In Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells the CIGS layer serves as the light absorber, growing naturally p-type. Together with an n-type buffer layer they form a p-n heterojunction. Typically, CdS is used as a buffer, although other, less toxic materials are investigated as alternatives. The intrinsic p-type doping of CIGS layers is the result of complex defect physics. Defect formation energies in CIGS are very low or even negative, which results in extremely high defect concentrations. This leads to many unusual electrical phenomena that can be observed in CIGS devices. This thesis mostly focuses on three of these phenomena: light-soaking, light-on-bias, and light-enhanced reverse breakdown. Light-soaking is a treatment that involves illuminating the investigated device for an extended period of time. In most CIGS solar cells it results in an improvement of open-circuit voltage, fill factor, and efficiency that can persist for hours, if not days. The interplay between light-soaking and the remaining two phenomena was studied. It was found that light-soaking has a strong effect on light-on-bias behavior, while the results for light-enhanced breakdown were inconclusive, suggesting little to no impact. Light-on-bias is a treatment which combines simultaneous illumination and application of reverse bias to the studied sample. Illuminating CdS-based samples with red light while applying a reverse bias results in a significant increase in capacitance due to filling of traps. In many cases, this is accompanied by a decrease in device performance under red illumination. Complete recovery is possible by illuminating the treated sample with blue light, which causes hole injection from the CdS buffer. In samples with alternative buffer layers, there is little distinction between red and blue illumination, and the increase in capacitance is milder. At the same time, there is little effect on device performance. Reverse breakdown can occur when a sufficiently large reverse bias is applied to a p-n junction, causing a large reverse current to flow through the device. In CIGS solar cells, the voltage at which breakdown occurs in darkness decreases in the presence of blue illumination. A model explaining the breakdown in darkness was proposed as a part of this thesis. The model assumes that all voltage drops on the buffer layer in darkness and on the CIGS layer under blue illumination. The high electric field in the buffer facilitates Poole-Frenkel conduction and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling between the absorber and the buffer.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T14:56:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2006 - Luciano Keller.pdf: 334126 bytes, checksum: 61f193dcc02e3911711ef2d11e41f545 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-04-27 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / The objective was to evaluate the viability use of the system of blocks pressed for the production of seedlings of Inga marginata, Jacaranda puberula and Zeyheria tuberculosa. It was used as containers pressed block (440 cm3/ seedlings), plastic sacks (11x15 cm) and the tubetes of circular section (280 cm3). They were made evaluations of the seedlings, planting simulation in the nursery and definitive planting in the field in ciliary area to river Guand? s margins. It was used as substratum organic composition, ground coal and loamy soil, in the proportion volumetric, 6:2:2. For the making of the blocks, the substratum was moistened, put in metallic form with dimensions of: 60 x 40 x 20 cm (length, width and height) on a wood box with screen bottom (0,5 mm) and pressed by 15 minutes with a hydraulic monkey. After the presage, the blocks presented height of 12 cm. The seeds were sowed in sand and transplanted for the containers, selecting themselves plantules more homogeneous. The comparison was made by the characteristics of the produced seedlings and for his/her acting powder-planting in bags of 20 liters and in the field. At that time of expedition of the seedlings for the field (150 days after the sowing), the seedlings of the three studied species presented satisfactory growth, when produced in the system of blocks pressed unlike the seedlings produced in the