Chemically-stable flexible transparent electrode: gold-electrodeposited on embedded silver nanowires.

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) with a low diameter, high aspect ratio, stable suspension, and easy synthesis have recently attracted the optoelectronic industry as a low-cost alternative to indium tin oxide transparent conductive films. However, silver nanowires are not chemically stable, and their conductivity diminishes over time due to reactions with atmospheric components. This is a bottleneck for their wide industrial applications. In this study, we aim to address this issue by synthesizing silver nanowires with an average diameter of approximately 65 nm and a length of approximately 13 µm. The prepared Ag nanowires are then applied to fabricate transparent, flexible, and chemically stable conductive films. The fabrication includes spraying of silver nanowires suspension on a glass substrate followed by Dr. blade coating of polystyrene (PS) solution and delamination of the PS-AgNWs film. The resulting film exhibits an optimum sheet resistance of 24 Ω/□ and transmittance of 84%. To further enhance the stability of the transparent conductive film, the facial and scalable double pulse electrodeposition method is used for coating of gold on the exposed surface of the AgNWs embedded in PS. The final transparent film with gold coating demonstrates a remarkable stability under harsh conditions including long exposure to UV light and nitric acid solution. After 100 min of UV/Ozone treatment, the increase in sheet resistance of the optimal PS-AgNW@Au sample is 15.6 times lower than the samples without gold coating. In addition, the change in sheet resistance after 2000 bending cycles in the optimal PS-AgNW@Au electrode is measured and it showed an increase of only 22% of its initial sheet resistance indicating its good flexibility. The proposed electrode performs an excellent chemical stability, good conductivity, transparency, and flexibility that makes it a potential candidate for various optoelectronic devices.

Highly sensitive electrochemical sensor based on carbon paste electrode modified with graphene nanoribbon-CoFe2O4@NiO and ionic liquid for azithromycin antibiotic monitoring in biological and pharmaceutical samples.

In this report, Azithromycin (Azi) antibiotic was measured by carbon paste electrode (CPE) improved by graphene nanoribbon-CoFe2O4@NiO nanocomposite and 1-hexyl-3 methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (HMIM PF6) as an ionic liquid binder. The electrochemical behavior of Azi on the graphene nanoribbon-CoFe2O4@NiO/HMIM PF6/CPE is investigated by voltammetric methods, and the results showed that the modifiers improve the conductivity and electrochemical activity of the CPE. According to obtained data, the electrochemical behavior of Azi is related to pH. under optimum conditions, the sensor has linear ranges from 10 µM to 2 mM with a LOD of 0.66 µM. The effect of scan rate and chronoamperometry were studied, which showed that the Azi electro-oxidation is diffusion controlled with the diffusion coefficient of 9.22 × 10-6 cm2/s. The reproducibility (3.15%), repeatability (2.5%), selectivity, and stability (for 30 days) tests were investigated, which results were acceptable. The actual sample analysis confirmed that the proposed sensor is an appropriate electrochemical tool for Azi determination in urine and Azi capsule.

Effect of transparent substrate on properties of CuInSe2 thin films prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis.

In this paper, the properties of CuInSe2 (CISe) films deposited on three transparent substrates (FTO, FTO/NiOx, FTO/MoO3) are studied. These substrates might be used for bifacial solar cells, in place of the conventional glass/Mo substrates. CISe layers are deposited by spray pyrolysis followed by a selenization process. For the same deposition conditions, the CISe layers on FTO show the largest grain size (~ 0.50 µm) and crystallinity, while FTO/MoO3 substrates result in the smallest grains (~ 0.15 µm). The optical bandgap of the CISe films ranged from 1.35 eV for FTO substrate to 1.44 eV for FTO/MoO3 substrate. All films show p-type conductivity, with the carrier densities of 1.6 × 1017 cm-3, 5.4 × 1017 cm-3, and 2.4 × 1019 cm-3 for FTO, FTO/NiOx, and FTO/MoO3 substrates, respectively. The CISe films also show different conduction, and valence levels, based on the substrate. In all cases, an ohmic behavior is observed between the CISe and substrate. The results demonstrate that CISe layer crystallinity, carrier concentration, mobility, and energy levels are strongly dependent on the chemical nature of the substrate. Bare FTO shows the most appropriate performance in terms of device requirements.

A caffeic acid electrochemical sensor amplified with GNR/CoFe2O4@NiO and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate; a new perspective for food analysis.

