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Geng X, Liu X, Mawella-Vithanage L, Hewa-Rahinduwage CC, Zhang L, Brock SL, Tan T, Luo L. Photoexcited NO 2 Enables Accelerated Response and Recovery Kinetics in Light-Activated NO 2 Gas Sensing. ACS Sens 2021; 6:4389-4397. [PMID: 34784175 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c01694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Slow response and recovery kinetics is a major challenge for practical room-temperature NO2 gas sensing. Here, we report the use of visible light illumination to significantly shorten the response and recovery times of a PbSe quantum dot (QD) gel sensor by 21% (to 27 s) and 63% (to 102 s), respectively. When combined with its high response (0.04%/ppb) and ultralow limit of detection (3 ppb), the reduction in response and recovery time makes the PbSe QD gel sensor among the best p-type room-temperature NO2 sensors reported to date. A combined experimental and theoretical investigation reveals that the accelerated response and recovery time is primarily due to photoexcitation of NO2 gaseous molecules and adsorbed NO2 on the gel surface, rather than the excitation of the semiconductor sensing material, as suggested by the currently prevailing light-activated gas-sensing theory. Furthermore, we find that the extent of improvement attained in the recovery speed also depends on the distribution of excited electrons in the adsorbed NO2/QD gel system. This work suggests that the design of light-activated sensor platforms may benefit from a careful assessment of the photophysics of the analyte in the gas phase and when adsorbed onto the semiconductor surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Geng
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Xiaolong Liu
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | | | | | - Liang Zhang
- School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Center for Combustion Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Stephanie L. Brock
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Ting Tan
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Nanoscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Long Luo
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
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Geng X, Li S, Mawella-Vithanage L, Ma T, Kilani M, Wang B, Ma L, Hewa-Rahinduwage CC, Shafikova A, Nikolla E, Mao G, Brock SL, Zhang L, Luo L. Atomically dispersed Pb ionic sites in PbCdSe quantum dot gels enhance room-temperature NO 2 sensing. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4895. [PMID: 34385446 PMCID: PMC8361172 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25192-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric NO2 is of great concern due to its adverse effects on human health and the environment, motivating research on NO2 detection and remediation. Existing low-cost room-temperature NO2 sensors often suffer from low sensitivity at the ppb level or long recovery times, reflecting the trade-off between sensor response and recovery time. Here, we report an atomically dispersed metal ion strategy to address it. We discover that bimetallic PbCdSe quantum dot (QD) gels containing atomically dispersed Pb ionic sites achieve the optimal combination of strong sensor response and fast recovery, leading to a high-performance room-temperature p-type semiconductor NO2 sensor as characterized by a combination of ultra-low limit of detection, high sensitivity and stability, fast response and recovery. With the help of theoretical calculations, we reveal the high performance of the PbCdSe QD gel arises from the unique tuning effects of Pb ionic sites on NO2 binding at their neighboring Cd sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Geng
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Shuwei Li
- Center for Combustion Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Beijing, China
| | | | - Tao Ma
- Michigan Center for Materials Characterization, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mohamed Kilani
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bingwen Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Lu Ma
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
| | | | - Alina Shafikova
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Eranda Nikolla
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Guangzhao Mao
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Liang Zhang
- Center for Combustion Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- School of Vehicle and Mobility, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Automotive Safety and Energy, Beijing, China.
| | - Long Luo
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
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4
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Beard MC, Peng X, Hens Z, Weiss EA. Introduction to special issue: Colloidal quantum dots. J Chem Phys 2021; 153:240401. [PMID: 33380102 DOI: 10.1063/5.0039506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Beard
- Chemistry and Nanoscience Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA
| | - Xiaogang Peng
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Zeger Hens
- Center for Nano and Biophotonics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emily A Weiss
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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Kim M, Park GH, Seo S, Bui VQ, Cho Y, Hong Y, Kawazoe Y, Lee H. Uncovering the Role of Countercations in Ligand Exchange of WSe 2: Tuning the d-Band Center toward Improved Hydrogen Desorption. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:11403-11413. [PMID: 33636973 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c19865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The role of countercations that do not bind to core nanocrystals (NCs) but rather ensure charge balance on ligand-exchanged NC surfaces has been rarely studied and even neglected. Such a scenario is unfortunate, as an understanding of surface chemistry has emerged as a key factor in overcoming colloidal NC limitations as catalysts. In this work, we report on the unprecedented role of countercations in ligand exchange for a colloidal transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD), WSe2, to tune the d-band center toward the Fermi level for enhanced hydrogen desorption. Conventional long-chain organic ligands, oleylamine, of WSe2 NCs are exchanged with short atomic S2- ligands having countercations to preserve the charge balance (WSe2/S2-/M+, M = Li, Na, K). Upon exchange with S2- ligands, the charge-balancing countercations are intercalated between WSe2 layers, thereby serving a unique function as an electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst. The HER activity of ligand-exchanged colloidal WSe2 NCs shows a decrease in overpotential by down-shift of d-band center to induce more electron-filling in antibonding orbital and an increase in the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA). Exchanging surface functionalities with S2- anionic ligands enhances HER kinetics, while the existence of intercalated countercations improves charge transfer with the electrolyte. The obtained results suggest that both anionic ligands and countercationic species in ligand exchange must be considered to enhance the overall catalytic activity of colloidal TMDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meeree Kim
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - G Hwan Park
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Sohyeon Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Viet Quoc Bui
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunhee Cho
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeseul Hong
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoshiyuki Kawazoe
- New Industry Creation Hatchery Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Hyoyoung Lee
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biopysics, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seoburo, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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