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Jouybar S, Naji L, Mozaffari SA, Sarabadani Tafreshi S. In Situ Electrochemical Cobalt Doping in Perovskite-Structured Lanthanum Nickelate Thin Film Toward Energy Conversion Enhancement of Polymer Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:32857-32873. [PMID: 38865590 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c04669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
This study demonstrates that the electrochemical doping of lanthanum nickelate (LNO) with cobalt ions is a promising strategy for enhancing its physical and electrochemical properties, which are critical for energy storage and conversion devices. LNO emerges as a promising hole transport layer (HTL) in solar cells due to its stability, large band gap, and high transparency. Nevertheless, its low conductivity and improperly aligned band positions are persistent problems. Here, in a pioneering endeavor, Co-doped LNO thin films were synthesized electrochemically and applied as the HTL in polymer solar cells (PSCs). Characterization revealed the impact of Co doping on the electrochemical, structural, morphological, and optical properties of LNO thin films. Depending on the Co doping level, PSCs based on 10 mol % Co-doped LNO outperformed pure LNO, achieving a champion efficiency of 6.11% with enhanced short-circuit current density (12.84 mA cm-2), fill factor (68%), open-circuit voltage (0.70 V), and external quantum efficiency (82.6%). This enhancement resulted from decreased series resistance, refined surface morphology, minimized trap-assisted recombination, enhanced conductivity, increased charge carrier production, favorable energy level alignment, and improved current extraction facilitated by LNC0.10O HTL. Moreover, the unencapsulated PSC-LNC0.10O long-term stability notably improved and retained 86% of its initial PCE after 450 h storage in ambient air, 82% after being continuously heated to 85 °C for 300 h, and 80% after operating at maximum power point for 300 h. These findings offer a straightforward approach to enhancing PSC performance through Co doping of LNO, supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations that validate the experimental results and confirm the improvement in optical properties and stability of PSCs as an HTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirzad Jouybar
- Department of Chemistry, AmirKabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Avenue, P. O. Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Naji
- Department of Chemistry, AmirKabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Avenue, P. O. Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Ahmad Mozaffari
- Department of Chemical Technologies, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), P. O. Box: 33535-111, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeedeh Sarabadani Tafreshi
- Department of Chemistry, AmirKabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Avenue, P. O. Box: 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, LS29JT Leeds, U.K
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S SM, S S, B S, K CPD. Calcium silicate biocomposites: effects of selenium oxide on the physico-mechanical features and their in-vitrobiological assessments. Biomed Mater 2023; 19:015003. [PMID: 37972550 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/ad0d86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Bone tissue regenerative material serves as a prospective recovery candidate with self-adaptable biological properties of bio-activation, degradability, compatibility, and antimicrobial efficacy instead of metallic implants. Such materials are highly expensive due to chemical reagents and complex synthesis procedures, making them unaffordable for patients with financial constraints. This research produced an efficient bone tissue regenerative material using inexpensive naturally occurring source materials, including silica sand and limestone. The extracted SiO2and CaO particles (75:25 wt%) were subjected to hydrothermal synthesis (water treatment instead of chemical solvents) to produce the CaSiO3biomaterial (code: S). Selenium oxide was doped with calcium silicate at 3, 5, and 10 wt.% to enhance its properties, yielding biocomposite materials (i.e. S3, S5, and S10). The physico-mechanical properties of these materials were investigated with x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, FESEM-EDS, and micro-universal testing machine. The results revealed that the synthesized biocomposites have a crystalline wollastonite phase with a porously fused rough surface. From structural parametric calculations, we found that the biocomposites have reduced particle size and enhanced surface area due to the influence of selenium oxide. The biocomposite S10, having high SeO2content, attained the maximum compressive strength of 75.2 MPa.In-vitrostudies of bioactivity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and antibacterial activity were performed. At 7 and 14 d of bioactivity, the synthesized biocomposites are capable of dissolving their ions into simulated body fluid (SBF) solution to precipitate hydroxyapatite and a required Ca/P ratio of 1.69 was achieved by S3. A comparative analysis has been performed on the degradation activity in Tris-HCl and the consequent pH changes during SBF treatment. The bio-analysis revealed that the biocomposite S3 shows enhanced bioactivity through a controlled degradation rate and secured cell viability of 88% at a concentration of 100 μg ml-1. It also offers significant bacterial inhibition potency againstE.coliandS.aureusbacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakthi Muthulakshmi S
