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| 2. |
- Karlsson, Therese, 1987, et al.
(författare)
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Hyperspectral imaging and data analysis for detecting and determining plastic contamination in seawater filtrates
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy. - Chichester, England : SAGE Publications. - 0967-0335 .- 1751-6552. ; 24:2, s. 141-149
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- One possible way of monitoring plastic particles in sea water is by imaging spectroscopic measurements on filtrates. The idea is that filters from seawater sampling can be imaged in many wavelengths and that a multivariate data analysis can give information on (1) spatial location of plastic material on the filter and (2) composition of the plastic materials. This paper reports on simulated samples with spiked reference plastic particles, and real seawater filtrates containing microplastic pollutants. These real samples were previously identified through visual examination in a microscope. The samples were imaged using three different imaging systems. The different wavelength ranges were 375–970nm, 960–1662nm and 1000–2500nm. Data files from all three imaging systems were analysed by hyperspectral image analysis. The method using the wavelength span 1000–2500nm was shown to be the most applicable to this specific type of samples and gave a 100% particle recognition on reference plastic, above 300 µm and an 84% pixel recognition on household polyethylene plastic. When applied to environmental samples the technique showed an increase in identified particles compared with visual investigations. These initial tests indicate a potential underestimation of microplastics in environmental samples. This is the first study to demonstrate that hyperspectral imaging techniques can be used to study microplastics down to 300µm, which is a common size limit used in microplastic surveys.
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| 3. |
- Kolavali, Reddysuresh, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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The sorption of monovalent cations onto wood flour and holocelluloses of Norway spruce: molecular interactions during LiCl impregnation
- 2017
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Ingår i: Holzforschung. - : Walter de Gruyter GmbH. - 1437-434X .- 0018-3830. ; 71:5, s. 373-381
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Active functional groups and interactions involved in the sorption of Li+ ions from an aqueous LiCl solution onto the Norway spruce sapwood (sW) flour have been investigated. To this purpose, sW was delignified by peracetic acid (PAA) treatments and the resulting holocelluloses (HC6 h, HC24 h, HC51 h, HC72 h, where the lower case data indicate the PAA treatment time) with various lignin contents were immersed in aqueous solution of LiCl and the sorption effects were studied by flame atomic emission spectroscopy (FAES), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Brunauer- Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area increased from 1.5±0.0 m2g−1 to 2.4±0.1 m2g−1 for HC6 h, and from 1.6±0.03 m2g−1 to 2.7±0.6 m2g−1 for HC72 h upon LiCl treatment. It was found that Li+/Cl− retention occurs predominantly via O-containing functionalities and the carbohydrate-rich samples sorbed more Li+. Upon LiCl treatment, the mobility and accessibility of the wood matrix was enhanced, possibly by interference of the introduced ions with the existing intermolecular bonds.
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| 4. |
- Murto, Petri Henrik, 1984
(författare)
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Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers and Small Molecules for Organic Light-Emitting Devices and Photodetectors
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Production cost and environmental impact are the two major concerns that are related to the conventional optoelectronic devices. It is desirable for the modern semiconductors that they are free of toxic/costly metals, they can be processed with low-cost solution-based methods, and their optical, electronic, and mechanical properties can be easily tuned depending on the target application. In this thesis, a range of different conjugated polymers and small molecules are designed and synthesized as semiconductors for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs), and organic photodetectors (OPDs). In organic light-emitting devices, the emissive molecule is commonly mixed with a charge transporting host matrix, which can be either a small molecule or a conjugated polymer. The latter is beneficial since it does not require deposition of the emitter and matrix components in high vacuum and high temperature conditions. The polymeric materials can be dissolved and printed on a substrate of any desired size and production scale, at room temperature, and even under ambient air. The specific wavelength range of near-infrared (NIR) at λ >700 nm is of interest for a wide range of applications spanning from optical communication to biosensing. However, the low energy of NIR range poses challenges for the materials design, in terms of emission efficiency and light intensity, which are further addressed in this thesis, allowing the fabrication of high-performance NIR-OLEDs and NIR-LECs. For photodetectors, absorption of a wide spectrum of light is beneficial in biosensing and imaging applications. Low noise and fast charge extraction are necessary for the detection of light at high speeds even at low intensities. These aspects are studied in this thesis by designing new polymers with different absorption, charge transport, and morphological properties in the photoactive layer. Two polymers enabled the fabrication of visible (red) OPDs with a low dark current (the main constituent in the noise), high detectivity, and high photoresponse speed.
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| 5. |
- Santos, Denys E. S., et al.
