Preparation of Polyurea Elastomer with Flame Retardant, Insulation and Thermal Conductivity Properties

By using 6,6-((sulfonylbis(4,1-phenylene)bis(azanediyl))bis(thiophen-2-ylm-ethylene))bis6H-di-benzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine 6-oxide(DOPO-N)as phosphorus-nitrogen flame retardant,the polyurea(PUA)with flame retardant properties(PUA/DOPO-N)was prepared.In addition,organically modified montmorillonite(OMMT)and magnesium hydroxide(MH)were used as co-effectors respectively,and the flame retardant PUA(PUA/DOPO-N/OMMT and PUA/DOPO-N/MH)were also prepared.Thermal properties,flame retardant properties,flame retardant mechanism and mechanical properties of PUA/DOPO-N,PUA/DOPO-N/OMMT and PUA/DOPO-N/MH were investigated by thermogravimetric(TG)analysis,limiting oxygen index(LOI),UL 94,cone calorimeter test,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and tensile test.The results show that the LOI value of PUA/20%DOPO-N,PUA/18%DOPO-N/2%OMMT and PUA/15%DOPO-N/5%MH are 27.1%,27.7%,and 28.3%,respectively,and UL 94 V-0 rating is attained.Compared with PUA,the peak heat release rate(pk-HRR),total heat release(THR)and average effective heat combustion(av-EHC)of PUA/20%DOPO-N,PUA/18%DOPO-N/2%OMMT and PUA/15%DOPO-N/5%MH decrease significantly.SEM results indicate that the residual chars of PUA/20%DOPO-N,PUA/18%DOPO-N/2%OMMT and PUA/15%DOPO-N/5%MH are completer and more compact.The complex of DOPO-N/OMMT and DOPO-N/MH have synergistic flame retardancy.The mechanical properties of PUA can be improved by the addition of DOPO-N,DOPO-N/OMMT and DOPO-N/MH,respectively.The insulation performance test shows that the volume resistivity of PUA/20%DOPO-N is 6.25×10^(16)Ω.cm.Furthermore,by using modified boron nitride(MBN)as heat dissipating material,the complex of PUA/MBN was prepared,and the thermal conductivity of PUA/MBN was investigated.The thermal conductivity of PUA/8%MBN complex coating at room temperature is 0.166 W/(M·K),which is a 163%improvement over pure PUA.

All-Polymer Solar Cells and Photodetectors with Improved Stability Enabled by Terpolymers Containing Antioxidant Side Chains

It is of vital importance to improve the long-term and photostability of organic photovoltaics,including organic solar cells(OSCs)and organic photodetectors(OPDs),for their ultimate industrialization.Herein,two series of terpolymers featuring with an antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene(BHT)-terminated side chain,PTzBI-EHp-BTBHTx and N2200-BTBHTx(x=0.05,0.1,0.2),are designed and synthesized.It was found that incorporating appropriate ratio of benzothiadiazole(BT)with BHT side chains on the conjugated backbone would induce negligible effect on the molecular weight,absorption spectra and energy levels of polymers,however,which would obviously enhance the photostability of these polymers.Consequently,all-polymer solar cells(all-PSCs)and photodetectors were fabricated,and the all-PSC based on PTzBI-EHp-BTBHT0.05:N2200 realized an optimal power conversion efficiency(PCE)approaching~10%,outperforming the device based on pristine PTzBI-EHp:N2200.Impressively,the all-PSCs based on BHT-featuring terpolymers displayed alleviated PCEs degradation under continuous irradiation for 300 h due to the improved morphological and photostability of active layers.The OPDs based on BHT-featuring terpolymers achieved a lower dark current at−0.1 bias,which could be stabilized even after irradiation over 400 h.This study provides a feasible approach to develop terpolymers with antioxidant efficacy for improving the lifetime of OSCs and OPDs.

