Tailoring the Vertical Morphology of Organic Films for Efficient Planar-Si/Organic Hybrid Solar Cells by Facile Nonpolar Solvent Treatment.

The optical and electrical properties of the blending organic film poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy-thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) are strongly affected by its morphology, resulting in the performance variation in Si/organic hybrid solar cells. Here, a facile postsolvent treatment is used to tailor the vertical morphology of PEDOT:PSS by introducing a nonpolar solvent. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth-profiling measurements show that the distribution of PEDOT and PSS on the surface of n-type Si can be changed by nonpolar solvent n-hexane (NHX) treatment, where more PSS aggregate at the bottom of the blend film and more PEDOT float up to the top, as compared with the reference sample. As a result, after NHX treatment, the average lifetime of the Si/organic films is increased from 152 µs for untreated samples to 248 µs for NHX-treated ones because of the better passivation effect of PSS on Si. Moreover, the transmission line model measurements indicate that the contact resistance (RC) of PEDOT:PSS film and the Ag electrode is decreased for better charge collection after NHX treatment. Eventually, the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.78% for NHX-treated planar solar cells is obtained, much higher than the PCE (with best of 12.78%) of reference devices without nonpolar solvent treatment. Our results provide a facile method to tailor the vertical morphology of the PEDOT:PSS in Si/organic hybrid solar cells.

Excretion, Metabolism and Cytochrome P450 Inhibition of Methyl 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoate (MDHB): A Potential Candidate to Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Methyl 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (MDHB) has the potential to prevent neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). The present work investigated its excretion, metabolism, and cytochrome P450-based drug-drug interactions (DDIs). METHODS: After intragastric administration of MDHB, the parent drug was assayed in the urine and faeces of mice. Metabolites of MDHB in the urine, faeces, brain, plasma and liver were detected by liquid chromatography-hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF/MS). A cocktail approach was used to evaluate the inhibition of cytochrome P450 isoforms by MDHB. RESULTS: The cumulative excretion permille of MDHB in the urine and faeces were found to be 0.67 ± 0.31 and 0.49 ± 0.44‰, respectively. A total of 96 metabolites of MDHB were identified, and all IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) values of MDHB towards cytochrome P450 isoforms were > 100 µM. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that MDHB has a low parent drug cumulative excretion percentage and that MDHB has multiple metabolites and is mainly metabolized through the loss of -CH2 and -CO2, the loss of -CH2O, ester bond hydrolysis, the loss of -O and -CO2, isomerization, methylation, sulfate conjugation, the loss of -CH2O and -O and glycine conjugation, glycine conjugation, the loss of two -O groups and alanine conjugation, the loss of -CH2O and -O and glucose conjugation, glucuronidation, glucose conjugation, etc., in vivo. Finally, MDHB has a low probability of cytochrome P450-based DDIs.

Construction of two 3D homochiral frameworks with 1D chiral pores via chiral recognition.

The reactions of a pair of enantiomers of macrocyclic nickel(II) complexes with racemic penicillamine generated two 3D hydrogen-bonded homochiral frameworks of {[Ni(f-(SS)-L)](2)(l-pends)(ClO(4))(2)}(n) (Λ-1) and {[Ni(f-(RR)-L)](2)(d-pends) (ClO(4))(2)}(n) (Δ-1). The frameworks possess 1D tubular pores and opposite right/left-handed helical porous surfaces (L = 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane; pends(2-) = penicillaminedisulfide anion).

Novel mixed-valent Co(II)2Co(III)4Ln(III)4 aggregates with ligands derived from tris-(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris).

Isostructural Co(II)2Co(III)4Ln(III)4 (Ln = Y (1), Gd (2) and Dy (3)) coordination clusters formed using the ligand Tris are the first examples of 3d-4f complexes involving this ligand and show weak ferromagnetic coupling between the Co(II) ions and slow relaxation (SMM) behaviour for 3.

[FTIR studies of L-threonic acid and its metal compounds].

Highly pure solid compounds, such as L-threonic acid, calcium L-threonate, magnesium L-threonate, manganese L-threonate, cobalt L-threonate, nickel L-theronate, and zinc L-threonate, were prepared, wherein, L-threonic acid was obtained from calcium L-threonate by strong acid type ion exchange process, calcium L-threonate or zinc L-threonate was prepared by alcohol extracting the concentrated filter liquor of the reaction of Vc, H2O2 and CaCO3 or ZnCO3, the reminder of the compounds were synthesized using alcohol extracting the concentrated solution derived from the reaction of L-threonic acid solution, prepared by double decomposition reaction of calcium L-threonate with oxalic acid, and superfluous MgO, MnCO3, Co2(OH)2CO3 and Ni2(OH)2CO3. The compositions of the compounds were determined by chemical and elemental analysis, and these compounds have the formula M(C4H7O5)2.nH2O (M = Ca, Zn, n = 0; M = Mg, Mn, Co, n = 1; M = Ni, n = 2). The purity of the compounds was 99.60% by HPLC. The IR spectra of the complexes were similar with each other but different from that of L-threonic acid. The characteristic absorption peaks of water were not observed in those of calcium L-threonate or zinc L-threonate, which showed that the molecule of water was not involved in the complexes. Further analyses indicate that M2+ in the compounds coordinated to oxygen atom of the carboxy group, while the proton of the carboxyl group was dissociated and the proton belonging to hydroxyl was not M2+ coordinated to L-threonic acid through the sp3 hybrizated fashion. It was assumed that the coordination number of M2+ was 4.