(författare)
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Conformational Dynamics and Responsiveness of Weak and Strong Polyelectrolyte Brushes : Atomistic Simulations of Poly(dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate) and Poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride)
- 2019
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Ingår i: Langmuir. - Washington : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 35:14, s. 5037-5049
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complex solution behavior of polymer brushes is key to control their properties, including for biomedical applications and catalysis. The swelling behavior of poly(dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) and poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride) (PMETAC) in response to changes in pH, solvent, and salt types has been investigated using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. PDMAEMA and PMETAC have been selected as canonical models for weak and strong polyelectrolytes whose complex conformational behavior is particularly challenging for the development and validation of atomistic models. The GROMOS-derived atomic parameters reproduce the experimental swelling coefficients obtained from ellipsometry measurements for brushes of 5–15 nm thickness. The present atomistic models capture the protonated morphology of PDMAEMA, the swollen and collapsed conformations of PDMAEMA and PMETAC in good and bad solvents, and the salt-selective response of PMETAC. The modular nature of the molecular models allows for the simple extension of atomic parameters to a variety of polymers or copolymers.
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| 6. |
- Asfaw, Habtom Desta
(författare)
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Multifunctional Carbon Foams by Emulsion Templating : Synthesis, Microstructure, and 3D Li-ion Microbatteries
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Carbon foams are among the existing electrode designs proposed for use in 3D Li-ion microbatteries. For such electrodes to find applications in practical microbatteries, however, their void sizes, specific surface areas and pore volumes need be optimized. This thesis concerns the synthesis of highly porous carbon foams and their multifunctional applications in 3D microbatteries. The carbon foams are derived from polymers that are obtained by polymerizing high internal phase water-in-oil emulsions (HIPEs).In general, the carbonization of the sulfonated polymers yielded hierarchically porous structures with void sizes ranging from 2 to 35 µm and a BET specific surface area as high as 630 m2 g-1. Thermogravimetric and spectroscopic evidence indicated that the sulfonic acid groups, introduced during sulfonation, transformed above 250 oC to thioether (-C-S-) crosslinks which were responsible for the thermal stability and charring tendency of the polymer precursors. Depending on the preparation of the HIPEs, the specific surface areas and void-size distributions were observed to vary considerably. In addition, the pyrolysis temperature could also affect the microstructures, the degree of graphitization, and the surface chemistry of the carbon foams.Various potential applications were explored for the bespoke carbon foams. First, their use as freestanding active materials in 3D microbatteries was studied. The carbon foams obtained at 700 to 1500 oC suffered from significant irreversible capacity loss during the initial discharge. In an effort to alleviate this drawback, the pyrolysis temperature was raised to 2200 oC. The resulting carbon foams were observed to deliver high, stable areal capacities over several cycles. Secondly, the possibility of using these structures as 3D current collectors for various active materials was investigated in-depth. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, positive active materials like polyaniline and LiFePO4 were deposited on the 3D architectures by means of electrodeposition and sol-gel approach, respectively. In both cases, the composite electrodes exhibited reasonably high cyclability and rate performance at different current densities. The syntheses of niobium and molybdenum oxides and their potential application as electrodes in microbatteries were also studied. In such applications, the carbon foams served dual purposes as 3D scaffolds and as reducing reactants in the carbothermal reduction process. Finally, a facile method of coating carbon substrates with oxide nanosheets was developed. The approach involved the exfoliation of crystalline VO2 to prepare dispersions of hydrated V2O5, which were subsequently cast onto CNT paper to form oxide films of different thicknesses.
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| 7. |
- Bandara, T M W J, 1968, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) nanofiber membrane based quasi solid electrolytes and their application in a dye sensitized solar cell
- 2018
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Ingår i: Electrochimica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0013-4686. ; 266, s. 276-283
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The electrolyte plays a major role in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this work a quasi-solid state (gel) electrolyte has been formed by incorporating a liquid electrolyte made with KI dissolved in ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) co-solvent in poly (vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) co-polymer nanofiber membrane prepared by electrospinning. SEM images of the electrolyte membrane showed the formation of a three-dimensional network of polymer nanofibers with diameters between 100 and 300 nm and an average membrane thickness of 14 mu m. The electrolyte was characterized by FTIR and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. The DSSCs fabricated with this electrolyte were characterized by current-voltage and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. DSC thermograms revealed that the crystallinity of the PVdF-HFP nanofiber is 14% lower than that of the pure PVdF-HFP polymer while the FTIR spectra showed a reduced polymer-polymer interaction in the nano fiber based gel electrolyte. The DSSCs fabricated with nanofiber based gel electrolyte showed an energy conversion efficiency of 5.36% under 1.5 a. m. solar irradiation, whereas the efficiency of the DSSC made with the liquid electrolyte based cell was 6.01%. This shows the possibility of replacing the liquid electrolyte in DSSCs by electro-spun polymer nanofiber based gel electrolyte and thereby minimizing some major drawbacks associated with liquid electrolyte based solar cells while maintaining a reasonably high efficiency.