Highly specific characterization and discrimination of monosodium urate crystals in gouty arthritis based on aggregation-induced emission luminogens

Existing technologies used to detect monosodium urate(MSU)crystals for gout diagnosis are not ideal due to their low sensitivity and complexity of operation.The purpose of this study was to explore whether aggregation-induced emission luminogens(AIEgens)can be used for highly specific imaging of MSU crystals to assist in the diagnosis of gout.First,we developed a series of luminogens(i.e.,tetraphenyl ethylene(TPE)-NH_(2),TPE-2NH_(2),TPE-4NH_(2),TPE-COOH,TPE-2COOH,TPE-4COOH,and TPE-Ketoalkyne),each of which was then evenly mixed with MSU crystals.Next,optimal fluorescence imaging of each of the luminogens was characterized by a confocal laser scanning microscope(CLSM).This approach was used for imaging standard samples of MSU,hydroxyapatite(HAP)crystals,and mixed samples with 1:1 mass ratio of MSU/HAP.We also imaged samples from mouse models of acute gouty arthritis,HAP deposition disease,and comorbidities of interest.Subsequently,CLSM imaging results were compared with those of compensated polarized light microscopy,and we assessed the biosafety of TPE-Ketoalkyne in the RAW264.7 cell line.Finally,CLSM time series and three-dimensional imaging were performed on MSU crystal samples from human gouty synovial fluid and tophi.As a promising candidate for MSU crystal labeling,TPE-Ketoalkyne was found to detect MSU crystals accurately and rapidly in standard samples,animal samples,and human samples,and could precisely distinguish gout from HAP deposition disease.This work demonstrates that TPE-Ketoalkyne is suitable for highly specific and timely imaging of MSU crystals in gouty arthritis and may facilitate future research on MSU crystal-related diseases.

17.13% Efficiency and Superior Thermal Stability of Organic Solar Cells Based on a Comb-Shape Active Blend

With rapid progress,organic solar cells(OSCs)are getting closer to the target of real application.However,the stability issue is still one of the biggest challenges that have to be resolved.Especially,the thermal stability of OSCs is far from meeting the requirements of the application.Here,based on the layer-by-layer(LBL)process and by utilizing the dissolubility nature of solvent and materials,binary inverted OSCs(ITO/AZO/PM6/BTP-eC9/MoO3/Ag)with comb shape active morphology are fabricated.High efficiency of 17.13%and simultaneous superior thermal stability(with 93%of initial efficiency retained in~9:00 h under 85℃in N_(2))are demonstrated,showing superior stability to reference cells.The enhancements are attributed to the formed optimal comb shape of the active layer,which could provide a larger D/A interface,thus more charge carriers,render the active blend a more stable morphology,and protect the electrode by impeding ion's migration and corrosion.To the best of our knowledge,this is the best thermal stability of binary OSCs reported in the literature,especially when considering the high efficiency of over 17%.

Optimizing the morphology of all-polymer solar cells for enhanced photovoltaic performance and thermal stability

Due to the complicated film formation kinetics, morphology control remains a major challenge for the development of efficient and stable all-polymer solar cells(all-PSCs). To overcome this obstacle, the sequential deposition method is used to fabricate the photoactive layers of all-PSCs comprising a polymer donor PTzBI-oF and a polymer acceptor PS1. The film morphology can be manipulated by incorporating amounts of a dibenzyl ether additive into the PS1 layer. Detailed morphology investigations by grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering and a transmission electron microscope reveal that the combination merits of sequential deposition and DBE additive can render favorable crystalline properties as well as phase separation for PTzBI-oF:PS1 blends. Consequently, the optimized all-PSCs delivered an enhanced power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 15.21%along with improved carrier extraction and suppressed charge recombination. More importantly, the optimized all-PSCs remain over 90% of their initial PCEs under continuous thermal stress at 65 °C for over 500 h. This work validates that control over microstructure morphology via a sequential deposition process is a promising strategy for fabricating highly efficient and stable all-PSCs.

