Nickel(II) cluster‐based mixed‐cation coordination polymer synthesized from 2‐mercaptobenzoic acid and its application

High‐nuclearity metal clusters have received considerable attention not only because of their diverse architectures and topologies, but also because of their potential applications as functional materials in many fields. To explore new types of clusters and their potential applications, a new nickel(II) cluster‐based mixed‐cation coordination polymer, namely poly[hexakis[μ₄‐(2‐carboxylatophenyl)sulfanido]di‐μ₃‐chlorido‐tri‐μ₂‐hydroxido‐octanickel(II)sodium(I)], [Ni₈NaCl₂(OH)₃(C₇H₄O₂S)₆]_n, 1 , was synthesized using nickel chloride hexahydrate and mercaptobenzoic acid (H₂mba) as starting reactants under hydrothermal conditions. The material was characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (SCXRD), Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. SCXRD shows that 1 consists of a hexanuclear nickel(II) [Ni₆] cluster, dinuclear Ni^II nodes and a mononuclear Na^I node, resulting in the formation of a complex covalent three‐dimensional network. In addition, a tightly packed NiO/C&S nanocomposite is fabricated by sintering the coordination precursor at 400 °C. The uniform nanocomposite consists of NiO nanoparticles, incompletely carbonized carbon and incompletely vulcanized sulfur. When used as a supercapacitor electrode, the synthesized composite shows an extra‐long cycling stability (>5000 cycles) during the charge/discharge process.     

Structural, optical, and electrical properties of p-type NiO films and composite TiO2/NiO electrodes for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

p-Type nickel oxide thin films were prepared by sol-gel method, and their structural, optical and electrical properties were investigated. The Ni(OH)₂ sol was formed from nickel (II) acetate tetrahydrate, Ni(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O, in a mixture of alcohol solution and poly(ethylene glycol), and deposited on an ITO substrate by spin coating followed by different heat treatments in air (50-800 °C). The formation and composition of NiO thin film was justified by EDX analysis. It is found that the thickness of the NiO film calcined at 450 °C for 1 h is about 120 nm with average particle size of 22 nm, and high UV transparency (∼75%) in the visible region is also observed. However, the transmittance is negligible for thin films calcined at 800 °C and below 200 °C due to larger particle size and the amorphous characteristics, respectively. Moreover, the composite electrode comprising n-type TiO₂ and p-type NiO is fabricated. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the composite TiO₂/NiO electrode demonstrate significant p-type behavior by the shape of the rectifying curve in dark. The effect of calcination temperature on the rectification behavior is also discussed.     

NO2 sensing properties of YSZ-based sensor using NiO and Cr-doped NiO sensing electrodes at high temperature

Nickel oxide and chromium-doped nickel oxide (Ni_0.95Cr_0.03O_1−δ ) were prepared by thermal decomposition of nitrates. The obtained NiO and Ni_0.95Cr_0.03O_1−δ samples were utilized as sensing electrodes (SEs) in yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-based sensors for detection of NO₂ at 800 °C under wet condition (5 vol.% H₂O). While the mixed-potential-type planar sensor attached with NiO-SE gave rather large NO₂ sensitivity, the sensor attached with Ni_0.95Cr_0.03O_1−δ -SE exhibited fast recovery rate with an acceptable sensitivity. The Δemf (electromotive force) of the sensors varied linearly with NO₂ concentration in the examined range of 50–400 ppm on a logarithmic scale. Based on the results of measurements for polarization, complex impedance and gas phase catalysis, the fast recovery was attributable to the high rate for the anodic reaction of O₂ at the Ni_0.95Cr_0.03O_1−δ /YSZ interface, and the lower NO₂ sensitivity was caused by both the high rate for the anodic reaction of O₂ and the high degree for the gas phase conversion of NO₂ to NO.     

Nanoscale formation mechanism of conducting filaments in NiO thin films

We have studied the nanoscale electrical properties of NiO thin films by using conducting atomic force microscopy (CAFM) to understand the mechanism of resistance change of the NiO thin films as we changed the applied voltage. We observed that inhomogeneous conducting filaments were generated by external voltage bias; in addition, some of the inhomogeneous conducting filaments were durable while some of them were not, and they disappeared. We deduced that the resistance change of the NiO thin films was related to inhomogeneous filamentary conducting paths generated by both Ni ions in thermodynamically unstable NiO and the existence of conducting filament segments generated by high voltage bias.     

