MXene, a new class of 2D materials, has gained significant attention owing to its attractive electrical conductivity, tunable work function, and metallic nature for wide range of applications. ...Herein, delaminated few layered Ti3C2Tx MXene contacted Si solar cells with a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ≈11.5% under AM1.5G illumination are demonstrated. The formation of an Ohmic junction of the metallic MXene to n+‐Si surface efficiently extracts the photogenerated electrons from n+np+‐Si, decreases the contact resistance, and suppresses the charge carrier recombination, giving rise to excellent open‐circuit voltage and short‐circuit current density. The rapid thermal annealing process further improves the electrical contact between Ti3C2Tx MXene and n+‐Si surface by reducing sheet resistance, increasing electrical conductivity, and decreasing cell series resistance, thus leading to a remarkable improvement in fill factor and overall PCE. The work demonstrated here can be extended to other MXene compositions as potential electrodes for developing highly performing solar cells.
Delaminated few layered Ti3C2Tx MXene contacted Si solar cells with a maximum power conversion efficiency of ≈11.5% under AM1.5G illumination are achieved. The work demonstrated here can be extended to other members of the MXene family as potential electrodes for developing high performance solar cells.
All-inorganic CsPbI
perovskite quantum dots have received substantial research interest for photovoltaic applications because of higher efficiency compared to solar cells using other quantum dots ...materials and the various exciting properties that perovskites have to offer. These quantum dot devices also exhibit good mechanical stability amongst various thin-film photovoltaic technologies. We demonstrate higher mechanical endurance of quantum dot films compared to bulk thin film and highlight the importance of further research on high-performance and flexible optoelectronic devices using nanoscale grains as an advantage. Specifically, we develop a hybrid interfacial architecture consisting of CsPbI
quantum dot/PCBM heterojunction, enabling an energy cascade for efficient charge transfer and mechanical adhesion. The champion CsPbI
quantum dot solar cell has an efficiency of 15.1% (stabilized power output of 14.61%), which is among the highest report to date. Building on this strategy, we further demonstrate a highest efficiency of 12.3% in flexible quantum dot photovoltaics.
Contact engineering is a prerequisite for achieving desirable functionality and performance of semiconductor electronics, which is particularly critical for organic–inorganic hybrid halide ...perovskites due to their ionic nature and highly reactive interfaces. Although the interfaces between perovskites and charge‐transporting layers have attracted lots of attention due to the photovoltaic and light‐emitting diode applications, achieving reliable perovskite/electrode contacts for electronic devices, such as transistors and memories, remains as a bottleneck. Herein, a critical review on the elusive nature of perovskite/electrode interfaces with a focus on the interfacial electrochemistry effects is presented. The basic guidelines of electrode selection are given for establishing non‐polarized interfaces and optimal energy level alignment for perovskite materials. Furthermore, state‐of‐the‐art strategies on interface‐related electrode engineering are reviewed and discussed, which aim at achieving ohmic transport and eliminating hysteresis in perovskite devices. The role and multiple functionalities of self‐assembled monolayers that offer a unique approach toward improving perovskite/electrode contacts are also discussed. The insights on electrode engineering pave the way to advancing stable and reliable perovskite devices in diverse electronic applications.
Rational selection of electrodes plays a critical role in perovskite‐based electronics due to the high reactivity of halide perovskite materials. A comprehensive review of perovskite/electrode interfaces, as well as, state‐of‐the‐art contact engineering, which assists the development of perovskite‐based devices with inhibited interfacial reactions, ohmic carrier transport, and non‐hysteric electronic characteristics, is presented.
Human exposure to microplastics contained in food has become a significant concern owing to the increasing accumulation of microplastics in the environment. In this paper, we summarize the presence ...of microplastics in food and the analytical methods used for isolation and identification of microplastics. Although a large number of studies on seafood such as fish and shellfish exist, estimating the overall human exposure to microplastics via food consumption is difficult owing to the lack of studies on other food items. Analytical methods still need to be optimized for appropriate recovery of microplastics in various food matrices, rendering a quantitative comparison of different studies challenging. In addition, microplastics could be added or removed from ingredients during processing or cooking. Thus, research on processed food is crucial to estimate the contribution of food to overall human microplastic consumption and to mitigate this exposure in the future.
