Graphene-Oxide-Based Fluoro- and Chromo-Genic Materials and Their Applications.

Composite materials and their applications constitute a hot field of research nowadays due to the fact that they comprise a combination of the unique properties of each component of which they consist. Very often, they exhibit better performance and properties compared to their combined building blocks. Graphene oxide (GO), as the most widely used derivative of graphene, has attracted widespread attention because of its excellent properties. Abundant oxygen-containing functional groups on GO can provide various reactive sites for chemical modification or functionalization of GO, which in turn can be used to develop novel GO-based composites. This review outlines the most recent advances in the field of novel dyes and pigments encompassing GO as a key ingredient or as an important cofactor. The interactions of graphene with other materials/compounds are highlighted. The special structure and unique properties of GO have a great effect on the performance of fabricated hybrid dyes and pigments by enhancing the color performance of dyes, the anticorrosion properties of pigments, the viscosity and rheology of inks, etc., which further expands the applications of dyes and pigments in dyeing, optical elements, solar-thermal energy storage, sensing, coatings, and microelectronics devices. Finally, challenges in the current development as well as the future prospects of GO-based dyes and pigments are also discussed. This review provides a reference for the further exploration of novel dyes and pigments.

Synthesis of transition metal doped lanthanum silicate oxyapatites by a facile co-precipitation method and their evaluation as solid oxide fuel cell electrolytes.

Transition metal doped apatite La10Si6-x Co x O27-δ (x = 0.0; 0.2; 0.8) and La10Si5.2Co0.4Ni0.4O27-δ are synthesized by co-precipitation method followed by sintering. The precursor precipitates and apatite products are characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA/DTA, Raman Spectroscopy, SEM-EDX and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The presence of apatite phase with hexagonal structure is confirmed through the XRD results. The conductivity measurements of the samples sintered at 1000 °C show that the ionic conductivity increases with increasing content of Co2+ doping into apatite that is further increased by co-doping of Ni2+. The Co doped apatite (La10Si5.2Co0.8O27-δ ) exhibited conductivity of 1.46 × 10-3 S cm-1 while Co-Ni co-doped sample (La10Si5.2Co0.4Ni0.4O27-δ ) exhibited highest conductivity of 1.48 × 10-3 S cm-1. The maximum power density achieved is also for Co, Ni co-doped sample i.e., 0.65 W cm-2 at 600 °C. The results represented show that Co and Ni enhances the SOFC performance of apatite and makes it potential electrolyte candidate for solid oxide fuel cell application.

La0.3Sr0.2Mn0.1Zn0.4 oxide-Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (LSMZ-SDC) nanocomposite cathode for low temperature SOFCs.

Nanocomposite based cathode materials compatible for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFCs) are being developed. In pursuit of compatible cathode, this research aims to synthesis and investigation nanocomposite La0.3Sr0.2Mn0.1Zn0.4 oxide-Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (LSMZ-SDC) based system. The material was synthesized through wet chemical method and investigated for oxide-ceria composite based electrolyte LTSOFCs. Electrical property was studied by AC electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The microstructure, thermal properties, and elemental analysis of the samples were characterized by TGA/DSC, XRD, SEM, respectively. The AC conductivity of cathode was obtained for 2.4 Scm(-1) at 550 degrees C in air. This cathode is compatible with ceria-based composite electrolytes and has improved the stability of the material in SOFC cathode environment.

Electrochemical Investigation of PANI:PPy/AC and PANI:PEDOT/AC Composites as Electrode Materials in Supercapacitors.

The electrochemical deposition of the composites polyaniline (PANI):polypyrrole (PPy)/activated carbon (AC) and polyaniline (PANI): 3, 4-polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT)/AC films is carried out in this work. The electrochemical character of the fabricated samples is investigated via cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using a three-electrode setup. The values of the specific capacitance of the composites PANI:PPy/AC and PANI:PEDOT/AC at a current density of 1 Ag-1 are evaluated as 586 Fg-1 and 611 Fg-1, respectively. The values of energy density are 40 Whkg-1 and 2094 Wkg-1, whereas power density is recorded as 44 Whkg-1 and 2160 Wkg-1 for respective composites PANI:PPy/AC and PANI:PEDOT/AC. Moreover, the respective composites appeared to retain cyclic stabilities of 92% and 90%. This study points to the potential of the prepared composites for application as electrodes in supercapacitors.

Microwave sintered nanocomposite electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells.

Microwave sintering is a very interesting subject, which provides an alternative method to overcome problems faced with conventional sintering. This process is very efficient and only requires a few minutes. In this paper, nanocomposite electrodes (Cu0.15Ni0.85-GDC) were sintered at 700 degrees C for 10 mins in a single mode 2.45 GHz microwave oven by the solid state reaction method. The composition influence and the sintering methods on the as-obtained powder were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. It was observed that excellent sintering took place. Excellent fuel cell performance was achieved with microwave sintering compared tosamples sintered using conventional sintering. Electrochemical analysis was carried out using AC Impedance technique. This paper reports a new approach to develop a microwave sintered based nanocomposite material, which is more efficient on time and energy. This method can gain significant economical benefits compared to conventional sintered materials for applications in low temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFC).

