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Zhu K, Einhaus LM, Mul G, Huijser A. Photophysical Study on the Effect of the External Potential on NiO-Based Photocathodes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:5217-5224. [PMID: 38235571 PMCID: PMC10835655 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigate the effects of the applied external potential on a dye-sensitized NiO photocathode by time-resolved photoluminescence and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy under operating conditions. Instead of the anticipated acceleration of photoinduced hole injection from dye into NiO at a more negative applied potential, we observe that both hole injection and charge recombination are slowed down. We cautiously assign this effect to a variation in OH- ion concentration in the inner Helmholtz plane of the electrochemical double layer with applied potential, warranting further investigation for the realization of efficient solar fuel devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijian Zhu
- PhotoCatalytic Synthesis
Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Lisanne M. Einhaus
- PhotoCatalytic Synthesis
Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Guido Mul
- PhotoCatalytic Synthesis
Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Huijser
- PhotoCatalytic Synthesis
Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, Enschede 7500 AE, The Netherlands
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2
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Kunc F, Bushell M, Du X, Zborowski A, Johnston LJ, Kennedy DC. Physical Characterization and Cellular Toxicity Studies of Commercial NiO Nanoparticles. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12111822. [PMID: 35683680 PMCID: PMC9181923 DOI: 10.3390/nano12111822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles from several manufacturers with different reported sizes and surface coatings were characterized prior to assessing their cellular toxicity. The physical characterization of these particles revealed that sizes often varied from those reported by the supplier, and that particles were heavily agglomerated when dispersed in water, resulting in a smaller surface area and larger hydrodynamic diameter upon dispersion. Cytotoxicity testing of these materials showed differences between samples; however, correlation of these differences with the physical properties of the materials was not conclusive. Generally, particles with higher surface area and smaller hydrodynamic diameter were more cytotoxic. While all samples produced an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), there was no correlation between the magnitude of the increase in ROS and the difference in cytotoxicity between different materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Kunc
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada; (F.K.); (M.B.); (L.J.J.)
| | - Michael Bushell
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada; (F.K.); (M.B.); (L.J.J.)
| | - Xiaomei Du
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada; (X.D.); (A.Z.)
| | - Andre Zborowski
- Energy, Mining and Environment, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada; (X.D.); (A.Z.)
| | - Linda J. Johnston
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada; (F.K.); (M.B.); (L.J.J.)
| | - David C. Kennedy
- Metrology, National Research Council Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada; (F.K.); (M.B.); (L.J.J.)
- Correspondence:
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3
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Structural Defect Impact on Changing Optical Response and Raising Unpredicted Ferromagnetic Behaviour in (111) Preferentially Oriented Nanocrystalline NiO Films. CRYSTALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst12050692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
NiO thin films deposed on a glass substrate, “NiO/glass”, are successfully prepared using a spray pyrolysis technique (SPT) at 460 °C and characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), Photoluminescence (PL) and diverse electric and magnetic studies. The structural investigation shows that the synthesized films crystallized in a cubic structure with (111) preferential orientation. The NiO layers exhibit a uniform grain of regular sizes with aggregates randomly distributed across their surface. The optical properties of the NiO thin films evidenced a normal optical dispersion as well as good transparency of the NiO films. An unpredicted ferromagnetic aspect was raised due to the high oxygen presence in the synthetized material. A high thermal dependency of the conductivity, as well as a semiconductor behavior of the grown NiO material, is also demonstrated.
