CuO-In2O3 Core-Shell Nanowire Based Chemical Gas Sensors

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Xiaoxin Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The CuO-In2O3 core-shell nanowire was fabricated by a two-step method. The CuO nanowire core (NWs was firstly grown by the conventional thermal oxidation of Cu meshes at 500°C for 5 hours. Then, the CuO nanowires were immersed into the suspension of amorphous indium hydroxide deposited from the In(AC3 solution by ammonia. The CuO nanowires coated with In(OH3 were subsequently heated at 600°C to form the crystalline CuO-In2O3 core-shell structure, with In2O3 nanocrystals uniformly anchored on the CuO nanowires. The gas sensing properties of the formed CuO-In2O3 core-shell nanowires were investigated by various reducing gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and propane at elevated temperature. The sensors using the CuO-In2O3 nanowires show improved sensing performance to hydrogen and propane but a suppressed response to carbon monoxide, which could be attributed to the enhanced catalytic properties of CuO with the coated porous In2O3 shell and the p-n junction formed at the core-shell interface.

Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowire rate at MnO{sub 2} ultrathin nanosheet core/shell arrays: a new class of high-performance pseudocapacitive materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jinping [Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371 (Singapore); Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, Huazhong Normal University, Wuhan 430079, Hubei (China); Jiang, Jian [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, Huazhong Normal University, Wuhan 430079, Hubei (China); Cheng, Chuanwei; Li, Hongxing; Fan, Hong Jin [Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637371 (Singapore); Zhang, Jixuan; Gong, Hao [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2011-05-10

A smart hybrid nanowire array consisting of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} porous nanowire core and a MnO{sub 2} ultrathin nanosheet shell is fabricated using a general 3D interfacial carbon-assisted hydrothermal method. The array exhibits a high capacitance with good cycle performance and remarkable rate capability that is ranging among the best reported to date for hybrid metal oxide systems in the absence of a conducting matrix. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Simple Synthesis and Growth Mechanism of Core/Shell CdSe/SiOx Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guozhang Dai

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Core-shell-structured CdSe/SiOx nanowires were synthesized on an equilateral triangle Si (111 substrate through a simple one-step thermal evaporation process. SEM, TEM, and XRD investigations confirmed the core-shell structure; that is, the core zone is single crystalline CdSe and the shell zone is SiOx amorphous layer and CdSe core was grown along (001 direction. Two-stage growth process was present to explain the growth mechanism of the core/shell nanwires. The silicon substrate of designed equilateral triangle providing the silicon source is the key factor to form the core-shell nanowires, which is significant for fabrication of nanowire-core sheathed with a silica system. The PL of the product studied at room temperature showed two emission bands around 715 and 560 nm, which originate from the band-band transition of CdSe cores and the amorphous SiOx shells, respectively.

Electrochemical synthesis of CORE-shell magnetic nanowires

KAUST Repository

Ovejero, Jesú s G.; Bran, Cristina; Vidal, Enrique Vilanova; Kosel, Jü rgen; Morales, Marí a P.; Vazquez, Manuel

2015-01-01

(Fe, Ni, CoFe) @ Au core-shell magnetic nanowires have been synthesized by optimized two-step potentiostatic electrodeposition inside self-assembled nanopores of anodic aluminium templates. The optimal electrochemical parameters (e.g., potential

Enhanced thermoelectric transport in modulation-doped GaN/AlGaN core/shell nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Erdong; Li, Qiming; Swartzentruber, Brian; Pan, Wei; Wang, George T; Martinez, Julio A

2016-01-08

The thermoelectric properties of unintentionally n-doped core GaN/AlGaN core/shell N-face nanowires are reported. We found that the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity is consistent with thermally activated carriers with two distinctive donor energies. The Seebeck coefficient of GaN/AlGaN nanowires is more than twice as large as that for the GaN nanowires alone. However, an outer layer of GaN deposited onto the GaN/AlGaN core/shell nanowires decreases the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature, while the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity remains the same. We attribute these observations to the formation of an electron gas channel within the heavily-doped GaN core of the GaN/AlGaN nanowires. The room-temperature thermoelectric power factor for the GaN/AlGaN nanowires can be four times higher than the GaN nanowires. Selective doping in bandgap engineered core/shell nanowires is proposed for enhancing the thermoelectric power.

Catalyst-free fabrication of novel ZnO/CuO core-Shell nanowires heterojunction: Controlled growth, structural and optoelectronic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muhammad Arif; Wahab, Yussof; Muhammad, Rosnita; Tahir, Muhammad; Sakrani, Samsudi

2018-03-01

Development of controlled growth and vertically aligned ZnO/CuO core-shell heterojunction nanowires (NWs) with large area by a catalyst free vapor deposition and oxidation approach has been investigated. Structural characterization reveals successful fabrication of a core ZnO nanowire having single crystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure along [002] direction and CuO nanostructure shell with thickness (8-10 nm) having polycrystalline monoclinic structure. The optical property analysis suggests that the reflectance spectrum of ZnO/CuO heterostructure nanowires is decreased by 18% in the visible range, which correspondingly shows high absorption in this region as compared to pristine ZnO nanowires. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of core-shell heterojunction nanowires measured by conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) shows excellent rectifying behavior, which indicates the characteristics of a good p-n junction. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has confirmed the sharp junction interface between the core-shell heterojunction nanowire arrays. The valence band offset and conduction band offset at ZnO/CuO heterointerfaces are measured to be 2.4 ± 0.05 and 0.23 ± 0.005 eV respectively, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and a type-II band alignment structure is found. The results of this study contribute to the development of new advanced device heterostructures for solar energy conversion and optoelectronics applications.

Enhanced thermoelectric transport in modulation-doped GaN/AlGaN core/shell nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Erdong; Martinez, Julio A; Li, Qiming; Pan, Wei; Wang, George T; Swartzentruber, Brian

2016-01-01

The thermoelectric properties of unintentionally n-doped core GaN/AlGaN core/shell N-face nanowires are reported. We found that the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity is consistent with thermally activated carriers with two distinctive donor energies. The Seebeck coefficient of GaN/AlGaN nanowires is more than twice as large as that for the GaN nanowires alone. However, an outer layer of GaN deposited onto the GaN/AlGaN core/shell nanowires decreases the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature, while the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity remains the same. We attribute these observations to the formation of an electron gas channel within the heavily-doped GaN core of the GaN/AlGaN nanowires. The room-temperature thermoelectric power factor for the GaN/AlGaN nanowires can be four times higher than the GaN nanowires. Selective doping in bandgap engineered core/shell nanowires is proposed for enhancing the thermoelectric power. (paper)

Solution-processed core-shell nanowires for efficient photovoltaic cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jinyao; Huo, Ziyang; Brittman, Sarah; Gao, Hanwei; Yang, Peidong

2011-08-21

Semiconductor nanowires are promising for photovoltaic applications, but, so far, nanowire-based solar cells have had lower efficiencies than planar cells made from the same materials, even allowing for the generally lower light absorption of nanowires. It is not clear, therefore, if the benefits of the nanowire structure, including better charge collection and transport and the possibility of enhanced absorption through light trapping, can outweigh the reductions in performance caused by recombination at the surface of the nanowires and at p-n junctions. Here, we fabricate core-shell nanowire solar cells with open-circuit voltage and fill factor values superior to those reported for equivalent planar cells, and an energy conversion efficiency of ∼5.4%, which is comparable to that of equivalent planar cells despite low light absorption levels. The device is made using a low-temperature solution-based cation exchange reaction that creates a heteroepitaxial junction between a single-crystalline CdS core and single-crystalline Cu2S shell. We integrate multiple cells on single nanowires in both series and parallel configurations for high output voltages and currents, respectively. The ability to produce efficient nanowire-based solar cells with a solution-based process and Earth-abundant elements could significantly reduce fabrication costs relative to existing high-temperature bulk material approaches.

Majorana states in prismatic core-shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Manolescu, Andrei; Sitek, Anna; Osca, Javier; Serra, Llorenç; Gudmundsson, Vidar; Stanescu, Tudor Dan

2017-09-01

We consider core-shell nanowires with conductive shell and insulating core and with polygonal cross section. We investigate the implications of this geometry on Majorana states expected in the presence of proximity-induced superconductivity and an external magnetic field. A typical prismatic nanowire has a hexagonal profile, but square and triangular shapes can also be obtained. The low-energy states are localized at the corners of the cross section, i.e., along the prism edges, and are separated by a gap from higher energy states localized on the sides. The corner localization depends on the details of the shell geometry, i.e., thickness, diameter, and sharpness of the corners. We study systematically the low-energy spectrum of prismatic shells using numerical methods and derive the topological phase diagram as a function of magnetic field and chemical potential for triangular, square, and hexagonal geometries. A strong corner localization enhances the stability of Majorana modes to various perturbations, including the orbital effect of the magnetic field, whereas a weaker localization favorizes orbital effects and reduces the critical magnetic field. The prismatic geometry allows the Majorana zero-energy modes to be accompanied by low-energy states, which we call pseudo Majorana, and which converge to real Majoranas in the limit of small shell thickness. We include the Rashba spin-orbit coupling in a phenomenological manner, assuming a radial electric field across the shell.

Axial strain in GaAs/InAs core-shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermanns, Andreas; Pietsch, Ullrich [Universitaet Siegen, Festkoerperphysik, 57068 Siegen (Germany); Rieger, Torsten; Gruetzmacher, Detlev; Ion Lepsa, Mihail [Peter Gruenberg Institute (PGI-9), Forschungszentrum, 52425 Juelich (Germany); JARA-Fundamentals of Future Information Technology, 52425 Juelich (Germany); Bussone, Genziana [Universitaet Siegen, Festkoerperphysik, 57068 Siegen (Germany); ESRF, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, BP220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex (France)

2013-01-28

We study the axial strain relaxation in GaAs/InAs core-shell nanowire heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Besides a gradual strain relaxation of the shell material, we find a significant strain in the GaAs core, increasing with shell thickness. This strain is explained by a saturation of the dislocation density at the core-shell interface. Independent measurements of core and shell lattice parameters by x-ray diffraction reveal a relaxation of 93% in a 35 nm thick InAs shell surrounding cores of 80 nm diameter. The compressive strain of -0.5% compared to bulk InAs is accompanied by a tensile strain up to 0.9% in the GaAs core.

Strain in GaAs / InAs core-shell nanowire heterostructures grown on GaAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermanns, Andreas; Davydok, Anton; Pietsch, Ullrich [Universitaet Siegen, Festkoerperphysik (Germany); Rieger, Torsten; Lepsa, Mihail Ion [Peter Gruenberg Institut 9, Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany); JARA - Fundamentals of Future Information Technology (Germany)

2012-07-01

The growth of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) has attracted significant interest in recent years due to the possible fabrication of novel semiconductor devices for future electronic and opto-electronic applications. Compared to planar heterostructures, the nanowire approach offers an advantage regarding the possibility to form heterostructures between highly lattice mismatched systems, because the free surface of the nanowires allows to relieve the strain more efficiently. One particular way to form heterostructures in the NW geometry, is the fabrication of core-shell devices, in which a NW core is surrounded by a shell of different material. The understanding of the mutual strain between core and shell, as well as the relaxation behavior of the system are crucial for the fabrication of functional devices. In this contribution we report on first X-ray diffraction measurements of GaAs-core/InAs-shell nanowires grown on GaAs(111) by molecular beam epitaxy. Using symmetric- and grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, the relaxation state of the InAs shell as well as the strain in the GaAs core are measured as function of the InAs shell thickness, showing a gradual relaxation behavior of the shell.

Vertical group III-V nanowires on si, heterostructures, flexible arrays and fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Deli; Soci, Cesare; Bao, Xinyu; Wei, Wei; Jing, Yi; Sun, Ke

2015-01-13

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for direct heteroepitaxial growth of vertical III-V semiconductor nanowires on a silicon substrate. The silicon substrate is etched to substantially completely remove native oxide. It is promptly placed in a reaction chamber. The substrate is heated and maintained at a growth temperature. Group III-V precursors are flowed for a growth time. Preferred embodiment vertical Group III-V nanowires on silicon have a core-shell structure, which provides a radial homojunction or heterojunction. A doped nanowire core is surrounded by a shell with complementary doping. Such can provide high optical absorption due to the long optical path in the axial direction of the vertical nanowires, while reducing considerably the distance over which carriers must diffuse before being collected in the radial direction. Alloy composition can also be varied. Radial and axial homojunctions and heterojunctions can be realized. Embodiments provide for flexible Group III-V nanowire structures. An array of Group III-V nanowire structures is embedded in polymer. A fabrication method forms the vertical nanowires on a substrate, e.g., a silicon substrate. Preferably, the nanowires are formed by the preferred methods for fabrication of Group III-V nanowires on silicon. Devices can be formed with core/shell and core/multi-shell nanowires and the devices are released from the substrate upon which the nanowires were formed to create a flexible structure that includes an array of vertical nanowires embedded in polymer.

Magnetic Behavior of Ni-Fe Core-Shell and Alloy Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathy, Jagnyaseni; Vargas, Jose; Spinu, Leonard; Wiley, John

2013-03-01

Template assisted synthesis was used to fabricate a series of Ni-Fe core-shell and alloy nanowires. By controlling reaction conditions as well as pore structure, both systems could be targeted and magnetic properties followed as a function of architectures. In the core-shell structure coercivity increases with decrease in shell thickness while for the alloys, coercivity squareness improve with increase pore diameter. Details on the systematic studies of these materials will be presented in terms of hysteretic measurements, including first order reversal curves (FORC), and FMR data. Magnetic variation as a function of structure and nanowire aspect ratios will be presented and the origins of these behaviors discussed. Advanced Material Research Institute

Synthesis and characterization of aligned ZnO/BeO core/shell nanocable arrays on glass substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhou Minjie

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract By sequential hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanowire arrays and thermal evaporation of Be, large-scale vertically aligned ZnO/BeO core/shell nanocable arrays on glass substrate have been successfully synthesized without further heat treatment. Detailed characterizations on the sample morphologies, compositions, and microstructures were systematically carried out, which results disclose the growth behaviors of the ZnO/BeO nanocable. Furthermore, incorporation of BeO shell onto ZnO core resulted in distinct improvement of optical properties of ZnO nanowire, i.e., significant enhancement of near band edge (NBE emission as well as effective suppression of defects emission in ZnO. In particular, the NBE emission of nanocable sample shows a noticeable blue-shift compared with that of pristine ZnO nanowire, which characteristics most likely originate from Be alloying into ZnO. Consequently, the integration of ZnO and BeO into nanoscale heterostructure could bring up new opportunities in developing ZnO-based device for application in deep ultraviolet region. PACS 61.46.K; 78.67.Uh; 81.07.Gf.

Shell morphology and Raman spectra of epitaxial Ge-SixGe1-x and Si-SixGe1-x core-shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Feng; Dillen, David C.; Kim, Kyounghwan; Tutuc, Emanuel

2017-06-01

We investigate the shell morphology and Raman spectra of epitaxial Ge-SixGe1-x and Si-SixGe1-x core-shell nanowire heterostructures grown using a combination of a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism for the core, followed by in-situ epitaxial shell growth using ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy reveals that the VLS growth yields cylindrical Ge, and Si nanowire cores grown along the ⟨111⟩, and ⟨110⟩ or ⟨112⟩ directions, respectively. A hexagonal cross-sectional morphology is observed for Ge-SixGe1-x core-shell nanowires terminated by six {112} facets. Two distinct morphologies are observed for Si-SixGe1-x core-shell nanowires that are either terminated by four {111} and two {100} planes associated with the ⟨110⟩ growth direction or four {113} and two {111} planes associated with the ⟨112⟩ growth direction. We show that the Raman spectra of Si- SixGe1-x are correlated with the shell morphology thanks to epitaxial growth-induced strain, with the core Si-Si mode showing a larger red shift in ⟨112⟩ core-shell nanowires compared to their ⟨110⟩ counterparts. We compare the Si-Si Raman mode value with calculations based on a continuum elasticity model coupled with the lattice dynamic theory.

Laser Heating of the Core-Shell Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Astefanoaei, Iordana; Dumitru, Ioan; Stancu, Alexandru

2016-12-01

The induced thermal stress in a heating process is an important parameter to be known and controlled in the magnetization process of core-shell nanowires. This paper analyses the stress produced by a laser heating source placed at one end of a core-shell type structure. The thermal field was computed with the non-Fourier heat transport equation using a finite element method (FEM) implemented in Comsol Multiphysics. The internal stresses are essentially due to thermal gradients and different expansion characteristics of core and shell materials. The stress values were computed using the thermo elastic formalism and are depending on the laser beam parameters (spot size, power etc.) and system characteristics (dimensions, thermal characteristics). Stresses in the GPa range were estimated and consequently we find that the magnetic state of the system can be influenced significantly. A shell material as the glass which is a good thermal insulator induces in the magnetic core, the smaller stresses and consequently the smaller magnetoelastic energy. These results lead to a better understanding of the switching process in the magnetic materials.

Giant exchange bias and its angular dependence in Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gandha, Kinjal; Chaudhary, Rakesh P.; Mohapatra, Jeotikanta; Koymen, Ali R.; Liu, J. Ping, E-mail: pliu@uta.edu

2017-07-12

The exchange-bias field (H{sub EB}) and its angular dependence are systematically investigated in Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies (∼15 nm in diameter and ∼200 nm in length) consisting of single-crystalline Co core and polycrystalline CoO shell. Giant exchange-bias field (H{sub EB}) up to 2.4 kOe is observed below a blocking temperature (T{sub EB} ∼150 K) in the aligned Co/CoO nanowire assemblies. It is also found that there is an angular dependence between the H{sub EB} and the applied magnetization direction. The H{sub EB} showed a peak at 30° between the applied field and the nanowire aligned direction, which may be attributed to the noncollinear spin orientations at the interface between the ferromagnetic core and the antiferromagnetic shell. This behavior is quantitatively supported by an analytical calculation based on Stoner–Wohlfarth model. This study underlines the importance of the competing magnetic anisotropies at the interface of Co/CoO core-shell nanowires. - Highlights: • Giant exchange bias is observed in oriented Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies. • Study of angular and temperature dependence of the exchange bias effect. • Competing magnetic anisotropies at the interface of Co/CoO core-shell nanowires. • Effect of misaligned spins in FM/AFM interface on angular dependence of exchange bias. • We explain the analytical model that accounts for experimental results.

Giant exchange bias and its angular dependence in Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gandha, Kinjal; Chaudhary, Rakesh P.; Mohapatra, Jeotikanta; Koymen, Ali R.; Liu, J. Ping

2017-01-01

The exchange-bias field (H EB ) and its angular dependence are systematically investigated in Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies (∼15 nm in diameter and ∼200 nm in length) consisting of single-crystalline Co core and polycrystalline CoO shell. Giant exchange-bias field (H EB ) up to 2.4 kOe is observed below a blocking temperature (T EB ∼150 K) in the aligned Co/CoO nanowire assemblies. It is also found that there is an angular dependence between the H EB and the applied magnetization direction. The H EB showed a peak at 30° between the applied field and the nanowire aligned direction, which may be attributed to the noncollinear spin orientations at the interface between the ferromagnetic core and the antiferromagnetic shell. This behavior is quantitatively supported by an analytical calculation based on Stoner–Wohlfarth model. This study underlines the importance of the competing magnetic anisotropies at the interface of Co/CoO core-shell nanowires. - Highlights: • Giant exchange bias is observed in oriented Co/CoO core-shell nanowire assemblies. • Study of angular and temperature dependence of the exchange bias effect. • Competing magnetic anisotropies at the interface of Co/CoO core-shell nanowires. • Effect of misaligned spins in FM/AFM interface on angular dependence of exchange bias. • We explain the analytical model that accounts for experimental results.

Growth control, structure, chemical state, and photoresponse of CuO-CdS core-shell heterostructure nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

El Mel, A A; Buffière, M; Bouts, N; Gautron, E; Tessier, P Y; Henzler, K; Guttmann, P; Konstantinidis, S; Bittencourt, C; Snyders, R

2013-07-05

The growth of single-crystal CuO nanowires by thermal annealing of copper thin films in air is studied. We show that the density, length, and diameter of the nanowires can be controlled by tuning the morphology and structure of the copper thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. After identifying the optimal conditions for the growth of CuO nanowires, chemical bath deposition is employed to coat the CuO nanowires with CdS in order to form p-n nanojunction arrays. As revealed by high-resolution TEM analysis, the thickness of the polycrystalline CdS shell increases when decreasing the diameter of the CuO core for a given time of CdS deposition. Near-edge x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy combined with transmission x-ray microscopy allows the chemical analysis of isolated nanowires. The absence of modification in the spectra at the Cu L and O K edges after the deposition of CdS on the CuO nanowires indicates that neither Cd nor S diffuse into the CuO phase. We further demonstrate that the core-shell nanowires exhibit the I-V characteristic of a resistor instead of a diode. The electrical behavior of the device was found to be photosensitive, since increasing the incident light intensity induces an increase in the collected electrical current.

UV-assisted room temperature gas sensing of GaN-core/ZnO-shell nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sunghoon; Ko, Hyunsung; Kim, Soohyun; Lee, Chongmu

2014-01-01

GaN is highly sensitive to low concentrations of H 2 in ambient air and is almost insensitive to most other common gases. However, enhancing the sensing performance and the detection limit of GaN is a challenge. This study examined the H 2 -gas-sensing properties of GaN nanowires encapsulated with ZnO. GaN-core/ZnO-shell nanowires were fabricated by using a two-step process comprising the thermal evaporation of GaN powders and the atomic layer deposition of ZnO. The core-shell nanowires ranged from 80 to 120 nm in diameter and from a few tens to a few hundreds of micrometers in length, with a mean shell layer thickness of ∼8 nm. Multiple-networked pristine GaN nanowire and ZnO-encapsulated GaN (or GaN-core/ZnO-shell) nanowire sensors showed responses of 120 - 147% and 179 - 389%, respectively, to 500 - 2,500 ppm of H 2 at room temperature under UV (254 nm) illumination. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced response of the GaN nanowire to H 2 gas when using ZnO encapsulation and UV irradiation is discussed.

Titanium dioxide@polypyrrole core-shell nanowires for all solid-state flexible supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Minghao; Zeng, Yinxiang; Zhang, Chong; Lu, Xihong; Zeng, Chenghui; Yao, Chenzhong; Yang, Yangyi; Tong, Yexiang

2013-10-01

Herein, we developed a facile two-step process to synthesize TiO2@PPy core-shell nanowires (NWs) on carbon cloth and reported their improved electrochemical performance for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). The fabricated solid-state SC device based on TiO2@PPy core-shell NWs not only has excellent flexibility, but also exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance.Herein, we developed a facile two-step process to synthesize TiO2@PPy core-shell nanowires (NWs) on carbon cloth and reported their improved electrochemical performance for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). The fabricated solid-state SC device based on TiO2@PPy core-shell NWs not only has excellent flexibility, but also exhibits remarkable electrochemical performance. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, XRD pattern, FT-IR absorption spectrum and CV curves of TiO2@PPy NWs, and SEM images of the PPy. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03578f

Quantum dots coupled ZnO nanowire-array panels and their photocatalytic activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yulong; Que, Wenxiu; Zhang, Jin; Zhong, Peng; Yuan, Yuan; Qiu, Xinku; Shen, Fengyu

2013-02-01

Fabrication and characterization of a heterojunction structured by CdS quantum dots@ZnO nanowire-array panels were presented. Firstly, ZnO nanowire-array panels were prepared by using a chemical bath deposition approach where wurtzite ZnO nanowires with a diameter of about 100 nm and 3 microm in length grew perpendicularly to glass substrate. Secondly, CdS quantum dots were deposited onto the surface of the ZnO nanowire-arrays by using successive ion layer absorption and reaction method, and the CdS shell/ZnO core heterojunction were thus obtained. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope were employed to characterize the morphological properties of the as-obtained CdS quantum dots@ZnO nanowire-array panels. X-ray diffraction was adopted to characterize the crystalline properties of the as-obtained CdS quantum dots@ZnO nanowire-array panels. Methyl orange was taken as a model compound to confirm the photocatalytic activities of the CdS shell/ZnO core heterojunction. Results indicate that CdS with narrow band gap not only acts as a visible-light sensitizer but also is responsible for an effective charge separation.

High-resolution TEM characterization of ZnO core-shell nanowires for dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Divitini, G; Ducati, C [Department of Materials Science, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ (United Kingdom); Plank, N O V; Welland, M E [Nanoscience Centre, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, CB3 0FF (United Kingdom); Snaith, H J, E-mail: gd322@cam.ac.u [Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, OX1 3PU (United Kingdom)

2010-07-01

Recently ZnO nanowire films have been used in very promising and inexpensive dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). It was found that the performance of the devices can be enhanced by functionalising the nanowires with a thin metal oxide coating. This nm-scale shell is believed to tailor the electronic structure of the nanowire, and help the absorption of the dye. Core-shell ZnO nanowire structures are synthesised at low temperature (below 120{sup 0}C) by consecutive hydrothermal growth steps. Different materials are investigated for the coating, including Mg, Al, Cs and Zr oxides. High resolution TEM is used to characterise the quality of both the nanowire core and the shell, and to monitor the thickness and the degree of crystallisation of the oxide coating. The interface between the nanowire core and the outer shell is investigated in order to understand the adhesion of the coating, and give valuable feedback for the synthesis process. Nanowire films are packaged into dye-sensitised solar cell prototypes; samples coated with ZrO{sub 2} and MgO show the largest enhancement in the photocurrent and open-circuit voltage and look very promising for further improvement.

High-efficient production of SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires for effective microwave absorption

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Bo; Sai, Tianqi; Xia, Long; Yu, Yuanlie; Wen, Guangwu

2017-01-01

In the current report, we have demonstrated that the high-efficient production of SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires can be achieved through the introduction of trace of water vapor during the chemical vapor deposition process. The yield of the SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires is dramatically improved due to the introduction of water vapor. The SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires exhibit an excellent microwave absorption property in the frequency range of 2.0–18.0GHz with a very low weight percentage of 0.50wt.% in the absorbers. A minimum reflection loss value of −32.72dB (>99.99% attenuation) at 13.84GHz has been observed with the absorber thickness of 3.0mm. Moreover, the SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires based absorber can reach an effective absorption bandwidth (<−10dB) of 5.32GHz with the absorber thickness of 3.5mm. Furthermore, a possible absorption mechanism is also proposed in detail for such effective attenuation of microwave which can be attributed to the dielectric loss and magnetic loss of SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires.

High-efficient production of SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires for effective microwave absorption

KAUST Repository

Zhong, Bo

2017-02-21

In the current report, we have demonstrated that the high-efficient production of SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires can be achieved through the introduction of trace of water vapor during the chemical vapor deposition process. The yield of the SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires is dramatically improved due to the introduction of water vapor. The SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires exhibit an excellent microwave absorption property in the frequency range of 2.0–18.0GHz with a very low weight percentage of 0.50wt.% in the absorbers. A minimum reflection loss value of −32.72dB (>99.99% attenuation) at 13.84GHz has been observed with the absorber thickness of 3.0mm. Moreover, the SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires based absorber can reach an effective absorption bandwidth (<−10dB) of 5.32GHz with the absorber thickness of 3.5mm. Furthermore, a possible absorption mechanism is also proposed in detail for such effective attenuation of microwave which can be attributed to the dielectric loss and magnetic loss of SiC/SiO2 core-shell nanowires.

Electronic structure and intersubband magnetoabsorption spectra of CdSe/CdS core-shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Wen

2016-10-01

The electronic structures of CdSe/CdS core-shell nanowires are calculated based on the effective-mass theory, and it is found that the hole states in CdSe/CdS core-shell nanowires are strongly mixed, which are very different from the hole states in CdSe or CdS nanowires. In addition, we find the three highest hole states at the Γ point are almost localized in the CdSe core and the energies of the hole states in CdSe/CdS core-shell nanowires can be enhanced greatly when the core radius Rc increases and the total radius R is fixed. The degenerate hole states are split by the magnetic field, and the split energies will increase when |Jh | increases from 1/2 to 7/2, while they are almost not influenced by the change of the core radius Rc. The absorption spectra of CdSe/CdS core-shell nanowires at the Γ point are also studied in the magnetic field when the temperature T is considered, and we find there are only two peaks will arise if the core radius Rc and the temperature T increase. The intensity of each optical absorption can be considerably enhanced by increasing the core radius Rc when the temperature T is fixed, it is due to the increase of their optical transition matrix element. Meanwhile, the intensity of each optical absorption can be decreased when the temperature T increases and the core radius Rc is fixed, and this is because the Fermi-Dirac distribution function of the corresponding hole states will increase as the increase of the temperature T.

