Enhanced power-conversion efficiency in organic solar cells incorporating polymeric compatibilizers

Voltammetric Investigation on Uranyl Sorption by Alginate Based Material. Influence of Hydrolysis and pH Dependence

The removal of U(VI) as uranyl (UO22+) from aqueous solutions was investigated by sorption onto alginate based material. The hydrolysis of uranyl ion was always taken into account in the calculations of free (22UO) ion in aqueous solution, in the experimental pH range considered, as well as the acid-base properties of alginate polymer. The sorption process follows a pseudo-second order kinetic model and the sorption rate decreases when the pH value increases. In addition to the classical Langmuir and Freundlich models, the equilibrium data were fitted by using a modified multi-component equilibrium model, never tested before. Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) and Inductively Coupled Plas…

Organoboron Polymers for Photovoltaic Bulk Heterojunctions

Enhanced Efficiency of Organic Solar Cells by Thiol-capped Au-Nanoparticles

In this work, we present a study on the effect of thiol-capped AuNPs of various sizesin an organic solar cell.AuNPs have been obtained by laser ablation in liquid solution[2], have been functionalized both with 2-naphthalenethiol and alkanethiol having different length. In addition to bulk heterojunction structures with optimized interpenetrating network of donors and acceptor domains, we have chosen to study planar heterojunctions (PHJs), consisting of three component thin films realized by sequential deposition of P3HT, AuNPs and PCBM from orthogonal solvents.

Potentials for critical raw materials recovery from Mediterranean saltworks bitterns

Minerals extraction from seawater brines is currently regarded as the most practical approach to reduce European dependency from the import of many Critical Raw Materials. The technical feasibility of such approach has been widely demonstrated in several different research and development projects but the economic sustainability has always been found to depend on the local demand for sodium chloride, which is always the most abundant product of the extraction. Starting from this crucial node, the SEArcularMINE project has investigated the possibility to use the residual brines originated by sea-salt extraction in traditional saltworks, regarded as an already well-established marketplace. Th…

Self-cleaning materials active in the visible range based on porphyrin-sensitised titanium dioxide

In the last decades, nanostructured semiconductors played a central role in the material science scene because of their numerous applications spanning from renewable energy to organic/hybrid electronics up to photocatalysis. Titanium dioxide is one of the most used semiconductors because of its low cost, chemical stability, sustainability and versatility. Indeed, it is widely employed as photo-active or charge- transporting material in electronic devices, as photocatalyst in water de-pollution treatments etc.. Remarkably, one of the most interesting application of titanium dioxide consists of the protection and conservation of cultural heritages. Actually, TiO2 photocatalytic properties are…

Engineering 3D nanoscale order in molecular thin films for organic photovoltaics

Visible light active self-cleaning materials based on porphyrin-sensitised titanium dioxide

Starting from second half of last century, nanostructured semiconductors have had a crucial function in the material science because of their wide application field going from renewable energy to organic/hybrid electronics up to photocatalysis. Among those materials, titanium dioxide is probably the most used because of some important characteristics like the chemical/mechanical stability, environmental sustainability, its low cost and versatility. Indeed, it has been successfully employed as photo- and electro-active component in electronic devices as well as photocatalytic agent1 in water de-pollution application. Interestingly and importantly together, titanium dioxide may also be applie…

Enhanced efficiency in plastic planar heterojunction solar cells by AuNPs positioned at donor-acceptor interfaces

A new class of copolymers containing oligothiophene moieties with different length and fullerene units have been designed and prepared by an easy and inexpensive one-step synthetic approach. The incorporation of small quantities of these copolymers into bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with donor regioregular polythiophene (P3HT) and acceptor fullerene derivate (PCBM) results in a good control of the phase separation process without further affecting the BHJ optoelectronic properties. Indeed, these copolymers allow modulating under thermal annealing the growth of domains whose size depends on the length of the copolymer repetitive units. Domain size on the same length scale of the P3HT…

Assessment of the awareness and management of sleep apnea syndrome in acromegaly. The COM.E.TA (Comorbidities Evaluation and Treatment in Acromegaly) Italian Study Group

In 2007 the Italian COM.E.T.A. (COMorbidities Evaluation and Treatment in Acromegaly) study group started to assess the application in a clinical setting of the Versailles criteria for management of acromegaly complications by a first questionnaire focusing on cardiovascular co-morbidities. A further questionnaire on sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) was delivered by the COM.E.T.A. study group to 107 endocrine centers in Italy. The results of our survey suggest that SAS is a well-known comorbidity even if its estimated prevalence is lower than in the literature. Polysomnography is the preferred tool for diagnosis. Control of SAS is considered relevant both for quality of life and co-morbidities. C…

Thin-Film Heterojunction by Carbon Nanotube Derivatives with Enhanced Solubility and Optical Properties

Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells with Multilayered Metal Top Electrodes for BIPVs and Tandem Applications

Semitransparent perovskite-based solar cells (ST-PSCs) are highly desired to be integrated into buildings as electricity-generating solar windows in the context of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs), as well as in tandem solar cells combined with other low-bandgap solar cells (e.g. silicon or CIGS) to give enhanced light-harvesting. To fabricate high-performance ST-PSCs, one key challenge is that of replacing the conventional opaque metal top electrodes with suitable transparent alternatives. Recently, dielectric/metal/dielectric (DMD) multilayer architectures have been shown to be suitable candidates as transparent top electrodes, exhibiting ideal characteristics such as mechanical …