Synthesis of Mn-doped ZnS architectures in ternary solution and their optical properties

Mn-doped ZnS sea urchin-like architectures were fabricated by a one-pot solvothermal route in a ternary solution made of ethylenediamine, ethanolamine and distilled water. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL). It was demonstrated that the as-prepared sea urchin-like architectures with diameter of 0.5-1.5 μm were composed of nanorods, possessing a wurtzite structures. The preferred growth orientation of nanorods was found to be the [0 0 2] direction. The PL spectra of the Mn-doped ZnS sea urchin-like architectures show a strong orange emission at 587 nm, indicating the successful doping of Mn²⁺ ions into ZnS host. Ethanolamine played the role of oriented-assembly agent in the formation of sea urchin-like architectures. A possible growth mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of sea urchin-like architectures.     

Synthesis of copper-nickel nanoparticles prepared by mechanical milling for use in magnetic hyperthermia

Mechanical alloying of a mixture of copper and nickel powders has been applied for the preparation of copper-nickel alloy particles in the nanometer range. The particles were designed to be used for controlled magnetic hyperthermia applications. The milling conditions were optimized using the desired alloy composition. Utilizing a ball-to-powder mass ratio of 20, we could obtain a nanocrystalline Cu_27.5Ni_72.5 (at%) alloy with a crystallite size of around 10 nm and a Curie temperature of 45 °C.Thermal demagnetization in the vicinity of the Curie temperature of the nanoparticles was determined by thermomagnetic measurements using an adapted TGA-SDTA apparatus. The size and morphology of the particles were determined by XRD measurements and TEM analyses. The magnetic properties were also examined with a VSM. The magnetic heating effects were measured for the powdered material.     

Electrodeposition of Cobalt Oxide Nanostructure on the Glassy Carbon Electrode for Electrocatalytic Determination of para‐Nitrophenol

Cobalt oxide nanostructure (CoO_xNS) deposited on the glassy carbon (GC) electrode surface is proposed as a novel electrocatalytic system for the reduction of para‐Nitrophenol. Cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for characterization of deposited CoO_xNS. CoO_xNS deposited by cycling at positive potentials (0 to +1.3 V) show less charge‐transfer resistance (Rct) and more catalytic activity for the electroreduction of p‐nitrophenol compared to those CoO_xNS obtained by scanning the applied potential throughout a negative V range. The GC/CoO_xNS electrode showed good electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of p‐nitrophenol at different pH values.     

Effect of N2 ion flux on the photocatalysis of nitrogen-doped titanium oxide films by electron-beam evaporation

Nitrogen-doped titanium oxide (TiO_xN_y) films were prepared with ion-assisted electron-beam evaporation. The nitrogen (N) incorporated in the film is influenced by the N₂ flux modulated by the N₂ flow rate through an ion gun. The TiO_xN_y films have the absorption edge of TiO₂ red-shifted to 500 nm and exhibit visible light-induced photocatalytic properties in the surface hydrophilicity and the degradation of methylene blue. The structures and states of nitrogen in the films are investigated by X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and related to their visible light-induced photocatalytic properties. The results indicate that the substitutional N in anatase TiO₂ can induce visible light photocatalysis. The substitutional N is readily doped by the energetic nitrogen ions from the ion gun. The best photocatalytic activity is obtained at the largest N loading about 5.6 at.%, corresponding to the most substitutional N in anatase TiO₂. The film exhibits the degradation of methylene blue with a rate-constant (k) about 0.065 h⁻¹ and retaining 7° water contact angle on the surface under visible light illumination.     

Ordered porous thin films in electrochemical analysis

Recently, the field of highly-ordered mesoporous and macroporous thin films coated onto solid electrode surfaces has begun to receive attention due to their great interest for electrochemical analysis. This review highlights the features of both electricallyconducting and non-conducting organized layers, which are applicable to designing electrochemical sensors, and the methods applied to construct these novel nanomaterials.We emphasize methods based on use of self-assembled colloidal templates (e.g., surfactants or nanoparticles), around which the materials of interest are formed. We then describe their basic electrochemical behavior and discuss their possible use as electrochemical sensors and biosensors, mostly in the particular case of structured metallic layers, functionalized mesoporous silica films, and some other continuous three-dimensional ordered porous structures.     

三元荆棘状Zn1-xCdxO纳米结构及其光致发光特性

以锌粉(Zn)、镉粉(Cd)为源材料, 金(Au)做催化剂, 采用热蒸发法, 在硅(Si)衬底上制备出掺Cd摩尔分数为6.7%的三元荆棘状Zn1-xCdxO单晶纳米结构. 荆棘状纳米结构样品的主干直径均一, 约为100 nm. 主干两侧刺的直径和长度分别约为10和100 nm. 由于Cd替位原子对ZnO带隙的调节作用, 样品的近带边(NBE)紫外(UV)发射从3.37 eV红移到3.13 eV. 结果表明, 氧气(O2)分压是形成荆棘状Zn1-xCdxO纳米结构的重要条件.     

脉冲阳极电沉积制备锰氧化物涂层电极

采用脉冲阳极电沉积工艺制备掺杂的锰氧化物涂层电极, 并利用FESEM、SEM、XRD及电化学等方法研究了涂层电极的形貌、相结构及性能. 结果表明, 该方法通过脉冲参数的调整, 可获得优异的电催化性能与稳定性能的涂层电极. 当脉冲频率(f)为90 Hz, 脉冲通断比为1:2时, 具有较大的镀速, 获得较厚的涂层; 氧化物为独特的纳米线与近球状纳米颗粒共聚的网络结构, 不仅增加了电极的电催化活性, 而且有效提高了电极的使用寿命,加速寿命达到1635 h, 比直流阳极电沉积提高55.3%.     

Electronic and Nano-structural Modulation of Co(OH)2 Nanosheets by Fe-Benzenedicarboxylate for Efficient Oxygen Evolution

Oxygen evolution reaction(OER) plays a key role in the electrochemical conversion and storage processes, but the sluggish kinetics of OER strongly impedes its large-scale applications. We herein reported the in situ growth of Fe-benzenedicarboxylate(Fe-BDC) on Co(OH)₂ nanoplates[Fe-BDC/ Co(OH)₂] that showed remarkably enhanced OER activity than the pristine Co(OH)₂. The incorporation of Fe species could enhance the intrinsic OER activity of Co and BDC could increase the electro-chemically active surface area(ECSA), thus resulting in dramatically enhanced OER activity. In situ Raman spectroscopy characterization disclosed that Fe-CoOOH reconstructed from Fe-BDC/Co(OH)₂ was the real active site for OER. This work highlights the significance of rational tailoring of the nanostructure and electronic structure of Co(OH)₂ and provides more opportunities for its widespread applications.     

Schottky contacts in germanium nanowire network devices synthesized from nickel seeds

This paper presents reliable process to the synthesis of germanium nanowires by the vapor–liquid–solid method using nickel as an alternative catalyst to gold, the most commonly used metal, without toxic gas precursors. The structural study showed single-crystalline germanium nanowires with diamond structure, lengths of tens of microns and diameters smaller than 40 nm. The reduced dimensions of the nanowires led to phonons localization effect, with correlation lengths of the same order of the nanowires diameters. Additionally, the analysis of electronic properties of metal-nanowire-metal devices indicated the presence of Schottky barriers, whose values depend linearly on temperature. This linear dependence was assigned to the tunneling process through an insulator layer (mostly GeO_x) at the metal-semiconductor interface. These results point to the existence of another channel for electrons transference from metal to semiconductor being very significant to electronic devices fabrication.     

Electrically induced fluorescence Fe sensing behavior of nanostructured Tiron doped polypyrrole

Nanostructured polypyrrole (PPy) film doped with Tiron was electrodeposited from aqueous solution on the surface of transparent electrode and used for sensitive, selective and rapid electrically controlled fluorescence detection of Fe³⁺ in aqueous media. The fluorescence intensity of PPy-Tiron film decreases linearly in the presence of Fe³⁺ by applying negative potential over a concentration range from 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹, with a relatively fast response time of less than 30 s at pH 7.4. The detection is not affected by the coexistence of other competitive metal ions such as Al³⁺, Ce³⁺, Tl³⁺, La³⁺, Bi³⁺, Cr²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺. The proposed electro-fluorescence sensor has a potential application to the determination of Fe³⁺ in environmental and biological systems. The fluorescent thin film sensor was also used as a novel probe for Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ speciation in aqueous solution.