Enhanced magnetoconductivity and electrical property of MWCNT-CdS nanocomposite embedded in polyaniline

PANI/MWCNT-CdS nanocomposites with different content of CdS wt.% has been synthesized by the chemical oxidative in-situ polymerization reaction of aniline in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). TEM, XRD, FTIR, and TGA studies were done for the structural and thermal characterization of the samples respectively. The particle size of CdS nanoparticles distributes in between 2.7 and 4.8 nm. XRD spectrum reveals that the co-existence of MWCNT, CdS in PANI matrix, where CdS forms a hexagonal structure. TGA result shows that nanocomposite becomes more thermally stable with the increase in CdS content. The dc electrical transport property of PANI/MWCNT-CdS nanocomposites has been investigated within a temperature range 77 ≤ T ≤ 300 K. The dc conductivity follows a 3D variable range hopping (VRH) model. A large magnetoconductivity change (19%) is observed for 2 wt% CdS content in PANI/MWCNT-CdS, which is explained by the wave function shrinkage model.     

Nickel sulphide-reduced graphene oxide composites as counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells: Influence of nickel chloride concentration

Nickel sulphide-reduced graphene oxide (NiS-rGO) composite films have been prepared via modified Hummers’s method assisted with spin coating technique. The NiS-rGO samples were then employed as counter electrode in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The main aim of this work is to investigate the relationship between the concentrations of NiCl₂ with the properties of NiS-rGO and performance parameters of the device. The dominant rGO and minor NiS phase exist in the composite. The morphology of the composite is white strips rGO and NiS agglomerate particle. The element of C, O, Ni and S present in the composite. The highest η of 1.04% and J_sc of 7.39 mA cm⁻² were obtained from the device with 0.06 M NiCl₂ resulted from the longest carrier lifetime. The photovoltaic parameters results reveal that NiS-rGO composite has potential to become as a free platinum counter electrode of DSSC.     

金属硫化物在可充电电池中的研究进展

低成本、长寿命、高安全性、高性能且易于大规模生产的锂/钠离子电池已被证实为重要的二次储能设备。 电极材料对锂/钠电池性能与循环寿命影响极大,金属硫化物由于具有高比容量和低电势而极具潜力成为锂/钠离子电池负极材料。 在电化学循环过程中,由于金属硫化物容易产生穿梭效应和体积变化,从而电极材料结构被破坏,进一步导致电池容量衰退、稳定性降低。 本文总结了多种金属硫化物的微观结构调控策略,从三维空间构建到与其它材料的复合,增强了电极的导电性和减缓体积变化带来的负面影响,进而获得性能优异的金属硫化物负极材料。 通过对金属硫化物的结构与性能的讨论,对其研究前景进行了积极的展望。     

Applications of Raman Spectroscopy to Inorganic Chemistry

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Physical properties of ZnS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition

Zinc sulphide thin films are deposited on SnO₂/glass using the chemical bath deposition technique. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the structure of the films; the surface composition of the films is studied by Auger electrons spectroscopy, the work function and the photovoltage are investigated by the Kelvin method. Using these techniques, we specify the effect of pH solution and heat treatment in vacuum at 500 °C. The cubic structure corresponding to the (1 1 1) planes of β-ZnS is obtained for pH equal to 10. The work function (Φ_material − Φ_probe) for ZnS deposited at pH 10 is equal to −152 meV. Annealing at 500 °C increases Φ_m (by about 43 meV) and induces the formation of a negative surface barrier. In all cases, Auger spectra indicate that the surface composition of zinc sulphide thin films exhibits the presence of the constituent elements Zn and S as well as C and O as impurity elements.     

Detection of Combustible Gases by Semiconductor Sensors──Rapid Separation of Hydrogen Sulphide with β，β＇－oxydipropionitrile

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α-β Phase Re-Transformation Kinetics in Nickel Sulphide

Nickel sulphide (NiS) was characterised using X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The 'as received' Millerite, stoichiometric NiS, observed to be slightly nickel deficient, was found to readily decompose in a nitrogen atmosphere at elevated temperatures (450°C max.) to the sulphur deficient Godlevskite, Ni₇S₆. DSC and X-ray measurements demonstrated that the high temperature form of the Godlevskite was readily stabilised at room temperature. The kinetics of the α-β re-transformation in Godlevskite were then investigated using DSC and were observed to be first order. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of laser radiation on the Mössbauer absorption spectra of CdS (Fe<Superscript>57</Superscript>) single crystal

Influence of laser radiation on the resonant absorption of gamma radiation from Fe⁵⁷ nuclei in cadmium sulphide is investigated. It is shown that under action of laser radiation the shape of the Mössbauer spectrum of the sample is modified. The observed modification of the spectrum is explained by the presence in the sample of acoustic vibrations arising as a result of photoacoustic effect.     

First-principles study of SnS electronic properties using LDA,PBE and HSE06 functionals

Recently, tin sulphide (SnS) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional CIGS and CZTC for use in solar cells, possessing such properties as non-toxicity, low cost and production stability. SnS has a high theoretically predicted efficiency above 20%, but the experimentally achieved efficiency so far is as low as 4.36%. The reason for the low achieved efficiency is unclear. One of the powerful tools to get deeper insights about the nature of the problem is first-principles calculation approaches. That is why SnS has become an attractive subject for first-principles calculations recently. Previously calculated data, however, show a widespread of such fundamental value as the bandgap varying from 0.26 to 1.26 eV. In order to understand a reason for that, in this work, we concentrate on a systematic study of calculation parameters effects on the resulting electronic structure, with the particular attention paid to the influence of the exchange-correlation functional chosen for calculations. Several exchange-correlation functionals (LDA, PBE and HSE06) were considered. The systematic analysis has shown that the bandgap variation can result from a tensile/compressive hydrostatic pressure introduced by non-equilibrium lattice parameters used for the calculations. The study of the applicability of three functionals has shown that HSE06 gives the best match to both experimentally obtained bandgap and the XPS valence band spectra. LDA underestimates the bandgap but qualitatively reproduces experimentally measured valence DOS similar to that of HSE06 in contrast to PBE. PBE underestimates the bandgap and does not match to the measured XPS spectra.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of sulphur nucleation in S–H2S system

The mechanism of sulphur nucleation in S–H₂S system is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation with the ReaxFF reactive force field. The results indicate that the nucleation of sulphur requires certain conditions. The nucleus of sulphur will form once the allotropes of sulphur dissolve from polysulphanes. Separate sulphur atoms aggregate into the cluster in the initial stage of nucleation according to the snowball effect. The cluster of nucleation is judged by the average distance of the neighbour sulphur atoms, which is identified as 2.8 Å through a parametric study. The sustainable process of nucleation depends on whether the cluster can overcome its critical state. The formation of the cluster may accelerate its own nucleation/coalescence and H₂S decomposition.