- Department of Physics, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Shailajha S
- Department of Physics, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Shanmugapriya B
- Department of Physics, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli 627012, Tamilnadu, India
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Sudewi S, Chabib L, Zulfajri M, Gedda G, Huang GG. Polyvinylpyrrolidone-passivated fluorescent iron oxide quantum dots for turn-off detection of tetracycline in biological fluids. J Food Drug Anal 2023; 31:177-193. [PMID: 37224556 PMCID: PMC10208663 DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Tetracycline is an antibiotic that has been prescribed for COVID-19 treatment, raising concerns about antibiotic resistance after long-term use. This study reported fluorescent polyvinylpyrrolidone-passivated iron oxide quantum dots (IO QDs) for detecting tetracycline in biological fluids for the first time. The as-prepared IO QDs have an average size of 2.84 nm and exist a good stability under different conditions. The IO QDs' tetracycline detection performance could be attributed to a combination of static quenching and inner filter effect. The IO QDs displayed high sensitivity and selectivity toward tetracycline and achieved a good linear relationship with the corresponding detection limit being 91.6 nM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sri Sudewi
- Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708,
Taiwan
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Sam Ratulangi, Manado, 95115,
Indonesia
| | - Lutfi Chabib
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, 55584,
Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Zulfajri
- Department of Chemistry Education, Universitas Serambi Mekkah, Banda Aceh, Aceh, 23245,
Indonesia
| | - Gangaraju Gedda
- Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering, Presidency University, Bangalore, 560064, Karnataka,
India
| | - Genin G. Huang
- Department of Medicinal and Applied Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708,
Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, 80708,
Taiwan
- Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424,
Taiwan
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Fleming CL, Golzan M, Gunawan C, McGrath KC. Systematic and Bibliometric Analysis of Magnetite Nanoparticles and Their Applications in (Biomedical) Research. GLOBAL CHALLENGES (HOBOKEN, NJ) 2023; 7:2200009. [PMID: 36618105 PMCID: PMC9818080 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202200009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Recent reports show air pollutant magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Considering various field applications of MNPs because of developments in nanotechnology, the aim of this study is to identify major trends and data gaps in research on magnetite to allow for relevant environmental and health risk assessment. Herein, a bibliometric and systematic analysis of the published magnetite literature (n = 31 567) between 1990 to 2020 is completed. Following appraisal, publications (n = 244) are grouped into four time periods with the main research theme identified for each as 1990-1997 "oxides," 1998-2005 "ferric oxide," 2006-2013 "pathology," and 2014-2020 "animal model." Magnetite formation and catalytic activity dominate the first two time periods, with the last two focusing on the exploitation of nanoparticle engineering. Japan and China have the highest number of citations for articles published. Longitudinal analysis indicates that magnetite research for the past 30 years shifted from environmental and industrial applications, to biomedical and its potential toxic effects. Therefore, whilst this study presents the research profile of different countries, the development in research on MNPs, it also reveals that further studies on the effects of MNPs on human health is much needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte L. Fleming
- School of Life SciencesFaculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2008Australia
| | - Mojtaba Golzan
- Vision Science GroupGraduate School of HealthUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2008Australia
| | - Cindy Gunawan
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and InfectionUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2008Australia
| | - Kristine C. McGrath
- School of Life SciencesFaculty of ScienceUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyNSW2008Australia
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Yang H, Konečná A, Xu X, Cheong SW, Batson PE, García de Abajo FJ, Garfunkel E. Simultaneous Imaging of Dopants and Free Charge Carriers by Monochromated EELS. ACS NANO 2022; 16:18795-18805. [PMID: 36317944 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Doping inhomogeneities in solids are not uncommon, but their microscopic observation and understanding are limited due to the lack of bulk-sensitive experimental techniques with high enough spatial and spectral resolution. Here, we demonstrate nanoscale imaging of both dopants and free charge carriers in La-doped BaSnO3 (BLSO) using high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). By analyzing high- and low-energy excitations in EELS, we reveal chemical and electronic inhomogeneities within a single BLSO nanocrystal. The inhomogeneous doping leads to distinctive localized infrared surface plasmons, including a previously unobserved plasmon mode that is highly confined between high- and low-doping regions. We further quantify the carrier density, effective mass, and dopant activation percentage by EELS and transport measurements on the bulk single crystals of BLSO. These results not only represent a practical approach for studying heterogeneities in solids and understanding structure-property relationships at the nanoscale, but also demonstrate the possibility of infrared plasmon tuning by leveraging nanoscale doping texture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbin Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