Progress of semitransparent emerging photovoltaics for building integrated applications

With the rapid development of emerging photovoltaics technology in recent years,the application of building-integrated photovoltaics(BIPVs)has attracted the research interest of photovoltaic communities.To meet the practical application requirements of BIPVs,in addition to the evaluation indicator of power conversion efficiency(PCE),other key performance indicators such as heat-insulating ability,average visible light transmittance(AVT),color properties,and integrability are equally important.The traditional Si-based photovoltaic technology is typically limited by its opaque properties for application scenarios where transparency is required.The emerging PV technologies,such as organic and perovskite photovoltaics are promising candidates for BIPV applications,owing to their advantages such as high PCE,high AVT,and tunable properties.At present,the PCE of semitransparent perovskite solar cells(ST-PSCs)has attained 14%with AVT of 22–25%;for semitransparent organic solar cells(ST-OSCs),the PCE reached 13%with AVT of almost 40%.In this review article,we summarize recent advances in material selection,optical engineering,and device architecture design for high-performance semitransparent emerging PV devices,and discuss the application of optical modeling,as well as the challenges of commercializing these semitransparent solar cells for building-integrated applications.

Efficient energy transfer from self-trapped excitons to Mn^(2+) dopants in CsCdCl_(3):Mn^(2+) perovskite nanocrystals

Mn^(2+)doping has been adopted as an efficient approach to regulating the luminescence properties of halide perovskite nano-crystals(NCs).However,it is still difficult to understand the interplay of Mn^(2+)luminescence and the matrix self-trapped exciton(STE)emission therein.In this study,Mn^(2+)-doped CsCdCl_(3) NCs are prepared by hot injection,in which CsCdCl_(3) is selected because of its unique crystal structure suitable for STE emission.The blue emission at 441 nm of undoped CsCdCl_(3) NCs originates from the defect states in the NCs.Mn^(2+)doping promotes lattice distortion of CsCdCl_(3) and generates bright orange-red light emission at 656 nm.The en-ergy transfer from the STEs of CsCdCl_(3) to the excited levels of the Mn^(2+)ion is confirmed to be a significant factor in achieving efficient luminescence in CsCdCl_(3):Mn^(2+)NCs.This work highlights the crucial role of energy transfer from STEs to Mn^(2+)dopants in Mn^(2+)-doped halide NCs and lays the groundwork for modifying the luminescence of other metal halide perovskite NCs.

Polymer ionogels and their application in flexible ionic devices

Polymer ionogel(PIG)is a new type of flexible,stretchable,and ion-conductive material,which generally consists of two components(polymer matrix materials and ionic liquids/deep eutectic solvents).More and more attention has been received owing to its excellent properties,such as nonvolatility,good ionic conductivity,excellent thermal stability,high electrochemical stability,and transparency.In this review,the latest research and developments of PIGs are comprehensively reviewed according to different polymer matrices.Particularly,the development of novel structural designs,preparation methods,basic properties,and their advantages are respectively summarized.Furthermore,the typical applications of PIGs in flexible ionic skin,flexible electrochromic devices,flexible actuators,and flexible power supplies are reviewed.The novel working mechanism,device structure design strategies,and the unique functions of the PIG-based flexible ionic devices are briefly introduced.Finally,the perspectives on the current challenges and future directions of PIGs and their application are discussed.

Control of temperature dependent viscosity for manufacturing of Bi-doped active fiber

Bi-activated photonic materials are promising for various applications in high-capacity telecommunication,tunable laser,and advanced bioimaging and sensing.Although various Bi-doped material candidates have been explored,manufacturing of Bi heavily doped fiber with excellent optical activity remains a long-standing challenge.Herein,a novel viscosity evolutional behavior mediated strategy for manufacturing of Bi-doped active fiber with high dopant solubility is proposed.The intrinsic relation among the evolution of Bi,reaction temperature and viscosity of the glass system is established.Importantly,the effective avenue to prevent the undesired deactivation of Bi during fiber drawing by tuning the temperature dependent viscosity evolution is built.By applying the strategy,for the first time we demonstrate the success in fabrication of heavily doped Bi active fiber.Furthermore,the principal fiber amplifier device is constructed and broadband optical signal amplification is realized.Our findings indicate the effectiveness of the proposed temperature dependent viscosity mediated strategy for developing novel photonic active fiber,and they also demonstrate the great potential for application in the next-generation high-capacity telecommunication system.