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Naik YV, Kariduraganavar MY, Srinivasa HT, Siddagangaiah PB. High surface wetting and conducting NiO/PANI nanocomposites as efficient electrode materials for supercapacitors. INORG CHEM COMMUN 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.inoche.2022.109275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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5
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Housecroft CE, Constable EC. Solar energy conversion using first row d-block metal coordination compound sensitizers and redox mediators. Chem Sci 2022; 13:1225-1262. [PMID: 35222908 PMCID: PMC8809415 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc06828h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of renewable energy is essential for the future of the Earth, and solar photons are the ultimate source of energy to satisfy the ever-increasing global energy demands. Photoconversion using dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) is becoming an established technology to contribute to the sustainable energy market, and among state-of-the art DSCs are those which rely on ruthenium(ii) sensitizers and the triiodide/iodide (I3 -/I-) redox mediator. Ruthenium is a critical raw material, and in this review, we focus on the use of coordination complexes of the more abundant first row d-block metals, in particular copper, iron and zinc, as dyes in DSCs. A major challenge in these DSCs is an enhancement of their photoconversion efficiencies (PCEs) which currently lag significantly behind those containing ruthenium-based dyes. The redox mediator in a DSC is responsible for regenerating the ground state of the dye. Although the I3 -/I- couple has become an established redox shuttle, it has disadvantages: its redox potential limits the values of the open-circuit voltage (V OC) in the DSC and its use creates a corrosive chemical environment within the DSC which impacts upon the long-term stability of the cells. First row d-block metal coordination compounds, especially those containing cobalt, and copper, have come to the fore in the development of alternative redox mediators and we detail the progress in this field over the last decade, with particular attention to Cu2+/Cu+ redox mediators which, when coupled with appropriate dyes, have achieved V OC values in excess of 1000 mV. We also draw attention to aspects of the recyclability of DSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Housecroft
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096 4058 Basel Switzerland
| | - Edwin C Constable
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096 4058 Basel Switzerland
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Děkanovský L, Plutnar J, Šturala J, Brus J, Kosina J, Azadmanjiri J, Sedmidubský D, Sofer Z, Khezri B. Multifunctional Photoelectroactive Platform for CO2 Reduction toward C2+ Products─Programmable Selectivity with a Bioinspired Polymer Coating. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Děkanovský
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Plutnar
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šturala
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Brus
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovskeho nam. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Kosina
- Central Laboratories, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jalal Azadmanjiri
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - David Sedmidubský
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Sofer
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Bahareh Khezri
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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7
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Study on the Ozone Gas Sensing Properties of rf-Sputtered Al-Doped NiO Films. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11073104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Al-doped NiO (NiO:Al) has attracted the interest of researchers due to its excellent optical and electrical properties. In this work, NiO:Al films were deposited on glass substrates by the radio frequencies (rf) sputtering technique at room temperature and they were tested against ozone gas. The Oxygen content in (Ar-O2) plasma was varied from 2% to 4% in order to examine its effect on the gas sensing performance of the films. The thickness of the films was between 160.3 nm and 167.5 nm, while the Al content was found to be between 5.3 at% and 6.7 at%, depending on the oxygen content in plasma. It was found that NiO:Al films grown with 4% O2 in plasma were able to detect 60 ppb of ozone with a sensitivity of 3.18% at room temperature, while the detection limit was further decreased to 10 ppb, with a sensitivity of 2.54%, at 80 °C, which was the optimum operating temperature for these films. In addition, the films prepared in 4% O2 in plasma had lower response and recovery time compared to those grown with lower O2 content in plasma. Finally, the role of the operating temperature on the gas sensing properties of the NiO:Al films was investigated.
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8
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Incorporation of NiO into SiO 2, TiO 2, Al 2O 3, and Na 4.2Ca 2.8(Si 6O 18) Matrices: Medium Effect on the Optical Properties and Catalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10122470. [PMID: 33321759 PMCID: PMC7763803 DOI: 10.3390/nano10122470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The medium effect of the optical and catalytic degradation of methylene blue was studied in the NiO/SiO2, NiO/TiO2, NiO/Al2O3, and NiO/Na4.2Ca2.8(Si6O18) composites, which were prepared by a solid-state method. The new composites were characterized by XRD (X-ray diffraction of powder), SEM/EDS, TEM, and HR-TEM. The size of the NiO nanoparticles obtained from the PSP-4-PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) precursors inside the different matrices follow the order of SiO2 > TiO2 > Al2O3. However, NiO nanoparticles obtained from the chitosan precursor does not present an effect on the particle size. It was found that the medium effect of the matrices (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, and Na4.2Ca2.8(Si6O18)) on the photocatalytic methylene blue degradation, can be described as a specific interaction of the NiO material acting as a semiconductor with the MxOy materials through a possible p-n junction. The highest catalytic activity was found for the TiO2 and glass composites where a favorable p-n junction was formed. The isolating character of Al2O3 and SiO2 and their non-semiconductor behavior preclude this interaction to form a p-n junction, and thus a lower catalytic activity. NiO/SiO2 and NiO/Na4.2Ca2.8(Si6O18) showed a similar photocatalytic behavior. On the other hand, the effect of the matrix on the optical properties for the NiO/SiO2, NiO/TiO2, NiO/Al2O3, and NiO/Na4.2Ca2.8(Si6O18) composites can be described by the different dielectric constants of the SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Na4.2Ca2.8(Si6O18) matrices. The maxima absorption of the composites (λmax) exhibit a direct relationship with the dielectric constants, while their semiconductor bandgap (Eg) present an inverse relationship with the dielectric constants. A direct relationship between λmax and Eg was found from these correlations. The effect of the polymer precursor on the particle size can explain some deviations from this relationship, as the correlation between the particle size and absorption is well known. Finally, the NiO/Na4.2Ca2.8(Si6O18) composite was reported in this work for the first time.