tubetes, 150 days after the repicage. Seedlings of Jacaranda puberula produced in tubetes presented estiolation. That was not observed in seedlings of Inga marginata and Zeyheria tuberculosa. In condition of planting controlled seedlings of Inga marginata produced in tubetes presented smaller values of lap diameter and dry weight of the radicular system and seedlings of Jacaranda puberula produced in the pressed blocks presented smaller height values, lap diameter and dry weight of the radicular system, however that no repeating in the field. After the planting in the field mute of Jacaranda puberula produced in tubetes presented smaller survival taxes. There was not difference among the systems of production of the seedlings, when appraised the height and the diameter of lap of the plants 10 months after the planting. The system of pressed blocks was shown technically viable for the production of seedlings of native forest essences. / O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a viabilidade uso do sistema de blocos prensados para a produ??o de mudas de Inga marginata, Jacaranda puberula e Zeyheria tuberculosa. Utilizou-se como recipientes bloco prensado (440 cm?/muda), sacos pl?sticos (330 cm3) e tubetes de se??o circular (280 cm3). Foram feitas avalia??es das mudas, simula??o de plantio no viveiro e plantio definitivo no campo em ?rea ciliar ?s margens do Rio Guandu, Serop?dica/RJ. Utilizou-se como substrato composto org?nico, moinha de carv?o e solo argiloso, na propor??o volum?trica, 6:2:2. Para a confec??o dos blocos, o substrato foi umedecido, colocado em forma met?lica com dimens?es de: 60 x 40 x 20 cm (comprimento, largura e altura) sobre uma caixa de madeira com fundo de tela (0,5 mm) e prensado por 15 minutos com um macaco hidr?ulico. Ap?s a prensagem, os blocos apresentaram altura de 12 cm. As sementes foram semeadas em areia e transplantadas para os recipientes, selecionando-se as pl?ntulas mais homog?neas. A compara??o foi feita pelas caracter?sticas das mudas produzidas e por seu desempenho p?s-plantio em sacolas de 20 litros e no campo. Na ?poca de expedi??o das mudas para o campo (150 dias ap?s a semeadura), as mudas das tr?s esp?cies apresentaram crescimento satisfat?rio, quando produzidas no sistema de blocos prensados ao contr?rio das mudas produzidas nos tubetes. Mudas de Jacaranda puberula produzidas em tubetes apresentaram estiolamento. Isso n?o foi observado em mudas de Inga marginata e Zeyheria tuberculosa. Em condi??es de plantio controlado mudas de Inga marginata produzidas em tubetes apresentaram menores valores de di?metro de colo e peso seco do sistema radicular e mudas de Jacaranda puberula produzidas nos blocos prensados apresentaram menores valores de altura, di?metro de colo e peso seco do sistema radicular, por?m isso n?o se repetiu no campo. Ap?s o plantio no campo as plantas de Jacaranda puberula produzidas em tubetes apresentaram menores taxas de sobreviv?ncia. N?o houve diferen?a entre os sistemas de produ??o das mudas, quando avaliada a altura e o di?metro de colo das plantas 10 meses ap?s o plantio. O sistema de blocos prensados mostrou-se tecnicamente vi?vel para a produ??o de mudas de ess?ncias florestais nativas.

A tribo Ingeae Benth. compreende 36 gêneros, destes 24 são endêmicos do Novo Mundo, de 935 a 966 espécies, que se difundem nas regiões tropicais, subtropicais e temperadas. Para o Brasil são estimados 16 gêneros, 302 espécies, 10 subespécies e 46 variedades. O presente estudo objetivou contribuir para o conhecimento da diversidade de espécie dessa tribo na Floresta Nacional de Caxiuanã. Foram reconhecidos sete gêneros, 27 espécies, uma subespécie e duas variedades. O gênero mais representativo foi Inga Mill. com 17 espécies distribuídas em sete seções: Inga seção Bourgonia (/. alba (Sw.) Willd., I. hrachyrhachis Harms, I. cylindrica (Vell.) Mart., /. laurina (Sw.) Willd. e 1. microcalyx Spruce ex Benth.); Inga seção Inga (/. edulis Mart.); Inga seção Leptinga (/. gracilifoliã Ducke, I. paraensis Ducke e I. ohidensis Ducke); Inga seção Longiflorae (/. grandiflora Ducke, I. longiflora Spruce ex Benth., I. micradenia Spruce ex Benth. e I. ruhiginosa (Rich.) DC.); Inga seção Multijugae (/. thihaudiana DC. subsp. thihaudiana); Inga seção Pseudinga (/. capitata Desv. e