A dataset of color QR codes generated using back-compatible and random colorization algorithms exposed to different illumination-capture channel conditions.

Color QR Codes are often generated to encode digital information, but one also could use colors or to allocate colors in a QR Code to act as a color calibration chart. In this dataset, we present several thousand QR Codes images generated with two different colorization algorithms (random and back-compatible) and several tuning variables in these color encoding. The QR Codes were also exposed to three different channel conditions (empty, augmentation and real-life). Also, we derive the SNR and BER computations for these QR Code in comparison with their black and white versions. Finally, we also show if ZBar, a commercial QR Code scanner, is able to read them.

Plasmon expedited response time and enhanced response in gold nanoparticles-decorated zinc oxide nanowire-based nitrogen dioxide gas sensor at room temperature.

A highly sensitive and rapidly responsive nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas sensor based on gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs)-decorated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) is presented. The Au NPs decoration was conducted onto ZnO NWs with and without a (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) layer on their surface by using the electrostatic force. The samples without the APTES layer exhibited high NO2 gas sensitivity (i.e. expedited response time and enhanced gas response) due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the Au NPs; in particular, the NO2 gas response and the response time were increased by three times and shortened by 86%, respectively, compared with the undecorated ZnO NWs. The presence of the APTES layer improved the Au NPs attachment, but hindering the gas adsorption on the ZnO NWs surface, as proven by the observed photocurrent and gas response. Our findings imply that the response time of semiconductor gas sensors can be remarkably expedited by the LSPR effect, which is useful for developing practical gas sensors.

Visible Light-Driven p-Type Semiconductor Gas Sensors Based on CaFe2O4 Nanoparticles.

In this work, we present conductometric gas sensors based on p-type calcium iron oxide (CaFe2O4) nanoparticles. CaFe2O4 is a metal oxide (MOx) with a bandgap around 1.9 eV making it a suitable candidate for visible light-activated gas sensors. Our gas sensors were tested under a reducing gas (i.e., ethanol) by illuminating them with different light-emitting diode (LED) wavelengths (i.e., 465-640 nm). Regardless of their inferior response compared to the thermally activated counterparts, the developed sensors have shown their ability to detect ethanol down to 100 ppm in a reversible way and solely with the energy provided by an LED. The highest response was reached using a blue LED (465 nm) activation. Despite some responses found even in dark conditions, it was demonstrated that upon illumination the recovery after the ethanol exposure was improved, showing that the energy provided by the LEDs is sufficient to activate the desorption process between the ethanol and the CaFe2O4 surface.

A Parts Per Billion (ppb) Sensor for NO2 with Microwatt (µW) Power Requirements Based on Micro Light Plates.

A film of gas sensitive ZnO nanoparticles has been coupled with a low-power micro light plate (µLP) to achieve a NO2-parts-per-billion conductometric gas sensor operating at room temperature. In this µLP configuration, an InGaN-based LED (emitting at 455 nm) is integrated at a few hundred nanometers distance from the sensor material, leading to sensor photoactivation with well controlled, uniform, and high irradiance conditions, and very low electrical power needs. The response curves to different NO2 concentrations as a function of the irradiance displayed a bell-like shape. Responses of 20% to 25 ppb of NO2 were already observed at irradiances of 5 mWatts·cm-2 (applying an electrical power as low as 30 µW). In the optimum illumination conditions (around 60 mWatts·cm-2, or 200 µW of electric power), responses of 94% to 25 ppb were achieved, corresponding to a lower detection limit of 1 ppb of NO2. Higher irradiance values worsened the sensor response in the parts-per-billion range of NO2 concentrations. The responses to other gases such as NH3, CO, and CH4 were much smaller, showing a certain selectivity toward NO2. The effects of humidity on the sensor response are also discussed.

Highly Specific and Wide Range NO2 Sensor with Color Readout.

We present a simple and inexpensive method to implement a Griess-Saltzman-type reaction that combines the advantages of the liquid phase method (high specificity and fast response time) with the benefits of a solid implementation (easy to handle). We demonstrate that the measurements can be carried out using conventional RGB sensors; circumventing all the limitations around the measurement of the samples with spectrometers. We also present a method to optimize the measurement protocol and target a specific range of NO2 concentrations. We demonstrate that it is possible to measure the concentration of NO2 from 50 ppb to 300 ppm with high specificity and without modifying the Griess-Saltzman reagent.

Hydrogen-Treated Rutile TiO2 Shell in Graphite-Core Structure as a Negative Electrode for High-Performance Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries.

Hydrogen-treated TiO2 as an electrocatalyst has shown to boost the capacity of high-performance all-vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) as a simple and eco-friendly strategy. The graphite felt-based GF@TiO2 :H electrode is able to inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which is a critical barrier for operating at high rate for long-term cycling in VRFBs. Significant improvements in charge/discharge and electron-transfer processes for the V3+ /V2+ reaction on the surface of reduced TiO2 were achieved as a consequence of the formation of oxygen functional groups and oxygen vacancies in the lattice structure. Key performance indicators of VRFB have been improved, such as high capability rates and electrolyte-utilization ratios (82 % at 200 mA cm-2 ). Additionally, high coulombic efficiencies (ca. 100 % up to the 96th cycle, afterwards >97 %) were obtained, demonstrating the feasibility of achieving long-term stability.

