Metastability of anatase: size dependent and irreversible anatase-rutile phase transition in atomic-level precise titania

Catalytic Activity and Electrochemical Stability of Ru1-xMxO2 (M = Zr, Nb, Ta): Computational and Experimental Study of the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

We use computations and experiments to determine the effect of substituting zirconium, niobium, and tantalum within rutile RuO2 on the structure, oxygen evolution reaction (OER) mechanism and activity, and electrochemical stability. Calculated electronic structures altered by Zr, Nb, and Ta show surface regions of electron density depletion and accumulation, along with anisotropic lattice parameter shifts dependent on the substitution site, substituent, and concentration. Consistent with theory, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiments show shifts in binding energies of O-2s, O-2p, and Ru-4d peaks due to the substituents. Experimentally, the substituted materials showed the presence of two phases with a majority phase that contains the metal substituent within the rutile phase and a second, smaller-percentage RuO2 phase. Our experimental analysis of OER activity shows Zr, Nb, and Ta substituents at 12.5 atom % induce lower activity relative to RuO2, which agrees with computing the average of all sites; however, Zr and Ta substitution at specific sites yields higher theoretical OER activity than RuO2, with Zr substitution suggesting an alternative OER mechanism. Metal dissolution predictions show the involvement of cooperative interactions among multiple surface sites and the electrolyte. Zr substitution at specific sites increases activation barriers for Ru dissolution, however, with Zr surface dissolution rates comparable to those of Ru. Experimental OER stability analysis shows lower Ru dissolution from synthesized RuO2 and Zr-substituted RuO2 compared to commercial RuO2 and comparable amounts of Zr and Ru dissolved from Zr-substituted RuO2, aligned with our calculations.

Biosynthesis, characterization and optimization of TiO2 nanoparticles by novel marine halophilic Halomonas sp. RAM2: application of natural dye-sensitized solar cells

BACKGROUND

Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are becoming valuable due to their novel applications. The green synthesis of TiO₂ NPs is more popular as a flexible and eco-friendly method compared to traditional chemical synthesis methods. TiO₂ NPs are the most commonly used semiconductor in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

RESULTS

The biogenic TiO₂ NPs were produced extracellularly by the marine halophilic bacterium Halomonas sp. RAM2. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the biosynthesis process, resulting in a starting TiO₂ concentration of 0.031 M and a pH of 5 for 92 min (⁓15 nm). TiO₂ NPs were well-characterized after the calcination process at different temperatures of 500, 600, 700 and 800 °C. Anatase TiO₂ NPs (calcined at 500 °C) with a smaller surface area and a wider bandgap were nominated for use in natural dye-sensitized solar cells (NDSSCs). The natural dye used as a photosensitizer is a mixture of three carotenoids extracted from the marine bacterium Kocuria sp. RAM1. NDSSCs were evaluated under standard illumination. After optimization of the counter electrode, NDSSC_Bio(10) (10 layers) demonstrated the highest photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of 0.44%, which was almost as good as NDSSC_P25 (0.55%).

CONCLUSION

The obtained results confirmed the successful green synthesis of TiO₂ NPs and suggested a novel use in combination with bacterial carotenoids in DSSC fabrication, which represents an initial step for further efficiency enhancement studies.

Predicting Synthesizability using Machine Learning on Databases of Existing Inorganic Materials

Defining the metric for synthesizability and predicting new compounds that can be experimentally realized in the realm of data-driven research is a pressing problem in contemporary materials science. The increasing computational power and advancements in machine learning (ML) algorithms provide a new avenue to solve the synthesizability challenge. In this work, using the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database (ICSD) and the Materials Project (MP) database, we represent crystal structures in Fourier-transformed crystal properties (FTCP) representation and use a deep learning model to predict synthesizability in the form of a synthesizability score (SC). Such an SC model, as a synthesizability filter for new materials, enables an efficient and accurate classification to identify promising material candidates. The SC prediction model achieved 82.6/80.6% (precision/recall) overall accuracy in predicting ternary crystal materials. We also trained the SC model by only considering compounds uploaded on the MP before 2015 as the training set and testing on multiple sets of materials uploaded after 2015. In the post-2019 test set, we obtain a high 88.60% true positive rate accuracy, coupled with 9.81% precision, indicating that newly added materials remain unexplored and have high synthesis potential. Further, we provide a list of 100 materials predicted to be synthesizable from this post-2019 dataset (highest SC) for future studies, and our SC model, as a validation filter, is beneficial for future material screening and discovery.