I. stipidares DC.) e Inga seção Tetragonae (/. macrophylla Humb. & Bonpl. ex Wilk). Em seguida vem Abarema Pittier, que está representado por três espécies (A. jupunba (Willd.) Britton & Killip, A. mataybifolia (Sand.) Bameby & J. W. Grimes e Abarema sp.); Calliandra Benth. com duas espécies (C. surinamensis Benth. e Calliandra sp.); Zygia P. Browne com duas espécies e uma variedade (Z racemosa (Ducke) Barneby & J. W. Grimes e Zygia latifolia (L.) Fawc. & Rendle var. lasiopus (Benth.) Barneby & J. W. Grimes); Enterolobium Mart. {E. schomburgkii (Benth.) Benth.); Hydrochorea Barneby & J. W. Grimes (H. corymbosa (Rich.) Barneby & J. W. Girmes) e Macrosamanea Britton & Rose ex Britton & Killip (M pubiramea (Steud.) Bameby & J. W. Grimes var. pubiramea). São apresentas chaves de identificação, descrições e ilustrações dos táxons, além de dados adicionais sobre distribuição geográfica, comentários e fenologia.

Electricity availability and stability have a great contributory share of industrialization growth rate, poverty statistics, unemployment, foreign investors' participation, medium and small scale encouragement, crime and mortality rates recorded in any country. Nigeria as a country has been challenged with unstable and unreliable power supply. There are many problems associated with electricity production in Nigeria. Such problems are recorded in the generation, transmission and distribution facets of electricity production. With a multi-faceted problem, this document has been developed to deal with the economic aspect of power generation in Nigeria. Out of numerous technologies that are used in power generation, Nigerian predominantly sources its electricity supply from gas power plants and hydropower systems located within the country. Unfortunately, the Nigeria hydropower has been challenged with hydrological shortfalls. The gas power plant which is now conventional is being challenged with the developing gas technology around the globe. This development has adversely affected the cost of gas and subsequently the cost of power production using gas power plants. As a result of hydrological limitations on Nigerian hydropower dams, effect of gas price on cost of energy produced and diversifying gas technology, harnessing electric energy from Inga falls of River Congo was considered as an economic choice of power production in Nigeria. The choice of power production adopted in this document was made from an economic viability studies carried out between Nigerian gas power plants and hydropower production from the River Congo. The choice of technology employed for harnessing electric energy is largely dependent on the economic factors that go with the development. While some of these technologies go with large initial capital investment some are challenged with geometric increase of running cost. As applied in this work, the Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Levelized Cost of Energy and Cash Flow Trend Analysis are suitable tools to determine choice of power plant. These tools were integrated and developed as an NILC model. In the analysis presented in this dissertation, the economic viability of the two power plants selected was determined with the use of the Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Levelized Cost of Energy and Cash Flow Trend Analysis (NILC) model. The model was used to measure the economic viability quantities of the two power plants selected for economic comparison. After the completion of economic comparative analysis, hydropower production from the River Congo was concluded to be a better choice of power production compared to the conventional gas power plant option in Nigeria. