Influence of Titanium Dioxide Content on the Crystallization Behavior and Solar Reflectance of Polyethylene/Titanium Dioxide Composites

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) particles were introduced to improve the solar reflectance of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The organic-inorganic hybrids were fabricated by melt blending. A series of characterizations were taken to study the crystallization behavior, morphology, solar reflectance, and real cooling property. TiO₂ particles acted as nucleation agents in the HDPE matrix and made the HDPE form thick lamellar crystals. TiO₂ particles could disperse well into the HDPE matrix under 2.5 wt.% loading but agglomerated with 3 wt.%. Solar reflectance was related to the reflective index of TiO₂ and the microstructure of HDPE. The real cooling property depended on the solar reflectance and the dispersion of the TiO₂ particles in the HDPE matrix.     

Colloidal hybrid heterostructures based on II–VI semiconductor nanocrystals for photocatalytic hydrogen generation

Hydrogen generated through the photochemical cleavage of water using renewable solar energy is considered to be an environmentally friendly chemical fuel of the future, which neither results in air pollution nor leads to the emission of greenhouse gases. The photocatalytic materials for water cleavage are required to perform at least two fundamental functions: light harvesting of the maximal possible part of the solar energy spectrum and a catalytic function for efficient water decomposition into oxygen and hydrogen. Photocatalytic systems based on colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals offer a number of advantages in comparison with photoelectrochemical cells based on bulk electrodes: (i) a broad range of material types are available; (ii) higher efficiencies are expected due to short distance charge transport; (iii) large surface areas are beneficial for the catalytic processes; (iv) flexibility in fabrication and design which also allows for tuning of the electronic and optical properties by employing quantum confinement effects. The presence of co-catalysts on colloidal semiconductors is an important part of the overall design of the photocatalytic colloidal systems necessary to maximize the water splitting efficiency. This review article discusses the rational choice of colloidal nanoheterostructured materials based on light-harvesting II–VI semiconductor nanocrystals combined with a variety of metal and/or non-metal co-catalysts, with optimized light harvesting, charge separation, and photocatalytic functions.     

基于S-型光催化机制CuInS2内嵌中空凹面氮化碳光催化分解H2O制H2（英文）

光催化解离H2O合成H2是绿色可再生的太阳能光子能量转换策略之一.目前,增强光催化材料对太阳能光子的捕获并将之有效利用仍然是一个具有挑战性的课题.光催化解离H2O反应包括三个过程:太阳能光子能量促使光生电子在半导体材料带隙中的跃迁;光生电子定向传输;光生电子与吸附在半导体材料表面的H2O分子发生反应.第一过程需要强的太阳光子捕获能力以产生足够的光生载流子;第二、三过程在动力学上反映了光生载流子在各个竞争过程中能否有效利用的问题,如光生电子迁移与H2O作用的速度很慢(~μs),而电子与空穴的复合速度快(~ps).目前研究者很难协调半导体材料的电学和光学特性以满足光生载流子在热力学和动力学两方面的要求.g-C3N4是由C、N原子通过sp2杂化组成的二维π共轭体系.当g-C3N4结构偏离二维平面时,共轭体系的π电子由凹面迁移到凸面,促使凹、凸面形成表观电势差,有利于电子的定向传输.本文通过卷曲sp2杂化离域均三嗪体系偏离二维平面,得到空心凹面g-C3N4结构,便捷地优化了半导体的电子结构.将CuInS2嵌入生长于空心g-C3N4的凹面,所构成的半导体光催化材料CuInS2@C3N4展现了增强的光捕获能力,以及电子定向传输转移能力.结合XPS、光电流测试、电化学阻抗谱、稳态及瞬态荧光等表征手段揭示空心g-C3N4凹、凸面表观电势差驱动光生电子以S-型光催化作用机制从CuInS2的Cu 2p向g-C3N4的N 1s的路径转移.因而,所构建的CuInS2@C3N4在可见光激发下产氢效率提高到373μmol·h^?1·g^?1,其产氢效率分别是二维平面g-C3N4负载1 wt%Pt和3 wt%Pd效率的1.57倍和1.35倍,表明空心g-C3N4凹、凸面电势差可以显著地促进光生电子分离和利用率,从而提高光催化解离水制氢效率.本文可增强g-C3N4的可持续太阳能转换性能,也适用于其他半导体材料以替代贵金属光催化体系,降低光催化产氢技术成本,促进光催化技术的应用.     

Novel advances in metal-based solar absorber for photothermal vapor generation

Access to safe drinking water has become an extremely urgent research topic worldwide. In recent years, the technology of solar vapor generation has been extensively explored as a potential and effective strategy of transforming elements content in seawater. In this review, the basic concepts and theories of metal-based photothermal vapor generation device (PVGD) with excellent optical and thermal regulatory are introduced. In the view of optical regulation, how to achieve high-efficiency localized evaporation in different evaporation system (i.e., volumetric solar heating and interface solar heating) is discussed; from the aspect of thermal regulation, the importance of selective absorption surface for interfacial PVGD is analyzed. Based on the above discussion and analysis, we summarize the challenges of metal-based desalination device.     

