Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) create imitation photosynthesis by using chemical reactions to produce electricity from sunlight. DSSC has been pursued in numerous studies due to its capability to achieve efficiencies of up to 15% with artificial photosensitizer in diffuse light. However, artificial photosensitizers present a limitation because of the complex processing of metal compound. Therefore, various types of sensitizers were developed and synthesized to surpass the artificial sensitizer performances such as natural sensitizers from bio-based materials including plants, due to simple processing techniques and low environmental impact. Thus, this study examines the potential and properties of natural sensitizers from the waste of bio-based materials from Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen fruit) and Archidendron pauciflorum (jering fruit). Both fruits pericarps have dark color pigments as dark purple and dark brown, respectively, which promise a good absorption and has potential to be used as sensitizer for DSSC. Each pericarps dye extracted using cold extraction method in methanol solvent. Electrochemical properties and photovoltaic properties of the natural photosensitizers were studied. The highest peaks of photoluminescence spectra of mangosteen and jering sensitizers were at 490 and 670 nm, respectively, due to their different types of dye pigment extracted. We also obtained the absorption spectra for both mangosteen and jering sensitizers at 380-500 and 400-600 nm, respectively, in blue shift behavior. The redox reaction was also studied using cyclic voltammetry and identify their energy levels. The DSSC device with mangosteen sensitizer achieved an efficiency of 0.38% with 35.43% (IPCE at 337 nm) and 37.75 Ω (Rs), whereas that with jering sensitizer has efficiency of 0.07% with 25.31% (IPCE at 337 nm) and 490.70 Ω (Rs). Performance studies for both photosensitizers were weak due to their HOMO-LUMO levels, but the results show that both natural dyes can be potentially applied as photosensitizer in DSSC.
The current study sheds light on the measurement and estimation of the radioactivity of radionuclides (238U, 226Ra, 232Th, and 40k) in natural waters of different regions of Nineveh Governorate in Iraq.15 samples were collected from different sources of natural waters, where gamma-ray spectroscopy was used using NaI)TI) sodium iodide detector to determine the concentration of radioactivity in the samples. According to the results, the radioactivity concentration in the tested water sample were ranged from 0.36 ± 0.04-1.57 ± 0.09with an average value of 0.69 ± 0.06 Bq/l for 238U, and 2.9 ± 0.02-0.88 ± 0.03 with an average value of 0.65 ± 0.03 Bq/l for 226Ra Bq/l
... Show MoreABSTRACT : Fifteenth isolates of C. sakazakii were obtained from previous studies of the sample (infant formula, cerebrospinal fluid and blood). All isolates C. sakazakii identification based on microscopic, biochemical test and confirmed by 16SrRNA. We studied the movement of all isolates and study adhesion to polystyrene plate, adhesion and invasion to Esophageal adenocarcinoma (SKG-GT-4) for four isolates [Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF5), Bloods (B 1), Dialak (A1c), Novolac Allernova (C1)] and its cytotoxicity. Results showed that all isolates can move after 4 hours of incubation and increased after 8 hours, the isolates moved to different distances strong, medium, and weak. The results showed that the number of C. sakazakii colony adherent t
... Show MoreMeta stable phase of SnO as stoichiometric compound is deposited utilizing thermal evaporation technique under high vacuum onto glass and p-type silicon. These films are subjected to thermal treatment under oxygen for different temperatures (150,350 and 550 °C ). The Sn metal transformed to SnO at 350 oC, which was clearly seen via XRD measurements, SnO was transformed to a nonstoichiometric phase at 550 oC. AFM was used to obtain topography of the deposited films. The grains are combined compactly to form ridges and clusters along the surface of the SnO and Sn3O3 films. Films were transparent in the visible area and the values of the optical band gap for (150,350 and 550 °C ) 3.1,
This study was carried out to find out the effect of germination of broad beans and chickpeas seeds for different periods on the sensory properties of homus bethina and falafel. The results revealed that the studied properties were significantly different (P<0.05) in tenderness, flavor and overall acceptance as compared to control samples. While other properties such as appearance, body (texture), leavening and color did not showed significant differences.It was found that treatment B1 (100% germinated broad beans) varied significantly in tenderness in comparison with control samples.Treatment B3 (75% ordinary bread beans + 25% germinated broad beans) revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in both flavor and overall acceptance as compar
... Show MoreWell-dispersed Cu2FeSnSe4 (CFTSe) nanoparticles were first synthesized using the hot-injection method. The structure and phase purity of as-synthesized CFTSe nanoparticles were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Their morphological properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average particle sizes of the nanoparticles were about 7-10 nm. The band gap of the as-synthesized CFTS nanoparticles was determined to be about 1.15 eV by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry. Photoelectrochemical characteristics of CFTSe nanoparticles were also studied, which indicated their potential application in solar energy water splitting.
Artificial roughness applied to a Solar Air Heater (SAH) absorber plate is a popular technique for increasing its total thermal efficiency (ηt−th). In this paper, the influence of geometrical parameters of V-down ribs attached below the corrugated absorbing plate of a SAH on the ηt−th was examined. The impacts of key roughness parameters, including relative pitch p/e (6–12), relative height e/D (0.019–0.043), angles of attack α (30–75°), and Re (1000–20,000), were examined under real weather conditions. The SAH ηt−th roughened by V-down ribs was predicted using an in-house developed conjugate heat-transfer numerical model. The maximum SAH ηt−th was shown to be 78.8% as predicted under the steady-state condition
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