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Electricity availability and stability have a great contributory share of industrialization growth rate, poverty statistics, unemployment, foreign investors' participation, medium and small scale encouragement, crime and mortality rates recorded in any country. Nigeria as a country has been challenged with unstable and unreliable power supply. There are many problems associated with electricity production in Nigeria. Such problems are recorded in the generation, transmission and distribution facets of electricity production. With a multi-faceted problem, this document has been developed to deal with the economic aspect of power generation in Nigeria. Out of numerous technologies that are used in power generation, Nigerian predominantly sources its electricity supply from gas power plants and hydropower systems located within the country. Unfortunately, the Nigeria hydropower has been challenged with hydrological shortfalls. The gas power plant which is now conventional is being challenged with the developing gas technology around the globe. This development has adversely affected the cost of gas and subsequently the cost of power production using gas power plants. As a result of hydrological limitations on Nigerian hydropower dams, effect of gas price on cost of energy produced and diversifying gas technology, harnessing electric energy from Inga falls of River Congo was considered as an economic choice of power production in Nigeria. The choice of power production adopted in this document was made from an economic viability studies carried out between Nigerian gas power plants and hydropower production from the River Congo. The choice of technology employed for harnessing electric energy is largely dependent on the economic factors that go with the development. While some of these technologies go with large initial capital investment some are challenged with geometric increase of running cost. As applied in this work, the Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Levelized Cost of Energy and Cash Flow Trend Analysis are suitable tools to determine choice of power plant. These tools were integrated and developed as an NILC model. In the analysis presented in this dissertation, the economic viability of the two power plants selected was determined with the use of the Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Levelized Cost of Energy and Cash Flow Trend Analysis (NILC) model. The model was used to measure the economic viability quantities of the two power plants selected for economic comparison. After the completion of economic comparative analysis, hydropower production from the River Congo was concluded to be a better choice of power production compared to the conventional gas power plant option in Nigeria. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Submitted by Reginaldo Soares de Freitas (reginaldo.freitas@ufv.br) on 2015-12-02T09:38:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 3145359 bytes, checksum: 37020cf2346e9e4fdb1512c81bcfc5e2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-02T09:38:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 3145359 bytes, checksum: 37020cf2346e9e4fdb1512c81bcfc5e2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Cicatrização de ferida é um processo sistêmico e dinâmico que envolve as etapas de inflamação, proliferação e remodelação e, tem por objetivo restaurar a continuidade do tecido. Embora a reparação tecidual seja um processo sistêmico, é necessário favorecer condições locais por meio de terapia tópica adequada para viabilizar o processo fisiológico. Na medicina popular, tinturas das cascas das espécies arbóreas de Inga subnuda (ingá) e Pseudopiptadenia contorta (angico) são utilizadas no tratamento de feridas cutâneas. Tendo em vista esse uso popular, este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o efeito destas plantas na cicatrização de feridas cirúrgicas induzidas em coelhos. Foram preparados extratos hidroalcoólicos das cascas de ingá e angico por maceração, e realizadas análises de prospecção fitoquímica e atividade antioxidante pelo método de DPPH. Preparados, os extratos de ingá e angico foram adicionados a Creme Lanette 24% até atingir as concentrações de 1% e 5%. Foram utilizados 36 coelhos machos, da raça Albino Nova Zelândia, 60 dias de vida e peso médio de 2,8 Kg (CEUA/UFV, no064/2012). Duas feridas cirúrgicas de dimensão 1,5 x 1,5 cm foram produzidas na região dorsal-torácica dos animais e tratadas durante 14 dias. A primeira foi confeccionada com lâmina de bisturi e denominada Ferida e a segunda com bisturi elétrico, denominada Queimadura. Os animais, divididos em grupos de seis animais, foram tratados com solução salina; extrato de ingá 1%; extrato de ingá 5%, extrato de angico 1%; extrato de angico 5% e pomada Fitoscar®. Índice de contração da ferida (IC) foi