be discussed and analyzed. Proposed approaches to prevent the failures that have been observed will also be presented.

Influence of Irreversible Adsorption on the Glass Transition Temperature of Polymer Thin Films as Measured by Fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burroughs, Mary; Priestley, Rodney

2014-03-01

Polymers confined to the nanometer length scale have been shown to exhibit deviations in the glass transition temperature (Tg) from the bulk. With the increasing use of confined polymers in nanotechnology, understanding and predicting this behavior is extremely relevant to industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to organic electronics. Recent work (Napolitano, Wübbenhorst, Nature Communications, 2, 260 (2011)) has connected deviations in Tg under confinement with irreversible physical adsorption of polymer chains at substrate interfaces. Here we investigate the influence of irreversibly adsorbed layers on the Tg of polystyrene (PS) thin films supported on silica via fluorescence. We examine the Tg of the brushes as a function of annealing time and irreversibly adsorbed layer thickness. By incorporating fluorescently labeled polymer layers into multilayered films of unlabeled polymer, we will examine the influence of brushes on adjacent layers dynamics. Finally, we will compare the results on PS with those of poly(methyl methacrylate).

A survey of extraction solvents in the forensic analysis of textile dyes.

PubMed

Groves, Ethan; Palenik, Christopher S; Palenik, Skip

2016-11-01

The characterization and identification of dyes in fibers can be used to provide investigative leads and strengthen associations between known and questioned items of evidence. The isolation of a dye from its matrix (e.g., a textile fiber) permits detailed characterization, comparison and, in some cases, identification using methods such as thin layer chromatography in conjunction with infrared and Raman spectroscopy. A survey of dye extraction publications reveals that pyridine:water (4:3) is among the most commonly cited extraction solvent across a range of fiber and dye chemistries. Here, the efficacy of this solvent system has been evaluated for the extraction of dyes from 172 commercially prevalent North American textile dyes. The evaluated population represents seven dye application classes, 18 chemical classes, and spans nine types of commercial textile fibers. The results of this survey indicate that ∼82% of the dyestuffs studied are extractable using this solvent system. The results presented here summarize the extraction efficacy by class and fiber type and illustrate that this solvent system is applicable to a wider variety of classes and fibers than previously indicated in the literature. While there is no universal solvent for fiber extraction, these results demonstrate that pyridine:water represents an excellent first step for extracting unknown dyes from questioned fibers in forensic casework. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gold leaf counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimada, Kazuhiro; Toyoda, Takeshi

2018-03-01

In this study, a gold leaf 100 nm thin film is used as the counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. The traditional method of hammering gold foil to obtain a thin gold leaf, which requires only small amounts of gold, was employed. The gold leaf was then attached to the substrate using an adhesive to produce the gold electrode. The proposed approach for fabricating counter electrodes is demonstrated to be facile and cost-effective, as opposed to existing techniques. Compared with electrodes prepared with gold foil and sputtered gold, the gold leaf counter electrode demonstrates higher catalytic activity with a cobalt-complex electrolyte and higher cell efficiency. The origin of the improved performance was investigated by surface morphology examination (scanning electron microscopy), various electrochemical analyses (cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), and crystalline analysis (X-ray diffractometry).

Optical sensor array platform based on polymer electronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koetse, Marc M.; Rensing, Peter A.; Sharpe, Ruben B. A.; van Heck, Gert T.; Allard, Bart A. M.; Meulendijks, Nicole N. M. M.; Kruijt, Peter G. M.; Tijdink, Marcel W. W. J.; De Zwart, René M.; Houben, René J.; Enting, Erik; van Veen, Sjaak J. J. F.; Schoo, Herman F. M.