Determining Caffeic acid is important as an antioxidant compound in food. In this study, caffeic acid (CA) was measured using a carbon paste electrode modified with GNR/CoFe2O4@NiO and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM Ac) as ion liquid. A simple sensor showed a higher current than a bare carbon paste; thus, it can be said that the modified electrode has a higher sensitivity for detecting CA. The linear range of this sensor and its detection limit was equal to 0.01-100.0 µM and 0.01 µM, respectively. Moreover, the developed electrode indicated outstanding selectivity in the presence of several interferences, high sensitivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability. The percentage recovery of CA obtained with the developed sensor affirmed its reliability for CA determination in real samples. The modified sensor's accuracy was confirmed to identify this analyte according to the results.

Preparation and application of sunlight absorbing ultra-black carbon aerogel/graphene oxide membrane for solar steam generation systems.

In this study, sunlight absorbing membranes consisting of ultra-black resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF)-based carbon aerogel (CA) and hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) suspension were fabricated. To investigate the effect of substrate structure, CA/GO ink was cast onto two different layers including 3D modified copper foam (MCF) and 2D paper sheet. The copper foam (CF) was treated with a new and simple modification method to enhance the hydrophilicity. Finally, the solar steam generation performances of the prepared membranes were evaluated. The optical analyses indicated that 2D and 3D samples respectively reflected ∼4.5% and ∼10%, and transmitted ∼0% of the incident light. The water contact angle measurements revealed a significant change in the wettability of the CF layer representing a contact angle of 139.41° before the modification. Based on the water evaporation rates, the efficiencies of 81.1% and 91.4% (at 1 kW m-2) were achieved for 2D and 3D absorbents, respectively. In addition to eliminating the geometrical restrictions of the monolithic absorbents, the results verified that CA/GO ink-based absorbents were promising materials for solar steam generation systems (SSG) due to the high light absorption, superhydrophilicity and porous structure.

Perovskite/Hole Transport Layer Interface Improvement by Solvent Engineering of Spiro-OMeTAD Precursor Solution.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are one of the most promising emerging energy-conversion technologies because of their high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and potentially low fabrication cost. To improve PCE, it is necessary to develop PSCs with good interfacial engineering to reduce the trap states and carrier transport barriers present at the various interfaces of the PSCs' architecture. This work reports a facile method to improve the interface between the perovskite absorber layer and the hole transport layer (HTL) by adding a small amount of acetonitrile (ACN) in the Spiro-OMeTAD precursor solution. This small amount of ACN dissolves the surface of the perovskite layer, allowing the formation of an interdiffusion structure between perovskite and Spiro-OMeTAD layers. This modification allows for an improved electrical contact, enhanced collection of holes, and reduced recombination losses at the interface between the perovskite and Spiro-OMeTAD layers and, consequently, enhances the PCE. A maximum PCE of 19.7% with low hysteresis and a steady-state power conversion efficiency of 19.0% is obtained for optimized PSCs.

Optimization of CuIn1-XGaXS2 Nanoparticles and Their Application in the Hole-Transporting Layer of Highly Efficient and Stable Mixed-Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

Inorganic hole-transport materials (HTMs) have been frequently applied in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and are a promising solution to improve the poor stability of PSCs. In this study, we investigate solution-processed copper indium gallium disulfide (CIGS) nanocrystals (NCs) as a dopant-free inorganic HTM in n-i-p type PSCs. Moreover, Cs0.05(MA0.17-FA0.83)0.95Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3 mixed-halide perovskite with proper crystalline quality and long-time stability was utilized as the light-absorbing layer under ambient conditions. To optimize the cell performance and better charge extraction from the perovskite layer, the Ga concentration in the Cu(In1-XGaX)S2 composition was changed, and the X value was altered between 0.0 and 0.75. It was shown that the CIGS band gap enhances with increasing Ga content; thus, with tunable band gaps and engineering of the energy level alignment, a better collection of photogenerated holes and a reduced electron-hole recombination rate could be achieved. The maximum power conversion efficiency of 15.6% was obtained for the PSC with Cu(In0.5Ga0.5)S2 hole-transport layer composition, which is the highest efficiency reported so far for CIGS-based dopant-free PSCs. This value is very close to the efficiency of devices fabricated with doped spiro-OMeTAD as an organic HTM. Additionally, the stability of nonencapsulated PSCs was studied, and CIGS-based devices demonstrated 70% retention after 90 days of aging in the dark and in 50% relative humidity conditions. This result is quite better than the similar measurements for the doped spiro-OMeTAD-based devices.

