One Material-Opposite Triboelectrification: Molecular Engineering Regulated Triboelectrification on Silica Surface to Enhance TENG Efficiency.

Molecular engineering is a unique methodology to take advantage of the electrochemical characteristics of materials that are used in energy-harvesting devices. Particularly in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) studies, molecular grafting on dielectric metal oxide surfaces can be regarded as a feasible way to alter the surface charge density that directly affects the charge potential of triboelectric layers. Herein, we develop a feasible methodology to synthesize organic-inorganic hybrid structures with tunable triboelectric features. Different types of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with electron-donating and withdrawing groups have been used to modify metal oxide (MO) surfaces and to modify their charge density on the surface. All the synthetic routes for hybrid material production have been clearly shown and the formation of covalent bonds on the MO's surface has been confirmed by XPS. The obtained hybrid structures were applied as dopants to distinct polymer matrices with various ratios and fiberization processes were carried out to the prepare opposite triboelectric layers. The formation of the fibers was analyzed by SEM, while their surface morphology and physicochemical features have been measured by AFM and a drop shape analyzer. The triboelectric charge potential of each layer after doping and their contribution to the TENG device's parameters have been investigated. For each triboelectric layer, the best-performing tribopositive and tribonegative material combination was separately determined and then these opposite layers were used to fabricate TENG with the highest efficiency. A comparison of the device parameters with the reference indicated that the best tribopositive material gave rise to a 40% increase in the output voltage and produced 231 V, whereas the best tribonegative one led to a 33.3% rise in voltage and generated 220 V. In addition, the best device collected ~83% more charge than the reference device and came up with 250 V that corresponds to 51.5% performance enhancement. This approach paved the way by addressing the issue of how molecular engineering can be used to manipulate the triboelectric features of the same materials.

A new sensing platform based on a ternary nanocomposite of graphitic carbon nitride-silver sulfide-nickel molybdate for quercetin determination.

In this study, we have shown how to prepare a ternary nanocomposite (Ag2S-NiMoO4-g-C3N4) consisting of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets, silver sulfide (Ag2S) nanocrystals, and nickel molybdate (NiMoO4) nanorods and its sensing ability to detect quercetin, a flavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables. An Ag2S-NiMoO4-g-C3N4 nanocomposite-modified screen-printed electrode (SPE) exhibited remarkable sensing performance in a quercetin (Que) concentration range of 0.005 µM-20 µM with a low detection limit of 2.7 nM. Moreover, we have aimed at improving the selectivity and sensitivity of a sensor for detecting Que by optimizing the composition of Ag2S-NiMoO4-g-C3N4, the film thickness, and the electrolyte pH. The sensor's selectivity for Que was tested in the presence of potential interferents such as ascorbic acid, citric acid, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, mannose, sucrose, and tyrosine. The performance of the sensor was tested on a variety of food samples, including green apple, green tea, honey, and red onion skin.

A facile synthesis of Ag2MnSnS4 nanorods through colloidal method.

The production methods of semiconductor nanomaterials with new shapes and different compositions form the basis for the creation of high-performance structures in numerous applications. Kesterite structured materials are among these inorganic semiconductors and are suggested to be promising energy materials for the future. In this study, quaternary Ag2MnSnS4 nanocrystalline rods have been successfully synthesized for the first time by the colloidal hot-injection synthesis route and well-organized rod-like nanocrystals (NCs) with lengths ranging from 200 to 350 nm and widths from 10 to 30 nm were obtained. For this structure, the Ag2MnSnS4 exhibits a semiconductor property with a band-gap of approximately 1.3 eV. The optical properties and band-gap values were determined by UV-Vis absorption spectrum and using Tauc Equation. It has been observed that the Ag2MnSnS4 structure acquired by the proposed colloidal synthesis method can be an alternative to the commonly used materials based on Cd and Pb.

A Au/CuNiCoS4/p-Si photodiode: electrical and morphological characterization.

In this present work, CuNiCoS4 thiospinel nanocrystals were synthesized by hot injection and characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The XRD, EDS, and HR-TEM analyses confirmed the successful synthesis of CuNiCoS4. The obtained CuNiCoS4 thiospinel nanocrystals were tested for photodiode and capacitance applications as interfacial layer between Au and p-type Si by measuring I-V and C-V characteristics. The fabricated Au/CuNiCoS4/p-Si device exhibited good rectifying properties, high photoresponse activity, low series resistance, and high shunt resistance. The C-V characteristics revealed that capacitance and conductance of the photodiode are voltage-and frequency-dependent. The fabricated device with CuNiCoS4 thiospinel nanocrystals can be employed in high-efficiency optoelectronic applications.

Rhenium/rhenium oxide nanoparticles production using femtosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid.

