Enhanced photocatalytic performance of TiO2 nanowires by substituting noble metal particles with reduced graphene oxide

Noble metal particles have been embedded in semiconductors to improve photocatalysis efficiently, but the high cost made this approach difficult to apply widely in industry. Herein titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide (TiO₂/rGO) nanowires in a core-shell structure were prepared. The physicochemical properties and photocatalytic performance of the specimen were characterized in comparison with TiO₂ and TiO₂/Pt nanowires. The rGO layer and Pt nanoparticles increased chemical states of the components, reduced bandgap energy of the nanowires, enhanced visible light absorption, improved conductance and capacitance significantly. The methylene blue as catalyzed by TiO₂/Pt and TiO₂/rGO nanowires was degraded to 7.9% and 8.4% in an hour, but retained 25.7% by the TiO₂ nanowires. The properties and function of TiO₂/rGO nanowires were close to those of TiO₂/Pt nanowires, while the rGO price was much lower than that of Pt, which was of great significance for the photocatalytic application of TiO₂ heterojunction materials in industry.     

Laser applications in thin-film photovoltaics

We review laser applications in thin-film photovoltaics (thin-film Si, CdTe, and Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ solar cells). Lasers are applied in this growing field to manufacture modules, to monitor Si deposition processes, and to characterize opto-electrical properties of thin films. Unlike traditional panels based on crystalline silicon wafers, the individual cells of a thin-film photovoltaic module can be serially interconnected by laser scribing during fabrication. Laser scribing applications are described in detail, while other laser-based fabrication processes, such as laser-induced crystallization and pulsed laser deposition, are briefly reviewed. Lasers are also integrated into various diagnostic tools to analyze the composition of chemical vapors during deposition of Si thin films. Silane (SiH₄), silane radicals (SiH₃, SiH₂, SiH, Si), and Si nanoparticles have all been monitored inside chemical vapor deposition systems. Finally, we review various thin-film characterization methods, in which lasers are implemented.     

Nanosize Semiconductors for Photooxidation

Nanosized semiconductors (semiconductor clusters) have the potential to revolutionize the fields of photooxidation and photocatalysis through the combined effects of quantum confinement and their unique surface morphologies. Photocatalytic oxidation as applied to environmental remediation (i.e., detoxification of chemical wastes), green/sustainable chemistry, as well as alternative energy paths (i.e., splitting of H ₂ O to produce H ₂ ) has already experienced improvements in activity, efficiency, and stability through the use of semiconductor nanoclusters based on materials such as TiO ₂ , MoS ₂ , WS ₂ , MoSe ₂ , FeS ₂ , and SnO ₂ . Issues such as improved control of size and surface chemistry play an important role in the success of these semiconductor nanocatalysts. This review explores the effect of advances in the fields of nanoscience and photocatalysis for current and future applications.     

Some physical investigations on photovoltaic effects in Cu2S-CdS heterojunctions

Abstract

The photovoltaic effect in Cu₂s-CdS heterojunction has been the subject of study by a large number of investigators. Proper heat treatment of the junction plays crucial role in optimizing the performance of the heterojunction.

In this paper, after a brief review of the work on Cu₂S-CdS heterojunctions, the profile of copper in CdS as a function of heat treatment will be discussed. The diffusion of copper from Cu₂S into CdS has been studied at various temperatures, by radioactive tracer methods. This has a bearing on the spectral response of the Cu₂S-CdS cells as a function of heat treatment.     

Artificially controlled synthesis of graphene intramolecular heterojunctions for phonon engineering

Because phonons are the main carriers for graphene heat transfer, modifying the dynamic properties of the crystal lattice by isotopes modulates the phonon behavior and alters the thermal properties. Here we demonstrate an artificially controlled texture synthesis of ¹²C‐graphene/¹³C‐graphene heterostructures via chemical vapor deposition and an O₂ plasma etching. The electrical and thermal properties of the graphene across the heterojunction show that ¹²C‐graphene and ¹³C‐ graphene are electronically connected as resistors in series, while the thermal conductivity across the junction is dramatically reduced due to the suppressed phonon propagation, which causes the conductivity across the junction to be lower than that of graphene sheets with randomly mixed isotopes. These findings should help realize novel two‐dimensional graphene thermoelectric devices where phonon modulation controls the electrons and heat transport independently. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Dopant diffusion and segregation in semiconductor heterostructures: Part 1. Zn and Be in III-V compound superlattices

