Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuheng Man, Linglong Ye, Yunhao Cai, Xiaobo Sun, Yanming Sun
Summary: Side-chain engineering is an effective way to develop non-fullerene acceptors for organic solar cells. A novel acceptor IT-BnC6-4F was designed and synthesized in this work, which showed a broader absorption spectrum and higher crystallinity than its analogue IT-4F. When blended with PT2, the IT-BnC6-4F based device achieved a high power conversion efficiency of 13.36%.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jung Yong Kim, Pawel Jarka, Barbara Hajduk, Henryk Bednarski, Urszula Szeluga, Tomasz Tanski
Summary: Phase diagrams of ternary pi-bonded polymer (PTB7-Th) solutions were constructed to investigate the effects of molecular weight, temperature, and electron acceptor species on the solution properties. The morphologies and surface properties of blends composed of PTB7-Th and ITIC were examined using atomic force microscopy and water contact-angle goniometer. The results revealed a phase transition in the PTB7-Th:ITIC system at around 60-70 wt.% ITIC.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuzhang Xiao, Mengzhen Du, Qingling Nie, Bo Xiao, Qiang Guo, Chuanqi Dong, Yanfang Geng, Qing Guo, Erjun Zhou
Summary: The study investigates the modification of side chain structures to improve the photovoltaic performance of A(2)-A(1)-D-A(1)-A(2) type NFAs with P3HT. The results show that fine-tuning the middle D unit significantly influences the intermolecular interaction, while modulation of the side chains at A(1) and A(2) units can enhance power conversion efficiencies.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jose Marin-Beloqui, Guanran Zhang, Junjun Guo, Jordan Shaikh, Thibaut Wohrer, Seyed Mehrdad Hosseini, Bowen Sun, James Shipp, Alexander J. Auty, Dimitri Chekulaev, Jun Ye, Yi-Chun Chin, Michael B. Sullivan, Attila J. Mozer, Ji-Seon Kim, Safa Shoaee, Tracey M. Clarke
Summary: This study investigates the bimolecular recombination characteristics of the conjugated polymer PDTSiTTz blended with various fullerenes. The results show that the trap-limited decay dynamics of PDTSiTTz become slower across the fullerene series, while those of Si-PCPDTBT remain unchanged. Additionally, the blends of PDTSiTTz with ICBA and ICTA exhibit similar density of states to Si-PCPDTBT, which is attributed to the increased interchain separation caused by bulky fullerenes.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Elisa Trippodo, Vincenzo Campisciano, Liang-Wen Feng, Yao Chen, Wei Huang, Joaquin M. Alzola, Ding Zheng, Vinod K. Sangwan, Mark C. Hersam, Michael R. Wasielewski, Bruno Pignataro, Francesco Giacalone, Tobin J. Marks, Antonio Facchetti
Summary: Organic solar cells based on donor-acceptor blends have shown great potential in efficiency improvement, but performance degradation is still a major obstacle for commercialization. Ternary solar cells with fullerene acceptors as the third component exhibit enhanced stability with over 90% retention of initial power conversion efficiency even after 6 months of storage. This improved stability is attributed to a more robust blend morphology that reduces charge recombination in the aging process.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jianquan Zhang, Fujin Bai, Indunil Angunawela, Xiaoyun Xu, Siwei Luo, Chao Li, Gaoda Chai, Han Yu, Yuzhong Chen, Huawei Hu, Zaifei Ma, Harald Ade, He Yan
Summary: Side-chain modifications of NFAs play a crucial role in enhancing the performance of OSCs. By introducing bulkier alkyl chains branched at specific positions, it is possible to alter molecular packing, improve open-circuit voltage, and achieve better device performance. The side-chain branching design of NFAs shows great potential in optimizing molecular properties and promoting photovoltaic performance.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Drew B. Riley, Oskar J. Sandberg, Nasim Zarrabi, Yong Ryun Kim, Paul Meredith, Ardalan Armin
Summary: This study reports a novel photoluminescence-based probe that accurately quantifies the donor-acceptor domain size in organic photovoltaic (OPV) blends. The research shows that in high-efficiency non-fullerene acceptor (NFA) systems, larger domains are formed. However, the expected reduction in bimolecular recombination attributed to the enhanced domain sizes is not significant enough. It is further demonstrated that the reduction in bimolecular recombination is correlated to enhanced exciton dynamics within the NFA domains.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Alem Araya Meresa, Bhaskar Parida, Dang Xuan Long, Donguk Kim, Taemin Kim, Taeshik Earmme, Jongin Hong, Dong-Won Kang, Felix Sunjoo Kim
