A unique molecular junction design is described, consisting of a molecular mono- or multilayer oriented between a conducting carbon substrate and a metallic top contact. The sp2 hybridized graphitic carbon substrate (pyrolyzed photoresist film, PPF) is flat on the scale of the molecular dimensions, and the molecular layer is bonded to the substrate via diazonium ion reduction to yield a strong,...

Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photoelectrodes offer a simple alternative to the traditional semiconductor-liquid junction and the conventional p-n junction electrode. Highly efficient MIS photoanodes require interfacial surface passivating oxides and high workfunction metals to produce a high photovoltage. Herein, we investigate and analyze the effect of interfacial oxides and metal workf...

The area of thin-film photovoltaics has been overwhelmed by organometal halide perovskites. Unfortunately, serious stability concerns arise with perovskite solar cells. For example, methyl-ammonium lead iodide is known to decompose in the presence of water and, more severely, even under inert conditions at elevated temperatures. Here, we demonstrate inverted perovskite solar cells, in which the...

Preliminary results obtained by a code aimed to the analysis of three-dimensional (3D) instability of axisymmetric melt flows in Czochralski crucible are described. The CPU time and the computer memory necessary for the comprehensive 3D stability analysis by a second-order finite volume method are estimated. Basing on a certain experimental configuration, we give an example of the stability dia...

Abstract Metal matrix syntactic foams are cellular materials in which the is metal and within that non-metallic cells formed by filler material. These have low density, besides that, they high compressive strength energy absorption. The main goal was to improve these properties reinforcing with ceramic grains. During experiment, molten A356 aluminium (7Si-0,3Mg) infiltrated between mixture of r...

The classic approach to preparation of XRF specimens of inhomogeneous materials is the method of flux/fusion. This technique has not been applied to automotive catalysts because they utilize large quantities of precious metals (Pt, Pd, Rh) that are reduced at typical fusion temperatures and agglomerate and alloy with the crucible walls, leading to erratic losses of the precious metals. This eff...

Determination of benzo(a)pyrene in vegetable oils was carried out using aluminium oxide for clean-up followed by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC). A quantity of oil was dissolved in petroleum ether and added to an aluminium oxide column which retained the lipids. Benzo(a)pyrene in the oil was eluted from the column with petroleum ether and the collected eluate was co...

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of various porcelain surface-conditioning techniques, used either alone or in combination, on the shear bond strength (SBS) of ceramic brackets cured with a light emitting diode (LED). Thirty glazed porcelain facets were randomly divided into three groups of 10. In group I, the porcelain surfaces were etched with 9.6 per cent hydrofluoric acid (H...

The present experiments were done to determine the effectiveness of a non-specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), on oxidative stress parameters induced by aluminium chloride (AlCl(3)) intrahippocampal injections in Wistar rats. Animals were sacrificed 3 h and 30 d after treatments, heads were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and forebrain cortic...

Despite the multiple roles played by antioxidants in rhizobia-legume symbioses, little is known about glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) in legumes. Here the characterization of six GPX genes of Lotus japonicus is reported. Expression of GPX genes was analysed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in L. japonicus and Lotus corniculatus plants exposed to various treatments ...