Recent Advances in TiO-Based Photocatalysts for Reduction of CO to Fuels.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) has attracted increasing attention as a candidate for the photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide (CO) to convert anthropogenic CO gas into fuels combined with storage of intermittent and renewable solar energy in forms of chemical bonds for closing the carbon cycle. However, pristine TiO possesses a large band gap (3.2 eV), fast recombination of electrons and holes, and low selectivity for the photoreduction of CO.

Silk Fibroin-Based Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications: A Review.

Since it was first discovered, thousands of years ago, silkworm silk has been known to be an abundant biopolymer with a vast range of attractive properties. The utilization of silk fibroin (SF), the main protein of silkworm silk, has not been limited to the textile industry but has been further extended to various high-tech application areas, including biomaterials for drug delivery systems and tissue engineering. The outstanding mechanical properties of SF, including its facile processability, superior biocompatibility, controllable biodegradation, and versatile functionalization have allowed its use for innovative applications.

Recent Progress in Carbon-Based Buffer Layers for Polymer Solar Cells.

Carbon-based materials are promising candidates as charge transport layers in various optoelectronic devices and have been applied to enhance the performance and stability of such devices. In this paper, we provide an overview of the most contemporary strategies that use carbon-based materials including graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, carbon quantum dots, and graphitic carbon nitride as buffer layers in polymer solar cells (PSCs). The crucial parameters that regulate the performance of carbon-based buffer layers are highlighted and discussed in detail.

Light Absorption and Luminescence Quenching Properties of Hybrid Bulk Heterojunction Materials Based on the Blend Conducting Polymers.

We have investigated the enhancement absorption light and luminescence quenching properties of the hybrid bulk heterojunction systems which were fabricated using poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV); poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT); fullerene derivative 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl) propyl-1-phenyl-[6,6] C61 (PCBM) and TiO₂ nanocrystals. The optimized material showed a broad absorption in the region of 350 to 670 nm and the luminescence quenching higher 85%. The obtained results provide further insight into photophysics of the heterojunction system and device performance improvement by using this system as an active layer.

Culture and smoking among Vietnamese Americans in central Massachusetts.

The study was conducted (a) to assess use of any smoking cessation medications, (b) to identify factors associated with smoking, and (c) to assess knowledge of the health effects of smoking and attitudes toward smoking and seeking help for quitting among Vietnamese Americans. This is a descriptive study conducted with a nonrepresentative sample of 163 Vietnamese Americans. Current and former smokers constituted 24.