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Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity of Stainless Steel Substrate by Nickel Sulfides for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10111274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Water splitting is one of the efficient ways to produce hydrogen with zero carbon dioxide emission. Thus far, Pt has been regarded as a highly reactive catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER); however, the high cost and rarity of Pt significantly hinder its commercial use. Herein, we successfully developed an HER catalyst composed of NiSx (x = 1 or 2) on stainless steel (NiSx/SUS) using electrodeposition and sulfurization techniques. Notably, the electrochemical active surface area(ECSA) of NiSx/SUS was improved more than two orders of magnitude, resulting in a considerable improvement in the electrochemical charge transfer and HER activity in comparison with stainless steel (SUS). The long-term HER examination by linear scan voltammetry (LSV) confirmed that NiSx/SUS was stable up to 2000 cycles.
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2
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Pal A, Arshad F, Sk MP. Emergence of sulfur quantum dots: Unfolding their synthesis, properties, and applications. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 285:102274. [PMID: 32992078 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, the sphere of applied science has witnessed soaring demand in developing high performance, novel and sustainable materials due to ever-increasing population coupled with need for alternative-green-energy resources. Inevitably, sulfur research expands through the breadth of materials sciences including sustainable use of the by-products obtained from petroleum industry, preparation of biocompatible materials, and constructing energy harvesting devices, indispensable to our everyday lives. Congruous with popular heavy-metal free elemental quantum dots such as the carbon, silicon and phosphorus, emergence of sulfur quantum dots (SQDs) has drawn substantial attention due to their bright luminescence, infrequent to other sulfur allotropes. In this review article, we focus some of the pioneering advances on synthesis and characterizations of luminescent sulfur nanodots and their potential applications in bioimaging, fabrication of light emitting devices, sensing and catalysis. Finally, critical challenges along with future perspectives corresponding to this newly discovered research area have been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayan Pal
- Centre for Nanotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
| | - Farwa Arshad
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Md Palashuddin Sk
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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3
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Ma Y, Hao J, Liu H, Shi W, Lian J. Facile synthesis clusters of sheet-like Ni3S4/CuS nanohybrids with ultrahigh supercapacitor performance. J SOLID STATE CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2019.121088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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4
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Jia H, Cai Y, Wang Z, Zheng X, Li C, Liang H, Qi J, Cao J, Feng J, Fei W. Sea urchin-like CuCo2S4 microspheres with a controllable interior structure as advanced electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors. Inorg Chem Front 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/c9qi01269a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The rational construction of a supercapacitor electrode structure can realize high specific surface area, good cycling stability and high capacitance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Yifei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Zhaoyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Xiaohang Zheng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Chun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Haoyan Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Junlei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Jian Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Jicai Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
| | - Weidong Fei
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- Harbin 150001
- China
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5
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Sanders S, Stümmler D, Pfeiffer P, Ackermann N, Simkus G, Heuken M, Baumann PK, Vescan A, Kalisch H. Chemical Vapor Deposition of Organic-Inorganic Bismuth-Based Perovskite Films for Solar Cell Application. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9774. [PMID: 31278317 PMCID: PMC6611780 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46199-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Perovskite solar cells have shown a rapid increase of performance and overcome the threshold of 20% power conversion efficiency (PCE). The main issues hampering commercialization are the lack of deposition methods for large areas, missing long-term device stability and the toxicity of the commonly used Pb-based compounds. In this work, we present a novel chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process for Pb-free air-stable methylammonium bismuth iodide (MBI) layers, which enables large-area production employing close-coupled showerhead technology. We demonstrate the influence of precursor rates on the layer morphology as well as on the optical and crystallographic properties. The impact of substrate temperature and layer thickness on the morphology of MBI crystallites is discussed. We obtain smooth layers with lateral crystallite sizes up to 500 nm. Moreover, the application of CVD-processed MBI layers in non-inverted perovskite solar cells is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sanders
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - D Stümmler
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - P Pfeiffer
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - N Ackermann
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - G Simkus
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- AIXTRON SE, Dornkaulstr. 2, 52134, Herzogenrath, Germany
| | - M Heuken
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- AIXTRON SE, Dornkaulstr. 2, 52134, Herzogenrath, Germany
| | - P K Baumann
- APEVA SE, Dornkaulstr. 2, 52134, Herzogenrath, Germany
| | - A Vescan
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - H Kalisch
- Compound Semiconductor Technology, RWTH Aachen University, Sommerfeldstr. 18, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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6
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Infinitesimal sulfur fusion yields quasi-metallic bulk silicon for stable and fast energy storage. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2351. [PMID: 31138791 PMCID: PMC6538609 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10289-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A fast-charging battery that supplies maximum energy is a key element for vehicle electrification. High-capacity silicon anodes offer a viable alternative to carbonaceous materials, but they are vulnerable to fracture due to large volumetric changes during charge–discharge cycles. The low ionic and electronic transport across the silicon particles limits the charging rate of batteries. Here, as a three-in-one solution for the above issues, we show that small amounts of sulfur doping (<1 at%) render quasi-metallic silicon microparticles by substitutional doping and increase lithium ion conductivity through the flexible and robust self-supporting channels as demonstrated by microscopy observation and theoretical calculations. Such unusual doping characters are enabled by the simultaneous bottom-up assembly of dopants and silicon at the seed level in molten salts medium. This sulfur-doped silicon anode shows highly stable battery cycling at a fast-charging rate with a high energy density beyond those of a commercial standard anode. Silicon-based anodes are attractive for lithium ion batteries, but improvements in conductivity, ionic diffusion and structural stability would extend applications. Here the authors show that low sulfur-doping in a silicon anode leads to highly stable and fast battery cycling with a high energy density.
