RSC Advances

doi: 10.1039/c2ra90087dpmid: N/A

doi: 10.1039/c2ra90088bpmid: N/A

Zhu, Feng; Wu, Dapeng; Li, Qi; Dong, Hui; Li, Jianming; Jiang, Kai; Xu, Dongsheng

doi: 10.1039/c2ra22043apmid: N/A

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), as a type of promising energy conversion device, have received much attention in the past two decades due to their high efficiency and low cost. In order to achieve higher energy conversion efficiency, different TiO2 structures have been employed to fulfill the requirements of large surface area, light scattering capability and effective electron collection. In recent years, TiO2 hierarchical microspheres (HMSs) emerged as a class of robust photoanode materials to integrate the above-mentioned qualities, taking advantage of their unique structures. This review summarises the vast array of methods for the fabrication and structural control of the TiO2 HMSs. Subsequently, it focuses on illustrating the structural advantages of the HMSs, such as high surface area, submicron-sized diameter and interconnected primary building blocks over their performances when used in DSSCs. Finally, in the perspective, we intensively discuss the reasons preventing the HMS based DSSC from making striking improvements in power conversion efficiency. Moreover, the further optimization of the HMSs and their potential applications in other solar energy conversion devices are also discussed.

Actis, Paolo; McDonald, Alex; Beeler, David; Vilozny, Boaz; Millhauser, Glenn; Pourmand, Nader

doi: 10.1039/c2ra21730apmid: 23243499

Protein–metal interactions determine and regulate many biological functions. Nanopipettes functionalized with peptide moieties can be used as sensors for metal ions in solution.

Kumar, Atul; Kumar, Promod; Tripathi, Vishwa Deepak; Srivastava, Suman

doi: 10.1039/c2ra21284fpmid: N/A

An efficient new multicomponent protocol for the C-3 functionalization of indoles with dihydrocoumarin has been developed using an artificial sweetener (saccharin)-based functional ionic liquid (imidazolium saccharinate). The reaction consists of the Knoevenagel coupling of salicylaldehyde and Meldrum's acid followed by a Michael type reaction with indole, resulting in concomitant lactonization via decarboxylative elimination to yield indole-3-dihydro-coumarins in good to excellent yields at room temperature.

Agarkar, Shruti A.; Dhas, Vivek V.; Muduli, Subas; Ogale, Satishchandra B.

doi: 10.1039/c2ra22182apmid: N/A

We report the development of a titania-nanoparticle-based solar paint which gives a conversion efficiency of 3.6% on FTO/glass substrates under fully room temperature processing. The paint cures quickly saving time in the cell fabrication process. Even on a flexible ITO/PET substrate efficiency of 2.4% was achieved. We present and analyze the results of described materials and device property characterizations.

Bo, Qi-Bing; Wang, Hong-Yan; Miao, Jin-Ling; Wang, Da-Qi

doi: 10.1039/c2ra21863apmid: N/A

Two pairs of novel Zn-based MOFs with the same structures are synthesized. The exchange mechanism between the primary MOFs and the substituted MOFs is discussed. The utilization of the single metal site substitution in pre-formed Zn-based MOFs appears suited to the design of isostructural Zn-based hetero-MOFs with different photoluminescence properties.

Leng, Yan; Liu, Jian; Jiang, Pingping; Wang, Jun

doi: 10.1039/c2ra22348apmid: N/A

New heteropolyanion-based polymeric hybrids prepared by the anion-exchange of newly task-specific designed ionic copolymers with Keggin heteropolyacids are revealed to be highly efficient, conveniently recoverable, and steadily reusable catalysts for the oxidation of alcohols with H2O2.

Raju, Chandran; Madhaiyan, Kalaipriya; Uma, Ramakrishnan; Sridhar, Radhakrishnan; Ramakrishna, Seeram

doi: 10.1039/c2ra21330cpmid: N/A

A simple, efficient and economic synthesis of tetrazolo [1,5-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxylates was accomplished by three-component reaction of β-ketoesters with a mixture of aromatic aldehyde and 5-aminotetrazole using TFA:DIPEA (1 : 1) as the catalyst. The synthesized tetrazole compounds are evaluated for their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.

Duan, Fei; He, Bin

doi: 10.1039/c2ra21703apmid: N/A

Evaporation is observed when heat conducts from the interface to the gas and liquid phases at a heated flat surface by two aligned heating elements. The average evaporation flux is significantly higher than that while the water surface is heated below under the same power input. To demonstrate the energy transport at an interface with zero cross-section area from a high-temperature position to a low-temperature position, a thermodynamic model is derived from the Gibbs dividing-surface approximation. The measurement shows that the interfacial temperature is up to 6.9 °C higher at the heating wires than that at the centerline between the two heating wires as the liquid is heated at the surface. The induced interfacial flow can transport energy to maintain the evaporation by overtaking negative thermal conduction to the evaporating interface globally.