medido no 7o, 10 e 14o dia pós-operatório. Após o 14o dia de tratamento os animais foram eutanasiados e amostras de sangue coletadas para análise bioquímica e hematológica. Em seguida, amostras das feridas e queimaduras foram extraídas cirurgicamente, processadas rotineiramente e coradas com hematoxilina-eosina e picrosirrius. O parâmetro estereológico de densidade volumétrica foi calculado para contagem de fibroblasto, vaso sanguíneo, células inflamatórias, e índice de maturação do colágeno (IMaC). Os resultados foram analisados pela ANOVA, seguido pelo teste de Tukey. Resultados da prospecção fitoquímica e de DPPH mostram presença de flavonoides, taninos e saponinas, e, atividade antioxidante dos extratos de ingá e angico. Os resultados hematológicos e bioquímicos mostram que os animais tratados com os extratos vegetais não apresentaram infecção sistêmica e nem alterações hepáticas e renais. Os parâmetros estereológicos indicam que os extratos de ingá e angico contribuíram para a promoção da fibroplasia, angiogênese e maturação do colágeno nas feridas cirúrgicas. Pelo índice de contração, conclui-se que os extratos de ingá e angico apresentaram efeito cicatrizante tanto na ferida quanto na queimadura, sendo mais efetivos na fase proliferativa. Este estudo forneceu evidências do efeito cicatrizante dos extratos de ingá e angico e do potencial uso como medicamento fitoterápico. Porém, mais estudos são necessários para elucidar o mecanismo de ação destes extratos no processo terapêutico. / Wound-healing is a systemic and dynamic process involving the steps of inflammation, proliferation and remodeling, and aims to restore the continuity of the tissue. Although the tissue repair is a systemic process, it is necessary to offer local conditions by appropriate topical therapy to enable the physiological process. Traditionally, bark extract of Inga subnuda (inga) and Pseudopiptadenia contorta (angico) has been used on the treatment of skin wounds. The objective of this study was to investigate the healing effect of the extract inga and angico on the surgicals wounds induced in rabbits. Barks extract of inga and angico was extracted by maceration, and they were carried out analysis of phytochemical prospecting and antioxidant activity by DPPH method. Thirty-six male rabbits, type Albino New Zealand, 60 days, weighing 2,8Kg, from the Federal University of Viçosa were used (CEUA/UFVn°064/2012). Two surgical wounds of 1.5 x 1.5 cm were made in the dorsal thoracic region. The first wound was made by removing the skin with a scalpel blade, called Wound, and the second wound with an electric scalped, called Burn. Animals were treated for 14 days. The animals were randomized in groups of six rabbits and were treated with saline solution; extract of inga 1%; extract of inga 5%, extract of angico 1%; extract of angico 5% and Fitoscar® ointment. Wound contraction index (WCI) was measured on the 7th, 10th and 14th post-wounding. After 14 days of treatment the animals were euthanized and blood samples collected for biochemical and hematological analysis. Samples of wounds and burns were taken, processed routinely, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and picrosirrius. The stereological parameters of bulk density was calculated by counting of fibroblasts, blood vessels and inflammatory cells and collagen maturation index.The results were analyzed by ANOVA and by Tukey test. The results of phytochemical prospecting and DPPH show the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins and antioxidant activity. The hematological and biochemical results show that animals treated with plant extracts showed no systemic infection or hepatic and renal disorders.The stereological parameters indicate that inga and angico extracts contributed to promoting fibroplasia, angiogenesis and maturation of collagen in surgical wounds. by contraction index, it is concluded that inga and angico extracts has healing activity on the wound and burn, significantly accelerating healing in the proliferative phase. This study provided evidence of the healing effect of the extracts inga and angico and potential use as herbal medicine, but more studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism of action of these extracts in the therapeutic process.