反应物的变化对吸附相反应技术制备NiO/SiO2的影响

以SiO2为载体,研究反应物种类和浓度对吸附相反应技术制备NiO粒子的影响。首先采用滴定法测定了各个反应物在载体表面的吸附过程,利用TEM、XRD分析,对比了不同反应物制备得到的NiO粒子的形貌。在确定了反应物的基础上,进一步设计了2种水量下制备实验,研究反应物浓度对粒子形貌的影响。XRD结果表明,1.0mL水量下NiO粒子的晶粒粒径随着反应物浓度增加先缓慢减少后增大。而随反应物浓度增加,5.0mL水量得到的粒子晶粒粒径则一直变大。2种吸附层中不同的反应速率使得相同条件下,高水量(5.0mL)得到的NiO粒子粒径要小于1.0mL水量下得到的粒子。物理吸附层中形成的粒子与载体结合力较弱,使得焙烧后5.0mL水量下得到的粒子在SiO2上分布不均匀。     

毫秒激光烧蚀镍靶高效率制备NiO纳米立方体

利用长脉宽毫秒激光烧蚀浸没在循环水中的金属镍靶制备了大量的氧化镍(NiO)纳米立方体, 通过透射电子显微镜(TEM)、 选区电子衍射(SAED)、 X射线衍射(XRD)和能量色散谱(EDS)等手段表征了产物的形貌和结构. 结果表明, 高功率密度激光产生的高温高压条件是形成NiO纳米立方体的最重要因素. 激光功率密度高于10⁴ W/cm²时可以生成NiO纳米立方体, 当功率高于该阈值时激光首先将镍靶烧蚀为金属液滴, 高温的金属液体加热周围液体, 并由于液体的限制效应使得压力进一步升高, 最后金属液滴与液体发生表面反应生成NiO纳米立方体.     

仿生分级结构NiO纳米线/纳米纤维的可控制备及光催化性能

采用静电纺丝技术和"自下而上"的溶液相自组装技术, 制备了具有仿生主次分级结构的三维NiO纳米线/纳米纤维. 采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 X射线衍射仪(XRD)和比表面积分析仪分别对其形貌、 晶型和孔结构进行了表征. 以水体中的有色染料亚甲基蓝为模型污染物, 研究了分级结构NiO纳米线/纳米纤维的光催化性能. 结果表明, 在180 min内, 以分级结构NiO为催化剂时, 亚甲基蓝的降解率达到了97%, 分别是以纳米纤维和纳米粒子为催化剂时的1.24倍和2.16倍.     

NiO/rGO的溶剂热合成以及作为高循环稳定性超级电容器电极材料的性能表征

通过简单的溶剂热法以及其后续热处理过程,制备了NiO纳米花和NiO/还原氧化石墨烯（rGO）复合物。 在NiO/rGO复合物中,rGO作为基底生长NiO,与此同时,NiO则有效的避免了rGO的团聚。 采用热重分析(TG)、场发射扫描电子显微镜(FE-SEM)和X射线衍射对样品的成分、形貌和结构进行了表征。 NiO/rGO复合物（NiO和rGO的质量比为82.7∶17.3）电极呈现优异的电化学性能。 在1 A/g时,初始比电容为514.9 F/g,当材料完全活化后,其比电容高达600 F/g。 同时,在电流密度为10 A/g时,相比于1 A/g时的比电容保持率为83.5%。 此外,该电极材料具有非常优异的循环稳定性,6000次循环后电容衰减率为7.4%。 表明所制备的复合物是一种有应用价值的超级电容器电极材料。     

Na或Cu掺杂对Si/NiO异质结的光电性能影响

利用磁控溅射方法制备了引入Na或Cu元素前后Si/NiO异质结。实验结果表明,Na元素引入后的Si/NiO：Na异质结的整流特性最佳。此时,Si/NiO：Na异质结光学透过率可以达到70%,这可能是由于Si/NiO：Na异质结的结晶质量较优、薄膜内缺陷少所致。Si/NiO：Na异质结I-V曲线的拟合结果显示界面态状态也会影响其整流特性。而Si/NiO和Si/NiO：Cu异质结都没能获得较好的整流特性,可能是薄膜内缺陷增多所致。这一结论得到了XRD、SEM、AFM和UV结果的支持。     

Quantum chemical studies on (ZnO)n/(NiO)n heterostructured nanoclusters

The structural stability and electronic properties of (ZnO)_n, (NiO)_n, (ZnO)_n/(NiO)_n for n = (1 to 4) and 3D structures were studied using density functional theory. The geometrical optimisation of clusters implies that when the atoms in the cluster increase it leads to an increase in its stability. The stability drastically increases for the heterostructure of (ZnO)_n/(NiO)_n. The dipole moment of the clusters depends on the geometry of the cluster and it is found to be minimum for heterostructures representing more neutralised clusters. HOMO-LUMO energies, ionisation potential, electron affinity, chemical hardness, binding energies and vibrational analysis of different clusters are calculated and reported. The adsorption of CO on the different sites of nanoclusters are studied and discussed.