Takafumi Nakagawa

Mixture of [60] and [70]PCBM giving morphological stability in organic solar cells

Mix-PCBM, comprising [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM) and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC70BM), is a promising acceptor material for use in organic solar cells with higher device stability and cost performance. The inverted photovoltaic device using poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and mix-PCBM exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.34% (open-circuit voltage = 0.63 V, short-circuit current density = 8.55 mA/cm2, and fill factor = 0.60), slightly higher than that using P3HT and PC60BM (PCE = 3.27%). More importantly, the mix-PCBM device was more stable to heating at 150 °C than the PC60BM device, due to little morphological change, which was characterized by atomic force microscope and light absorption measurements.

Small molecule solution-processed bulk heterojunction solar cells with inverted structure using porphyrin donor

Utilizing tetraethynyl porphyrin derivative (TE-Por) as a small molecule donor material, we fabricated a small molecule solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell with inverted structure, which exhibited 1.6% power conversion efficiency (JSC (short-circuit current) = 4.6 mA/cm2, VOC (open-circuit voltage) = 0.90 V, and FF (fill factor) = 0.39) in the device configuration indium tin oxide/TiOx (titanium sub-oxide)/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester:TE-Por (5:1)/MoOx (molybdenum sub-oxide)/Au under AM1.5 G illumination at 100 mW/cm2. Without encapsulation, the small molecule solution-processed inverted BHJ solar cell also showed remarkable durability to air, where it kept over 73% of its initial power conversion efficiency after storage for 28 days under ambient atmosphere in the dark.

Regio- and stereo-selective intermolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of allenol esters with C60 leading to alkylidenecyclobutane-annulated fullerenes

The intermolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of allenol esters, which were in situ generated by Pt-catalyzed 1,3-acyloxy migration of propargylic esters, with C60 proceeded regio- and stereo-selectively to give a novel class of alkylidenecyclobutane-annulated fullerenes. The cyclobutane-annulated fullerene derivatives have high-lying LUMO levels, which gave a high open-circuit voltage in organic solar cell applications. The observed high electron mobility provided a good fill factor compared with the PCBM-based devices.

Approach to high open-circuit voltage in organic solar cells utilizing a structural change of the oxazolino-C70 derivative.

Reactions of 2,5-Bn2 C70 (Bn=CH2 Ph) with hydroxide and ArCN (Ar=Ph, m-ClPh) followed by quenching with I2 and BnBr afforded dibenzylated and tetrabenzylated oxazolino[70]fullerenes, respectively. The latter has a novel structural configuration, in which the addends are positioned from the polar to the transequatorial region. A key structural feature of this compound is that the oxygen atom of the oxazoline ring is bound to the equatorial belt region of C70 , giving structural change in its reduced state. This enables stabilization of the reduced state, suppressing charge recombination dynamics in organic solar cells to give a high open-circuit voltage (0.85, 0.93, and 1.11 V in devices using P3HT, PTB7, and DPP(TBFu)2 , respectively).

Collapsing process simulations of timber structures under dynamic loading I: simulations of two-story frame models

In this study we tried to develop an analysis program that can simulate the collapsing process of timber-frame structures under dynamic loading by adopting the extended distinct element method (EDEM). Using the EDEM, it is possible to trace the movement of any parts that were separated from unity after the failure of connecting elements, a property that fits our purpose well. As a preliminary study, simple two-story frame structures were modeled and examined by our program. Each model is an assembly of frame members composed of the EDEM elements. The spring elements of the joints have less rigidity than those of the frame members. Several models were analyzed under dynamic loading. The models varied in the configuration of bracing shear walls. Experiments with a one-ninth model were carried out under similar conditions, and the results were compared with the results from numerical simulations. Simulated results showed various collapsing processes corresponding to the arrangement of the bracing shear wall, and the simulated aspects gave good agreement with the results of the experiments under similar conditions.

Optimization of the coil distribution of the deflection yoke for CRT

We have developed a computer program to optimize the coil distribution of the deflection yoke for CRTs. This program calculates changes of misconvergence and raster distortion by one additional winding. Then it modifies the coil distribution by minimization of the misconvergence. This program enables us to optimize deflection yokes in a short time.

Seismic performance of post and beam timber buildings I: model development and verification

This paper presents a structural model called “PB3D” to perform nonlinear time history analyses of post and beam timber buildings under seismic loads. The model treats the three-dimensional structure as an assembly of roof/floor diaphragms and wall subsystems. The roof/floor diaphragms are modeled by beam elements and diagonal brace elements in order to take into account the in-plane stiffness. The wall system consists of vertical beam elements, for wall posts, as well as nonlinear shear springs to consider the contribution of diagonal wall bracing members or sheathing panels. The hysteretic characteristics of the shear springs are represented by a simplified, mechanics-based model named a “pseudo-nail”. Standard finite element procedure is used to construct the system’s equation of motion, which is solved by Newmark’s integration. The model was verified against shake test results of a three-story post and beam building subjected to strong ground motions scaled to the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Model predictions agreed very well with the test results in terms of base shear forces and inter-story drift responses. This model provides a robust and efficient tool to study the seismic behavior of post and beam timber buildings.

Seismic performance of post-and-beam timber buildings II: reliability evaluations

This paper presents an approach to evaluate the performance reliability of post-and-beam timber buildings under seismic excitation. The uncertainties considered include those associated with the earthquake ground motions, the structural mass and shear wall characteristics. The approach uses a verified structural model called “PB3D” for the creation of a database of seismic responses, which are then represented by appropriate response surfaces. These, in turn, are used to formulate explicit performance functions for the reliability analysis. Performance is studied in terms of peak inter-story drift, and polynomial functions are used to represent the seismic response surfaces. Non-performance probabilities are evaluated with respect to different performance expectations, using FORM and importance sampling methods. Case studies for two multi-story post-and-beam buildings are also presented.

Method for analyzing 3-D magnetic field in linear actuator using nonconforming mesh with edge elements

A method for analyzing three-dimensional (3-D) magnetic field in a model including moving parts, such as linear actuator, was developed by using a nonconforming mesh with edge elements. In this method, the meshes for moving and nonmoving parts are generated individually, and they are overlapped together at an arbitrary position. Then, the magnetic field analysis is carried out by using the nonconforming technique with interpolation. It is shown that the proposed method is useful for a dynamic analysis of a 3-D actuator model.

Collapsing process simulations of timber structures under dynamic loading II: simplification and quantification of the calculating method

In a previous paper we presented the efficacy of the extended distinct element method (EDEM) on the collapsing process simulation of timber-frame structures. The results obtained were qualitative, and the need for quantitative simulation was pointed out. In this report, we improved our simulating programs with the aim of establishing a quantitative simulation by EDEM. For this purpose, the parameters of the frame members (beam or column) were determined by comparing the simulated results of four-point bending tests with experimental results. Other parameters of plywood and joint members were determined by simulations of two rail shear and slip tests of joint parts, respectively. Using these parameters we made simulations of the collapsing process of an actual-size plywood-sheathed wall and at the same time carried out the experiments under similar conditions. Simulated load–displacement curves of the plywood-sheathed wall were similar to those obtained in the experiments, and the sequence of failure at nailed joints of the simulation model gave good agreement with that of the experimental collapsing processes. Using these processes, we believe that we established a basic quantitative simulation method to test the collapsing process of timber-frame structures.