Abstract: A method of producing a nanograin material wherein a hole-transporting surfactant is injected into an InP/ZnS dispersion solution, and the surface of an InP/ZnS quantum dot is covered with the hole-transporting surfactant to prepare an InP/ZnS dispersion solution with a hole-transporting surfactant. The InP/ZnS dispersion solution with a hole-transporting surfactant is then applied to a substrate using a spin coating process of the like to form a quantum dot layer with a hole-transporting surfactant having one or more layers. Then, a dispersion solution (replacement solution) containing an electron-transporting surfactant is prepared. The substrate having the quantum dot layer with a hole-transporting surfactant is immersed in the replacement solution for a predetermined time, and part of the hole-transporting surfactant is replaced with the electron-transporting surfactant to form a quantum dot layer having one or more layer.

Abstract: A nanopore cell includes a conductive layer and a working electrode disposed above the conductive layer and at the bottom of a well into which an electrolyte may be contained, such that at least a portion of a top base surface area of the working electrode is exposed to the electrolyte. The nanopore cell further includes a first insulating wall disposed above the working electrode and surrounding a lower section of a well, and a second insulating wall disposed above the first insulating wall and surrounding an upper section of the well, forming an overhang above the lower section of the well. The upper section of the well includes an opening that a membrane may span across, and wherein a base surface area of the opening is smaller than the at least a portion of the top base surface area of the working electrode that is exposed to the electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ternary metal-based nanowire networks. The method comprises combining an aqueous mixture of a platinum hydrate, a ruthenium hydrate, and an iron hydrate with a solution of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide in chloroform to form an inverse micellar network; adding a reducing agent to reduce metal ions within the inverse micellar network; and isolating the nanowires. The relative amounts of the platinum, ruthenium and iron in the mixture correlate to the atomic ratio of the platinum, ruthenium and iron in the ternary nanowires. The diameters of the ternary nanowires are from about 0.5 nm to about 5 nm.

Abstract: A preparation method for an aerolysin nanopore in this disclosure comprises the following steps: (1) pretreatment of an aerolysin; (2) preparation of a lipid bilayer membrane by pulling process; (3) forming of the aerolysin nanopore: the aerolysin nanopore is obtained at a current of 50±5 pA. The aerolysin nanopore prepared in the invention is structurally stable and has a high resolution with the whole internal cavity carried with a positive charge, can be used for detection without modification and is easily operated. Further, the aerolysin nanopore can be applied in DNA sequencing, DNA damage and Micro-RNA detection.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium battery constructed of a metal foil current collector, a coating of a pH sensitive polyelectrolyte polymer directly on the metal foil current collector; and a polyelectrolyte polymer nanomembrane comprising alternating layers of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte polymer wherein each succeeding polyelectrolyte layer has excess charge over the previous layer is provided. The pH sensitive polymer may be poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), poly(dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride) (PDAD), poly(vinyl pyridine) (PPy), polyethyleneimine (PEI), polyacrylic acid (PAA), polymethacrylic acid (PMA) or poly(styrene sulfonic acid-maleic acid, sodium salt) (PSSM3:1).

Abstract: A transverse thermoelectric includes a first array of hole-conducting nanowires and a second array of electron-conducting nanowires positioned orthogonal to the first array of nanowires. A substrate provides structure to the first array of nanowires and the second array of nanowires.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multijunction solar cell having an upper first solar subcell composed of a semiconductor material having a first band gap; a second solar subcell adjacent to said first solar subcell and composed of a semiconductor material having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap and being lattice matched with the upper first solar subcell; a third solar subcell adjacent to said second solar subcell and composed of a semiconductor material having a third band gap smaller than the second band gap and being lattice matched with the second solar subcell; a graded interlayer adjacent to the third solar subcell; and a fourth solar subcell adjacent to said graded interlayer and composed of a semiconductor material having a fourth band gap smaller than the third band gap and being lattice mismatched with respect to the third solar subcell; wherein the fourth subcell has a direct bandgap of greater than 0.75 eV.