Inkjet printing for electroluminescent devices： emissive materials, film formation, and display prototypes

Inkjet priming （IJP） is a versatile technique for realizing high-accuracy patterns in a cost-effective manner. It is considered to be one of the most promising candidates to replace the expensive thermal evaporation technique, which is hindered by the difficulty of fabricating low-cost, large electroluminescent devices, such as organic light- emitting diodes （OLEDs） and quantum dot light-emitting diodes （QLEDs）. In this invited review, we first introduce the recent progress of some printable emissive materials, including polymers, small molecules, and inorganic colloidal quantum dot emitters in OLEDs and QLEDs. Subsequently, we focus on the key factors that influence film formation. By exploring stable ink formulation, selecting print parameters, and implementing droplet deposition control, a uniform film can be obtained, which in turn improves the device performance. Finally, a series of impressive inkjet-printed OLEDs and QLEDs prototype display panels are summarized, suggesting a promising future for IJP in the fabrication of large and high-resolution flat panel displays.

Simultaneously Suppressing Low-Frequency and Relaxation Oscillation Intensity Noise in a DBR Single-Frequency Phosphate Fiber Laser

Effective multiple optoelectronic feedback circuits for simultaneously suppressing low-frequency and relaxation oscillation intensity noise in a single-frequency phosphate fiber laser are demonstrated. The forward transfer function, which relates the laser output intensity to the pump modulations, is measured and analyzed. A custom two-path feedback system operating at different frequency bands is designed to adjust the pump current directly. The relative intensity noise is decreased by 20dB from 0.2 to 5kHz and over lOdB from 5 to lOkHz. The relaxation oscillation peak is suppressed by 22dB. In addition, a long term （24h） laser instability of less than 0.05% is achieved.

Synergistic Flame Retardant Effect of Ammonium Polyphosphate and Aluminum Hydroxide on Polyurethane

The flame-retardant properties of polyurethane(PU)containing ammonium polyphosphate(APP)and aluminum hydroxide(ATH)were investigated.Moreover,the flame retardant performance was investigated through thermogravimetric analysis,limiting oxygen index(LOI),vertical combustion(UL 94),and cone calorimeter.When 15 wt%APP and 5 wt%ATH were added together,the PU/15%APP/5%ATH sample shows better thermal stability and flame-retardant properties.When 15 wt%APP and 5 wt%ATH were added together,the LOI value of the PU/15%APP/5%ATH sample was 30.5%,and UL 94 V-0 rating was attained.Compared with PU,the peak heat release rate(PHRR),total heat release(THR),and average effective heat combustion(av-EHC)of the PU/15%APP/5%ATH sample decreased by 43.1%,21.0%,and 29.4%,respectively.In addition,the flame-retardant mechanism was investigated through cone calorimeter.The APP/ATH addition simultaneously exerted condensed phase and gas phase flame retardant effects.APP and ATH have synergistic flame retardant properties.

Improving the stability and scalability of all-inorganic inverted CsPbI_(2)Br perovskite solar cell

All-inorganic perovskite solar cells(PSCs) have potential to pass the stability international standard of IEC61215:2016 but cannot deliver high performance and stability due to the poor interface contact. In this paper, Sn-doped TiO_(2)(Ti_(1-x)Sn_(x)O_(2)) ultrathin nanoparticles are prepared for electron transport layer(ETL) by solution process. The ultrathin Ti_(1-x)Sn_(x)O_(2) nanocrystals have greatly improved interface contact due to the facile film formation, good conductivity and high work function. The all-inorganic inverted NiOx/CsPbI_(2)Br/Ti_(1-x)Sn_(x)O_(2)p-i-n device shows a power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 14.0%. We tested the heat stability, light stability and light-heat stability. After stored in 85℃ for 65 days, the inverted PSCs still retains 98% of initial efficiency. Under continuous standard one-sun illumination for 600 h,there is no efficiency decay, and under continuous illumination at 85℃ for 200 h, the device still retains 85% of initial efficiency. The 1.0 cm^(2) device of inverted structure shows a PCE of up to 11.2%. The ultrathin Ti_(1-x)Sn_(x)O_(2)is promising to improve the scalability and stability and thus increase the commercial prospect.

