The precise control of alkali-metal incorporation presents a powerful approach for sol-gel-derived kesterite thin films on transparent electrodes. Conventional doping strategies lead to an uncontrolled sodium (Na) distribution during thermal treatments, which can limit the role of Na in improving the properties of kesterite absorbers. To address this, we introduce a modular, solution-processable post-deposition Na overlayer applied to sol-gel/spincoated Ag-alloyed kesterite (ACZTS) precursors. This approach enforces diffusion-limited Na incorporation during the annealing process. Comprehensive characterization confirms enhanced crystallographic order, a significant suppression of Cu/Zn antisite defects and substantial microstructural improvements, characterized by increased grain size and reduced grain boundaries. Optical analysis demonstrates a marked reduction in Urbach energy and sub-gap absorption. Using the experimentally determined complex refractive index, we perform transfer-matrix method (TMM) optical modelling to evaluate ACZTS as a top-cell absorber in a kesterite/c-Si tandem architecture. These simulations identify spectral transmission losses in the red-to-near-infrared region compared to perovskite-based top cells. This spectral range is critical for tandem operation, as photons in the redto-near-infrared region must be transmitted to the silicon bottom cell; additional absorption in this region reduces the transmitted photon flux, leading to current mismatch and limiting the overall device efficiency. Overall, the proposed method offers a versatile and scalable strategy for synthesizing low-disorder Ag-alloyed kesterites and provides a quantitative framework for their deployment in next-generation tandem photovoltaics.
Two benzothiazolium derivatives, BFZ1 and BFZ2, were synthesised and were extensively characterised by H-1 and C-1(3) NMR, FTIR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that BFZ1 is more reactive, whereas BFZ2 is more chemically stable. The anticorrosive performance of these materials on mild steel in 1 M HCl was evaluated via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarisation (PDP). Both inhibitors showed high efficiencies of 94% for BFZ1 and 95% for BFZ2 at an optimum concentration of 400 ppm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of a protective layer on the metal surface. This was also confirmed by the Langmuir isotherm. The results underline the industrial potential of the two molecules FBZ1 and FBZ2 as effective inhibitors of corrosion on metal surfaces in acidic environments. Deux d & eacute;riv & eacute;s du benzothiazolium, BFZ1 et BFZ2, ont & eacute;t & eacute; synth & eacute;tis & eacute;s et largement caract & eacute;ris & eacute;s par spectroscopies RMN du H-1 et du C-1(3), FTIR, ainsi que par spectrom & eacute;trie de masse. Les calculs de la th & eacute;orie de la fonctionnelle de la densit & eacute; (DFT) ont indiqu & eacute; que BFZ1 est plus r & eacute;actif, tandis que BFZ2 pr & eacute;sente une stabilit & eacute; chimique sup & eacute;rieure. La performance anticorrosive de ces compos & eacute;s sur de l'acier doux dans une solution de HCl 1 M a & eacute;t & eacute; & eacute;valu & eacute;e & agrave; l'aide de la spectroscopie d'imp & eacute;dance & eacute;lectrochimique (EIS) et des techniques de polarisation potentiodynamique (PDP). Les deux inhibiteurs ont montr & eacute; de fortes efficacit & eacute;s 94 % pour BFZ1 et 95 % pour BFZ2 & agrave; une concentration optimale de 400 ppm. La microscopie & eacute;lectronique & agrave; balayage (MEB) a confirm & eacute; la formation d'un film protecteur & agrave; la surface du m & eacute;tal, r & eacute;sultat & eacute;galement corrobor & eacute; par un comportement d'adsorption conforme au mod & egrave;le d'isotherme de Langmuir. Ces r & eacute;sultats soulignent le potentiel industriel de BFZ1 et BFZ2 en tant qu'inhibiteurs efficaces de la corrosion sur des surfaces m & eacute;talliques en milieu acide.
This study examines the properties of fly ash (FA)-reinforced polypropylene/ethylene-vinyl-acetate (PP/EVA) blend composites, focusing on morphological, thermal, mechanical, and rheological behavior of binary (PP/FA) and ternary (PP/EVA/FA) composites. Three composite series were produced: single PP matrix, 80/20 wt.% PP/EVA blend (B 80/20 ), and 60/40 wt.% PP/EVA blend (B 60/40 ), each with 0–20 wt.% FA loadings. Binary composites increase stiffness by 25% but reduce ductility. In B 80/20 blend, a sea-island morphology forms, producing ternary composites with a core-shell microstructure, in which FA particles are encapsulated by EVA copolymer, providing 26% ductility increase. At 40 wt.% EVA, a co-continuous structure emerges, resulting in composites that combine core-shell and separate microstructure, enhancing ductility by 83%. FA also improves melt elasticity and viscosity, promoting processing stability and product quality. Overall, this work highlights the importance of microstructure in determining composite performance, enabling the development of materials with customizable balances of stiffness and ductility for diverse applications.
Polymeric materials are becoming increasingly adaptable for industrial coatings, and core-shell films have been developed using kaolinite particles and recycled rubber, which are characterized by high thermal stability and enhanced flexibility. Polypropylene was melted and extruded combined with styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), ground tire rubber (GTR), and kaolinite, and then subjected to the calendaring process to manufacture laminated composites. Several characterizations of the composites, including morphological, mechanical properties, and thermal analysis, were conducted. Micromechanical models have been employed to predict the elastic modulus of composite films and laminates. The addition of 15 wt% kaolinite particles resulted in increases of 14% in elastic modulus, 19.37% in storage modulus, and improved thermal stability. The substitution of kaolinite with SEBS and GTR particles compensated for the strain at yield properties, showing a 29% balance. Overall, the laminates exhibited synergistic properties. Analytical models demonstrated close agreement with the experimental data, suggesting their usefulness as reliable tools for producing core-shell films based on recycled waste and kaolinite.
Lung adenocarcinoma, a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, underscores the need for reliable diagnostic tools. This study proposes a robust multi-stage feature selection and classification framework for biomarker discovery, using the cancer genome atlas lung adenocarcinoma (TCGA-LUAD) as the primary dataset and GSE19188 for independent validation. The framework combines differential expression analysis (Wilcoxon rank-sum test), joint mutual information maximization (JMIM), and sparse autoencoder-based refinement to identify a compact and predictive set of five genes. These genes are involved in key lung cancer pathways, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling, cell cycle regulation, and immune response, and include biomarkers such as surfactant protein A2 (SFTPA2), napsin an aspartic peptidase (NAPSA), and T-box transcription factor 4 (TBX4). The hybrid deep learning classifier achieved high accuracy (98.4%) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) (0.996) on TCGA-LUAD, with strong generalization on GSE19188 (accuracy: 96.7%, AUC-ROC: 0.993%). Overall, the framework offers an interpretable and effective solution for LUAD classification and biomarker identification.