Summary: In this study, bis(pentafluorophenyl)zinc (BPFZn) was introduced as a molecular dopant in a polymer:fullerene blend to enhance the efficiency of organic solar cells. The results showed improved power conversion efficiency, increased fill factor, enhanced exciton dissociation, and suppressed charge recombination.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Paul A. Hume, Wanting Jiao, Justin M. Hodgkiss
Summary: This study focuses on the application of novel non-fullerene acceptors in organic photovoltaic cells, successfully quantifying the large diffusion coefficient using density functional theory, and accurately predicting exciton diffusivity and diffusion length using Monte-Carlo techniques and a sum-over-rates method. The results demonstrate the crucial role of structural order and electronic coupling profiles of materials in determining the performance of organic solar cell devices.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Kyle Wm Hall, Simona Percec, Wataru Shinoda, Michael L. Klein
Summary: This computational study demonstrates that modifying the end groups of polymer chains can control polymer crystal nucleation in entangled melts, even though chain-end clusters do not act as direct nucleating agents. The approach leverages steric mismatch between chain-end and main-chain segments to alter polyethylene crystal nucleation, resulting in an increase in crystal nucleation temperature of entangled melts.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
A. G. Catalano, F. Mattiotti, J. Dubail, D. Hagenmuller, T. Prosen, F. Franchini, G. Pupillo
Summary: In this study, we analyze the exciton propagation in a d-dimensional lattice with power-law hopping cc 1/ra and dephasing. We find that in the strong dephasing regime, the dynamics can be described by a classical master equation for an exclusion process with long jumps. The spatial distribution of the exciton changes at a critical value of the decay exponent, and it exhibits anomalous diffusion behavior.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yi Yuan, Pankaj Kumar, Jenner H. L. Ngai, Xiguang Gao, Xu Li, Haitao Liu, Jinliang Wang, Yuning Li
Summary: Organic semiconductors have low dielectric constant and high exciton binding energy, leading to low power conversion efficiency and requirements for delicate nanophase separation in organic solar cells. This study shows that using methyl acrylate as a weakly electron-withdrawing side chain can increase the dielectric constant, reduce the exciton binding energy, and enhance the efficiency of polymer semiconductors in solar cells.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Kroh, Stavros Athanasopoulos, Vojtech Nadazdy, Frank-Julian Kahle, Heinz Bassler, Anna Kohler
Summary: By measuring energy-resolved impedance and intrinsic photoconduction, this study investigates the dissociation of charge-transfer (CT) states in a PM6:Y6 solar cell. It finds that the Coulomb binding energy of the CT state is lower than expected due to hole delocalization and electron sharing among Y6 molecules. The temperature dependence of the photocurrent is not reflective of the CT state's binding energy because the dissociation process has a different activation energy and the saturation of dissociation yield occurs when the rate of dissociation exceeds the rate of intrinsic decay.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Hong-En Wang, Zhiyong Liu
Summary: In this study, a fullerene derivative NC(70)BA was used as a guest acceptor and introduced into PM7:Y6 binary films to fabricate ternary organic solar cells. The optimized ternary films achieved a high power conversion efficiency and improved the properties of the photoactive layer.
ORGANIC ELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Grazyna Jarosz, Rafal Marczynski, Ryszard Signerski
Summary: The paper presents a method for estimating the efficiency of exciton splitting at the ED/EA interface. The method involves evaluating the splitting of excitons into electron-hole pairs based on the external quantum efficiency spectra of planar cells and the absorbance spectra of active organic layers. The analysis indicates that only the DBP/PTCBI interface is attractive for organic photovoltaics and organic photodetection.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Sadaf Irshad, Muhammad Shakeel, Aysha Bibi, Muhammad Sajjad, Kottakkran Sooppy Nisar
Summary: This study investigates the optical soliton solutions to the fractional nonlinear Schrodinger equation with nonlinear oscillating coefficient and Beta and M-truncated derivatives. A complex wave transformation is applied to convert the fractional NLS equation into an ordinary differential equation. The optical solution structures are obtained using the SSE method. The fractional NLS equation is commonly used in various fields such as optical telecommunication, high-energy physics, gas dynamics, electrodynamics, and ocean engineering. The graphical representation of the results is also discussed in detail.