chemical effect on the neutral species; and (ii) a Fermi-level effect on the ionized species, because, in addition to the chemical effect, the solubility of the species also has a dependence on the semiconductor Fermi-level position. For Zn and Be in GaAs and related compounds, their diffusion process is governed by the doubly-positively-charged group III element self-interstitials (I²⁺ _III), whose thermal equilibrium concentration, and hence also the diffusivity of Zn and Be, exhibit also a Fermi-level dependence, i.e., in proportion to p². A heterojunction consists of a space-charge region with an electric field, in which the hole concentration is different from those in the bulk of either of the two layers forming the junction. This local hole concentration influences the local concentrations of I²⁺ _III and of Zn^- or Be^-, which in turn influence the distribution of these ionized acceptor atoms. The process involves diffusion and segregation of holes, I²⁺ _III, Zn^-, or Be^-, and an ionized interstitial acceptor species. The junction electric field also changes with time and position. Received: 20 August 1998/Accepted: 23 September 1998     

Mechanisms of effective gold shell on Fe3O4 core nanoparticles formation using sonochemistry method

Sonochemical synthesis (sonochemistry) is one of the most effective techniques of breaking down large clusters of nanoparticles (NPs) into smaller clusters or even individual NPs, which ensures their dispersibility (stability) in a solution over a long duration. This paper demonstrates the potential of sonochemistry becoming a valuable tool for the deposition of gold (Au) shell on iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) by explaining the underlying complex processes that control the deposition mechanism. This review summarizes the principles of the sonochemistry method and highlights the resulting phenomenon of acoustic cavitation and its associated physical, chemical and thermal effects. The effect of sonochemistry on the deposition of Au NPs on the Fe₃O₄ surface of various sizes is presented and discussed. A Vibra-Cell ultrasonic solid horn with tip size, frequency, power output of ½ inch, 20 kHz and 750 W respectively was used in core@shell synthesis. The sonochemical process was shown to affect the surface and structure of Fe₃O₄ NPs via acoustic cavitation, which prevents the agglomeration of clusters in a solution, resulting in a more stable dispersion. Deciphering the mechanism that governs the formation of Au shell on Fe₃O₄ core NPs has emphasized the potential of sonication in enhancing the chemical activity in solutions.     

Photovoltaic Characteristic of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/ZnO p-n Heterojunction

We report on the photovoltaic properties of Lao.7Sro.3MnO3//ZnO heterojunction fabricated by pulsed laser deposition methods. Nanosecond photovoltaic pulses are observed in this junction in the wavelength range from ultraviolet-visible to infrared. A qualitative explanation is presented, based on an analysis of the photovoltaic signals of p-n heterojunction.     

Interfacial charge transfer in WS<Subscript>2</Subscript> monolayer/CsPbBr<Subscript>3</Subscript> microplate heterostructure

Integration of heterogenous materials produces compelling physical phenomena and increased performance of optoelectronic devices. In this work, we integrate CsPbBr₃ microplate with WS₂ monolayer to investigate the interfacial carrier transfer mechanism in the heterojunction. The quenching of photoluminescence (PL) emission from CsPbBr₃ and WS₂ after heterostructure formation indicates efficient charge transfer in the junction. Low-temperature PL spectra reveal that the decreasing PL of WS₂ arises from the vanishing of biexcitons. Photodetection based on the WS₂/CsPbBr₃ heterostructure is demonstrated. The higher performance from the junction further certifies the occurrence of charge transfer in the heterojunction.     

Nanoparticles of complex metal oxides synthesized using the reverse-micellar and polymeric precursor routes

Current interest in the properties of materials having grains in the nanometer regime has led to the investigation of the size-dependent properties of various dielectric and magnetic materials. We discuss two chemical methods, namely the reverse-micellar route and the polymeric citrate precursor route used to obtain homogeneous and monophasic nanoparticles of several dielectric oxides like BaTiO₃, Ba₂TiO₄, SrTiO₃, PbTiO₃, PbZrO₃ etc. In addition we also discuss the synthesis of some transition metal (Mn and Cu) oxalate nanorods using the reverse-micellar route. These nanorods on decomposition provide a facile route to the synthesis of transition metal oxide nanoparticles. We discuss the size dependence of the dielectric and magnetic properties in some of the above oxides     

Magnetically‐Confined Fe‐Mn Bimetallic Oxide Encapsulation as an Efficient and Recoverable Adsorbent for Arsenic(III) Removal

