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Mukherjee S, Katea SN, Rodrigues EM, Segre CU, Hemmer E, Broqvist P, Rensmo H, Westin G. Entrapped Molecule-Like Europium-Oxide Clusters in Zinc Oxide with Nearly Unaffected Host Structure. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2203331. [PMID: 36403214 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202203331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nanocrystalline ZnO sponges doped with 5 mol% EuO1.5 are obtained by heating metal-salt complex based precursor pastes at 200-900 °C for 3 min. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) show that phase separation into ZnO:Eu and c-Eu2 O3 takes place upon heating at 700 °C or higher. The unit cell of the clean oxide made at 600 °C shows only ≈0.4% volume increase versus undoped ZnO, and EXAFS shows a ZnO local structure that is little affected by the Eu-doping and an average Eu3+ ion coordination number of ≈5.2. Comparisons of 23 density functional theory-generated structures having differently sized Eu-oxide clusters embedded in ZnO identify three structures with four or eight Eu atoms as the most energetically favorable. These clusters exhibit the smallest volume increase compared to undoped ZnO and Eu coordination numbers of 5.2-5.5, all in excellent agreement with experimental data. ZnO defect states are crucial for efficient Eu3+ excitation, while c-Eu2 O3 phase separation results in loss of the characteristic Eu3+ photoluminescence. The formation of molecule-like Eu-oxide clusters, entrapped in ZnO, proposed here, may help in understanding the nature of the unexpected high doping levels of lanthanide ions in ZnO that occur virtually without significant change in ZnO unit cell dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soham Mukherjee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75237, Sweden
| | - Sarmad Naim Katea
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75121, Sweden
| | - Emille M Rodrigues
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Carlo U Segre
- Center for Synchrotron Radiation Research and Instrumentation and Department of Physics, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616, USA
| | - Eva Hemmer
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Peter Broqvist
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75121, Sweden
| | - Håkan Rensmo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75237, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Westin
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75121, Sweden
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Aykaç A, Akkaş EÖ. Synthesis, Characterization, and Antibacterial Properties of ZnO Nanostructures Functionalized Flexible Carbon Fibers. RECENT PATENTS ON NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 17:119-130. [PMID: 35431005 DOI: 10.2174/1872210516666220414103629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies on the surface functionalization of flexible carbon fibers without any substrate by using cost-effective, fast, and practical processes that may provide antibacterial properties to carbon fiber have received great importance recently. OBJECTIVE The objective of this patent study is to obtain zinc oxide nanostructures functionalized carbon fibers by a facile, cheap, fast, and repeatable method, and to show their effective antibacterial activity. METHODS Electroplating and electrochemical anodization were used to synthesize zinc oxide nanostructures on carbon fiber surfaces, respectively, and their antibacterial properties were studied by zone inhibition test against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. RESULTS The zinc oxide nanostructures on carbon fiber surfaces were successfully synthesized in minutes, and they exhibited effective antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The morphological properties of the nanocomposite were studied using scanning electron microscopy, which showed that ZnO on the CF surface exhibits a flake-like nanostructure. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the composite's compositional, structural, crystallographic, and spectral characteristics. The results from all analyses were in a good agreement, indicating that the wurtzite crystalline ZnO nanostructure was successfully produced on the CF surface. CONCLUSION As a consequence, a method for the surface functionalization of carbon fiber using zinc oxide nanostructures has been developed that is feasible, low-cost, rapid, and repeatable. The flexible nanocomposite structure has a significant potential to be employed as a scaffold in sensor technology, wearable devices, and particularly in medical textiles due to its antibacterial and woven-able properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Aykaç
- Department of Engineering Sciences, Izmir Katip Çelebi University, Izmir, Turkey
- Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Department, Izmir Katip Çelebi University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Emine Özge Akkaş
- Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Department, Izmir Katip Çelebi University, Izmir, Turkey
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Zhu Y, Hoh HY, Qian S, Sun C, Wu Z, Huang Z, Wang L, Batmunkh M, Lai C, Zhang S, Zhong YL. Ultrastable Zinc Anode Enabled by CO 2-Induced Interface Layer. ACS NANO 2022; 16:14600-14610. [PMID: 36067416 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c05124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs), being safe, inexpensive, and pollution-free, are a promising candidate for future large-scale sustainable energy storage. However, in a conventional AZIBs setup, the Zn metal anode suffers oxidative corrosion, side reactions with electrolytes, disordered dendrite growth during operation, and consequently low efficiency and short lifespan. In this work, we discover that purging CO2 gas into the electrolyte could address these issues by eliminating dissolved O2, inhibiting side reactions by buffering the local pH change, and preventing dendrite growth by inducing the in situ formation of a ZnCO3 solid electrolyte interphase layer. Moreover, the CO2-purged electrolyte could enable a highly reversible plating/stripping behavior with a high Coulombic efficiency of 99.97% and an ultralong lifespan of 32,000 cycles (1600 h) even under an ultrahigh current density of 40 mA cm-2. Consequently, the CO2-purged symmetrical cells deliver long cycling stability at a high depth of discharge of 57%, while the CO2-purged Zn/V2O5 full cells exhibit outstanding capacity retention of 66% after 1000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A g-1. Our strategy, the simple introduction of CO2 gas into the electrolyte, could effectively mediate the zinc anode's critical issues and provide a scalable and cost-effective pathway for the commercialization of AZIBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zhu