Strain relaxation and ambipolar electrical transport in GaAs/InSb core-shell nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Rieger, Torsten; Zellekens, Patrick; Demarina, Natalia; Hassan, Ali Al; Hackemüller, Franz Josef; Lüth, Hans; Pietsch, Ullrich; Schäpers, Thomas; Grützmacher, Detlev; Lepsa, Mihail Ion

2017-11-30

The growth, crystal structure, strain relaxation and room temperature transport characteristics of GaAs/InSb core-shell nanowires grown using molecular beam epitaxy are investigated. Due to the large lattice mismatch between GaAs and InSb of 14%, a transition from island-based to layer-like growth occurs during the formation of the shell. High resolution transmission electron microscopy in combination with geometric phase analyses as well as X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation are used to investigate the strain relaxation and prove the existence of different dislocations relaxing the strain on zinc blende and wurtzite core-shell nanowire segments. While on the wurtzite phase only Frank partial dislocations are found, the strain on the zinc blende phase is relaxed by dislocations with perfect, Shockley partial and Frank partial dislocations. Even for ultrathin shells of about 2 nm thickness, the strain caused by the high lattice mismatch between GaAs and InSb is relaxed almost completely. Transfer characteristics of the core-shell nanowires show an ambipolar conductance behavior whose strength strongly depends on the dimensions of the nanowires. The interpretation is given based on an electronic band profile which is calculated for completely relaxed core/shell structures. The peculiarities of the band alignment in this situation implies simultaneously occupied electron and hole channels in the InSb shell. The ambipolar behavior is then explained by the change of carrier concentration in both channels by the gate voltage.

Three-dimensional hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanowire@Ni3S2 nanosheet core/shell arrays for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bo; Kong, Dezhi; Huang, Zhi Xiang; Mo, Runwei; Wang, Ye; Han, Zhaojun; Cheng, Chuanwei; Yang, Hui Ying

2016-05-01

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 core/shell arrays on Ni foam were synthesized by a facile, stepwise synthesis approach. The 3D heterogeneous NiCo2O4 nanostructure forms an interconnected web-like scaffold and serves as the core for the Ni3S2 shell. The as-prepared NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 nanowire array (NWA) electrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, such as high specific areal capacitance and excellent cycling stability. The specific areal capacitance of 3.0 F cm-2 at a current density of 5 mA cm-2 is among the highest values and the only 6.7% capacitance decay after 10 000 cycles demonstrates the excellent cycling stability. A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated with activated carbon (AC) as the anode and the obtained NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 NWAs as the cathode. The ASC device exhibited a high energy density of 1.89 mW h cm-3 at 5.81 W cm-3 and a high power density of 56.33 W cm-3 at 0.94 mW h cm-3. As a result, the hybrid nanoarchitecture opens a new way to design high performance electrodes for electrochemical energy storage applications.Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 core/shell arrays on Ni foam were synthesized by a facile, stepwise synthesis approach. The 3D heterogeneous NiCo2O4 nanostructure forms an interconnected web-like scaffold and serves as the core for the Ni3S2 shell. The as-prepared NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 nanowire array (NWA) electrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, such as high specific areal capacitance and excellent cycling stability. The specific areal capacitance of 3.0 F cm-2 at a current density of 5 mA cm-2 is among the highest values and the only 6.7% capacitance decay after 10 000 cycles demonstrates the excellent cycling stability. A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated with activated carbon (AC) as the anode and the obtained NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 NWAs as the cathode. The ASC device exhibited a high energy density of 1.89 mW h cm-3 at 5.81 W cm-3 and a high power

Origin of Spontaneous Core-Shell AIGaAs Nanowires Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dubrovskii, V. G.; Shtrom, I. V.; Reznik, R. R.

2016-01-01

Based on the high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies, we unravel the origin of spontaneous core shell AlGaAs nanowires grown by gold-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Our AlGaAs nanowires have a cylindrical core...

Unlocking the Origin of Superior Performance of a Si-Ge Core-Shell Nanowire Quantum Dot Field Effect Transistor.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhungana, Kamal B; Jaishi, Meghnath; Pati, Ranjit

2016-07-13

The sustained advancement in semiconducting core-shell nanowire technology has unlocked a tantalizing route for making next generation field effect transistor (FET). Understanding how to control carrier mobility of these nanowire channels by applying a gate field is the key to developing a high performance FET. Herein, we have identified the switching mechanism responsible for the superior performance of a Si-Ge core-shell nanowire quantum dot FET over its homogeneous Si counterpart. A quantum transport approach is used to investigate the gate-field modulated switching behavior in electronic current for ultranarrow Si and Si-Ge core-shell nanowire quantum dot FETs. Our calculations reveal that for the ON state, the gate-field induced transverse localization of the wave function restricts the carrier transport to the outer (shell) layer with the pz orbitals providing the pathway for tunneling of electrons in the channels. The higher ON state current in the Si-Ge core-shell nanowire FET is attributed to the pz orbitals that are distributed over the entire channel; in the case of Si nanowire, the participating pz orbital is restricted to a few Si atoms in the channel resulting in a smaller tunneling current. Within the gate bias range considered here, the transconductance is found to be substantially higher in the case of a Si-Ge core-shell nanowire FET than in a Si nanowire FET, which suggests a much higher mobility in the Si-Ge nanowire device.

Growth of InAs/InP core-shell nanowires with various pure crystal structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorji Ghalamestani, Sepideh; Heurlin, Magnus; Wernersson, Lars-Erik; Lehmann, Sebastian; Dick, Kimberly A

2012-07-20

We have studied the epitaxial growth of an InP shell on various pure InAs core nanowire crystal structures by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. The InP shell is grown on wurtzite (WZ), zinc-blende (ZB), and {111}- and {110}-type faceted ZB twin-plane superlattice (TSL) structures by tuning the InP shell growth parameters and controlling the shell thickness. The growth results, particularly on the WZ nanowires, show that homogeneous InP shell growth is promoted at relatively high temperatures (∼500 °C), but that the InAs nanowires decompose under the applied conditions. In order to protect the InAs core nanowires from decomposition, a short protective InP segment is first grown axially at lower temperatures (420-460 °C), before commencing the radial growth at a higher temperature. Further studies revealed that the InP radial growth rate is significantly higher on the ZB and TSL nanowires compared to WZ counterparts, and shows a strong anisotropy in polar directions. As a result, thin shells were obtained during low temperature InP growth on ZB structures, while a higher temperature was used to obtain uniform thick shells. In addition, a schematic growth model is suggested to explain the basic processes occurring during the shell growth on the TSL crystal structures.

Significant reduction of thermal conductivity in Si/Ge core-shell nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Ming; Giapis, Konstantinos P; Goicochea, Javier V; Zhang, Xiaoliang; Poulikakos, Dimos

2011-02-09

We report on the effect of germanium (Ge) coatings on the thermal transport properties of silicon (Si) nanowires using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that a simple deposition of a Ge shell of only 1 to 2 unit cells in thickness on a single crystalline Si nanowire can lead to a dramatic 75% decrease in thermal conductivity at room temperature compared to an uncoated Si nanowire. By analyzing the vibrational density states of phonons and the participation ratio of each specific mode, we demonstrate that the reduction in the thermal conductivity of Si/Ge core-shell nanowire stems from the depression and localization of long-wavelength phonon modes at the Si/Ge interface and of high frequency nonpropagating diffusive modes.

Solution processed bismuth sulfide nanowire array core/silver shuffle shell solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cao, Y.; Bernechea, M.; Maclachlan, A.; Zardetto, V.; Creatore, M.; Haque, S.A.; Konstantatos, G.

2015-01-01

Low bandgap inorganic semiconductor nanowires have served as building blocks in solution processed solar cells to improve their power conversion capacity and reduce fabrication cost. In this work, we first reported bismuth sulfide nanowire arrays grown from colloidal seeds on a transparent

Fabrication and photoelectrochemical properties of silicon nanowires/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} core/shell arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Zhen [Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Institute of Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Ma, Ge [Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Chen, Zhihong, E-mail: chenzhihong1227@sina.com [Shenyang Institute of Automation, Guangzhou, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458 (China); Zhang, Yongguang [Research Institute for Energy Equipment Materials, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Materials Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130 (China); Zhang, Zhe [Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Gao, Jinwei [Institute of Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Meng, Qingguo; Yuan, Mingzhe [Shenyang Institute of Automation, Guangzhou, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458 (China); Wang, Xin, E-mail: wangxin@scnu.edu.cn [Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Liu, Jun-ming [Institute of Advanced Materials, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China); Zhou, Guofu [Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (China)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • A novel Silicon Nanowires/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} core/shell arrays photoanode prepared by a mild and inexpensive metal-catalyzed electroless etching (MCEE) process followed by liquid atomic layer deposition (LALD), wiich is a facile and low-cost method. • In comparison with FTO/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and Si NWs samples, the Si NWs/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} samples showed significantly enhanced photocurrent which could be attributed to the SiNWs-based core/shell structure. • A systematical PEC mechanism of the Si NWs/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} was proposed is this manuscript. - Abstract: A photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell made of metal-free carbon nitride (g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) @siliconnanowire(Si NW) arrays (denoted as Si NWs/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) is presented in this work. The as-prepared photoelectrodes with different mass contents of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} have been synthesized via a metal-catalyzed electroless etching (MCEE), liquid atomic layer deposition (LALD) and annealing methods. The amount of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} on the Si NW arrays can be controlled by tuning the concentration of the cyanamide solution used in the LALD procedure. The dense and vertically aligned Si NWs/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} core/shell nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In comparison with FTO/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and Si NW samples, the Si NWs/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} samples showed significantly enhanced photocurrents over the entire potential sweep range. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was conducted to investigate the properties of the charge transfer process, and the results indicated that the enhanced PEC performance may be due to the increased photo-generated interfacial charge transfer between the Si NWs and g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. The photocurrent density reached 45 μA/cm{sup 2} under 100 mW/cm{sup 2} (AM 1.5 G) illumination at 0 V (vs. Pt) in neutral Na{sub 2}SO{sub 4} solution (pH ∼ 7

Study of the effect of varying core diameter, shell thickness and strain velocity on the tensile properties of single crystals of Cu-Ag core-shell nanowire using molecular dynamics simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Jit; Das, D. K.

2018-01-01

Core-shell type nanostructures show exceptional properties due to their unique structure having a central solid core of one type and an outer thin shell of another type which draw immense attention among researchers. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are carried out on single crystals of copper-silver core-shell nanowires having wire diameter ranging from 9 to 30 nm with varying core diameter, shell thickness, and strain velocity. The tensile properties like yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and Young's modulus are studied and correlated by varying one parameter at a time and keeping the other two parameters constant. The results obtained for a fixed wire size and different strain velocities were extrapolated to calculate the tensile properties like yield strength and Young's modulus at standard strain rate of 1 mm/min. The results show ultra-high tensile properties of copper-silver core-shell nanowires, several times than that of bulk copper and silver. These copper-silver core-shell nanowires can be used as a reinforcing agent in bulk metal matrix for developing ultra-high strength nanocomposites.

Hydrogenated CoOx nanowire@Ni(OH)2 nanosheet core-shell nanostructures for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jianxiao; Huang, Lei; Xiao, Yuxiu; Shen, Leo; Chen, Qi; Shi, Wangzhou

2014-05-01

We report a facile strategy to prepare 3D core-shell nanowire heterostructures with microporous hydrogenated CoOx (H-CoOx) nanowires as the conducting scaffold to support Ni(OH)2 nanosheets. Benefiting from the H-CoOx nanowire core to provide the effective pathway for charge transport and the core-shell heterostructures with synergistic effects, the H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowire electrode achieved the specific capacitance of 2196 F g-1 (areal capacitance of 5.73 F cm-2), which is approximately a 1.4-fold enhancement compared with the Co3O4@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowires. An aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device was fabricated by using H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 nanowires as the positive electrode and reduced graphene oxide @Fe3O4 nanocomposites as the negative electrode. The ASCs achieved high energy density (~45.3 W h kg-1 at 1010 W kg-1), high power density (~7080 W kg-1 at 23.4 W h kg-1) and high cycling stability. Furthermore, after charging for ~1 min, one such 22 cm2 ASC device demonstrated to be able to drive a small windmill (0.8 V, 0.1 W) for 20 min. Two such ASCs connected in series can power up a seven-color LED (3.2 V) efficiently.We report a facile strategy to prepare 3D core-shell nanowire heterostructures with microporous hydrogenated CoOx (H-CoOx) nanowires as the conducting scaffold to support Ni(OH)2 nanosheets. Benefiting from the H-CoOx nanowire core to provide the effective pathway for charge transport and the core-shell heterostructures with synergistic effects, the H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowire electrode achieved the specific capacitance of 2196 F g-1 (areal capacitance of 5.73 F cm-2), which is approximately a 1.4-fold enhancement compared with the Co3O4@Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanowires. An aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device was fabricated by using H-CoOx@Ni(OH)2 nanowires as the positive electrode and reduced graphene oxide @Fe3O4 nanocomposites as the negative electrode. The ASCs achieved high energy density (~45.3 W h kg-1 at

Graded index and randomly oriented core-shell silicon nanowires for broadband and wide angle antireflection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Pignalosa

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Antireflection with broadband and wide angle properties is important for a wide range of applications on photovoltaic cells and display. The SiOx shell layer provides a natural antireflection from air to the Si core absorption layer. In this work, we have demonstrated the random core-shell silicon nanowires with both broadband (from 400nm to 900nm and wide angle (from normal incidence to 60º antireflection characteristics within AM1.5 solar spectrum. The graded index structure from the randomly oriented core-shell (Air/SiOx/Si nanowires may provide a potential avenue to realize a broadband and wide angle antireflection layer.

Facile synthesis of hierarchical Co3O4@MnO2 core-shell arrays on Ni foam for asymmetric supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ming; Zhang, Yuxin; Li, Fei; Zhang, Lili; Wen, Zhiyu; Liu, Qing

2014-04-01

Hierarchical Co3O4@MnO2 core-shell arrays on Ni foam have been fabricated by a facile hydrothermal approach and further investigated as the electrode for high-performance supercapacitors. Owing to the high conductivity of the well-defined mesoporous Co3O4 nanowire arrays in combination with the large surface area provided by the ultrathin MnO2 nanosheets, the unique designed Co3O4@MnO2 core-shell arrays on Ni foam have exhibited a high specific capacitance (560 F g-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g-1), good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability (95% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles). An asymmetric supercapacitor with Co3O4@MnO2 core-shell nanostructure as the positive electrode and activated microwave exfoliated graphite oxide activated graphene (MEGO) as the negative electrode yielded an energy density of 17.7 Wh kg-1 and a maximum power density of 158 kW kg-1. The rational design of the unique core-shell array architectures demonstrated in this work provides a new and facile approach to fabricate high-performance electrode for supercapacitors.

Extreme IR absorption in group IV-SiGeSn core-shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Attiaoui, Anis; Wirth, Stephan; Blanchard-Dionne, André-Pierre; Meunier, Michel; Hartmann, J. M.; Buca, Dan; Moutanabbir, Oussama

2018-06-01

Sn-containing Si and Ge (Ge1-y-xSixSny) alloys are an emerging family of semiconductors with the potential to impact group IV material-based devices. These semiconductors provide the ability to independently engineer both the lattice parameter and bandgap, which holds the premise to develop enhanced or novel photonic and electronic devices. With this perspective, we present detailed investigations of the influence of Ge1-y-xSixSny layers on the optical properties of Si and Ge based heterostructures and nanowires. We found that by adding a thin Ge1-y-xSixSny capping layer on Si or Ge greatly enhances light absorption especially in the near infrared range, leading to an increase in short-circuit current density. For the Ge1-y-xSixSny structure at thicknesses below 30 nm, a 14-fold increase in the short-circuit current is observed with respect to bare Si. This enhancement decreases by reducing the capping layer thickness. Conversely, decreasing the shell thickness was found to improve the short-circuit current in Si/Ge1-y-xSixSny and Ge/Ge1-y-xSixSny core/shell nanowires. The optical absorption becomes very important by increasing the Sn content. Moreover, by exploiting an optical antenna effect, these nanowires show extreme light absorption, reaching an enhancement factor, with respect to Si or Ge nanowires, on the order of 104 in Si/Ge0.84Si0.04Sn0.12 and 12 in Ge/Ge0.84Si0.04Sn0.12. Furthermore, we analyzed the optical response after the addition of a dielectric layer of Si3N4 to the Si/Ge1-y-xSixSny core-shell nanowire and found approximatively a 50% increase in the short-circuit current density for a dielectric layer of thickness equal to 45 nm and both a core radius and a shell thickness greater than 40 nm. The core-shell optical antenna benefits from a multiplication of enhancements contributed by leaky mode resonances in the semiconductor part and antireflection effects in the dielectric part.

Flexible, silver nanowire network nickel hydroxide core-shell electrodes for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Yuksel, Recep; Coskun, Sahin; Kalay, Yunus Eren; Unalan, Husnu Emrah

2016-10-01

We present a novel one-dimensional coaxial architecture composed of silver nanowire (Ag NW) network core and nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) shell for the realization of coaxial nanocomposite electrode materials for supercapacitors. Ag NWs are formed conductive networks via spray coating onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates and Ni(OH)2 is gradually electrodeposited onto the Ag NW network to fabricate core-shell electrodes for supercapacitors. Synergy of highly conductive Ag NWs and high capacitive Ni(OH)2 facilitate ion and electron transport, enhance electrochemical properties and result in a specific capacitance of 1165.2 F g-1 at a current density of 3 A g-1. After 3000 cycles, fabricated nanocomposite electrodes show 93% capacity retention. The rational design explored in this study points out the potential of nanowire based coaxial energy storage devices.

Band bending at the heterointerface of GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires monitored by synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Khanbabaee, B.; Bussone, G.; Knutsson, J. V.; Geijselaers, I.; Pryor, C. E.; Rieger, T.; Demarina, N.; Grützmacher, D.; Lepsa, M. I.; Timm, R.; Pietsch, U.

2016-10-01

Unique electronic properties of semiconductor heterostructured nanowires make them useful for future nano-electronic devices. Here, we present a study of the band bending effect at the heterointerface of GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires by means of synchrotron based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Different Ga, In, and As core-levels of the nanowire constituents have been monitored prior to and after cleaning from native oxides. The cleaning process mainly affected the As-oxides and was accompanied by an energy shift of the core-level spectra towards lower binding energy, suggesting that the As-oxides turn the nanowire surfaces to n-type. After cleaning, both As and Ga core-levels revealed an energy shift of about -0.3 eV for core/shell compared to core reference nanowires. With respect to depth dependence and in agreement with calculated strain distribution and electron quantum confinement, the observed energy shift is interpreted by band bending of core-levels at the heterointerface between the GaAs nanowire core and the InAs shell.

Enhanced cycling stability of NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays for all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yuanyuan; Shi, Tielin; Jiang, Shulan; Cheng, Siyi; Tao, Xiangxu; Zhong, Yan; Liao, Guanglan; Tang, Zirong

2016-12-01

As a new class of pseudocapacitive material, metal sulfides possess high electrochemical performance. However, their cycling performance as conventional electrodes is rather poor for practical applications. In this article, we report an original composite electrode based on NiCo2S4@NiO core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) with enhanced cycling stability. This three-dimensional electrode also has a high specific capacitance of 12.2 F cm-2 at the current density of 1 mA cm-2 and excellent cycling stability (about 89% retention after 10,000 cycles). Moreover, an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device has been assembled with NiCo2S4@NiO NWAs as the positive electrode and active carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, delivering a high energy density of 30.38 W h kg-1 at 0.288 KW kg-1 and good cycling stability (about 109% retention after 5000 cycles). The results show that NiCo2S4@NiO NWAs are promising for high-performance supercapacitors with stable cycling based on the unique core-shell structure and well-designed combinations.

Hierarchical shell/core CuO nanowire/carbon fiber composites as binder-free anodes for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Wei; Luo, Jian; Pan, Baoyou; Qiu, Zhiqiang; Huang, Shimin; Tang, Yong

2017-01-01

Highlights: •The composite anode is composed of CuO nanowire shell and carbon fiber core. •The composite anode avoids completely the use of binders. •Synergistic effect of carbon fibers and CuO nanowires enhances performance. •Carbon fibers improve electrical conductivity and buffer volume change. •CuO nanowires shorten diffusion length and alleviate structural strain. -- Abstract: Developing high-performance electrode structures is of great importance for advanced lithium-ion batteries. This study reports an efficient method to fabricate hierarchical shell/core CuO nanowire/carbon fiber composites via electroless plating and thermal oxidation processes. With this method, a binder-free CuO nanowire/carbon fiber shell/core hierarchical network composite anode for lithium-ion batteries is successfully fabricated. The morphology and chemical composition of the anode are characterized, and the electrochemical performance of the anode is investigated by standard electrochemical tests. Owing to the superior properties of carbon fibers and the morphological advantages of CuO nanowires, this composite anode still retains an excellent reversible capacity of 598.2 mAh g −1 with a capacity retention rate above 86%, even after 50 cycles, which is much higher than the CuO anode without carbon fibers. Compared to the typical CuO/C electrode systems, the novel binder-free anode yields a performance close to that of the typical core/shell electrode systems and a much higher reversible capacity and capacity retention than the similar shell/core patterns as well as the anodes with binders. It is believed that this novel anode will pave the way to the development of binder-free anodes in response to the increasing demands for high-power energy storage.

Fulde-Ferrell state in superconducting core/shell nanowires: role of the orbital effect

Science.gov (United States)

Mika, Marek; Wójcik, Paweł

2017-11-01

The orbital effect on the Fulde-Ferrell (FF) phase is investigated in superconducting core/shell nanowires subjected to the axial magnetic field. Confinement in the radial direction results in quantization of the electron motion with energies determined by the radial j and orbital m quantum numbers. In the external magnetic field, the twofold degeneracy with respect to the orbital magnetic quantum number m is lifted which leads to the Fermi wave vector mismatch between the paired electrons, (k, j, m, \\uparrow) ≤ftrightarrow (-k, j, -m, \\downarrow) . This mismatch is transferred to the nonzero total momentum of the Cooper pairs, which results in a formation of the FF phase occurring sequentially with increasing magnetic field. By changing the nanowire radius R and the superconducting shell thickness d, we discuss the role of the orbital effect in the FF phase formation in both the nanowire-like (R/d \\ll 1 ) and nanofilm-like (R/d \\gg 1 ) regime. We have found that the irregular pattern of the FF phase which appears for the case of the nanowire-like regime, for the nanofilm-like geometry evolves towards the regular distribution in which the FF phase stability regions emerge periodically between the BCS states. The transition between these two different phase diagrams is explained as resulting from the orbital effect and the multigap character of superconductivity in the core/shell nanowires.

Significant efficiency enhancement of hybrid solar cells using core-shell nanowire geometry for energy harvesting.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Shin-Hung; Chang, Hung-Chih; Wang, Hsin-Hua; Chen, Szu-Ying; Lin, Chin-An; Chen, Show-An; Chueh, Yu-Lun; He, Jr-Hau

2011-12-27

A novel strategy employing core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) consisting of Si/regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was demonstrated to facilitate efficient light harvesting and exciton dissociation/charge collection for hybrid solar cells (HSCs). We experimentally demonstrate broadband and omnidirectional light-harvesting characteristics of core-shell NWA HSCs due to their subwavelength features, further supported by the simulation based on finite-difference time domain analysis. Meanwhile, core-shell geometry of NWA HSCs guarantees efficient charge separation since the thickness of the P3HT shells is comparable to the exciton diffusion length. Consequently, core-shell HSCs exhibit a 61% improvement of short-circuit current for a conversion efficiency (η) enhancement of 31.1% as compared to the P3HT-infiltrated Si NWA HSCs with layers forming a flat air/polymer cell interface. The improvement of crystal quality of P3HT shells due to the formation of ordering structure at Si interfaces after air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5G) illumination was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The core-shell geometry with the interfacial improvement by AM 1.5G illumination promotes more efficient exciton dissociation and charge separation, leading to η improvement (∼140.6%) due to the considerable increase in V(oc) from 257 to 346 mV, J(sc) from 11.7 to 18.9 mA/cm(2), and FF from 32.2 to 35.2%, which is not observed in conventional P3HT-infiltrated Si NWA HSCs. The stability of the Si/P3HT core-shell NWA HSCs in air ambient was carefully examined. The core-shell geometry should be applicable to many other material systems of solar cells and thus holds high potential in third-generation solar cells.

Quantum interferometer based on GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires connected to superconducting contacts

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, F.; Dickheuer, S.; Zellekens, P.; Rieger, T.; Lepsa, M. I.; Lüth, H.; Grützmacher, D.; Schäpers, Th

2018-06-01

An interferometer structure was realized based on a GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowire and Nb superconducting electrodes. Two pairs of Nb contacts are attached to the side facets of the nanowire allowing for carrier transport in three different orientations. Owing to the core/shell geometry, the current flows in the tubular conductive InAs shell. In transport measurements with superconducting electrodes directly facing each other, indications of a Josephson supercurrent are found. In contrast for junctions in diagonal and longitudinal configuration a deficiency current is observed, owing to the weaker coupling on longer distances. By applying a magnetic field along the nanowires axis pronounced h/2e flux-periodic oscillations are measured in all three contact configurations. The appearance of these oscillations is explained in terms of interference effects in the Josephson supercurrent and long-range phase-coherent Andreev reflection.

Hierarchical α-MnO2 nanowires@Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes core-shell nanostructures for supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hsin-Yi; Xiao, Fang-Xing; Yu, Le; Liu, Bin; Lou, Xiong Wen David

2014-08-13

A facile two-step solution-phase method has been developed for the preparation of hierarchical α-MnO2 nanowires@Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes core-shell nanostructures. Ultralong α-MnO2 nanowires were synthesized by a hydrothermal method in the first step. Subsequently, Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes were grown on α-MnO2 nanowires to form core-shell nanostructures using chemical bath deposition followed by thermal annealing. Both solution-phase methods can be easily scaled up for mass production. We have evaluated their application in supercapacitors. The ultralong one-dimensional (1D) α-MnO2 nanowires in hierarchical core-shell nanostructures offer a stable and efficient backbone for charge transport; while the two-dimensional (2D) Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes on α-MnO2 nanowires provide high accessible surface to ions in the electrolyte. These beneficial features enable the electrode with high capacitance and reliable stability. The capacitance of the core-shell α-MnO2 @Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanostructures (x = 0.75) is as high as 657 F g(-1) at a current density of 250 mA g(-1) , and stable charging-discharging cycling over 1000 times at a current density of 2000 mA g(-1) has been realized. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The measurement of electrostatic potentials in core/shell GaN nanowires using off-axis electron holography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yazdi, Sadegh; Kasama, Takeshi; Ciechonski, R

2013-01-01

Core-shell GaN nanowires are expected to be building blocks of future light emitting devices. Here we apply off-axis electron holography to map the electrostatic potential distributions in such nanowires. To access the cross-section of selected individual nanowires, focused ion beam (FIB) milling...... is used. Furthermore, to assess the influence of FIB damage, the dopant potential measured from an intact NW is compared with a FIB prepared one. It is shown that in addition to the built-in potential between the p-type shell and unintentionally n-type under-layer there is a potential barrier between...... the core and under-layer which are both unintentionally n-type doped....

Synthesis, structure, and luminescence properties of In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7}/SnO{sub 2} core-shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sunghoon; An, Soyeon; Jin, Changhyun; Lee, Chongmu [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-09-15

In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7}/SnO{sub 2} core-shell nanowires were synthesized by using a two-step process: thermal evaporation of a mixture of In and Ge powders and atomic layer deposition of SnO{sub 2}. The core-shell nanowires were characterized using by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7} cores in these core-shell nanowires varied from 50 to 100 nanometers in diameter and up to a few hundreds of micrometers in length, and the SnO{sub 2} shell layer thickness ranged from 5 to 15 nm. Photoluminescence measurements showed that the In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanowires had a weak broad violet emission band centered at approximately 405 nm. In contrast, the In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7}/SnO{sub 2} core-shell nanowires had a taller blue-violet emission peak at approximately 440 nm. The optimum shell layer thickness of the In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7}/SnO{sub 2} core-shell nanowires for the highest PL intensity was found to be 15 nm. Our results also showed that the intensity of the blue-violet emission was increased further by thermal annealing in an Ar atmosphere. The origins of the change on and the enhancement of the luminescence of the In{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanowires by SnO{sub 2} coating and annealing are discussed.