Synthesis of bimetallic‐oxide‐encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles is still significantly challenging and has rarely been attempted previously, due to the effects of lattice mismatch, weak chemical interactions and variances in growth rates between different components, as well as the difficulty in process control for uniform co‐deposition. In the present work, Fe‐Mn bimetallic oxide (FMBO) nanoplatelet encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles (Mag‐FeMn) are prepared by controlled engineering of the interparticle coupling of Fe₃O₄ and FMBO, with its multifunctional capabilities highlighted in terms of the potentially superior As(III) sequestration and convenient recoverability. Multiple characterization techniques are employed to examine the derived morphologies and to accurately resolve both compositionally and magnetically the hierarchical structure in detail. The synthesized magnetic composites retain highly porous structure with the main components of Fe₂O₃, FeOOH, Fe₃O₄, and Mn₃O₄. Mag‐FeMn exhibits a quite competitive high capacity for As(III) capture (56.1 mg g^–1), whereby As(III) oxidation coupled with synchronous sorption contributes to the improved performance. The unique heterostructure of FMBO encapsulation with an embedded magnetic core would be applicable to help with rational synthesis of other bimetallic oxide encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles, and definitely shows promise for the development of new nanotechnology enabled approaches for adsorption‐based water purification.     

Characteristic features of the extrinsic electric resistance in ferromagnets with low carrier density

Switching from simple semiconductors to more complicated chemical compositions, we encounter mainly nonstoichiometric or undoped compounds. Combined with other characteristic features of d(f) compounds, this can lead, together with the ordinary scattering by spin disorder in magnetic semiconductors, to an unusual impurity contribution to the total scattering of carriers even in intrinsic semiconductors. A unique scheme for calculating the energy structure of the conduction-band bottom of a ferromagnetic semiconductor and the temperature and field dependences of the impurity contribution to the resistivity is proposed on the basis of a model Hamiltonian. The computed magnetoresistance ratio is negative and has a maximum near T _c . A qualitative comparison is made between the results and the experimental temperature dependences of the Hall mobility and magnetoresistance ratio in the ternary semiconductor n-HgCr₂Se₄, which is nonstoichiometric with respect to the chalcogen. To identify previously unobserved temperature oscillations of the resistance, a careful analysis is made of the low-temperature part of the resistance using the relations obtained. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 68–76 (January 1999)     

Structural and optical properties of novel surfactant-coated Yb@TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles

In this paper a novel hybrid approach to synthesise composite nanoparticles is presented. It is based on the laser ablation of a bulk target (Yb) immersed in a reversed micellar solution which contains nanoparticles of a different host material (TiO₂ nanoparticles) previously synthesised by chemical method. This approach thus exploits the advantages of the chemical synthesis through reversed micellar solution (size control, nanoparticle stabilisation), and of the laser ablation (“clean” synthesis, no side reactions). Central role is played by the microscopic processes controlling the deposition of the ablated Yb atoms onto the surface of TiO₂ nanoparticles which actually behave as nucleation seeds. The structural features of the resulting Yb@TiO₂ composite nanoparticles have been studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy, whereas their peculiar optical properties have been explored by UV–Vis spectroscopy and steady-state fluorescence. Results consistently show the formation of Yb and TiO₂ glued nanodomains to form nearly spherical and non-interacting nanoparticles with enhanced photophysical properties.     

Recent advances in the research of inorganic nanotubes and fullerene-like nanoparticles

This minireview outlines the main scientific directions in tile research of inorganic nanotubes （1NT） and fullerene-like （IF） nanoparticles from layered compounds, in recent years. In particular, this review describes to some detail the progress in the synthesis of new nanotubes, including those from misfit compounds; core-shell and the successful efforts to scale-up the synthesis of WS2 multiwalt nanotubes. The high-temperature catalytic growth of nanotubes, via solar ablation is discussed as well. Furthermore, the doping of the 1F-MoS2 nanoparticles and its influence on the physiochemical properties of the nanoparticles, including their interesting tribological properties are briefly discussed. Finally, the numerous applications of these nanoparticles as superior solid lubricants and for reinforcing variety of polymers are discussed in brief.     