Electrochemical characterization on SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite electrolyte for low temperature solid oxide fuel cells.

Our previous work has demonstrated that novel core-shell SDC/Na2CO3 nanocomposite electrolyte possesses great potential for the development of low temperature (300-600 degrees C) solid oxide fuel cells. This work further characterizes the nanocomposite SDC/Na2CO3 electrochemical properties and conduction mechanism. The microstructure of the nanocomposite sintered at different temperatures was analyzed through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrical and electrochemical properties were studied. Significant conductivity enhancement was observed in the H2 atmosphere compared with that of air atmosphere. The ratiocination of proton conduction rather than electronic conduction has been proposed consequently based on the observation of fuel cell performance. The fuel cell performance with peak power density of 375 mW cm(-2) at 550 degrees C has been achieved. A.C. impedance for the fuel cell under open circuit voltage (OCV) conditions illustrates the electrode polarization process is predominant in rate determination.

LiAlO2-LiNaCO3 composite electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells.

This paper reports a new approach to develop functional solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) electrolytes based on nanotechnology and two-phase nanocomposite approaches using non-oxygen ion or proton conductors, e.g., lithium aluminate-lithium sodium carbonate, with great freedom in material design and development. Benefited by nanotechnology and nanocomposite technology, the lithium aluminate-lithium sodium carbonate two-phase composite electrolytes can significantly enhance the material conductivity and fuel cell performance at low temperatures, such as 300 degrees C-600 degrees C compared to non-nano scale materials. The conductivity mechanism and fuel cell functions are discussed to be benefited by the interfacial behavior between the two constituent phases in nano-scale effects, where oxygen ion and proton conductivity can be created, although there are no intrinsic mobile oxygen ions and protons. It presents a new scientific approach to design and develop fuel cell materials in breaking the structural limitations by using non-ionic conductors on the desired ions i.e., proton and oxygen ions, and creating high proton and oxygen ion conductors through interfaces and interfacial mechanism.

Evaluation of BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2-x Ni x O3-δ perovskite cathode using nickel as a sintering aid for IT-SOFC.

In this research work, BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2-x Ni x O3-δ (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04) perovskite cathode material for IT-SOFC is synthesized successfully using a combustion method and sintered at low temperature. The effects of nickel as a sintering aid on the properties of BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2O3-δ are investigated through different characterization methods. The addition of nickel increased the densification and grain growth at a lower sintering temperature 1200 °C. XRD analysis confirms a single phase of BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2O3-δ , and an increase in crystalline size is observed. SEM micrographs show formation of dense microstructure with increased nickel concentration. TGA analysis revealed that BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2-x Ni x cathode materials are thermally stable within the SOFC temperature range, and negligible weight loss of 2.3% is observed. The bonds of hydroxyl groups and metal oxides are confirmed for all samples through FTIR analysis. The highest electrical properties are observed for BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2-x Ni x (x = 0.04) due to increased densification and electronic defects compared to other compositions. The maximum power density of 0.47 W cm-2 is obtained for a cell having cathode material BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2-x Ni x (x = 0.02) owing to its permeable and well-connected structure compared to others.

Junction and energy band on novel semiconductor-based fuel cells.

Fuel cells are highly efficient and green power sources. The typical membrane electrode assembly is necessary for common electrochemical devices. Recent research and development in solid oxide fuel cells have opened up many new opportunities based on the semiconductor or its heterostructure materials. Semiconductor-based fuel cells (SBFCs) realize the fuel cell functionality in a much more straightforward way. This work aims to discuss new strategies and scientific principles of SBFCs by reviewing various novel junction types/interfaces, i.e., bulk and planar p-n junction, Schottky junction, and n-i type interface contact. New designing methodologies of SBFCs from energy band/alignment and built-in electric field (BIEF), which block the internal electronic transport while assisting interfacial superionic transport and subsequently enhance device performance, are comprehensively reviewed. This work highlights the recent advances of SBFCs and provides new methodology and understanding with significant importance for both fundamental and applied R&D on new-generation fuel cell materials and technologies.

Study on nanocomposites based on carbonate@ceria.

Nanocomposites based on the ceria-carbonate composite have demonstrated as electrolytes in development of successful 300-600 degrees C fuel cell technology. In this paper, the nanocomposite electrolyte based on carbonate@SDC (SDC: samarium doped ceria) was directly synthesized from the co-precipitation method and characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, etc. It was proved that the carbonate@SDC was a two-phase material with average particle size about 14.5 nm (S(BET)) and crystalline size (D(XRD)) ranged from 12 to 14 nm. When the carbonate@SDC electrolyte was used to fabricate single SOFC, the cell shows remarkable performance with maximum power density 1000-1180 mw/cm2 at low temperature (300-550 degrees C).