Synthesis of core-shell heterostructured Cu/Cu2O nanowires monitored by in situ XRD as efficient visible-light photocatalysts

KAUST Repository

Chen, Wei

2013-01-01

Core-shell heterostructured Cu/Cu2O nanowires with a high aspect ratio were synthesized from Cu foam using a novel oxidation/reduction process. In situ XRD was used as an efficient tool to acquire phase transformation details during the temperature-programmed oxidation of Cu foam and the subsequent reduction process. Based on knowledge of the crucial phase transformation, optimal synthesis conditions for producing high-quality CuO and core-shell Cu/Cu2O nanowires were determined. In favor of efficient charge separation induced by the special core-shell heterostructure and the advanced three-dimensional spatial configuration, Cu/Cu2O nanowires exhibited superior visible-light activity in the degradation of methylene blue. The present study illustrates a novel strategy for fabricating efficiently core-shell heterostructured nanowires and provides the potential for developing their applications in electronic devices, for environmental remediation and in solar energy utilization fields. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Ag/Au/Polypyrrole Core-shell Nanowire Network for Transparent, Stretchable and Flexible Supercapacitor in Wearable Energy Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Hyunjin; Lee, Habeom; Kwon, Jinhyeong; Suh, Young Duk; Kim, Dong Kwan; Ha, Inho; Yeo, Junyeob; Hong, Sukjoon; Ko, Seung Hwan

2017-02-01

Transparent and stretchable energy storage devices have attracted significant interest due to their potential to be applied to biocompatible and wearable electronics. Supercapacitors that use the reversible faradaic redox reaction of conducting polymer have a higher specific capacitance as compared with electrical double-layer capacitors. Typically, the conducting polymer electrode is fabricated through direct electropolymerization on the current collector. However, no research have been conducted on metal nanowires as current collectors for the direct electropolymerization, even though the metal nanowire network structure has proven to be superior as a transparent, flexible, and stretchable electrode platform because the conducting polymer’s redox potential for polymerization is higher than that of widely studied metal nanowires such as silver and copper. In this study, we demonstrated a highly transparent and stretchable supercapacitor by developing Ag/Au/Polypyrrole core-shell nanowire networks as electrode by coating the surface of Ag NWs with a thin layer of gold, which provide higher redox potential than the electropolymerizable monomer. The Ag/Au/Polypyrrole core-shell nanowire networks demonstrated superior mechanical stability under various mechanical bending and stretching. In addition, proposed supercapacitors showed fine optical transmittance together with fivefold improved areal capacitance compared to pristine Ag/Au core-shell nanowire mesh-based supercapacitors.

Hierarchically structured Co₃O₄@Pt@MnO₂ nanowire arrays for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Hui; Zhu, Dongdong; Luo, Zhentao; Yu, Yue; Shi, Xiaoqin; Yuan, Guoliang; Xie, Jianping

2013-10-17

Here we proposed a novel architectural design of a ternary MnO2-based electrode - a hierarchical Co3O4@Pt@MnO2 core-shell-shell structure, where the complemental features of the three key components (a well-defined Co3O4 nanowire array on the conductive Ti substrate, an ultrathin layer of small Pt nanoparticles, and a thin layer of MnO2 nanoflakes) are strategically combined into a single entity to synergize and construct a high-performance electrode for supercapacitors. Owing to the high conductivity of the well-defined Co3O4 nanowire arrays, in which the conductivity was further enhanced by a thin metal (Pt) coating layer, in combination with the large surface area provided by the small MnO2 nanoflakes, the as-fabricated Co3O4@Pt@MnO2 nanowire arrays have exhibited high specific capacitances, good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability. The architectural design demonstrated in this study provides a new approach to fabricate high-performance MnO2-based nanowire arrays for constructing next-generation supercapacitors.

Micro-Raman investigations of InN-GaN core-shell nanowires on Si (111) substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Sangeetha, P.; Jeganathan, K.; Ramakrishnan, V.

2013-06-01

The electron-phonon interactions in InN-GaN core-shell nanowires grown by plasma assisted- molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Si (111) substrate have been analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopic technique with the excitation wavelength of 633, 488 and 325 nm. The Raman scattering at 633 nm reveals the characteristic E2 (high) and A1 (LO) phonon mode of InN core at 490 and 590 cm-1 respectively and E2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm-1. The free carrier concentration of InN core is found to be low in the order ˜ 1016 cm-3 due to the screening of charge carriers by thin GaN shell. Diameter of InN core evaluated using the spatial correlation model is consistent with the transmission electron microscopic measurement of ˜15 nm. The phonon-life time of core-shell nanowire structure is estimated to be ˜0.4 ps. The micro-Raman mapping and its corresponding localised spectra for 325 nm excitation exhibit intense E2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm-1 as the decrease of laser interaction length and the signal intensity is quenched at the voids due to high spacing of NWs.

Micro-Raman investigations of InN-GaN core-shell nanowires on Si (111 substrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Sangeetha

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The electron-phonon interactions in InN-GaN core-shell nanowires grown by plasma assisted- molecular beam epitaxy (MBE on Si (111 substrate have been analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopic technique with the excitation wavelength of 633, 488 and 325 nm. The Raman scattering at 633 nm reveals the characteristic E2 (high and A1 (LO phonon mode of InN core at 490 and 590 cm−1 respectively and E2 (high phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm−1. The free carrier concentration of InN core is found to be low in the order ∼ 1016 cm−3 due to the screening of charge carriers by thin GaN shell. Diameter of InN core evaluated using the spatial correlation model is consistent with the transmission electron microscopic measurement of ∼15 nm. The phonon-life time of core-shell nanowire structure is estimated to be ∼0.4 ps. The micro-Raman mapping and its corresponding localised spectra for 325 nm excitation exhibit intense E2 (high phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm−1 as the decrease of laser interaction length and the signal intensity is quenched at the voids due to high spacing of NWs.

Micro-Raman investigations of InN-GaN core-shell nanowires on Si (111) substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sangeetha, P.; Ramakrishnan, V.; Jeganathan, K.

2013-01-01

The electron-phonon interactions in InN-GaN core-shell nanowires grown by plasma assisted- molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Si (111) substrate have been analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopic technique with the excitation wavelength of 633, 488 and 325 nm. The Raman scattering at 633 nm reveals the characteristic E 2 (high) and A 1 (LO) phonon mode of InN core at 490 and 590 cm −1 respectively and E 2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm −1 . The free carrier concentration of InN core is found to be low in the order ∼ 10 16 cm −3 due to the screening of charge carriers by thin GaN shell. Diameter of InN core evaluated using the spatial correlation model is consistent with the transmission electron microscopic measurement of ∼15 nm. The phonon-life time of core-shell nanowire structure is estimated to be ∼0.4 ps. The micro-Raman mapping and its corresponding localised spectra for 325 nm excitation exhibit intense E 2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm −1 as the decrease of laser interaction length and the signal intensity is quenched at the voids due to high spacing of NWs.

Photovoltaic devices based on quantum dot functionalized nanowire arrays embedded in an organic matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, Patrick; Harris, Nicholas; Shen, Gang; Wilbert, David S.; Baughman, William; Balci, Soner; Dawahre, Nabil; Butler, Lee; Rivera, Elmer; Nikles, David; Kim, Seongsin M.

2012-01-01

Quantum dot (QD) functionalized nanowire arrays are attractive structures for low cost high efficiency solar cells. QDs have the potential for higher quantum efficiency, increased stability and lifetime compared to traditional dyes, as well as the potential for multiple electron generation per photon. Nanowire array scaffolds constitute efficient, low resistance electron transport pathways which minimize the hopping mechanism in the charge transport process of quantum dot solar cells. However, the use of liquid electrolytes as a hole transport medium within such scaffold device structures have led to significant degradation of the QDs. In this work, we first present the synthesis uniform single crystalline ZnO nanowire arrays and their functionalization with InP/ZnS core-shell quantum dots. The structures are characterized using electron microscopy, optical absorption, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. Complementing photoluminescence, transmission electron microanalysis is used to reveal the successful QD attachment process and the atomistic interface between the ZnO and the QD. Energy dispersive spectroscopy reveals the co-localized presence of indium, phosphorus, and sulphur, suggestive of the core-shell nature of the QDs. The functionalized nanowire arrays are subsequently embedded in a poly-3(hexylthiophene) hole transport matrix with a high degree of polymer infiltration to complete the device structure prior to measurement.

Characterization of core-shell GaAs/AlGaAs nanowire heterostructures using advanced electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tambe, M J; Gradecak, S; Allard, L F

2010-01-01

To explore the unique properties of the nanoscale, advanced fabrication and characterization techniques are required. Specifically analyses in two orthogonal directions, plan-view and cross-section, were used to prove the core-shell morphology of GaAs/AlGaAs nanowires and determine their cross-section to be hexagonal. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy confirmed the core-shell interface to be defect-free, coherent, and sharp ( 0.9 Ga 0.1 As uniformly along the length of the nanowire. These results demonstrate the power of electron microscopy to aid the development of semiconductor nanotechnology.

Porous HKUST-1 derived CuO/Cu2O shell wrapped Cu(OH)2 derived CuO/Cu2O core nanowire arrays for electrochemical nonenzymatic glucose sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Cuiping; Cui, Jiewu; Wang, Yan; Zheng, Hongmei; Zhang, Jianfang; Shu, Xia; Liu, Jiaqin; Zhang, Yong; Wu, Yucheng

2018-05-01

Self-supported CuO/Cu2O@CuO/Cu2O core-shell nanowire arrays (NWAs) are successfully fabricated by a simple and efficient method in this paper. Anodized Cu(OH)2 NWAs could in-situ convert to HKUST-1 at room temperature easily. Cu(OH)2 NWAs cores and HKUST-1 shells transform into CuO/Cu2O simultaneously after calcinations and form CuO/Cu2O@CuO/Cu2O core-shell NWAs. This smart configuration of the core-shell structure not only avoids the agglomeration of the traditional MOF-derived materials in particle-shape, but also facilitates the ion diffusion and increases the active sites. This novel structure is employed as substrate to construct nonenzymatic glucose sensors. The results indicate that glucose sensor based on CuO/Cu2O@CuO/Cu2O core-shell NWAs presents ultrahigh sensitivity (10,090 μA mM-1 cm-2), low detection limit (0.48 μM) and wide linear range (0.99-1,330 μM). In addition, it also shows excellent anti-interference ability toward uric acid, ascorbic acid and L-Cysteine co-existing with glucose, good reproducibility and superior ability of real sample analysis.

Tunable Band Gap and Conductivity Type of ZnSe/Si Core-Shell Nanowire Heterostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yijie Zeng

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The electronic properties of zincblende ZnSe/Si core-shell nanowires (NWs with a diameter of 1.1–2.8 nm are calculated by means of the first principle calculation. Band gaps of both ZnSe-core/Si-shell and Si-core/ZnSe-shell NWs are much smaller than those of pure ZnSe or Si NWs. Band alignment analysis reveals that the small band gaps of ZnSe/Si core-shell NWs are caused by the interface state. Fixing the ZnSe core size and enlarging the Si shell would turn the NWs from intrinsic to p-type, then to metallic. However, Fixing the Si core and enlarging the ZnSe shell would not change the band gap significantly. The partial charge distribution diagram shows that the conduction band maximum (CBM is confined in Si, while the valence band maximum (VBM is mainly distributed around the interface. Our findings also show that the band gap and conductivity type of ZnSe/Si core-shell NWs can be tuned by the concentration and diameter of the core-shell material, respectively.

Strong sp-d exchange coupling in ZnMnTe/ZnMgTe core/shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wojnar, Piotr; Janik, Elzbieta; Szymura, Malgorzata; Zaleszczyk, Wojciech; Kret, Slawomir; Klopotowski, Lukasz; Wojciechowski, Tomasz; Baczewski, Lech T.; Wiater, Maciej; Karczewski, Grzegorz; Wojtowicz, Tomasz; Kossut, Jacek [Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Suffczynski, Jan; Papierska, Joanna [Institute of Experimental Physics, Warsaw University, ul. Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland)

2014-07-15

In this work, our recent progress in the growth and optical studies of telluride nanowire heterostructures containing a small molar fraction of magnetic Mn-ions of only a few percent is overviewed. ZnMnTe/ZnMgTe core/shell nanowires (NWs) are grown by molecular beam epitaxy by employing the vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism assisted with gold catalyst. The structures are studied by means of photoluminescence and microphotoluminescence in an external magnetic field. In the first step, however, an activation of the near band edge emission from ZnTe and ZnMnTe nanowires is described, which is achieved by coating the nanowires with shells made of ZnMgTe. The role of these shells is to passivate Zn(Mn)Te surface states. The incorporation of Mn ions into the crystalline lattice of ZnMnTe nanowires is manifested as a considerable blue shift of near band edge emission with increasing Mn concentration inside the nanowire cores, which reflects directly the increase of their energy gap. In an external magnetic field the near band edge emission exhibits a giant spectral redshift accompanied by an increase of the circular polarization of the emitted light. Both effect are fingerprints of giant Zeeman splitting of the band edges due to sp-d exchange interaction between the band carriers and magnetic Mn-ions. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Chemical insights into the roles of nanowire cores on the growth and supercapacitor performances of Ni-Co-O/Ni(OH)₂ core/shell electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Xuesong; Tang, Chunhua; Zhang, Liuyang; Yu, Zhi Gen; Gong, Hao

2016-02-09

Nanostructured core/shell electrodes have been experimentally demonstrated promising for high-performance electrochemical energy storage devices. However, chemical insights into the significant roles of nanowire cores on the growth of shells and their supercapacitor behaviors still remain as a research shortfall. In this work, by substituting 1/3 cobalt in the Co3O4 nanowire core with nickel, a 61% enhancement of the specific mass-loading of the Ni(OH)2 shell, a tremendous 93% increase of the volumetric capacitance and a superior cyclability were achieved in a novel NiCo2O4/Ni(OH)2 core/shell electrode in contrast to a Co3O4/Ni(OH)2 one. A comparative study suggested that not only the growth of Ni(OH)2 shells but also the contribution of cores were attributed to the overall performances. Importantly, their chemical origins were revealed through a theoretical simulation of the core/shell interfacial energy changes. Besides, asymmetric supercapacitor devices and applications were also explored. The scientific clues and practical potentials obtained in this work are helpful for the design and analysis of alternative core/shell electrode materials.

Micro-Raman investigations of InN-GaN core-shell nanowires on Si (111) substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sangeetha, P.; Ramakrishnan, V. [Department of Laser Studies, School of Physics, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai-625 021 (India); Jeganathan, K. [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, School of Physics, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli-620 024 (India)

2013-06-15

The electron-phonon interactions in InN-GaN core-shell nanowires grown by plasma assisted- molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Si (111) substrate have been analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopic technique with the excitation wavelength of 633, 488 and 325 nm. The Raman scattering at 633 nm reveals the characteristic E{sub 2} (high) and A{sub 1} (LO) phonon mode of InN core at 490 and 590 cm{sup -1} respectively and E{sub 2} (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm{sup -1}. The free carrier concentration of InN core is found to be low in the order {approx} 10{sup 16} cm{sup -3} due to the screening of charge carriers by thin GaN shell. Diameter of InN core evaluated using the spatial correlation model is consistent with the transmission electron microscopic measurement of {approx}15 nm. The phonon-life time of core-shell nanowire structure is estimated to be {approx}0.4 ps. The micro-Raman mapping and its corresponding localised spectra for 325 nm excitation exhibit intense E{sub 2} (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm{sup -1} as the decrease of laser interaction length and the signal intensity is quenched at the voids due to high spacing of NWs.

Conductance oscillations of core-shell nanowires in transversal magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Manolescu, Andrei; Nemnes, George Alexandru; Sitek, Anna; Rosdahl, Tomas Orn; Erlingsson, Sigurdur Ingi; Gudmundsson, Vidar

2016-05-01

We analyze theoretically electronic transport through a core-shell nanowire in the presence of a transversal magnetic field. We calculate the conductance for a variable coupling between the nanowire and the attached leads and show how the snaking states, which are low-energy states localized along the lines of the vanishing radial component of the magnetic field, manifest their existence. In the strong-coupling regime they induce flux periodic, Aharonov-Bohm-like, conductance oscillations, which, by decreasing the coupling to the leads, evolve into well-resolved peaks. The flux periodic oscillations arise due to interference of the snaking states, which is a consequence of backscattering at either the contacts with leads or magnetic or potential barriers in the wire.

Carbon−Silicon Core−Shell Nanowires as High Capacity Electrode for Lithium Ion Batteries

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng; Yang, Yuan; Hsu, Ching-Mei; Cui, Yi

2009-01-01

We introduce a novel design of carbon-silicon core-shell nanowires for high power and long life lithium battery electrodes. Amorphous silicon was coated onto carbon nanofibers to form a core-shell structure and the resulted core-shell nanowires

One-pot synthesis of biocompatible Te-phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires with uniform size and unique fluorescent properties by a synergized soft-hard template process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian Haisheng; Zhu Enbo; Zheng Shunji; Yang Xingyun; Li Liangchao; Tong Guoxiu; Li Zhengquan; Hu Yong; Guo Changfa; Guo Huichen

2010-01-01

One-pot hydrothermal process has been developed to synthesize uniform Te-phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires with unique fluorescent properties. A synergistic soft-hard template mechanism has been proposed to explain the formation of the core-shell nanowires. The Te-phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires display unique fluorescent properties, which give strong luminescent emission in the blue-violet and green regions with excitation wavelengths of 270 nm and 402 nm, respectively.

One-pot synthesis of biocompatible Te@phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires with uniform size and unique fluorescent properties by a synergized soft-hard template process.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Haisheng; Zhu, Enbo; Zheng, Shunji; Li, Zhengquan; Hu, Yong; Guo, Changfa; Yang, Xingyun; Li, Liangchao; Tong, Guoxiu; Guo, Huichen

2010-12-10

One-pot hydrothermal process has been developed to synthesize uniform Te@phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires with unique fluorescent properties. A synergistic soft-hard template mechanism has been proposed to explain the formation of the core-shell nanowires. The Te@phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires display unique fluorescent properties, which give strong luminescent emission in the blue-violet and green regions with excitation wavelengths of 270 nm and 402 nm, respectively.

One-pot synthesis of biocompatible Te-phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires with uniform size and unique fluorescent properties by a synergized soft-hard template process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qian Haisheng; Zhu Enbo; Zheng Shunji; Yang Xingyun; Li Liangchao; Tong Guoxiu [Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Life Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004 (China); Li Zhengquan; Hu Yong; Guo Changfa [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004 (China); Guo Huichen, E-mail: shqian@zjnu.cn, E-mail: ghch-2004@hotmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology and Key Laboratory of Animal Virology of Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xujiaping 11, Lanzhou, Gansu 730046 (China)

2010-12-10

One-pot hydrothermal process has been developed to synthesize uniform Te-phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires with unique fluorescent properties. A synergistic soft-hard template mechanism has been proposed to explain the formation of the core-shell nanowires. The Te-phenol formaldehyde resin core-shell nanowires display unique fluorescent properties, which give strong luminescent emission in the blue-violet and green regions with excitation wavelengths of 270 nm and 402 nm, respectively.

Threefold rotational symmetry in hexagonally shaped core-shell (In,Ga)As/GaAs nanowires revealed by coherent X-ray diffraction imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Davtyan, Arman; Krause, Thilo; Kriegner, Dominik; Al-Hassan, Ali; Bahrami, Danial; Mostafavi Kashani, Seyed Mohammad; Lewis, Ryan B; Küpers, Hanno; Tahraoui, Abbes; Geelhaar, Lutz; Hanke, Michael; Leake, Steven John; Loffeld, Otmar; Pietsch, Ullrich

2017-06-01

Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging at symmetric hhh Bragg reflections was used to resolve the structure of GaAs/In 0.15 Ga 0.85 As/GaAs core-shell-shell nanowires grown on a silicon (111) substrate. Diffraction amplitudes in the vicinity of GaAs 111 and GaAs 333 reflections were used to reconstruct the lost phase information. It is demonstrated that the structure of the core-shell-shell nanowire can be identified by means of phase contrast. Interestingly, it is found that both scattered intensity in the (111) plane and the reconstructed scattering phase show an additional threefold symmetry superimposed with the shape function of the investigated hexagonal nanowires. In order to find the origin of this threefold symmetry, elasticity calculations were performed using the finite element method and subsequent kinematic diffraction simulations. These suggest that a non-hexagonal (In,Ga)As shell covering the hexagonal GaAs core might be responsible for the observation.

Measurement and simulation of anisotropic magnetoresistance in single GaAs/MnAs core/shell nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, J.; Wang, J.; Cooley, B. J.; Rench, D. W.; Samarth, N.; Paul, A.; Dellas, N. S.; Mohney, S. E.; Engel-Herbert, R.

2012-01-01

We report four probe measurements of the low field magnetoresistance (MR) in single core/shell GaAs/MnAs nanowires (NWs) synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy, demonstrating clear signatures of anisotropic magnetoresistance that track the field-dependent magnetization. A comparison with micromagnetic simulations reveals that the principal characteristics of the magnetoresistance data can be unambiguously attributed to the nanowire segments with a zinc blende GaAs core. The direct correlation between magnetoresistance, magnetization, and crystal structure provides a powerful means of characterizing individual hybrid ferromagnet/semiconductor nanostructures.

Room temperature nanojoining of Cu-Ag core-shell nanoparticles and nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jiaqi; Shin, Seungha

2017-01-01

Room temperature (T room , 300 K) nanojoining of Ag has been widely employed in fabrication of microelectronic applications where the shapes and structures of microelectronic components must be maintained. In this research, the joining processes of pure Ag nanoparticles (NPs), Cu-Ag core-shell NPs, and nanowires (NWs) are studied using molecular dynamics simulations at T room . The evolution of densification, potential energy, and structural deformation during joining process are analyzed to identify joining mechanisms. Depending on geometry, different joining mechanisms including crystallization-amorphization, reorientation, Shockley partial dislocation are determined. A three-stage joining scenario is observed in both joining process of NPs and NWs. Besides, the Cu core does not participate in all joining processes, however, it enhances the mobility of Ag shell atoms, contributing to a higher densification and bonding strength at T room , compared with pure Ag nanomaterials. The tensile test shows that the nanojoint bears higher rupture strength than the core-shell NW itself. This study deepens understanding in the underlying joining mechanisms and thus nanojoint with desirable thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties could be potentially achieved.

Effects of quantum confinement and shape on band gap of core/shell quantum dots and nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Faming

2011-05-01

A quantum confinement model for nanocrystals developed is extended to study for the optical gap shifts in core/shell quantum dots and nanowires. The chemical bond properties and gap shifts in the InP/ZnS, CdSe/CdS, CdSe/ZnS, and CdTe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots are calculated in detail. The calculated band gaps are in excellent agreement with experimental values. The effects of structural taping and twinning on quantum confinement of InP and Si nanowires are elucidated. It is found theoretically that a competition between the positive Kubo energy-gap shift and the negative surface energy shift plays the crucial role in the optical gaps of these nanosystems.

Hierarchically Structured Co3O4@Pt@MnO2 Nanowire Arrays for High-Performance Supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Hui; Zhu, Dongdong; Luo, Zhentao; Yu, Yue; Shi, Xiaoqin; Yuan, Guoliang; Xie, Jianping

2013-10-01

Here we proposed a novel architectural design of a ternary MnO2-based electrode - a hierarchical Co3O4@Pt@MnO2 core-shell-shell structure, where the complemental features of the three key components (a well-defined Co3O4 nanowire array on the conductive Ti substrate, an ultrathin layer of small Pt nanoparticles, and a thin layer of MnO2 nanoflakes) are strategically combined into a single entity to synergize and construct a high-performance electrode for supercapacitors. Owing to the high conductivity of the well-defined Co3O4 nanowire arrays, in which the conductivity was further enhanced by a thin metal (Pt) coating layer, in combination with the large surface area provided by the small MnO2 nanoflakes, the as-fabricated Co3O4@Pt@MnO2 nanowire arrays have exhibited high specific capacitances, good rate capability, and excellent cycling stability. The architectural design demonstrated in this study provides a new approach to fabricate high-performance MnO2-based nanowire arrays for constructing next-generation supercapacitors.

Micro-Raman investigations of InN-GaN core-shell nanowires on Si (111) substrate

OpenAIRE

P. Sangeetha; K. Jeganathan; V. Ramakrishnan

2013-01-01

The electron-phonon interactions in InN-GaN core-shell nanowires grown by plasma assisted- molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on Si (111) substrate have been analysed using micro-Raman spectroscopic technique with the excitation wavelength of 633, 488 and 325 nm. The Raman scattering at 633 nm reveals the characteristic E2 (high) and A1 (LO) phonon mode of InN core at 490 and 590 cm−1 respectively and E2 (high) phonon mode of GaN shell at 573 cm−1. The free carrier concentration of InN core is foun...

Spontaneous core-shell elemental distribution in In-rich InxGa1-xN nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Gómez, M.; Garro, N.; Segura-Ruiz, J.; Martinez-Criado, G.; Cantarero, A.; Mengistu, H. T.; García-Cristóbal, A.; Murcia-Mascarós, S.; Denker, C.; Malindretos, J.; Rizzi, A.

2014-02-01

The elemental distribution of self-organized In-rich InxGa1-xN nanowires grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated using three different techniques with spatial resolution on the nanoscale. Two-dimensional images and elemental profiles of single nanowires obtained by x-ray fluorescence and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, respectively, have revealed a radial gradient in the alloy composition of each individual nanowire. The spectral selectivity of resonant Raman scattering has been used to enhance the signal from very small volumes with different elemental composition within single nanowires. The combination of the three techniques has provided sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to prove the spontaneous formation of a core-shell nanowire and to quantify the thicknesses and alloy compositions of the core and shell regions. A theoretical model based on continuum elastic theory has been used to estimate the strain fields present in such inhomogeneous nanowires. These results suggest new strategies for achieving high quality non-polar heterostructures.

Carbon−Silicon Core−Shell Nanowires as High Capacity Electrode for Lithium Ion Batteries

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng

2009-09-09

We introduce a novel design of carbon-silicon core-shell nanowires for high power and long life lithium battery electrodes. Amorphous silicon was coated onto carbon nanofibers to form a core-shell structure and the resulted core-shell nanowires showed great performance as anode material. Since carbon has a much smaller capacity compared to silicon, the carbon core experiences less structural stress or damage during lithium cycling and can function as a mechanical support and an efficient electron conducting pathway. These nanowires have a high charge storage capacity of ∼2000 mAh/g and good cycling life. They also have a high Coulmbic efficiency of 90% for the first cycle and 98-99.6% for the following cycles. A full cell composed of LiCoO2 cathode and carbon-silicon core-shell nanowire anode is also demonstrated. Significantly, using these core-shell nanowires we have obtained high mass loading and an area capacity of ∼4 mAh/cm2, which is comparable to commercial battery values. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Emergent ferromagnetism in ZnO/Al2O3 core-shell nanowires: Towards oxide spinterfaces

KAUST Repository

Xing, G. Z.; Wang, D. D.; Cheng, C.-J.; He, M.; Li, S.; Wu, Tao

2013-01-01

We report that room-temperature ferromagnetism emerges at the interface formed between ZnO nanowire core and Al2O3 shell although both constituents show mainly diamagnetism. The interface-based ferromagnetism can be further enhanced by annealing the ZnO/Al2O3 core-shell nanowires and activating the formation of ZnAl2O4 phase as a result of interfacial solid-state reaction. High-temperature measurements indicate that the magnetic order is thermally stable up to 750 K. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the annealing-induced jagged interfaces, and the extensive structural defects appear to be relevant to the emergent magnetism. Our study suggests that tailoring the spinterfaces in nanostructure-harnessed wide-band-gap oxides is an effective route towards engineered nanoscale architecture with enhanced magnetic properties.

Emergent ferromagnetism in ZnO/Al2O3 core-shell nanowires: Towards oxide spinterfaces

KAUST Repository

Xing, G. Z.

2013-07-08

We report that room-temperature ferromagnetism emerges at the interface formed between ZnO nanowire core and Al2O3 shell although both constituents show mainly diamagnetism. The interface-based ferromagnetism can be further enhanced by annealing the ZnO/Al2O3 core-shell nanowires and activating the formation of ZnAl2O4 phase as a result of interfacial solid-state reaction. High-temperature measurements indicate that the magnetic order is thermally stable up to 750 K. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the annealing-induced jagged interfaces, and the extensive structural defects appear to be relevant to the emergent magnetism. Our study suggests that tailoring the spinterfaces in nanostructure-harnessed wide-band-gap oxides is an effective route towards engineered nanoscale architecture with enhanced magnetic properties.