Tailoring Multilayered BiVO4 Photoanodes by Pulsed Laser Deposition for Water Splitting.

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is proposed as promising technique for the fabrication of multilayered BiVO4-based photoanodes. For this purpose, bare BiVO4 films and two heterojunctions, BiVO4/SnO2 and BiVO4/WO3/SnO2, have been prepared using consecutive ablation of assorted targets in a single batch. The ease, high versatility and usefulness of this technique in engineering the internal configuration of the photoanode with stoichiometric target-to-substrate transfer are demonstrated. The obtained photocurrent densities are among the highest reported values for undoped BiVO4 without oxygen evolution catalysts (OEC). A detailed analysis of the influence of SnO2 and WO3 layers on the charge transport properties because of the changes at the internal FTO/semiconductor interface is performed through transient photocurrent measurements (TPC), showing that the BiVO4/WO3/SnO2 heterostructure attains a significant decrease in the internal losses and reaches high photocurrent values. This study is expected to open the door to the fabrication of other systems based on ternary (or even more complex) metal oxides as photoanodes for water splitting, which is a promising alternative for obtaining materials able to fulfill the different requierements in the development of more efficient systems for this process.

Band engineered epitaxial 3D GaN-InGaN core-shell rod arrays as an advanced photoanode for visible-light-driven water splitting.

3D single-crystalline, well-aligned GaN-InGaN rod arrays are fabricated by selective area growth (SAG) metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) for visible-light water splitting. Epitaxial InGaN layer grows successfully on 3D GaN rods to minimize defects within the GaN-InGaN heterojunctions. The indium concentration (In ∼ 0.30 ± 0.04) is rather homogeneous in InGaN shells along the radial and longitudinal directions. The growing strategy allows us to tune the band gap of the InGaN layer in order to match the visible absorption with the solar spectrum as well as to align the semiconductor bands close to the water redox potentials to achieve high efficiency. The relation between structure, surface, and photoelectrochemical property of GaN-InGaN is explored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), current-voltage, and open circuit potential (OCP) measurements. The epitaxial GaN-InGaN interface, pseudomorphic InGaN thin films, homogeneous and suitable indium concentration and defined surface orientation are properties demanded for systematic study and efficient photoanodes based on III-nitride heterojunctions.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of nanowire dye-sensitized solar cells based on coaxial TiO2@TiO heterostructures with a cobalt(II/III) redox electrolyte.

The growth of a TiO shell at the surface of TiO2 nanowires (NWs) allowed us to improve the power conversion efficiency of NW-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) by a factor 2.5. TiO2@TiO core-shell NWs were obtained by a two-step process: First, rutile-phase TiO2 NWs were hydrothermally grown. Second, a hongquiite-phase TiO shell was electrochemically deposited at the surface of the TiO2 NWs. Bare TiO2 and heterojunction TiO2@TiO NW-based DSCs were obtained using a cobalt(II/III) redox electrolyte and LEG4 as the dye. With this electrolyte/dye combination, DSCs with outstanding Voc values above 900 mV were systematically obtained. While TiO2@TiO NW-based DSCs had slightly lower Voc values than bare TiO2 NW-based DSCs, they provided 3-fold higher photocurrents, overall reaching 2.5-fold higher power conversion efficiencies. The higher photocurrents were associated with the larger surface roughness and an enhanced charge-carrier separation/transfer at the NW/dye interface.

Effectiveness of nitrogen incorporation to enhance the photoelectrochemical activity of nanostructured TiO2:NH3 versus H2-N2 annealing.

Highly ordered TiO(2) nanohole layers were synthesized by anodic oxidation of titanium foils using ethylene glycol and ammonium fluoride as the electrolyte. The effectiveness of different methods, namely annealing at 500 °C in NH(3) and in H(2) diluted in N(2), to incorporate nitrogen into TiO(2) and thus extend its photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity to the visible range was studied. The intra-gap levels introduced by both processes were identified by means of XPS and PL measurements. Water splitting experiments demonstrated that annealing in H(2) improved the photocatalytic activity of pure TiO(2), while annealing in ammonia led to a decrease in the PEC performance.

On the photoconduction properties of low resistivity TiO2 nanotubes.

TiO(2) nanotubes were synthesized by anodic oxidation of titanium foils using dimethyl sulfoxide and hydrofluoric acid as the electrolyte. The electrical properties of individual nanotube-based devices were evaluated and modeled after exposing some of them to different gas and illumination conditions. Resistivity values fully comparable to those of TiO(2) single crystal anatase (ρ(SA) = 1.09 ± 0.01Ω cm) were found, and their photoconductive characteristics, explained in terms of the Shockley-Read-Hall model for non-radiative recombination in semiconductors, were found to be strongly influenced by the applied experimental conditions such as the surrounding atmosphere. These devices may have potential applications in photocatalytic processes, such as CO(2) reduction or H(2)O splitting, avoiding the interfering effects typical of nanotube arrays.