In this study, rhenium/rhenium oxide nanoparticles (Re / ReO3 NPs) have been produced for the first time in ultrapure water by using Femtosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (fsPLAL) method. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements and results obtained for NPs show the existence of well-crystallized peaks and preferred phases. Re NPs have hexagonal structure while ReO3 NPs have the perovskite-like cubic crystal structures. The Re / ReO3 ratio is also determined to be 53 / 47 with ~ 20 nm crystallite size, while pure ReO3 crystallite sizes were measured to be ~ 25 nm. The TEM results have shown that the produced particles have a spherical shape, and particle sizes changes between ~ 20 nm and ~ 60 nm. The crystallite size is similar due to XRD results. Obtained nanoparticles exhibit promising applications for photonic devices with broad bandgap values which have measured to be 4.71 eV for Re / ReO3 NPs mixture and 4.36 eV for pure ReO3 NPs.

Photodiode behaviors of the AgSbS2nanocrystals in a Schottky structure.

Cubic phase AgSbS2nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized by the hot-injection method, and they were inserted between the Al andp-Si to fabricate Al/AgSbS2/p-Si photodiode by the thermal evaporation method. AgSbS2NCs were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM instruments to confirm the crystal phase, surface morphology as well as crystalline size. The XRD pattern revealed that the cubic crystalline structure of the AgSbS2. The spherical shapes and well surface morphology were affirmed by SEM and TEM analysis. Al/AgSbS2/p-Si photodiode was characterized byI-Vmeasurements depending on the light power intensity and byC-Vmeasurement for various frequencies.I-Vcharacteristics revealed that the Al/AgSbS2/p-Si exhibited good photodiode behavior and a high rectifying ratio. Various diode and detector parameters were extracted fromI-Vmeasurements, and they were discussed in detail. TheC-Vcharacteristics highlighted that the Al/AgSbS2/p-Si photodiode showed voltage and frequency dependent profile at the accumulation region. The fabricated Al/AgSbS2/p-Si photodiode can be thought for optoelectronic applications.

Enhanced Device Efficiency and Long-Term Stability via Boronic Acid-Based Self-Assembled Monolayer Modification of Indium Tin Oxide in a Planar Perovskite Solar Cell.

Interfacial engineering is essential for the development of highly efficient and stable solar cells through minimizing energetic losses at interfaces. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have been shown as a handle to tune the work function (WF) of indium tin oxide (ITO), improving photovoltaic cell performance and device stability. In this study, we utilize a new class of boronic acid-based fluorine-terminated SAMs to modify ITO surfaces in planar perovskite solar cells. The SAM treatment demonstrates an increase of the WF of ITO, an enhancement of the short-circuit current, and a passivation of trap states at the ITO/[poly(3,4ethylenedioxylenethiophene):poly(styrenesulfonic acid)] interface. Device stability improves upon SAM modification, with efficiency decreasing only 20% after one month. Our work highlights a simple treatment route to achieve hysteresis-free, reproducible, stable, and highly efficient (16%) planar perovskite solar cells.

Improvement of Catalytic Activity by Nanofibrous CuInS2 for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

The current study reports the application of chalcopyrite semiconductor CuInS2 (CIS) nanofibers for the reduction of CO2 to CO with a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 77 ± 4%. Initially the synthesis of CuInS2 nanofibers was carried out by adaptable electrospinning technique. To reduce the imperfection in the crystalline fiber, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was selected as template polymer. Afterward, the desired chemical structure of nanofibers was achieved through sulfurization process. Making continuous CuInS2 nanofibers on the cathode surface by the electrospinning method brings the advantages of being economical, environmentally safe, and versatile. The obtained nanofibers of well investigated size and diameter according to the SEM (scanning electron microscope) were used in electrochemical studies. An improvement of Faradaic efficiency was achieved with the catalytic active CuInS2 in nanofibrous structure as compared to the solution processed CuInS2. This underlines the important effect of the electrode fabrication on the catalytic performance. Being less contaminated as compared to solution processing, and having a well-defined composition and increased catalytically active area, the CuInS2 nanofiber electrodes prepared by the electrospinning technique show a 4 times higher Faradaic efficiency. Furthermore, in this study, attention was paid to the stability of the CuInS2 nanofiber electrodes. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO by using CIS nanofibers coated onto FTO electrodes was carried out for 10 h in total. The observed current density of 0.22 mA cm-2 and the stability of CIS nanofiber electrodes are found to be competitive with other heterogeneous electrocatalysts. Hence, we believe that the fabrication and application of nanofibrous materials through the electrospinning technique might be of interest for electrocatalytic studies in CO2 reduction.

Hydrogen Evolution Catalyzed by Cu2WS4 at Liquid-Liquid Interfaces.

The present study reports, for the first time, both a facile synthesis for ternary Cu2WS4 nanocubes, which were synthesized by a simple and low-cost hot-injection method, and the hydrogen evolution reaction at a biomembrane-like polarized water/1,2-dichloroethane interface catalyzed by Cu2WS4 nanocubes. The rate of hydrogen evolution reaction is increased by about 1000 times by using Cu2WS4 nanocubes when compared to an uncatalyzed reaction.

Penternary chalcogenides nanocrystals as catalytic materials for efficient counter electrodes in dye-synthesized solar cells.