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9
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Application of Metal-Organic Frameworks and Covalent Organic Frameworks as (Photo)Active Material in Hybrid Photovoltaic Technologies. ENERGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/en13215602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are two innovative classes of porous coordination polymers. MOFs are three-dimensional materials made up of secondary building blocks comprised of metal ions/clusters and organic ligands whereas COFs are 2D or 3D highly porous organic solids made up by light elements (i.e., H, B, C, N, O). Both MOFs and COFs, being highly conjugated scaffolds, are very promising as photoactive materials for applications in photocatalysis and artificial photosynthesis because of their tunable electronic properties, high surface area, remarkable light and thermal stability, easy and relative low-cost synthesis, and structural versatility. These properties make them perfectly suitable for photovoltaic application: throughout this review, we summarize recent advances in the employment of both MOFs and COFs in emerging photovoltaics, namely dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) organic photovoltaic (OPV) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs). MOFs are successfully implemented in DSSCs as photoanodic material or solid-state sensitizers and in PSCs mainly as hole or electron transporting materials. An innovative paradigm, in which the porous conductive polymer acts as standing-alone sensitized photoanode, is exploited too. Conversely, COFs are mostly implemented as photoactive material or as hole transporting material in PSCs.
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10
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Szaniawska E, Wadas A, Ramanitra HH, Fodeke EA, Brzozowska K, Chevillot-Biraud A, Santoni MP, Rutkowska IA, Jouini M, Kulesza PJ. Visible-light-driven CO 2 reduction on dye-sensitized NiO photocathodes decorated with palladium nanoparticles. RSC Adv 2020; 10:31680-31690. [PMID: 35520659 PMCID: PMC9056418 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra04673f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The thin-layer-stacked dye-sensitized NiO photocathodes decorated with palladium nanoparticles (nPd) can be used for the visible-light-driven selective reduction of CO2, mostly to CO, at potentials starting as low as 0 V vs. RHE (compared to −0.6 V in the dark for electrocatalysis). The photosensitization of NiO by the organic dye P1, with a surface coverage of 1.5 × 10−8 mol cm−2, allows the hybrid material to absorb light in the 400–650 nm range. In addition, it improves the stability and the catalytic activity of the final material decorated with palladium nanoparticles (nPd). The resulting multi-layered-type photocathode operates according to the electron-transfer-cascade mechanism. On the one hand, the photosensitizer P1 plays a central role as it generates excited-state electrons and transfers them to nPd, thus producing the catalytically active hydride material PdHx. On the other hand, the dispersed nPd, absorb/adsorb hydrogen and accumulate electrons, thus easing the reductive electrocatalysis process by further driving the separation of charges at the photoelectrochemical interface. Surface analysis, morphology, and roughness have been assessed using SEM, EDS, and AFM imaging. Both conventional electrochemical and photoelectrochemical experiments have been performed to confirm the catalytic activity of hybrid photocathodes toward the CO2 reduction. The recorded cathodic photocurrents have been found to be dependent on the loading of Pd nanoparticles. A sufficient amount of loaded catalyst facilitates the electron transfer cascade, making the amount of dye grafted at the surface of the electrode the limiting parameter in catalysis. The formation of CO as the main reaction product is postulated, though the formation of traces of other small organic molecules (e.g. methanol) cannot be excluded. (A) Cross-section view of the stack of active layers constituting a hybrid photocathode for CO2 reduction. (B) Structure of dye P1 sensitizing the NiO semiconductor. (C) Energy-level matching between components of the modified photocathode.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Szaniawska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 PL-02-093 Warsaw Poland
| | - Anna Wadas
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 PL-02-093 Warsaw Poland
| | | | | | - Kamila Brzozowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 PL-02-093 Warsaw Poland
| | | | | | - Iwona A Rutkowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 PL-02-093 Warsaw Poland
| | | | - Pawel J Kulesza
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 PL-02-093 Warsaw Poland
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11
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Kashin AS, Galushko AS, Degtyareva ES, Ananikov VP. Solid-State C-S Coupling in Nickel Organochalcogenide Frameworks as a Route to Hierarchical Structure Transfer to Binary Nanomaterials. Inorg Chem 2020; 59:10835-10844. [PMID: 32692161 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c01352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In this work, the transfer of the flexible and easily tunable hierarchical structure of nickel organochalcogenides to different binary Ni-based nanomaterials via selective coupling of organic units was developed. We suggested the use of substituted aryl groups in organosulfur ligands (SAr) as traceless structure-inducing units to prepare nanostructured materials. At the first step, it was shown that the slight variation of the type of SAr units and synthetic procedures allowed us to obtain nickel thiolates [Ni(SAr)2]n with diverse morphologies after a self-assembly process in solution. This feature opened the way for the synthesis of different nanomaterials from a single type of precursor using the phenomenon of direct transfer of morphology. This study revealed that various nickel thiolates undergo selective C-S coupling under high-temperature conditions with the formation of highly demanding nanostructured NiS particles and corresponding diaryl sulfides. The in situ oxidation of the formed nickel sulfide in the case of reaction in an air atmosphere provided another type of valuable nanomaterial, nickel oxide. The high selectivity of the transformation allowed the preservation of the initial organochalcogenide morphologies in the resulting products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey S Kashin
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 47, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey S Galushko