Orientadores: Márcia Regina Braga, Simone de Pádua Teixeira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T00:05:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Caccere_Rodrigo_M.pdf: 5287310 bytes, checksum: 7433584cc6dacc1485f7ed86dd51116e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Inga vera Pennington produz sementes com alta sensibilidade à dessecação, o que dificulta seu armazenamento. Diversos mecanismos estão relacionados tolerância à dessecação, dentre eles o acúmulo de reservas insolúveis e de moléculas protetoras, redução do metabolismo e dobramento da parede celular. Desse modo, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o comportamento de eixos embrionários e cotilédones de I. vera com respeito a seus teores e composição de açúcares solúveis, de reserva e de parede celular e quanto à ultra-estrutura durante a maturação e após a secagem. Eixos embrionários e cotilédones de I. vera durante a maturação, acumulam altos níveis de amido e armazenam também outras substâncias como compostos fenólicos. O acúmulo de massa seca e o processo de vacuolização durante todo o desenvolvimentos dos embriões desta espécie indicam alta atividade metabólica até o momento da dispersão. Além disso, as paredes celulares de eixos embrionários e cotilédones acumulam galactanos que podem lhe conferir maior rigidez. Embriões de I. vera secos até 35% de teor de água apresentaram redução da capacidade germinativa. Esta desidratação parcial provocou um estímulo metabólico, evidenciado pela mobilização de reservas e deposição de material nas paredes celulares, além de intensa atividade do retículo endoplasmático rigoso, observada nos eixos embrionários. A secagem severa (17% de teor de água) provocou rompimento das membranas resultando no aparecimento de células completamente colapsadas. Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que embriões I. vera mantém o metabolismo ativo durante a desidratação até que os processos de injúria comecem a ocorrer. / Abstract: Inga vera Pennington produces recalcitrant seeds, characterized by desiccation sensibility and short post-harvest life span, no longer than one mouth. Mechanisms proposed to explain the ability of organisms to survive desiccation include accumulation of insoluble reserves and protective molecules, metabolic "switch off" and cell wall folding, among others. The aim of the present study was to analyze the behavior of I.vera embryos (axes and cotyledons) with respect to sugar content, cell wall composition and ultrastructure during different stages of development and after desiccation. Axes and cotyledons accumulate starch and phenolic compounds and also showed vacuolization all over development, suggesting high metabolic activity up to the end of the maturation period. Moreover, cell walls of axes and cotyledons cantain polysaccharides, like galactans, that can provide more rigidity to the cell wall. Mature I.vera seeds were dried 35% or 17% and seed variability was skilghtly reduced due to drying to 35% of water content, but no seeds survived to severe desiccation (17% water content). Starch mobilization, increase in the cell wall thickness in axes and cotyledons, and high degree of development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum in axes suggest that drying to 35% of water content enhanced metabolic activity. Severe desiccation resulted in membrane breaking leading to collapsed protoplasm. Therefore we can conclude that I.vera embryos keep high metabolic activity during desiccation until damage processes start. / Mestrado / Biologia Celular / Mestre em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Submitted by Hellen Luz (hellencrisluz@gmail.com) on 2017-08-04T16:46:26Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_EstudoComparativoEfeito.pdf: 2386721 bytes, checksum: b57e81e405dc2a0cc5bdbe34b1f5d0ce (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Irvana Coutinho (irvana@ufpa.br) on 2017-08-07T14:13:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_EstudoComparativoEfeito.pdf: 2386721 bytes, checksum: b57e81e405dc2a0cc5bdbe34b1f5d0ce (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-07T14:13:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertacao_EstudoComparativoEfeito.pdf: 2386721 bytes, checksum: b57e81e405dc2a0cc5bdbe34b1f5d0ce (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-30 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A Região Amazônica apresenta grande fonte de plantas ricas em compostos bioativos, como as espécies Euterpe oleracea (açaizeiro), Byrsonima crassifolia (murucizeiro) e Inga edulis (ingázeiro). A partir dessas matrizes tem-se produzido extratos purificados ricos em compostos fenólicos, tais como os flavonoides e taninos. Sabe-se que os taninos, mais especificamente os taninos condensados (proantocianidinas), são polímeros de compostos fenólicos simples, e quando presentes em alimentos estão envolvidos na sensação de adstringência, devido à sua complexação com proteínas da saliva, atuando assim como um agente antinutricional. Métodos têm sido desenvolvidos visando a despolimerização destes compostos, tais como a clivagem ácida, pois além de promover a redução de adstringência, estudos demonstraram que também contribuem para o aumentar a capacidade antioxidante e favorecer a absorção destes compostos. Vale ressaltar que, com o crescente interesse em compostos fenólicos monoméricos, os testes em escala piloto, para obtê-los em maior quantidade, tornam-se necessários. