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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Mechanical Routes To Biocontinuous Conductive Polymer Networks For Solar Cell Applications, Erin Waterman Jun 2014

Mechanical Routes To Biocontinuous Conductive Polymer Networks For Solar Cell Applications, Erin Waterman

Honors Theses

We have successfully created the first example of a bicontinuous conductive polymer network for use in hybrid QD-polymer solar cells via a mechanochemical route. Heterometallic dicyanoaurate coordination polymers were used as intercalative hosts to promote in situ growth of emeraldine polyaniline (PANI), which provides electron conduction pathways within the active layer. Cu2+-excanged Laponite RD nanodiscs were used to direct the self-assembly of the bicontinuous polymer networks and nanomorphology within the nanocomposites. These PANI/Laponite coordination polymers were extensively characterized by scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy in order to probe polymer-nanoparticle and polymer-polymer interactions. …


3d Flowerlike Micro/Nanocomposite Ceria To Remove Arsenic And Chromium In Drinking Water, Taera Kim Jun 2014

3d Flowerlike Micro/Nanocomposite Ceria To Remove Arsenic And Chromium In Drinking Water, Taera Kim

Honors Theses

Ceria has received great attention for the removal of water contaminants due to its high oxygen storage capacity, marked oxygen ion conductivity, and tunable catalytic activity. Zhong et al. suggested that ceria (cerium oxide) microspheres with nanoscale 3D flowerlike morphology represent a promising inorganic synthetic material to remove water contaminants such as As(V) and Cr(VI) from drinking water. The 3D flowerlike micro/nanocomposite ceria offer key advantages over other nanoparticle based remediation systems as they can be easily removed via conventional microfiltration. The goals of this thesis project were to test the reproducibility of the synthesis of the 3D flowerlike ceria, …