The extraordinary electronic, optical, and mechanical characteristics of 2D materials make them promising candidates for optoelectronics, specifically in infrared (IR) detectors owing to their ...flexible composition and tunable optoelectronic properties. This review presents the recent progress in IR detectors composed of 2D materials and their hybrid structures, including graphene, black phosphorous, transition metal dichalcogenides, halide perovskite as well as other new layered materials and their heterostructures. The focus is on the short‐wave, mid‐wave, and long‐wave infrared regimes, which pose a grand challenge for rational materials and device designs. The dependence of the device performance on the optical and electronic properties of 2D materials is extensively discussed, aiming to present the general strategies for designing optoelectronic devices with optimal performance. Furthermore, the recent results on 2D material‐based heterostructures are presented with an emphasis on the relationship between band alignment, charge transfer, and IR photodetection. Finally, a summary is given as well as the discussion of existing challenges and future directions.
2D materials are among the most rapidly emerging building blocks for high‐performance infrared photodetection. This review elucidates the advantages and the crucial role of 2D materials in achieving high performance and enhanced stability in infrared photodetection, especially in short‐wave, mid‐wave, and long‐wave infrared regimes.
The molecular weight of hyaluronic acid (HyA) depends on the type of organ in the body. When HyA of the desired molecular weight is implanted into the human body for regeneration of damaged tissue, ...it is degraded by hyaluronidase in associated with an inflammatory response. This study sought to evaluate the effects of HyA molecular weight and concentration on pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in murine macrophages. The structures and molecular weights of HyAs (LMW-10, MMW-100, MMW-500, and HMW-1,500) were confirmed by .sup.1 H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), respectively. After treatment of murine macrophages with a low (10 microg/mL) or high (100 microg/mL) concentration of each molecular weight HyA, cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and changes in immune response in both LPS-stimulated and untreated macrophages were evaluated by assessing nitric oxide (NO) production, and analyzing expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory genes including by RT-PCR. Molecular weights of LMW-10, MMW-100, MMW-500, and HMW-1,500 were 13,241 + or - 161, 96,531 + or - 1,167, 512,657 + or - 8,545, and 1,249,500 + or - 37,477 Da, respectively. NO production by LPS-stimulated macrophages was decreased by increasing concentrations and molecular weights of HyA. At a high concentration of 100 microg/mL, HMW-1,500 reduced NO production in LPS-stimulated macrophages to about 45 %. Using NanoString technology, we also found that the immune-related genes TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1beta, TGF-beta1, IL-10, IL-11, CCL2, and Arg1 were specifically over-expressed in LPS-stimulated macrophages treated with various molecular weights of HyA. An RT-PCR analysis of gene expression showed that HMW-1,500 decreased expression of classically activated (M1) macrophage genes, such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, CCL2, and IL-1beta, in LPS-stimulated macrophages, whereas medium molecular-weight HyA (MMW-100 and MMW-500) instead increased expression levels of these genes. HMW-1,500 at a high concentration (100 microg/mL) significantly decreased expression of pro-inflammatory genes in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Expression of genes associated with anti-inflammatory responses (M2 phenotype), such as TGF-beta1, IL-10, IL-11, and Arg1, were increased by high concentrations of MMW-500 and HMW-1,500 in LPS-stimulated macrophages. High molecular-weight HyA (i.e., > 1,250 kDa) inhibits pro-inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated macrophages and induces anti-inflammatory responses in a concentration dependent manner.
Chitosan for Tissue Engineering Kim, Chun-Ho; Park, Sang Jun; Yang, Dae Hyeok ...
Advances in experimental medicine and biology,
2018, Letnik:
1077
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Chitosan, a deacetylated chitin, is one of the few natural polymers similar to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) widely distributed throughout connective tissues. It has been believed that the excellent ...biocompatibility of chitosan is largely attributed to this structural similarity. Chitosan is also known to possess biodegradability, antimicrobial activity and low toxicity and immunogenicity which are essential for scaffolds. In addition, the existence of free amine groups in its backbone chain enables further chemical modifications to create the additional biomedical functionality. For these reasons, chitosan has found a tremendous variety of biomedical applications in recent years. This chapter introduces the basic contents of chitosan and discusses its applications to artificial skin, artificial bone, and artificial cartilage in tissue engineering purpose.