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar os efeitos da clivagem ácida de proantocianidinas, em escala piloto, presentes nos extratos de matrizes vegetais da Amazônia, avaliando a composição de compostos fenólicos, adstringência e capacidade antioxidante. Para isso, os extratos purificados aquosos de cada matriz foram caracterizados através de análises espectrofotométricas (concentrações de polifenóis totais, flavonóis e flavanóis totais, antocianidinas totais, proantocianidinas e capacidade antioxidante (DPPH)), análise de adstringência e identificação dos principais compostos por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência. Os extratos foram submetidos à clivagem ácida em meio reacional com 60% EtOH, HCl 3N, a 88 ºC por 165 minutos. Os extratos purificados aquosos de açaí, muruci e ingá apresentaram elevada concentração de polifenóis totais (761,83, 493,59 e 531,55 mg EAG/g MS, respectivamente), bem como elevadas concentrações de flavanóis totais, flavonóis totais e proantocianidinas. O processo de clivagem ácida proporcionou aumentos do teor de polifenóis totais e foi eficaz para a hidrólise das proantocianidinas, a redução da adstringência e aumento da capacidade antioxidante, além da obtenção de compostos da subclasse das antocianidinas para os três extratos. A ampliação de escala do processo não resultou em diferença significativa (p>0,05) em relação à clivagem realizada em escala analítica, para todos os extratos. Além da despolimerização da proantocianidinas, o tratamento ácido proporciona a deglicosilação de flavonoides, como quecetinas glicosiladas (Byrsonima crassifolia e Inga edulis), miricetinas glicosiladas (Inga edulis) e cianidinas glicosiladas (Euterpe oleracea). Assim, a ampliação de escala do processo possibilitou a obtenção de extratos com compostos com elevada capacidade antioxidante o que permite uma possível utilização destes extratos como agentes antioxidantes em produtos alimentícios e farmacêuticos. / The Amazon Region presents a great source of species rich in bioactive compounds, such as Euterpe oleracea (açaizeiro), Byrsonima crassifolia (murucizeiro) and Inga edulis (ingazeiro). From these matrices, purified extracts rich in phenolic content have been produced containing compounds such as flavonoids and tannins. It is known that tannins, more specifically condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) are polymers of simple phenolic compounds, and when present in foods, are involved in the sensation of astringency due to its complexation with saliva protein, thus acting as an anti-nutrition agent. Methods have been developed aiming the depolymerization of these compounds, such as acid cleavage, because apart from promoting the reduction of astringency, studies have shown that they also contribute to increased antioxidant capacity and to promote the absorption of these compounds. It is noteworthy that, with the growing interest in monomeric phenolic compounds, tests on a pilot scale, to produce them in larger quantities, are necessary. Therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the effects of the acid cleavage of proanthocyanidins, on a pilot scale, present in the extracts of Amazonic plants, thus evaluating the phenolic content, the astringent and antioxidant capacity. In order to achieve that, the purified aqueous extracts of each plant were characterized by spectrophotometric analysis (total phenolic content, total flavonols and total flavanols, total anthocyanidins, proanthocyanidins and antioxidant capacity (DPPH)), astringency analysis and identification of the main compounds by on High Pressure Liquid Chromatography. Subsequently the samples underwent an acid cleavage with a reaction medium of 60% Ethanol, HCl 3N, in a temperature of 88 °C for 165 minutes. The purified aqueous extracts of muruci, ingá and açaí showed a high concentration of polyphenols (761.83, 493.59 and 531.55 mg GAE/g MS, respectively), as well as high concentrations of total flavanols, total flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. The process of acid cleavage promoted an increase in the content of total polyphenols and was effective in hydrolyzing the proanthocyanidins, in reducing the astringency, in increasing the antioxidant capacity as well as in obtaining subclass of compounds of anthocyanins for the three extracts. The scaling-up process resulted in no significant difference (p>0.05) regarding the cleavage held in analytical scale, for all extracts. Besides the depolymerization of proanthocyanidins, the acid treatment provides the deglycosylation of flavonoids as glycosylated quercetins (Byrsonima crassifolia and Inga edulis), glycosylated miricetins (Inga edulis) and glycosylated cianidins (Euterpe oleracea). Thus, the increase in scale of the process made possible the production of extracts rich in compounds with high antioxidant capacity which provided good indication to the possible use of these extracts as antioxidants agents in food and pharmaceutical products.

