1. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(author)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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In: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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2. |
- Bai, Yang, et al.
(author)
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Geometry design of tethered small-molecule acceptor enables highly stable and efficient polymer solar cells
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : NATURE PORTFOLIO. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With the power conversion efficiency of binary polymer solar cells dramatically improved, the thermal stability of the small-molecule acceptors raised the main concerns on the device operating stability. Here, to address this issue, thiophene-dicarboxylate spacer tethered small-molecule acceptors are designed, and their molecular geometries are further regulated via the thiophene-core isomerism engineering, affording dimeric TDY-alpha with a 2, 5-substitution and TDY-beta with 3, 4-substitution on the core. It shows that TDY-alpha processes a higher glass transition temperature, better crystallinity relative to its individual small-molecule acceptor segment and isomeric counterpart of TDY-beta, and amore stablemorphology with the polymer donor. As a result, the TDY-alpha based device delivers a higher device efficiency of 18.1%, and most important, achieves an extrapolated lifetime of about 35000 hours that retaining 80% of their initial efficiency. Our result suggests that with proper geometry design, the tethered small-molecule acceptors can achieve both high device efficiency and operating stability.
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4. |
- Fu, Qiliang, et al.
(author)
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Nanostructured Wood Hybrids for Fire-Retardancy Prepared by Clay Impregnation into the Cell Wall
- 2017
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In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 9:41, s. 36154-36163
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Eco-friendly materials need "green" fire-retardancy treatments, which offer opportunity for new wood nanotechnologies. Balsa wood (Ochroma pyramidale) was delignified to form a hierarchically structured and nanoporous scaffold mainly composed of cellulose nanofibrils. This nanocellulosic wood scaffold was impregnated with colloidal montmorillonite clay to form a nanostructured wood hybrid with high flame-retardancy. The nanoporous scaffold was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and gas adsorption. Flame-retardancy was evaluated by cone calorimetry, whereas thermal and thermo-oxidative stabilities were assessed by thermogravimetry. The location of well-distributed clay nanoplatelets inside the cell walls was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. This unique nanostructure dramatically increased the thermal stability because of thermal insulation, oxygen depletion, and catalytic charring effects. A coherent organic/inorganic charred residue was formed during combustion, leading to a strongly reduced heat release rate peak and reduced smoke generation.
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5. |
- Fu, Qiliang, 1986-, et al.
(author)
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Transparent plywood as a load-bearing and luminescent biocomposite
- 2018
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In: Composites Science And Technology. - : Elsevier. - 0266-3538 .- 1879-1050. ; 164, s. 296-303
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Transparent wood (TW) structures in research studies were either thin and highly anisotropic or thick and isotropic but weak. Here, transparent plywood (TPW) laminates are investigated as load-bearing biocomposites with tunable mechanical and optical performances. Structure-property relationships are analyzed. The plies of TPW were laminated with controlled fiber directions and predetermined stacking sequence in order to control the directional dependence of modulus and strength, which would give improved properties in the weakest direction. Also, the angular dependent light scattering intensities were investigated and showed more uniform distribution. Luminescent TPW was prepared by incorporation of quantum dots (QDs) for potential lighting applications. TPW can be designed for large-scale use where multiaxial load-bearing performance is combined with new optical functionalities.
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6. |
- Li, Hu, et al.
(author)
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Photoluminescent Semiconducting Graphene Nanoribbons via Longitudinally Unzipping Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
- 2021
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In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 13:44, s. 52892-52900
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The lack of a sizeable band gap has so far prevented graphene from building effective electronic and optoelectronic devices despite its numerous exceptional properties. Intensive theoretical research reveals that a band gap larger than 1 eV can only be achieved in sub-3 nm wide graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), but real fabrication of such ultranarrow GNRs still remains a critical challenge. Herein, we demonstrate an approach for the synthesis of ultranarrow and photoluminescent semiconducting GNRs by longitudinally unzipping single-walled carbon nanotubes. Atomic force microscopy reveals the unzipping process, and the resulting 2.2 nm wide GNRs are found to emit strong and sharp photoluminescence at similar to 685 nm, demonstrating a very desirable semiconducting nature. This band gap of 1.8 eV is further confirmed by follow-up photoconductivity measurements, where a considerable photocurrent is generated, as the excitation wavelength becomes shorter than 700 nm. More importantly, our fabricated GNR field-effect transistors (FETs), by employing the hexagonal boron nitride-encapsulated heterostructure to achieve edge-bonded contacts, demonstrate a high current on/off ratio beyond 105 and carrier mobility of 840 cm(2)/V s, approaching the theoretical scattering limit in semiconducting GNRs at room temperature. Especially, highly aligned GNR bundles with lengths up to a millimeter are also achieved by prepatterning a template, and the fabricated GNR bundle FETs show a high on/off ratio reaching 10(5), well-defined saturation currents, and strong light-emitting properties. Therefore, GNRs produced by this method open a door for promising applications in graphene-based electronics and optoelectronics.