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| 8. |
- Benselfelt, Tobias, 1989-
(författare)
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Design of Cellulose-based Materials by Supramolecular Assemblies
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Due to climate change and plastic pollution, there is an increasing demand for bio-based materials with similar properties to those of common plastics yet biodegradable. In this respect, cellulose is a strong candidate that is already being refined on a large industrial scale, but the properties differ significantly from those of common plastics in terms of shapeability and water-resilience.This thesis investigates how supramolecular interactions can be used to tailor the properties of cellulose-based materials by modifying cellulose surfaces or control the assembly of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). Most of the work is a fundamental study on interactions in aqueous environments, but some material concepts are presented and potential applications are discussed.The first part deals with the modification of cellulose by the spontaneous adsorption of xyloglucan or polyelectrolytes. The results indicate that xyloglucan adsorbs to cellulose due to the increased entropy of water released from the surfaces, which is similar to the increased entropy of released counter-ions that drives polyelectrolyte adsorption. The polyelectrolyte adsorption depends on the charge of the cellulose up to a limit after which the charge density affects only the first adsorbed layer in a multilayer formation.Latex nanoparticles with polyelectrolyte coronas can be adsorbed onto cellulose in order to prepare hydrophobic cellulose surfaces with strong and ductile wet adhesion, provided the glass transition of the core is below the ambient temperature.The second part of the thesis seeks to explain the interactions between different types of cellulose nanofibrils in the presence of different ions, using a model consisting of ion-ion correlation and specific ion effects, which can be employed to rationally design water-resilient and transparent nanocellulose films. The addition of small amounts of alginate also creates interpenetrating double networks, and these networks lead to a synergy which improves both the stiffness and the ductility of the films in water.A network model has been developed to understand these materials, with the aim to explain the properties of fibril networks, based on parameters such as the aspect ratio of the fibrils, the solidity of the network, and the ion-induced interactions that increase the friction between fibrils. With the help of this network model and the model for ion-induced interactions, we have created films with wet-strengths surpassing those of common plastics, or a ductility suitable for hygroplastic forming into water-resilient and biodegradable packages. Due to their transparency, water content, and the biocompatibility of cellulose, these materials are also suitable for biomaterial or bioelectronics applications.
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| 9. |
- Andersson Trojer, Markus, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Polymer Core-Polymer Shell Particle Formation Enabled by Ultralow Interfacial Tension Via Internal Phase Separation: Morphology Prediction Using the Van Oss Formalism
- 2018
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Ingår i: Colloid and Interface Science Communications. - : Elsevier BV. - 2215-0382. ; 25, s. 36-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The internal phase separation technique is a versatile method for liquid core-polymer shell formation, yet limited to very hydrophobic core materials and actives. The use of polymeric cores instead circumvents this restriction due to the absent mixing entropy for binary polymer mixtures which allows the polymeric core (and the active) to approach the polarity of the shell. Polystyrene core-shell and janus particles were formulated using polymethylmethacrylate, poly(lactic acid), poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid), poly(epsilon-caprolactone) or cellulose triacetate as shell-forming polymers. The morphology and the partitioning was experimentally determined by selectively staining the core and the shell with beta-carotene and methylene blue respectively. In addition, the van Oss formalism was introduced to theoretically predict the thermodynamic equilibrium morphology. As elucidated using the theoretical predictions as well as experimental optical tensiometry, it was found that the driving force for core-shell morphology is, in contrast to liquid core-polymer shell particles, a low core-shell interfacial tension.
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| 10. |
- Björkegren, Sanna, 1984, et al.
(författare)
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Clouding observed for surface active, mPEG-grafted silica nanoparticles
- 2019
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2046-2069. ; 9:23, s. 13297-13303
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Temperature-dependent phase-separation, clouding, has been observed in suspensions of silica nanoparticles surface-functionalized with methyl-poly(ethylene glycol) silane. Interparticle interactions and conformational changes of the grafted poly(ethylene glycol) chains influence the observed cloud points, and can be controlled by electrolyte concentration and pH. These findings open new routes to tailoring properties of Pickering emulsions.
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