Interfacial engineering of printable bottom back metal electrodes for full-solution processed flexible organic solar cells

Printing of metal bottom back electrodes of flexible organic solar cells（FOSCs） at low temperature is of great significance to realize the full-solution fabrication technology. However, this has been difficult to achieve because often the interfacial properties of those printed electrodes, including conductivity, roughness, work function,optical and mechanical flexibility, cannot meet the device requirement at the same time. In this work, we fabricate printed Ag and Cu bottom back cathodes by a low-temperature solution technique named polymer-assisted metal deposition（PAMD） on flexible PET substrates. Branched polyethylenimine（PEI） and ZnO thin films are used as the interface modification layers（IMLs） of these cathodes. Detailed experimental studies on the electrical, mechanical, and morphological properties, and simulation study on the optical properties of these IMLs are carried out to understand and optimize the interface of printed cathodes. We demonstrate that the highest power conversion efficiency over 3.0% can be achieved from a full-solution processed OFSC with the device structure being PAMDAg/PEI/P3 HT：PC61BM/PH1000. This device also acquires remarkable stability upon repeating bending tests.

Global sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of the VIP ecosystem model with an expanded soil nitrogen module for winter wheat-summer maize rotation system in the North China Plain

Accurately simulating the soil nitrogen(N)cycle is crucial for assessing food security and resource utilization efficiency.The accuracy of model predictions relies heavily on model parameterization.The sensitivity and uncertainty of the simulations of soil N cycle of winter wheat-summer maize rotation system in the North China Plain(NCP)to the parameters were analyzed.First,the N module in the Vegetation Interface Processes(VIP)model was expanded to capture the dynamics of soil N cycle calibrated with field measurements in three ecological stations from 2000 to 2015.Second,the Morris and Sobol algorithms were adopted to identify the sensitive parameters that impact soil nitrate stock,denitrification rate,and ammonia volatilization rate.Finally,the shuffled complex evolution developed at the University of Arizona(SCE-UA)algorithm was used to optimize the selected sensitive parameters to improve prediction accuracy.The results showed that the sensitive parameters related to soil nitrate stock included the potential nitrification rate,Michaelis constant,microbial C/N ratio,and slow humus C/N ratio,the sensitive parameters related to denitrification rate were the potential denitrification rate,Michaelis constant,and N2 O production rate,and the sensitive parameters related to ammonia volatilization rate included the coefficient of ammonia volatilization exchange and potential nitrification rate.Based on the optimized parameters,prediction efficiency was notably increased with the highest coefficient of determination being approximately 0.8.Moreover,the average relative interval length at the 95% confidence level for soil nitrate stock,denitrification rate,and ammonia volatilization rate were 11.92,0.008,and 4.26,respectively,and the percentages of coverage of the measured values in the 95% confidence interval were 68%,86%,and 92%,respectively.By identifying sensitive parameters related to soil N,the expanded VIP model optimized by the SCE-UA algorithm can effectively simulate the dynamics of soil nitrate stock,denitrification rate,and ammonia volatilization rate in the NCP.

Process Design for Hybrid Sheet Metal Components

The global trends towards improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO;emissions are the key drivers for lightweight solutions. In sheet metal processing, this can be achieved by the use of materials with a supreme strength-toweight and stiffness-to-weight ratio. Besides monolithic materials such as high-strength or light metals, in particular metal–plastic composite sheets are able to provide outstanding mechanical properties. Thus, the adaption of conventional, wellestablished forming methods for the processing of hybrid sheet metals is a current challenge for the sheet metal working industry. In this work, the planning phase for a conventional sheet metal forming process is studied aiming at the forming of metal–plastic composite sheets. The single process steps like material characterization, FE analysis, tool design and development of robust process parameters are studied in detail and adapted to the specific properties of metal–plastic composites. In material characterization, the model of the hybrid laminate needs to represent not only the mechanical properties of the individual combined materials, but also needs to reflect the behaviour of the interface zone between them.Based on experience, there is a strong dependency on temperature as well as strain rate. While monolithic materials show a moderate anisotropic behaviour, loads on laminates in different directions generate different strain states and completely different failure modes. During the FE analysis, thermo-mechanic and thermo-dynamic effects influence the temperature distribution within tool and work pieces and subsequently the forming behaviour. During try out and production phase,those additional influencing factors are limiting the process window even more and therefore need to be considered for the design of a robust forming process. A roadmap for sheet metal forming adjusted to metal–plastic composites is presented in this paper.