Globularity-Selected Large Molecules for a New Generation of Multication Perovskites.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) use perovskites with an APbX3 structure, where A is a monovalent cation and X is a halide such as Cl, Br, and/or I. Currently, the cations for high-efficiency PSCs are Rb, Cs, methylammonium (MA), and/or formamidinium (FA). Molecules larger than FA, such as ethylammonium (EA), guanidinium (GA), and imidazolium (IA), are usually incompatible with photoactive "black"-phase perovskites. Here, novel molecular descriptors for larger molecular cations are introduced using a "globularity factor", i.e., the discrepancy of the molecular shape and an ideal sphere. These cationic radii differ significantly from previous reports, showing that especially ethylammonium (EA) is only slightly larger than FA. This makes EA a suitable candidate for multication 3D perovskites that have potential for unexpected and beneficial properties (suppressing halide segregation, stability). This approach is tested experimentally showing that surprisingly large quantities of EA get incorporated, in contrast to most previous reports where only small quantities of larger molecular cations can be tolerated as "additives". MA/EA perovskites are characterized experimentally with a band gap ranging from 1.59 to 2.78 eV, demonstrating some of the most blue-shifted PSCs reported to date. Furthermore, one of the compositions, MA0.5 EA0.5 PbBr3 , shows an open circuit voltage of 1.58 V, which is the highest to date with a conventional PSC architecture.

A Three-Step Method for the Deposition of Large Cuboids of Organic-Inorganic Perovskite and Application in Solar Cells.

A three-step method for the deposition of CH3 NH3 PbI3 perovskite films with a high crystalline structure and large cuboid overlayer morphology is reported. The method includes PbI2 deposition, which is followed by dipping into a solution of C4 H9 NH3 I (BAI) and (BA)2 PbI4 perovskite formation. In the final step, the poorly thermodynamically stable (BA)2 PbI4 phase converts into the more stable CH3 NH3 PbI3 perovskite by dipping into a solution of CH3 NH3 I. The final product is characterized by XRD, SEM, UV/Vis, and photoluminescence analysis methods. The experimental results indicate that the prepared perovskite has cuboids with high crystallinity and large sizes (up to 1 µm), as confirmed by XRD and SEM data. Photovoltaic investigations show that the three-step method results in higher solar cell efficiency (15 % enhancement in efficiency) with a better reproducibility than the conventional two-step deposition method.

Mixed-Halide CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Xx (X=Cl, Br, I) Perovskites: Vapor-Assisted Solution Deposition and Application as Solar Cell Absorbers.

There have been recent reports on the formation of single-halide perovskites, CH3 NH3 PbX3 (X=Cl, Br, I), by means of vapor-assisted solution processing. Herein, the successful formation of mixed-halide perovskites (CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Xx ) by means of a vapor-assisted solution method at ambient atmosphere is reported. The perovskite films are synthesized by exposing PbI2 film to CH3 NH3 X (X=I, Br, or Cl) vapor. The prepared perovskite films have uniform surfaces with good coverage, as confirmed by SEM images. The inclusion of chlorine and bromine into the structure leads to a lower temperature and shorter reaction time for optimum perovskite film formation. In the case of CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Clx , the optimum reaction temperature is reduced to 100 °C, and the resulting phases are CH3 NH3 PbI3 (with trace Cl) and CH3 NH3 PbCl3 with a ratio of about 2:1. In the case of CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Brx , single-phase CH3 NH3 PbI2 Br is formed in a considerably shorter reaction time than that of CH3 NH3 PbI3 . The mesostructured perovskite solar cells based on CH3 NH3 PbI3 films show the best optimal power conversion efficiency of 13.5 %, whereas for CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Clx and CH3 NH3 PbI3-x Brx the best recorded efficiencies are 11.6 and 10.5 %, respectively.

Recent developments in dye-sensitized solar cells.

The knowledge of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) has expanded considerably in recent years. They are multiparameter and complex systems that work only if various parameters are tuned simultaneously. This makes it difficult to target to a single parameter to improve the efficiency. There is a wealth of knowledge concerning different DSC structures and characteristics. In this review, the present knowledge and recent achievements are surveyed with emphasis on the more promising cell materials and designs.