Interface bond relaxation on the thermal conductivity of Si/Ge core-shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Weifeng; He, Yan; Ouyang, Gang, E-mail: gangouy@hunnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of Ministry of Education, Synergetic Innovation Center for Quantum Effects and Applications(SICQEA), Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081 (China); Sun, Changqing [School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2016-01-15

The thermal conductivity of Si/Ge core-shell nanowires (CSNWs) is investigated on the basis of atomic-bond-relaxation consideration and continuum mechanics. An analytical model is developed to clarify the interface bond relaxation of Si/Ge CSNWs. It is found that the thermal conductivity of Si core can be modulated through covering with Ge epitaxial layers. The change of thermal conductivity in Si/Ge CSNWs should be attributed to the surface relaxation and interface mismatch between inner Si nanowire and outer Ge epitaxial layer. Our results are in well agreement with the experimental measurements and simulations, suggesting that the presented method provides a fundamental insight of the thermal conductivity of CSNWs from the atomistic origin.

Fabrication and micro-photoluminescence property of CdSe/CdS core/shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Guozhang; Gou, Guangyang; Wu, Zeming; Chen, Yu; Li, Hongjian [Central South University, Hunan Key Laboratory for Super-microstructure and Ultrafast Process, School of Physics and Electronics, Changsha, Hunan (China); Wan, Qiang [Hunan University, School of Physics and Electronics, Changsha (China); Zou, Bingsuo [Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing Key Lab of Nanophotonics and Ultrafine Optoelectronic Systems, School of Physics, Beijing (China)

2015-04-01

Hetero-epitaxial CdSe/CdS core/shell nanowires (NWs) were prepared by a source-controllable chemical vapor deposition method. A two-stage growth mechanism was proposed to the growth process of the core/shell NWs. Micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) property of individual NW was studied by a confocal microscopy system. The pure CdSe NW emits a red light with peak at 712.3 nm, which is inconsistent with the CdSe band-edge emission. The CdSe/CdS core/shell NW emits two apparent peaks, one is an intensive red emission peak centered at 715.2 nm and the other is a weak green emission peak located at 516.2 nm. The room temperature μ-PL spectrum shows that the PL intensity of CdSe NW was evidently promoted by coating the CdS shell, and this is because CdS improves the surface state optimizing the energy band structure of CdSe NW. The as-synthesized CdSe/CdS core/shell NW has more efficient PL quantum yields than pure CdSe NW and may find potential applications in nanoscale photonic devices. (orig.)

Fabrication and micro-photoluminescence property of CdSe/CdS core/shell nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Guozhang; Gou, Guangyang; Wu, Zeming; Chen, Yu; Li, Hongjian; Wan, Qiang; Zou, Bingsuo

2015-01-01

Hetero-epitaxial CdSe/CdS core/shell nanowires (NWs) were prepared by a source-controllable chemical vapor deposition method. A two-stage growth mechanism was proposed to the growth process of the core/shell NWs. Micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) property of individual NW was studied by a confocal microscopy system. The pure CdSe NW emits a red light with peak at 712.3 nm, which is inconsistent with the CdSe band-edge emission. The CdSe/CdS core/shell NW emits two apparent peaks, one is an intensive red emission peak centered at 715.2 nm and the other is a weak green emission peak located at 516.2 nm. The room temperature μ-PL spectrum shows that the PL intensity of CdSe NW was evidently promoted by coating the CdS shell, and this is because CdS improves the surface state optimizing the energy band structure of CdSe NW. The as-synthesized CdSe/CdS core/shell NW has more efficient PL quantum yields than pure CdSe NW and may find potential applications in nanoscale photonic devices. (orig.)

Directed self-assembly of hybrid oxide/polymer core/shell nanowires with transport optimized morphology for photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Shanju; Pelligra, Candice I.; Keskar, Gayatri; Majewski, Pawel W.; Taylor, Andre D.; Pfefferle, Lisa D.; Osuji, Chinedum O. [Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States); Jiang, Jie; Ismail-Beigi, Sohrab [Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT (United States)

2012-01-03

An entirely bottom-up approach for the preparation of liquid crystalline suspensions of core-shell nanowires for ordered bulk heterojunction photovoltaics is demonstrated. Side-on attachment of polythiophene derivatives to ZnO nanowires promotes a co-axial polymer backbone-nanowire arrangement which favors high hole mobility. This strategy offers structural control over multiple length scales and a viable means of fabricating ordered films over large areas. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Self-catalyzed growth of dilute nitride GaAs/GaAsSbN/GaAs core-shell nanowires by molecular beam epitaxy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kasanaboina, Pavan Kumar [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina A& T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 27411 (United States); Ahmad, Estiak [Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, NCA& T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 27401 (United States); Li, Jia; Iyer, Shanthi [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina A& T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 27411 (United States); Nanoengineering, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, NCA& T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina 27401 (United States); Reynolds, C. Lewis; Liu, Yang [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

2015-09-07

Bandgap tuning up to 1.3 μm in GaAsSb based nanowires by incorporation of dilute amount of N is reported. Highly vertical GaAs/GaAsSbN/GaAs core-shell configured nanowires were grown for different N contents on Si (111) substrates using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed close lattice matching of GaAsSbN with GaAs. Micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) revealed red shift as well as broadening of the spectra attesting to N incorporation in the nanowires. Replication of the 4K PL spectra for several different single nanowires compared to the corresponding nanowire array suggests good compositional homogeneity amongst the nanowires. A large red shift of the Raman spectrum and associated symmetric line shape in these nanowires have been attributed to phonon localization at point defects. Transmission electron microscopy reveals the dominance of stacking faults and twins in these nanowires. The lower strain present in these dilute nitride nanowires, as opposed to GaAsSb nanowires having the same PL emission wavelength, and the observation of room temperature PL demonstrate the advantage of the dilute nitride system offers in the nanowire configuration, providing a pathway for realizing nanoscale optoelectronic devices in the telecommunication wavelength region.

Heterogeneous NiCo2O4@polypyrrole core/sheath nanowire arrays on Ni foam for high performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jing; Li, Minchan; Lv, Fucong; Yang, Mingyang; Tao, Pengpeng; Tang, Yougen; Liu, Hongtao; Lu, Zhouguang

2015-10-01

A novel heterogeneous NiCo2O4@PPy core/sheath nanowire arrays are directly grown on Ni foam involving three facile steps, hydrothermal synthesis and calcination of NiCo2O4 nanowire arrays and subsequent in-situ oxidative polymerization of polypyrrole (PPy). When investigated as binder- and conductive additive-free electrodes for supercapacitors (SCs) in 6 M KOH, the NiCo2O4@PPy core/sheath nanowire arrays exhibit high areal capacitance of 3.49 F cm-2 at a discharge current density of 5 mA cm-2, which is almost 1.5 times as much as the pristine NiCo2O4 (2.30 F cm-2). More importantly, it can remain 3.31 F cm-2 (94.8% retention) after 5000 cycles. The as-obtained electrode also displays excellent rate capability, whose areal capacitance can still remain 2.79 F cm-2 while the discharge current density is increased to 50 mA cm-2. The remarkable electrochemical performance is mainly attributed to the unique heterogeneous core/sheath nanowire-array architectures.

Room temperature nanojoining of Cu-Ag core-shell nanoparticles and nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jiaqi; Shin, Seungha, E-mail: sshin@utk.edu [The University of Tennessee, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering (United States)

2017-02-15

Room temperature (T{sub room}, 300 K) nanojoining of Ag has been widely employed in fabrication of microelectronic applications where the shapes and structures of microelectronic components must be maintained. In this research, the joining processes of pure Ag nanoparticles (NPs), Cu-Ag core-shell NPs, and nanowires (NWs) are studied using molecular dynamics simulations at T{sub room}. The evolution of densification, potential energy, and structural deformation during joining process are analyzed to identify joining mechanisms. Depending on geometry, different joining mechanisms including crystallization-amorphization, reorientation, Shockley partial dislocation are determined. A three-stage joining scenario is observed in both joining process of NPs and NWs. Besides, the Cu core does not participate in all joining processes, however, it enhances the mobility of Ag shell atoms, contributing to a higher densification and bonding strength at T{sub room}, compared with pure Ag nanomaterials. The tensile test shows that the nanojoint bears higher rupture strength than the core-shell NW itself. This study deepens understanding in the underlying joining mechanisms and thus nanojoint with desirable thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties could be potentially achieved.

Coaxial silver nanowire network core molybdenum oxide shell supercapacitor electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuksel, Recep; Coskun, Sahin; Unalan, Husnu Emrah

2016-01-01

We present a new hybrid material composed of molybdenum (IV) oxide (MoO 2 ) shell on highly conducting silver nanowire (Ag NW) core in the network form for the realization of coaxial Ag NW/MoO 2 nanocomposite supercapacitor electrodes. Ag NWs were simply spray coated onto glass substrates to form conductive networks and conformal MoO 2 layer was electrodeposited onto the Ag NW network to create binder-free coaxial supercapacitor electrodes. Combination of Ag NWs and pseudocapacitive MoO 2 generated an enhanced electrochemical energy storage capacity and a specific capacitance of 500.7 F/g was obtained at a current density of 0.25 A/g. Fabricated supercapacitor electrodes showed excellent capacity retention after 5000 cycles. The methods and the design investigated herein open a wide range of opportunities for nanowire based coaxial supercapacitors.

Recrystallized arrays of bismuth nanowires with trigonal orientation.

Science.gov (United States)

Limmer, Steven J; Yelton, W Graham; Erickson, Kristopher J; Medlin, Douglas L; Siegal, Michael P

2014-01-01

We demonstrate methods to improve the crystalline-quality of free-standing Bi nanowires arrays on a Si substrate and enhance the preferred trigonal orientation for thermoelectric performance by annealing the arrays above the 271.4 °C Bi melting point. The nanowires maintain their geometry during melting due to the formation of a thin Bi-oxide protective shell that contains the molten Bi. Recrystallizing nanowires from the melt improves crystallinity; those cooled rapidly demonstrate a strong trigonal orientation preference.

Synthesis of core/shell ZnO/ZnSe nanowires using novel low cost two-steps electrochemical deposition technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghoul, M., E-mail: ghoulmed2009@yahoo.fr [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie Technopole BorjCedria, Bp 95, Hammammlif 2050 (Tunisia); Braiek, Z. [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie Technopole BorjCedria, Bp 95, Hammammlif 2050 (Tunisia); Brayek, A. [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie Technopole BorjCedria, Bp 95, Hammammlif 2050 (Tunisia); ITODYS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, CNRS UMR – 7086, 75205 Paris (France); Ben Assaker, I.; Khalifa, N.; Ben Naceur, J.; Souissi, A.; Lamouchi, A. [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie Technopole BorjCedria, Bp 95, Hammammlif 2050 (Tunisia); Ammar, S. [ITODYS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, CNRS UMR – 7086, 75205 Paris (France); Chtourou, R. [Laboratoire Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l' Energie Technopole BorjCedria, Bp 95, Hammammlif 2050 (Tunisia)

2015-10-25

This work highlights the original use of a two-step electrochemical deposition protocol to grow ZnO/ZnSe core/shell nanowires on a Sn-doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} (ITO)/glass substrate. The good alignment of the nanowires is verified by the scanning electron microscopy characterization technique in addition to the surface roughness after the ZnSe electrodeposition on the ZnO nanowires lateral facets. The X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra allow estimating that ZnO has grown along the wurtzite (W) structure c-axis. The presence of the type-II interfacial transition between the valence band of ZnSe and the conduction band of ZnO was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy. It was proved that the absorbed energy of the developed nanostructures is extended to the near infrared which is well recommended for the photovoltaic applications. - Graphical abstract: Fabrication of the ZnO–ZnSe core–shell nanowires through a solution based all-electrochemical approach, and their application as photoanodes in photoelectrochemical water splitting cells. - Highlights: • Deposition of ZnO/ZnSe nanowires by two steps electrodeposition method. • The morphology studies show the formation of ZnO/ZnSe core/Shell nanowires. • XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirm the presence of the wurtzite ZnO and blende ZnSe junction. • Optical properties demonstrate the evidence type-II interfacial transition between the two semiconductors.

Observation of hole accumulation in Ge/Si core/shell nanowires using off-axis electron holography.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Luying; Smith, David J; Dailey, Eric; Madras, Prashanth; Drucker, Jeff; McCartney, Martha R

2011-02-09

Hole accumulation in Ge/Si core/shell nanowires (NWs) has been observed and quantified using off-axis electron holography and other electron microscopy techniques. The epitaxial [110]-oriented Ge/Si core/shell NWs were grown on Si (111) substrates by chemical vapor deposition through the vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism. High-angle annular-dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy images and off-axis electron holograms were obtained from specific NWs. The excess phase shifts measured by electron holography across the NWs indicated the presence of holes inside the Ge cores. Calculations based on a simplified coaxial cylindrical model gave hole densities of (0.4 ± 0.2) /nm(3) in the core regions.

Luminescence and efficiency optimization of InGaN/GaN core-shell nanowire LEDs by numerical modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Römer, Friedhard; Deppner, Marcus; Andreev, Zhelio; Kölper, Christopher; Sabathil, Matthias; Strassburg, Martin; Ledig, Johannes; Li, Shunfeng; Waag, Andreas; Witzigmann, Bernd

2012-02-01

We present a computational study on the anisotropic luminescence and the efficiency of a core-shell type nanowire LED based on GaN with InGaN active quantum wells. The physical simulator used for analyzing this device integrates a multidimensional drift-diffusion transport solver and a k . p Schrödinger problem solver for quantization effects and luminescence. The solution of both problems is coupled to achieve self-consistency. Using this solver we investigate the effect of dimensions, design of quantum wells, and current injection on the efficiency and luminescence of the core-shell nanowire LED. The anisotropy of the luminescence and re-absorption is analyzed with respect to the external efficiency of the LED. From the results we derive strategies for design optimization.

Nano-engineering of three-dimensional core/shell nanotube arrays for high performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Grote, Fabian; Wen, Liaoyong; Lei, Yong

2014-06-01

Large-scale arrays of core/shell nanostructures are highly desirable to enhance the performance of supercapacitors. Here we demonstrate an innovative template-based fabrication technique with high structural controllability, which is capable of synthesizing well-ordered three-dimensional arrays of SnO2/MnO2 core/shell nanotubes for electrochemical energy storage in supercapacitor applications. The SnO2 core is fabricated by atomic layer deposition and provides a highly electrical conductive matrix. Subsequently a thin MnO2 shell is coated by electrochemical deposition onto the SnO2 core, which guarantees a short ion diffusion length within the shell. The core/shell structure shows an excellent electrochemical performance with a high specific capacitance of 910 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and a good rate capability of remaining 217 F g-1 at 50 A g-1. These results shall pave the way to realize aqueous based asymmetric supercapacitors with high specific power and high specific energy.

Magnetoresistance of individual ferromagnetic GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As core-shell nanowires

OpenAIRE

Butschkow, Christian H.; Reiger, Elisabeth; Geißler, Stefan; Rudolph, Andreas; Soda, Marcello; Schuh, Dieter; Woltersdorf, Georg; Wegscheider, Werner; Weiss, Dieter

2011-01-01

We investigate, angle dependent, the magnetoresistance (MR) of individual self-assembled ferromagnetic GaAs/(Ga,Mn)As core-shell nanowires at cryogenic temperatures. The shape of the MR traces and the observed strong anisotropies in transport can be ascribed to the interplay of the negative magnetoresistance effect and a strong uniaxial anisotropy with the magnetic easy direction pointing along the wire axis. The magnetoresistance can be well described by a quantitative analysis based on the ...

p-Cu2O-shell/n-TiO2-nanowire-core heterostucture photodiodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsueh Ting-Jen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This study reports the deposition of cuprous oxide [Cu2O] onto titanium dioxide [TiO2] nanowires [NWs] prepared on TiO2/glass templates. The average length and average diameter of these thermally oxidized and evaporated TiO2 NWs are 0.1 to 0.4 μm and 30 to 100 nm, respectively. The deposited Cu2O fills gaps between the TiO2 NWs with good step coverage to form nanoshells surrounding the TiO2 cores. The p-Cu2O/n-TiO2 NW heterostructure exhibits a rectifying behavior with a sharp turn-on at approximately 0.9 V. Furthermore, the fabricated p-Cu2O-shell/n-TiO2-nanowire-core photodiodes exhibit reasonably large photocurrent-to-dark-current contrast ratios and fast responses.

Stability of core–shell nanowires in selected model solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalska-Szostko, B.; Wykowska, U.; Basa, A.; Zambrzycka, E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Stability of the core–shell nanowires in environmental solutions were tested. • The most and the least aggressive solutions were determined. • The influence of different solutions on magnetic nanowires core was found out. - Abstract: This paper presents the studies of stability of magnetic core–shell nanowires prepared by electrochemical deposition from an acidic solution containing iron in the core and modified surface layer. The obtained nanowires were tested according to their durability in distilled water, 0.01 M citric acid, 0.9% NaCl, and commercial white wine (12% alcohol). The proposed solutions were chosen in such a way as to mimic food related environment due to a possible application of nanowires as additives to, for example, packages. After 1, 2 and 3 weeks wetting in the solutions, nanoparticles were tested by Infrared Spectroscopy, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods

Stability of core–shell nanowires in selected model solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalska-Szostko, B., E-mail: kalska@uwb.edu.pl; Wykowska, U.; Basa, A.; Zambrzycka, E.

2015-03-30

Highlights: • Stability of the core–shell nanowires in environmental solutions were tested. • The most and the least aggressive solutions were determined. • The influence of different solutions on magnetic nanowires core was found out. - Abstract: This paper presents the studies of stability of magnetic core–shell nanowires prepared by electrochemical deposition from an acidic solution containing iron in the core and modified surface layer. The obtained nanowires were tested according to their durability in distilled water, 0.01 M citric acid, 0.9% NaCl, and commercial white wine (12% alcohol). The proposed solutions were chosen in such a way as to mimic food related environment due to a possible application of nanowires as additives to, for example, packages. After 1, 2 and 3 weeks wetting in the solutions, nanoparticles were tested by Infrared Spectroscopy, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods.

Ge/Si core/multi shell heterostructure FETs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Picraux, Samuel T [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Dayeh, Shadi A [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2010-01-01

Concentric heterostructured materials provide numerous design opportunities for engineering strain and interfaces, as well as tailoring energy band-edge combinations for optimal device performance. Key to the realization of such novel device concepts is the complete understanding and full control over their growth, crystal structure, and hetero-epitaxy. We report here on a new route for synthesizing Ge/Si core/multi-shell heterostructure nanowires that eliminate Au seed diffusion on the nanowire sidewalls by engineering the interface energy density difference. We show that such control over core/shell synthesis enable experimental realization of heterostructure FET devices beyond those available in the literature with enhanced transport characteristics. We provide a side-by-side comparison on the transport properties of Ge/Si core/multi-shell nanowires grown with and without Au diffusion and demonstrate heterostructure FETs with drive currents that are {approx} 2X higher than record results for p-type FETs.

Growth and Characterisation of GaAs/AlGaAs Core-shell Nanowires for Optoelectronic Device Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Nian

III-V semiconductor nanowires have been investigated as key components for future electronic and optoelectronic devices and systems due to their direct band gap and high electron mobility. Amongst the III-V semiconductors, the planar GaAs material system has been extensively studied and used in industries. Accordingly, GaAs nanowires are the prime candidates for nano-scale devices. However, the electronic performance of GaAs nanowires has yet to match that of state-of-the-art planar GaAs devices. The present deficiency of GaAs nanowires is typically attributed to the large surface-to- volume ratio and the tendency for non-radiative recombination centres to form at the surface. The favoured solution of this problem is by coating GaAs nanowires with AlGaAs shells, which replaces the GaAs surface with GaAs/AlGaAs interface. This thesis presents a systematic study of GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires grown by metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD), including understanding the growth, and characterisation of their structural and optical properties. The structures of the nanowires were mainly studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmis- sion electron microscopy (TEM). A procedure of microtomy was developed to prepare the cross-sectional samples for the TEM studies. The optical properties were charac- terised by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Carrier lifetimes were measured by time-resolved PL. The growth of AlGaAs shell was optimised to obtain the best optical properties, e.g. the strongest PL emission and the longest minority carrier lifetimes. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Characterization of a Ga-assisted GaAs nanowire array solar cell on si substrate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boulanger, J. P.; Chia, A. C. E.; Wood, B.

2016-01-01

A single-junction core-shell GaAs nanowire (NW) solar cell on Si (1 1 1) substrates is presented. A Ga-assisted vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism was used for the formation of a patterned array of radial p-i-n GaAs NWs encapsulated in AlInP passivation. Novel device fabrication utilizing facet-...

A Core-Shell Fe/Fe2 O3 Nanowire as a High-Performance Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Zhaolin; Huang, Gang; Liang, Fei; Yin, Dongming; Wang, Limin

2016-08-16

The preparation of novel one-dimensional core-shell Fe/Fe2 O3 nanowires as anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is reported. The nanowires are prepared in a facile synthetic process in aqueous solution under ambient conditions with subsequent annealing treatment that could tune the capacity for lithium storage. When this hybrid is used as an anode material for LIBs, the outer Fe2 O3 shell can act as an electrochemically active material to store and release lithium ions, whereas the highly conductive and inactive Fe core functions as nothing more than an efficient electrical conducting pathway and a remarkable buffer to tolerate volume changes of the electrode materials during the insertion and extraction of lithium ions. The core-shell Fe/Fe2 O3 nanowire maintains an excellent reversible capacity of over 767 mA h g(-1) at 500 mA g(-1) after 200 cycles with a high average Coulombic efficiency of 98.6 %. Even at 2000 mA g(-1) , a stable capacity as high as 538 mA h g(-1) could be obtained. The unique composition and nanostructure of this electrode material contribute to this enhanced electrochemical performance. Due to the ease of large-scale fabrication and superior electrochemical performance, these hybrid nanowires are promising anode materials for the next generation of high-performance LIBs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Silver-nickel oxide core-shell nanoflower arrays as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Wenjia; Du, Ning; Zhang, Hui; Yang, Deren

2015-07-01

We demonstrate the synthesis of Ag-NiO core-shell nanoflower arrays via a one-step solution-immersion process and subsequent RF-sputtering method. The aligned Ag nanoflower arrays on copper substrate are prepared by a facile displacement reaction in absence of any surfactant at a mild temperature. When used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, the Ag-NiO core-shell nanoflower arrays show better cycling performance and higher capacity than the planar NiO electrodes. The improved performance should be attributed to the core-shell structures that can enhance the conductivity and accommodate the volume change during the charge-discharge process.

Optoelectrical modeling of solar cells based on c-Si/a-Si:H nanowire array: focus on the electrical transport in between the nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Levtchenko, Alexandra; Le Gall, Sylvain; Lachaume, Raphaël; Michallon, Jérôme; Collin, Stéphane; Alvarez, José; Djebbour, Zakaria; Kleider, Jean-Paul

2018-06-01

By coupling optical and electrical modeling, we have investigated the photovoltaic performances of p-i-n radial nanowires array based on crystalline p-type silicon (c-Si) core/hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) shell. By varying either the doping concentration of the c-Si core, or back contact work function we can separate and highlight the contribution to the cell’s performance of the nanowires themselves (the radial cell) from the interspace between the nanowires (the planar cell). We show that the build-in potential (V bi) in the radial and planar cells strongly depends on the doping of c-Si core and the work function of the back contact respectively. Consequently, the solar cell’s performance is degraded if either the doping concentration of the c-Si core, or/and the work function of the back contact is too low. By inserting a thin (p) a-Si:H layer between both core/absorber and back contact/absorber, the performance of the solar cell can be improved by partly fixing the V bi at both interfaces due to strong electrostatic screening effect. Depositing such a buffer layer playing the role of an electrostatic screen for charge carriers is a suggested way of enhancing the performance of solar cells based on radial p-i-n or n-i-p nanowire array.

Misfit-guided self-organization of anticorrelated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C Y; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-09-12

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one-dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anticorrelated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a postgrowth annealing process.

Structure and photoluminescence properties of ZnS-core/In2O3-shell one-dimensional nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sunghoon; Lee, Jungkeun; Jeong, Bongyong; Lee, Wan In; Lee, Chongmu

2011-12-01

ZnS-core/In2O3-shell nanowires have been prepared by using a two-step process: the thermal evaporation of ZnS powders on Si(100) substrates coated with Au thin films and the sputter-deposition of In2O3. The ZnS nanowires were a few tens to a few hundreds of nanometers in diameter and up to a few hundreds of micrometers in length. ZnS nanowires have an emission band centered at around 570 nm in the yellow region. The yellow emission has been enhanced in intensity by coating the ZnS nanowires with In2O3 and further enhanced by annealing in a reducing atmosphere, but it is degraded by annealing in an oxidative atmosphere.

Water-vapor-enhanced growth of Ge-GeOx core-shell nanowires and Si1-xGexOy nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, T-J; Ko, C-Y; Lin, W-T

2007-01-01

The effects of moist Ar on the growth of Ge-GeO x core-shell nanowires (Ge-GeO x NWs) and Si 1-x Ge x O y nanowires (SiGeONWs) on Si substrates without adding a metal catalyst via the carbothermal reduction of GeO 2 powders at 1100 deg. C were studied. No significant nanowires were grown in dry Ar at a flow rate of 100-300 sccm until a bit of water in the range of 0.5-2 ml was loaded into the furnace. More water suppressed the growth of nanowires because of the exhaustion of more graphite powder. The growth of Ge-GeO x NWs and SiGeONWs follows the vapor-solid and vapor-liquid-solid processes, respectively. The present study showed that the water vapor serves as an oxidizer as well as a reducer at 1100 deg. C in enhancing the growth of SiGeONWs and Ge-GeO x NWs, respectively. The growth mechanisms of Ge-GeO x NWs and SiGeONWs are also discussed

Wurtzite InP/InAs/InP core-shell nanowires emitting at telecommunication wavelengths on Si substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadj Alouane, M H; Anufriev, R; Chauvin, N; Bru-Chevallier, C; Khmissi, H; Ilahi, B; Maaref, H; Naji, K; Gendry, M; Patriarche, G

2011-01-01

Optical properties of wurtzite InP/InAs/InP core-shell nanowires grown on silicon substrates by solid source molecular beam epitaxy are studied by means of photoluminescence and microphotoluminescence. The growth conditions were optimized to obtain purely wurtzite radial quantum wells emitting in the telecom bands with a radiative lifetime in the 5-7 ns range at 14 K. Optical studies on single nanowires reveal that the polarization is mainly parallel to the growth direction. A 20-fold reduction of the photoluminescence intensity is observed between 14 and 300 K confirming the very good quality of the nanowires.

Performance analysis of nanodisk and core/shell/shell-nanowire type III-Nitride heterojunction solar cell for efficient energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Routray, S. R.; Lenka, T. R.

2017-11-01

Now-a-days III-Nitride nanowires with axial (nanodisk) and radial (core/shell/shell-nanowire) junctions are two unique and potential methods for solar energy harvesting adopted by worldwide researchers. In this paper, polarization behavior of GaN/InGaN/GaN junction and its effect on carrier dynamics of nanodisk and CSS-nanowire type solar cells are intensively studied and compared with its planar counterpart by numerical simulations using commercially available Victory TCAD. It is observed that CSS-NW with hexagonal geometrical shapes are robust to detrimental impact of polarization charges and could be good enough to accelerate carrier collection efficiency as compared to nanodisk and planar solar cells. This numerical study provides an innovative aspect of fundamental device physics with respect to polarization charges in CSS-NW and nanodisk type junction towards photovoltaic applications. The internal quantum efficiencies (IQE) are also discussed to evaluate carrier collection mechanisms and recombination losses in each type of junctions of solar cell. Finally, it is interesting to observe a maximum conversion efficiency of 6.46% with 91.6% fill factor from n-GaN/i-In0.1Ga0.9N/p-GaN CSS-nanowire solar cell with an optimized thickness of 180 nm InGaN layer under one Sun AM1.5 illumination.