MODERN PHYSICS LETTERS B
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Shih-Wei Chiu, An Hsu, Lei Ying, Yong-Kang Liaw, Kun-Ta Lin, Jrjeng Ruan, Ifor D. W. Samuel, Ben B. Y. Hsu
Summary: Researchers propose a solution to the challenge of charge transport imbalance in bilayer organic light-emitting field-effect transistors (OLEFETs) by introducing a specially designed transparent organic/inorganic hybrid contact. Numerical simulations show that this design can steadily accumulate electrons injected into the emissive polymer, allowing the light-emitting interface to effectively capture more holes even when the hole current increases.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
P. E. Brown, A. Ruseckas, L. K. Jagadamma, O. Blaszczyk, J. R. Harwell, N. Mica, E. Zysman-Colman, I. D. W. Samuel
Summary: Charge diffusion and extraction are important processes in solar cells. In this study, time-resolved photoluminescence was used to investigate electron diffusion and transfer in hybrid perovskite films. It was found that introducing a fullerene monolayer between the MAPbI3 and SnO2 layers significantly increased the electron transfer velocity, suggesting that electron diffusion limits the rate of charge extraction. These findings suggest that enhancing the electron diffusion coefficient in MAPbI3 could improve the efficiency of solar cells.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Sofie E. Voerman, Beauregard C. Marsh, Ricardo G. Bahia, Guilherme H. Pereira-Filho, Ana Clara F. Becker, Gilberto M. Amado-Filho, Arvydas Ruseckas, Graham A. Turnbull, Ifor D. W. Samuel, Heidi L. Burdett
Summary: Investigated the photo- and chromatic acclimation and morphological change of red coralline algae in mesophotic depths. Results showed that these algae can maintain photosynthetic function under decreasing light intensity and spectral availability, but this leads to smaller and less complex thalli. The photo-acclimatory response is conserved at least at the Order level, while chromatic acclimation is not depth-dependent. Use of photoprotection is necessary at 65 m depth, while optimal light levels are met at 86 m.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
M. Prabodhi A. Nanayakkara, Qiao He, Arvydas Ruseckas, Anushanth Karalasingam, Lidija Matjacic, Mateus G. Masteghin, Laura Basirico, Ilaria Fratelli, Andrea Ciavatti, Rachel C. Kilbride, Sandra Jenatsch, Andrew J. Parnell, Beatrice Fraboni, Andrew Nisbet, Martin Heeney, K. D. G. Imalka Jayawardena, S. Ravi P. Silva
Summary: This article introduces a new strategy to achieve high-sensitivity performance for X-ray detectors by using high-Z heteroatoms modified organic semiconductors. X-ray detectors fabricated with selenium heteroatoms displayed superior performance in terms of sensitivity and showed efficient charge transfer and transport characteristics.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yi Wang, Jack Howley, Erica N. N. Faria, Chen Huang, Sadie Carter-Searjeant, Simon Fairclough, Angus Kirkland, Jason J. J. Davis, Falak Naz, Muhammad Tariq Sajjad, Jose M. M. Goicoechea, Mark Green
Summary: We present a new synthetic method to prepare high-quality InP-based quantum dots (QDs) with tuneable emission, by using a solid, air- and moisture-tolerant primary phosphine as a group-V precursor. This method offers a significantly simpler synthetic pathway compared to the current state-of-the-art precursors used in phosphide quantum dot synthesis, which are volatile, dangerous, and sensitive to air, such as P(Si(CH3)(3))(3).
NANOSCALE HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Muhammad Sajjad, Tariq Shah, Maha Alammari, Huda Alsaud
Summary: In this article, the theory of the Gaussian field and its extension field are discussed. A comprehensive construction scheme for BCH codes over the Gaussian field is provided. The decoding of newly designed BCH codes is performed using a slightly amended modified Berlekamp-Massey algorithm. BCH codes over the Gaussian field offer coding gain, resulting in a better code rate and number of code words compared to BCH codes over finite fields. Therefore, they are a promising candidate for use in communication systems.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Muhammad Sajjad, Tariq Shah, Huda Alsaud, Maha Alammari
Summary: In the field of cryptography, block ciphers with a nonlinear substitution function play a significant role in ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of data. This paper proposes a new design methodology for the nonlinear substitution function using Quaternion integers (QI), which are an extension of complex numbers allowing for more complex arithmetic operations. The proposed design demonstrates superior security compared to existing designs, making it a promising approach for future cryptographic applications.
