Influence of the amorphous phase and preceding solution processing on the eutectic behaviour in the state diagram of P3HT : PC61BM determined by rapid heat–cool calorimetry

Experimental determination of eutectic state diagrams for organic photovoltaics based on advanced calorimetry highlighting the importance of the amorphous phase.

A time dependent DFT study of the efficiency of polymers for organic photovoltaics at the interface with PCBM

In this work an intuitive (TD-DFT) approach was developed to explain the experimental efficiencies seen for organic photovoltaic devices.

RheoDSC Analysis of Hardening of Semi-Crystalline Polymers during Quiescent Isothermal Crystallization

The crystallization of semi-crystalline polymers is often analyzed by rheometry and calorimetry. By rheometry the viscosity evolution during crystallization can be followed, whereas from a calorimetric measurement, the evolution of the degree of crystallinity can be calculated. The time evolution of these material properties is valuable input for polymer processing simulation software and in order to combine the data in a reliable manner, hardening curves are used as a characterization tool. Such a hardening curve correlates the relative increase of the viscosity resulting from crystallization, to the advancing degree of crystallinity. In this study, these are extracted from simultaneous measurements on one sample using a RheoDSC device. The RheoDSC technique allows for the direct combination of the rheological and calorimetric signal without the need of combining separate stand-alone measurement results. In this study, isothermal crystallization experiments are used to discuss the benefits of this approach. This will lead to the recommendation that measuring the hardening effect in steady shear measurements at very low shear rates in a direct combined RheoDSC setup is the most reliable method to compile unambiguously a material specific hardening curve for semi-crystalline polymers.

RheoDSC: a hyphenated technique for the simultaneous measurement of calorimetric and rheological evolutions

A newly developed hyphenated technique is presented combining an existing rheometer and differential scanning calorimeter into a single experimental setup. Through the development of a fixation accessory for differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) crucibles and a novel rotor, the simultaneous measurement is performed inside the well-controlled thermal environment of a Tzero DSC cell. Hence, the evolution of thermal and flow properties of a material can be simultaneously measured using steady or oscillatory shear measurements and regular or modulated temperature DSC measurements. Along with the construction of a prototype, a validation of the design was performed. The technique offers interesting opportunities for the investigation of flow-induced transitions, for instance, crystallization or phase separation, and provides an asset for high-throughput screening of materials. The potential of the novel technique is demonstrated by two case studies: the chemorheology during the cure of a thermosetting epoxy-amine system and the flow-induced crystallization of syndiotactic polypropylene.

The use of modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry for the characterisation of food systems

Modulated temperature Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MTDSC) is used to characterise food systems. It is shown that by splitting the total heat flow into reversing (related to heat capacity) and non-reversing contributions, overlapping thermal events can be separated. The combination of excellent sensitivity and high resolution provides more accurate results for weak and/or broad transitions. The thermal transitions of maltotriose, maltohexaose and thermoplastic starch are treated as examples. It is also shown that MTDSC is very useful to follow in situ slow crystallisation processes. These structural changes are detected by measuring the heat capacity in the quasi-isothermal mode. The (quasi-)isothermal crystallisation of pregelatinized waxy corn starch is given as an example.

Trisomy 10p, due to an unusual translocation

A mentally retarded boy with short stature, craniofacial dysmorphia, clubfeet, hypertonia and several other congenital anomalies is described. Chromosome analysis revealed a trisomy 10p, due to a peculiar t(10 ; 14) (p11 ; p12) translocation.