| | - Andrea Konečná
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, 61200Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Xianghan Xu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
| | - Sang-Wook Cheong
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
| | - Philip E Batson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
| | - F Javier García de Abajo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08860Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eric Garfunkel
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey08854, United States
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Castilla-Amorós L, Schouwink P, Oveisi E, Okatenko V, Buonsanti R. Tailoring Morphology and Elemental Distribution of Cu-In Nanocrystals via Galvanic Replacement. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:18286-18295. [PMID: 36173602 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c05792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The compositional and structural diversity of bimetallic nanocrystals (NCs) provides a superior tunability of their physico-chemical properties, making them attractive for a variety of applications, including sensing and catalysis. Nevertheless, the manipulation of the properties-determining features of bimetallic NCs still remains a challenge, especially when moving away from noble metals. In this work, we explore the galvanic replacement reaction (GRR) of In NCs and a copper molecular precursor to obtain Cu-In bimetallic NCs with an unprecedented variety of morphologies and distribution of the two metals. We obtain spherical Cu11In9 intermetallic and patchy phase-segregated Cu-In NCs, as well as dimer-like Cu-Cu11In9 and Cu-In NCs. In particular, we find that segregation of the two metals occurs as the GRR progresses with time or with a higher copper precursor concentration. We discover size-dependent reaction kinetics, with the smaller In NCs undergoing a slower transition across the different Cu-In configurations. We compare the obtained results with the bulk Cu-In phase diagram and, interestingly, find that the bigger In NCs stabilize the bulk-like Cu-Cu11In9 configuration before their complete segregation into Cu-In NCs. Finally, we also prove the utility of the new family of Cu-In NCs as model catalysts to elucidate the impact of the metal elemental distribution on the selectivity of these bimetallics toward the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction. Generally, we demonstrate that the GRR is a powerful synthetic approach beyond noble metal-containing bimetallic structures, yet that the current knowledge on this reaction is challenged when oxophilic and poorly miscible metal pairs are used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Castilla-Amorós
- Laboratory of Nanochemistry for Energy (LNCE), Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Schouwink
- Institute of Chemical Science and Engineering (ISIC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Emad Oveisi
- Interdisciplinary Center for Electron Microscopy (CIME), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Valery Okatenko
- Laboratory of Nanochemistry for Energy (LNCE), Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Raffaella Buonsanti
- Laboratory of Nanochemistry for Energy (LNCE), Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
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7
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Selective adsorption of epigallocatechin gallate onto highly reusable gallium doped mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles adsorbent. J INDIAN CHEM SOC 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jics.2022.100576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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8
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Solution-Processed Silicon Doped Tin Oxide Thin Films and Thin-Film Transistors Based on Tetraethyl Orthosilicate. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12060590. [PMID: 35736297 PMCID: PMC9227204 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12060590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Recently, tin oxide (SnO2) has been the preferred thin film material for semiconductor devices such as thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to its low cost, non-toxicity, and superior electrical performance. However, the high oxygen vacancy (VO) concentration leads to poor performance of SnO2 thin films and devices. In this paper, with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the Si source, which can decompose to release heat and supply energy when annealing, Si doped SnO2 (STO) films and inverted staggered STO TFTs were successfully fabricated by a solution method. An XPS analysis showed that Si doping can effectively inhibit the formation of VO, thus reducing the carrier concentration and improving the quality of SnO2 films. In addition, the heat released from TEOS can modestly lower the preparation temperature of STO films. By optimizing the annealing temperature and Si doping content, 350 °C annealed STO TFTs with 5 at.% Si exhibited the best device performance: Ioff was as low as 10−10 A, Ion/Ioff reached a magnitude of 104, and Von was 1.51 V. Utilizing TEOS as an Si source has a certain reference significance for solution-processed metal oxide thin films in the future.
