Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mohd. Muddassir, Abdullah Alarifi, Naaser A. Y. Abduh, Mohd Afzal
Summary: Three new isomeric Zn(II) complexes derived from pyridine based Schiffbases have been synthesized and utilized in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as sensitizers and co-sensitizers, with the 4-Py-Zn/N719 dye assembly showing the best performance in terms of overall photon-to-current conversion efficiency (PCE) and IPCE compared to assemblies with other isomeric complexes.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lung Nhat Dang Quang, Ashok Kumar Kaliamurthy, Nguyen Huy Hao
Summary: The co-sensitization of dye sensitizers has been shown to improve the efficiency of DSSC by reducing dye aggregation, suppressing charge recombination, and enhancing the open circuit voltage. In this study, it was found that the co-adsorption of ruthenium based N719 dye and organic D35 dye enhanced electron relaxation lifetime, carrier concentration, and charge separation in the TiO2 photoanode, leading to an improved performance of DSSCs. The efficiency of DSSC with dye co-sensitization was higher at 8% compared to single dye based DSSCs (6.9% for N719 and 6.5% for D35).
Article
Physics, Applied
Dong Chen, Guo Wen Sun, Jiang Long Pan, Sha Sha Wang, Xi Yin Yang, Yan Chun Wang, Xiu Ping Gao, Geng Zhi Sun, Xiao Jun Pan, Jin Yuan Zhou
Summary: By decorating NTO quantum dots on the surface of TiO2 nanospheres, the TiO2/NTO nanostructure enhances visible light absorption, improves the separation and recombination of photo-generated carriers, resulting in significantly improved photoelectronic conversion efficiency of DSSCs.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Optics
Sehwan Chang, Junyoung Jin, Jihoon Kyhm, Tae Hwan Park, Jongtae Ahn, Sung-Yul L. Park, Suk In Park, Do Kyung Hwang, Sang Soo Choi, Tae-Yeon Seong, Jin-Dong Song, Gyu Weon Hwang
Summary: We fabricated a high-resolution 1 x 10 PbS QD photodiode array using a customized photolithographic process. The array showed good responsivity and uniformity under 1310-nm SWIR illumination. The response time and bandwidth were also satisfactory. This study demonstrated that the QD photodiode-based SWIR image sensor is a cost-effective and practical alternative.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
M. A. K. L. Dissanayake, T. Jaseetharan, G. K. R. Senadeera, B-E. Mellander, I. Albinsson, M. Furlani, J. M. K. W. Kumari
Summary: Co-sensitized solar cells that can convert energy by absorbing photons from a wide range of the solar spectrum, including visible and near-infrared regions, have been fabricated using PBs/CdS core-shell quantum dots and N719 dye. These cells demonstrate enhanced efficiency, reaching up to 4.41%, showcasing the cumulative effect of the mixed cation effect and co-sensitization.
JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY A-CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Electrochemistry
Eftade Pinar Gur, Mesut Eryig, Uemit Demir
Summary: In this study, vertically aligned ZnO nanowalls decorated with electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) structures were co-deposited directly on FTO substrates using a simple and one-pot electrochemical technique. These ERGO/ZnONWs were then co-sensitized with PbS and CdS quantum dots (QDs) using a successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique to fabricate ERGO/ZnONWs/PbS/CdS photoelectrodes. The photocurrent response of the ERGO/ZnONWs photoelectrodes was systematically investigated by varying the number of SILAR cycles for PbS and CdS. The PbS/CdS co-sensitized ERGO/ZnONWs photoelectrodes exhibited the best performance with high efficiency, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and fill factor compared to other reported ZnO-based QDSSCs. The present study highlights the potential of the novel ERGO/ZnONWs/PbS/CdS photoanode and provides a simple and eco-friendly electrochemical technique for researchers interested in fabricating ERGO/ZnONWs for various applications.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Anurag Roy, M. J. S. Mohamed, M. A. Gondal, Tapas K. Mallick, Asif Ali Tahir, Senthilarasu Sundaram
Summary: Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can achieve enhanced performance by engineering the materials at the interface of different device components. The most commonly used photosensitizers for DSSCs are Ru (II) polypyridyl-based synthetic dyes, but they are expensive. This study explores the use of natural and metal-free organic dyes as alternatives to synthetic dyes, and introduces Cu-doped CdS as a co-sensitizer to improve light-harvesting. The introduction of Cu leads to a broad absorption range and enhances optical interaction with the N719 dye, resulting in improved photocurrent density and overall performance of the DSSC.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ella L. Wassweiler, Melany Sponseller, Anna Osherov, Joel Jean, Moungi G. Bawendi, Vladimir Bulovic
Summary: Researchers successfully reduced the electrode material costs in PbS QD solar cells by introducing a NiOx interlayer and an ITO buffer layer, which allowed for the replacement of gold electrode with aluminum and copper electrodes without compromising power conversion efficiency or stability.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiting Yang, Zhengdan Rao, Qien Xu, Yongqi Liang, Lin Yang