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Hui Ying Hoh
- Centre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Shangshu Qian
- Centre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Chuang Sun
- School of Chemistry and Materials Chemistry, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - ZhenZhen Wu
- Centre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Zimo Huang
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Liang Wang
- Centre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Munkhbayar Batmunkh
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Chao Lai
- School of Chemistry and Materials Chemistry, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221116, China
| | - Shanqing Zhang
- Centre for Catalysis and Clean Energy, School of Environment and Science, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Yu Lin Zhong
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, School of Environment and Science, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
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Formaldehyde Electrochemical Sensor using Graphite Paste-modified Green Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles. INORG CHEM COMMUN 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2022.109729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Andriani A, Benu DP, Megantari V, Yuliarto B, Mukti RR, Ide Y, Chowdhury S, A. Amin M, Kaneti Y, Suendo V. Role of Urea on Structural, Textural, and Optical Properties of Macroemulsion-assisted Synthesized Holey ZnO Nanosheets for Photocatalytic Applications. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2nj00184e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Using a macroemulsion-assisted solvothermal method, the present study produces holey ZnO nanosheets exhibiting the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure. In the synthetic process, urea is employed as a hydrolyzing agent. Its...
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Golubeva OY, Alikina YA, Khamova TV, Vladimirova EV, Shamova OV. Aluminosilicate Nanosponges: Synthesis, Properties, and Application Prospects. Inorg Chem 2021; 60:17008-17018. [PMID: 34723488 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A simple one-step method is presented for fabricating inorganic nanosponges with a kaolinite [Al2Si2O5(OH)4] structure. The nanosponges were synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of aluminosilicate gels in an acidic medium (pH = 2.6) at 220 °C without using organic cross-linking agents, such as cyclodextrin or polymers. The formation of the nanosponge morphology was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, and the assignment of the synthesized aluminosilicates to the kaolinite group was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. The effect of the synthesis conditions, in particular, the nature (HCl, HF, NaOH, and H2O) and pH of the reaction medium (2.6, 7, and 12), as well as the duration of the synthesis (3, 6, and 12 days), on the morphology of aluminosilicates of the kaolinite group was studied. The sorption capacity of aluminosilicate nanosponges with respect to cationic (e.g., methylene blue) and anionic (e.g., azorubine) dyes in aqueous solutions was studied. The pH sensitivity of the surface ζ potential of the synthesized nanosponges was demonstrated. The dependence of the hemolytic activity (the ability to destroy erythrocytes) of aluminosilicate nanoparticles on the particle morphology (platy, spherical, and nanosponge) has been identified for the first time. Aluminosilicate nanosponges were not found to exhibit hemolytic activity. The prospects of using aluminosilicate nanosponges to prepare innovative functional materials for ecology and medicine applications, in particular, as matrices for drug delivery systems, were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Yu Golubeva
- Laboratory of the Nanostructures Research, Institute of Silicate Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Adm. Makarova Emb., 2, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Yulia A Alikina
- Laboratory of the Nanostructures Research, Institute of Silicate Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Adm. Makarova Emb., 2, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Tamara V Khamova
- Laboratory of the Nanostructures Research, Institute of Silicate Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Adm. Makarova Emb., 2, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Elizaveta V Vladimirova
- Department of General Pathology and Pathological Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academic Pavlov Str., 12, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia
| | - Olga V Shamova
- Department of General Pathology and Pathological Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academic Pavlov Str., 12, St. Petersburg 197376, Russia
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Ramya M, Nideep TK, Nampoori VPN, Kailasnath M. Solvent assisted evolution and growth mechanism of zero to three dimensional ZnO nanostructures for dye sensitized solar cell applications. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6159. [PMID: 33731870 PMCID: PMC7969771 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85701-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
We report the structural engineering of ZnO nanostructures by a consistent solution method using distinct solvents such as ethylene glycol, 1-butanol, acetic acid and water. The growth kinetics are found to depend strongly on the physicochemical properties of the solvent and zeta potential of the colloidal solution. Furthermore, the resulting nanostructures as a photoanode material, displayed a prominent structure dependent property in determining the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The fabricated solar cell with ZnO nanostructures based photoanode exhibited improved conversion efficiency. Moreover, the nanoflower based DSSCs showed a higher conversion efficiency of 4.1% compared to the other structures. The excellent performance of ZnO nanoflower is attributed to its better light-harvesting ability and increased resistance to charge-recombination. Therefore ZnO nanostructures can be a promising alternative for TiO2 in DSSCs. These findings provide new insight into the simple, low cost and consistent synthetic strategies for ZnO nanostructures and its outstanding performance as a photoanode material in DSSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ramya
- International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India
| | - T K Nideep
- International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India
| | - V P N Nampoori
- International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India
| | - M Kailasnath
- International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, India.