Core-shell polymer nanorods by a two-step template wetting process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dougherty, S; Liang, J

2009-01-01

One-dimensional core-shell polymer nanowires offer many advantages and great potential for many different applications. In this paper we introduce a highly versatile two-step template wetting process to fabricate two-component core-shell polymer nanowires with controllable shell thickness. PLLA and PMMA were chosen as model polymers to demonstrate the feasibility of this process. Solution wetting with different concentrations of polymer solutions was used to fabricate the shell layer and melt wetting was used to fill the shell with the core polymer. The shell thickness was analyzed as a function of the polymer solution concentration and viscosity, and the core-shell morphology was observed with TEM. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of fabricating polymer core-shell nanostructures using our two-step template wetting process and opens the arena for optimization and future experiments with polymers that are desirable for specific applications.

Misfit-guided self-organization of anti-correlated Ge quantum dot arrays on Si nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Soonshin; Chen, Zack C.Y.; Kim, Ji-Hun; Xiang, Jie

2012-01-01

Misfit-strain guided growth of periodic quantum dot (QD) arrays in planar thin film epitaxy has been a popular nanostructure fabrication method. Engineering misfit-guided QD growth on a nanoscale substrate such as the small curvature surface of a nanowire represents a new approach to self-organized nanostructure preparation. Perhaps more profoundly, the periodic stress underlying each QD and the resulting modulation of electro-optical properties inside the nanowire backbone promise to provide a new platform for novel mechano-electronic, thermoelectronic, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report a first experimental demonstration of self-organized and self-limited growth of coherent, periodic Ge QDs on a one dimensional Si nanowire substrate. Systematic characterizations reveal several distinctively different modes of Ge QD ordering on the Si nanowire substrate depending on the core diameter. In particular, Ge QD arrays on Si nanowires of around 20 nm diameter predominantly exhibit an anti-correlated pattern whose wavelength agrees with theoretical predictions. The correlated pattern can be attributed to propagation and correlation of misfit strain across the diameter of the thin nanowire substrate. The QD array growth is self-limited as the wavelength of the QDs remains unchanged even after prolonged Ge deposition. Furthermore, we demonstrate a direct kinetic transformation from a uniform Ge shell layer to discrete QD arrays by a post-growth annealing process. PMID:22889063

Type I band alignment in GaAs{sub 81}Sb{sub 19}/GaAs core-shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, T. [Institut d' Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologies (IEMN), CNRS, UMR 8520, Département ISEN, 41 bd Vauban, 59046 Lille Cedex (France); Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Application, Shanghai University, 149 Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072 (China); Wei, M. J. [Key Laboratory of Advanced Display and System Application, Shanghai University, 149 Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072 (China); Capiod, P.; Díaz Álvarez, A.; Han, X. L.; Troadec, D.; Nys, J. P.; Berthe, M.; Lefebvre, I.; Grandidier, B., E-mail: bruno.grandidier@isen.iemn.univ-lille1.fr [Institut d' Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologies (IEMN), CNRS, UMR 8520, Département ISEN, 41 bd Vauban, 59046 Lille Cedex (France); Patriarche, G. [CNRS-Laboratoire de Photonique et de Nanostructures (LPN), Route de Nozay, 91460 Marcoussis (France); Plissard, S. R. [Institut d' Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologies (IEMN), CNRS, UMR 8520, Département ISEN, 41 bd Vauban, 59046 Lille Cedex (France); CNRS-Laboratoire d' Analyse et d' Architecture des Systèmes (LAAS), Univ. de Toulouse, 7 Avenue du Colonel Roche, F-31400 Toulouse (France); Caroff, P. [Institut d' Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologies (IEMN), CNRS, UMR 8520, Département ISEN, 41 bd Vauban, 59046 Lille Cedex (France); Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200 (Australia); and others

2015-09-14

The composition and band gap of the shell that formed during the growth of axial GaAs/GaAs{sub 81}Sb{sub 19}/ GaAs heterostructure nanowires have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy combined with energy dispersion spectroscopy, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations. On the GaAs{sub 81}Sb{sub 19} intermediate segment, the shell is found to be free of Sb (pure GaAs shell) and transparent to the tunneling electrons, despite the (110) biaxial strain that affects its band gap. As a result, a direct measurement of the core band gap allows the quantitative determination of the band offset between the GaAs{sub 81}Sb{sub 19} core and the GaAs shell and identifies it as a type I band alignment.

The fabrication of highly uniform ZnO/CdS core/shell structures using a spin-coating-based successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joo, Jinmyoung; Kim, Darae; Yun, Dong-Jin; Jun, Hwichan; Rhee, Shi-Woo; Lee, Jae Sung; Yong, Kijung; Jeon, Sangmin; Kim, Sungjee

2010-01-01

We developed a successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method based on spin-coating (spin-SILAR) and applied the method to the fabrication of highly uniform ZnO/CdS core/shell nanowire arrays. Because the adsorption, reaction, and rinsing steps occur simultaneously during spin-coating, the spin-SILAR method does not require rinsing steps between the alternating ion adsorption steps, making the growth process simpler and faster than conventional SILAR methods based on dip-coating (dip-SILAR). The ZnO/CdS core/shell nanowire arrays prepared by spin-SILAR had a denser and more uniform structure than those prepared by dip-SILAR, resulting in the higher power efficiency for use in photoelectrochemical cells.

The fabrication of highly uniform ZnO/CdS core/shell structures using a spin-coating-based successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joo, Jinmyoung; Kim, Darae; Yun, Dong-Jin; Jun, Hwichan; Rhee, Shi-Woo; Lee, Jae Sung; Yong, Kijung; Jeon, Sangmin [System on Chip Chemical Process Research, Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sungjee, E-mail: jeons@postech.ac.kr [Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2010-08-13

We developed a successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method based on spin-coating (spin-SILAR) and applied the method to the fabrication of highly uniform ZnO/CdS core/shell nanowire arrays. Because the adsorption, reaction, and rinsing steps occur simultaneously during spin-coating, the spin-SILAR method does not require rinsing steps between the alternating ion adsorption steps, making the growth process simpler and faster than conventional SILAR methods based on dip-coating (dip-SILAR). The ZnO/CdS core/shell nanowire arrays prepared by spin-SILAR had a denser and more uniform structure than those prepared by dip-SILAR, resulting in the higher power efficiency for use in photoelectrochemical cells.

Fabrication of a transparent ultraviolet detector by using n-type Ga2O3 and p-type Ga-doped SnO2 core-shell nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Cheng-Liang; Lu, Ying-Ching

2012-09-21

This study investigates the feasibility of synthesizing high-density transparent Ga(2)O(3)/SnO(2):Ga core-shell nanowires on a sapphire substrate at 1000 °C by VLS. The doping Ga concentrations are 0.46, 1.07, 2.30 and 17.53 atomic%. The XRD spectrum and HR-TEM reveal Ga(2)O(3) and SnO(2) as having monoclinic and tetragonal rutile structures, respectively. Experimental results indicate that the XRD peak shift of SnO(2) to a larger angle increases with the increasing amount of Ga doping. According to the CL spectrum, SnO(2) and Ga(2)O(3) peak at approximately 528-568 nm and 422-424 nm, respectively. The maximum quantum efficiency of Ga(2)O(3)/SnO(2):Ga core-shell nanowires is around 0.362%. The UV light on-off current contrast ratio of Ga(2)O(3)/SnO(2):Ga core-shell nanowires is around 1066.7 at a bias of 5 V. Moreover, the dynamic response of Ga(2)O(3)/SnO(2):Ga core-shell nanowires has an on-off current contrast ratio of around 16. Furthermore, the Ga(2)O(3) region functions similar to a capacitor and continues to accumulate SnO(2):Ga excited electrons under UV light exposure.

Enhancement of the core near-band-edge emission induced by an amorphous shell in coaxial one-dimensional nanostructure: the case of SiC/SiO{sub 2} core/shell self-organized nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabbri, Filippo; Rossi, Francesca; Attolini, Giovanni; Salviati, Giancarlo; Iannotta, Salvatore [IMEM-CNR Institute, Viale Usberti 37/A, I-43124 Parma (Italy); Aversa, Lucrezia; Verucchi, Roberto; Nardi, Marco [IFN-CNR Institute, Via alla Cascata 56/C-Povo, I-38123 Trento (Italy); Fukata, Naoki [International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science and PRESTO JST, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Dierre, Benjamin; Sekiguchi, Takashi [Nano Device Characterization Group, Advanced Electronic Materials Center, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

2010-08-27

We report the influence of the native amorphous SiO{sub 2} shell on the cathodoluminescence emission of 3C-SiC/SiO{sub 2} core/shell nanowires. A shell-induced enhancement of the SiC near-band-edge emission is observed and studied as a function of the silicon dioxide thickness. Since the diameter of the investigated SiC cores rules out any direct bandgap optical transitions due to confinement effects, this enhancement is ascribed to a carrier diffusion from the shell to the core, promoted by the alignment of the SiO{sub 2} and SiC bands in a type I quantum well. An accurate correlation between the optical emission and structural and SiO{sub 2}-SiC interface properties is also reported.

Suppression of alloy fluctuations in GaAs-AlGaAs core-shell nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loitsch, Bernhard; Winnerl, Julia; Parzinger, Eric; Matich, Sonja; Wurstbauer, Ursula; Riedl, Hubert; Abstreiter, Gerhard; Finley, Jonathan J.; Koblmüller, Gregor [Walter Schottky Institut and Physik Department, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching (Germany); Jeon, Nari; Lauhon, Lincoln J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 (United States); Döblinger, Markus [Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, 81377 München (Germany)

2016-08-29

Probing localized alloy fluctuations and controlling them by growth kinetics have been relatively limited so far in nanoscale structures such as semiconductor nanowires (NWs). Here, we demonstrate the tuning of alloy fluctuations in molecular beam epitaxially grown GaAs-AlGaAs core-shell NWs by modifications of shell growth temperature, as investigated by correlated micro-photoluminescence, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography. By reducing the shell growth temperature from T > 600 °C to below 400 °C, we find a strong reduction in alloy fluctuation mediated sharp-line luminescence, concurrent with a decrease in the non-randomness of the alloy distribution in the AlGaAs shell. This trend is further characterized by a change in the alloy compositional structure from unintentional quasi-superlattices of Ga- and Al-rich AlGaAs layers at high T to a nearly homogeneous random alloy distribution at low T.

Rational Synthesis of Branched CoMoO4@CoNiO2 Core/Shell Nanowire Arrays for All-Solid-State Supercapacitors with Improved Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ai, Yuanfei; Geng, Xuewen; Lou, Zheng; Wang, Zhiming M; Shen, Guozhen

2015-11-04

Effectively composite materials with optimized structures exhibited promising potential in continuing improving the electrochemical performances of supercapacitors in the past few years. Here, we proposed a rational design of branched CoMoO4@CoNiO2 core/shell nanowire arrays on Ni foam by two steps of hydrothermal processing. Owing to the high activity of the scaffold-like CoMoO4 nanowires and the well-defined CoNiO2 nanoneedles, the three-dimensional (3D) electrode architectures achieved remarkable electrochemical performances with high areal specific capacitance (5.31 F/cm(2) at 5 mA/cm(2)) and superior cycling stability(159% of the original specific capacitance, i.e., 95.7% of the maximum retained after 5000 cycles at 30 mA/cm(2)). The all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors composed of such electrode and activated carbon (AC) exhibited an areal specific capacitance of 1.54 F/cm(2) at 10 mA/cm(2) and a rate capability (59.75 Wh/kg at a 1464 W/kg) comparable with Li-ion batteries. It also showed an excellent cycling stability with no capacitance attenuation after 50000 cycles at 100 mA/cm(2). After rapid charging (1 s), such supercapacitors in series could lighten a red LED for a long time and drive a mini motor effectively, demonstrating advances in energy storage, scalable integrated applications, and promising commercial potential.

Fermi energy dependence of the optical emission in core/shell InAs nanowire homostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Möller, M.; Oliveira, D. S.; Sahoo, P. K.; Cotta, M. A.; Iikawa, F.; Motisuke, P.; Molina-Sánchez, A.; de Lima, M. M., Jr.; García-Cristóbal, A.; Cantarero, A.

2017-07-01

InAs nanowires grown by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method are investigated by photoluminescence. We observe that the Fermi energy of all samples is reduced by ˜20 meV when the size of the Au nanoparticle used for catalysis is increased from 5 to 20 nm. Additional capping with a thin InP shell enhances the optical emission and does not affect the Fermi energy. The unexpected behavior of the Fermi energy is attributed to the differences in the residual donor (likely carbon) incorporation in the axial (low) and lateral (high incorporation) growth in the VLS and vapor-solid (VS) methods, respectively. The different impurity incorporation rate in these two regions leads to a core/shell InAs homostructure. In this case, the minority carriers (holes) diffuse to the core due to the built-in electric field created by the radial impurity distribution. As a result, the optical emission is dominated by the core region rather than by the more heavily doped InAs shell. Thus, the photoluminescence spectra and the Fermi energy become sensitive to the core diameter. These results are corroborated by a theoretical model using a self-consistent method to calculate the radial carrier distribution and Fermi energy for distinct diameters of Au nanoparticles.

Simulation of thermal stress and buckling instability in Si/Ge and Ge/Si core/shell nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Suvankar; Moitra, Amitava; Bhattacharya, Mishreyee; Dutta, Amlan

2015-01-01

The present study employs the method of atomistic simulation to estimate the thermal stress experienced by Si/Ge and Ge/Si, ultrathin, core/shell nanowires with fixed ends. The underlying technique involves the computation of Young's modulus and the linear coefficient of thermal expansion through separate simulations. These two material parameters are combined to obtain the thermal stress on the nanowires. In addition, the thermally induced stress is perceived in the context of buckling instability. The analysis provides a trade-off between the geometrical and operational parameters of the nanostructures. The proposed methodology can be extended to other materials and structures and helps with the prediction of the conditions under which a nanowire-based device might possibly fail due to elastic instability.

Synthesis of core-shell heterostructured Cu/Cu2O nanowires monitored by in situ XRD as efficient visible-light photocatalysts

KAUST Repository

Chen, Wei; Fan, Zhongli; Lai, Zhiping

2013-01-01

strategy for fabricating efficiently core-shell heterostructured nanowires and provides the potential for developing their applications in electronic devices, for environmental remediation and in solar energy utilization fields. This journal is © The Royal

Nickel Nanowire@Porous NiCo2O4 Nanorods Arrays Grown on Nickel Foam as Efficient Pseudocapacitor Electrode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Houzhao Wan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A three dimensional hierarchical nanostructure composed of nickel nanowires and porous NiCo2O4 nanorods arrays on the surface of nickel foam is successfully fabricated by a facile route. In this structure, the nickel nanowires are used as core materials to support high-pseudocapacitance NiCo2O4 nanorods and construct the well-defined NiCo2O4 nanorods shell/nickel nanowires core hierarchical structure on nickel foam. Benefiting from the participation of nickel nanowires, the nickel nanowire@NiCo2O4/Ni foam electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance (7.4 F cm−2 at 5 mA cm−2, excellent rate capability (88.04% retained at 100 mA cm−2, and good cycling stability (74.08% retained after 1,500 cycles. The superior electrochemical properties made it promising as electrode for supercapacitors.

Semi-transparent all-oxide ultraviolet light-emitting diodes based on ZnO/NiO-core/shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Zhi-Feng; Xu, Ting-Ting; Wu, Di; Zhang, Yuan-Tao; Zhang, Bao-Lin; Tian, Yong-Tao; Li, Xin-Jian; Du, Guo-Tong

2016-05-01

Semi-transparent all-oxide light-emitting diodes based on ZnO/NiO-core/shell nanowire structures were prepared on double-polished c-Al2O3 substrates. The entire heterojunction diode showed an average transparency of ~65% in the ultraviolet and visible regions. Under forward bias, the diode displayed an intense ultraviolet emission at ~382 nm, and its electroluminescence performance was remarkable in terms of a low emission onset, acceptable operating stability, and the ability to optically excite emissive semiconductor nanoparticle chromophores.Semi-transparent all-oxide light-emitting diodes based on ZnO/NiO-core/shell nanowire structures were prepared on double-polished c-Al2O3 substrates. The entire heterojunction diode showed an average transparency of ~65% in the ultraviolet and visible regions. Under forward bias, the diode displayed an intense ultraviolet emission at ~382 nm, and its electroluminescence performance was remarkable in terms of a low emission onset, acceptable operating stability, and the ability to optically excite emissive semiconductor nanoparticle chromophores. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr07236k

Growth of InAs/InP core–shell nanowires with various pure crystal structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorji Ghalamestani, Sepideh; Heurlin, Magnus; Lehmann, Sebastian; Dick, Kimberly A; Wernersson, Lars-Erik

2012-01-01

We have studied the epitaxial growth of an InP shell on various pure InAs core nanowire crystal structures by metal–organic vapor phase epitaxy. The InP shell is grown on wurtzite (WZ), zinc-blende (ZB), and {111}- and {110}-type faceted ZB twin-plane superlattice (TSL) structures by tuning the InP shell growth parameters and controlling the shell thickness. The growth results, particularly on the WZ nanowires, show that homogeneous InP shell growth is promoted at relatively high temperatures (∼500 °C), but that the InAs nanowires decompose under the applied conditions. In order to protect the InAs core nanowires from decomposition, a short protective InP segment is first grown axially at lower temperatures (420–460 °C), before commencing the radial growth at a higher temperature. Further studies revealed that the InP radial growth rate is significantly higher on the ZB and TSL nanowires compared to WZ counterparts, and shows a strong anisotropy in polar directions. As a result, thin shells were obtained during low temperature InP growth on ZB structures, while a higher temperature was used to obtain uniform thick shells. In addition, a schematic growth model is suggested to explain the basic processes occurring during the shell growth on the TSL crystal structures. (paper)

Electron energy spectrum in core-shell elliptic quantum wire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.Holovatsky

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The electron energy spectrum in core-shell elliptic quantum wire and elliptic semiconductor nanotubes are investigated within the effective mass approximation. The solution of Schrodinger equation based on the Mathieu functions is obtained in elliptic coordinates. The dependencies of the electron size quantization spectrum on the size and shape of the core-shell nanowire and nanotube are calculated. It is shown that the ellipticity of a quantum wire leads to break of degeneration of quasiparticle energy spectrum. The dependences of the energy of odd and even electron states on the ratio between semiaxes are of a nonmonotonous character. The anticrosing effects are observed at the dependencies of electron energy spectrum on the transversal size of the core-shell nanowire.

Excitons in Core-Shell Nanowires with Polygonal Cross Sections.

Science.gov (United States)

Sitek, Anna; Urbaneja Torres, Miguel; Torfason, Kristinn; Gudmundsson, Vidar; Bertoni, Andrea; Manolescu, Andrei

2018-04-11

The distinctive prismatic geometry of semiconductor core-shell nanowires leads to complex localization patterns of carriers. Here, we describe the formation of optically active in-gap excitonic states induced by the interplay between localization of carriers in the corners and their mutual Coulomb interaction. To compute the energy spectra and configurations of excitons created in the conductive shell, we use a multielectron numerical approach based on the exact solution of the multiparticle Hamiltonian for electrons in the valence and conduction bands, which includes the Coulomb interaction in a nonperturbative manner. We expose the formation of well-separated quasidegenerate levels, and focus on the implications of the electron localization in the corners or on the sides of triangular, square, and hexagonal cross sections. We obtain excitonic in-gap states associated with symmetrically distributed electrons in the spin singlet configuration. They acquire large contributions due to Coulomb interaction, and thus are shifted to much higher energies than other states corresponding to the conduction electron and the vacancy localized in the same corner. We compare the results of the multielectron method with those of an electron-hole model, and we show that the latter does not reproduce the singlet excitonic states. We also obtain the exciton lifetime and explain selection rules which govern the recombination process.

Synthesis of triaxial LiFePO4 nanowire with a VGCF core column and a carbon shell through the electrospinning method.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosono, Eiji; Wang, Yonggang; Kida, Noriyuki; Enomoto, Masaya; Kojima, Norimichi; Okubo, Masashi; Matsuda, Hirofumi; Saito, Yoshiyasu; Kudo, Tetsuichi; Honma, Itaru; Zhou, Haoshen

2010-01-01

A triaxial LiFePO4 nanowire with a multi wall carbon nanotube (VGCF:Vapor-grown carbon fiber) core column and an outer shell of amorphous carbon was successfully synthesized through the electrospinning method. The carbon nanotube core oriented in the direction of the wire played an important role in the conduction of electrons during the charge-discharge process, whereas the outer amorphous carbon shell suppressed the oxidation of Fe2+. An electrode with uniformly dispersed carbon and active materials was easily fabricated via a single process by heating after the electrospinning method is applied. Mossbauer spectroscopy for the nanowire showed a broadening of the line width, indicating a disordered coordination environment of the Fe ion near the surface. The electrospinning method was proven to be suitable for the fabrication of a triaxial nanostructure.

Crystalline-Amorphous Core−Shell Silicon Nanowires for High Capacity and High Current Battery Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng

2009-01-14

Silicon is an attractive alloy-type anode material for lithium ion batteries because of its highest known capacity (4200 mAh/g). However silicon\\'s large volume change upon lithium insertion and extraction, which causes pulverization and capacity fading, has limited its applications. Designing nanoscale hierarchical structures is a novel approach to address the issues associated with the large volume changes. In this letter, we introduce a core-shell design of silicon nanowires for highpower and long-life lithium battery electrodes. Silicon crystalline- amorphous core-shell nanowires were grown directly on stainless steel current collectors by a simple one-step synthesis. Amorphous Si shells instead of crystalline Si cores can be selected to be electrochemically active due to the difference of their lithiation potentials. Therefore, crystalline Si cores function as a stable mechanical support and an efficient electrical conducting pathway while amorphous shells store Li ions. We demonstrate here that these core-shell nanowires have high charge storage capacity (̃1000 mAh/g, 3 times of carbon) with ̃90% capacity retention over 100 cycles. They also show excellent electrochemical performance at high rate charging and discharging (6.8 A/g, ̃20 times of carbon at 1 h rate). © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Photoresponse and Field Effect Transport Studies in InAsP-InP Core-Shell Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Rochelle; Jo, Min Hyeok; Kim, TaeWan; Kim, Hyo Jin; Kim, Doo Gun; Shin, Jae Cheol

2018-05-01

A ternary InAsyP1-y alloy is suitable for an application to near-infrared (NIR) optical devices as their direct bandgap energy covers the entire NIR band. A nanowire (NW) system allows an epitaxial integration of InAsyP1-y alloy on any type of substrate since the lattice mismatch strain can be relieved through the NW sidewall. Nevertheless, the very large surface to volume ratio feature of the NWs leads to enormous surface states which are susceptible to surface recombination of free carriers. Here, ternary InAs0.75P0.25 NWs are grown with InP passivation layer (i.e., core-shell structure) to minimize the influence of the surface states, thus increasing their optical and electrical properties. A photoresponse study was achieved through the modeled band structure of the grown NWs. The model and experimental results suggest that 5-nm-thick InP shell efficiently passivates the surface states of the InAs0.75P0.25 NWs. The fabricated core-shell photodetectors and field-effect transistors exhibit improved photoresponse and transport properties compared to its counterpart core-only structure.

Photoresponse and Field Effect Transport Studies in InAsP-InP Core-Shell Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Rochelle; Jo, Min Hyeok; Kim, TaeWan; Kim, Hyo Jin; Kim, Doo Gun; Shin, Jae Cheol

2018-03-01

A ternary InAsyP1-y alloy is suitable for an application to near-infrared (NIR) optical devices as their direct bandgap energy covers the entire NIR band. A nanowire (NW) system allows an epitaxial integration of InAsyP1-y alloy on any type of substrate since the lattice mismatch strain can be relieved through the NW sidewall. Nevertheless, the very large surface to volume ratio feature of the NWs leads to enormous surface states which are susceptible to surface recombination of free carriers. Here, ternary InAs0.75P0.25 NWs are grown with InP passivation layer (i.e., core-shell structure) to minimize the influence of the surface states, thus increasing their optical and electrical properties. A photoresponse study was achieved through the modeled band structure of the grown NWs. The model and experimental results suggest that 5-nm-thick InP shell efficiently passivates the surface states of the InAs0.75P0.25 NWs. The fabricated core-shell photodetectors and field-effect transistors exhibit improved photoresponse and transport properties compared to its counterpart core-only structure.

Synthesis and characterization of TiO{sub 2}/CdS core-shell nanorod arrays and their photoelectrochemical property

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao Chunlan [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Department of Power Engineer, Chongqing Communication College, Chongqing 400035 (China); Hu Chenguo, E-mail: hucg@cqu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Shen Weidong [Department of Power Engineer, Chongqing Communication College, Chongqing 400035 (China); Wang, Shuxia [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Tian Yongshu [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Department of Power Engineer, Chongqing Communication College, Chongqing 400035 (China); Wang Xue [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2012-05-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2}/CdS core-shell nanorod arrays were fabricated by spin-SILAR method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The enhanced photocurrent was found in the TiO{sub 2}/CdS core-shell nanorod arrays. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The CdS coated on TiO{sub 2} increases the e-h separation and enlarges light absorption range. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2}/CdS core-shell nanorod arrays have been fabricated via a two-step method. Vertically aligned TiO{sub 2} nanorod arrays (NRs) were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method, and followed by depositing CdS nanoparticles on TiO{sub 2} NRs by spin-coating successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (spin-SILAR) method. The surface morphology, structure, optical and photoelectrochemical behaviors of the core-shell NRs films are considered. The UV-vis absorption spectrum results suggested that the absorption peak of the TiO{sub 2}/CdS core-shell NRs shifts from the ultraviolet region to the visible region in comparison to that of the pure TiO{sub 2} NRs. The obviously enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of the heterojunction NRs were found under illumination of the simulated sunlight in comparison with that of the TiO{sub 2} NRs. The enhanced PEC performance and formation mechanism of TiO{sub 2}/CdS core-shell NRs were discussed in detail.

Hierarchical ZnO@MnO2 Core-Shell Pillar Arrays on Ni Foam for Binder-Free Supercapacitor Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Huang, Ming; Li, Fei; Zhao, Xiao Li; Luo, Da; You, Xue Qiu; Zhang, Yu Xin; Li, Gang

2015-01-01

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Hierarchical ZnO@MnO2 core-shell pillar arrays on Ni foam have been fabricated by a facile two-step hydrothermal approach and further investigated as the binder-free electrode for supercapacitors. The core-shell hybrid nanostructure is achieved by decorating ultrathin self-standing MnO2 nanosheets on ZnO pillar arrays grown radically on Nickel foam. This unique well-designed binder-free electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance (423.5 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1), and excellent cycling stability (92% capacitance retention after 3000 cycles). The improved electrochemical results show that the ZnO@MnO2 core-shell nanostructure electrode is promising for high-performance supercapacitors. The facile design of the unique core-shell array architectures provides a new and effective approach to fabricate high-performance binder-free electrode for supercapacitors.

Construction of Hierarchical CuO/Cu₂O@NiCo₂S₄ Nanowire Arrays on Copper Foam for High Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Luoxiao; He, Ying; Jia, Congpu; Pavlinek, Vladimir; Saha, Petr; Cheng, Qilin

2017-09-15

Hierarchical copper oxide @ ternary nickel cobalt sulfide (CuO/Cu₂O@NiCo₂S₄) core-shell nanowire arrays on Cu foam have been successfully constructed by a facile two-step strategy. Vertically aligned CuO/Cu₂O nanowire arrays are firstly grown on Cu foam by one-step thermal oxidation of Cu foam, followed by electrodeposition of NiCo₂S₄ nanosheets on the surface of CuO/Cu₂O nanowires to form the CuO/Cu₂O@NiCo₂S₄ core-shell nanostructures. Structural and morphological characterizations indicate that the average thickness of the NiCo₂S₄ nanosheets is ~20 nm and the diameter of CuO/Cu₂O core is ~50 nm. Electrochemical properties of the hierarchical composites as integrated binder-free electrodes for supercapacitor were evaluated by various electrochemical methods. The hierarchical composite electrodes could achieve ultrahigh specific capacitance of 3.186 F cm -2 at 10 mA cm -2 , good rate capability (82.06% capacitance retention at the current density from 2 to 50 mA cm -2 ) and excellent cycling stability, with capacitance retention of 96.73% after 2000 cycles at 10 mA cm -2 . These results demonstrate the significance of optimized design and fabrication of electrode materials with more sufficient electrolyte-electrode interface, robust structural integrity and fast ion/electron transfer.