The surface chemistry of colloidal quantum dots (CQD) play a crucial role in fabricating highly efficient and stable solar cells. However, as‐synthesized PbS CQDs are significantly off‐stoichiometric ...and contain inhomogeneously distributed S and Pb atoms at the surface, which results in undercharged Pb atoms, dangling bonds of S atoms and uncapped sites, thus causing surface trap states. Moreover, conventional ligand exchange processes cannot efficiently eliminate these undesired atom configurations and defect sites. Here, potassium triiodide (KI3) additives are combined with conventional PbX2 matrix ligands to simultaneously eliminate the undercharged Pb species and dangling S sites via reacting with molecular I2 generated from the reversible reaction KI3 ⇌ I2 + KI. Meanwhile, high surface coverage shells on PbS CQDs are built via PbX2 and KI ligands. The implementation of KI3 additives remarkably suppresses the surface trap states and enhances the device stability due to the surface chemistry optimization. The resultant solar cells achieve the best power convention efficiency of 12.1% and retain 94% of its initial efficiency under 20 h continuous operation in air, while the control devices with KI additive deliver an efficiency of 11.0% and retains 87% of their initial efficiency under the same conditions.
Ligand exchange is performed on PbS colloidal quantum dots using conventional PbX2 ligands and KI3 additives via a facile one‐step process, which simultaneously eliminate the undesirable sites and efficiently passivate the surface. The resulting solar cells achieve a power conversion efficiency of 12.1%.
The tuning of interfacial properties at selective and desired locations on the particles is of great importance to create the novel structured particles by breaking the symmetry of their surface ...property. Herein, a dramatic transition of both the external shape and internal morphology of the particles of polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) was induced by precise positioning of size-controlled Au nanoparticle surfactants (Au NPs). The size-dependent assembly of the Au NPs was localized preferentially at the interface between the P4VP domain at the particle surface and the surrounding water, which generated a balanced interfacial interaction between two different PS/P4VP domains of the BCP particles and water, producing unique convex lens-shaped BCP particles. In addition, the neutralized interfacial interaction, in combination with the directionality of the solvent-induced ordering of the BCP domains from the interface of the particle/water, generated defect-free, vertically ordered porous channels within the particles. The mechanism for the formation of these novel nanostructures was investigated systemically by varying the size and the volume fraction of the Au NPs. Furthermore, these convex lens-shaped particles with highly ordered channels can be used as a microlens, in which the light can be concentrated toward the focal point with enhanced near-field signals. And, these particles can possess additional optical properties such as unique distribution of light scattering as a result of the well-ordered Au cylinders that filled into the channels, which hold great promise for use in optical, biological-sensing, and imaging applications.
▶ Treadmill exercise ameliorates cognitive deficits in Tg mice. ▶ Treadmill exercise reduces Aβ-42 and tau deposition in Tg mice. ▶ Treadmill exercise reduces the number of TUNEL-positive cells in Tg ...mice. ▶ Treadmill exercise reduces TC, insulin, glucose, and corticosterone levels in Tg mice. ▶ Treadmill exercise may be beneficial in prevention or treatment in AD.
The present study was undertaken to further investigate the protective effect of treadmill exercise on the hippocampal proteins associated with neuronal cell death in an aged transgenic (Tg) mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD). To address this, Tg mouse model of AD, Tg-NSE/PS2m, which expresses human mutant PS2 in the brain, was chosen. Animals were subjected to treadmill exercise for 12 weeks from 24 months of age. The exercised mice were treadmill run at speed of 12
m/min, 60
min/day, 5 days/week on a 0% gradient for 3 months. Treadmill exercised mice improved cognitive function in water maze test. Treadmill exercised mice significantly reduced the expression of Aβ-42, Cox-2, and caspase-3 in the hippocampus. In parallel, treadmill exercised Tg mice decreased the phosphorylation levels of JNK, p38MAPK and tau (Ser404, Ser202, Thr231), and increased the phosphorylation levels of ERK, PI3K, Akt and GSK-3α/β. In addition, treadmill exercised Tg mice up-regulated the expressions of NGF, BDNF and phospho-CREB, and the expressions of SOD-1, SOD-2 and HSP-70. Treadmill exercised Tg mice up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2, and down-regulated the expressions of cytochrome c and Bax in the hippocampus. The number of TUNEL-positive cells in the hippocampus in mice was significantly decreased after treadmill exercise. Finally, serum TC, insulin, glucose, and corticosterone levels were significantly decreased in the Tg mice after treadmill exercise. As a consequence of such change, Aβ-dependent neuronal cell death in the hippocampus of Tg mice was markedly suppressed following treadmill exercise. These results strongly suggest that treadmill exercise provides a therapeutic potential to inhibit both Aβ-42 and neuronal death pathways. Therefore, treadmill exercise may be beneficial in prevention or treatment of AD.
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