How Reproducible are Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopic Data for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells?

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) technology has been broadly investigated over the past few decades. The sandwich-type structure of the DSC makes the manufacturing undemanding under laboratory conditions but results in the need for reproducible measurements for acceptable DSC characterization. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) offers the possibility to study complex electronic systems and is commonly used for solar cells. There is a tendency in the literature to present impedance data only for one representative device. At the same time, as current density–voltage plots illustrate, measurements can vary within one set of DSCs with identical components. We present multiple DSC impedance measurements on “identical” devices prepared using two different dyes and present a statistical analysis regarding the reproducibility.

Effect of Sb2O3 Particle Size and Filling Amount on Crystallization and Mechanical Properties of Sb2O3/PP Composites

In this paper, Sb2O3/PP composite specimens were prepared by ball milling and melt blending. The effects of Sb2O3 particle size and filling amount on the toughening, reinforcing effect and crystallinity of PP composites were analyzed by notch impact test, tensile test, SEM, XRD and DSC characterization. The experimental results show that the filling of Sb2O3 particles can improve the mechanical properties and crystallization properties of Sb2O3/PP composites. With the increase of filling amount of Sb2O3 particles, the tensile strength and impact strength of Sb2O3/PP composite increased first and then decreased. When the content of Sb2O3 is 2 wt.%, the tensile strength and impact strength of Sb2O3/PP composites reach the maximum. When the filling amount is the same, the crystallization and mechanical properties of nanoSb2O3/PP composites are better than those of micron Sb2O3/PP composites.

CHARACTERIZATION OF MELOXICAM AND MALONIC ACID COCRYSTAL PREPARED WITH SLURRY METHOD

<em>Meloxicam (MLX) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) which belong to Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) class II, which have a low solubility level with a high permeability. Therefore, to enchance is solubility level, physical modification of the meloxicam is required. It can be done by the cocrystal formation. Cocrystal contained active ingredients and coformer which bind through the hydrogen bond. This study used malonic acid (MA), since it contained carboxylic group which expected to form hydrogen bonds. Slurry is a method of cocrystal formation by mixing two ingredients, i.e. active ingredients of the drugs and its cofomer, dissolved in a solvent and may be formed due to the heat energy released by the friction between particles and their crusher. This study aimed to determine the characteristic of meloxicam-malonid acid cocrystal by 1:1 mol ratio using PXRD, DSC and FTIR. The result of PXRD charaterization indicated a new peak at angle 9,4° and 18,5°. The result of DSC characterization indicated an endothermic peak with a low melting point at 97,64°C ; 152,62°C ; 176,87°C temperature. The result of FTIR characterization indicated a shirt of the O-H uptake band from at wave number 3126-2980 cm^-1 to 3292-2951 cm^-1, the N-H uptake band of meloxicam at wave number 3492 cm^-1 to 3525 cm^-1</em>

Preparation and Characterization of the Magnetic Layered Double Hydroxide Fluorescence Composite

A fluorescence composite of magnetic layered double hydroxide (MLDH) and fluorescein (FLU) was synthesized by ion change reaction. The crystal structure and properties of the intercalated compound MLDH-FLU were investigated through XRD, IR, TEM and TG-DSC characterization. Results show that fluorescein is suited for intercalation assembly with MLDH, producing MLDH-FLU composite which could be used as a fluorescence probe to test the cell-transmission efficiency of MLDH delivery system.