Recent progress in fluorescent blue light-emitting materials

Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), as an emerging technology for display and solid state lighting application, have many advantages including self-emission, lightweight, flexibility, low driving voltage, low power consumption, and low production cost. With the advancement of light emitting materials development and device architecture optimization, mobile phones and televisions based on OLED technology are already in the market. However, to obtain efficient, stable and pure blue emission than producing lower-energy colors is still one of the important subjects of these challenges. Full color and pure white light can be achieved only having stable blue emitting materials. To address this issue, significant effort has been devoted to develop novel blue light emitting materials in the past decade aiming at further improving device efficiency, color quality of emission light, and device lifetime. This review focuses on recent efforts of synthesis and device performance of small molecules, oligomers and polymers for blue emission of organic electroluminescent devices.

Pyridine-incorporated dihexylquaterthiophene : a novel blue emitter for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs)

The synthesis and characterisation of 2,5-bis(5′-hexyl-[2,2′- bithiophen]-5-yl)pyridine (Th4PY) and its use as a blue emitter in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) is reported. Th4PY was synthesised in high yield using a straightforward Suzuki coupling route with commercially available starting materials. As Th4PY is both soluble and has low molecular weight, blue OLEDs were fabricated using both spin-coating and vacuum deposition thin film processing techniques to study the effect of processing on device performance. OLED devices using a spin-coated layer consisting of 4′,4′′- tris(N-carbazolyl)triphenylamine (TCTA) and 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert- butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD) as a host matrix together with Th4PY as emitter exhibited highly efficient sky-blue emission with a low turn-on voltage of 3V, a maximum brightness close to 15000cdm-2 at 8V, and a maximum luminous efficiency of 7.4cdA -1 (6.3lmW -1) with CIE coordinates of x≤0.212, y≤0.320. The device performance characteristics are compared using various matrices and processing techniques. The promising sky-blue OLED performance, solution processability, and ambient stability make Th4PY a promising blue emitter for application in OLEDs.

4-hexylbithieno[3,2-b:2′3′-e]pyridine: An efficient electron-accepting unit in fluorene and indenofluorene copolymers for light-emitting devices

4-Hexylbithienopyridine has been prepared as a novel electron-accepting monomer for conjugated polymers. To test its electronic properties, alternating copolymers with fluorene and indenofluorene polymers have been prepared. The copolymers displayed reduction potentials about 0.5 V lower than for the corresponding fluorene and indenofluorene homopolymers, indicating much improved electron-accepting properties. Analysis of the microscopic morphology of thin films of the copolymers by AFM shows that they lack the extensive supramolecular order seen with the homopolymers, which is attributed to the bithienopyridine units disrupting the π-stacking. LEDs using these polymers as the emitting layer produce blue-green emission with low turn-on voltages with aluminum electrodes confirming their improved electron affinity. The indenofluorene copolymer displayed an irreversible red shift in emission at high voltages, which is attributed to oxidation of the indenofluorene units. This red shift occurred at higher potentials than for indenofluorene homopolymers in LEDs, suggesting that the heterocyclic moieties offer some protection against electrically promoted oxidation.

A critical success factors model for enterprise resource planning implementation

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are integrated enterprise-wide standard information systems that automate all aspects of an organisations’ business processes. The ERP philosophy is that business systems incorporating sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, personnel and finance modules can be supported by a single integrated system with all of the company’s data captured in a central database. The ERP packages of vendors such as SAP, Baan, J.D. Edwards and Intentia represent more than a common systems platform for a business. They prescribe information blueprints of how organisation’s business processes should operate. In this paper, the scale and strategic importance of ERP systems is identified and the problem of ERP implementation is defined. Five company examples are analysed using a Critical Success Factors (CSFs) theoretical framework. The paper offers a framework for managers which provides the basis for developing an ERP implementation strategy. The case analysis identifies different approaches to ERP implementation, highlights the critical role of legacy systems in influencing the implementation process, and identifies the importance of business process change and software configuration in addition to factors already cited in the literature such as top management support and communication. The implications of the results and future research opportunities are outlined.

Best of breed IT strategy: an alternative to enterprise resource planning systems

Abstract - Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software has become the dominant strategic platform for supporting enterprise-wide business processes. However, single vendor ERP software systems have been criticised for not meeting specific organisation and industry requirements. An alternative approach ‘Best of Breed (BoB)’, integrates components of software from multiple standard package vendors, and in some cases custom components. The objective is to develop enterprise systems that are more closely aligned with the requirements of an organisation. Although this approach may not be common at present it is likely to grow in importance due to business needs and technology advances such as the componentisation of ERP software. A case study analysis of a BoB implementation at a global entertainment's company is used as a platform for the discussion of the issues associated with this strategy and a comparison is made with the single vendor ERP alternative. The analysis centres on the complexity of implementation, the differences in the levels of functionality and business fit and the maintenance requirements.