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Antonaropoulos G, Vasilakaki M, Trohidou KN, Iannotti V, Ausanio G, Abeykoon M, Bozin ES, Lappas A. Tailoring defects and nanocrystal transformation for optimal heating power in bimagnetic Co yFe 1-yO@Co xFe 3-xO 4 particles. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:382-401. [PMID: 34935014 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr05172e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The effects of cobalt incorporation in spherical heterostructured iron oxide nanocrystals (NCs) of sub-critical size have been explored by colloidal chemistry methods. Synchrotron X-ray total scattering methods suggest that cobalt (Co) substitution in rock salt iron oxide NCs tends to remedy their vacant iron sites, offering a higher degree of resistance to oxidative conversion. Self-passivation still creates a spinel-like shell, but with a higher volume fraction of the rock salt Co-containing phase in the core. The higher divalent metal stoichiometry in the rock salt phase, with increasing Co content, results in a population of unoccupied tetrahedral metal sites in the spinel part, likely through oxidative shell creation, involving an ordered defect-clustering mechanism, directly correlated to core stabilization. To shed light on the effects of Co-substitution and atomic-scale defects (vacant sites), Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the designed NCs, with desirable, enhanced magnetic properties (cf. exchange bias and coercivity), are developed with magnetocrystalline anisotropy which increases due to a relatively low content of Co ions in the lattice. The growth of optimally performing candidates combines also a strongly exchange-coupled system, secured through a high volumetric ratio rock salt phase, interfaced by a not so defective spinel shell. In view of these requirements, specific absorption rate (SAR) calculations demonstrate that the rock salt core sufficiently protected from oxidation and the heterostructure preserved over time, play a key role in magnetically mediated heating efficacies, for potential use of such NCs in magnetic hyperthermia applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Antonaropoulos
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Vassilika Vouton, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Voutes, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Marianna Vasilakaki
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, 15310 Athens, Greece
| | - Kalliopi N Trohidou
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, 15310 Athens, Greece
| | - Vincenzo Iannotti
- CNR-SPIN and Department of Physics "E. Pancini", University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ausanio
- CNR-SPIN and Department of Physics "E. Pancini", University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Milinda Abeykoon
- Photon Sciences Division, National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
| | - Emil S Bozin
- Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
| | - Alexandros Lappas
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Vassilika Vouton, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
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Adimule V, Yallur BC, Challa M, Joshi RS. Synthesis of hierarchical structured Gd doped α-Sb 2O 4 as an advanced nanomaterial for high performance energy storage devices. Heliyon 2021; 7:e08541. [PMID: 34917814 PMCID: PMC8665351 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bimetallic oxide nanostructures (NS) of Gdx: α-Sb2O4 (x = 5, 8, 10 wt.%) emerged as novel electrode material for batteries as they exhibit large specific capacity and cyclic stability. Crystal structure of Gd: α-Sb2O4 NS investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and identified as mixed orthorhombic phase. Surface chemical composition, binding energies of the metal oxides and incorporation of Gd into α-Sb2O4 NS analysed by XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectral) studies. Microstructure analysis reveals that distinctive flower/flake like arrays with agglomeration. Morphology, structure and physical/chemical properties of the resulting nanostructure were analysed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray), BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller), XPS, UV-Visible and XRD studies. Electrochemical performances of Gdx: α-Sb2O4 (x = 10 wt.%) in 6 M KOH aqueous solution dipped in three electrode system evaluated by CV (cyclic voltammetry), GCD (galvanostatic charge-discharge) and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) measurements. The as-synthesized NS exhibited higher specific capacitance of 958 mAh/g at a current density of 0.15 A/g and excellent cyclic stability with 86.5% capacitive retention after 1000 cycles. Distinctive flower/flake like structure, large surface area, and abundant active sites of Gdx: α-Sb2O4 NS could be the reason for significant increase in charge transfer and storage. In brief this work offers facile method to synthesize Gdx: α-Sb2O4 NS are promising electrode materials for potential applications in high performance super capacitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinayak Adimule
- Angadi Institute of Technology and Management (AITM), Savagaon Road, Belagavi 591108, Karnataka, India
| | - Basappa C Yallur
- Department of Chemistry, M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore 560054, Karnataka, India
| | - Malathi Challa
- Department of Chemistry, M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore 560054, Karnataka, India
| | - Rajeev S Joshi
- School of Physical Sciences, Central University of Karnataka, Aland Road, Kadaganchi, Gulbarga, Karnataka 585311