Influence of MoS2 deposition time on the photocatalytic activity of MoS2/ V,N co-doped TiO2 heterostructure thin film in the visible light region

Electron-hole separation and a narrow band-gap are essential steps to obtain efficient photocatalysis, towards which the use of co-catalysts or co-doped-TiO₂ photocatalysts has become a widely used strategy. In this article, the combination of MoS₂ and co-doping of V, N is the goal to achieve high performance photocatalysts. We synthesized MoS₂/V, N co-doped TiO₂ heterostructure thin film by sol-gel and chemical bath deposition methods. Herein, we investigated the influence of deposition time of MoS₂ layer on visible-photocatalytic activity of the obtained samples. The thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV–vis spectroscopy techniques. Visible-photocatalytic activity of these samples were evaluated on the removal of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The results show that the aforementioned heterostructure thin films have better photocatalytic activities than those of TiO₂, MoS₂ and V, N co-doped TiO₂ counterparts in visible light region. The mechanism for increasing visible-photocatalytic property of the heterostructure thin films is discussed in detail. We find that MoS₂/V, N co-doped TiO₂ heterostructure thin film at MoS₂ deposition time of 45-min shows the highest photocatalytic performance in the visible light region with MB photodegradation rate about 99% for 150 min and the degradation rate constant is 2.06 times higher than that of V and N co-doped TiO₂ counterpart.     

ToF-SIMS study of growth behavior in all-nanoparticle multilayer films using a novel indicator layer

All-nanoparticle multilayer films found novel applications in the areas of photonics, catalysis, sensors, and biomaterials. The assembly of nanoparticles into conformal and uniform films with precise control over chemical and physical properties poses a significant challenge. Using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), we have investigated the growth behavior in all-nanoparticle multilayer films using a novel indicator layer. The all-nanoparticle multilayer films were prepared by dipping the polyester substrate with electrostatic charges alternatively into solutions containing three different types of nanoparticles (TiO₂, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂). Upon the deposition of each layer, ToF-SIMS was employed to determine the surface chemical composition of intermediate products. The intermixing extent of TiO₂ indicator layer was used to reveal the stratification of each layer. Combining with zeta-potential measurements, the solvation and deposition of the under-layer species in the aqueous environment during fresh layer formation was proposed as a plausible cause for mutilayers not stratified into well-defined layers but displaying a nonlinear growth behavior.     

Structure Tuning of Bi2MoO6 and Their Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Performances

Structure-tuning strategies for synthesis and modification of Bi₂MoO₆, a novel visible light photocatalyst, have progressed at a quick pace. The enhancement of photocatalytic performances has been obtained through several morphology controls including hierarchical structures and heterojunctional nanocomposites. In this article, various structure modifications and their structural advantages in photocatalysis will be reviewed. In the first section, the structures of Bi₂MoO₆ such as crystal structures, electronic structures, and band structures will be presented. In the second section, many controllable synthesis approaches for modification of Bi₂MoO₆, including solid-state reaction, co-precipitation, solvothermal, and hydrothermal methods will be introduced. In the last section, the enhancement of photocatalytic activity for Bi₂MoO₆ due to the structure tuning will be discussed. The comprehensive review will provide perspectives on the research of efficient photocatalysts under visible light irradiation.     

Synthesis and assembly of magnetic nanoparticles for information and energy storage applications

This mini-review summarizes the recent advances in chemical synthesis and assembly of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles for magnetic applications. After a brief introduction to nanomagnetism, the review focuses on recent developments in solution phase syntheses and assemblies of monodisperse Fe, CoFe, FePt and SmCo₅ nanoparticles. The review further outlines the structural and magnetic properties of these nanoparticles for magnetic information and energy storage applications.     

Study of the influence of NH3 flow rates on the structure and photoluminescence of silicon-nitride films with silicon nanoparticles

Silicon-nitride films with silicon nanoparticles have been prepared at 300 °C by remote plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using mixtures of H₂, Ar and SiH₂Cl₂ and various NH₃ flow rates. The films were characterized by means of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, single wavelength ellipsometry, high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy, atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. It was found a chemical stability as well as an increase in the photoluminescence signal for those films with the greatest amount of NH₃. The increase in the photoluminescence signal is due to a quantum confinement effect produced by the nanoparticles, which were formed during the film's preparation process.     

Some crystallography,chemistry, physics,and thermodynamics of B12O2, B12P2, B12As2, and related alpha-boron type crystals

This paper shows that several alpha-boron type compounds may be useful as high-temperature semiconductors with decent carrier motilities, high electrical resistivity, good optical transparency, good stability under high radiation bombardment, and possess high neutron capture cross-sections. The most promising are B₁₂O₂, B₁₂P₂, and B₁₂As₂. Their relationship to alpha-boron, B₁₃C₂, and other derivative crystals is explained. A study of their chemical and thermodynamic properties indicates how single crystals useful for electronic devices can be grown.