The role of the gold-platinum interface in AuPt/TiO2-catalyzed plasmon-induced reduction of CO2 with water

Bimetallic gold-platinum nanoparticles have been widely studied in the fields of nanoalloys, catalysis and plasmonics. Many preparation methods can lead to the formation of these bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs), and the structure and related properties of the nanoalloy often depend on the preparation method used. Here we investigate the ability of thermal dimethylformamide (DMF) reduction to prepare bimetallic gold-platinum sub-nm clusters supported on titania. We find that deposition of Pt preferentially occurs on gold. Formation of sub-nm clusters (vs. NPs) appears to be dependent on the metal concentration used: clusters can be obtained for metal loadings up to 4 wt% but 7-8 nm NPs are formed for metal loadings above 8 wt%, as shown using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) shows electron-rich Au and Pt components in a pure metallic form and significant platinum enrichment of the surface, which increases with increasing Pt/Au ratio and suggests the presence of Au@Pt core-shell type structures. By contrast, titania-supported bimetallic particles (typically >7 nm) obtained by sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) reduction in DMF, contain Au/Pt Janus-type objects in addition to oxidized forms of Pt as evidenced by HRTEM, which is in agreement with the lower Pt surface enrichment found by XPS. Both types of supported nanostructures contain a gold-platinum interface, as shown by the chemical interface damping, i.e. gold plasmon damping by Pt, found using UV-visible spectroscopy. Evaluation of the materials for plasmon-induced continuous flow CO₂ reduction with water, shows that: (1) subnanometer metallic clusters are not suitable for CO₂ reduction with water, producing hydrogen from the competing water reduction instead, thereby highlighting the plasmonic nature of the reaction; (2) the highest methane production rates are obtained for the highest Pt enrichments of the surface, i.e. the core-shell-like structures achieved by the thermal DMF reduction method; (3) selectivity towards CO₂ reduction vs. the competing water reduction is enhanced by loading of the plasmonic NPs, i.e. coverage of the titania semi-conductor by plasmonic NPs. Full selectivity is achieved for loadings above 6 wt%, regardless of the NPs composition and alloy structure.

Polymorphic control in titanium dioxide particles

The hydrolysis-condensation reaction of TiO₂ was adapted to the phase inversion temperature (PIT)-nano-emulsion method as a low energy approach to gain control over the size and phase purity of the resulting metal oxide particles. Three different PIT-nano-emulsion syntheses were designed, each one intended to isolate high purity rutile, anatase, and brookite phase particles. Three different emulsion systems were prepared, with a pH of either strongly acidic (H₂O : HNO₃, pH ∼0.5), moderately acidic (H₂O : isopropanol, pH ∼4.5), or alkaline (H₂O : NaOH, pH ∼12). PIT-nano-emulsion syntheses of the amorphous TiO₂ particles were conducted under these conditions, resulting in average particle diameter distributions of ∼140 d nm (strongly acidic), ∼60 d nm (moderately acidic), and ∼460 d nm (alkaline). Different thermal treatments were performed on the amorphous particles obtained from the PIT-nano-emulsion syntheses. Raman spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were employed to corroborate that the thermally treated particles under H₂O : HNO₃ (at 850 °C), H₂O : NaOH (at 400 °C), and H₂O : isopropanol (at 200 °C) yielded highly-pure rutile, anatase, and brookite phases, respectively. Herein, an experimental approach based on the PIT-nano-emulsion method is demonstrated to synthesize phase-controlled TiO₂ particles with high purity employing fewer toxic compounds, reducing the quantity of starting materials, and with a minimum energy input, particularly for the almost elusive brookite phase.

Big Data in a Nano World: A Review on Computational, Data-Driven Design of Nanomaterials Structures, Properties, and Synthesis

The recent rise of computational, data-driven research has significant potential to accelerate materials discovery. Automated workflows and materials databases are being rapidly developed, contributing to high-throughput data of bulk materials that are growing in quantity and complexity, allowing for correlation between structural-chemical features and functional properties. In contrast, computational data-driven approaches are still relatively rare for nanomaterials discovery due to the rapid scaling of computational cost for finite systems. However, the distinct behaviors at the nanoscale as compared to the parent bulk materials and the vast tunability space with respect to dimensionality and morphology motivate the development of data sets for nanometric materials. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in data-driven research in two aspects: functional materials design and guided synthesis, including commonly used metrics and approaches for designing materials properties and predicting synthesis routes. More importantly, we discuss the distinct behaviors of materials as a result of nanosizing and the implications for data-driven research. Finally, we share our perspectives on future directions for extending the current data-driven research into the nano realm.

