Heterostructured MoO3@CoWO4 nanobelts towards high electrochemical performances via oxygen vacancies generation

Heterostructured nanomaterials tend to have a high proportion of oxygen vacancies (VO) due to the presence of heterogeneous interfaces. Herein, a new kind of heterostructured MoO3@CoWO4 nanobelts was successfully evaluated as fascinating cathode material. SEM and TEM analysis indicated that the MoO3 nanobelts were fully blanketed with CoWO4 nanodots. The generation of Vo species was confirmed by XPS and EPR data. By profiting both synergistic and Vo generation effects, MoO3@CoWO4 electrode displayed an excellent capacitance of 246 mAh·g-1 (1966 F·g-1at 0.5 A·g-1) with high-rate capability of 174 mAh·g-1 (1394 F·g-1 at 30 A·g-1) as well as superb stability of 94 % (over 15,000 cycles). Notably, all-solid-state device delivered a good energy value of 63.1 Wh·kg-1 at 375 W·kg-1. Interestingly, the supercapacitor device showed super-low self-discharge comportment of only 12.1 % during 24 h. Importantly, the generation of the VO defects could control the ions diffusion process and lead a sharp decrease in the self-discharge process.

Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conduction in TeO2-ZnO-V2O5 Glasses towards Good Dielectric Features

The melt-quenching technique was used to synthesize tellurite glasses of the chemical composition 80TeO₂-(20-x) ZnO-xV₂O₅. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate the amorphous nature of the prepared glasses. Raman and FTIR measurements demonstrate a progressive substitution of the Te-O-Te linkages by the Te-O-V bridges and the formation of VO₄ and VO₅ units by a change of the vanadium coordination due to the higher number of oxygens incorporated by further addition of V₂O₅. The AC conductivity was investigated in the frequency range of 40 Hz to 10⁷ Hz between 473 K to 573 K. A good coherence of the AC conductivity was found using a model correlating the barrier hopping (CPH) and the dominant conduction process changes from ionic to polaronic with the addition of V₂O₅. The dielectric constant exhibits high values in the range of lower and medium frequencies. Both variations of the electric modulus and the dielectric loss parameters with frequency and temperature showed a relaxation character mainly assigned to the vanadate phases. The electric modulus displays a non-Debye dielectric dispersion and a relaxation process. The present results open the door to future zinc-tellurite glasses-doped vanadium exploitation as a potential electrolyte-based material for solid-state batteries.

Transport Mechanisms and Dielectric Features of Mg-Doped ZnO Nanocrystals for Device Applications

Magnesium-doped zinc oxide "ZnO:Mg" nanocrystals (NCs) were fabricated using a sol gel method. The Mg concentration impact on the structural, morphological, electrical, and dielectric characteristics of ZnO:Mg NCs were inspected. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns display the hexagonal wurtzite structure without any additional phase. TEM images revealed the nanometric size of the particles with a spherical-like shape. The electrical conductivity of the ZnO NCs, thermally activated, was found to be dependent on the Mg content. The impedance spectra were represented via a corresponding circuit formed by a resistor and constant phase element (CPE). A non-Debye type relaxation was located through the analyses of the complex impedance. The conductivity diminished with the incorporation of the Mg element. The AC conductivity is reduced by raising the temperature. Its plot obeys the Arrhenius law demonstrating a single activation energy during the conduction process. The complex impedance highlighted the existence of a Debye-type dielectric dispersion. The various ZnO:Mg samples demonstrate high values of dielectric constant with small dielectric losses for both medium and high-frequency regions. Interestingly, the Mg doping with 3% content exhibits colossal dielectric constant (more than 2 × 10⁴) over wide temperature and frequency ranges, with Debye-like relaxation. The study of the electrical modulus versus the frequency and at different temperatures confirms the non-Debye relaxation. The obtained results reveal the importance of the ZnO:Mg NCs for device applications. This encourages their application in energy storage.

Processing and Study of Optical and Electrical Properties of (Mg, Al) Co-Doped ZnO Thin Films Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering for Photovoltaic Application

In this study, high transparent thin films were prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering from a conventional solid state target based on ZnO:MgO:Al₂O₃ (10:2 wt %) material. The films were deposited on glass and silicon substrates at the different working pressures of 0.21, 0.61, 0.83 and 1 Pa, 300 °C and 250 W of power. X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-vis absorption and Hall effect measurements were used to evaluate the structural, optical, morphological and electrical properties of thin films as a function of the working pressure. The optical properties of the films, such as the refractive index, the extinction coefficient and the band gap energy were systematically studied. The optical band gap of thin films was estimated from the calculated absorption coefficient. That parameter, ranged from 3.921 to 3.655 eV, was hardly influenced by the working pressure. On the other hand, the lowest resistivity of 8.8 × 10⁻² Ω cm⁻¹ was achieved by the sample deposited at the lowest working pressure of 0.21 Pa. This film exhibited the best optoelectronic properties. All these data revealed that the prepared thin layers would offer a good capability to be used in photovoltaic applications.