Highly efficient perovskite solar cells by tuning electronic structures of thienothiophene-based as hole transport materials

The atomic substitutions were used to study the hole transport materials (HTM) properties of six thiophenothiophene molecules (HTM1-HTM6) to reveal the relationship between their core structures and photoelectric properties. To better investigate the difference between experimentally original and designed molecules, we calculated the hole mobility and some parameters (such as energy levels, stability, and optical properties, etc). The results showed that the molecular orbital levels of the original and designed molecules have well matched with perovskite and Ag electrode to ensure hole transport and inhibit the electron reflux. Among the designed HTMs, HTM5 has the smallest energy gap that results in the red-shifted absorption spectra. Furthermore, there is an obviously increased charge transfer integral V due to the introduction of the Si atom, which greatly improved the hole mobility. Therefore, atom substitution by introducing Si atoms (HTM5) will improve the energy levels and charge transport ability, and molecular design by means of atom substitution can be a potential way to tunable HTM performance in solar cells.     

一类窄带隙芴基共聚物的合成及其在发光二极管和太阳电池中的应用

基于9,9-二辛基芴(DOF)与窄带隙单体2,3-二甲基-5,8-二噻吩-喹喔啉(DDQ),通过Suzuki偶合反应,合成了一系列无规和交替窄带隙的芴基共聚物(PFO-DDQ),并对它们的紫外-可见吸收光谱、光致发光光谱、电致发光性能和光伏性能进行了初步研究.共聚物在380 nm和490 nm处有两处明显的吸收峰,其中490nm处的吸收强度随着共聚物中窄带隙单元(DDQ)含量的增加而成比例加强.随着共聚物中窄带隙单元(DDQ)含量的增加,电致发光峰值从580 nm红移到了635 nm.基于该类材料的橙红或饱和红色发光二极管最大外量子效率为1.33%,流明效率为1.54 Cd/A.试验中观察到了窄带隙单元的能量陷阱机制.以窄带隙单元含量为30%的聚合物(PFO-DDQ30)为电子给体、PCBM为电子受体所制备的共混体相异质结太阳电池最大能量转换效率为1.18%,开路电压0.9 V,短路电流密度2.66 mA/cm2.光敏曲线覆盖300 nm~700 nm.     

Perovskite-sensitized solar cell utilizing TiO2 nanograss: Effect of dipping time of CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite

Organic perovskite has potential to replace organic dye as light absorber in solar cell since it possesses better optical absorption in visible region than organic dye. This work is concerned with the investigation of the influence of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite dipping time on the performance of perovskite-sensitized solar cell (PSSC). The effect of the dipping time on the morphology and photoluminescence of the sample has also been investigated. It was found that the device achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 5.57 ± 0.4% at the optimum dipping time of 4 h. The highest PCE is due to the highest IPCE, lowest R_ct and the longest carrier lifetime (τ).     

Fabrication of S-scheme hollow TiO2@Bi2MoO6 composite for efficiently photocatalytic CO2 reduction

Herein, an S-scheme hollow TiO₂@Bi₂MoO₆ heterojunction was synthesized for photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ under simulated sunlight. Among all prepared composites, the TiO₂@Bi₂MoO₆ with 20% of TiO₂ exhibited the highest CO yield (183.97 μmol/g within 6 h), which was 4.0 and 2.4 times higher than pristine TiO₂ and Bi₂MoO₆, respectively. The improved photocatalytic activity may be due to the formation of S-scheme heterojunction to promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. Additionally, this hollow structure provided abundant sites in terms of CO₂ adsorption and activation. Meanwhile, the photogenerated charge transfer mechanism of the S-scheme was verified by work function calculations, Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements as well as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This research presents a novel approach to improve photocatalytic reduction of CO₂ via morphology modulation and the fabrication of S-scheme heterojunction.     

Photochemical synthesis: Using light to build C–C bonds under mild conditions

A review of recent advancements in metal-free arylations via photogenerated triplet aryl cations and decatungstate anion ([W₁₀O₃₂]⁴⁻) photocatalyzed C–C bond formation is reported herein. These approaches are two examples of the great potentialities of photons as green activants in organic synthesis, allowing the functionalization of different chemical substrates under mild conditions (room temperature, aqueous solvents, absence of aggressive and unstable reactants and of expensive transition metal-based catalysts, and chance to use solar light as the energy source).     

染料敏化太阳电池中多相接触界面电子转移机制和动力学过程

采用电化学阻抗谱(EIS)研究了染料敏化太阳电池(DSC)中由导电玻璃、 纳米多孔TiO₂薄膜和电解质构成的多相复杂接触界面的电子转移机制和动力学过程. 通过沉积聚合物薄膜简化多相接触界面结构, 根据接触界面结构和电子转移途径的变化, 分析了不同偏压下多相接触界面电子转移机制, 构建与之对应的等效电路, 获得了DSC内部各个主要接触界面的电子转移动力学常数. 结果表明, 通过外加偏压的控制和多相接触界面结构的简化, 可以区别分析多相复杂接触界面电子转移机制与动力学过程.