Synergistic effect of p-type and n-type dopants in semiconductors for efficient electrocatalytic water splitting

The main challenge for acidic water electrolysis is the lack of active and stable oxygen evolution catalysts based on abundant materials, which are globally scalable. Iridium oxide is the only material which is active and stable. However, Ir is extremely rare. While both active materials and stable materials exist, those that are active are usually not stable and vice versa. In this work, we present a new design strategy for activating stable materials originally deemed unsuitable due to a semiconducting nature and wide band gap energy. These stable semiconductors cannot change oxidation state under the relevant reaction conditions. Based on DFT calculations, we find that adding an n-type dopant facilitates oxygen binding on semiconductor surfaces. The binding is, however, strong and prevents further binding or desorption of oxygen. By combining both n-type and p-type dopants, the reactivity can be tuned so that oxygen can be adsorbed and desorbed under reaction conditions. The tuning results from the electrostatic interactions between the dopants as well as between the dopants and the binding site. This concept is experimentally verified on TiO₂ by co-substituting with different pairs of n- and p-type dopants. Our findings suggest that the co-substitution approach can be used to activate stable materials, with no intrinsic oxygen evolution activity, to design new catalysts for acid water electrolysis.

TiO2/Au/TiO2 Plasmonic Photocatalysts: The Influence of Titania Matrix and Gold Properties

Plasmonic photocatalysts have gained more and more attention because of possible applications for solar energy conversion, environmental decontamination, and water treatment. However, the activity under visible light is usually very low, and the property-governed activity as well as the mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Accordingly, this study examines four different titania photocatalysts (anatase and rutile with fine and large crystallites) modified with gold by photodeposition. Three kinds of samples were prepared, as follows: (i) gold-modified titania (Au/TiO2), (ii) physically mixed Au/TiO2 samples (Au/TiO2(1) + Au/TiO2(2)), and (iii) Au/(TiO2(1) + Au/TiO2(2)) samples, prepared by subsequent deposition of gold on the mixture of bare and gold-modified titania. In total, twelve samples were prepared and well characterized, including diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The photocatalytic activity was examined in three reaction systems: (i) methanol dehydrogenation during gold photodeposition under UV/vis irradiation, (ii) oxidative decomposition of acetic acid (UV/vis), and (iii) oxidation of 2-propanol to acetone under visible light irradiation (λ > 450 nm). It was found that during subsequent deposition, gold is mainly formed on the surface of pre-deposited Au nanoparticles (NPs), localized on fine titania NPs, through the electrostatic attractions (negatively charged gold resulting from photogenerated electrons’ accumulation). This gold aggregation, though detrimental for UV activity (many “naked” large titania with low activity), is highly beneficial for vis activity because of efficient light harvesting and increased interface between gold and titania (gold deposits surrounded by fine titania NPs). Moreover, it was found that rutile is more active than anatase for plasmonic photocatalysis, probably due to easier electron transfer from gold via titania to adsorbed oxygen (more negative conduction band), which might hinder the back reaction (electron transfer: Au→TiO2→Au).

Autonomous materials synthesis via hierarchical active learning of nonequilibrium phase diagrams

Autonomous experimentation enabled by artificial intelligence offers a new paradigm for accelerating scientific discovery. Nonequilibrium materials synthesis is emblematic of complex, resource-intensive experimentation whose acceleration would be a watershed for materials discovery. We demonstrate accelerated exploration of metastable materials through hierarchical autonomous experimentation governed by the Scientific Autonomous Reasoning Agent (SARA). SARA integrates robotic materials synthesis using lateral gradient laser spike annealing and optical characterization along with a hierarchy of AI methods to map out processing phase diagrams. Efficient exploration of the multidimensional parameter space is achieved with nested active learning cycles built upon advanced machine learning models that incorporate the underlying physics of the experiments and end-to-end uncertainty quantification. We demonstrate SARA’s performance by autonomously mapping synthesis phase boundaries for the Bi₂O₃ system, leading to orders-of-magnitude acceleration in the establishment of a synthesis phase diagram that includes conditions for stabilizing δ-Bi₂O₃ at room temperature, a critical development for electrochemical technologies.