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Ullman D. Exploring Possible Mechanisms of Hormesis and Homeopathy in the Light of Nanopharmacology and Ultra-High Dilutions. Dose Response 2021; 19:15593258211022983. [PMID: 34177397 PMCID: PMC8207273 DOI: 10.1177/15593258211022983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Serially diluted succussed solutions of a suitable drug/toxic substance can exhibit physicochemical and biological properties even far beyond Avogadro's limit defying conventional wisdom. They can show hormesis, and homeopathy uses them as medicines. Many studies confirm that they can have an impact on gene expression different than controls. Water in the exclusion zone phase can have memory but for a short period. However, the nanoparticle as the physical substrate can hold information. Nanoparticle and exclusion zone duo as nanoparticle-exclusion zone shell can provide a prolonged memory. The Nanoparticle-Exclusion Zone Shell Model may be an important step toward explaining the nature and bioactivity of serially diluted succussed solutions used as homeopathic medicines. This model may also provide insight into the workings of hormesis. Hormesis is the primary phenomenon through which homeopathic phenomenon may have evolved exhibiting the principle of similars. Hahnemann exploited it to establish homeopathy. The nanoparticle-exclusion zone shells present in the remedy, selected on the principle of similars, can be patient-specific nanoparticles in a symptom syndrome-specific manner. They can carry the drug-specific information for safer clinical applications in an amplified form for high yielding. It suggests homeopathy is a type of nanopharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Ullman
- Homeopathic Educational Services, Berkeley, CA, USA
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12
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Tuan PV, Hieu LT, Hoang CM, Tuong HB, Tan VT, Hoa TTQ, Sang NX, Khiem TN. Effects of annealing temperature on the structure, morphology, and photocatalytic properties of SnO 2/rGO nanocomposites. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 32:015201. [PMID: 32750691 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/abac30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Water pollution abatement is a problem in today's society that requires urgent attention. Moreover, photocatalysts are an effective method to treat environmental pollution, and SnO2/reduced graphene oxide composite photocatalysts have been extensively studied in recent years. The synthesis parameters for these photocatalysts significantly affect their morphologies, structures, and properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of annealing temperatures on the properties of SnO2/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites, which were hydrothermally fabricated at 180 °C for 24 h and annealed at 200 °C-800 °C. The structural characteristics of the fabricated nanocomposites were studied via x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Raman scattering analyses. The observed results indicated that increasing the annealing temperature from 200 °C to 800 °C increased the average SnO2 nanoparticle size from 4.60 nm to 9.27 nm; in addition, the Raman scattering peaks of the SnO2 increased, and those of the reduced graphene oxide significantly decreased as the annealing temperature was increased. Furthermore, the specific surface area of the samples decreased due to the increase in calcination temperature. The amount of reduced graphene oxide content in all the samples was measured using thermo-gravimetric analysis. The optical properties of the samples were studied using ltraviolet-visible absorption spectra, and their photocatalytic activity was evaluated by decomposing methylene blue under visible light using the samples as catalysts. In particular, the photocatalytic properties of nanocomposites decreased significantly with increasing annealing temperature. Among the samples, the photocatalytic activity of that annealed at 200 °C is most satisfactory as it has the smallest particle size and the largest specific surface area. The results of our research could facilitate the production of efficient catalysts with suitable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pham Van Tuan
- International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology, No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Arjun A, Dharr A, Raguram T, Rajni KS. Study of Copper Doped Zirconium Dioxide Nanoparticles Synthesized via Sol–Gel Technique for Photocatalytic Applications. J Inorg Organomet Polym Mater 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10904-020-01616-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Bouras K, Schmerber G, Aureau D, Rinnert H, Rehspringer JL, Ihiawakrim D, Dinia A, Slaoui A, Colis S. Photon management properties of Yb-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles synthesized by the sol-gel technique. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:21407-21417. [PMID: 31531453 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp01993f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
SnO2 is a transparent large band gap semiconductor, particularly interesting for optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices, mainly because its conduction can be easily tuned by doping or by modulating the amount of oxygen vacancies. Besides, rare earth doping was successfully exploited for up conversion properties. Here we report on the functionalization of SnO2 nanoparticles with optically active Yb3+ ions using the sol-gel method, which allows UV to NIR spectral (down) conversion. As starting solutions we used stable non-alkoxide metal-organic compounds, which is rather uncommon. Transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrated the formation of small well-crystallized nanoparticles while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements have revealed that the Yb is well inserted in the host matrix and has a 3+ valence state. All nanoparticles