This paper presents a novel design for the top contact of thin film photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. The new top contact is formed by fabricating a 20nm thin honeycomb shaped silver mesh on top of an ultra-thin 13nm of indium tin oxide. The new top contact offers the potential to reduce the series resistance of the cell while increasing the light current via plasmonic resonance. Using the nano-bead lithography technique the honeycomb top contact was fabricated and electrically characterized. Th...
Does a national research-focused organization need a technically competent leader? This study provides preliminary answers to that question using a natural experiment underway at the Department of Energy (DOE): a leader with significant high-level management experience superior to that of his predecessors, but no relevant technical experience was appointed to run the vast scientific research operation. The following hypothesis is proposed: A major risk of allowing technically-unqualified lead...
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanostructures (nanorods and nanoparticles) were prepared using a low-cost microwave irradiation method from a polyol medium of glycerol. Titanium glycerolate and TiO2 powders were obtained in the glycerol medium for the first time with four different power densities (240 W, 480 W, 720 W, 960 W) of irradiation using a domestic microwave oven of 2.45 GHz, to understand the impact of power on morphology tuning. The structural and morphological features of the t...
A full mechanical characterisation of three types of 3-D printed lattice cores was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using additive manufacturing (AM) of lightweight polymer-based sandwich panels for structural applications. Effects of the shape of three selected lattice structures on the compression, shear and bending strength has been experimentally investigated. The specimens tested were manufactured with an open source fused filament fabrication-based 3-D printer. These sandwich st...
Anatase TiO2 displaying dual morphologies were synthesized with a simple chemical route via a single step. A strong correlation between the dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) device performance and the obtained dual morphologies are highlighted using relevant evidences from UV-vis and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Raman analysis, field emission scanning electron microscope, high resolution transmission electron microscope, current-voltage characteristics and impedance analysis. Struct...
In this work, upgraded metallurgical grade silicon (UMG-Si) wafer was used to fabricate mesoporous nanostructures, as an effective antireflection layer for solar photovoltaic cells. The length of the vertical Si nanostructure (SiNS) arrays was altered by varying the etching time period during metal assisted chemical etching (MACE) process, using a silver catalyst. The optical, structural, morphological changes and the antireflection properties of Si nanostructures formed on UMG-Siwafer were a...
This study is aimed at investigating the potential ofaqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf in theprevention of indomethacin-induced ulcer. Toachieve this, thirty adult male rats of body weightbetween 150 and 200g were divided into six groupsof five rats each. Group I was treated with 0.8mg/mlof Omeprazole for seven days. Group II was treatedwith a solution of 0.8 g/ml Moringa oleifera leaf forseven days, while group III received distilled waterfor seven days. This group served as the contr...
Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the phytochemical content and antioxidant potential of Azadirachta indica and Parquetina nigrescens leaves.Study Design: This study was made to fit a one way Analysis of Variance.Place and Duration of Study: This research was carried out in Premedical Science Department, Educational Advancement Centre, Ibadan and Pharmaceutical Laboratory of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria between January and June, 2018.Methodology: Both plants were harvested from t...
The overwhelming increase in the prevalence ofoverweight and obesity in recent years represents oneof the greatest threats to the health of the developedworld and part of the developing world. Amongcurrent treatments, gastrointestinal (GI) surgeryremains the only approach capable of achievingsignificant weight loss results with long-termsustainability. As the obesity prevalence approachesepidemic proportions, the necessity to unravel themechanisms regulating appetite and weight gainhave garne...
Aim: This study is aimed at evaluating the level of potassium bromate in bread in Ogbomoso metropolis.Study Design: This study was made to fit a one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).Place and duration of Study: The bread samples were purchased in Ogbomoso metropolis and analyzed in Ibadan, both in Oyo State, Nigeria between July and December, 2018.Methodology: Twenty five loaves of different brands of bread were purchased in Ogbomoso metropolis and transported to Ibadan for analysis. They wer...
Fab labs, which offer small-scale distributed digital fabrication, are forming a Green Fab Lab Network, which embraces concepts of an open source symbiotic economy and circular economy patterns. With the use of industrial 3D printers capable of fused particle fabrication/ fused granular fabrication (FPF/FGF) printing directly from waste plastic streams, green fab labs could act as defacto recycling centers for converting waste plastics into valuable products for their communities. Clear finan...
ABSTRACT Micronutrients which are nutrients that are only needed by the body in minute amounts play leading roles in the production of enzymes, hormones and other substances and also help to regulate growth activity, development and functioning of the immune and reproductive systems. MicronutrientsPace ficiency conditions are widespread among 2 billion people in developing and in developed countries. These are silent epidemics of vitamin and mineral deficiencies affecting people of all gender...
Background: In 2003, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),the agency responsible for regulating drugs, foods and chemicals in Nigeria, banned the use ofpotassium bromate in bread on account of its deleterious effect and carcinogenicity in humans.Aim: This study is aimed at investigating the level of compliance to the use of potassium bromatein bread fifteen years after ban.Study Design: This study was made to fit a one way Analysis of Variance.Place and Durat...
This review discusses the implication of sugar intake in haemorrhoid and menstruation.Haemorrhoid is the clustering of veins in the rectum leading to swollen anus. This occurs due topressure exerted on the rectum. When these veins swell, they expand outward into themembranes around the rectal and anal tissue. Most people believed that sugar is the onset ofhaemorrhoid. Haemorrhoid occurs as a result of pressure exerted on the rectum leading to theswelling of the veins in the rectum. Since suga...
Medicinal plants have provided a source of inspiration for novel drugs compounds since plant derived medicines have made large contributions to human health. The traditional healers make use of water primarily as solvent but extracts of these plants were certainly much better and powerful. This may be due to the better solubility of the active components in organic solvents (Umadevi, 2011). The phytochemical component of the ethanolic extracts of Basella alba leaf revealed the presence of tan...