Diketopyrrolopyrrole based D-π-A-π-D type small organic molecules as hole transporting materials for perovskite solar cells

Three novel diketopyrrolopyrrole （DPP） based small organic molecules were synthesized as hole transporting materials for perovskite solar cells. The effects of different donors and zr bridges on the performance of perovskite solar cells （PSCs） were discussed. The efficiency of TPADPP-1, TPADPP-2. PTZDPP-2 was 5.10%, 9.85% and 8.16% respectively. Compared to TPADPP-2, the voltage of PTZDPP-2 was higher. Because the electron-donatingability of phenothiazine based donor was larger than that of triphenylamine based donor, the HOMO level of PTZDPP-2 was lower than that of TPADPP-2. The results indicated that the diketopyrrolopyrrole based D-π-A-π-D type small organic molecule might be a promising hole trans- porting material in the perovskite solar cells.

Regulating Charge and Exciton Distribution in High-Performance Hybrid White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with n-Type Interlayer Switch

The interlayer(IL) plays a vital role in hybrid white organic light-emitting diodes(WOLEDs); however,only a negligible amount of attention has been given to n-type ILs. Herein, the n-type IL, for the first time,has been demonstrated to achieve a high efficiency, high color rendering index(CRI), and low voltage trade-off.The device exhibits a maximum total efficiency of 41.5 lm W^(-1), the highest among hybrid WOLEDs with n-type ILs. In addition, high CRIs(80–88) at practical luminances(C1000 cd m^(-2)) have been obtained, satisfying the demand for indoor lighting. Remarkably, a CRI of 88 is the highest among hybrid WOLEDs. Moreover, the device exhibits low voltages, with a turn-on voltage of only 2.5 V([1 cd m^(-2)), which is the lowest among hybrid WOLEDs. The intrinsic working mechanism of the device has also been explored; in particular, the role of n-type ILs in regulating the distribution of charges and excitons has been unveiled. The findings demonstrate that the introduction of n-type ILs is effective in developing high-performance hybrid WOLEDs.

Shorter alkyl chain in thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione(TPD)-based large bandgap polymer donors – Yield efficient non-fullerene polymer solar cells

Typically,conjugated polymers are composed of conjugated backbones and alkyl side chains.In this contribution,a cost-effective strategy of tailoring the length of alkyl side chain is utilized to design highperforming thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione(TPD)-based large bandgap polymer donors PBDT-BiTPD(Cχ)(χ=48,52,56),in which x represents the alkyl side chain length in term of the total carbon number.A combination of light absorption,device,and morphology examinations make clear that the shorter alkyl side chains yield(i) higher crystallinity and more predominant face-on crystallite orientation in their neat and BHJ blend films,(ii) higher charge mobilities(6.7×10^(-4) cm~2 V^(-1) s^(-1) for C48 vs.3.2×10^(-4) cm~2 V^(-1) s^(-1) for C56),and negligible charge recombination,consequently,(iii) significantly improved fill-factor(FF) and short current(J_(SC)),while almost the same open circuit voltage(V_(OC)) of ca.0.82 V in their corresponding BHJ devices.In parallel,as alkyl side chain lengths decrease from C56 to C48,power conversion efficiencies(PCEs) increased from 7.8% for C56 to 11.1% for C52,and further to14.1% for C48 in their BHJ solar cells made with a narrow bandgap non-fullerene acceptor Y6.This systematic study declares that shortening the side chain,if providing appropriate solubility in device solution processing solvents,is of essential significance for developing high-performing polymer donors and further improving device photovoltaic performance.

Regioisomeric Polymer Semiconductors Based on Cyano-Functionalized Dialkoxybithiophenes:Structure-Property Relationship and Photovoltaic Performance

Cyano substitution is vital to the molecular design of polymer semiconductors toward highly efficient organic solar cells.However,how regioselectivity impacts relevant optoelectronic properties in cyano-substituted bithiophene systems remain poorly understood.Three regioisomeric cyano-functionalized dialkoxybithiophenes BT_(HH),BT_(HT),and BT_(TT) with headto-head,head-to-tail,and tail-to-tail linkage,respectively,were synthesized and characterized in this work.The resulting polymer semiconductors(PBDTBTs)based on these building blocks were prepared accordingly.The regiochemistry and property relationships of PBDTBTs were investigated in detail.The BTHH moiety has a higher torsional barrier than the analogs BT_(HT) and BT_(TT),and the regiochemistry of dialkoxybithiophenes leads to fine modulation in the optoelectronic properties of these polymers,such as optical absorption,band gap,and energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals.Organic field-effect transistors based on PBDTBT_(HH) had higher hole mobility(4.4×10^(-3) cm^(2)/(V·s))than those(ca.10^(-4) cm^(2)/(V·s))of the other two polymer analogs.Significantly different short-circuit current densities and fill factors were obtained in polymer solar cells using PBDTBTs as the electron donors.Such difference was probed in greater detail by performing space-charge-limited current mobility,thin-film morphology,and transient photocurrent/photovoltage characterizations.The findings highlight that the BTHH unit is a promising building block for the construction of polymer donors for highperformance organic photovoltaic cells.

