Effective film surface treatment for improving external quantum efficiency of photomultiplication type organic photodetector

A simple yet effective method based on methanol treatment is proposed to enhance the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the photomultiplication type organic photodetector with a structure of Glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3H:PC71BM (100:1, wt./wt.)/Al. By modifying the PEDOT:PSS film surface with methanol, the EQE of photodetector significantly improved within a broad wavelength range of 300–700 nm. The maximum EQE of 25300% occurs at the wavelength of 350 nm in the methanol-treated device under −9 V bias, which more than doubles that (11500%) of the device without treatment. In addition, as a result of the methanol treatment, the detectivity of the device improved from 3.72 × 1012 to 7.24 × 1012 Jones at −9 V under 350 nm light illumination. The large improvement is attributed to the fact that the methanol treatment can improve the electrical performance of the PEDOT:PSS by removing the insulator PSS within the film and also result in PC71BM aggregations in the active layer. The latter can enhance the tunneling hole injection by the intensified energy-level bending, which is induced by both the trapped electrons in these aggregations and accumulated ones near Al electrode. As a result, the modification of both the PEDOT:PSS layer and the active layer increases the response current, resulting in the EQE improvement.

Ability of Ectoine to Stabilize Lipase against Elevated Temperatures and Methanol Concentrations

Ectoine is one of the compatible organic molecules that can protect the protein from heating, freezing, and chemicals contact. This study aims to investigate the ability of ectoine to stabilize lipase on heating and in methanol treatments as an effort to provide a stable biocatalyst for the production of biodiesel. Various ectoine concentrations were added to lipase solutions, then the mixture was heated, and the residual activity of the lipase was determined. Similar steps were also conducted for methanol treatment. The results showed that ectoine maintained and even improved the catalytic activity of lipase after treatment with either heat or methanol. The addition of ectoine to a final concentration of 110 to 150 mM could maintain lipase activity up to 80% when heating to approximately 95 °C. Additionally, more than 20% of lipase activity increased on heating to temperatures below 75 °C in the presence of ectoine at a final concentration of 25 to 120 mM. Meanwhile, after incubation in methanol at a level of around 84% (v/v), the activity of lipase containing 40–90 mM ectoine was maintained. These results demonstrated that ectoine was highly effective in protecting lipase from heat and methanol.

Stereoselective syntheses of 3-aminocyclooctanetriols and halocyclooctanetriols

The efficient synthesis of two new stereoisomeric 3-aminocyclooctanetriols and their new halocyclitol derivatives starting from cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene are reported. Reduction of cyclooctene endoperoxide, obtained by photooxygenation of cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene, with zinc yielded a cyclooctene diol followed by acetylation of the hydroxy group, which gave dioldiacetate by OsO4/NMO oxidation. The cyclooctane dioldiacetate prepared was converted to the corresponding cyclic sulfate via the formation of a cyclic sulfite in the presence of catalytic RuO4. The reaction of this cyclic sulfate with a nucleophilic azide followed by the reduction of the azide group provided the target, 3-aminocyclooctanetriol. The second key compound, bromotriol, was prepared by epoxidation of the cyclooctenediol with m-chloroperbenzoic acid followed by hydrolysis with HBr(g) in methanol. Treatment of bromotriol with NaN3 and the reduction of the azide group yielded the other desired 3-aminocyclooctanetriol. Hydrolysis of the epoxides with HCl(g) in methanol gave stereospecifically new chlorocyclooctanetriols.

Stereoselective syntheses of 3-aminocyclooctanetriols and halocyclooctanetriols

The efficient synthesis of two new stereoisomeric 3-aminocyclooctanetriols and new halocyclitol derivatives of them starting from cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene are reported. Reduction of cyclooctene endoperoxide, obtained by photooxygenation of cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene, with zinc yielded a cyclooctene diol followed by acetylation of the hydroxyl group, which gave dioldiacetate by OsO4/NMO oxidation. The cyclooctane dioldiacetate prepared was converted to the corresponding cyclic sulphate via the formation of a cyclic sulphite in the presence of catalytic RuO4. Reaction of this cyclic sulphate with a nucleophilic azide followed by the reduction of the azide group provided the target, 3-aminocyclooctanetriol. The second key compound, bromotriol, was prepared by epoxidation of the cyclooctene diol with m-chloroperbenzoic acid followed by hydrolysis with HBr(g) in methanol. Treatment of bromotriol with NaN3 and the reduction of the azide group yielded the other 3-aminocyclooctanetriol desired. Hydrolysis of the epoxides with HCl(g) in methanol gave stereospecifically new chlorocyclooctanetriols.

Effect of Foliar Application of Methanol on Changes of Antioxidant Enzymes of Vigna unguiculata L. in Water-Deficit Stress

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar application of methanol on the activity of antioxidant enzymes of Vigna unguiculata L. in water-deficit stress conditions. The trials were performed in a split plot design arranged in completely randomized block design with three replications in two years cultivation (2017 and 2018). Water-deficit stress treatments were considered in the main plots in four levels (25, 50, 75 and 100% of plant water requirement) and combined foliar application of methanol treatment in three levels (control, 10 and 20% vol.), and genotype treatment in two cultivars of Omidbakhsh 1057 and Mashhad in sub plots. The results showed that the effect of water-deficit stress and foliar application of methanol on the activity of antioxidant enzymes were significant (P £ 0.01). The effect of genotype on the activity of ascorbate peroxidase was just significant (P £ 0.01).