Impact of Ag2O Content on the Optical and Spectroscopic Properties of Fluoro-Phosphate Glasses

Glasses with the system (84.60-x) NaPO₃-5 ZnO-(9.40-x) NaF-x Ag₂O-1 Er₂O₃, (x = 0, 2, 4, and 6) (mol%) were synthesized by the conventional melt-quenching method. The impact of the addition of Ag₂O on the physical, thermal, structural, and optical properties of the glasses is discussed. The Judd-Oflet analysis was used to evaluate the radiative properties of the emission transitions of the glasses. The enhancement of luminescence properties due to Ag₂O is discussed in terms of consequent changes in the local electromagnetic field, symmetry, and the ligand field around the Er³⁺ ion. The heat treatment of the glass was performed in order to precipitate Ag nanoparticles (NPs), which form as a layer at the surface of the heat-treated glasses as confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Ag NPs were found to increase the intensity of the emission at 1.5 µm.

An enhancement of photoluminescence property of Ag doped La2O3 thin films at room temperature

Metal transition doped oxide thin films or nanocomposites have recently emerged at the forefront of potentials research. With the focus mainly on efficiency, the aspect of stability against optical irradiation of such materials has so far not been thoroughly addressed. This work covers the synthesis of silver doped lanthanum oxide thin films (La₂O₃:Ag) which have been prepared by the spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates at 460°C. Then, Ag thin films were grown on lanthanum oxide thin films by thermal evaporation. The present work aims to reach the synthesis of La₂O₃:Ag thin films using both the spray pyrolysis and thermal evaporation techniques. First, X-ray diffraction analysis shows that undoped and Ag doped films crystallize in a mixture of hexagonal and cubic phase with crystallites oriented along (001) direction. Raman spectroscopy shows the bands positions corresponding to hexagonal and cubic phases. On the other hand, an attempt regarding their optical properties has been carried out by means of photoluminescence measurements. Second, from electrical conductivity measurements, the activation energy decreases from 1.42 to 1.09eV with the increase of annealing time and the charge carriers are following the CBH model as dominant charge transport mechanism. Finally, the annealing time influences the surface wettability property and transforms La₂O₃ character from hydrophobic (θ>90°) to hydrophilic (θ<90°).

Co2SnO4 nanoparticles as a high performance catalyst for oxidative degradation of rhodamine B dye and pentachlorophenol by activation of peroxymonosulfate

Spinel Co₂SnO₄ NPs, prepared by hydrothermal process, are applied for PMS activation for organic pollutants degradation.

Nano-silver enhanced luminescence of Er3+ ions embedded in tellurite glass, vitro-ceramic and ceramic: impact of heat treatment

Tellurite glasses co-activated with erbium ions and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are prepared using melt quenching technique.

High photocatalytic activity of plasmonic Ag@AgCl/Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites synthesized using hydrothermal method

Ag@AgCl/Zn₂SnO₄ (ZTO) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by a hydrothermal method.

Effects of the substitution of P2O5 by B2O3 on the structure and dielectric properties in (90-x) P2O5-xB2O3-10Fe2O3 glasses

90%[xB2O3 (1-x) P2O5] 10%Fe2O3, glass systems where (x=0 mol%, 5 mol%, 10 mol%, 15 mol%, 20 mol%) was prepared via a melt quenching technique. The structure of glass is investigated at room temperature by, Raman and EPR spectroscopy. Raman studies have been performed on these glasses to examine the distribution of different borate and phosphate structural groups. We have noted an increase from 3 to 4 in the coordination number of the boron atoms from 3 to 4, i.e., the conversion of the BO3 triangular structural units into BO4 tetrahedra. The samples have been investigated by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The results obtained from the gef=4.28 EPR line are typical of the occurrence of iron (III) occupying substitutional sites. Moreover, the dielectric sizes such as ε'(ω), ε″(ω), imaginary parts of the electrical modulus, M(*)(ω) and the loss tanδ, their variation with frequency at room temperature show a decrease in relaxation intensity with an increase in the concentration of (B2O3). On the present work, we have found a weak extinction index with our new glass.