Abstract: A gas sensor device has a crystalline film of copper(I) bromide, wherein a crystal surface of the copper(I) bromide is formed of a stepped terrace having a flat face and a steep slope.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a nanocrystal. The nanocrystal includes a core including FeS2; and a coating including a ligand component capable of chemically interacting with both an iron atom and a sulfur atom on a surface of the core.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element includes a film composed of a conductive oxide, a first electrode disposed on one end of the film composed of the conductive oxide, and a second electrode disposed on another end of the film composed of the conductive oxide, wherein the conductive oxide has a tetragonal crystal structure expressed by ABO3-x, where 0.1<x<1, wherein the conductive oxide has a band structure in which a Fermi level intersects seven bands between a ? point and an R point, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on the film composed of the conductive oxide so that electrical charge moves in a direction of a smallest vector among three primitive translation vectors of the crystal structure.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator has a heat conducting body that exchanges heat with the environment according to environmental temperature changes, a heat storing body, and a thermoelectric conversion unit and thermal resistance body arranged between the heat conducting body and the heat storing body. One end of the thermal resistance body and one end of the thermoelectric conversion unit are in contact with each other. The other end of the thermal resistance body is in contact with the heat conducting body, and the other end of the thermoelectric conversion unit is in contact with the heat storing body. The surface of the heat storing body is covered by a covering layer having certain heat insulation properties. The temperature difference generated between the heat conducting body and the heat storing body is utilized to extract electric energy from the thermoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acrylic layer (in the form of a coating, film or sheet) useful as part of a photovoltaic module backsheet. The acrylic layer contains at least 40 percent of one or more acrylic polymers, including an acrylic polymer matrix and optionally acrylic impact modifiers. The acrylic polymer is preferably a polymer, copolymer, or terpolymer containing at least 50 weight percent of methylmethacrylate monomer units. The acrylic layer is flexible and optionally contains high levels of white pigment. It may also contain fluoropolymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride to improve weathering, processibility and film formation. The acrylic layer adheres to a polymer support layer such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A preferred substrate is PET that is pre-treated to improve adhesion, but unprimed PET can also be used. The backsheet provides excellent weatherability, environmental stability and reflectivity as part of a photovoltaic module.

Abstract: When a temperature inside a secondary battery becomes high and a gas pressure inside a battery case increases, an inversion plate is pressed due to the gas pressure so as to project and curve in a projecting manner toward an external terminal board. Due to such a deformation, a load is transmitted to a current interruption piece via a load transmission portion. At this time, due to a pushing-up force of the load transmission portion, a vulnerable breaking portion forming part of a peripheral edge of the current interruption piece breaks, so that the current interruption piece is displaced to bend in a V-shape via a folding portion. As a result, the secondary battery is brought into an unusable state. Such a configuration can attain simplification of a structure to interrupt a current.

Abstract: Embodiments provide analyte detection methods, techniques and processes for detecting the presence of one or more analytes in one or more samples. In a detection method, a sample and a sensor compound is introduced into a channel. A first potential difference is applied across the length of the channel in a first direction, and a first electrical property value is detected. Subsequently, a second potential difference is applied across the length of the channel in a second opposite direction, and a second electrical property value is detected. Presence or absence of an analyte in the channel is determined based on a comparison between the first and second electrical property values.

Abstract: A solar antenna array may comprise an array of carbon nanotube antennas that may capture and convert sunlight into electrical power. A method for constructing the solar antenna array from a glass top down to aluminum over a plastic bottom such that light passing through the glass top and/or reflected off the aluminum both may be captured by the antennas sandwiched between. Techniques for patterning the glass to further direct the light toward the antennas and techniques for continuous flow fabrication and testing are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for an electrochemical detector includes a plurality of receptors disposed on a semiconductor layer, wherein the plurality of receptors are arranged to interact with a target substance so as to alter an electrical characteristic of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Photovoltaic modules are mounted onto PV module mounting brackets of a solar torque tube via clamps. The clamps include a first hook rotatably attached to a main body, and a second hook rotatably attached to the main body. The clamps provide for simultaneously securing a first photovoltaic module to the bracket with the first hook and securing a second photovoltaic module to the bracket with the second hook without the need for tools.

Abstract: A solar antenna array may comprise an array of carbon nanotube antennas that may capture and convert sunlight into electrical power. A method for constructing the solar antenna array from a glass top down to aluminum over a plastic bottom such that light passing through the glass top and/or reflected off the aluminum both may be captured by the antennas sandwiched between. Techniques for patterning the glass to further direct the light toward the antennas and techniques for continuous flow fabrication and testing are also described.

Abstract: An optimization engine determines an optimal configuration for a solar power system projected onto a target surface. The optimization engine identifies an alignment axis that passes through a vertex of a boundary associated with the target surface and then constructs horizontal or vertical spans that represent contiguous areas where solar modules may be placed. The optimization engine populates each span with solar modules and aligns the solar modules within adjacent spans to one another. The optimization engine then generates a performance estimate for a collection of populated spans. By generating different spans with different solar module types and orientations, the optimization engine is configured to identify an optimal solar power system configuration.

Abstract: This invention provides an inorganic coating-protected unitary graphene material article for concentrated photovoltaic cell heat dissipation. The article comprises at least a layer of unitary graphene material having two primary surfaces and an electrically non-conducting layer of inorganic coating deposited on at least one of the primary surfaces, wherein the unitary graphene material is obtained from heat-treating a graphene oxide gel at a heat treatment temperature higher than 100° C. and contains chemically bonded graphene molecules or chemically merged graphene planes having an inter-graphene spacing no greater than 0.40 nm, preferably less than 0.337 nm, and most preferably less than 0.3346 nm.