present large absorption in the UV-visible range (250 to 550 nm) and a band gap that decreases down to 2.72 eV upon doping. The UV energy converted into NIR on the basis of efficient energy transfer from SnO2 to the Yb3+ ions ranges between 250 and 400 nm. Reference undoped SnO2 nanoparticles with a mean size of 20 nm allow converting UV light into broad visible emission centered at 650 nm. The incorporation of up to 3.5 at% of Yb3+ ions into the SnO2 host matrix results in a spectacular decrease of the nanoparticle size down to 6.6 nm. This allowed also the shift of the photoluminescence to NIR in the 970-1050 nm range. The energy level structure of Yb3+ in SnO2 was successfully determined from the deconvolution of the Yb emission. This emission is significantly enhanced by increasing the doping level. All optical measurements suggest that these nanoparticles can be efficiently used as down-shifting converters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karima Bouras
- Laboratoire des sciences de l'ingénieur, de l'informatique et de l'imagerie (ICube), UMR 7357 CNRS and Université de Strasbourg, 23 rue du Loess, BP 20 CR, F-67037 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
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15
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Gusain R, Gupta K, Joshi P, Khatri OP. Adsorptive removal and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants using metal oxides and their composites: A comprehensive review. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 272:102009. [PMID: 31445351 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2019.102009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Metal oxide nanomaterials and their composites are comprehensively reviewed for water remediation. The controlled morphological and textural features, variable surface chemistry, high surface area, specific crystalline nature, and abundant availability make the nanostructured metal oxides and their composites highly selective materials for efficient removal of organic pollutants based on adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. A wide range of metal oxides like iron oxides, magnesium oxide, titanium oxides, zinc oxides, tungsten oxides, copper oxides, metal oxides composites, and graphene-metal oxides composites having variable structural, crystalline and morphological features are reviewed emphasizing the recent development, challenges, and opportunities for adsorptive removal and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants viz. dyes, pesticides, phenolic compounds, and so on. It also covers the deep discussion on the photocatalytic mechanism of metal oxides and their composites along with the properties relevant to photocatalysis. High photodegradation efficiency, economically-viable approaches for the preparation of photocatalytic materials, and controlled band-gap engineering make metal oxides highly efficient photocatalysts for degradation of organic pollutants. The review would be an excellent resource for researchers who are currently focusing on metal oxides-based materials for water remediation as well as for those who are interested in adsorptive and photocatalytic applications of metal oxides and their composites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashi Gusain
- Chemical and Material Sciences Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India
| | - Kanika Gupta
- Chemical and Material Sciences Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Pratiksha Joshi
- Chemical and Material Sciences Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Om P Khatri
- Chemical and Material Sciences Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun 248005, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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16
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Qin X, Xu J, Wu Y, Liu X. Energy-Transfer Editing in Lanthanide-Activated Upconversion Nanocrystals: A Toolbox for Emerging Applications. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2019; 5:29-42. [PMID: 30693323 PMCID: PMC6346627 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.8b00827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Advanced nanoscale synthetic techniques provide a versatile platform for programmable control over the size, morphology, and composition of nanocrystals doped with lanthanide ions. Characteristic upconversion luminescence features originating from the 4f-4f optical transitions of lanthanides can be achieved through predesigned energy transfer pathways, enabling wide applications ranging from ultrasensitive biological detection to advanced spectroscopic instrumentation with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we review recent scientific and technological discoveries that have prompted the realization of these peculiar functions of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystals and discuss the mechanistic studies of energy transfer involved in upconversion processes. These advanced schemes include cross relaxation-mediated depletion, multipulse sequential pumping, and nanostructural configuration design. Our emphasis is placed on disruptive technologies such as super-resolution microscopy, optogenetics, nanolasing, and optical anticounterfeiting, which take full advantage of the upconversion nanophenomena in relation to lanthanide-doped nanocrystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Qin
- Department
of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Jiahui Xu
- Department
of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Yiming Wu
- Department
of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
| | - Xiaogang Liu
- Department
of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543, Singapore
- Center
for Functional Materials, NUS Suzhou Research
Institute, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.