Mesoporous submicrometer TiO(2) hollow spheres as scatterers in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Hierarchical submicrometer TiO2 hollow spheres with outer diameter of 300-700 nm and shell thickness of 200 nm are synthesized by liquid phase deposition of TiO2 over carbon microspheres as sacrificial templates. The final TiO2 hollow spheres are applied as a scattering layer on top of a transparent nanocrystalline TiO2 film, serving as the photoanode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC). In addition to efficient light scattering, the mesoporous structure of TiO2 hollow spheres provides a high surface area, 74 m(2)/g, which allows for higher dye loading. This dual functioning suggests that TiO2 hollow spheres may be good replacements for conventional TiO2 spheres as scatterers in DSCs. A high efficiency of 8.3% is achieved with TiO2 hollow spheres, compared with 6.0% for the electrode with 400 nm spherical TiO2 scatterers, at identical conditions.

Nanoparticulate hollow TiO2 fibers as light scatterers in dye-sensitized solar cells: layer-by-layer self-assembly parameters and mechanism.

Hollow structures show both light scattering and light trapping, which makes them promising for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications. In this work, nanoparticulate hollow TiO(2) fibers are prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly deposition of TiO(2) nanoparticles on natural cellulose fibers as template, followed by thermal removal of the template. The effect of LbL parameters such as the type and molecular weight of polyelectrolyte, number of dip cycles, and the TiO(2) dispersion (amorphous or crystalline sol) are investigated. LbL deposition with weak polyelectrolytes (polyethylenimine, PEI) gives greater nanoparticle deposition yield compared to strong polyelectrolytes (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), PDDA). Decreasing the molecular weight of the polyelectrolyte results in more deposition of nanoparticles in each dip cycle with narrower pore size distribution. Fibers prepared by the deposition of crystalline TiO(2) nanoparticles show higher surface area and higher pore volume than amorphous nanoparticles. Scattering coefficients and backscattering properties of fibers are investigated and compared with those of commercial P25 nanoparticles. Composite P25-fiber films are electrophoretically deposited and employed as the photoanode in DSSC. Photoelectrochemical measurements showed an increase of around 50% in conversion efficiency. By employing the intensity-modulated photovoltage and photocurrent spectroscopy methods, it is shown that the performance improvement due to addition of fibers is mostly due to the increase in light-harvesting efficiency. The high surface area due to the nanoparticulate structure and strong light harvesting due to the hollow structure make these fibers promising scatterers in DSSCs.

TiO(2) fibers enhance film integrity and photovoltaic performance for electrophoretically deposited dye solar cell photoanodes.

Nanoparticulated TiO(2) fibers as one-dimensional long structures were introduced into TiO(2) P25 nanoparticle films using coelectrophoretic deposition. This prevented the usual crack formation occurring in wet coatings, and resulted in less porosity and higher roughness factor of the films that provided more favorable conditions for electron transport. The films used as the photoanode of a dye solar cell (DSC) produced 65% higher photovoltaic efficiency. TiO(2) fibers can be excellent binders in single-step, organic-free electrophoretic deposition of TiO(2) for DSC photoanode.

Development of a sensitive and selective Riboflavin sensor based on carbon ionic liquid electrode.

The electrochemical properties of Riboflavin adsorbed on carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) were studied by cyclic voltammetry. A film with a surface coverage of up to 3.3x10(-9) mol cm(-2) was formed after 10 min exposure time. Electron transfer coefficient and rate constant of electron transfer across the modified electrode were found to be 0.43 and 3.03 s(-1), respectively. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for the determination of Riboflavin. Two linear working ranges of 0.8-110 nM and 0.11-1.0 microM were obtained with correlation coefficients of 0.998 and 0.996, respectively. The experimental detection limit was obtained as 0.1 nM. The relative standard deviation for five replicate analyses was 4.7%. Other soluble vitamins had no significant interferences and the electrode was used for the determination of Riboflavin in pharmaceutical products, nutrition and beverages.

Highly improved electrocatalytic behavior of sulfite at carbon ionic liquid electrode: application to the analysis of some real samples.