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Shuai L, Sitison J, Sadula S, Ding J, Thies MC, Saha B. Selective C–C Bond Cleavage of Methylene-Linked Lignin Models and Kraft Lignin. ACS Catal 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.8b00200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li Shuai
- Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Jake Sitison
- Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Sunitha Sadula
- Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
| | - Junhuan Ding
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Clemson University, 221 Earle Hall, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Mark C. Thies
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Clemson University, 221 Earle Hall, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Basudeb Saha
- Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy Street, Newark, Delaware 19716, United States
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Influence of chromium hyperdoping on the electronic structure of CH 3NH 3PbI 3 perovskite: a first-principles insight. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2511. [PMID: 29410466 PMCID: PMC5802816 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20851-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites compounds are emerging as new materials with great potential for efficient solar cells. This paper explores the possibility of increasing their photovoltaic efficiency through sub-bandgap absorption by way of the in gap band (IGB) concept. Thus, we assess the formation of an in gap band as well as its effect on the absorption features of Organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI). For this task, we use density functional theory (DFT) as well as many-body perturbation methods along to spin-orbit coupling (SOC) to study structural, energetic and electronic properties of partially Cr-substituted MAPI perovskites (CH3NH3Pb1−xCrxI3). Our results reveal that Cr replacement does not lead to an important cell distortion, while the energetic of the substitution process evidences the possibility of obtaining Cr-substituted perovskite. The analysis of the electronic structure shows that Cr 3d-orbitals induce new electronic states in the host semiconductor bandgap, which fulfill the requirements to be considered as an IGB. Precise many-body perturbation methods in G0W0 approach provided an accurate description on the electronic structures as well as the position of the IGB. In short, Pb replacement by Cr could be useful for improved absorption features through new sub-bandgap transitions across the in gap band.
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Sun H, Xiao J, Zhu S, Hu Y, Feng G, Zhuang J, Zhao L. Crystallinity and Sub-Band Gap Absorption of Femtosecond-Laser Hyperdoped Silicon Formed in Different N-Containing Gas Mixtures. MATERIALS 2017; 10:ma10040351. [PMID: 28772709 PMCID: PMC5506947 DOI: 10.3390/ma10040351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Femtosecond (fs)-laser hyperdoped silicon has aroused great interest for applications in infrared photodetectors due to its special properties. Crystallinity and optical absorption influenced by co-hyperdoped nitrogen in surface microstructured silicon, prepared by fs-laser irradiation in gas mixture of SF6/NF3 and SF6/N2 were investigated. In both gas mixtures, nitrogen and sulfur were incorporated at average concentrations above 1019 atoms/cm3 in the 20–400 nm surface layer. Different crystallinity and optical absorption properties were observed for samples microstructured in the two gas mixtures. For samples prepared in SF6/N2, crystallinity and light absorption properties were similar to samples formed in SF6. Significant differences were observed amongst samples formed in SF6/NF3, which possess higher crystallinity and strong sub-band gap absorption. The differing crystallinity and light absorption rates between the two types of nitrogen co-hyperdoped silicon were attributed to different nitrogen configurations in the doped layer. This was induced by fs-laser irradiating silicon in the two N-containing gas mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibin Sun
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Jiamin Xiao
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Suwan Zhu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Guojin Feng
- Spectrophotometry Laboratory, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100013, China.
| | - Jun Zhuang
- Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Li Zhao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
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10
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Understanding the structural transformation, stability of medium-sized neutral and charged silicon clusters. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15951. [PMID: 26526519 PMCID: PMC4630652 DOI: 10.1038/srep15951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The structural and electronic properties for the global minimum structures of medium-sized neutral, anionic and cationic Sinμ (n = 20–30, μ = 0, −1 and +1) clusters have been studied using an unbiased CALYPSO structure searching method in conjunction with first-principles calculations. A large number of low-lying isomers are optimized at the B3PW91/6-311 + G* level of theory. Harmonic vibrational analysis has been performed to assure that the optimized geometries are stable. The growth behaviors clearly indicate that a structural transition from the prolate to spherical-like geometries occurs at n = 26 for neutral silicon clusters, n = 27 for anions and n = 25 for cations. These results are in good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical predicted findings. In addition, no significant structural differences are observed between the neutral and cation charged silicon clusters with n = 20–24, both of them favor prolate structures. The HOMO-LUMO gaps and vertical ionization potential patterns indicate that Si22 is the most chemical stable cluster, and its dynamical stability is deeply discussed by the vibrational spectra calculations.
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