Solar irradiation is a vast and plentiful source of energy. The use of photovoltaic (PV) devices to convert solar energy directly to electrical energy is an elegant way of sustainable power generation which can be distributed or in large PV plants based on the need. Solar cells are the small building blocks of photovoltaics and when connected together they form PV modules. Thin film solar cells require significantly less energy and raw materials to be produced, as compared to the dominant Si wafer technologies. CIGS thin film solar cells are considered to be the most promising thin film alternative due to its proven high efficiency. Most thin film PV modules utilise monolithic integration, whereby thin film patterning steps are included between film deposition steps, to create interconnection of individual cells within the layered structure. The state of the art is that CIGS thin film modules are made using one laser patterning step (P1) and two mechanical patterning steps (P2 and P3). Here we present work which successfully demonstrates the replacement of mechanical patterning by laser patterning methods. The use of laser ablation promises such advantages as increased active cell area and reduced maintenance and downtime required for regular replacement of mechanical tools. The laser tool can also be used to transform CIGS into a conducting compound along a patterned line. We have shown that this process can be performed after all semiconductor layers are deposited using a technique we call laser micro-welding. By performing patterning at the end of the process flow P2 and P3 patterning could be performed simultaneously. Such solutions will further reduce manufacturing times and may offer increased control of semiconductor interfaces. While showing promising performance on par with reference processes there are still open questions of importance for these novel techniques, particularly that of long term stability. Thin film modules are inherently sensitive to moisture and require reliable encapsulation. Before the techniques introduced here can be seen industrially they must have achieved proven stability. In this work we present a proof of existence of stable micro-welded interconnections. / Felaktigt tryckt som Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 731

En un contexto energético general, caracterizado por unas exigencias crecientes de naturaleza económica, social, ambiental y de la disponibilidad de recursos primarios, cada vez más reducidos, la principal preocupación de todos los países del mundo es la satisfacción de estas exigencias a largo plazo, prensando en las generaciones futuras. El campo científico que estudia estas exigencias y propone posibles soluciones a los responsables con poder de decisión, es "la Planificación Energética", una herramienta de análisis cuantificado de las directrices a seguir. Esta herramienta está basada en los modelos energéticos, siendo su aplicación diferente según el país en cuestión. Los modelos de prospectiva energética constituyen ayudas muy valiosas para realizar análisis cuantitativos de los escenarios energéticos alternativos a fin de orientar las opciones de política energética sostenible. En esta Tesis doctoral se ha fijado como objetivo explorar las posibilidades ofrecidas por los modelos de prospectiva energética para su aplicación al caso del sistema energético de la República Democrática del Congo, país africando en vías de desarrollo en el que la evolución económica, demográfica y social podría diferir de las tendencias actuales, necesitando una contribución significativa de la energía para lograr un desarrollo sostenible. Bajo esta óptica, un primer modelo aplicado al sistema energético de la República Democrática del Gongo ha sido el MAED (Model for Analysis of Energy Demand) de la Agencia Internacional de Energía Atómica. Las dificultades encontradas en la aplicación de este módelo, como son la insuficiente base de datos del sistema energético de la República Democrática del Congo, la inexistencia de módulos para la evaluación de los impactos medioambientales y el cálculo del coste económico de diversos escenarios energéticos, alternativos planteados, nos han llevado a desaarrollar, en el marco de esta tesis, otro modelo más apropiado a las realidades del país / Ndaye Nkanka, B. (2009). Planificación energética en los países en vías de desarrollo. Caso de la República Democrática del Congo [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/4331 / Palancia