Cyclic Voltammetry for Accurate Icing Detection on Simulated Aircraft Surfaces.

Icing and ice accretion on aerodynamically critical surfaces of an aircraft increase drag, reduce lift, and raise stalling speed, which pose significant safety hazards to aircraft while in flight. Icephobic coatings have been intensively investigated by the Canadian and global aerospace industries for passive ice protection. Nevertheless, effective icephobic coatings suitable for aerospace applications are far from ideal. Ice protection of an aircraft still relies on active ice protection systems based on heating, mechanical expulsion, and deicing fluids, which are heavy-weight, power-intensive, and unfriendly to the environment. To address these challenges, rapid and accurate detection of icing is highly desirable to activate these ice protection systems only when needed. To this end, cyclic voltammetry was used for the first time to detect the initiation of icing on aircraft surfaces with or without icephobic coatings. In this study, a water droplet was sandwiched between a screen-printed electrode and a simulated aircraft surface. Cyclic voltammograms were then collected as the temperature was slowly decreased until the droplet froze to form ice. A sharp spike in faradaic current was recorded in the voltammograms during the phase transition, suggesting a switch in the mass transfer mechanism from diffusion to a surface-confined pathway. This electrochemical signal could then be used to precisely indicate the onset of icing. The developed sensing method shows potential in icing detection to manage active ice protections and ameliorate icing risks in the aerospace and aviation industries.

Synthesis, characterization and photovoltaic applications of a low band gap polymer based on s-tetrazine and dithienosilole.

A new copolymer of dithienosilole (DTS) and dithienyl-s-tetrazine (TTz), PDTSTTz, has been designed and synthesized. This solution processable polymer shows a low band gap, strong absorption and good thermal stability. Solar cells from the blend of this polymer with PC(71)BM showed power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 4.2%.

Development of a new s-tetrazine-based copolymer for efficient solar cells.

A new s-tetrazine-based low-bandgap semiconducting polymer, PCPDTTTz, was designed and synthesized. This is the first solution-processable conjugated polymer with tetrazine in the main chain. This polymer shows good thermal stability and broad absorption covering 450-700 nm. The HOMO and LUMO energy levels were estimated to be -5.34 and -3.48 eV, with an electrochemical bandgap of 1.86 eV. Simple polymer solar cells based on PCPDTTTz and PC(71)BM exhibit a calibrated power conversion efficiency of 5.4%.

Efficient synthesis and properties of novel near-infrared electrochromic anthraquinone imides.

An efficient synthesis of novel near-infrared electrochromic 6-substituted (NO2, Br) anthraquinone imides, i.e., 2a and 2b, was established. Bearing functional groups suitable for further structural modifications by nucleophilic substitution reaction and various metal-catalyzed coupling reactions (e.g., Suzuki coupling), 2a and 2b were easily transferred to 1a by reaction with 4-methoxyphenol and 1b by reaction with 4-hexyloxyphenylboronic acid, respectively. These new imides are electrochromic and absorb intensely in the near-infrared range of 700-1600 nm upon electrochemical reduction.

Electrically-driven chiroptical switches based on axially dissymmetric 1,1'-binaphthyl and electrochromic viologens: synthesis and optical properties.

A novel redox type of chiral molecular switch based on axially dissymmetric 1,1'-binaphthyl and electrochromic 4,4'-bipyridinium exhibits drastic changes in absorption and circular dichroism spectra upon electrochemical redox reaction and is fully characterized for the electrically driven chiroptical switching properties.

A new approach to highly electrooptically active materials using cross-linkable, hyperbranched chromophore-containing oligomers as a macromolecular dopant.

A new, practical approach to a variety of highly electrooptically active polymers for device development is described. It involves the use of a new thermally cross-linkable, hyperbranched oligomer containing nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores as a macromolecular dopant in a common host polymer. A series of NLO polymeric blends were readily formulated and showed large and stable electrooptic (EO) coefficients (up to 65 pm/V). In comparison with previously studied linear NLO polyimides and guest-host polymers doped with molecular chromophores and even linear NLO analogous oligomers, this new approach offers clear advantages for device development in terms of improved poling efficiency, larger EO coefficients, good temporal stability, and versatile material formulation.