Morphological control and characterization of blend films is key in the development of viable polymer solar cells. Spontaneous formation of vertical compositional gradients during solution processing has been shown for polyfluorene:PCBM blends and rationalized with thermodynamic and kinetic models of nucleation and spinodal decomposition.[1, 2] The extent of vertical stratification is affected by polymer side-chain modification aimed at controlling polymer:fullerene miscibility.[3] Here we present high-resolution film morphology results for several polymer:fullerene systems as obtained from near-edge X-ray fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) in partial and in total electron yield modes. Blend films were found to be polymer- enriched at the surface. Dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (dSIMS) and NEXAFS give compositional information at different depths, resulting in a more complete picture of the film morphology.
The surface composition in spin-coated films of polyfluorene:fullerene blends was determined quantitatively by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. By comparing partial and total electron yield spectra, we found vertical compositional differences in the surface region. Furthermore, the orientation of the polymer chains was investigated by variable-angle NEXAFS. Blend films of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole] with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester in two different blend ratios were studied. Results showed polymer enrichment of the surfaces for films with a polymer:fullerene weight ratio of 20:80 and of 50:50, spin-coated from both chlorobenzene and chloroform solutions. The angular dependence of the NEXAFS spectra of the pure polymer films showed a preferential plane-on orientation, which was slightly stronger in the subsurface region than at the surface. In blend films, this orientational preference was less pronounced and the difference between surface and subsurface vanished
Fullerenes are common electron acceptors in organic solar cells. Here the photostability in air of the electronic structures of spin-coated PCBM ([6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester) and evaporated C60 films are studied using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. After exposing these materials in air to simulated sunlight, the filled and empty molecular orbitals are strongly altered, indicating that the conjugated π-system of the C60-cage has degraded. Even a few minutes in normal lab light induces changes. These results stress the importance of protecting fullerene-based films from light and air during processing, operation, and storage.
Achieving control over the nanomorphology of blend films of the fullerene derivative [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester, PCBM, with light-absorbing conjugated polymers is an important challenge in the development of efficient solution-processed photovoltaics. Here, three new polyfluorene copolymers are presented, tailored for enhanced miscibility with the fullerene through the introduction of polymer segments with modified side chains, which enhance the polymer’s polar character. The composition of the spincoated polymer:PCBM films is analyzed with dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (dSIMS). The dSIMS depth profiles demonstrate compositional variations perpendicular to the surface plane, as a result of vertical phase separation, directed by the substrate. These variations propagate to a higher degree through the film for the polymers with a larger fraction of modified side chains. The surface composition of the films is studied by Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). Quantitative analysis of the NEXAFS spectra through a linear combination fit with the spectra of the pure components yields the surface composition. The resulting blend ratios reveal polymer-enrichment of the film surface for all three blends, which also becomes stronger as the polar character of the polymer increases. Comparison of the NEXAFS spectra collected with two different sampling depths shows that the vertical composition gradient builds up already in the first nanometers underneath the surface of the films. The results obtained with this new series of polymers shed light on the onset of formation of lamellar structures in thin polymer:PCBM films prepared from highly volatile solvents
In interaction between students and vocational teachers, technical artefacts constitute an essential part for the development of vocational students’ future professional knowledge. Although vocational learning has been an under-researched area, there has been an increased interest within the vocational education research to examine the teaching and learning processes that take place when vocational students and teachers interact in vocational school settings. The presence of physical objects such as tools, machines and material in the teaching and learning processes within vocational education, which encompass a central aspect of a vocational subjects’ specific characteristics, is a dimension which is often overlooked. In the Handicraft programme (specialization hair- and makeup stylist) at Swedish upper secondary vocational education, a large part of the practical work that students are engaged in is to view their work through the mirror. Therefore, the focus in this study is what learning content is made relevant when teacher and student(s) are interacting in front of the mirror. The data for the study consists of video recorded lessons from the Handicraft Programme, and the study is based on CAVTA (Conversation Analysis and Variation Theory). Based on CAVTA, the process of learning includes what is being learned and how learning is done in interaction between the teacher and student(s) in the authentic and enacted teaching session. At the conference, we will present results from detailed analysis of sequences when the teacher and the students interact in front of the mirror and what vocational knowledge is made possible to learn in these interactions.
Microindentation as a method for determining important material properties of paper coating materials is studied experimentally and numerically. The bulk of the investigation is concentrated upon the short-lived elastic part of a spherical indentation test, but determination of the failure stress of the coating is also discussed. The results indicate that microindentation can be a powerful tool for material characterization of these materials, but only if careful efforts are made to account for the influence from plasticity as well as from boundary effects
To achieve a better understanding of the folding properties of coated papers pertinent to the mechanical behaviour, a microscopic investigation was performed. The influence on the damage levels in the coating from such features as delamination, humidity and paper thickness have been studied
Folding of coated paper is examined numerically using the finite element method. Particular emphasis is put on the behaviour of field variables relevant for cracking of the coating layers. In the numerical analysis, the basepaper is modelled as an anisotropic elasticplastic material (both elastic and plastic anisotropy is accounted for) while the constitutive behaviour of the coating layers are approximated by classical (Mises) elastoplasticity. The numerical results suggest, among other things, that particular forms of plastic anisotropy can substantially reduce the maximum strain levels in the coating. It is also shown that delamination buckling, in the present circumstances, will have a very small influence on the strain levels in the coating layer subjected to high tensile loading
A finite element procedure, developed in order to account for the effect of high anisotropy at folding of coated papers, is presented. The anisotropic behaviour (with very low stiffness in the thickness direction) is modelled using stiff structural elements (trusses and beams). The numerical results indicate that high elastic anisotropy leads to lower strain levels at folding than reported in previous analyses where this effect was not accounted for. High plastic anisotropy, on the other hand, will contradict this result
Folding of digital prints has been investigated experimentally in order to determine the influence from different features on the residual strength of the folded paper. In particular, the effect of toner-layer, paper-fibre orientation and pre-creasing is investigated and the experimental results are supplemented with numerical ones based on the finite element method. The results indicate that creasing, and to a less extend also fibre orientation, is the most important factor influencing the residual tensile strength after folding
In this chapter we describe a pilot survey on applying problem-based learning (PBL) in an undergraduate programming course. During the course the students have applied PBL as a complement to traditional teaching and learning techniques. The PBL problem in this survey combines both knowledge about programming and knowledge about databases. We argue that to handle programming the students have to learn programming according to the deep approach to learning in order to be able to apply their knowledge in new programming situations and contexts. The result from this pilot survey indicates from both a tutor and a student perspective that PBL could be one method to reach a deeper understanding on how to access databases in a programming language.
One important surface property of forming tools is their resistance to cracking due to fatigue loading. The wide variety of steel grades, material handling, machining operations and surface treatments will give very different fatigue properties. The present article gives examples on the influence of steel grades, EDM machining and surface coating. Initial cracks may be introduced in the tool during the processing to its final shape and surface finish, why a particular interest is given to small cracks introduced by the EDM process.