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7. |
- Li, Yuanyuan, et al.
(author)
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Lignin-Retaining Transparent Wood
- 2017
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In: ChemSusChem. - : WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH. - 1864-5631 .- 1864-564X. ; 10:17, s. 3445-3451
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optically transparent wood, combining optical and mechanical performance, is an emerging new material for light-transmitting structures in buildings with the aim of reducing energy consumption. One of the main obstacles for transparent wood fabrication is delignification, where around 30wt% of wood tissue is removed to reduce light absorption and refractive index mismatch. This step is time consuming and not environmentally benign. Moreover, lignin removal weakens the wood structure, limiting the fabrication of large structures. A green and industrially feasible method has now been developed to prepare transparent wood. Up to 80wt% of lignin is preserved, leading to a stronger wood template compared to the delignified alternative. After polymer infiltration, a high-lignin-content transparent wood with transmittance of 83%, haze of 75%, thermal conductivity of 0.23WmK(-1), and work-tofracture of 1.2MJm(-3) (a magnitude higher than glass) was obtained. This transparent wood preparation method is efficient and applicable to various wood species. The transparent wood obtained shows potential for application in energy-saving buildings.
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8. |
- Li, Yuanyuan, et al.
(author)
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Optically Transparent Wood from a Nanoporous Cellulosic Template : Combining Functional and Structural Performance
- 2016
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In: Biomacromolecules. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1525-7797 .- 1526-4602. ; 17:4, s. 1358-1364
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optically transparent wood (TW) with transmittance as high as 85% and haze of 71% was obtained using a delignified nanoporous wood template. The template was prepared by removing the light-absorbing lignin component, creating nanoporosity in the wood cell wall. Transparent wood was prepared by successful impregnation of lumen and the nanoscale cellulose fiber network in the cell wall with refractive-index-matched prepolymerized methyl methacrylate (MMA). During the process, the hierarchical wood structure was preserved. Optical properties of TW are tunable by changing the cellulose volume fraction. The synergy between wood and PMMA was observed for mechanical properties. Lightweight and strong transparent wood is a potential candidate for lightweight low-cost, light-transmitting buildings and transparent solar cell windows.
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9. |
- Li, Yuanyuan, et al.
(author)
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Towards centimeter thick transparent wood through interface manipulation
- 2018
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In: Journal of Materials Chemistry A. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2050-7488 .- 2050-7496. ; 6:3, s. 1094-1101
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Transparent wood is an attractive structural material for energy-saving buildings due to its high optical transmittance, good thermal insulation, and high toughness. However, thick highly transparent wood is challenging to realize. In the current work, highly transparent wood (1.5 mm) with a transmittance of 92%, close to that of pure PMMA (95%), is demonstrated. The high transmittance was realized by interface manipulation through acetylation of wood template. Both experiments and electromagnetic modeling support that the improved transmittance is mainly due to elimination of interface debonding gap. By applying this method, a centimeter-thick transparent wood structure was obtained. The transparent wood could be used as a substrate for an optically tunable window by laminating a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film on top. The techniques demonstrated are a step towards the replacement of glass in smart windows and smart buildings.
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10. |
- Li, Yuanyuan, et al.
(author)
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Transparent wood for functional and structural applications
- 2018
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In: Philosophical Transactions. Series A. - : Royal Society. - 1364-503X .- 1471-2962. ; 376:2112
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optically transparent wood combines mechanical performance with optical functionalities is an emerging candidate for applications in smart buildings and structural optics and photonics. The present review summarizes transparent wood preparation methods, optical and mechanical performance, and functionalization routes, and discusses potential applications. The various challenges are discussed for the purpose of improved performance, scaled-up production and realization of advanced applications. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'New horizons for cellulose nanotechnology'.
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