Functional Materials for Fabrication of Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Cells: Ink Formulation and Its Effect on Solar Cell Performance.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have rapidly developed into one of the most attractive photovoltaic technologies, exceeding power conversion efficiencies of 25% and as the most promising technology to complement silicon-based solar cells. Among different types of PSCs, carbon-based, hole-conductor-free PSCs (C-PSCs), in particular, are seen as a viable candidate for commercialization due to the high stability, ease of fabrication, and low cost. This review examines strategies to increase charge separation, extraction, and transport properties in C-PSCs to improve the power conversion efficiency. These strategies include the use of new or modified electron transport materials, hole transport layers, and carbon electrodes. Additionally, the working principles of various printing techniques for the fabrication of C-PSCs are presented, as well as the most remarkable results obtained from each technique for small-scale devices. Finally, the manufacture of perovskite solar modules using scalable deposition techniques is discussed.

Leaf Sample Size for Pesticide Application Technology Trials in Coffee Crops.

Plot size, sample sufficiency, and number of repetitions are factors that affect the experimental errors or residuals and the expression of true differences among treatments. The objective of this study was to determine, using statistical models, the appropriate sample size for application technology experiments in coffee crops through the evaluation of foliar spray deposition and soil runoff in the ground-based application of pesticides. In the first stage, we determined the quantity of leaves per set and the volume of the solution for washing the leaves and extracting the tracer. We analyzed the variability between the coefficients of variation (CVs) of the amount of tracer extracted in two droplet classes (fine and coarse), for the different parts of the plants, and for the different quantities of leaves per set that were organized into intervals of five leaves (1-5, 6-10, 11-15, and 16-20). Less variability was found in the intervals with 10 leaves per set and using 100 mL of extraction solution. In the second stage, a field experiment was conducted using an entirely randomized design with 20 plots: 10 sprayed with fine droplets and 10 with coarse droplets. In each plot, 10 sets (samples) with 10 leaves each were collected from the upper and lower canopy of the coffee trees. Moreover, 10 Petri dishes were placed per plot and collected after application. Based on the results of the spray deposition (mass of tracer extracted per cm2 of leaf), we determined the optimal sample size using the maximum curvature and maximum curvature of the coefficient of variation methods. Higher variabilities were related to the targets that are more difficult to reach. Thus, this study determined an optimal sample size between five and eight sets of leaves for spray deposition, and four to five Petri dishes for soil runoff.

Novel ceramic paper structures for diesel exhaust purification.

The catalytic combustion of diesel soot is addressed with flexible and structured "paper catalysts". Two different series of catalysts were prepared either by drip impregnation or by a spray method to deposit a mixture of Co, Ba, and K or a mixture of Co and Ce onto SiO2-Al2O3 ceramic paper matrixes. In every case, CeO2 nanoparticles were added to bind the ceramic fibers. SEM images showed that the impregnation method generated catalytic particles concentrated as large chunks (> 10 µm), mainly at ceramic fiber crossings, whereas the spray method produced smaller catalytic particles (< 1 µm) well distributed throughout the ceramic paper. Besides, Co-Ba-K particles appeared better dispersed on the surface of ceramic fibers than Co-Ce due to the presence of K. Additionally, FTIR spectra showed the formation of O22- and O2- species associated with CeO2 (binder) on the samples containing potassium which gave the Co-Ba-K-ceramic paper good catalytic properties, thus making the Co-Ba-K drop impregnated the best catalyst both considering activity and stability. Successive temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) runs up to 700 °C caused the formation of cobalt silicates in the catalytic ceramic paper prepared by the spray method, as indicated by TPR. The formation of these species was probably favored by the smaller size of cobalt particulates and their higher dispersion in the catalysts prepared by the spray method. This provoked the partial loss of the redox properties of Co3O4. TPR experiments also indicated the formation of BaCoO3 in Ba-containing ceramic paper, which could help in maintaining the catalyst activity after several TPO runs through the capacity of this mixed perovskite-type oxide to trap and release NOx.

Evaporation time of droplets containing thiamethoxam and adjuvants on hydrophilic, hydrophobic and lipophilic surfaces under different air relative humidities / Tempo de evaporação de gotas contendo tiametoxam e adjuvantes depositadas em superfícies hidrofílica, hidrofóbica e lipofílica em diferentes umidades relativas do ar

The efficacy of pesticide applications is related to the spread and evaporation time of the droplets deposited on the target. This study evaluates the evaporation of spray droplets containing thiamethoxam and adjuvants on different surfaces and at different levels of relative air humidity. A climate controlled chamber was set up with a digital microscope to produce images of droplet evaporation. Three surfaces (hydrophilic, lipophilic and hydrophobic), five solutions (water, thiamethoxam, thiamethoxam + mineral oil, thiamethoxam + vegetable oil, thiamethoxam + surfactant) and three air humidity levels (45%, 60% and 75%) were evaluated. The surface tension of these solutions was also measured. It was found that all of the insecticide solutions reduced surface tension, that air humidity, target surface and spray formulation influenced spray evaporation and that surfactants reduced the evaporation time of droplets on natural lipophilic surfaces.

A eficácia de uma aplicação de produto fitossanitário está relacionada ao espalhamento e ao tempo de evaporação das gotas depositadas sobre o alvo. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a evaporação de gotas depositadas em distintas superfícies, a partir de caldas contendo tiametoxam e adjuvantes, em diferentes umidades relativas do ar. Foi montada uma estrutura a partir de uma câmara climática de condições controladas e um microscópio digital para análise de imagens da evaporação de gotas. Foram avaliadas, em três superfícies (hidrofílica, hidrofóbica e lipofílica), cinco soluções (água, tiametoxam, tiametoxam + óleo mineral, tiametoxam + óleo vegetal, tiametoxam + espalhante) e três umidades relativas do ar (45%, 60% e 75%). Também foi realizada análise da tensão superficial destas soluções. Com base nos resultados obtidos, todas as soluções inseticidas reduziram a tensão superficial da calda; a umidade relativa do ar, a estrutura da superfície alvo e a formulação da calda do produto fitossanitário influenciaram a evaporação de gotas em superfície; e o uso de surfactantes reduziu o tempo de evaporação de gotas depositadas em superfície natural lipofílica.