Selective suppression of {112} anatase facets by fluorination for enhanced TiO2 particle size and phase stability at elevated temperatures

Generally, anatase is the most desirable TiO₂ polymorphic phase for photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications due to its higher photoconductivity and lower recombination rates compared to the rutile phase. However, in applications where temperatures above 500 °C are required, growing pure anatase phase nanoparticles is still a challenge, as above this temperature TiO₂ crystallite sizes are larger than 35 nm which thermodynamically favors the growth of rutile crystallites. In this work, we show strong evidence, for the first time, that achieving a specific fraction (50%) of the {112} facets on the TiO₂ surface is the key limiting step for anatase-to-rutile phase transition, rather than the crystallite size. By using a fluorinated ionic liquid (IL) we have obtained pure anatase phase crystallites at temperatures up to 800 °C, even after the crystallites have grown beyond their thermodynamic size limit of ca. 35 nm. While fluorination by the IL did not affect {001} growth, it stabilized the pure anatase TiO₂ by suppressing the formation of {112} facets on anatase particles. By suppressing the {112} facets, using specific concentrations of fluorinated ionic liquid in the TiO₂ synthesis, we controlled the anatase-to-rutile phase transition over a wide range of temperatures. This information shall help synthetic researchers to determine the appropriate material conditions for specific applications.

Microemulsion Derived Titania Nanospheres: An Improved Pt Supported Catalyst for Glycerol Aqueous Phase Reforming

Glycerol aqueous phase reforming (APR) produces hydrogen and interesting compounds at relatively mild temperatures. Among APR catalysts investigated in literature, little attention has been given to Pt supported on TiO₂. Therefore, herein we propose an innovative titania support which can be obtained through an optimized microemulsion technique. This procedure provided high surface area titania nanospheres, with a peculiar high density of weak acidic sites. The material was tested in the catalytic glycerol APR after Pt deposition. A mechanism hypothesis was drawn, which evidenced the pathways giving the main products. When compared with a commercial TiO₂ support, the synthetized titania provided higher hydrogen selectivity and glycerol conversion thanks to improved catalytic activity and ability to prompt consecutive dehydrogenation reactions. This was correlated to an enhanced cooperation between Pt nanoparticles and the acid sites of the support.

"Tailoring the TiO2 phases through microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis: Comparative assessment of bactericidal activity"

Nanocrystalline titania (TiO₂) is one of the most investigated crystalline nanostructured systems in the field of materials science. The technological applications of this material are related to its optoelectronic and photocatalytic properties, which in turn are strongly dependent on the crystal phase (i.e., anatase, brookite, and rutile), particle size, and surface structure. However, systematic comparative studies of all its crystal phases are scarce in literature due to difficulties in providing a controlled synthesis, which is primarily important in obtaining the brookite phase. In this report, the synthesis of TiO₂ nanoparticles in the anatase, brookite, and rutile structures was explored, using amorphous TiO₂ as a common precursor under microwave-assisted hydrothermal conditions. The influence of parameters such as temperature, acidity, and precursor concentration on phase crystallization were investigated. The TiO₂ materials (amorphous and crystalline phases as well as commercial Degussa P25) were systematically characterized using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible reflectance spectroscopy, and dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering. The bactericidal activity and photocatalytic antibacterial effectiveness of each material were evaluated through the determination of the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations, and via the mortality kinetic method under ultraviolet (UV) illumination under similar conditions with two bacterial groups of unique cellular structures: Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results are discussed with particular emphasis on the relationship between the synthesis parameters (acidity, precursor concentration, temperature and reaction time) and the bactericidal properties.

Carbon coated TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by pulsed laser ablation in liquid, gaseous and supercritical CO2

We report on the synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles using nanosecond pulse laser ablation of titanium in liquid, gaseous and supercritical CO2. The produced particles were observed to be mainly anatase-TiO2 with some rutile-TiO2. In addition, the particles were covered by a carbon layer. Raman and x-ray diffraction data suggested that the rutile content increases with CO2 pressure. The nanoparticle size decreased and size distribution became narrower with the increase in CO2 pressure and temperature, however the variation trend was different for CO2 pressure compared to temperature. Pulsed laser ablation in pressurized CO2 is demonstrated as a single step method for making anatase-TiO2/carbon nanoparticles throughout the pressure and temperature ranges 5-40 MPa and 30 °C-50 °C, respectively.