R. China
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17
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Full Tetragonal Phase Stabilization in ZrO₂ Nanoparticles Using Wet Impregnation: Interplay of Host Structure, Dopant Concentration and Sensitivity of Characterization Technique. NANOMATERIALS 2018; 8:nano8120988. [PMID: 30487442 PMCID: PMC6316554 DOI: 10.3390/nano8120988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Here, we show that wet impregnation of ZrO2 nanoparticles with 10% and 20% Eu oxide followed by thermal anneal in air above 500 °C produces full stabilization of the tetragonal phase of ZrO2 without evidencing any phase separation. The bare ZrO2 nanoparticles were obtained using three synthetic methods: oil in water microemulsion, rapid hydrothermal, and citrate complexation methods. The homogeneity of the solid solutions was assessed using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and advanced luminescence spectroscopy. Our findings show that wet impregnation, which is a recognized method for obtaining surface doped oxides, can be successfully used for obtaining doped oxides in the bulk with good homogeneity at the atomic scale. The limits of characterization technique in detecting minor phases and the roles of dopant concentration and host structure in formation of phase stabilized solid solutions are also analyzed and discussed.
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18
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Zuniga JP, Gupta SK, Abdou M, Mao Y. Effect of Molten Salt Synthesis Processing Duration on the Photo- and Radioluminescence of UV-, Visible-, and X-ray-Excitable La 2Hf 2O 7:Eu 3+ Nanoparticles. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:7757-7770. [PMID: 31458923 PMCID: PMC6644486 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b00987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Ln3+-ion-doped nanomaterials possess excellent properties because of their high color purity, longer excited state lifetime, narrow emission, and large Stokes shifts. In this work, we studied the correlation between the luminescence properties of La2Hf2O7:Eu3+ pyrochlore nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by a molten salt synthesis (MSS) method at a relatively low temperature and several MSS processing durations (from 1 to 12 h). We synthesized these NPs with different sizes just by changing the MSS processing time without subjecting to high temperature. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the stabilization of the ideal pyrochlore structure of the La2Hf2O7:Eu3+ NPs at various MSS processing durations. The synthesized NPs exhibited bright red emission under UV, visible, and X-ray excitations, highlighting their potential applications as a red phosphor and scintillator. As the MSS processing time was increased from 1 to 12 h, a spectral change in the position of the charge transfer state in the La2Hf2O7:Eu3+ NPs was observed. The sample processed by the MSS with a duration of 3 h exhibited the highest luminescence intensity, which was attributed to its optimum crystals with least surface defects and less agglomeration. The obtained results strongly and unambiguously indicate the brighter side of this new type of pyrochlore-based NPs in the fast growing field of solid-state lighting and scintillator materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose P. Zuniga
- Department
of Chemistry and School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine
Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley, 1201 West University
Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, United States
| | - Santosh K. Gupta
- Department
of Chemistry and School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine
Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley, 1201 West University
Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, United States
- Radiochemistry
Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India
| | - Maya Abdou
- Department
of Chemistry and School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine
Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley, 1201 West University
Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, United States
| | - Yuanbing Mao
- Department
of Chemistry and School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine
Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande
Valley, 1201 West University
Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539, United States
- E-mail: . Tel: +1-956-665-2986
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