Template-free and filamentary growth of silver nanowires: application to anisotropic conductive transparent flexible electrodes

Recent Advances in Inorganic Electrochromic Materials from Synthesis to Applications: Critical Review on Functional Chemistry and Structure Engineering

For the assembly of electrochromic devices (ECDs) generally with multilayer structures, supportive components usually are needed to be incorporated with EC materials. The reasonable project and development of ECDs will achieve broad expected applications. In this study, we reviewed several impressive methods to design and fabricate ECDs with high-performance and versatility based on recent frontier research. The first part of the review is centered on the desirability and strengthening mechanism of nanostructured inorganic EC materials. The second part illustrates the recent advances in transparent conductors. We then summarize the demands and means to modify the formation of electrolytes for practicable ECDs. Moreover, efforts to increase the compatibility with the EC layer and ion capacity are delineated. In the end, the application prospects of inorganic ECDs are further explored, which offers a guideline for the industrialization process of ECDs.

Portable surface-enhanced Raman scattering analysis performed with microelectrode-templated silver nanodendrites

Using a handheld Raman spectrometer, we demonstrate how silver nanodendritic substrates formed on microelectrode platforms can be used for ultrasensitive detection of target analytes, such as cocaine and melamine. The nanostructured substrates are formed through the electrochemical deposition of silver on electrically insulated silicon substrates with the aid of an alternating current (AC) signal applied to the microelectrodes. A nanostructure lateral growth rate of 8.90 ± 0.19 μm min^-1 was achieved by implementing a semi-batch process that kept the reactant concentrations high during silver deposition. This facile process can be used with different microelectrode designs, thus allowing for customizable SERS substrates. Compared with a commercially available benchmark, our surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were found to be at least twice more sensitive. Moreover, by applying multivariate analysis, specifically principal component analysis and linear classification models, the pesticide thiram was identified at 1 ppm with 100% accuracy in spiked apple juice without sample pre-processing. Our technique provides the means for combining microelectrode platforms with SERS for portable, point-of-care sensing applications.

Template-Free Electrochemical Growth of Ni-Decorated ZnO Nanorod Array: Application to an Anode of Lithium Ion Battery

ZnO nanorods (NRs) decorated with Ni nanoparticles were synthesized using a template-free electrochemical deposition in an ultra-dilute aqueous electrolyte and a subsequent galvanic reaction. The electrochemical properties of the ZnO NRs as an anode material for rechargeable Li-ion batteries were evaluated for different binder morphologies (film and close-packed spherical particles) of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Results showed that the close-packed spherical PVDF simultaneously improved electrochemical capacity and cyclability because the free-volume between the spherical PVDF helped to accommodate the volume change in the anode caused by the Li ions discharge and charge processes. Furthermore, the Ni nanoparticles decorated on the surface of ZnO NRs enhanced the electrical conductivity of the ZnO NR anode, which enabled faster electronic and ionic transport at the interface between the electrolyte and the electrode, resulting in improved electrochemical capacity. The free-volume formed by the close-packed spherical PVDF, and the decoration of metal nanoparticles are expected to provide insight on the simultaneous improvement of electrochemical capacity and cyclability in other metal oxide anode nanostructures.

Double anisotropic electrically conductive flexible Janus-typed membranes

Novel type III anisotropic conductive films (ACFs), namely flexible Janus-typed membranes, were proposed, designed and fabricated for the first time. Flexible Janus-typed membranes composed of ordered Janus nanobelts were constructed by electrospinning, which simultaneously possess fluorescence and double electrically conductive anisotropy. For the fabrication of the Janus-typed membrane, Janus nanobelts comprising a conductive side and an insulative-fluorescent side were primarily fabricated, and then the Janus nanobelts are arranged into parallel arrays using an aluminum rotary drum as the collector to obtain a single anisotropically conductive film. Subsequently, a secondary electrospinning process was applied to the as-prepared single anisotropically conductive films to acquire the final Janus-typed membrane. For this Janus-typed membrane, namely its left-to-right structure, anisotropic electrical conduction synchronously exists on both sides, and furthermore, the two electrically conductive directions are perpendicular. By modulating the amount of Eu(BA)₃phen complex and conducting polyaniline (PANI), the characteristics and intensity of the fluorescence-electricity dual-function in the membrane can be tuned. The high integration of this peculiar Janus-typed membrane with simultaneous double electrically conductive anisotropy-fluorescent dual-functionality is successfully realized in this study. This design philosophy and preparative technique will provide support for the design and construction of new types of special nanostructures with multi-functionality.

Electrodeposition of vertically standing Ag nanoplates and nanowires on transparent conductive electrode using porous anodic aluminum oxide template

We report fabricating vertically standing Ag nanoplates and nanowires on a transparent conductive substrate of indium tin oxides (ITO) with the assistance of a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. Two-dimensional Ag nanoplates can be electrodeposited onto an AAO covered ITO surface without using an adhesion layer. Ag nanoplates obtained using AAO templates have 3 × {222} superlattice fringes, different from the 3 × {422} superlattice fringes reported in the previous study. Ag nanowires can be electrodeposited onto ITO which is initially covered with an AAO template through a conductive polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The coverage, diameter, and thickness of Ag nanoplates are strongly dependent on the electrodeposition time. These Ag nanoplates and nanowires are used for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and the influence of their shape, size, and coverage on SERS enhancement is studied.