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Katea SN, Broqvist P, Kullgren J, Hemmer E, Westin G. Fast, Low-Cost Synthesis of ZnO:Eu Nanosponges and the Nature of Ln Doping in ZnO. Inorg Chem 2020; 59:7584-7602. [PMID: 32374596 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A low-cost template-free solution chemical route to highly porous nanocrystalline sponges of ZnO-EuO1.5 with 0-5 mol % Eu is presented. The process uses Zn- and Eu-acetate-nitrate and triethanolamine as precursors in methanol. After evaporation of the solvent and heating at 200 °C for 3 min, crystalline ZnO:Eu sponges with minor amounts of organic residues were obtained. Heating to 400 °C replaced the organics with carbonate, which in its turn was decomposed at temperatures below 600 °C, forming ZnO:Eu sponges. Samples heated to 200-1000 °C for 3 min were studied with XRD, SEM, TEM, TG, XPS, and IR spectroscopy. The ZnO:Eu crystallite sizes could be tuned from below 10 nm for sponges prepared at 200-500 °C, to over 100 nm range at 900 °C, without sintering of the overall microstructure. XRD showed the presence of hexagonal ZnO:Eu (or at 700-1000 °C, ZnO:Eu and cubic Eu2O3) as the only phases present. The ZnO:Eu had slightly larger unit cell dimensions than the literature value of ZnO for samples obtained at 200-600 °C, while the unit cells of samples obtained at higher temperatures were quite close to the value of undoped ZnO. XPS showed that Eu was mainly in its 3+ state and well-distributed within the sponges but segregated at the ZnO sponge surface upon heating at 700-1000 °C, in accordance with XRD studies showing Eu2O3 formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarmad Naim Katea
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75121 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter Broqvist
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75121 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jolla Kullgren
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75121 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Hemmer
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Gunnar Westin
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström, Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, 75121 Uppsala, Sweden
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Kiriarachchi H, Abouzeid KM, Bo L, El-Shall MS. Growth Mechanism of Sea Urchin ZnO Nanostructures in Aqueous Solutions and Their Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Organic Dyes. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:14013-14020. [PMID: 31497719 PMCID: PMC6714608 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
This work reports the development of a fast and simple route for the synthesis of ZnO sea urchin (SU) nanostructures by the formation and assembly of ZnO nanorods under favorable growth conditions in an aqueous solution. The thermal treatment of a basic zinc acetate solution in ethanol results in the formation of aggregated seed clusters consisting of small ZnO nanorods, which were then grown in a precursor solution containing Zn(NO3)2·6H2O and hexamethylenetetramine to assemble the SU structures from the anisotropic ZnO nanorods on the surface of the seed clusters. Each ZnO nanoparticle in the aggregated seed clusters grew sequentially into a ZnO nanorod, and the nanorods were concentric to the core of the clusters yielding the unique SU-like shape. In the presence of a capping agent such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), the aggregated seed clusters were not formed, and the growth of the CTAB-capped ZnO nanorods resulted in separated rods with average aspect ratios of ∼10. The SU ZnO nanostructures exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure and higher specific surface area (26.9 m2/g) than the CTAB-capped nanorods (17.7 m2/g). The SU ZnO nanostructures show superior photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of three common organic dyes compared to the ZnO nanorods. The removal efficiencies of indigo carmine, methylene blue, and rhodamine B by the SU nanostructures were 99, 86, and 96%, respectively, after 1 h of UV irradiation. Therefore, the ZnO SU structures have the potential to be a versatile photocatalyst for the photodegradation of organic dyes in industrial wastewater.
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