Superionic Conductivity in Ceria-Based Heterostructure Composites for Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

Ceria-based heterostructure composite (CHC) has become a new stream to develop advanced low-temperature (300-600 °C) solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFCs) with excellent power outputs at 1000 mW cm-2 level. The state-of-the-art ceria-carbonate or ceria-semiconductor heterostructure composites have made the CHC systems significantly contribute to both fundamental and applied science researches of LTSOFCs; however, a deep scientific understanding to achieve excellent fuel cell performance and high superionic conduction is still missing, which may hinder its wide application and commercialization. This review aims to establish a new fundamental strategy for superionic conduction of the CHC materials and relevant LTSOFCs. This involves energy band and built-in-field assisting superionic conduction, highlighting coupling effect among the ionic transfer, band structure and alignment impact. Furthermore, theories of ceria-carbonate, e.g., space charge and multi-ion conduction, as well as new scientific understanding are discussed and presented for functional CHC materials.

Tuning the Energy Band Structure at Interfaces of the SrFe0.75Ti0.25O3-δ-Sm0.25Ce0.75O2-δ Heterostructure for Fast Ionic Transport.

Interface engineering holds huge potential for enabling exceptional physical properties in heterostructure materials via tuning properties at the atomic level. In this study, a heterostructure built by a new redox stable semiconductor SrFe0.75Ti0.25O3-δ (SFT) and an ionic conductor Sm0.25Ce0.75O2 (SDC) is reported. The SFT-SDC heterostructure exhibits a high ionic conductivity >0.1 S/cm at 520 °C, which is 1 order of magnitude higher than that of bulk SDC. When it was applied into the fuel cell, the SFT-SDC can realize favorable electrolyte functionality and result in an excellent power density of 920 mW cm-2 at 520 °C. The prepared SFT-SDC heterostructure materials possess both electronic and ionic conduction, where electron states modulate local electrical field to facilitate ion transport. Further investigations to calculate the structure and electronic structure/state of SFT and SDC are done using density functional theory (DFT). It is found that the reconstruction of the energy band at interfaces is responsible for such enhanced ionic conductivity and cell power output. The current study about the perovskite-based heterostructure presents a novel strategy for developing advanced ceramic fuel cells.

Effect of Alkali Carbonates (Single, Binary, and Ternary) on Doped Ceria: A Composite Electrolyte for Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

Samarium-doped ceria (SDC) carbonate has become an attractive electrolyte for fuel cells because of its remarkable ion conductivity and high performance. Different doped ceria-carbonate (single-carbonate SDC, binary-carbonate SDC, and ternary-carbonate SDC) electrolytes were synthesized by the coprecipitation/oxalate method, to optimize the electrochemical performance. The structure; morphology; and thermal, optical, and surface properties have been studied using a variety of techniques. The X-ray diffraction results confirmed the successful incorporation of samarium into ceria as a crystalline structure and inclusion of carbonate, which is amorphous in nature. To analyze the conduction mechanism, direct current conductivity was measured in a H2/O2 atmosphere. Doped ceria-binary carbonate ((Li/Na)CO3-SDC) showed the best conductivity of 0.31 S cm-1 and power density of 617 mW cm-2, at 600 °C. The enhancement in the ionic conductivity and performance of the composites is due to the contribution of hybrid ions (O2-, H+). The crystallite size of the composites was in the range 21-41 nm. For the calculation of band gaps, optical absorption spectra of the synthesized powders were analyzed, and they showed a red shift with the band gap energy in the range 2.6-3.01 eV, when compared to that of pure ceria (3.20 eV).

In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Morphological Assessments of GO-ZnO against the MCF-7 Cells: Determination of Singlet Oxygen by Chemical Trapping.

Graphene-based materials have attracted considerable interest owing to their distinctive characteristics, such as their biocompatibility in terms of both their physical and intrinsic chemical properties. The use of nanomaterials with graphene as a biocompatible agent has increased due to an uptick in dedication from biomedical investigators. Here, GO-ZnO was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and Raman spectroscopy for structural, morphological, and elemental analysis. The toxic extent of GO-ZnO was noted by a methyl-thiazole-tetrazolium (MTT), while cellular morphology was observed towards the MCF-7 cells using an inverted microscope at magnification 40×. The cytotoxic effect of GO-ZnO investigated the cell viability reduction in a dose-dependent manner, as well as prompted the cell demise/destruction in an apoptotic way. Moreover, statistical analysis was performed on the experimental outcomes, with p-values < 0.05 kept as significant to elucidate the results. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) demonstrated the potential applicability of graphene in tumor treatment. These key results attest to the efficacy of GO-ZnO nanocomposites as a substantial candidate for breast malignancy treatment.