2007-10-01

Monitoring of personal wellbeing and optimizing human performance are areas where sensors have only begun to be used. One of the reasons for this is the specific demands that these application areas put on the underlying technology and system properties. In many cases these sensors will be integrated in clothing, be worn on the skin, or may even be placed inside the body. This implies that flexibility and wearability of the systems is essential for their success. Devices based on polymer semiconductors allow for these demands since they can be fabricated with thin film technology. The use of thin film device technology allows for the fabrication of very thin sensors (e.g. integrated in food product packaging), flexible or bendable sensors in wearables, large area/distributed sensors, and intrinsically low-cost applications in disposable products. With thin film device technology a high level of integration can be achieved with parts that analyze signals, process and store data, and interact over a network. Integration of all these functions will inherently lead to better cost/performance ratios, especially if printing and other standard polymer technology such as high precision moulding is applied for the fabrication. In this paper we present an optical transmission sensor array based on polymer semiconductor devices made by thin film technology. The organic devices, light emitting diodes, photodiodes and selective medium chip, are integrated with classic electronic components. Together they form a versatile sensor platform that allows for the quantitative measurement of 100 channels and communicates wireless with a computer. The emphasis is given to the sensor principle, the design, fabrication technology and integration of the thin film devices.

The production of ultrathin polyimide films for the solar sail program and Large Space Structures Technology (LSST): A feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forester, R. H.

1978-01-01

Polyimide membranes of a thickness range from under 0.01 micron m to greater than 1 micron m can be produced at an estimated cost of 50 cents per sq m (plus the cost of the polymer). The polymer of interest is dissolved in a solvent which is solube in water. The polymer or casting solution is allowed to flow down an inclined ramp onto a water surface where a pool of floating polymer develops. The solvent dissolves into the water lowering the surface tension of the water on equently, the contact angle of the polymer pool is very low and the edge of the pool is very thin. The solvent dissolves from this thin region too rapidly to be replenished from the bulk of the pool and a solid polymer film forms. Firm formation is rapid and spontaneous and the film spreads out unaided, many feet from the leading edge of the pool. The driving force for this process is the exothermic solution of the organic solvent from the polymer solution into the water.

Optical and Morphological Properties of P3HT and P3HT: PCBM Thin Films Used in Photovoltaic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hrostea, L.; Girtan, M.; Mallet, R.; Leontie, L.

2018-06-01

This work is focused on the study of some physical properties of poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) and poly(e-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl): Methanolfullerene Phenyl-C61-Butyric-Accid-Methyl-Ester (PCBM) blend thin films. Knowing the polymer advantages, such as ease of processing, high thermal stability, strong interaction with light, its properties have captured the attention regarding the changes that can occur in a polymer:fullerene blend in term of them. Polymer and polymer:fullerene blend (1:0.1, 1:0.2, 1:0.4 and 1:0.8 ratios) were deposited by spin coating on glass and SnO2:F (FTO) coated glass. The optical properties were emphasized using spectrophotometry (300 – 2200 nm wavelength range) and spectroscopic ellipsometry models, to obtain the refractive index, extinction coefficient and the transmission (found higher than 80%). According to X-ray diffraction analysis, as-obtained films are amorphous. Investigation of the surface morphology of thin-film samples using Atomic Force Microscopy revealed a crystallite-like surface morphology with crystallite size in the nanometer range.

Sequestration of dyes from artificially prepared textile effluent using RSM-CCD optimized hybrid backbone based adsorbent-kinetic and equilibrium studies.

PubMed

Sukriti; Sharma, Jitender; Chadha, Amritpal Singh; Pruthi, Vaishali; Anand, Prerna; Bhatia, Jaspreet; Kaith, B S

