We have synthesized a highly efficient organic dye for a dye-sensitized solar cell; the overall solar-to-energy conversion efficiency was 9.1% at AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW cm(-2)): short-circuit current density (J(sc)) = 18.1 mA cm(-2), open circuit photovoltage (V(oc)) = 743 mV and fill factor (ff) = 0.675.
Recently, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) have attracted much attention with their low production costs of electricity and relatively high energy-conversion efficiencies. [1][2][3][4] One of the key elements in DSC is the nanoporous TiO 2 electrode, which transfers the electrons from the dye molecules to the transparent conductive-oxide (TCO) electrode and concurrently allows the electrolytes to diffuse to the anchored dyes. Typically, nanoparticles are utilized for the fabrication of the nanoporous TiO 2 layers on the TCO to obtain high surface areas and generate nanopored structures. [1,5,6] In this TiO 2 layer derived from nanoparticles, however, the electrons produced from the dye molecules have to pass through numerous grain boundaries in order to reach the TCO, and the transport of the electrolytes is not efficient due to the irregularity of the pores generated. To this point, the tailoring of TiO 2 nanostructures is a crucial aspect of increasing the current photovoltaic-conversion efficiency of DSC. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] For the formation of an efficient DSC, a high surface area is prime and essential for the TiO 2 layer to load large amounts of dye molecules that will generate electrons by absorbing sun light. Second, the pores formed in the TiO 2 layer must be sufficiently large in size with excellent mutual connectivity for the efficient diffusion of electrolytes. Third, the defect level and the number of grain boundaries must be minimized to suppress the loss of electrons by recombination or back reaction. In general, however, these factors are not compatible with one another. For example, upon decreasing the size of the TiO 2 nanoparticles, the surface area of the fabricated nanoporous TiO 2 film is increased, and thus more dye molecules can be adsorbed. However, the average pore size is decreased simultaneously, and more defect sites and grain boundaries can be generated in the fabricated TiO 2 film. Therefore, it has been reported that the optimum particle size of TiO 2 has to be in the range of 12-20 nm. [5,6,[20][21][22] In this work, we designed a novel hierarchical pore structure that provides high surface area and large pore size at the same time. That is, nanoporous TiO 2 spheres with high surface area were synthesized and utilized to form the nanoporous TiO 2 electrode. As a result, two kinds of pores were successfully formed in the TiO 2 layer. Tiny internal pores were formed inside the TiO 2 sphere, while large external pores were generated by formation of the interstitial voids among the spherical structures. The large external pores can be used as a ''highway'' for electrolyte diffusion, as shown in Scheme 1. Therefore, it is expected that this porous spherical structure can provide both great adsorption of the dye molecules and efficient electrolyte diffusion at the same time.Sub-micrometer-sized TiO 2 spheres have often been prepared by sol-gel methods controlling the hydrolysis and condensation reactions, and their crystallized structures were formed by su...
Long-range ordered cubic mesoporous TiO 2 films with 300 nm thickness were fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process using F127 as a structure-directing agent. The prepared mesoporous TiO 2 film (Meso-TiO 2) was applied as an interfacial layer between the nanocrystalline TiO 2 film (NC-TiO 2) and the FTO electrode in the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The introduction of Meso-TiO 2 increased J sc from 12.3 to 14.5 mA/cm (2), and V oc by 55 mV, whereas there was no appreciable change in the fill factor (FF). As a result, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency ( eta) was improved by 30.0% from 5.77% to 7.48%. Notably, introduction of Meso-TiO 2 increased the transmittance of visible light through the FTO glass by 23% as a result of its excellent antireflective role. Thus the increased transmittance was a key factor in enhancing the photovoltaic conversion efficiency. In addition, the presence of interfacial Meso-TiO 2 provided excellent adhesion between the FTO and main TiO 2 layer, and suppressed the back-transport reaction by blocking direct contact between the electrolyte and FTO electrode.
BackgroundIn this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we tried to find out appropriate amounts of single-dose dexmedetomidine to prolong the duration of spinal anesthesia in a clinical setting.MethodsSixty patients who were scheduled for unilateral lower limb surgery under spinal anesthesia were randomized into three groups receiving normal saline (control group, n = 20) or 0.5 or 1.0 ug/kg dexmedetomidine (D-0.5 group, n = 20; D-1, n = 20) intravenously prior to spinal anesthesia with 12 mg of bupivacaine. The two-dermatome pinprick sensory regression time, duration of the motor block, Ramsay sedation score (RSS), and side effects of dexmedetomidine were assessed.ResultsThe two-dermatome pinprick sensory regression time (57.6 ± 23.2 vs 86.5 ± 24.3 vs 92.5 ± 30.7, P = 0.0002) and duration of the motor block (98.8 ± 34.1 vs 132.9 ± 43.4 vs 130.4 ± 50.4, P = 0.0261) were significantly increased in the D-0.5 and D-1 groups than in the control group. The RSS were significantly higher in the D-0.5 and D-1 groups than in the control group. However, there were no patients with oxygen desaturation in dexmedetomidine groups. The incidences of hypotension and bradycardia showed no differences among the three groups.ConclusionsBoth 0.5 and 1.0 ug/kg of dexmedetomidine administered as isolated boluses in the absence of maintenance infusions prolonged the duration of spinal anesthesia.
BackgroundRemifentanil is a short-acting drug with a rapid onset that is useful in general anesthesia. Recently, however, it has been suggested that the use of opioids during surgery may cause opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH). Researchers have recently reported that esmolol, an ultra-short-acing β1 receptor antagonist, reduces the postoperative requirement for morphine and provides more effective analgesia than the administration of remifentanil and ketamine. Hence, this study was conducted to determine whether esmolol reduces early postoperative pain in patients who are continuously infused with remifentanil for anesthesia during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.MethodsSixty patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into three groups. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and 4 ng/ml (target-controlled infusion) of remifentanil in all patients. Esmolol (0.5 mg/kg) was injected and followed with a continuous dosage of 10 µg/kg/min in the esmolol group (n = 20). Ketamine (0.3 mg/kg) was injected and followed with a continuous dosage of 3 µg/kg/min in the ketamine group (n = 20), while the control group was injected and infused with an equal amount of normal saline. Postoperative pain score (visual analog scale [VAS]) and analgesic requirements were compared for the first 6 hours of the postoperative period.ResultsThe pain score (VAS) and fentanyl requirement for 15 minutes after surgery were lower in the esmolol and ketamine groups compared with the control group (P < 0.05). There were no differences between the esmolol and ketamine groups.ConclusionsIntraoperative esmolol infusion during laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced opioid requirement and pain score (VAS) during the early postoperative period after remifentanil-based anesthesia.
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