Summary: Interfaces between functional layers inside thin film optoelectronic devices play a crucial role in minimizing energy loss during electron transfer and enhancing photovoltaic performance. This study focuses on tuning electron transfer across three interfaces in PbS quantum dot solar cells, demonstrating a high power conversion efficiency of PbS QD solar cells by engineering the interfaces.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miguel Albaladejo-Siguan, David Becker-Koch, Elizabeth C. Baird, Yvonne J. Hofstetter, Ben P. Carwithen, Anton Kirch, Sebastian Reineke, Artem A. Bakulin, Fabian Paulus, Yana Vaynzof
Summary: Light-harvesting devices made from lead sulfide quantum dot absorbers have promising applications in third-generation photovoltaics. Passivating the quantum dot surfaces and managing the excess lead halide can improve device performance and stability.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Junfan Wang, Jun Chen
Summary: A Si: PbS CQD heterojunction near-infrared photodetector was successfully fabricated, and it showed excellent optoelectronic performance. This research is expected to promote the development of related silicon-based near-infrared photodetectors.
SURFACES AND INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stefan W. Tabernig, Lin Yuan, Andrea Cordaro, Zhi Li Teh, Yijun Gao, Robert J. Patterson, Andreas Pusch, Shujuan Huang, Albert Polman
Summary: We have designed an optically resonant bulk heterojunction solar cell to study the optoelectronic properties of nanostructured p-n junctions. By optimizing the nanoscale pattern, we were able to improve the efficiency of the solar cell by enhancing the absorption and charge-carrier extraction behavior. Our experiments and simulations showed significant improvement in infrared response and current gain in the patterned solar cell compared to the planar reference, demonstrating the importance of nanostructured geometries in enhancing solar cell performance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Pawel Gnida, Pawel Jarka, Pavel Chulkin, Aleksandra Drygala, Marcin Libera, Tomasz Tanski, Ewa Schab-Balcerzak
Summary: The impact of various TiO2 nanostructures on the properties of photoanodes and the photovoltaic parameters of dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated. It was found that the addition of nanotubes to the photoanode resulted in the highest UV-Vis absorption, indicating a higher number of sensitizer molecules anchored to the titanium dioxide. This led to the highest power conversion efficiency in the solar cells containing nanotubes and a mixture of dyes with a co-adsorbent.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zeping Li, Xiong Yu, Yunhao Zhu, Sisi Liu, Xiaoyan Wen, Haifei Lu, Cong Wang, Xiao Li, Ming-Yu Li, Yingping Yang
Summary: In this study, ZnO quantum dot (QD) / magnetron sputtered ZnO homojunction photodetectors with excellent performance were fabricated by systematically varying the thickness ratios between two ZnO layers. The balanced ratio resulted in extra adsorption-desorption sites from the ZnO QDs and accelerated carrier transportation from the highly crystallized magnetron sputtered ZnO layers. As a result, the fabricated ZnO homojunction photodetector showed significantly increased responsivity and external quantum efficiency, paving the way for ultra-sensitive UV photodetection.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haraprasad Mandal, Madhu Chakali, Munisamy Venkatesan, Prakriti Ranjan Bangal
Summary: This study demonstrates hot electron transfer and ultrafast electron transfer between cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) and tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) in newly prepared CdTe QD-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin nanocomposites (CdTe QD-TCPP NCs) using steady state, time-resolved emission, and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic techniques. The observation of efficient quenching of the photoluminescence of CdTe QDs with little change in photoluminescence decay profiles suggests a static interaction between CdTe QDs and TCPP. Excitation wavelength and intensity dependent studies confirm the hot electron transfer from higher excited states to TCPP, while ultrafast electron transfer from photoexcited TCPP to CdTe QDs is also observed.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yaoxin Zhang, Zhen Yu, Hao Qu, Shuai Guo, Jiachen Yang, Songlin Zhang, Lin Yang, Shaoan Cheng, John Wang, Swee Ching Tan
Summary: The emerging moisture-driven energy generation (MEG) technology has potential in fields like information security, but this potential is currently untapped. This study reports an original MEG structure that uses selective coating of ionic hygroscopic hydrogels on a carbon black surface to convert moisture energy. By combining hydrogel patterns and encoding methods, a humidity-regulated information encryption and display platform is developed, providing a hierarchical solution for high-security encryption and display.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiangmin Jiang, Zhenghui Pan, Jiaren Yuan, Jun Shan, Chenglong Chen, Shaopeng Li, Yaxin Chen, Quanchao Zhuang, Zhicheng Ju, Hui Dou, Xiaogang Zhang, John Wang, John Wang