2017-04-01

Present work reports the synthesis of semi-Interpenetrating Network Polymer (semi-IPN) using Gelatin-Gum xanthan hybrid backbone and polyvinyl alcohol in presence of l-tartaric acid and ammonium persulphate as the crosslinker-initiator system. Reaction parameters were optimized with Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in order to maximize the percent gel fraction of the synthesized sample. Polyvinyl alcohol, l-Tartaric acid, ammonium persulphate, reaction temperature, time and pH of the reaction medium were found to make an impact on the percentage gel fraction obtained. Incorporation of polyvinyl alcohol chains onto hybrid backbone and crosslinking between the different polymer chains were confirmed through techniques like FTIR, SEM-EDX and XRD. Semi-IPN was found to be very efficient in the removal of cationic dyes rhodamine-B (70%) and auramine-O (63%) from a mixture with an adsorbent dose of 700 mg, initial concentration of rhodamine-B 6 mgL -1 and auramine-O 26 mgL -1 , at an time interval of 22-25 h and 30 °C temp. Further to determine the nature of adsorption Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were studied and it was found that Langmuir adsorption isotherm was the best fit model for the removal of mixture of dyes. Kinetic studies for the sorption of dyes favored the reaction mechanism to occur via a pseudo second order pathway with R 2 value about 0.99. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bis(thienothiophenyl) diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymers with various branched alkyl side chains and their applications in thin-film transistors and polymer solar cells.

PubMed

Shin, Jicheol; Park, Gi Eun; Lee, Dae Hee; Um, Hyun Ah; Lee, Tae Wan; Cho, Min Ju; Choi, Dong Hoon

2015-02-11

New thienothiophene-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole and thiophene-containing π-extended conjugated polymers with various branched alkyl side-chains were successfully synthesized. 2-Octyldodecyl, 2-decyltetradecyl, 2-tetradecylhexadecyl, 2-hexadecyloctadecyl, and 2-octadecyldocosyl groups were selected as the side-chain moieties and were anchored to the N-positions of the thienothiophene-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole unit. All five polymers were found to be soluble owing to the bulkiness of the side chains. The thin-film transistor based on the 2-tetradecylhexadecyl-substituted polymer showed the highest hole mobility of 1.92 cm2 V(-1) s(-1) due to it having the smallest π-π stacking distance between the polymer chains, which was determined by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells incorporating [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester as the n-type molecule and the additive 1,8-diiodooctane (1 vol %) were also constructed from the synthesized polymers without thermal annealing; the device containing the 2-octyldodecyl-substituted polymer exhibited the highest power conversion efficiency of 5.8%. Although all the polymers showed similar physical properties, their device performance was clearly influenced by the sizes of the branched alkyl side-chain groups.

Creation of second-order nonlinear optical effects by photoisomerization of polar azo dyes in polymeric films: theoretical study of steady-state and transient properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekkat, Zouheir; Knoll, Wolfgang

1995-10-01

It was shown recently that the application of a dc field across a polymer film containing polar azo dye chromophores at a temperature far below that of its glass transition leads to an appreciable polar order when the azo dyes undergo cis \\left-right-double-arrow trans isomerization. We present a detailed theoretical study of this phenomenon based on the enhanced mobility of the azo chromophores during the isomerization process. The equations representing this phenomenological theory are solved by recurrence relations of Legendre polynomials, and both the steady state and the dynamics are investigated. Analytical expressions are derived for the photoinduced polar order and its related anisotropy for both cis and trans molecular distributions.

Improved efficiency of ZnO hierarchical particle based dye sensitized solar cell by incorporating thin passivation layer in photo-anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Priyanka; Mondal, Biswanath; Mukherjee, Kalisadhan

2018-01-01

Present article describes the DSSC performances of photo-anodes prepared using hydrothermal route derived ZnO particles having dissimilar morphologies i.e. simple micro-rod and nano-tips decorated micro-rod. The surface of nano-tips decorated micro-rod is uneven and patterned which facilitate more dye adsorption and better scattering of the incident light resulting superior photo-conversion efficiency (PCE) ( η 1.09%) than micro-rod ZnO ( η 0.86%). To further improve the efficiency of nano-tips decorated micro-rod ZnO based DSSC, thin passivation layer of ZnO is introduced in the corresponding photo-anode and a higher PCE ( η 1.29%) is achieved. The compact thin passivation layer here expedites the transportation of photo-excited electrons, restricts the undesired recombination reactions and prevents the direct contact of electrolyte with conducting substrates. Attempt is made to understand the effect of passivation layer on the transportation kinetics of photo-excited electrons by analyzing the electrochemical impedance spectra of the developed cells.