Preparation of a magnetic mesoporous Fe3O4–Pd@TiO2 photocatalyst for the efficient selective reduction of aromatic cyanides

Fe₃O₄–Pd@TiO₂ exhibited extremely superior photocatalytic activity for the selective reduction of aromatic cyanides to aromatic primary amines.

Glancing Angle Deposition Effect on Structure and Light-Induced Wettability of RF-Sputtered TiO₂ Thin Films

Crystalline TiO₂ films were prepared on unheated glass substrates by radio frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering at normal angle of incidence (a = 0°) and at glancing angle (a = 87°). The effect of the glancing angle on the structure, microstructure, and wetting properties of the films was investigated. The inclination of the substrate led to phase transformation of the deposited films from rutile to either rutile/anatase or anatase, depending on the working pressure. Extreme shadowing at 87° results in a remarkable increase of the films’ porosity and surface roughness. The mechanism of the glancing-angle-induced crystalline phase formation is thoroughly discussed based on the thermodynamic, kinetic, and geometrical aspects of the nucleation and is related with the microstructural changes. Both crystalline phase and microstructure significantly affect the wetting properties of the TiO₂ films. Glancing-angle-deposited anatase TiO₂ exhibits a high degree of porosity and roughness, a high rate of UV-induced wettability conversion, and a long-term highly hydrophilic nature in dark. Therefore, anatase TiO₂ is potentially a good candidate for applications as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC)/perovskite solar cells, microfluidic devices, and self-cleaning surfaces prepared on thermosensitive substrates.

Thermally-induced reversible structural isomerization in colloidal semiconductor CdS magic-size clusters

Structural isomerism of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals has been largely unexplored. Here, we report one pair of structural isomers identified for colloidal nanocrystals which exhibit thermally-induced reversible transformations behaving like molecular isomerization. The two isomers are CdS magic-size clusters with sharp absorption peaks at 311 and 322 nm. They have identical cluster masses, but slightly different structures. Furthermore, their interconversions follow first-order unimolecular reaction kinetics. We anticipate that such isomeric kinetics are applicable to a variety of small-size functional nanomaterials, and that the methodology developed for our kinetic study will be helpful to investigate and exploit solid–solid transformations in other semiconductor nanocrystals. The findings on structural isomerism should stimulate attention toward advanced design and synthesis of functional nanomaterials enabled by structural transformations.

Few structural isomers of colloids, with identical masses but different structures, have been identified. Here, the authors observe an interesting example of structural isomerism in a pair of semiconductor magic-size clusters, which reversibly transform between one another with first-order unimolecular reaction kinetics.

Titania nanotubes prepared by rapid breakdown anodization for photocatalytic decolorization of organic dyes under UV and natural solar light

Titania nanotube (TNT) powder was prepared by rapid breakdown anodization (RBA) in a perchloric acid electrolyte. The photocatalytic efficiency of the as-prepared and powders annealed at temperatures between 250 and 550 °C was tested under UV and natural sunlight irradiation by decolorization of both anionic and cationic organic dyes, i.e., methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RhB), as model pollutants. The tubular structure of the nanotubes was retained up to 250 °C, while at 350 °C and above, the nanotubes transformed into nanorods and nanoparticles. Depending on the annealing temperature, the TNTs consist of anatase, mixed anatase/brookite, or anatase/rutile phases. The bandgap of the as-prepared nanotubes is 3.04 eV, and it shifts towards the visible light region upon annealing. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show the presence of titania and impurities including chlorine on the surface of the TNTs. The atomic ratio of Ti/O remains unchanged for the annealed TNTs, but the concentration of chlorine decreases with temperature. The photoluminescence (PL) indicate high electron-hole recombination for the as-prepared TNTs, probably due to the residual impurities, low crystallinity, and vacancies in the structure, while the highest photocurrent was observed for the TNT sample annealed at 450 °C. The TNTs induce a small degradation of the dyes under UV light; however, contrary to previous reports, complete decolorization of dyes is observed under sunlight. All TNT samples showed higher decolorization rates under sunlight irradiation than under UV light. The highest reaction rate for the TNT samples was obtained for the as-prepared TNT powder sample under sunlight using RhB (κ₁ = 1.29 h^-1). This is attributed to the bandgap, specific surface area and the crystal structure of the nanotubes. The as-prepared TNTs performed most efficiently for decolorization of RhB and outperformed the reference anatase powder under sunlight irradiation. This could be attributed to the abundance of reactive sites, higher specific surface area, and degradation mechanism of RhB. These RBA TNT photocatalyst powders demonstrate a more efficient use of the sunlight spectrum, making them viable for environmental remediation.