Remarkable Conductive Anisotropy of Metallic Microcoil/PDMS Composites Made by Electric Field Induced Alignment

We successfully fabricated a highly anisotropic electrical conductive microcoil/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite based on helical Spirulina-templated metallic particles using an electric field-induced alignment method. The optimized AC electric field (2 kV/cm, 1 kHz) could efficiently assemble the lightweight conductive microcoils into continuous long chains and form unique end-to-end physical contacts between adjacent particles in the alignment direction, leading to highly conductive channels. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity in the alignment direction reached up to ∼10 S/m for 1 wt % loading and exhibited almost 7-8 orders of magnitude higher than that in perpendicular directions, which is by far the most remarkable conductive anisotropy for anisotropic conductive composites (ACCs). In addition, the anisotropic composites exhibit excellent current-carrying capability in a functional light emitting diode (LED) circuit. Therefore, due to the superior conductive anisotropy and high conductivity, the composites have promising potential in high reliability electrical interconnections and subminiature integrated circuits.

Propagating Surface Plasmon Polaritons: Towards Applications for Remote-Excitation Surface Catalytic Reactions

Plasmonics is a well-established field, exploiting the interaction of light and metals at the nanoscale; with the help of surface plasmon polaritons, remote-excitation can also be observed by using silver or gold plasmonic waveguides. Recently, plasmonic catalysis was established as a new exciting platform for heterogeneous catalytic reactions. Recent reports present remote-excitation surface catalytic reactions as a route to enhance the rate of chemical reactions, and offer a pathway to control surface catalytic reactions. In this review, we focus on recent advanced reports on silver plasmonic waveguide for remote-excitation surface catalytic reactions. First, the synthesis methods and characterization techniques of sivelr nanowire plasmonic waveguides are summarized, and the properties and physical mechanisms of plasmonic waveguides are presented in detail. Then, the applications of plasmonic waveguides including remote excitation fluorescence and SERS are introduced, and we focus on the field of remote-excitation surface catalytic reactions. Finally, forecasts are made for possible future applications for the remote-excitation surface catalysis by plasmonic waveguides in living cells.

Solid-solution alloying of immiscible metals at the nanoscale: Ir and Au

A solid solution alloy of Ir–Au, theoretically predicted to be an excellent catalyst, equivalent to Pt, has been experimentally synthesized.

Ultra-large optical modulation of electrochromic porous WO3 film and the local monitoring of redox activity

Porous WO₃ films with ultra-high transmittance modulation were successfully fabricated on different substrates by a novel electrochemical deposited method.

Porous WO₃ films with ultra-high transmittance modulation were successfully fabricated on different substrates by a novel, facile and economical pulsed electrochemical deposited method with 1.1 s interval time between each pulse. The near ideal optical modulation (97.7% at 633 nm), fast switching speed (6 and 2.7 s), high coloration efficiency (118.3 cm² C^–1), and excellent cycling stability are achieved by the porous WO₃ on ITO-coated glass. The outstanding electrochromic performances of the porous WO₃ film were mainly attributed to the porous structure, which facilitates the charge-transfer, promotes the electrolyte infiltration and alleviates the expansion of the WO₃ during H⁺ insertion compared to that of the compact structure. In addition, the relationships between the structural and electrochemical activity of the electrochromic WO₃ films were further explored by the scanning electrochemical microscopy. These results testify that the porous structure can promote the infiltration of electrolyte and reduce the diffusion path, which consequently enhance the electrochemical activity.

Twin-driven thermoelectric figure-of-merit enhancement of Bi2Te3 nanowires

Thermoelectric figure-of-merits (ZT) are enhanced or degraded by crystal defects such as twins and excess atoms that are correlated with thermal conductivity (k) and carrier concentration (n). For Bi2Te3, it is unclear whether the crystal defects can enhance ZT without a degradation in the thermopower factor. In the present study, n-type Bi2Te3 nanowires (NWs) are electrochemically synthesized to have twin-free (TF) or twin-containing (TC) microstructures with a ZT of 0.10 and 0.08, respectively, at 300 K. The ZTs of TF and TC NWs remarkably increase up to 0.21 and 0.31, when heat-treatments cause n-reduction and twins induce phonon scattering, as follows: first, the enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient from -70 to -98 μV K(-1) for TF NWs and from -57 to -143 μV K(-1) for TC NWs, by virtue of n-reduction; secondly, twin-driven k-reduction from 1.9 to 1.4 W m(-1) K(-1) of TC NWs, while the k of TF NWs increases from 2.3 to 2.6 W m(-1) K(-1) due to the enhanced carrier mobility. The lattice thermal conductivities of TC NW are lowered from 1.1 to 0.8 W m(-1) K(-1) by phonon scattering at twins. Density functional theory calculations indicate that twins do not significantly influence the Seebeck coefficient of Bi2Te3. It is strongly recommended that twins be incorporated with an optimum carrier concentration to enhance the ZT of Bi2Te3.

One-step large-scale synthesis of micrometer-sized silver nanosheets by a template-free electrochemical method

We have synthesized micrometer-sized Ag nanosheets via a facile, one-step, template-free electrochemical deposition in an ultra-dilute silver nitrate aqueous electrolyte. The nanosheet growth was revealed to occur in three stages: (1) formation of polygonal Ag nuclei on a substrate, (2) growth of {112}-faceted nanowire from the nuclei, and (3) anisotropic growth of (111)-planar nanosheets, approximately 20 to 50 nm in thickness and 10 μm in width, in the <112>-direction. The vertical growth of the facet nanowire was induced by the strong interface anisotropy between the deposit and electrolyte due to the ultra-dilute concentration of electrolyte and high reduction potential. The thickness of Ag nanosheets was controllable by the adjustment of the reduction/oxidation potential and frequency of the reverse-pulse potentiodynamic mode.