Band structure of Si/Ge core-shell nanowires along the [110] direction modulated by external uniaxial strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Xihong; Tang Fu; Logan, Paul

2011-01-01

Strain modulated electronic properties of Si/Ge core-shell nanowires along the [110] direction were reported, on the basis of first principles density-functional theory calculations. In particular, the energy dispersion relationship of the conduction/valence band was explored in detail. At the Γ point, the energy levels of both bands are significantly altered by applied uniaxial strain, which results in an evident change of the band gap. In contrast, for the K vectors far away from Γ, the variation of the conduction/valence band with strain is much reduced. In addition, with a sufficient tensile strain (∼1%), the valence band edge shifts away from Γ, which indicates that the band gap of the Si/Ge core-shell nanowires experiences a transition from direct to indirect. Our studies further showed that effective masses of charge carriers can also be tuned using the external uniaxial strain. The effective mass of the hole increases dramatically with tensile strain, while strain shows a minimal effect on tuning the effective mass of the electron. Finally, the relation between strain and the conduction/valence band edge is discussed thoroughly in terms of site-projected wavefunction characters.

Silver-nickel oxide core-shell nanoparticle array electrode with enhanced lithium-storage performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Wenjia; Du, Ning; Zhang, Hui; Yang, Deren

2015-01-01

We demonstrate the synthesis of Ag-NiO core-shell nanoparticle arrays via a one-step solution-immersion process and subsequent RF-sputtering technique. The Ag nanoparticle arrays on copper substrate are firstly prepared by a displacement reaction at mild temperature of 303K. Then, a NiO layer is deposited onto the surface of the Ag nanoparticles via RF-sputtering technique. When evaluated as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, the Ag-NiO core-shell electrode shows higher capacity and better cycling performance than the planar NiO electrode. The in-situ synthesized Ag nanoparticles can enhance the interfacial strength between the active material and substrate, andimprove the electrical conductivity of the electrode, which may be responsible for the enhanced performance

Piezo‐Phototronic Effect Enhanced Flexible Solar Cells Based on n‐ZnO/p‐SnS Core–Shell Nanowire Array

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Laipan; Wang, Longfei; Xue, Fei; Chen, Libo; Fu, Jianqiang; Feng, Xiaolong; Li, Tianfeng

2016-01-01

The piezo‐phototronic effect is about the enhanced separation, transport, and recombination of the photogenerated carriers using the piezoelectric polarization charges present in piezoelectric‐semiconductor materials. Here, it is presented that the piezo‐phototronic effect can be effectively applied to improve the relative conversion efficiency of a flexible solar cell based on n‐ZnO/p‐SnS core–shell nanowire array for 37.3% under a moderate vertical pressure. The performance of the solar cell can be effectively enhanced by a gentle bending of the device, showing its potential for application in curly geometries. This study not only adds further understanding about the concept of increasing solar energy conversion efficiency via piezo‐phototronic effect, but also demonstrates the great potential of piezo‐phototronic effect in the application of large‐scale, flexible, and lightweight nanowire array solar cells. PMID:28105394

Mechanism for radiative recombination and defect properties of GaP/GaNP core/shell nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrovolsky, A.; Stehr, J. E.; Chen, S. L.; Chen, W. M.; Buyanova, I. A.; Kuang, Y. J.; Sukrittanon, S.; Tu, C. W.

2012-01-01

Recombination processes in GaP/GaNP core/shell nanowires (NWs) grown on a Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy are examined using a variety of optical characterization techniques, including cw- and time-resolved photoluminescence and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR). Superior optical quality of the structures is demonstrated based on the observation of intense emission from a single NW at room temperature. This emission is shown to originate from radiative transitions within N-related localized states. From ODMR, growth of GaP/GaNP NWs is also found to facilitate formation of complex defects containing a P atom at its core that act as centers of competing non-radiative recombination.

Binder-free ZnO@ZnSnO3 quantum dots core-shell nanorod array anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Hsiang; Cho, Hsun-Wei; Wu, Jih-Jen

2018-06-01

In this work, ZnSnO3 quantum dots (QDs), instead of commonly used conductive carbon, are grown on the ZnO nanorod (NR) array to construct the binder-free ZnO@ZnSnO3 QDs core-shell NR array electrode on carbon cloth for lithium-ion battery. The ZnO@ZnSnO3 QDs core-shell NR array electrode exhibits excellent lithium storage performance with an improved cycling performance and superior rate capability compared to the ZnO NR array electrode. At a current density of 200 mAg-1, 15.8% capacity loss is acquired in the ZnO@ZnSnO3 QDs core-shell NR array electrode after 110 cycles with capacity retention of 1073 mAhg-1. Significant increases in reversible capacities from 340 to 545 mAhg-1 and from 95 to 390 mAhg-1 at current densities of 1000 and 2000 mAg-1, respectively, are achieved as the ZnO NR arrays are coated with the ZnSnO3 QD shells. The remarkably improved electrochemical performances result from that the configuration of binder-free ZnO@ZnSnO3 QDs core-shell NR array electrode not only facilitates the charge transfer through the solid electrolyte interface and the electronic/ionic conduction boundary as well as lithium ion diffusion but also effectively accommodates the volume change during repeated charge/discharge processes.

Nickel Nanowire@Porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} Nanorods Arrays Grown on Nickel Foam as Efficient Pseudocapacitor Electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan, Houzhao; Li, Lang; Zhang, Jun; Liu, Xiang; Wang, Hanbin; Wang, Hao, E-mail: nanoguy@126.com [Faculty of Physics and Electronic Science, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Ferro & Piezoelectric Materials and Devices, Hubei University, Wuhan (China)

2017-12-13

A three dimensional hierarchical nanostructure composed of nickel nanowires and porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanorods arrays on the surface of nickel foam is successfully fabricated by a facile route. In this structure, the nickel nanowires are used as core materials to support high-pseudocapacitance NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanorods and construct the well-defined NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanorods shell/nickel nanowires core hierarchical structure on nickel foam. Benefiting from the participation of nickel nanowires, the nickel nanowire@NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4}/Ni foam electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance (7.4 F cm{sup −2} at 5 mA cm{sup −2}), excellent rate capability (88.04% retained at 100 mA cm{sup −2}), and good cycling stability (74.08% retained after 1,500 cycles). The superior electrochemical properties made it promising as electrode for supercapacitors.

Real-Time Intracellular Measurements of ROS and RNS in Living Cells with Single Core-Shell Nanowire Electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xin-Wei; Qiu, Quan-Fa; Jiang, Hong; Zhang, Fu-Li; Liu, Yan-Lin; Amatore, Christian; Huang, Wei-Hua

2017-10-09

Nanoelectrodes allow precise and quantitative measurements of important biological processes at the single living-cell level in real time. Cylindrical nanowire electrodes (NWEs) required for intracellular measurements create a great challenge for achieving excellent electrochemical and mechanical performances. Herein, we present a facile and robust solution to this problem based on a unique SiC-core-shell design to produce cylindrical NWEs with superior mechanical toughness provided by the SiC nano-core and an excellent electrochemical performance provided by the ultrathin carbon shell that can be used as such or platinized. The use of such NWEs for biological applications is illustrated by the first quantitative measurements of ROS/RNS in individual phagolysosomes of living macrophages. As the shell material can be varied to meet any specific detection purpose, this work opens up new opportunities to monitor quantitatively biological functions occurring inside cells and their organelles. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation of Porous MnO@C Core-Shell Nanowires as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shouhui Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Porous MnO@C core-shell nanowires were prepared via a simple and facile method. The morphologies, the phase purity, the mass contents, and the BET surface area of the composite were characterized by SEM, XRD, TGA, and N2 adsorption test, respectively. When the composite served as an anode for lithium-ion batteries, it showed superior electrochemical performances. The MnO@C composite presented a reversible capacity of 448.1 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at the current rate of 200 mA g−1.

Investigation of CuInSe2 nanowire arrays with core–shell structure electrodeposited at various duty cycles into anodic alumina templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Yu-Song; Wang, Na-Fu; Tsai, Yu-Zen; Lin, Jia-Jun; Houng, Mau-Phon

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The present paper reports that CuInSe2 NW arrays were fabricated through pulsed electrode position onto an AAO template with various duty cycles, and a pore-filling ratio of approximately 92% was achieved. • GIXRD patterns showed that all CuInSe2 NW arrays were chalcopyrite and SAED images confirmed that the CuInSe2 NWs were polycrystalline. • PEDOT/CuInSe2 NW core–shell arrays were fabricated using surfactant-modified CuInSe2 NW surfaces showing the lotus effect. • Current–voltage plots revealed that the CuInSe2 NW arrays were p-type semiconductors; moreover, the core–shell structure improved the diode ideality factor from 3.91 to 2.63. - Abstract: Copper indium selenide (CuInSe 2 ) nanowire (NW) arrays were prepared at various electrolyte duty cycles by filling anodic alumina templates through the pulsed electrodeposition technique. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the nucleation mechanism of CuInSe 2 NW arrays was affected by the electrodeposition duty cycle. Moreover, SEM images showed that the diameter and length of the NWs were 80 nm and 2 μm, respectively. Furthermore, PEDOT/CuInSe 2 NW core–shell arrays were fabricated using surfactant-modified CuInSe 2 NW surfaces showing the lotus effect. Transmission electron microscopy images confirmed that a core–shell structure was achieved. Current–voltage plots revealed that the CuInSe 2 NW arrays were p-type semiconductors; moreover, the core–shell structure improved the diode ideality factor from 3.91 to 2.63.

Hydrazine-Assisted Formation of Indium Phosphide (InP)-Based Nanowires and Core-Shell Composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Patzke, Greta R; Kontic, Roman; Shiolashvili, Zeinab; Makhatadze, Nino; Jishiashvili, David

2012-12-27

Indium phosphide nanowires (InP NWs) are accessible at 440 °C from a novel vapor phase deposition approach from crystalline InP sources in hydrazine atmospheres containing 3 mol % H₂O. Uniform zinc blende (ZB) InP NWs with diameters around 20 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers are preferably deposited on Si substrates. InP particle sizes further increase with the deposition temperature. The straightforward protocol was extended on the one-step formation of new core-shell InP-Ga NWs from mixed InP/Ga source materials. Composite nanocables with diameters below 20 nm and shells of amorphous gallium oxide are obtained at low deposition temperatures around 350 °C. Furthermore, InP/Zn sources afford InP NWs with amorphous Zn/P/O-coatings at slightly higher temperatures (400 °C) from analogous setups. At 450 °C, the smooth outer layer of InP-Zn NWs is transformed into bead-shaped coatings. The novel combinations of the key semiconductor InP with isotropic insulator shell materials open up interesting application perspectives in nanoelectronics.

Micro-Photoluminescence (micro-PL) Study of Core-Shell GaAs/GaAsSb Nanowires Grown by Self-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-18

U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 GaAsSb, Core Shell Nanowires, Micro Photoluminescence...34 Nanotechnology , vol. 24, no. 40 , 2013 . [6] H. Joyce, P. Parkinson , N. Jiang, C. Docherty, Q. Gao, H. Tan, C. Jagadish, L. Herz and M. Johnston

Single-crystal apatite nanowires sheathed in graphitic shells: synthesis, characterization, and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Namjo; Cha, Misun; Park, Yun Chang; Lee, Kyung Mee; Lee, Jae Hyup; Park, Byong Chon; Lee, Junghoon

2013-07-23

Vertically aligned one-dimensional hybrid structures, which are composed of apatite and graphitic structures, can be beneficial for orthopedic applications. However, they are difficult to generate using the current method. Here, we report the first synthesis of a single-crystal apatite nanowire encapsulated in graphitic shells by a one-step chemical vapor deposition. Incipient nucleation of apatite and its subsequent transformation to an oriented crystal are directed by derived gaseous phosphorine. Longitudinal growth of the oriented apatite crystal is achieved by a vapor-solid growth mechanism, whereas lateral growth is suppressed by the graphitic layers formed through arrangement of the derived aromatic hydrocarbon molecules. We show that this unusual combination of the apatite crystal and the graphitic shells can lead to an excellent osteogenic differentiation and bony fusion through a programmed smart behavior. For instance, the graphitic shells are degraded after the initial cell growth promoted by the graphitic nanostructures, and the cells continue proliferation on the bare apatite nanowires. Furthermore, a bending experiment indicates that such core-shell nanowires exhibited a superior bending stiffness compared to single-crystal apatite nanowires without graphitic shells. The results suggest a new strategy and direction for bone grafting materials with a highly controllable morphology and material conditions that can best stimulate bone cell differentiation and growth.

Black GE based on crystalline/amorphous core/shell nanoneedle arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Javey, Ali; Chueh, Yu-Lun; Fan, Zhiyong

2014-03-04

Direct growth of black Ge on low-temperature substrates, including plastics and rubber is reported. The material is based on highly dense, crystalline/amorphous core/shell Ge nanoneedle arrays with ultrasharp tips (.about.4 nm) enabled by the Ni catalyzed vapor-solid-solid growth process. Ge nanoneedle arrays exhibit remarkable optical properties. Specifically, minimal optical reflectance (<1%) is observed, even for high angles of incidence (.about.75.degree.) and for relatively short nanoneedle lengths (.about.1 .mu.m). Furthermore, the material exhibits high optical absorption efficiency with an effective band gap of .about.1 eV. The reported black Ge can have important practical implications for efficient photovoltaic and photodetector applications on nonconventional substrates.

Investigation of CuInSe{sub 2} nanowire arrays with core–shell structure electrodeposited at various duty cycles into anodic alumina templates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Yu-Song [Institute of Microelectronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Wang, Na-Fu; Tsai, Yu-Zen [Department of Electronic Engineering, Cheng Shiu University, 840 Chengcing Rd., Niaosong District, Kaohsiung City 833, Taiwan (China); Lin, Jia-Jun [Institute of Microelectronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Houng, Mau-Phon, E-mail: mphoung@eembox.ncku.edu.tw [Institute of Microelectronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • The present paper reports that CuInSe2 NW arrays were fabricated through pulsed electrode position onto an AAO template with various duty cycles, and a pore-filling ratio of approximately 92% was achieved. • GIXRD patterns showed that all CuInSe2 NW arrays were chalcopyrite and SAED images confirmed that the CuInSe2 NWs were polycrystalline. • PEDOT/CuInSe2 NW core–shell arrays were fabricated using surfactant-modified CuInSe2 NW surfaces showing the lotus effect. • Current–voltage plots revealed that the CuInSe2 NW arrays were p-type semiconductors; moreover, the core–shell structure improved the diode ideality factor from 3.91 to 2.63. - Abstract: Copper indium selenide (CuInSe{sub 2}) nanowire (NW) arrays were prepared at various electrolyte duty cycles by filling anodic alumina templates through the pulsed electrodeposition technique. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the nucleation mechanism of CuInSe{sub 2} NW arrays was affected by the electrodeposition duty cycle. Moreover, SEM images showed that the diameter and length of the NWs were 80 nm and 2 μm, respectively. Furthermore, PEDOT/CuInSe{sub 2} NW core–shell arrays were fabricated using surfactant-modified CuInSe{sub 2} NW surfaces showing the lotus effect. Transmission electron microscopy images confirmed that a core–shell structure was achieved. Current–voltage plots revealed that the CuInSe{sub 2} NW arrays were p-type semiconductors; moreover, the core–shell structure improved the diode ideality factor from 3.91 to 2.63.

Construction of Hierarchical CuO/Cu2O@NiCo2S4 Nanowire Arrays on Copper Foam for High Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Luoxiao; He, Ying; Jia, Congpu; Pavlinek, Vladimir; Saha, Petr; Cheng, Qilin

2017-01-01

Hierarchical copper oxide @ ternary nickel cobalt sulfide (CuO/Cu2O@NiCo2S4) core-shell nanowire arrays on Cu foam have been successfully constructed by a facile two-step strategy. Vertically aligned CuO/Cu2O nanowire arrays are firstly grown on Cu foam by one-step thermal oxidation of Cu foam, followed by electrodeposition of NiCo2S4 nanosheets on the surface of CuO/Cu2O nanowires to form the CuO/Cu2O@NiCo2S4 core-shell nanostructures. Structural and morphological characterizations indicate that the average thickness of the NiCo2S4 nanosheets is ~20 nm and the diameter of CuO/Cu2O core is ~50 nm. Electrochemical properties of the hierarchical composites as integrated binder-free electrodes for supercapacitor were evaluated by various electrochemical methods. The hierarchical composite electrodes could achieve ultrahigh specific capacitance of 3.186 F cm−2 at 10 mA cm−2, good rate capability (82.06% capacitance retention at the current density from 2 to 50 mA cm−2) and excellent cycling stability, with capacitance retention of 96.73% after 2000 cycles at 10 mA cm−2. These results demonstrate the significance of optimized design and fabrication of electrode materials with more sufficient electrolyte-electrode interface, robust structural integrity and fast ion/electron transfer. PMID:28914819

Construction of Hierarchical CuO/Cu2O@NiCo2S4 Nanowire Arrays on Copper Foam for High Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luoxiao Zhou

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Hierarchical copper oxide @ ternary nickel cobalt sulfide (CuO/Cu2O@NiCo2S4 core-shell nanowire arrays on Cu foam have been successfully constructed by a facile two-step strategy. Vertically aligned CuO/Cu2O nanowire arrays are firstly grown on Cu foam by one-step thermal oxidation of Cu foam, followed by electrodeposition of NiCo2S4 nanosheets on the surface of CuO/Cu2O nanowires to form the CuO/Cu2O@NiCo2S4 core-shell nanostructures. Structural and morphological characterizations indicate that the average thickness of the NiCo2S4 nanosheets is ~20 nm and the diameter of CuO/Cu2O core is ~50 nm. Electrochemical properties of the hierarchical composites as integrated binder-free electrodes for supercapacitor were evaluated by various electrochemical methods. The hierarchical composite electrodes could achieve ultrahigh specific capacitance of 3.186 F cm−2 at 10 mA cm−2, good rate capability (82.06% capacitance retention at the current density from 2 to 50 mA cm−2 and excellent cycling stability, with capacitance retention of 96.73% after 2000 cycles at 10 mA cm−2. These results demonstrate the significance of optimized design and fabrication of electrode materials with more sufficient electrolyte-electrode interface, robust structural integrity and fast ion/electron transfer.

Exchange biased Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires: A new insight into its magnetic core–shell nature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, S., E-mail: senoythomas@gmail.com [Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram 695019 (India); Jose, A.; Thanveer, T. [Materials Science and Technology Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram 695019 (India); Anantharaman, M.R. [Department of Physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682022 (India)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires were synthesised within the channels of mesoporous silica, SBA 15. • Magnetometry measurements indicated a magnetic core-shell structure for Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires. • The core has characteristics of a 2D-DAFF and uncompensated surface spins constitutes the shell. • Exchange coupling between the core-shell magnetic phases results in exchange bias effect. - Abstract: We investigated interfacial exchange coupling effect in nano casted Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires. Magnetometry measurements indicated that the magnetic response of the wires has two contributions. First one from the core of the wire which has characteristics of a 2D-DAFF(two-dimensional diluted antiferromagnet in a field). The second one is from uncompensated surface spins which get magnetically ordered towards the field direction once field cooled below 25 K. Below 25 K, the net magnetization of the core of the wire gets exchange coupled with the uncompensated surface spins giving rise to exchange bias effect. The unique 2D-DAFF/spin-glass core/shell heterostructure showed a pronounced training effect in the first field cycling itself. The magnitude of exchange bias field showed a maximum at intermediate cooling fields and for the higher cooling field, exchange bias got reduced.

Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires@MnO{sub 2} nanolayer or nanoflakes core–shell arrays for high-performance supercapacitors: The influence of morphology on performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Ke [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Shi, Zhongqi, E-mail: zhongqishi@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Wang, Yuanyuan [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Ye, Zhiguo [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China); Xia, Hongyan [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Liu, Guiwu [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Qiao, Guanjun, E-mail: gjqiao@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

2015-03-05

Highlights: • MnO{sub 2} nanolayer is coated on Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowire arrays forming a core–shell nanocable structure via chemical bath deposition. • The electrochemical performances of the MnO{sub 2} with two different morphologies are compared and investigated. • Both the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires@MnO{sub 2} nanolayer and nanoflakes core–shell arrays possess high specific capacitance. - Abstract: The Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires@MnO{sub 2} nanolayer or nanoflakes core–shell arrays (Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MnO{sub 2} nanolayer or nanoflakes NWAs) supported on carbon fiber paper have been fabricated via a facile and green method and further investigated on the performance as the electrodes for supercapacitors. Our experimental results evidently indicate that both the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MnO{sub 2} nanoflakes and nanolayer NWAs are capable of delivering specific capacitances as high as 1209.4 and 1215.6 F g{sup −1} (based on the MnO{sub 2}) at the current density of 1 A g{sup −1}. Due to the delicately designed hierarchical nanostructure that distributing the nanoscaled MnO{sub 2} on the nanowires with better electric conductivity, the active materials take advantage of the high effective surface area, facile electrolyte diffusion and fast electron transfer. The phenomenon that the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MnO{sub 2} nanolayer NWAs with smaller specific surface area become superior in electrochemical performance to the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MnO{sub 2} nanoflakes NWAs has been carefully investigated. The smaller charge transfer and electrolyte diffusion resistances are mainly demonstrated to be responsible. The analyses presented here could contribute to developing the optimal nanostructure of electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

Exchange biased Co3O4 nanowires: A new insight into its magnetic core-shell nature

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, S.; Jose, A.; Thanveer, T.; Anantharaman, M. R.

2017-06-01

We investigated interfacial exchange coupling effect in nano casted Co3O4 nanowires. Magnetometry measurements indicated that the magnetic response of the wires has two contributions. First one from the core of the wire which has characteristics of a 2D-DAFF(two-dimensional diluted antiferromagnet in a field). The second one is from uncompensated surface spins which get magnetically ordered towards the field direction once field cooled below 25 K. Below 25 K, the net magnetization of the core of the wire gets exchange coupled with the uncompensated surface spins giving rise to exchange bias effect. The unique 2D-DAFF/spin-glass core/shell heterostructure showed a pronounced training effect in the first field cycling itself. The magnitude of exchange bias field showed a maximum at intermediate cooling fields and for the higher cooling field, exchange bias got reduced.

Fabrication of SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array films for enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Hsyi-En, E-mail: sean@mail.stust.edu.tw; Lin, Chun-Yuan; Hsu, Ching-Ming

2017-02-28

Highlights: • SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-arrays on ITO glass were successfully fabricated. • The 3D heterojunction solves the problem of low photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} films. • SnO{sub 2} is more suitable than ITO for the core layer to separate electron-hole pairs. - Abstract: Immobilized or deposited thin film TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts are suffering from a low photocatalytic activity due to either a low photon absorption efficiency or a high carrier recombination rate. Here we demonstrate that the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} can be effectively improved by the SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array structure which combines the benefits of SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction and high reaction surface area. The SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array films were fabricated using atomic layer deposition and dry etching techniques via barrier-free porous anodic alumina templates. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared films was evaluated by methylene blue (MB) bleaching under 352 nm UV light irradiation. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} film was 45% improved by introducing a SnO{sub 2} film between TiO{sub 2} and ITO glass substrate and was 300% improved by using the SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array structure. The 45% improvement by the SnO{sub 2} interlayer is attributed to the SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction which separates the photogenerated electron-hole pairs in TiO{sub 2} for MB degradation, and the high photocatalytic activity of the SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array films is attributed to the three dimensional SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction which owns both the carrier separation ability and the high photocatalytic reaction surface area.

Ni/CdS bifunctional Ti@TiO2 core-shell nanowire electrode for high-performance nonenzymatic glucose sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Chunyan; Huo, Huanhuan; Han, Xu; Xu, Cailing; Li, Hulin

2014-01-07

In this work, a Ni/CdS bifunctional Ti@TiO2 core-shell nanowire electrode with excellent electrochemical sensing property was successfully constructed through a hydrothermal and electrodeposition method. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to confirm the synthesis and characterize the morphology of the as-prepared samples. The results revealed that the CdS layer between Ni and TiO2 plays an important role in the uniform nucleation and the following growth of highly dispersive Ni nanoparticle on the Ti@TiO2 core-shell nanowire surface. The bifunctional nanostructured electrode was applied to construct an electrochemical nonenzymatic sensor for the reliable detection of glucose. Under optimized conditions, this nonenzymatic glucose sensor displayed a high sensitivity up to 1136.67 μA mM(-1) cm(-2), a wider liner range of 0.005-12 mM, and a lower detection limit of 0.35 μM for glucose oxidation. The high dispersity of Ni nanoparticles, combined with the anti-poisoning faculty against the intermediate derived from the self-cleaning ability of CdS under the photoexcitation, was considered to be responsible for these enhanced electrochemical performances. Importantly, favorable reproducibility and long-term performance were also obtained thanks to the robust frameworks. All these results indicate this novel electrode is a promising candidate for nonenzymatic glucose sensing.

Energy transfer in nanowire solar cells with photon-harvesting shells

KAUST Repository

Peters, C. H.

2009-01-01

The concept of a nanowire solar cell with photon-harvesting shells is presented. In this architecture, organic molecules which absorb strongly in the near infrared where silicon absorbs weakly are coupled to silicon nanowires (SiNWs). This enables an array of 7-μm -long nanowires with a diameter of 50 nm to absorb over 85% of the photons above the bandgap of silicon. The organic molecules are bonded to the surface of the SiNWs forming a thin shell. They absorb the low-energy photons and subsequently transfer the energy to the SiNWs via Förster resonant energy transfer, creating free electrons and holes within the SiNWs. The carriers are then separated at a radial p-n junction in a nanowire and extracted at the respective electrodes. The shortness of the nanowires is expected to lower the dark current due to the decrease in p-n junction surface area, which scales linearly with wire length. The theoretical power conversion efficiency is 15%. To demonstrate this concept, we measure a 60% increase in photocurrent from a planar silicon-on-insulator diode when a 5 nm layer of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′ -ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene is applied to the surface of the silicon. This increase is in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Nanoscale semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell heterostructures: facile synthesis and light emission

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Gong Ping; Chen, Rui; Guo, Dong Lai; Wong, Lai Mun; Wang, Shi Jie; Sun, Han Dong; Wu, Tom

2011-08-01

Controllably constructing hierarchical nanostructures with distinct components and designed architectures is an important theme of research in nanoscience, entailing novel but reliable approaches of bottom-up synthesis. Here, we report a facile method to reproducibly create semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell nanostructures, which involves first coating uniform MgO shells onto metal oxide nanostructures in solution and then decorating them with Au nanoparticles. The semiconductor nanowire core can be almost any material and, herein, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3 are used as examples. We also show that linear chains of short ZnO nanorods embedded in MgO nanotubes and porous MgO nanotubes can be obtained by taking advantage of the reduced thermal stability of the ZnO core. Furthermore, after MgO shell-coating and the appropriate annealing treatment, the intensity of the ZnO near-band-edge UV emission becomes much stronger, showing a 25-fold enhancement. The intensity ratio of the UV/visible emission can be increased further by decorating the surface of the ZnO/MgO nanowires with high-density plasmonic Au nanoparticles. These heterostructured semiconductor-insulator-metal nanowires with tailored morphologies and enhanced functionalities have great potential for use as nanoscale building blocks in photonic and electronic applications.Controllably constructing hierarchical nanostructures with distinct components and designed architectures is an important theme of research in nanoscience, entailing novel but reliable approaches of bottom-up synthesis. Here, we report a facile method to reproducibly create semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell nanostructures, which involves first coating uniform MgO shells onto metal oxide nanostructures in solution and then decorating them with Au nanoparticles. The semiconductor nanowire core can be almost any material and, herein, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3 are used as examples. We also show that linear chains of short ZnO nanorods embedded in

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO/Cu2O core–shell nanowires grown by two-step electrodeposition method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messaoudi, O.; Makhlouf, H.; Souissi, A.; Ben assaker, I.; Amiri, G.; Bardaoui, A.; Oueslati, M.; Bechelany, M.; Chtourou, R.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • ZnO/Cu 2 O core/shell nanowires have been grown by two-step electrodeposition method. • SEM confirmed the homogenous distribution of Cu 2 O on the deposited nanowires. • The X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the films were pure. • Optical transmissions measurements reveal an additional contribution at about 1.7 eV. • The ZnO/Cu 2 O structure is expected to have an advantage in photovoltaic application. - Abstract: ZnO/Cu 2 O core/shell nanowires have been grown by two-step electrodeposition method on ITO-coated glass substrates. The sample's morphology was explored by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images confirm the homogeneity of the nanowires and the presence of Cu 2 O shell on ZnO core. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements were used to investigate the purity and the crystallinity of the samples. Optical transmission measurements reveal an additional contribution at about 1.7 eV attributed to the type-II interfacial transition witch confirms the advantage of using the ZnO/Cu 2 O structure in photovoltaic application

Tunable magnetic nanowires for biomedical and harsh environment applications

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.; Alfadhel, Ahmed; Al-Nassar, Mohammed Y.; Perez, Jose E.; Vazquez, Manuel; Chuvilin, Andrey; Kosel, Jü rgen

2016-01-01

We have synthesized nanowires with an iron core and an iron oxide (magnetite) shell by a facile low-cost fabrication process. The magnetic properties of the nanowires can be tuned by changing shell thicknesses to yield remarkable new properties and multi-functionality. A multi-domain state at remanence can be obtained, which is an attractive feature for biomedical applications, where a low remanence is desirable. The nanowires can also be encoded with different remanence values. Notably, the oxidation process of single-crystal iron nanowires halts at a shell thickness of 10 nm. The oxide shell of these nanowires acts as a passivation layer, retaining the magnetic properties of the iron core even during high-temperature operations. This property renders these core-shell nanowires attractive materials for application to harsh environments. A cell viability study reveals a high degree of biocompatibility of the core-shell nanowires.