QMCPACK: an open source ab initio quantum Monte Carlo package for the electronic structure of atoms, molecules and solids

QMCPACK is an open source quantum Monte Carlo package for ab initio electronic structure calculations. It supports calculations of metallic and insulating solids, molecules, atoms, and some model Hamiltonians. Implemented real space quantum Monte Carlo algorithms include variational, diffusion, and reptation Monte Carlo. QMCPACK uses Slater-Jastrow type trial wavefunctions in conjunction with a sophisticated optimizer capable of optimizing tens of thousands of parameters. The orbital space auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo method is also implemented, enabling cross validation between different highly accurate methods. The code is specifically optimized for calculations with large numbers of electrons on the latest high performance computing architectures, including multicore central processing unit and graphical processing unit systems. We detail the program's capabilities, outline its structure, and give examples of its use in current research calculations. The package is available at http://qmcpack.org.

Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals: Insights on a New Class of Pollutants

Environmentally persistent free radicals, EPFRs, exist in significant concentration in atmospheric particulate matter (PM). EPFRs are primarily emitted from combustion and thermal processing of organic materials, in which the organic combustion byproducts interact with transition metal-containing particles to form a free radical-particle pollutant. While the existence of persistent free radicals in combustion has been known for over half-a-century, only recently that their presence in environmental matrices and health effects have started significant research, but still in its infancy. Most of the experimental studies conducted to understand the origin and nature of EPFRs have focused primarily on nanoparticles that are supported on a larger micrometer-sized particle that mimics incidental nanoparticles formed during combustion. Less is known on the extent by which EPFRs may form on engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) during combustion or thermal treatment. In this critical and timely review, we summarize important findings on EPFRs and discuss their potential to form on pristine ENMs as a new research direction. ENMs may form EPFRs that may differ in type and concentration compared to nanoparticles that are supported on larger particles. The lack of basic data and fundamental knowledge about the interaction of combustion byproducts with ENMs under high-temperature and oxidative conditions present an unknown environmental and health burden. Studying the extent of ENMs on catalyzing EPFRs is important to address the hazards of atmospheric PM fully from these emerging environmental contaminants.

Titanium oxide morphology controls charge collection efficiency in quantum dot solar cells

Charge transfer at the TiO₂/quantum dot (QD) interface, charge collection at the TiO₂/QD/current collector (FTO or SnO₂:F) interface, and back electron transfer at the TiO₂/QDs/S²⁻ interface are processes controlled by the electron transport layer or TiO₂.

High-performance dye-sensitized solar cell using dimensionally controlled titania synthesized at sub-zero temperatures

The subject of the current study is a concoct of anatase and rutile mixed phase titania synthesized at −40 °C and −10 °C.

On the solid-state formation of BaTiO3 nanocrystals from mechanically activated BaCO3 and TiO2 powders: innovative mechanochemical processing, the mechanism involved, and phase and nanostructure evolutions

It still remains a challenge for the scientific community to obtain high quality barium titanate nanocrystals using high-energy ball mills while avoiding unwanted (carbonate) by-products. The current work addresses this challenge by developing a new solid-state methodology.