Summary: By constructing a stable and robust g-C3N4 protective layer on the surface of zinc metal anodes, the performance of aqueous zinc-ion batteries can be improved, inhibiting dendrite growth and enhancing Coulombic efficiency and lifespan.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Soren S. Sorensen, Xiangting Ren, Tao Du, Ayoub Traverson, Shibo Xi, Lars R. Jensen, Mathieu Bauchy, Satoshi Horike, John Wang, Morten M. Smedskjaer
Summary: This work demonstrates that water can depolymerize polyhedra with labile metal-ligand bonds in a cobalt-based coordination network, resulting in nonstoichiometric glasses. The addition of water molecules promotes the breakage of network bonds and coordination number changes, thereby lowering melting and glass transition temperatures. These structural changes alter the physical and chemical properties of the glass, similar to the concept of modifiers in oxides. This approach can be extended to other transition metal-based coordination networks, enabling diversification of hybrid glass chemistry.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lei Jiang, Mengrui Lu, Piaoyun Yang, Yijing Fan, Hao Huang, Juan Xiong, Zhao Wang, Haoshuang Gu, John Wang
Summary: In this study, a pressure sensor matrix capable of two-dimensional pressure mapping was developed by using patterned piezoelectric (K,Na)NbO3 (KNN) nanorod arrays. The KNN nanorods exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility, elasticity, and piezoelectric performance, enabling a high sensitivity of up to 0.20 V N-1 and a detection limit as low as 20 g. The spatially separated micro sensor matrix allowed for accurate self-powered pressure mapping and precise analysis of mechanical stimulations.
SCIENCE CHINA-MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tao Sun, Wenjie Zang, Jianguo Sun, Chenguang Li, Jun Fan, Enzhou Liu, John Wang
Summary: Non-carbon-supported single-atom electrocatalysts (SACs) have attracted great interest for water splitting due to their unique bond and coordination properties, as well as their superior and tunable catalytic performance compared to carbon-supported SACs and commercial catalysts. The structure, surficial chemical groups, vacancy defects of non-carbon host materials, as well as the properties and population of single atoms, play important roles in the electrocatalytic performance of these SACs. The wide range of host materials and single atom types present limitless possibilities for the design of SACs with tunable structures and electrocatalysis behaviors.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Saeid M. Elkatlawy, Abdelhamid A. Sakr, John Wang, Abdelnaby M. Elshahawy
Summary: In this study, an effective strategy was designed to combine transition metal sulfides with nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide hydrogels, improving the overall supercapattery properties.
JOURNAL OF INORGANIC AND ORGANOMETALLIC POLYMERS AND MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hayden A. Evans, Dan Zhao, Pieremanuele Canepa, Anthony K. Cheetham, Dinesh Mullangi, Taner Yildirim, Yuxiang Wang, Zeyu Deng, Zhaoqiang Zhang, Thuc T. Mai, Fengxia Wei, John Wang, Angela R. Hight Walker, Craig M. Brown
Summary: The process of separating oxygen from air to create oxygen-enriched gas streams is important in both industrial and medical fields. However, existing technologies for this process are energy-intensive and require infrastructure. This study demonstrates that a metal-organic framework, Al(HCOO)3 (ALF), can effectively adsorb oxygen at near-ice temperatures, with good time-dependent selectivity. ALF exhibits a high oxygen adsorption capacity of approximately 1.7 mmol/g at 190K and atmospheric pressure, and approximately 0.3 mmol/g at salt-ice temperatures of 250K. ALF shows potential as a low-cost option for oxygen separation applications.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhaoqiang Zhang, Zeyu Deng, Hayden A. Evans, Dinesh Mullangi, Chengjun Kang, Shing Bo Peh, Yuxiang Wang, Craig M. Brown, John Wang, Pieremanuele Canepa, Anthony K. Cheetham, Dan Zhao
Summary: The exclusive capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from hydrocarbon mixtures is crucial in the petrochemical industry. A new study introduces a ultramicroporous material, ALF, which can selectively capture CO2 from hydrocarbon mixtures with high capacity and efficiency. The material's unique pore chemistry allows for molecular recognition of CO2 by hydrogen bonding, while rejecting other hydrocarbons.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hongfei Cheng, Jun Zhou, Huiqing Xie, Songlin Zhang, Jintao Zhang, Shengnan Sun, Ping Luo, Ming Lin, Shijie Wang, Zhenghui Pan, John Wang, Xian Jun Loh, Zhaolin Liu
Summary: Direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) are a promising energy source in the future low-carbon economy, but the lack of efficient electrocatalysts for anodic formic acid oxidation (FAO) hinders their scale-up and commercialization. The FAO performance of palladium hydrides (PdHx) has been found to be superior to pristine Pd, and this study explores the controlled synthesis and electrocatalytic behaviors of PdHx-based nanomaterials. The hydrogen intercalation-induced crystallization of PdNiP alloy nanoparticles is reported, and the obtained PdNiP-H nanoparticles exhibit excellent FAO performance, demonstrating their potential for DFAFC applications.
ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Lu Mao, Xiaoyu Hao, Yu Zhang, Siew Yee Wong, Jiating He, Suxi Wang, Ximeng Liu, Xiaolei Huang, John Wang, Xu Li
Summary: In this study, hierarchical NiFe hydroxide-Cu arrays are prepared as the electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) through solution etch and sequential electrolysis. The electrochemically reduced Cu nanoarrays serve as a conductive core, providing superior conductivity for electron transfer, while the unique hierarchical 3D structure offers a large active surface area, a short ion diffusion path, and open channels for efficient gas release. The resulting NiFe hydroxide-Cu arrays on copper foam exhibit outstanding catalytic performance with current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm(-2) achieved at 245 and 300 mV, respectively, in a 1 M KOH solution. Additionally, a small Tafel slope of 51 mV dec(-1) and excellent electrochemical durability of up to 100 h are demonstrated.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xianyang Zhang, Pengfei Chen, Siwuxie He, Bowen Jiang, Yong Wang, Yonghua Cheng, Jian Peng, Francis Verpoort, John Wang, Zongkui Kou
Summary: Biosensors featuring single molecule detection offer great opportunities in various fields, but face challenges due to the lack of activity, precision molecule selectivity, and understanding of the operating mechanism. Single-atom catalysts (SACs), particularly those that mimic the natural metalloenzyme structure, provide practical-use feasibilities for single molecule detections with high molecular selectivity and easy fabrication. This review discusses the history, advantages, and applications of SACs in molecule-scale biosensors, emphasizing their sensing modes and coordination-modulated signal amplifications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jianguo Sun, Binbin Liu, Qi Zhao, Chin Ho Kirk, John Wang
Summary: This article provides an overview of the research progress on MXenes in energy and catalysis, with a specific focus on the potential of termination-free MXene in catalysis and redox reactions. The authors believe that MX has great potential in future catalysis and propose the extension towards high entropy and single-atom modifications.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yue Guo, Hanmei Jiang, Binbin Liu, Xingyang Wang, Yifu Zhang, Jianguo Sun, John Wang
Summary: Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are considered promising for large-scale grid energy storage due to their safety, low costs, and environmental friendliness. Vanadium oxides, particularly V2O5, have been widely used as cathode materials for ZIBs because of their high theoretical capacity and structural stability. However, there are challenges in achieving high capacity, long lifespan, and excellent rate performance with vanadium-based ZIBs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Weihao Liu, Jing Yang, Yizhe Zhao, Ximeng Liu, Jian Heng, Minghui Hong, Yong-Wei Zhang, John Wang
Summary: This study introduces a novel laser-ironing approach to modulate the structural and compositional evolution of electrocatalysts during the reaction, enhancing their performance and stability. The laser-ironing capping layer (LICL) formed during the process sustains the leaf-like morphology and promotes the formation of highly active Co3O4 nanoclusters. The results provide new insights into facile and high-precision surface microstructure control.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Qilin Huang, Ximeng Liu, John Wang
Summary: Activated carbon is commonly used as the cathode material in zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHS), but the lack of properly engineered hierarchical porous conducting electrodes has limited their electrochemical performance. In this study, a hierarchically porous and self-standing carbon framework was developed through extrusion 3D-printing and thermal annealing. The ratio between the activated carbon and Pluronic F127 was shown to be crucial for affecting the electrochemical performance.