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Tariq Shah, Muhammad Zohaib, Qin Xin, Bander Almutairi, Muhammad Sajjad
Summary: This article introduces a new generalized RSA crypto-system called GRSA, based on 2n prime numbers. It provides supreme security for the computer world by factoring the variable Φ, which has become easier with the development of tools and equipment. The GRSA crypto-system uses 2n primes to ensure security over the network system, including encryption, key generation, and decryption. This method offers better performance and reliability by using hard-to-break 2n primes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shaoyang Wang, Paul R. Edwards, Maged Abdelsamie, Peter Brown, David Webster, Arvydas Ruseckas, Gopika Rajan, Ana I. S. Neves, Robert W. Martin, Carolin M. Sutter-Fella, Graham A. Turnbull, Ifor D. W. Samuel, Lethy Krishnan Jagadamma
Summary: This study demonstrates the retention of chlorine in the wide bandgap triple anion perovskite and its beneficial role in enhancing indoor light harvesting. By incorporating chlorine, improved crystalline quality, reduced trap states density, and longer carrier lifetime were achieved. The optimized perovskite indoor photovoltaic devices achieved high power conversion efficiency under indoor illumination and successfully powered a textile fiber-based temperature sensor wirelessly. These findings provide a novel route to maximize power output from halide perovskite indoor photovoltaic devices and their promising potential for the Internet of Things (IoT) industry.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Muhammad Sajjad, Tariq Shah, Robinson Julian Serna
Summary: This article mainly introduces the nonlinear components (S-boxes) used in block ciphers and their role in improving the security of cryptographic systems. By designing a pair of S-boxes and conducting various tests, the nonlinear properties, strict avalanche criterion, linear approximation probability, and differential approximation probability are verified.
CMC-COMPUTERS MATERIALS & CONTINUA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ioan-Alexandru Baragau, John Buckeridge, Kiem G. Nguyen, Tobias Heil, Muhammad Tariq Sajjad, Stuart A. J. Thomson, Alistair Rennie, David J. Morgan, Nicholas P. Power, Sabina Alexandra Nicolae, Maria-Magdalena Titirici, Steve Dunn, Suela Kellici
Summary: In this study, a green, rapid, single-step continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis was used to prepare titanium dioxide (TiO2) and TiO2 hybrids with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and/or N-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs), resulting in significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity. By tailoring the light absorption to match that of the solar spectrum and using various techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the researchers gained substantial insight into the mechanisms behind the improved photocatalytic efficiencies. This research not only provides a pathway to industrialization but also highlights the importance of combining different features and materials for optimal photocatalytic behavior.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Antonio Iborra-Torres, Matej Hus, Kiem Nguyen, Antonis Vamvakeros, Muhammad Tariq Sajjad, Steven Dunn, Myrjam Mertens, Simon Jacques, Andrew M. Beale, Blaz Likozar, Geoffrey Hyett, Suela Kellici, Vesna Middelkoop
Summary: Organic pollutants in water are a major concern and urgent attention is required. In this study, 3D printed structures of SrNbO2N were developed for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in water. The 3D printed material showed excellent photocatalytic activity and stability, attributed to its high adsorption towards methylene blue and efficient charge transfer. Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory calculations were performed to understand the photocatalyst structure and degradation pathways.
MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marta Piksa, Cheng Lian, Imogen C. Samuel, Krzysztof J. Pawlik, Ifor D. W. Samuel, Katarzyna Matczyszyn
Summary: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) is a promising approach to combat antimicrobial resistance by using light to activate chemicals that generate reactive oxygen species. While studies have shown its efficacy against various microorganisms, the role of light and the choice of light source have been overlooked, hindering its application in clinical settings.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Muhammad Sajjad, Tariq Shah, Qin Xin, Bander Almutairi
Summary: This article provides an overview of the theory behind the Eisenstein field and its extension field, as well as a detailed framework for building BCH codes over the EF. It also discusses the decoding of these codes using the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm, and investigates their error-correcting capabilities and minimal distance expressions. The article offers researchers and engineers creating and implementing robust error-correcting codes for digital communication systems with valuable information on building, decoding, and performance assessment.
