Abstract: Methods, compositions and devices relate to photovoltaic cells having a photoactive layer and constituents synthesized and utilized for the photoactive layer. The photovoltaic cells incorporate photoactive materials produced from dyads formed into an initial layer and then thermally cleaved to provide the photoactive layer. Cleavage of the dyads, such as synthesized fullerene anthracen-2-ylmethyl 3-(thiophen-3-yl) acetate dyads, or polymers of the dyads into separate molecules providing donors and acceptors facilitates in obtaining the photovoltaic cells with desired arrangement and interspacing of the donors and the acceptors relative to one another.

Abstract: Methods, compositions and devices relate to photovoltaic cells having a photoactive layer and constituents synthesized and utilized for the photoactive layer. The photovoltaic cells incorporate photoactive materials produced from dyads formed into an initial layer and then thermally cleaved to provide the photoactive layer. Cleavage of the dyads, such as synthesized fullerene anthracen-2-ylmethyl 3-(thiophen-3-yl) acetate dyads, or polymers of the dyads into separate molecules providing donors and acceptors facilitates in obtaining the photovoltaic cells with desired arrangement and interspacing of the donors and the acceptors relative to one another.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for forming carbon nano-onions. The methods include annealing a carbon nanodiamond starting material in an inert atmosphere. The method can be carried out at ambient pressure. Also disclosed are methods for functionalizing carbon nano-onions. For instance, carbon nano-onions can be functionalized so as to be soluble in aqueous or organic solvents, as desired. Also disclosed are methods for separating mixtures of carbon nano-onions. In particular, mixtures of carbon nano-onions can be separated from one another based upon differences in electrochemical characteristics of the different nano-onions.