Category

Characterization

(Natural) polymersApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsFractal dimensionGISAXSGIWAXSMaterialOrientation analysisRenewable energySurface structure and patternsTechniqueThin films

Charge carrier transport and nanomorphology control for efficient non-fullerene organic solar cells

Hu, Hanlin; Deng, Wanyuan; Qin, Minchao; Yin, Hang; Lau, Tsz-Ki; Fong, Patrick W. K.; Ren, Zhiwei; Liang, Qiong; Cui, Li; Wu, Hongbin; Lu, Xinhui; Zhang, Weimin; McCulloch, Iain; Li, Gang

Single junction organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) have exceeded 15% power conversion efficiency (PCE) with the help of fused ring based low-bandgap non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs). As a major type of NFA, the indacenodithiophene derivative NFA (IDTBR) has been shown to have superior OPV stability with outstanding VOC, but the efficiency is…
25 November 2019
(Natural) polymersApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsGIWAXSMaterialOrientation analysisRenewable energySurface structure and patternsTechniqueThin films

Fused thienobenzene-thienothiophene electron acceptors for organic solar cells

Xu, Ye; Jiang, Haotian; Lau, Tsz-Ki; Zhu, Jingshuai; Wang, Jiayu; Lu, Xinhui; Zhan, Xiaowei; Lin, Yuze

Small molecule ladder-type heteroarenes IHBT-2F is designed and synthesized with strong electron-donating and molecular packing properties, where the central unit, fused thienobenzene-thienothiphene (IHBT), is attached with the strong electron-deficient 2-(5,6-difluoro-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-ylidene)malononitrile (2FIC) as the end group. The counterpart IDBT-2F with…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsGIWAXSInorganic materialMaterialRenewable energySurface structure and patternsTechniqueThin films

Tailoring vertical phase distribution of quasi-two-dimensional perovskite films via surface modification of hole-transporting layer

Liu, Tiefeng; Jiang, Youyu; Qin, Minchao; Liu, Junxue; Sun, Lulu; Qin, Fei; Hu, Lin; Xiong, Sixing; Jiang, Xueshi; Jiang, Fangyuan; Peng, Ping; Jin, Shengye; Lu, Xinhui; Zhou, Yinhua

Vertical phase distribution plays an important role in the quasi-two-dimensional perovskite solar cells. So far, the driving force and how to tailor the vertical distribution of layer numbers have been not discussed. In this work, we report that the vertical distribution of layer numbers in the quasi-two-dimensional perovskite films deposited…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsGIWAXSInorganic materialMaterialOrientation analysisRenewable energySurface structure and patternsTechniqueThin films

Two-dimensional inverted planar perovskite solar cells with efficiency over 15% via solvent and interface engineering

Lian, Xiaomei; Chen, Jiehuan; Zhang, Yingzhu; Tian, Shuoxun; Qin, Minchao; Li, Jun; Andersen, Thomas Rieks; Wu, Gang; Lu, Xinhui; Chen, Hongzheng

High short-circuit current (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc) are both required for two-dimensional (2D) perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) with high power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, solvent engineering is combined with interface engineering to fabricate 2D PVSCs with enhanced Jsc and Voc. Mixing formamide with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) was found…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacterizationCosmetics & consumer careCustomer publicationsLiquid crystalsMaterialPhase analysisSAXSSurfactantsTechnique

The structure of spray-dried detergent powders

Farshchi, Amin; Hassanpour, Ali; Bayly, Andrew E.

The complex multiscale structure of spray dried detergent granules has been characterized using a complementary range of techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), image analysis, wide angle and small angle X-ray scattering (WAXS, SAXS) and X-ray microtomography. A complex composite structure is revealed due to the multiphase nature of the…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsGIWAXSInorganic materialMaterialRenewable energySizeSurface structure and patternsTechniqueThin films

Room-Temperature Meniscus Coating of >20% Perovskite Solar Cells: A Film Formation Mechanism Investigation

Hu, Hanlin; Ren, Zhiwei; Fong, Patrick W. K.; Qin, Minchao; Liu, Danjun; Lei, Dangyuan; Lu, Xinhui; Li, Gang

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are ideally fabricated entirely via a scalable solution process at low temperatures to realize the promise of simple manufacturing, low-cost processing, compatibility with flexible substrates, and perovskite-based tandem solar cells. However, high-quality photoactive perovskite thin films under those processing conditions is a challenge. Here, a laminar…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacteristic dimensionCharacterizationCustomer publicationsFibersMaterialProteins & DNA/RNAStructural biologyTechniqueWAXS

PrP (58–93) peptide from unstructured N-terminal domain of human prion protein forms amyloid-like fibrillar structures in the presence of Zn2+ ions

Gielnik, Maciej; Pietralik, Zuzanna; Zhukov, Igor; Szymańska, Aneta; Kwiatek, Wojciech M.; Kozak, Maciej

Many transition metal ions modulate the aggregation of different amyloid peptides. Substoichiometric zinc concentrations can inhibit aggregation, while an excess of zinc can accelerate the formation of cytotoxic fibrils. In this study, we report the fibrillization of the octarepeat domain to amyloid-like structures. Interestingly, this self-assembling process occurred only in…
25 November 2019
(Natural) polymersApplicationCharacteristic dimensionCharacterizationCustomer publicationsMaterialPhase analysisRenewable energySAXSSelf-assembled materialTechnique

Preparation of isoporous membranes from low χ block copolymers via co-assembly with H-bond interacting homopolymers

Zhu, Guo-Dong; Yang, Cao-Ying; Yin, Yu-Rong; Yi, Zhuan; Chen, Xian-Hong; Liu, Li-Fen; Gao, Cong-Jie

Self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation (SNIPS) was extensively used in the fabrication of isoporous membranes for its compatibility with massive production. However, for the well-defined SNIPS, preparation of isoporous membranes from low χ block copolymers is challenging because self-assembly of these polymers is usually hard to induce. In this…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsMaterialNanoparticles & colloidsParticle size and size distributionParticlesSAXSTechnique

Typical experiment vs. in-cell like conditions in magnetic hyperthermia: Effects of media viscosity and agglomeration

Bruvera, I. J.; Actis, D. G.; Calatayud, M. P.; Mendoza Zélis, P.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can be used to transform electromagnetic energy into heat in hyperthermic treatment of cancer and other thermally activated therapies. The MNPs heating efficiency depends strongly on the combination of the MNPs’ structural properties and environmental conditions. MNPs hyperthermic yield is usually studied in diluted suspensions, although, in…
25 November 2019
ApplicationCharacterizationCustomer publicationsMaterialProteins & DNA/RNASAXSShapeStructural biologyTechnique

NMR and crystallographic structural studies of the extremely stable monomeric variant of human cystatin C with single amino acid substitution

Maszota‐Zieleniak, Martyna; Jurczak, Przemyslaw; Orlikowska, Marta; Zhukov, Igor; Borek, Dominika; Otwinowski, Zbyszek; Skowron, Piotr; Pietralik, Zuzanna; Kozak, Maciej; Szymańska, Aneta; Rodziewicz‐Motowidło, Sylwia

Human cystatin C (hCC), a member of the superfamily of papain-like cysteine protease inhibitors, is the most widespread cystatin in human body fluids. This small protein, in addition to its physiological function, is involved in various diseases, including cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebral hemorrhage, stroke, and dementia. Physiologically active hCC is…
25 November 2019