Luis Aguirre

Linköping University | LiU · Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Printing solar cell: yield enhanced by laminating the active layer The manufacturing yield of the flexible organic solar cells is enhanced with a new lamination method by solving the shunting problem due to conductive inks. A collaborative team led by Olle Inganäs from Linköping University, Sweden fabricates polymer: PCBM all-organic solar cells in...

In this work, we demonstrate all-polymer solar cells where all the layers are made from polymers. We use PEDOT:PSS as the semitransparent anode and polyethyleneimine modified PEDOT:PSS as the semi-transparent cathode, both of which are slot-die printed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Active layers are deposited on the cathode and anode surface...

The evolutionary causes for generation of nano and microstructured silica by photosynthetic algae are not yet deciphered. Diatoms are single photosynthetic algal cells populating the oceans and waters around the globe. They generate a considerable fraction (20-30%) of all oxygen from photosynthesis, and 45% of total primary production of organic ma...

Vapour phase polymerized (VPP) PEDOT using triblock copolymer PEG-PPG-PEG:Fe(III) tosylate polymeric oxidative layer has shown record-high conductivity and unique thermoelectric properties. These properties are related to the molecular weight, morphology and doping of PEDOT. Here we show that in its unwashed condition, the PEDOT chain adopts a neut...

A trihybrid bioelectrode composed of lignin, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and poly(aminoanthraquinone) (PAAQ) is prepared by a two-step galvanostatic electropolymerization, and characterized for supercapacitor applications. Using PEDOT/Lignin as a base layer, followed by the consecutive deposition of PAAQ, the hybrid electrode PEDOT/Li...

Cellulose nanocrystals are isolated from plant cellulose structures, e.g., cotton. In article 1603560, M. H. Godinho and co-workers describe a tunable photonic material produced from these cellulose nanocrystals iridescent films, which reflects both right- and left-handed circularly polarized light, taking advantage of the gaps existing along the c...

A new photonic structure is produced from cellulose nanocrystal iridescent films reflecting both right and left circularly polarized light. Micrometer-scale planar gaps perpendicular to the films’ cross-section between two different left-handed films’ cholesteric domains are impregnated with a nematic liquid crystal. This photonic feature is revers...

Microfibers with their elongated shape and translation symmetry can act as important components in various soft materials, notably for their mechanics on the microscopic level. Here we demonstrate the mechanical response of a micro-object to imposed chirality, in this case, the tilt of disclination rings in an achiral nematic medium caused by the c...

Significance Biological microfibers are remarkable materials with diverse structural and mechanical properties, such as high wear-resistance, elasticity, and biodegradability. However, with current techniques, there are few robust ways to sense the surface properties of the fibers, which crucially affect the organization of the fibers and their int...

Cellulose is the main constituent of plant cell walls and can be converted into a wide range of derivatives. The derivatives are produced by a chemical reaction of the primary and two secondary hydroxyl groups available in β-d-glucopyranose units, often in heterogeneous conditions, yielding, in many cases, <3 average degrees of substitution per glu...

The incorporation of small amount of highly anisotropic nanoparticles into liquid crystalline hydroxypropylcellulose (LC-HPC) matrix improves its response when is exposed to humidity gradients due to an anisotropic increment of order in the structure. Dispersed nanoparticles give rise to faster order/disorder transitions when exposed to moisture as...

A nematic liquid crystal with high, positive dielectric anisotropy (5CB) has been studied under the influence of the combined action of a dc and an ac electric field. Broad frequency, voltage, and cell thickness ranges were considered. Pattern morphologies were identified; the thresholds and critical wave numbers were measured and analyzed as a fun...

An investigation of electrically-induced structures in the nematic phase has been made by using optical video microscopy. Cellular patterns and hexagonal structures were observed in electro-optical cells with gaps of 127μm and 250μm, in response to a combined AC/DC excitation voltage. It is found that a regular hexagonal pattern grows-up for a part...

A model was previously proposed for the interaction energy between an acoustic field and the local nematic director. The consistency of this model was verified through nuclear magnetic relaxation and optical experiments. The model was later extended to the smectic A phase, despite the fact that the smectic essence of the problem was never included...