Understanding the role of interconnecting layer on determining monolithic perovskite/organic tandem device carrier recombination properties

As one of the core parts of two-terminal(2 T) monolithic tandem photovoltaics, the interconnecting layers(ICLs) play a critical role in modulating the carrier transport and recombination between the sub-cells,and thus influencing the tandem device performance. Here, for the first time, the relationship between ICLs architecture and 2 T monolithic perovskite/organic tandem device performance has been studied by investigating the change of ICLs composition layer thickness on the ICLs optical and electrical properties, sub-cells EQE properties, and tandem device J-V properties. It is revealed that the ability of ICLs on modulating the sub-cells carrier balance properties is strongly associated with its composited layers thickness, and the tandem device carrier balance properties can be reflected by the relative EQE intensity between the sub-cells. Finally, with a deep understanding of the mechanisms, rational design of ICLs can be made to benefit the tandem device development. Based on the optimized ICL a high PCE of 20.03% is achieved.

Photophysics, morphology and device performances correlation on non-fullerene acceptor based binary and ternary solar cells

Non-fullerene acceptor(NFA) based organic solar cells(OSCs) are of high efficiency and low energy loss and low recombination features, which is owing to the advantage of non-fullerene acceptors. The photophysics investigation of non-fullerene solar cells, in comparing to fullerene based analogue as well as mixed acceptor ternary blends could help to understand the working mechanism of NFA functioning mechanism. We choose PBDB-T donor, the fullerene derivative PC71 BM acceptor, and the non-fullerene acceptor ITIC as the model system, to construct binary and ternary solar cells, which then subject to ultrafast spectroscopy investigation. The charge transfer pathway in binary and ternary blends is revealed.And it is seen that ITIC leads to a faster exciton separation and exciton diffusion. ITIC in blends suppresses the geminate recombination and shows smaller amount of charge transfer states, which is beneficial for the device performance. And the addition of ITIC enhances the crystallinity for both donor and acceptor leads to a morphology change of forming bicontinuous crystalline networks and phase separation. In a consequence, fill factor and JSC, increase dramatically for the related OSC.

Synthesis and Photovoltaic Properties of Novel Porphyrin Derivatives

The porphyrin derivatives, 5,10,15,20-tetra（4-（N-pentane-carboxamide） phenyl） porphyrin（4 NC5-TPP）, 5,10,15,20-tetra（4-（N-dodecane-carboxamide） phenyl） porphyrin（4 NC12-TPP） and their zinc-complexes（4 NC5-TPPZn and 4 NC12-TPPZn）, have been synthesized. Their thermal properties and morphologies were investigated via thermal gravity analysis（TGA）, differential scanning calorimetry（DSC） and polarized optical microscopy（POM）. It was found that the 4 NC5-TPP was amorphous and the 4 NC5-TPPZn was crystalline at room temperature, while the 4 NC12-TPP formed the columnar liquid crystal and the 4 NC12-TPPZn showed the spherulite texture. The electron state density distributions and the optimum configuration of the porphyrin derivatives were calculated by chemical simulation. The electrochemical oxidation and reduction abilities of the porphyrin derivatives were studied by cyclic voltammetry（CV）. It was indicated that the porphyrin derivatives had the potential to develop organic photovoltaic（OPV） devices. Using the porphyrin derivatives as donor materials and the 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride（PTCDA） as the acceptor material, the OPV devices were fabricated. The device structure is ITO/porphyrin derivatives：PTCDA/Al. The relationship between the morphology and performance of OPV was studied. It was found that the crystalline morphology of the film was beneficial to improve the efficiency of the devices.