Web mediated market interactions and enterprise software

With increased consolidation and a few large vendors dominating the market, how can software vendors distinguish themselves in order to maintain profitability and gain market share? Increasingly customers are becoming more proactive in selecting a vendor and a product, drawing upon various publications, market surveys, mailing lists, and, of course, other users. In particular, though, a company's Web site is the obvious place to begin information gathering. In sum, it may seem that the days of the uninformed customer prepared to be "sold to" are potentially all but gone.

A fast track SAP R/3 implementation at Guilbert Niceday

This paper examines the approach of Guilbert, a European stationery company, which has chosen a fast track strategy towards implementation of enterprise resource planning.

Convergent Media Policy

This chapter considers the implications of convergence for media policy from three perspectives. First, it discusses what have been the traditional concerns of media policy, and the challenges it faces, from the perspectives of public interest theories, economic capture theories, and capitalist state theories. Second, it looks at what media convergence involves, and some of the dilemmas arising from convergent media policy including: (1) determining who is a media company; (2) regulatory parity between ‘old’ and ‘new’ media; (3) treatment of similar media content across different platforms; (4) distinguishing ‘big media’ from user-created content; and (5) maintaining a distinction between media regulation and censorship of personal communication. Finally, it discusses attempts to reform media policy in light of these changes, including Australian media policy reports from 2011-12 including the Convergence Review, the Finkelstein Review of News Media, and the Australian Law Reform Commission’s National Classification Scheme Review. It concludes by arguing that ‘public interest’ approaches to media policy continue to have validity, even as they grapple with the complex question of how to understand the concept of influence in a convergent media environment.

Ultrathin hematite films deposited layer-by-layer on TiO2 underlayer for efficient water splitting under visible light

Ultrathin hematite (α-Fe2O3) film deposited on a TiO2 underlayer as a photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting was described. The TiO2 underlayer was coated on conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by spin coating. The hematite films were formed layer-by-layer by repeating the separated two-phase hydrolysis-solvothermal reaction of iron(III) acetylacetonate and aqueous ammonia. A photocurrent density of 0.683 mA cm−2 at +1.5 V vs. RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) was obtained under visible light (>420 nm, 100 mW cm−2) illumination. The TiO2 underlayer plays an important role in the formation of hematite film, acting as an intermediary to alleviate the dead layer effect and as a support of large surface areas to coat greater amounts of Fe2O3. The as-prepared photoanodes are notably stable and highly efficient for photoelectrochemical water splitting under visible light. This study provides a facile synthesis process for the controlled production of highly active ultrathin hematite film and a simple route for photocurrent enhancement using several photoanodes in tandem.

Fire design rules of light gauge steel frame walls – a review

Cold-formed steel members are widely used in load bearing Light gauge steel frame (LSF) wall systems with plasterboard linings on both sides. However, these thin-walled steel sections heat up quickly and lose their strength under fire conditions despite the protection provided by plasterboards. Hence there is a need for simple fire design rules to predict their load capacities and fire resistance ratings. During fire events, the LSF wall studs are subjected to non-uniform temperature distributions that cause thermal bowing, neutral axis shift and magnification effects and thus resulting in a combined axial compression and bending action on the LSF wall studs. In this research a series of full scale fire tests was conducted first to evaluate the performance of LSF wall systems with eight different wall configurations under standard fire conditions. Finite element models of LSF walls were then developed, analysed under transient and steady state conditions, and validated using full scale fire tests. Using the results from fire tests and finite element analyses, a detailed investigation was undertaken into the prediction of axial compression strength and failure times of LSF wall studs in standard fires using the available fire design rules based on Australian, American and European standards. The results from both fire tests and finite element analyses were used to investigate the ability of these fire design rules to include the complex effects of non-uniform temperature distributions and their accuracy in predicting the axial compression strengths of wall studs and the failure times. Suitable modifications were then proposed to the fire design rules. This paper presents the details of this investigation into the accuracy of using currently available fire design rules of LSF walls and the results.

Pharmaceutical company influences on medication prescribing and their potential impact on quality use of medicines

Background Pharmaceuticals are big business, reporting strong market growth year after year. The ‘gatekeepers’ of this market are prescribers of medicines, who are the major target of pharmaceutical companies, utilizing direct and indirect influences. Methods This paper draws on previous research investigating pharmaceutical company prescribing influences to develop a qualitative model demonstrating the synergism between commercial influences on prescribing. The generic model was used to explore a realistic but hypothetical scenario to ascertain the applicability of the model. Results and Discussion A generic influence model was developed. The model was readily able to be adapted to reflect a realistic practice scenario. Conclusion Prescriber awareness of the linkages between various seemingly separate marketing techniques could potentially improve medicines usage in an evidence-based practice paradigm.