The electrocatalytic oxidation of sulfite was investigated at carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE). This electrode is a very good alternative to previously described electrodes because the electrocatalytic effect is achieved without any electrode modification. Comparative experiments were carried out using carbon paste electrode (CPE) and glassy carbon electrode (GCE). At CILE, highly reproducible and well-defined cyclic voltammograms were obtained for sulfite with a peak potential of 0.55 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Sulfite oxidation at CILE does not result in deactivation of the electrode surface. The kinetic parameters for this irreversible heterogeneous electron transfer process were determined. Under optimal experimental conditions, the peak current response increased linearly with sulfite concentration over the range of 6-1000 microM. The detection limit of the method was 4 microM. The method was applied to the determination of sulfite in mineral water, grape juice and non-alcoholic beer samples.

Palladium nanoparticle decorated carbon ionic liquid electrode for highly efficient electrocatalytic oxidation and determination of hydrazine.

In this work arrays of palladium nanoparticles were synthesized on carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) (Pd/CILE), and the electrocatalytic oxidation of hydrazine was investigated using this electrode. Electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine in phosphate buffer (pH 7) was performed using cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetric techniques (SWV). Using the proposed electrode, a highly reproducible and well-defined peak was obtained for hydrazine at a very low potential of -0.02V versus Ag/AgCl. A linear dynamic range of 5-800 microM with an experimental detection limit of 0.82 microM was obtained. These results show that the proposed electrode displays better electrocatalytic activity compared to the previously reported palladium modified electrodes towards oxidation of hydrazine.

Highly stable electrochemical oxidation of phenolic compounds at carbon ionic liquid electrode.

A carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) was used for the investigation of the electrochemical oxidation of phenolic compounds in acidic media using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and square wave voltammetry techniques. The results indicate that, contrary to many other electrodes, the oxidation of phenolic compounds on CILE is highly stable and does not result in electrode fouling. Cyclic voltammetry showed that phenolic compounds such as phenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and catechol were oxidized at CILE and remained electroactive after multiple cycles and at high concentrations of phenol. The cyclic voltammetric response of the CILE is very stable with more than 99% of the initial activity remaining after 20 s of stirring of a 0.5 mM solution of phenol.

Simultaneous determination of dopamine, ascorbic acid, and uric acid using carbon ionic liquid electrode.

A recently constructed carbon composite electrode using room temperature ionic liquid as pasting binder was employed as a novel electrode for sensitive, simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA), and uric acid (UA). The apparent reversibility and kinetics of the electrochemical reaction for DA, AA, and UA found were improved significantly compared to those obtained using a conventional carbon paste electrode. The results show that carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) reduces the overpotential of DA, AA, and UA oxidation, without showing any fouling effect due to the deposition of their oxidized products. In the case of DA, the oxidation and reduction peak potentials appear at 210 and 135mV (vs Ag/AgCl, KCl, 3.0M), respectively, and the CILE shows a significantly better reversibility for dopamine. The oxidation peak due to the oxidation of AA occurs at about 60mV. For UA, a sharp oxidation peak at 340mV and a small reduction peak at 250mV are obtained at CILE. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for the simultaneous determination of ternary mixtures of DA, AA, and UA. Relative standard deviation for DA, AA, and UA determinations were less than 3.0% and DA, AA, and UA can be determined in the ranges of 2.0x10(-6)-1.5x10(-3), 5.0x10(-5)-7.4x10(-3), and 2.0x10(-6)-2.2x10(-4)M, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of DA, AA, and UA in human blood serum and urine samples.

High-performance carbon composite electrode based on an ionic liquid as a binder.

Ionic liquid, n-octylpyridinum hexafluorophosphate (OPFP) has been used to fabricate a new carbon composite electrode with very attractive electrochemical behavior. This type of carbon electrode has been constructed using graphite mixed with OPFP as the binder. The electrode has combined advantages of edge plane characteristics of carbon nanotubes and edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes together with the low cost of carbon paste electrodes and robustness of metallic electrodes. It provides a remarkable increase in the rate of electron transfer of different organic and inorganic electroactive compounds and offers a marked decrease in the overvoltage for biomolecules such as NADH, dopamine, and ascorbic acid. It also circumvents NADH surface fouling effects as well as furnishing higher current density for a wide range of compounds tested. Depending on the choice of the electrolyte, the electrode can have the ion-exchange property and adsorptive characteristics of clay-modified electrodes. The proposed electrode thus allows sensitive, low-potential, simple, low-cost, and stable electrochemical sensing of biomolecules and other electroactive compounds. Scanning electron microscopy images indicate significant improvement in the microstructure of the proposed electrode compared to carbon paste electrodes. Such abilities promote new opportunities for a wide range of electrochemical and biosensing applications.