Tunable magnetic nanowires for biomedical and harsh environment applications

KAUST Repository

Ivanov, Yurii P.

2016-04-13

We have synthesized nanowires with an iron core and an iron oxide (magnetite) shell by a facile low-cost fabrication process. The magnetic properties of the nanowires can be tuned by changing shell thicknesses to yield remarkable new properties and multi-functionality. A multi-domain state at remanence can be obtained, which is an attractive feature for biomedical applications, where a low remanence is desirable. The nanowires can also be encoded with different remanence values. Notably, the oxidation process of single-crystal iron nanowires halts at a shell thickness of 10 nm. The oxide shell of these nanowires acts as a passivation layer, retaining the magnetic properties of the iron core even during high-temperature operations. This property renders these core-shell nanowires attractive materials for application to harsh environments. A cell viability study reveals a high degree of biocompatibility of the core-shell nanowires.

Hierarchical core-shell structure of ZnO nanorod@NiO/MoO₂ composite nanosheet arrays for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Sucheng; Zhang, Guanhua; Zeng, Wei; Zhu, Jian; Gong, Feilong; Li, Feng; Duan, Huigao

2014-08-27

A hierarchical core-shell structure of ZnO nanorod@NiO/MoO2 composite nanosheet arrays on nickel foam substrate for high-performance supercapacitors was constructed by a two-step solution-based method involving two hydrothermal processes followed by a calcination treatment. Compared to one composed of pure NiO/MoO2 composite nanosheets, the hierarchical core-shell structure electrode displays better pseudocapacitive behaviors in 2 M KOH, including high areal specific capacitance values of 1.18 F cm(-2) at 5 mA cm(-2) and 0.6 F cm(-2) at 30 mA cm(-2) as well as relatively good rate capability at high current densities. Furthermore, it also shows remarkable cycle stability, remaining at 91.7% of the initial value even after 4000 cycles at a current density of 10 mA cm(-2). The enhanced pseudocapacitive behaviors are mainly due to the unique hierarchical core-shell structure and the synergistic effect of combining ZnO nanorod arrays and NiO/MoO2 composite nanosheets. This novel hierarchical core-shell structure shows promise for use in next-generation supercapacitors.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O core–shell nanowires grown by two-step electrodeposition method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Messaoudi, O., E-mail: olfamassaoudi@gmail.com [Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie, Technopole Borj Cedria, B.P. 95, Hammam Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Makhlouf, H.; Souissi, A.; Ben assaker, I. [Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie, Technopole Borj Cedria, B.P. 95, Hammam Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Amiri, G. [Groupe d’Etude de la Matière Condensée, CNRS Université de Versailles Saint Quentin (France); Bardaoui, A. [Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie, Technopole Borj Cedria, B.P. 95, Hammam Lif, 2050 (Tunisia); Physics Department, Taif University (Saudi Arabia); Oueslati, M. [Unité Nanomatériaux et Photonique, Faculté Des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire El Manar, 2092, Tunis (Tunisia); Bechelany, M. [European Institute of Membranes (IEM ENSCM UM2 CNRS UMR 5635), University of Montpellier 2, 34095 Montpellier (France); Chtourou, R. [Laboratoire de Photovoltaïque, Centre de Recherches et des Technologies de l’Energie, Technopole Borj Cedria, B.P. 95, Hammam Lif, 2050 (Tunisia)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O core/shell nanowires have been grown by two-step electrodeposition method. • SEM confirmed the homogenous distribution of Cu{sub 2}O on the deposited nanowires. • The X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the films were pure. • Optical transmissions measurements reveal an additional contribution at about 1.7 eV. • The ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O structure is expected to have an advantage in photovoltaic application. - Abstract: ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O core/shell nanowires have been grown by two-step electrodeposition method on ITO-coated glass substrates. The sample's morphology was explored by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images confirm the homogeneity of the nanowires and the presence of Cu{sub 2}O shell on ZnO core. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements were used to investigate the purity and the crystallinity of the samples. Optical transmission measurements reveal an additional contribution at about 1.7 eV attributed to the type-II interfacial transition witch confirms the advantage of using the ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O structure in photovoltaic application.

Low temperature grown ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shell nanorod arrays for dye sensitized solar cell application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goh, Gregory Kia Liang [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), 3 Research Link, 117602 Singapore (Singapore); Le, Hong Quang, E-mail: lehq@imre.a-star.edu.sg [Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), 3 Research Link, 117602 Singapore (Singapore); Huang, Tang Jiao; Hui, Benjamin Tan Tiong [Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE), Faculty of Engineering National University of Singapore (NUS) BLK E3A, #04-10, 7 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117574 (Singapore)

2014-06-01

High aspect ratio ZnO nanorod arrays were synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide glasses via a low temperature solution method. By adjusting the growth condition and adding polyethylenimine, ZnO nanorod arrays with tunable length were successfully achieved. The ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shells structures were realized by a fast growth method of immersion into a (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}·TiF{sub 6} solution. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray measurements all confirmed the existence of a titania shell uniformly covering the ZnO nanorod's surface. Results of solar cell testing showed that addition of a TiO{sub 2} shell to the ZnO nanorod significantly increased short circuit current (from 4.2 to 5.2 mA/cm{sup 2}), open circuit voltage (from 0.6 V to 0.8 V) and fill factor (from 42.8% to 73.02%). The overall cell efficiency jumped from 1.1% for bare ZnO nanorod to 3.03% for a ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shell structured solar cell with a 18–22 nm shell thickness, a nearly threefold increase. - Graphical abstract: The synthesis process of coating TiO{sub 2} shell onto ZnO nanorod core is shown schematically. A thin, uniform, and conformal shell had been grown on the surface of the ZnO core after immersing in the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}·TiF{sub 6} solution for 5–15 min. - Highlights: • ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shell nanorod has been grown on FTO substrate using low temperature solution method. • TEM, XRD, EDX results confirmed the existing of titana shell, uniformly covered rod's surface. • TiO{sub 2} shell suppressed recombination, demonstrated significant enhancement in cell's efficiency. • Core shell DSSC's efficiency achieved as high as 3.03%, 3 times higher than that of ZnO nanorods.

Pd nanowire arrays as electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hong; Cheng, Faliang [Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523106 (China); Xu, Changwei; Jiang, Sanping [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2007-05-15

Highly ordered Pd nanowire arrays were prepared by template-electrodeposition method using anodic aluminum oxide template. The Pd nanowire arrays, in this paper, have high electrochemical active surface and show excellent catalytic properties for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media. The activity of Pd nanowire arrays for ethanol oxidation is not only higher that of Pd film, but also higher than that of commercial E-TEK PtRu(2:1 by weight)/C. The micrometer sized pores and channels in nanowire arrays act as structure units. They make liquid fuel diffuse into and products diffuse out of the catalysts layer much easier, therefore, the utilization efficiency of catalysts gets higher. Pd nanowire arrays are stable catalysts for ethanol oxidation. The nanowire arrays may be a great potential in direct ethanol fuel cells and ethanol sensors. (author)

Crystalline-Amorphous Core−Shell Silicon Nanowires for High Capacity and High Current Battery Electrodes

KAUST Repository

Cui, Li-Feng; Ruffo, Riccardo; Chan, Candace K.; Peng, Hailin; Cui, Yi

2009-01-01

fading, has limited its applications. Designing nanoscale hierarchical structures is a novel approach to address the issues associated with the large volume changes. In this letter, we introduce a core-shell design of silicon nanowires for highpower

The influence of passivation and photovoltaic properties of α-Si:H coverage on silicon nanowire array solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays for radial p-n junction solar cells offer potential advantages of light trapping effects and quick charge collection. Nevertheless, lower open circuit voltages (Voc) lead to lower energy conversion efficiencies. In such cases, the performance of the solar cells depends critically on the quality of the SiNW interfaces. In this study, SiNW core-shell solar cells have been fabricated by growing crystalline silicon (c-Si) nanowires via the metal-assisted chemical etching method and by depositing hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si:H) via the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. The influence of deposition parameters on the coverage and, consequently, the passivation and photovoltaic properties of α-Si:H layers on SiNW solar cells have been analyzed. PMID:24059343

Core-shell titanium dioxide-titanium nitride nanotube arrays with near-infrared plasmon resonances

Science.gov (United States)

Farsinezhad, Samira; Shanavas, Thariq; Mahdi, Najia; Askar, Abdelrahman M.; Kar, Piyush; Sharma, Himani; Shankar, Karthik

2018-04-01

Titanium nitride (TiN) is a ceramic with high electrical conductivity which in nanoparticle form, exhibits localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in the visible region of the solar spectrum. The ceramic nature of TiN coupled with its dielectric loss factor being comparable to that of gold, render it attractive for CMOS polarizers, refractory plasmonics, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and a whole host of sensing applications. We report core-shell TiO2-TiN nanotube arrays exhibiting LSPR peaks in the range 775-830 nm achieved by a simple, solution-based, low cost, large area-compatible fabrication route that does not involve laser-writing or lithography. Self-organized, highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays were grown by electrochemical anodization of Ti thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrates and then conformally coated with a thin layer of TiN using atomic layer deposition. The effects of varying the TiN layer thickness and thermal annealing on the LSPR profiles were also investigated. Modeling the TiO2-TiN core-shell nanotube structure using two different approaches, one employing effective medium approximations coupled with Fresnel coefficients, resulted in calculated optical spectra that closely matched the experimentally measured spectra. Modeling provided the insight that the observed near-infrared resonance was not collective in nature, and was mainly attributable to the longitudinal resonance of annular nanotube-like TiN particles redshifted due to the presence of the higher permittivity TiO2 matrix. The resulting TiO2-TiN core-shell nanotube structures also function as visible light responsive photocatalysts, as evidenced by their photoelectrochemical water-splitting performance under light emitting diode illumination using 400, 430 and 500 nm photons.

Template-based fabrication of nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Zuxin; Liu Haidong; Schultz, Isabel; Wu Wenhao; Naugle, D G; Lyuksyutov, I

2008-01-01

The fabrication and structure characterization of ordered nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays embedded in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are reported. Arrays of TiO 2 nanotubes were first deposited into the pores of AAO membranes by a sol-gel technique. Co nanowires were then electrochemically deposited into the TiO 2 nanotubes to form the nanowire-nanotube hybrid arrays. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy measurements showed a high nanowire filling factor and a clean interface between the Co nanowire and the TiO 2 nanotube. Application of these hybrids to the fabrication of ordered nanowire arrays with highly controllable geometric parameters is discussed

Atomic Layer Deposition of Nickel on ZnO Nanowire Arrays for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Qing-Hua; Zhang, Yan; Lu, Hong-Liang; Wang, Yong-Ping; Liu, Wen-Jun; Ji, Xin-Ming; Devi, Anjana; Jiang, An-Quan; Zhang, David Wei

2018-01-10

A novel hybrid core-shell structure of ZnO nanowires (NWs)/Ni as a pseudocapacitor electrode was successfully fabricated by atomic layer deposition of a nickel shell, and its capacitive performance was systemically investigated. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated that the NiO was formed at the interface between ZnO and Ni where the Ni was oxidized by ZnO during the ALD of the Ni layer. Electrochemical measurement results revealed that the Ti/ZnO NWs/Ni (1500 cycles) electrode with a 30 nm thick Ni-NiO shell layer had the best supercapacitor properties including ultrahigh specific capacitance (∼2440 F g -1 ), good rate capability (80.5%) under high current charge-discharge conditions, and a relatively better cycling stability (86.7% of the initial value remained after 750 cycles at 10 A g -1 ). These attractive capacitive behaviors are mainly attributed to the unique core-shell structure and the combined effect of ZnO NW arrays as short charge transfer pathways for ion diffusion and electron transfer as well as conductive Ni serving as channel for the fast electron transport to Ti substrate. This high-performance Ti/ZnO NWs/Ni hybrid structure is expected to be one of a promising electrodes for high-performance supercapacitor applications.

A lithographically patterned capacitor with horizontal nanowires of length 2.5 mm.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Wenbo; Thai, Mya Le; Dutta, Rajen; Li, Xiaowei; Xing, Wendong; Penner, Reginald M

2014-04-09

A symmetrical hybrid capacitor consisting of interdigitated, horizontal nanowires is described. Each of the 750 nanowires within the capacitor is 2.5 mm in length, consisting of a gold nanowire core (40 × ≈200 nm) encapsulated within a hemicylindrical shell of δ-phase MnO2 (thickness = 60-220 nm). These Au@δ-MnO2 nanowires are patterned onto a planar glass surface using lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE). A power density of 165 kW/kg and energy density of 24 Wh/kg were obtained for a typical nanowire array in which the MnO2 shell thickness was 68 ± 8 nm. Capacitors incorporating these ultralong nanowires lost ≈10% of their capacity rapidly, during the first 20 discharge cycles, and then retained 90% of their maximum capacity for the ensuing 6000 cycles. The ability of capacitors consisting of ultralong Au@δ-MnO2 nanowires to simultaneously deliver high power and high capacity with acceptable cycle life is demonstrated.

Ultrahigh Density Array of Vertically Aligned Small-molecular Organic Nanowires on Arbitrary Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Starko-Bowes, Ryan; Pramanik, Sandipan

2013-01-01

In recent years π-conjugated organic semiconductors have emerged as the active material in a number of diverse applications including large-area, low-cost displays, photovoltaics, printable and flexible electronics and organic spin valves. Organics allow (a) low-cost, low-temperature processing and (b) molecular-level design of electronic, optical and spin transport characteristics. Such features are not readily available for mainstream inorganic semiconductors, which have enabled organics to carve a niche in the silicon-dominated electronics market. The first generation of organic-based devices has focused on thin film geometries, grown by physical vapor deposition or solution processing. However, it has been realized that organic nanostructures can be used to enhance performance of above-mentioned applications and significant effort has been invested in exploring methods for organic nanostructure fabrication. A particularly interesting class of organic nanostructures is the one in which vertically oriented organic nanowires, nanorods or nanotubes are organized in a well-regimented, high-density array. Such structures are highly versatile and are ideal morphological architectures for various applications such as chemical sensors, split-dipole nanoantennas, photovoltaic devices with radially heterostructured "core-shell" nanowires, and memory devices with a cross-point geometry. Such architecture is generally realized by a template-directed approach. In the past this method has been used to grow metal and inorganic semiconductor nanowire arrays. More recently π-conjugated polymer nanowires have been grown within nanoporous templates. However, these approaches have had limited success in growing nanowires of technologically important π-conjugated small molecular weight organics, such as tris-8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3), rubrene and methanofullerenes, which are commonly used in diverse areas including organic displays, photovoltaics, thin film transistors

Dye-sensitized solar cells based on nanoparticle-decorated ZnO/TiO2 core/shell nanorod arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Meili; Huang Changgang; Cao Yongge; Deng Zhonghua; Liu Yuan; Huang Zhi; Huang Jiquan; Huang Qiufeng; Guo Wang; Liang Jingkui; Yu Qingjiang

2009-01-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) decorated ZnO/TiO 2 core/shell nanorod arrays were fabricated on transparent conductive glass substrates by sequential plasma deposition and post-annealing processes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) applications. The NPs decorated ZnO/TiO 2 nanorods were composed of single-crystalline ZnO nanorods, homogeneously coated thin TiO 2 shells and entirely covered anatase TiO 2 NPs. The photocurrent density of the composite electrode was largely enhanced due to the enlarged surface area, the dark current was suppressed and the open-circuit voltage was increased because of the energy barrier formed at the interface between the ZnO core and the TiO 2 shell. The increased photocurrent and open-circuit voltage led to an improvement of twice the energy conversion efficiency.

CdS/CdSe quantum dot shell decorated vertical ZnO nanowire arrays by spin-coating-based SILAR for photoelectrochemical cells and quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ran; Luo, Qiu-Ping; Chen, Hong-Yan; Yu, Xiao-Yun; Kuang, Dai-Bin; Su, Cheng-Yong

2012-04-23

A CdS/CdSe composite shell is assembled onto the surface of ZnO nanowire arrays with a simple spin-coating-based successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The as-prepared photoelectrode exhibit a high photocurrent density in photoelectrochemical cells and also generates good power conversion efficiency in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

1-D Metal Nanobead Arrays within Encapsulated Nanowires via a Red-Ox-Induced Dewetting: Mechanism Study by Atom-Probe Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhiyuan; Tzaguy, Avra; Hazut, Ori; Lauhon, Lincoln J; Yerushalmi, Roie; Seidman, David N

2017-12-13

Metal nanoparticle arrays are excellent candidates for a variety of applications due to the versatility of their morphology and structure at the nanoscale. Bottom-up self-assembly of metal nanoparticles provides an important complementary alternative to the traditional top-down lithography method and makes it possible to assemble structures with higher-order complexity, for example, nanospheres, nanocubes, and core-shell nanostructures. Here we present a mechanism study of the self-assembly process of 1-D noble metal nanoparticles arrays, composed of Au, Ag, and AuAg alloy nanoparticles. These are prepared within an encapsulated germanium nanowire, obtained by the oxidation of a metal-germanium nanowire hybrid structure. The resulting structure is a 1-D array of equidistant metal nanoparticles with the same diameter, the so-called nanobead (NB) array structure. Atom-probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy were utilized to investigate the details of the morphological and chemical evolution during the oxidation of the encapsulated metal-germanium nanowire hybrid-structures. The self-assembly of nanoparticles relies on the formation of a metal-germanium liquid alloy and the migration of the liquid alloy into the nanowire, followed by dewetting of the liquid during shape-confined oxidation where the liquid column breaks-up into nanoparticles due to the Plateau-Rayleigh instability. Our results demonstrate that the encapsulating oxide layer serves as a structural scaffold, retaining the overall shape during the eutectic liquid formation and demonstrates the relationship between the oxide mechanical properties and the final structural characteristics of the 1-D arrays. The mechanistic details revealed here provide a versatile tool-box for the bottom-up fabrication of 1-D arrays nanopatterning that can be modified for multiple applications according to the RedOx properties of the material system components.

Determination of indium content of GaAs/(In,Ga)As/(GaAs) core-shell(-shell) nanowires by x-ray diffraction and nano x-ray fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

Al Hassan, Ali; Lewis, R. B.; Küpers, H.; Lin, W.-H.; Bahrami, D.; Krause, T.; Salomon, D.; Tahraoui, A.; Hanke, M.; Geelhaar, L.; Pietsch, U.

2018-01-01

We present two complementary approaches to investigate the In content in GaAs/(In,Ga)As/(GaAs) core-shell-(shell) nanowire (NW) heterostructures using synchrotron radiation. The key advantage of our methodology is that NWs are characterized in their as-grown configuration, i.e., perpendicularly standing on a substrate. First, we determine the mean In content of the (In,Ga)As shell by high-resolution x-ray diffraction (XRD) from NW ensembles. In particular, we disentangle the influence of In content and shell thickness on XRD by measuring and analyzing two reflections with diffraction vector parallel and perpendicular to the growth axis, respectively. Second, we study the In distribution within individual NWs by nano x-ray fluorescence. Both the NW (111) basal plane, that is parallel to the surface of the substrate, and the {10-1} sidewall plane were scanned with an incident nanobeam of 50 nm width. We investigate three samples with different nominal In content of the (In,Ga)As shell. In all samples, the average In content of the shell determined by XRD is in good agreement with the nominal value. For a nominal In content of 15%, the In distribution is fairly uniform between all six sidewall facets. In contrast, in NWs with nominally 25% In content, different sidewall facets of the same NW exhibit different In contents. This effect is attributed to shadowing during growth by molecular beam epitaxy. At the same time, along the NW axis the In distribution is still fairly homogeneous. In NWs with 60% nominal In content and no outer GaAs shell, the In content varies significantly both between different sidewall facets and along the NW axis. This fluctuation is explained by the formation of (In,Ga)As mounds that grow simultaneously with a thinner (In,Ga)As shell. The methodology presented here may be applied also to other core-shell NWs with a ternary shell and paves the way to correlating NW structure with functional properties that depend on the as-grown configuration

InP-InxGa1-xAs core-multi-shell nanowire quantum wells with tunable emission in the 1.3-1.55 μm wavelength range.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseka, H A; Ameruddin, A S; Caroff, P; Tedeschi, D; De Luca, M; Mura, F; Guo, Y; Lysevych, M; Wang, F; Tan, H H; Polimeni, A; Jagadish, C

2017-09-21

The usability and tunability of the essential InP-InGaAs material combination in nanowire-based quantum wells (QWs) are assessed. The wurtzite phase core-multi-shell InP-InGaAs-InP nanowire QWs are characterised using cross-section transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. The InP-InGaAs direct interface is found to be sharp while the InGaAs-InP inverted interface is more diffused, in agreement with their planar counterpart. Bright emission is observed from the single nanowires containing the QWs at room temperature, with no emission from the InP core or outer barrier. The tunability of the QW emission wavelength in the 1.3-1.55 μm communication wavelength range is demonstrated by varying the QW thickness and in the 1.3 μm range by varying the composition. The experiments are supported by simulation of the emission wavelength of the wurtzite phase InP-InGaAs QWs in the thickness range considered. The radial heterostructure is further extended to design multiple QWs with bright emission, therefore establishing the capability of this material system for nanowire based optical devices for communication applications.

Long term stability of nanowire nanoelectronics in physiological environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wei; Dai, Xiaochuan; Fu, Tian-Ming; Xie, Chong; Liu, Jia; Lieber, Charles M

2014-03-12

Nanowire nanoelectronic devices have been exploited as highly sensitive subcellular resolution detectors for recording extracellular and intracellular signals from cells, as well as from natural and engineered/cyborg tissues, and in this capacity open many opportunities for fundamental biological research and biomedical applications. Here we demonstrate the capability to take full advantage of the attractive capabilities of nanowire nanoelectronic devices for long term physiological studies by passivating the nanowire elements with ultrathin metal oxide shells. Studies of Si and Si/aluminum oxide (Al2O3) core/shell nanowires in physiological solutions at 37 °C demonstrate long-term stability extending for at least 100 days in samples coated with 10 nm thick Al2O3 shells. In addition, investigations of nanowires configured as field-effect transistors (FETs) demonstrate that the Si/Al2O3 core/shell nanowire FETs exhibit good device performance for at least 4 months in physiological model solutions at 37 °C. The generality of this approach was also tested with in studies of Ge/Si and InAs nanowires, where Ge/Si/Al2O3 and InAs/Al2O3 core/shell materials exhibited stability for at least 100 days in physiological model solutions at 37 °C. In addition, investigations of hafnium oxide-Al2O3 nanolaminated shells indicate the potential to extend nanowire stability well beyond 1 year time scale in vivo. These studies demonstrate that straightforward core/shell nanowire nanoelectronic devices can exhibit the long term stability needed for a range of chronic in vivo studies in animals as well as powerful biomedical implants that could improve monitoring and treatment of disease.

Are Nanotube Architectures More Advantageous Than Nanowire Architectures For Field Effect Transistors?

KAUST Repository

Fahad, Hossain M.

2012-06-27

Decade long research in 1D nanowire field effect transistors (FET) shows although it has ultra-low off-state leakage current and a single device uses a very small area, its drive current generation per device is extremely low. Thus it requires arrays of nanowires to be integrated together to achieve appreciable amount of current necessary for high performance computation causing an area penalty and compromised functionality. Here we show that a FET with a nanotube architecture and core-shell gate stacks is capable of achieving the desirable leakage characteristics of the nanowire FET while generating a much larger drive current with area efficiency. The core-shell gate stacks of silicon nanotube FETs tighten the electrostatic control and enable volume inversion mode operation leading to improved short channel behavior and enhanced performance. Our comparative study is based on semi-classical transport models with quantum confinement effects which offers new opportunity for future generation high performance computation.

Electrodeposition of rhenium-tin nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naor-Pomerantz, Adi; Eliaz, Noam; Gileadi, Eliezer

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Rhenium-tin nanowires were formed electrochemically, without using a template. → The nanowires consisted of a crystalline-Sn-core/amorphous-Re-shell structure. → The effects of bath composition and operating conditions were investigated. → A mechanism is suggested for the formation of the core/shell structure. → The nanowires may be attractive for a variety of applications. - Abstract: Rhenium (Re) is a refractory metal which exhibits an extraordinary combination of properties. Thus, nanowires and other nanostructures of Re-alloys may possess unique properties resulting from both Re chemistry and the nanometer scale, and become attractive for a variety of applications, such as in catalysis, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. Rhenium-tin coatings, consisting of nanowires with a core/shell structure, were electrodeposited on copper substrates under galvanostatic or potentiostatic conditions. The effects of bath composition and operating conditions were investigated, and the chemistry and structure of the coatings were studied by a variety of analytical tools. A Re-content as high as 77 at.% or a Faradaic efficiency as high as 46% were attained. Ranges of Sn-to-Re in the plating bath, applied current density and applied potential, within which the nanowires could be formed, were determined. A mechanism was suggested, according to which Sn nanowires were first grown on top of Sn micro-particles, and then the Sn nanowires reduced the perrhenate chemically, thus forming a core made of crystalline Sn-rich phase, and a shell made of amorphous Re-rich phase. The absence of mutual solubility of Re and Sn may be the driving force for this phase separation.

Long-range magnetostatic interactions in arrays of nanowires

CERN Document Server

Raposo, V; González, J M; Vázquez, M

2000-01-01

Experimental measurements and micromagnetic simulations of the hysteresis loops of arrays of cobalt nanowires are compared here. Arrays of cobalt nanowires (200 nm in diameter) were electrodeposited into the pores of alumina membranes (thickness 60 mu m). Their hysteresis loops along the axial direction of nanowires were measured using vibrating sample magnetometry. Micromagnetic simulations were performed considering dipolar interaction between nanowires leading to similar hysteresis loops as those obtained experimentally.

Electrodeposited highly-ordered manganese oxide nanowire arrays for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Haifeng; Lu, Bingqiang; Wei, Shuiqiang; Bao, Mi; Wen, Yanxuan; Wang, Fan

2012-07-01

Large arrays of well-aligned Mn oxide nanowires were prepared by electrodeposition using anodic aluminum oxide templates. The sizes of nanowires were tuned by varying the electrotype solution involved and the MnO2 nanowires with 10 μm in length were obtained in a neutral KMnO4 bath for 1 h. MnO2 nanowire arrays grown on conductor substance save the tedious electrode-making process, and electrochemical characterization demonstrates that the MnO2 nanowire arrays electrode has good capacitive behavior. Due to the limited mass transportation in narrow spacing, the spacing effects between the neighbor nanowires have show great influence to the electrochemical performance.

Hierarchical core-shell NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 nanowires grown on carbon cloth as integrated electrode for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Liang; Zhang, Wei; Xiang, Jinwei; Xu, Henghui; Li, Guolong; Huang, Yunhui

2016-08-01

Hierarchical core-shell NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 nanowires were grown on carbon cloth (CC@NiCo2O4@NiMoO4) by a two-step hydrothermal route to fabricate a flexible binder-free electrode. The prepared CC@NiCo2O4@NiMoO4 integrated electrode was directly used as an electrode for faradaic supercapacitor. It shows a high areal capacitance of 2.917 F cm-2 at 2 mA cm-2 and excellent cycling stability with 90.6% retention over 2000 cycles at a high current density of 20 mA cm-2. The superior specific capacitance, rate and cycling performance can be ascribed to the fast transferring path for electrons and ions, synergic effect and the stability of the hierarchical core-shell structure.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of an inclined nanowire array solar cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yao; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

2015-11-30

An innovative solar cell based on inclined p-i-n nanowire array is designed and analyzed. The results show that the inclined geometry can sufficiently increase the conversion efficiency of solar cells by enhancing the absorption of light in the active region. By tuning the nanowire array density, nanowire diameter, nanowire length, as well as the proportion of intrinsic region of the inclined nanowire solar cell, a remarkable efficiency in excess of 16% can be obtained in GaAs. Similar results have been obtained in InP and Si nanowire solar cells, demonstrating the universality of the performance enhancement of inclined nanowire arrays.

