One-step hydrothermal synthesis of marigold flower-like nanostructured MoS<Subscript>2</Subscript> as a counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells

MoS₂ thin films with marigold flower-like nanostructures were grown on conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates through a one-step hydrothermal synthesis for their application as counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Different MoS₂ thin film samples (A–D) were grown on FTO slides using different concentrations of precursors (sodium molybdate and thioacetamide), while keeping the Mo/S molar ratio constant (1:4.6), in all samples. The effect of varying precursor concentrations (3.2–12.6 mM on MoS₂ basis) on the structure of the nanostructured thin films and their performance as DSSC-CEs was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a material with an infolded petal-like morphology. With increasing precursor concentration, the petal-like structures tended to form bunched nanostructures (100–300 nm) resembling marigold flowers. X-ray diffraction analysis, X-ray photoelectron, and Raman spectroscopy studies showed that the thin films were composed of hexagonal MoS₂ with good crystallinity. Hall effect measurements revealed MoS₂ to be a p-type semiconductor with a carrier mobility of 219.80 cm² V^?1 s^?1 at room temperature. The electrochemical properties of the thin films were examined using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The marigold flower-like MoS₂ thin films showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the I¯/I₃¯ reaction and low charge transfer resistance (R_ct) values of 14.77 Ω cm^?1, which was close to that of Pt electrode (12.30 Ω cm^?1). The maximum power conversion efficiency obtained with MoS₂ CE-based DSSCs was 6.32%, which was comparable to a Pt CE-based DSSC (6.38%) under one sun illumination. Similarly, the maximum incident photon-to-charge carrier efficiency exhibited by MoS₂ CE-based DSSCs was 65.84%, which was also comparable to a Pt CE-based DSSC (68.38%). The study demonstrated that the marigold flower-like nanostructured MoS₂ films are a promising alternative to the conventional Pt-based CEs in DSSCs.

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Lignocellulosics to biofuels: An overview of recent and relevant advances

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Nanomaterials and catalysis for green chemistry

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Thermal analysis of some polynuclear coordination compounds

The thermal behaviour of five polynuclear coordination compounds containing tartaric anion as ligand, namely (NH₄)₃[LnFe(C₄O₆H₄)₃(OH)₃] (Ln=La and Eu), (NH₄)₂[PrFe(C₄O₆H₄)₃(OH)₂] and (NH₄)[LnFe(C₄O₆H₄)₃(OH)]·3H₂O (Ln=Nd and Gd) was investigated. The reaction progress was studied by TG/DTA and FTIR measurements. Oxalates and oxocarbonates were identified as intermediates. In the case of Ln=La, Nd, Pr, Eu and Gd, pure LnFeO₃ was obtained as final decomposition product. The thermal decomposition of Eu-Fe compound, leads to a mixture of mixed (ortho-ferrite (EuFeO₃) and garnet (Eu₃Fe₅O₁₂)) and simple oxides (Eu₂O₃ and α-Fe₂O₃).     

BiCl3-modified perlite as an effective catalyst for selective organic transformations: a green protocol

Research on Chemical Intermediates - A new perlite supported Bismuth Chloride (BiCl3) was used as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds viz., quinoxalines...     

FeF3-mediated tandem annulation: a highly efficient one-pot synthesis of functionalized N-methyl-3-nitro-4H-pyrimido [2, 1-b] [1, 3] benzothiazole-2-amine derivatives under neat conditions

Molecular Diversity - A straight forward and highly efficient one-pot annulation of 2-aminobenzothiazole, (E)-N-methyl-1-(methylthio)-2-nitroethenamine, and aldehydes in the presence of FeF3 is...     

Enantiospecific Total Syntheses and Assignment of Absolute Configuration of Cannabinol‐Skeletal Carbazole Alkaloids Murrayamines‐O and ‐P

First enantiospecific total syntheses of the cannabinol‐skeletal carbazole alkaloids murrayamines‐O and ‐P isolated from root barks of Murraya euchrestifoli, have been accomplished by highly diastereoselective, Lewis acid catalyzed coupling reactions of commercially available monoterpenes with carbazole derivative, which in addition to confirming the structure also established the absolute configuration of the natural products. Synthesis of both natural products and their enantiomers was achieved with high atom economy, in a protecting‐group free manner and in six steps longest linear sequence from commercially available aniline derivative and verbenol.     

A Flexible Composite Mechanical Energy Harvester from a Ferroelectric Organoamino Phosphonium Salt

A new binary organic salt diphenyl diisopropylamino phosphonium hexaflurophosphate (DPDP?PF₆) was shown to exhibit a good ferroelectric response and employed for mechanical energy harvesting application. The phosphonium salt crystallizes in the monoclinic noncentrosymmetric space group Cc and exhibits an H‐bonded 1D chain structure due to N?H???F interactions. Ferroelectric measurements on the single crystals of DPDP?PF₆ gave a well‐saturated rectangular hysteresis loop with a remnant (P_r) polarization value of 6 μC cm^?2. Further, composite devices based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films for various weight percentages (3, 5, 7, 10 and 20 wt %) of DPDP?PF₆ were prepared and examined for power generation by using an impact test setup. A maximum output peak‐to‐peak voltage (V_PP) of 8.5 V and an output peak‐to‐peak current (I_PP) of 0.5 μA was obtained for the non‐poled composite film with 10 wt % of DPDP?PF₆. These results show the efficacy of organic ferroelectric substances as potential micropower generators.     

Investigations on acceptor (Pr3+) and donor (Nb5+) doped cerium oxide for the suitability of solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes

Nanocrystalline acceptor (Pr³⁺) and donor (Nb⁵⁺) doped cerium oxide are synthesized by sol-gel method via hydrolysis process and evaluated for the suitability of applying as an electrolyte for the intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. Phase purity and crystallite size of the synthesized materials are ascertained by powder X-ray diffraction studies. Introduction of Pr³⁺ ions in the cerium lattice exhibited a lower crystallite size than the Nb⁵⁺, which exposes the probability to attain high oxide ion conductivity of Pr³⁺ doped cerium oxide. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra confirm the functional groups and formation of Pr³⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ ions in the cerium lattice. Absorbance spectra exhibit the charge-transfer transition from O²⁻ (2p) to Ce⁴⁺ (4f) orbital in cerium oxide. Pr³⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ ions doped cerium lattice create the oxygen vacancies and favor the formation of Ce³⁺ from Ce⁴⁺. Valence band transition of Ce³⁺ ions from the 5d to 4f levels are examined by photoluminescence studies. The morphological features of Ce-Pr-O and Ce-Nb-O are investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is used to analyze the conductivity properties of solid electrolytes. Ce-Pr-O shows the high oxide ion conductivity of 0.1 S/cm at 600 °C with an activation energy of 0.73 eV. Electrolytes with specific conductivities higher than 10⁻² S/cm at intermediate temperatures (∼400–600 °C) are required for solid oxide fuel cells to operate with less maintenance. Hence, Ce-Pr-O can be a suitable electrolyte material for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells.