Role of Nanoparticles in Photocatalysis

The aim of this review paper is to give an overview of the development and implications of nanotechnology in photocatalysis. The topics covered include a detailed look at the unique properties of nanoparticles and their relation to photocatalytic properties. Current applications of and research into the use of nanoparticles as photocatalysts has also been reviewed. Also covered is the utilization of nanoparticles in doped, coupled, capped, sensitized and organic–inorganic nanocomposite semiconductor systems, with an effort to enhance photocatalytic and/or optical properties of commonly used semiconductor materials. The use of nanocrystalline thin films in electrochemically assisted photocatalytic processes has been included. Finally, the use of nanoparticles has made a significant contribution in providing definitive mechanistic information regarding the photocatalytic process.     

Computer modelling of the reduction of rare earth dopants in barium aluminate

Long lasting phosphorescence in barium aluminates can be achieved by doping with rare earth ions in divalent charge states. The rare earth ions are initially in a trivalent charge state, but are reduced to a divalent charge state before being doped into the material. In this paper, the reduction of trivalent rare earth ions in the BaAl₂O₄ lattice is studied by computer simulation, with the energetics of the whole reduction and doping process being modelled by two methods, one based on single ion doping and one which allows dopant concentrations to be taken into account. A range of different reduction schemes are considered and the most energetically favourable schemes identified.     

Calorimetric Study of Crystalline and Liquid-Crystalline Polymorphism in the Homologues of Terephthal-bis-n-alkylaniline

The phase sequences of the homologues with n (the number of carbon atoms in the terminal alkyl chains) from 2 to 8 are obtained. At low temperatures, i) several crystalline modifications are found in each of the members with n = 4, 5, and 6 and ii) the monotropic transitions between crystal and smectic phase are observed in almost all the members. At intermediate temperature, iii) between the smectic H and C phases, the smectic F phase is found in the homologues with n ≥ = 5 by morphological observation or by a rheological method. The constancy of the temperature of the S_H(or S_F) – S_c transition with respect to “and broadening of the temperature range of S_H with increasing n in the expense of nematic phase are worthy of note. The even-odd effect of the end chain length n is observed very distinctively on the crystal melting and clearing point. Proton NMR measurement reveals a large mobility in the terminal alkyl chains in the crystal of the member with n = 6.     

New Chiral Esters,Diastereomeric 2-(4-Carboxybenzylidene)-p-Menthane-3-One Derivatives,as Components of LC Systems with Induced Helical Structure

Abstract

Diastereomeric 1R, 4S- and 1R, 4R-2-carbomethoxybenzylidene-p-menthane-3-ones have been synthesized. The helical twisting power and the induced helical pitch temperature dependence have been measured for the liquid crystal mixtures based on the nematic 4-methoxybenzylidene-4′-butylaniline and 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl containing the obtained diastereomeric chiral dopants. The distinction in the characteristics of the diastereomeric chiral dopants is discussed.     

High-Performance Bismuth-Doped Nickel Aerogel Electrocatalyst for the Methanol Oxidation Reaction

Low-cost, non-noble-metal electrocatalysts are required for direct methanol fuel cells, but their development has been hindered by limited activity, high onset potential, low conductivity, and poor durability. A surface electronic structure tuning strategy is presented, which involves doping of a foreign oxophilic post-transition metal onto transition metal aerogels to achieve a non-noble-metal aerogel Ni₉₇Bi₃ with unprecedented electrocatalytic activity and durability in methanol oxidation. Trace amounts of Bi are atomically dispersed on the surface of the Ni₉₇Bi₃ aerogel, which leads to an optimum shift of the d-band center of Ni, large compressive strain of Bi, and greatly increased conductivity of the aerogel. The electrocatalyst is endowed with abundant active sites, efficient electron and mass transfer, resistance to CO poisoning, and outstanding performance in methanol oxidation. This work sheds light on the design of high-performance non-noble-metal electrocatalysts.     

深陷阱对有机磷光双掺杂体系电致发光器件效率衰退的影响

研究利用溶液法制备的有机磷光双重掺杂体系电致发光器件的光致发光特性与电致发光特性,并研究了在这种体系中深能级陷阱导致的器件效率衰退现象。首先利用紫外光谱仪和光致瞬态寿命测试系统对基于旋涂法制备的以宽带隙材料4,4’-bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,1’-biphenyl（CBP）为主体,绿色磷光材料tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium(Ⅲ)（Ir(ppy)₃）和红色磷光材料tris(1-phenylisoquinolinato-C2,N)iridium(Ⅲ)（Ir(piq)₃）为客体材料的薄膜进行了光致发射光谱测试和薄膜在Ir(ppy)₃发光峰516 nm处的光致发光寿命测试,实验发现在Ir(ppy)₃掺杂比例保持定值时,随着深能级掺杂材料Ir(piq)₃的引入,其光致发光光谱中Ir(ppy)₃的相对发光强度减弱且发光寿命变短,当Ir(piq)₃掺杂浓度继续提高时,薄膜光致发光光谱基本保持不变且Ir(ppy)₃的发光寿命基本不变。实验说明在低浓度掺杂下两者的三线态能级之间存在着能量传递,但当掺杂浓度达到高浓度时,能量传递主要来自于主客体之间的传递,两者作为独立的发光中心发光。然后利用溶液法制备了发光层分别为CBP∶Ir(ppy)₃,CBP∶Ir(ppy)₃∶Ir(piq)₃和CBP∶Ir(ppy)₃∶PTB7的三组器件,器件结构为ITO/PEDOT∶PSS/Poly-TPD/EML/TPBi（15 nm）/Alq₃（25 nm）/LiF（0.6 nm）/Al（80 nm）。在Ir(ppy)₃和Ir(piq)₃共掺杂器件和Ir(ppy)₃单掺杂器件的对比实验中发现,加入一定比例的深能级材料后,器件的电致发光光谱发生改变,Ir(piq)₃的相对发光强度增强,器件发光效率下降且效率滚降现象明显。通过对器件进行J-V测试,发现在Ir(ppy)₃单掺杂器件中陷阱填充电流随着掺杂材料浓度的提高而提高,但在加入等浓度深能级材料Ir(piq)₃后,陷阱填充电流基本保持一致。瞬态电致发光测试表明,随着Ir(ppy)₃掺杂比例的提高,器件内由于陷阱载流子释放而产生的瞬时发光强度降低,这是由于Ir(ppy)₃具有一定的传导电荷作用,会减少器件中的陷阱载流子,这进一步说明了具有较深能级的Ir(piq)₃是限制载流子的主要能级陷阱。同时发现随反向偏压的增大,瞬态发光强度增大且发光衰减加速,这是因为位于深能级陷阱的载流子在高电压下被释放,重新复合发光,说明深能级陷阱的确限制住了大量载流子,而由于主体三线态激子具有较长的寿命,激子间相互作用产生的单线态激子在高反压下解离,从而引起三线态激子-极化子相互作用的加剧,导致发光衰减加速。在窄带隙聚合物材料PTB7与Ir(ppy)₃共掺杂器件实验中发现,随着PTB7掺杂浓度提高,陷阱浓度变大且器件效率降低,具有较深能级的PTB7成为了限制载流子的深能级陷阱。因此说明在双掺杂有机磷光电致发光器件中,深能级材料会成为限制载流子的能级陷阱,引起载流子大量堆积,从而导致三线态激子与极化子相互作用加剧,使器件的发光效率衰退。     

掺杂对铌酸锂晶体非挥发全息存储性能的影响

通过研究掺镁、掺锌和掺铟同成分铌酸锂晶体的紫外-红光双色全息存储性能,发现双色记录响应时间均比单色记录时明显缩短,最多的可减小3个数量级;双色记录灵敏度大幅度提高,在掺镁5 mol.%的晶体中可达到11 cm/J.在掺杂浓度超过抗光损伤阈值的铌酸锂晶体中,均可实现非挥发全息存储.但是,在掺镁、锌样品中,深、浅能级中心上的光栅反相,而在掺铟样品中则表现为同相.这是由于掺杂离子的种类不同,在铌酸锂晶体中形成的缺陷中心也不同所引起的. 关键词： 掺杂 铌酸锂晶体 非挥发 全息存储     

Sulfur-doped LaNiO3 perovskite oxides with enriched anionic vacancies and manipulated orbital occupancy facilitating oxygen electrode reactions in lithium-oxygen batteries

The rational design of effective bifunctional catalysts with enhanced activity toward oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction is of significance to develop high-performance lithium-oxygen (Li–O₂) batteries. Herein, sulfur-doped LaNiO₃ nanoparticles are elaborately synthesized, and their catalytic activity toward oxygen redox reactions in Li–O₂ batteries is comprehensively studied. As confirmed by the density functional theory calculations and experimental results, the substitution of oxygen atoms by sulfur atoms with lower Pauling electronegativity can enhance the covalent feature of bonds, thus increasing electrical conductivity of catalyst. In addition, abundant oxygen vacancies created after sulfur doping are capable of providing concentrated active sites. Simultaneously, sulfur dopants boost the hybridization between Ni 3d orbital and O 2p orbital and increase the covalency of Ni–O bonds due to the increase of Ni³⁺ with the near-unity occupancy of the e_g orbital, thereby increasing the adsorption strength of oxygen-containing intermediates on the surface. Eventually, lowered reaction energy barriers and accelerated reaction kinetics of oxygen electrode reactions are realized, contributing to the optimized electrochemical performance of Li–O₂ battery. The Li–O₂ battery based on sulfur-doped LaNiO₃ with the optimized S-doping level of 2.89 wt% (marked as S_2.89 wt%-LNO) delivers a high specific discharge capacity of 24067 mAh/g, an ultralow overpotential of 0.37 V and extended life of 347 cycles.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of V- and Cr-doped zinc-blende AlN

The electronic and magnetic properties of the zinc-blende aluminum nitride doped with V and Cr are studied using the density functional theory (DFT), namely the KKR-CPA-PBE method. Pure AlN is found to be a wide band gap semiconductor, and doping V and Cr single impurities generate ferromagnetic half-metallic behavior. Moreover, the values of the formation energy reveal that these compounds are stable systems for all dopant concentrations. A self-consistent energy minimization scheme determines the ferromagnetic state as the stable magnetic state for V- and Cr-doping AlN. A double exchange mechanism is identified as the mechanism responsible for magnetism in our systems. When increasing doping impurities, the total magnetic moments increase linearly and the Curie temperature T_C, calculated using the mean-field approximation, shows a significant change. The present findings reveal Cr- and V-doped zinc-blende AlN as potential candidates for high Curie temperature ferromagnetic materials.