Tailored Synthesis of Porous TiO₂ Nanocubes and Nanoparallelepipeds with Exposed {111} Facets and Mesoscopic Void Space: A Superior Candidate for Efficient Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Anatase TiO2 nanocubes and nanoparallelepipeds, with highly reactive {111} facets exposed, were developed for the first time through a modified one pot hydrothermal method, through the hydrolysis of tetrabutyltitanate in the presence of oleylamine as the morphology-controlling capping-agent and using ammonia/hydrofluoric acid for stabilizing the {111} faceted surfaces. These nanocubes/nanoparallelepipeds were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and high angle annular dark-field scanning TEM (HAADF-STEM). Accordingly, a possible growth mechanism for the nanostructures is elucidated. The morphology, surface area and the pore size distribution of the TiO2 nanostructures can be tuned simply by altering the HF and ammonia dosage in the precursor solution. More importantly, optimization of the reaction system leads to the assembly of highly crystalline, high surface area, {111} faceted anatase TiO2 nanocubes/nanoparallelepipeds to form uniform mesoscopic void space. We report the development of a novel double layered photoanode for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) made of highly crystalline, self-assembled faceted TiO2 nanocrystals as upper layer and commercial titania nanoparticles paste as under layer. The bilayered DSSC made from TiO2 nanostructures with exposed {111} facets as upper layer shows a much higher power conversion efficiency (9.60%), than DSSCs fabricated with commercial (P25) titania powder (4.67%) or with anatase TiO2 nanostructures having exposed {101} facets (7.59%) as the upper layer. The improved performance in bilayered DSSC made from TiO2 nanostructures with exposed {111} facets as the upper layer is attributed to high dye adsorption and fast electron transport dynamics owing to the unique structural features of the {111} facets in TiO2. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements conducted on the cells supported these conclusions, which showed that the bilayered DSSC made from TiO2 nanostructures with exposed {111} facets as the upper layer possessed lower charge transfer resistance, higher electron recombination resistance, longer electron lifetime and higher collector efficiency characteristics, compared to DSSCs fabricated with commercial (P25) titania powder or with anatase TiO2 nanostructures having exposed {101} facets as the upper layer.

Phase Transformations of Cobalt Oxides in CoxOy-ZnO Multipod Nanostructures via Combustion from Thermopower Waves

The study of combustion at the interfaces of materials and chemical fuels has led to developments in diverse fields such as materials chemistry and energy conversion. Recently, it has been suggested that thermopower waves can utilize chemical-thermal-electrical-energy conversion in hybrid structures comprising nanomaterials and combustible fuels to produce enhanced combustion waves with concomitant voltage generation. In this study, this is the first time that the direct phase transformation of Co-doped ZnO via instant combustion waves and its applications to thermopower waves is presented. It is demonstrated that the chemical combustion waves at the surfaces of Co3O4-ZnO multipod nanostructures (deep brown in color) enable direct phase transformations to newly formed CoO-ZnO(1-x) nanoparticles (olive green in color). The oxygen molecules are released from Co3O4-ZnO to CoO-ZnO(1-x) under high-temperature conditions in the reaction front regime in combustion, whereas the CoO-ZnO multipod nanoparticles do not undergo any transformations and thus do not experience any color change. This oxygen-release mechanism is applicable to thermopower waves, enhances the self-propagating combustion velocity, and forms lattice defects that interrupt the charge-carrier movements inside the nanostructures. The chemical transformation and corresponding energy transport observed in this study can contribute to diverse potential applications, including direct-combustion synthesis and energy conversion.

Atomic-scale control of TiO₆ octahedra through solution chemistry towards giant dielectric response

The structures of many important functional oxides contain networks of metal-oxygen polyhedral units i.e.MO_n. The correlation between the configurations and connectivities of these MO_n to properties is essentially important to be well established to conduct the design, synthesis and application of new MO_n-based functional materials. In this paper, we report on an atomic-scale solution-chemistry approach that for the first time enables TiO₆ octahedral network control starting from metastable brookite TiO₂ through simultaneously tuning pH values and interfering ions (Fe³⁺, Sc³⁺, and Sm³⁺). The relationship between solution chemistry and the resultant configuration/connectivity of TiO₆ octahedra in TiO₂ and lepidocrocite titanate is mapped out. Apart from differing crystalline phases and morphologies, atomic-scale TiO₆ octahedral control also endows numerous defect dipoles for giant dielectric responses. The structural and property evolutions are well interpreted by the associated H⁺/OH⁻ species in solution and/or defect states associated with Fe³⁺ occupation within TiO₆ octahedra. This work therefore provides fundamental new insights into controlling TiO₆ octahedral arrangement essential for atomic-scale structure-property design.

Directional heat dissipation across the interface in anatase-rutile nanocomposites

Understanding the structures and properties of interfaces in (nano-)composites helps to reveal their important influence on reactivity and overall performance. TiO2 is a technologically important material, and anatase/rutile TiO2 composites have been shown to display enhanced photocatalytic performance over pure anatase or rutile TiO2. This has been attributed to a synergistic effect between the two phases, but the origin of this effect as well as the structure of the interface has not been established. Using Raman spectroscopy, here we provide evidence of distinct differences in the thermal properties of the anatase and rutile moieties in the composite, with anatase becoming effectively much warmer than the rutile phase under laser irradiation. With the help of first-principles calculations, we analyze the atomic structure and unique electronic properties of the composite and infer possible reasons for the directional heat dissipation across the interface.