The penternary chalcogenides Cu2CoSn(SeS)4 and Cu2ZnSn(SeS)4 were successfully synthesized by hot-injection method, and employed as a catalytic materials for efficient counter electrodes in dye-synthesized solar cells (DSSCs). The structural, compositional, morphological and optical properties of these pentenary semiconductors were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The Cu2CoSn(SeS)4 and Cu2ZnSn(SeS)4 nanocrystals had a single crystalline, kesterite phase, adequate stoichiometric ratio, 18-25 nm particle sizes which are forming nanospheres, and band gap energy of 1.18 and 1.45 eV, respectively. Furthermore, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammograms indicated that Cu2CoSn(SeS)4 nanocrystals as counter electrodes exhibited better electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of iodine/iodide electrolyte than that of Cu2ZnSn(SeS)4 nanocrystals and conventional platinum (Pt). The photovoltaic results demonstrated that DSSC with a Cu2CoSn(SeS)4 nanocrystals-based counter electrode achieved the best efficiency of 6.47%, which is higher than the same photoanode employing a Cu2ZnSn(SeS)4 nanocrystals (3.18%) and Pt (5.41%) counter electrodes. These promising results highlight the potential application of penternary chalcogen Cu2CoSn(SeS)4 nanocrystals in low-cost, high-efficiency, Pt-free DSSCs.

Dye-Sensitized Cu2 XSnS4 (X=Zn, Ni, Fe, Co, and Mn) Nanofibers for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activities of low-cost and noble-metal-free Cu2 XSnS4 (X=Zn, Ni, Fe, Co, and Mn) nanofiber catalysts have been investigated using triethanolamine as an electron donor and eosin Y as a photosensitizer under visible-light irradiation. The rates of hydrogen evolution by Cu2 XSnS4 (X=Zn, Ni, Fe, Co, and Mn) nanofibers have been compared with each other and with that of the noble metal Pt. The hydrogen evolution rates for the nanofibers change in the order Cu2 NiSnS4 >Cu2 FeSnS4 >Cu2 CoSnS4 >Cu2 ZnSnS4 >Cu2 MnSnS4 (2028, 1870, 1926, 1420, and 389 µmol g(-1) h(-1) , respectively). The differences between the hydrogen evolution rates of the nanofibers could be attributed to their energy levels. Moreover, Cu2 NiSnS4, Cu2 FeSnS4 , and Cu2 CoSnS4 nanofibers show higher and more stable photocatalytic hydrogen production rates than that of the noble metal Pt under long-term irradiation with visible light.

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution by oleic acid-capped CdS, CdSe, and CdS0.75Se0.25 alloy nanocrystals.

Photocatalytic generation of hydrogen by using oleic acid-capped CdS, CdSe, and CdS(0.75)Se(0.25) alloy nanocrystals (quantum dots) has been investigated under visible-light irradiation by employing Na(2)S and Na(2)SO(3) as hole scavengers. Highly photostable CdS(0.75)Se(0.25) alloy nanocrystals gave the highest hydrogen evolution rate (1466 µmol h(-1) g(-1)), which was about three times higher than that of CdS and seven times higher than that of CdSe.

Mechanical properties of zirconia after different surface treatments and repeated firings.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the influence of surface conditioning procedures and repeated firings on monoclinic content and strength of zirconia before cementation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sintered bar-shaped zirconia specimens were subjected to no surface treatment (control), air abrasion, or grinding (n=21). Their roughness was evaluated using a profilometer, and microscope analysis was performed on one specimen of each group. Then, 2 or 10 repeated firings (n=10) were executed, the monoclinic content of specimens was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, and a three-point flexural strength test was performed. Surface roughness values were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) tests, the monoclinic content values were tested using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, and the flexural strength values were tested using two-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests (P=.05). Spearman's correlation test was performed to define relationships among measured parameters. RESULTS: Surface-treated specimens were rougher than untreated specimens and had a higher monoclinic content (P<.005), and the relationship between roughness and monoclinic content was significant (P<.000). Neither surface treatment nor firing significantly affected the flexural strength, but Weibull analysis showed that for the air-abraded samples the characteristic strength was significantly lower after the 10(th) firing than after the 2(nd) firing. CONCLUSION: After firing, a negligible amount of monoclinic content remained on the zirconia surfaces, and rougher surfaces had higher monoclinic contents than untreated surfaces. Multiple firings could be performed if necessary, but the fracture probability could increase after multiple firings for rougher surfaces.

Humidity adsorption kinetics of calix[4]arene derivatives measured using QCM technique.

This study focuses on the characterization of sulphonated calix[4]arene derivative films coated on a quartz substrate with a thickness of 40 nm by spin coating method for humidity detection. The humidity adsorption kinetics of the sulphonated calix[4]arene films was investigated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. The Langmuir model was used to determine the adsorption rates and Gibbs free energy for various relative humidities between 11% and 97%. Our reproducible experimental results show that suphonated calix[4]arene films have a great potential for humidity sensing applications at room temperature operations.