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 47, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Evgeniya S Degtyareva
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 47, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Valentine P Ananikov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospect 47, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
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Qu J, Fan Z, Mira H, Wang J, Abdelkader AM, Ding S. Hierarchical NiO/CMK-3 Photocathode for a p-Type Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell with Improved Photoelectrochemical Performance and Fast Hole Transfer. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25071638. [PMID: 32252410 PMCID: PMC7181050 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25071638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The sluggish photoelectrochemical performance of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSSCs) has hindered its commercial use. In this work, we introduce a novel hierarchical nanocomposite of NiO nanoparticles anchored on highly ordered mesoporous carbons CMK-3 (NiO/CMK-3). Using CMK-3 as a backbone effectively prevented the self-aggregation of NiO nanoparticles and subsequently increased the total specific surface area of the composite for more dye adsorption. The interconnected conductive networks of CMK-3 also served as a split-flow high-speed channel, which was beneficial for hole spin-flow to accelerate hole transfer. The hierarchical NiO/CMK-3 photocathode improved the photovoltaic conversion efficiency to 1.48% in a cell with a Cobalt(II)/(III) electrolyte and a PMI-6T-TPA dye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Qu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China;
| | - Zhaoyang Fan
- Xi′an Key Laboratory of Sustainable Energy Materials Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China;
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (J.W.); (A.M.A.)
| | - Hamed Mira
- Nuclear Materials Authority, Cairo 11381, Egypt;
| | - Jianan Wang
- Xi′an Key Laboratory of Sustainable Energy Materials Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China;
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (J.W.); (A.M.A.)
| | - Amor M. Abdelkader
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, Dorset BH12 5BB, UK
- Correspondence: (Z.F.); (J.W.); (A.M.A.)
| | - Shujiang Ding
- Xi′an Key Laboratory of Sustainable Energy Materials Chemistry, MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China;
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14
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Bonomo M, Di Girolamo D, Piccinni M, Dowling DP, Dini D. Electrochemically Deposited NiO Films as a Blocking Layer in p-Type Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with an Impressive 45% Fill Factor. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10010167. [PMID: 31963615 PMCID: PMC7023451 DOI: 10.3390/nano10010167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The enhancement of photoelectrochemical conversion efficiency of p-type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSSCs) is necessary to build up effective tandem devices in which both anode and cathode are photoactive. The efficiency of a p-type device (2.5%) is roughly one order of magnitude lower than the n-type counterparts (13.1%), thus limiting the overall efficiency of the tandem cell, especially in terms of powered current density. This is mainly due to the recombination reaction that occurs especially at the photocathode (or Indium-doped Tin Oxide (ITO))/electrolyte interface. To minimize this phenomenon, a widely employed strategy is to deposit a compact film of NiO (acting as a blocking electrode) beneath the porous electrode. Here, we propose electrodeposition as a cheap, easy scalable and environmental-friendly approach to deposit nanometric films directly on ITO glass. The results are compared to a blocking layer made by means of sol-gel technique. Cells embodying a blocking layer substantially outperformed the reference device. Among them, BL_1.10V shows the best photoconversion efficiency (0.166%) and one of the highest values of fill factor (approaching 46%) ever reported. This is mainly due to an optimized surface roughness of the blocking layer assuring a good deposition of the porous layer. The effectiveness of the implementation of the blocking layer is further proved by means of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Bonomo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome LA SAPIENZA, p.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (D.D.G.); (M.P.)
- Department of Chemistry and NIS Interdepartmental Centre and INSTM Reference Centre, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 7, 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Diego Di Girolamo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome LA SAPIENZA, p.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (D.D.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Marco Piccinni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome LA SAPIENZA, p.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (D.D.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Denis P. Dowling
- School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, University College Dublin (UCD), Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland;
| | - Danilo Dini
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome LA SAPIENZA, p.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.B.); (D.D.G.); (M.P.)
- Correspondence:
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15
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Abstract
It has been often reported that an efficient and green photocatalytic dissociation of water under irradiated semiconductors likely represents the most important goal for modern chemistry. Despite decades of intensive work on this topic, the efficiency of the water photolytic process under irradiated semiconductors is far from reaching significant photocatalytic efficiency. The use of a sacrificial agent as hole scavenger dramatically increases the hydrogen production rate and might represent the classic “kill two birds with one stone”: on the one hand, the production of hydrogen, then usable as energy carrier, on the other, the treatment of water for the abatement of pollutants used as sacrificial agents. Among metal oxides, TiO2 has a central role due to its versatility and inexpensiveness that allows an extended applicability in several scientific and technological fields. In this review we focus on the hydrogen production on irradiated TiO2 and its fundamental and environmental implications.
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