Preparation and characterization of CuO nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Dongliang; Ge Chuannan; Du Youwei

2009-01-01

CuO nanowire arrays were prepared by oxidation of copper nanowires embedded in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. The AAO was fabricated in an oxalic acid at a constant voltage. Copper nanowires were formed in the nanopores of the AAO membranes in an electrochemical deposition process. The oxidized copper nanowires at different temperatures were studied. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of a CuO phase after calcining at 500 0 C in air for 30 h. A transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the nanowire morphologies. Raman spectra were performed to study the CuO nanowire arrays. After measuring, we found that the current-voltage curve of the CuO nanowires is nonlinear.

Spontaneous core–shell elemental distribution in In-rich InxGa1−xN nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gómez-Gómez, M; Garro, N; Cantarero, A; Mengistu, H T; García-Cristóbal, A; Murcia-Mascarós, S; Segura-Ruiz, J; Martinez-Criado, G; Denker, C; Malindretos, J; Rizzi, A

2014-01-01

The elemental distribution of self-organized In-rich In x Ga 1−x N nanowires grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated using three different techniques with spatial resolution on the nanoscale. Two-dimensional images and elemental profiles of single nanowires obtained by x-ray fluorescence and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, respectively, have revealed a radial gradient in the alloy composition of each individual nanowire. The spectral selectivity of resonant Raman scattering has been used to enhance the signal from very small volumes with different elemental composition within single nanowires. The combination of the three techniques has provided sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to prove the spontaneous formation of a core–shell nanowire and to quantify the thicknesses and alloy compositions of the core and shell regions. A theoretical model based on continuum elastic theory has been used to estimate the strain fields present in such inhomogeneous nanowires. These results suggest new strategies for achieving high quality non-polar heterostructures. (paper)

Spontaneous core–shell elemental distribution in In-rich In(x)Ga1-xN nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Gómez, M; Garro, N; Segura-Ruiz, J; Martinez-Criado, G; Cantarero, A; Mengistu, H T; García-Cristóbal, A; Murcia-Mascarós, S; Denker, C; Malindretos, J; Rizzi, A

2014-02-21

The elemental distribution of self-organized In-rich In(x)Ga1-xN nanowires grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated using three different techniques with spatial resolution on the nanoscale. Two-dimensional images and elemental profiles of single nanowires obtained by x-ray fluorescence and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, respectively, have revealed a radial gradient in the alloy composition of each individual nanowire. The spectral selectivity of resonant Raman scattering has been used to enhance the signal from very small volumes with different elemental composition within single nanowires. The combination of the three techniques has provided sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to prove the spontaneous formation of a core–shell nanowire and to quantify the thicknesses and alloy compositions of the core and shell regions. A theoretical model based on continuum elastic theory has been used to estimate the strain fields present in such inhomogeneous nanowires. These results suggest new strategies for achieving high quality nonpolar heterostructures.

Electron mobility limited by optical phonons in wurtzite InGaN/GaN core-shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, W. H.; Qu, Y.; Ban, S. L.

2017-09-01

Based on the force-balance and energy-balance equations, the optical phonon-limited electron mobility in InxGa1-xN/GaN core-shell nanowires (CSNWs) is discussed. It is found that the electrons tend to distribute in the core of the CSNWs due to the strong quantum confinement. Thus, the scattering from first kind of the quasi-confined optical (CO) phonons is more important than that from the interface (IF) and propagating (PR) optical phonons. Ternary mixed crystal and size effects on the electron mobility are also investigated. The results show that the PR phonons exist while the IF phonons disappear when the indium composition x < 0.047, and vice versa. Accordingly, the total electron mobility μ first increases and then decreases with indium composition x, and reaches a peak value of approximately 3700 cm2/(V.s) when x = 0.047. The results also show that the mobility μ increases as increasing the core radius of CSNWs due to the weakened interaction between the electrons and CO phonons. The total electron mobility limited by the optical phonons exhibits an obvious enhancement as decreasing temperature or increasing line electron density. Our theoretical results are expected to be helpful to develop electronic devices based on CSNWs.

Epitaxial TiO 2/SnO 2 core-shell heterostructure by atomic layer deposition

KAUST Repository

Nie, Anmin; Liu, Jiabin; Li, Qianqian; Cheng, Yingchun; Dong, Cezhou; Zhou, Wu; Wang, Pengfei; Wang, Qingxiao; Yang, Yang; Zhu, Yihan; Zeng, Yuewu; Wang, Hongtao

2012-01-01

Taking TiO 2/SnO 2 core-shell nanowires (NWs) as a model system, we systematically investigate the structure and the morphological evolution of this heterostructure synthesized by atomic layer deposition/epitaxy (ALD/ALE). All characterizations

Room-temperature ferromagnetic Cr-doped Ge/GeOx core–shell nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Katkar, Amar S.; Gupta, Shobhnath P.; Motin Seikh, Md; Chen, Lih-Juann; Walke, Pravin S.

2018-06-01

The Cr-doped tunable thickness core–shell Ge/GeOx nanowires (NWs) were synthesized and characterized using x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and magnetization studies. The shell thickness increases with the increase in synthesis temperature. The presence of metallic Cr and Cr3+ in core–shell structure was confirmed from XPS study. The magnetic property is highly sensitive to the core–shell thickness and intriguing room temperature ferromagnetism is realized only in core–shell NWs. The magnetization decreases with an increase in shell thickness and practically ceases to exist when there is no core. These NWs show remarkably high Curie temperature (TC > 300 K) with the dominating values of its magnetic remanence (MR) and coercivity (HC) compared to germanium dilute magnetic semiconductor nanomaterials. We believe that our finding on these Cr-doped Ge/GeOX core–shell NWs has the potential to be used as a hard magnet for future spintronic devices, owing to their higher characteristic values of ferromagnetic ordering.

Ambient template synthesis of multiferroic MnWO4 nanowires and nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Hongjun; Yiu Yuen; Aronson, M.C.; Wong, Stanislaus S.

2008-01-01

The current report describes the systematic synthesis of polycrystalline, multiferroic MnWO 4 nanowires and nanowire arrays with controllable chemical composition and morphology, using a modified template-directed methodology under ambient room-temperature conditions. We were able to synthesize nanowires measuring 55±10, 100±20, and 260±40 nm in diameter, respectively, with lengths ranging in the microns. Extensive characterization of as-prepared samples has been performed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Magnetic behavior in these systems was also probed. - Graphical abstract: Systematic synthesis of crystalline, multiferroic MnWO4 nanowires and nanowire arrays with controllable chemical composition and morphology, using a modified template-directed methodology under ambient room-temperature conditions

Silver Nanowire Arrays : Fabrication and Applications

OpenAIRE

Feng, Yuyi

2016-01-01

Nanowire arrays have increasingly received attention for their use in a variety of applications such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), plasmonic sensing, and electrodes for photoelectric devices. However, until now, large scale fabrication of device-suitable metallic nanowire arrays on supporting substrates has seen very limited success. This thesis describes my work rst on the development of a novel successful processing route for the fabrication of uniform noble metallic (e.g. A...

Field Emission of ITO-Coated Vertically Aligned Nanowire Array.

KAUST Repository

Lee, Changhwa

2010-04-29

An indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated vertically aligned nanowire array is fabricated, and the field emission characteristics of the nanowire array are investigated. An array of vertically aligned nanowires is considered an ideal structure for a field emitter because of its parallel orientation to the applied electric field. In this letter, a vertically aligned nanowire array is fabricated by modified conventional UV lithography and coated with 0.1-μm-thick ITO. The turn-on electric field intensity is about 2.0 V/μm, and the field enhancement factor, β, is approximately 3,078 when the gap for field emission is 0.6 μm, as measured with a nanomanipulator in a scanning electron microscope.

Field Emission of ITO-Coated Vertically Aligned Nanowire Array.

KAUST Repository

Lee, Changhwa; Lee, Seokwoo; Lee, Seung S

2010-01-01

An indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated vertically aligned nanowire array is fabricated, and the field emission characteristics of the nanowire array are investigated. An array of vertically aligned nanowires is considered an ideal structure for a field emitter because of its parallel orientation to the applied electric field. In this letter, a vertically aligned nanowire array is fabricated by modified conventional UV lithography and coated with 0.1-μm-thick ITO. The turn-on electric field intensity is about 2.0 V/μm, and the field enhancement factor, β, is approximately 3,078 when the gap for field emission is 0.6 μm, as measured with a nanomanipulator in a scanning electron microscope.

Nanowire sensor, sensor array, and method for making the same

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Minhee (Inventor); Myung, Nosang (Inventor); Vasquez, Richard (Inventor); Homer, Margie (Inventor); Ryan, Margaret (Inventor); Yen, Shiao-Pin (Inventor); Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Bugga, Ratnakumar (Inventor); Choi, Daniel (Inventor); Goddard, William (Inventor)

2012-01-01

The present invention relates to a nanowire sensor and method for forming the same. More specifically, the nanowire sensor comprises at least one nanowire formed on a substrate, with a sensor receptor disposed on a surface of the nanowire, thereby forming a receptor-coated nanowire. The nanowire sensor can be arranged as a sensor sub-unit comprising a plurality of homogeneously receptor-coated nanowires. A plurality of sensor subunits can be formed to collectively comprise a nanowire sensor array. Each sensor subunit in the nanowire sensor array can be formed to sense a different stimulus, allowing a user to sense a plurality of stimuli. Additionally, each sensor subunit can be formed to sense the same stimuli through different aspects of the stimulus. The sensor array is fabricated through a variety of techniques, such as by creating nanopores on a substrate and electrodepositing nanowires within the nanopores.

Multi-spectral optical absorption in substrate-free nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Junpeng; Chia, Andrew; Boulanger, Jonathan; LaPierre, Ray, E-mail: lapierr@mcmaster.ca [Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7 (Canada); Dhindsa, Navneet; Khodadad, Iman; Saini, Simarjeet [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2014-09-22

A method is presented of fabricating gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanowire arrays of controlled diameter and period by reactive ion etching of a GaAs substrate containing an indium gallium arsenide (InGaP) etch stop layer, allowing the precise nanowire length to be controlled. The substrate is subsequently removed by selective etching, using the same InGaP etch stop layer, to create a substrate-free GaAs nanowire array. The optical absorptance of the nanowire array was then directly measured without absorption from a substrate. We directly observe absorptance spectra that can be tuned by the nanowire diameter, as explained with rigorous coupled wave analysis. These results illustrate strong optical absorption suitable for nanowire-based solar cells and multi-spectral absorption for wavelength discriminating photodetectors. The solar-weighted absorptance above the bandgap of GaAs was 94% for a nanowire surface coverage of only 15%.

Oriented Mn-doped CuO nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Dongqiang; Wu, Zhaofeng; Wang, Zhihe; Yang, Shaoguang

2016-01-01

Using anodic aluminum oxide membranes as the nanoreactors and controller, oriented nanowire arrays of the diluted magnetic semiconductor Mn-doped CuO have been successfully fabricated using Mn(NO_3)_2 · 4H_2O and Cu(NO_3)_2 · 3H_2O as the starting materials. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the as-prepared oriented nanowire arrays are of high purity. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope studies showed the nanowires are oriented, continuous and uniform with a diameter and length of about 170 nm and several tens of micrometers, respectively, and thus of a high aspect ratio. Low-temperature magnetic measurements showed the ferromagnetic property of the oriented Mn-doped CuO nanowire arrays with the critical temperature at around 80 K, which will endow them with great potential applications in spintronics in the future. (paper)

Phase diagrams of diluted transverse Ising nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bouhou, S.; Essaoudi, I.; Ainane, A.; Saber, M.; Ahuja, R.; Dujardin, F.

2013-01-01

In this paper, the phase diagrams of diluted Ising nanowire consisting of core and surface shell coupling by J cs exchange interaction are studied using the effective field theory with a probability distribution technique, in the presence of transverse fields in the core and in the surface shell. We find a number of characteristic phenomena. In particular, the effect of concentration c of magnetic atoms, the exchange interaction core/shell, the exchange in surface and the transverse fields in core and in surface shell of phase diagrams are investigated. - Highlights: ► We use the EFT to investigate the phase diagrams of Ising transverse nanowire. ► Ferrimagnetic and ferromagnetic cases are investigated. ► The effects of the dilution and the transverse fields in core and shell are studied. ► Behavior of the transition temperature with the exchange interaction is given

One step growth of GaN/SiO2 core/shell nanowire in vapor-liquid-solid route by chemical vapor deposition technique

Science.gov (United States)

Barick, B. K.; Yadav, Shivesh; Dhar, S.

2017-11-01

GaN/SiO2 core/shell nanowires are grown by cobalt phthalocyanine catalyst assisted vapor-liquid-solid route, in which Si wafer coated with a mixture of gallium and indium is used as the source for Ga and Si and ammonia is used as the precursor for nitrogen and hydrogen. Gallium in the presence of indium and hydrogen, which results from the dissociation of ammonia, forms Si-Ga-In alloy at the growth temperature ∼910 °C. This alloy acts as the source of Si, Ga and In. A detailed study using a variety of characterization tools reveals that these wires, which are several tens of micron long, has a diameter distribution of the core ranging from 20 to 50 nm, while the thickness of the amorphous SiO2 shell layer is about 10 nm. These wires grow along [ 1 0 1 bar 0 ] direction. It has also been observed that the average diameter of these wires decreases, while their density increases as the gallium proportion in the Ga-In mixture is increased.

Highly efficient biosensors by using well-ordered ZnO/ZnS core/shell nanotube arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Tarish, Samar; Xu, Yang; Wang, Zhijie; Mate, Faten; Al-Haddad, Ahmed; Wang, Wenxin; Lei, Yong

2017-10-01

We have studied the fabrication of highly efficient glucose sensors using well-ordered heterogeneous ZnO/ZnS core/shell nanotube arrays (CSNAs). The modified electrodes exhibit a superior electrochemical response towards ferrocyanide/ferricyanide and in glucose sensing. Further, the fabricated glucose biosensor exhibited good performance over an acceptable linear range from 2.39 × 10-5 to 2.66 × 10-4 mM, with a sensitivity of 188.34 mA mM-1 cm-2, which is higher than that of the ZnO nanotube array counterpart. A low limit of detection was realized (24 μM), which is good compared with electrodes based on conventional structures. In addition, the enhanced direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase indicates the fast electron transfer of ZnO/ZnS CSNA electrodes, with a heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (K s) of 1.69 s-1. The fast electron transfer is attributed to the high conductivity of the modified electrodes. The presented ZnS shell can facilitate the construction of future sensors and enhance the ZnO surface in a biological environment.

Generic nano-imprint process for fabrication of nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pierret, Aurelie; Hocevar, Moira; Algra, Rienk E; Timmering, Eugene C; Verschuuren, Marc A; Immink, George W G; Verheijen, Marcel A; Bakkers, Erik P A M [Philips Research Laboratories Eindhoven, High Tech Campus 11, 5656 AE Eindhoven (Netherlands); Diedenhofen, Silke L [FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics c/o Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus 4, 5656 AE Eindhoven (Netherlands); Vlieg, E, E-mail: e.p.a.m.bakkers@tue.nl [IMM, Solid State Chemistry, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands)

2010-02-10

A generic process has been developed to grow nearly defect-free arrays of (heterostructured) InP and GaP nanowires. Soft nano-imprint lithography has been used to pattern gold particle arrays on full 2 inch substrates. After lift-off organic residues remain on the surface, which induce the growth of additional undesired nanowires. We show that cleaning of the samples before growth with piranha solution in combination with a thermal anneal at 550 deg. C for InP and 700 deg. C for GaP results in uniform nanowire arrays with 1% variation in nanowire length, and without undesired extra nanowires. Our chemical cleaning procedure is applicable to other lithographic techniques such as e-beam lithography, and therefore represents a generic process.

Core@shell Nanoparticles: Greener Synthesis Using Natural Plant Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrdad Khatami

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Among an array of hybrid nanoparticles, core-shell nanoparticles comprise of two or more materials, such as metals and biomolecules, wherein one of them forms the core at the center, while the other material/materials that were located around the central core develops a shell. Core-shell nanostructures are useful entities with high thermal and chemical stability, lower toxicity, greater solubility, and higher permeability to specific target cells. Plant or natural products-mediated synthesis of nanostructures refers to the use of plants or its extracts for the synthesis of nanostructures, an emerging field of sustainable nanotechnology. Various physiochemical and greener methods have been advanced for the synthesis of nanostructures, in contrast to conventional approaches that require the use of synthetic compounds for the assembly of nanostructures. Although several biological resources have been exploited for the synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles, but plant-based materials appear to be the ideal candidates for large-scale green synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles. This review summarizes the known strategies for the greener production of core-shell nanoparticles using plants extract or their derivatives and highlights their salient attributes, such as low costs, the lack of dependence on the use of any toxic materials, and the environmental friendliness for the sustainable assembly of stabile nanostructures.

Influence of ZnO encapsulation on the luminescence property of GeO2 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hyunsu; Jin, Changhyun; Park, Sunghoon; Lee, Chongmu; Kwon, Youngjae; Lee, Sangmin

2012-01-01

GeO 2 -core/ZnO-shell nanowires were synthesized on (100) Si substrates by thermal evaporation of Ge powders, followed by atomic layer deposition of ZnO. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses showed that the mean diameter and lengths of the core-shell nanowires were approximately 100 nm and from a few tens to a few hundreds of micrometers, respectively. Photoluminescence measurements showed that pure GeO 2 nanowires had a violet emission band centered at approximately 430 nm. In contrast, GeO 2 -core/ZnO-shell nanowires had both a sharp near-band edge (NBE) emission band centered at approximately 380 nm and a broad deep-level (DL) emission band centered at approximately 590 nm, which is characteristic of ZnO. GeO 2 -core/ZnO-shell nanowires showed a higher intensity ratio of NBE emission to DL emission than either GeO 2 or ZnO nanowires. In addition, the origin of the enhancement of luminescence in GeO 2 nanowires by ZnO encapsulation is discussed.

Conducting polymer nanowire arrays for high performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kai; Wu, Haiping; Meng, Yuena; Wei, Zhixiang

2014-01-15

This Review provides a brief summary of the most recent research developments in the fabrication and application of one-dimensional ordered conducting polymers nanostructure (especially nanowire arrays) and their composites as electrodes for supercapacitors. By controlling the nucleation and growth process of polymerization, aligned conducting polymer nanowire arrays and their composites with nano-carbon materials can be prepared by employing in situ chemical polymerization or electrochemical polymerization without a template. This kind of nanostructure (such as polypyrrole and polyaniline nanowire arrays) possesses high capacitance, superior rate capability ascribed to large electrochemical surface, and an optimal ion diffusion path in the ordered nanowire structure, which is proved to be an ideal electrode material for high performance supercapacitors. Furthermore, flexible, micro-scale, threadlike, and multifunctional supercapacitors are introduced based on conducting polyaniline nanowire arrays and their composites. These prototypes of supercapacitors utilize the high flexibility, good processability, and large capacitance of conducting polymers, which efficiently extend the usage of supercapacitors in various situations, and even for a complicated integration system of different electronic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Bipolar resistive switching of single gold-in-Ga2O3 nanowire.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Chia-Wei; Chou, Li-Jen

2012-08-08

We have fabricated single nanowire chips on gold-in-Ga(2)O(3) core-shell nanowires using the electron-beam lithography techniques and realized bipolar resistive switching characteristics having invariable set and reset voltages. We attribute the unique property of invariance to the built-in conduction path of gold core. This invariance allows us to fabricate many resistive switching cells with the same operating voltage by simple depositing repetitive metal electrodes along a single nanowire. Other characteristics of these core-shell resistive switching nanowires include comparable driving electric field with other thin film and nanowire devices and a remarkable on/off ratio more than 3 orders of magnitude at a low driving voltage of 2 V. A smaller but still impressive on/off ratio of 10 can be obtained at an even lower bias of 0.2 V. These characteristics of gold-in-Ga(2)O(3) core-shell nanowires make fabrication of future high-density resistive memory devices possible.

Phase diagrams of diluted transverse Ising nanowire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouhou, S.; Essaoudi, I. [Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux et Modélisation, des Systèmes, (LP2MS), Unité Associée au CNRST-URAC 08, University of Moulay Ismail, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, B.P. 11201 Meknes (Morocco); Ainane, A., E-mail: ainane@pks.mpg.de [Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux et Modélisation, des Systèmes, (LP2MS), Unité Associée au CNRST-URAC 08, University of Moulay Ismail, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, B.P. 11201 Meknes (Morocco); Max-Planck-Institut für Physik Complexer Systeme, Nöthnitzer Str. 38 D-01187 Dresden (Germany); Saber, M. [Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux et Modélisation, des Systèmes, (LP2MS), Unité Associée au CNRST-URAC 08, University of Moulay Ismail, Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, B.P. 11201 Meknes (Morocco); Max-Planck-Institut für Physik Complexer Systeme, Nöthnitzer Str. 38 D-01187 Dresden (Germany); Ahuja, R. [Condensed Matter Theory Group, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala (Sweden); Dujardin, F. [Laboratoire de Chimie et Physique des Milieux Complexes (LCPMC), Institut de Chimie, Physique et Matériaux (ICPM), 1 Bd. Arago, 57070 Metz (France)

2013-06-15

In this paper, the phase diagrams of diluted Ising nanowire consisting of core and surface shell coupling by J{sub cs} exchange interaction are studied using the effective field theory with a probability distribution technique, in the presence of transverse fields in the core and in the surface shell. We find a number of characteristic phenomena. In particular, the effect of concentration c of magnetic atoms, the exchange interaction core/shell, the exchange in surface and the transverse fields in core and in surface shell of phase diagrams are investigated. - Highlights: ► We use the EFT to investigate the phase diagrams of Ising transverse nanowire. ► Ferrimagnetic and ferromagnetic cases are investigated. ► The effects of the dilution and the transverse fields in core and shell are studied. ► Behavior of the transition temperature with the exchange interaction is given.

Enhanced Electron Mobility in Nonplanar Tensile Strained Si Epitaxially Grown on SixGe1-x Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Feng; Tutuc, Emanuel

2018-01-10

We report the growth and characterization of epitaxial, coherently strained Si x Ge 1-x -Si core-shell nanowire heterostructure through vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism for the Si x Ge 1-x core, followed by an in situ ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition for the Si shell. Raman spectra acquired from individual nanowire reveal the Si-Si, Si-Ge, and Ge-Ge modes of the Si x Ge 1-x core and the Si-Si mode of the shell. Because of the compressive (tensile) strain induced by lattice mismatch, the core (shell) Raman modes are blue (red) shifted compared to those of unstrained bare Si x Ge 1-x (Si) nanowires, in good agreement with values calculated using continuum elasticity model coupled with lattice dynamic theory. A large tensile strain of up to 2.3% is achieved in the Si shell, which is expected to provide quantum confinement for electrons due to a positive core-to-shell conduction band offset. We demonstrate n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors using Si x Ge 1-x -Si core-shell nanowires as channel and observe a 40% enhancement of the average electron mobility compared to control devices using Si nanowires due to an increased electron mobility in the tensile-strained Si shell.

InP nanowire array solar cell with cleaned sidewalls

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cui, Y.; Plissard, S.; Wang, J.; Vu, T.T.T.; Smalbrugge, E.; Geluk, E.J.; de Vries, T.; Bolk, J.; Trainor, M.J.; Verheijen, M.A.; Haverkort, J.E.M.; Bakkers, E.P.A.M.

2013-01-01

We have fabricated InP nanowire array solar cells with an axial p-n junction. Catalyst gold nanoparticles were first patterned into an array by nanoimprint lithography. The nanowire array was grown in 19 minutes by vapor-liquid-solid growth. The sidewalls were in-situ etched by HCl and ex-situ

Additional compound semiconductor nanowires for photonics

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, F.

2016-02-01

GaAs related compound semiconductor heterostructures are one of the most developed materials for photonics. Those have realized various photonic devices with high efficiency, e. g., lasers, electro-optical modulators, and solar cells. To extend the functions of the materials system, diluted nitride and bismide has been paid attention over the past decade. They can largely decrease the band gap of the alloys, providing the greater tunability of band gap and strain status, eventually suppressing the non-radiative Auger recombinations. On the other hand, selective oxidation for AlGaAs is a vital technique for vertical surface emitting lasers. That enables precisely controlled oxides in the system, enabling the optical and electrical confinement, heat transfer, and mechanical robustness. We introduce the above functions into GaAs nanowires. GaAs/GaAsN core-shell nanowires showed clear redshift of the emitting wavelength toward infrared regime. Further, the introduction of N elongated the carrier lifetime at room temperature indicating the passivation of non-radiative surface recombinations. GaAs/GaAsBi nanowire shows the redshift with metamorphic surface morphology. Selective and whole oxidations of GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires produce semiconductor/oxide composite GaAs/AlGaOx and oxide GaOx/AlGaOx core-shell nanowires, respectively. Possibly sourced from nano-particle species, the oxide shell shows white luminescence. Those property should extend the functions of the nanowires for their application to photonics.

Synthesis of Various Metal/TiO2 Core/shell Nanorod Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wei; Wang, Guan-zhong; Hong, Xun; Shen, Xiao-shuang

2011-02-01

We present a general approach to fabricate metal/TiO2 core/shell nanorod structures by two-step electrodeposition. Firstly, TiO2 nanotubes with uniform wall thickness are prepared in anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes by electrodeposition. The wall thickness of the nanotubes could be easily controlled by modulating the deposition time, and their outer diameter and length are only limited by the channel diameter and the thickness of the AAO membranes, respectively. The nanotubes' tops prepared by this method are open, while the bottoms are connected directly with the Au film at the back of the AAO membranes. Secondly, Pd, Cu, and Fe elements are filled into the TiO2 nanotubes to form core/shell structures. The core/shell nanorods prepared by this two-step process are high density and free-standing, and their length is dependent on the deposition time.

Polystyrene Core-Silica Shell Particles with Defined Nanoarchitectures as a Versatile Platform for Suspension Array Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarma, Dominik; Gawlitza, Kornelia; Rurack, Knut

2016-04-19

The need for rapid and high-throughput screening in analytical laboratories has led to significant growth in interest in suspension array technologies (SATs), especially with regard to cytometric assays targeting a low to medium number of analytes. Such SAT or bead-based assays rely on spherical objects that constitute the analytical platform. Usually, functionalized polymer or silica (SiO2) microbeads are used which each have distinct advantages and drawbacks. In this paper, we present a straightforward synthetic route to highly monodisperse SiO2-coated polystyrene core-shell (CS) beads for SAT with controllable architectures from smooth to raspberry- and multilayer-like shells by varying the molecular weight of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), which was used as the stabilizer of the cores. The combination of both organic polymer core and a structurally controlled inorganic SiO2 shell in one hybrid particle holds great promises for flexible next-generation design of the spherical platform. The particles were characterized by electron microscopy (SEM, T-SEM, and TEM), thermogravimetry, flow cytometry, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption, offering comprehensive information on the composition, size, structure, and surface area. All particles show ideal cytometric detection patterns and facile handling due to the hybrid structure. The beads are endowed with straightforward modification possibilities through the defined SiO2 shells. We successfully implemented the particles in fluorometric SAT model assays, illustrating the benefits of tailored surface area which is readily available for small-molecule anchoring. Very promising assay performance was shown for DNA hybridization assays with quantification limits down to 8 fmol.

Fabrication of Si/ZnS radial nanowire heterojunction arrays for white light emitting devices on Si substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Katiyar, Ajit K; Sinha, Arun Kumar; Manna, Santanu; Ray, Samit K

2014-09-10

Well-separated Si/ZnS radial nanowire heterojunction-based light-emitting devices have been fabricated on large-area substrates by depositing n-ZnS film on p-type nanoporous Si nanowire templates. Vertically oriented porous Si nanowires on p-Si substrates have been grown by metal-assisted chemical etching catalyzed using Au nanoparticles. Isolated Si nanowires with needle-shaped arrays have been made by KOH treatment before ZnS deposition. Electrically driven efficient white light emission from radial heterojunction arrays has been achieved under a low forward bias condition. The observed white light emission is attributed to blue and green emission from the defect-related radiative transition of ZnS and Si/ZnS interface, respectively, while the red arises from the porous surface of the Si nanowire core. The observed white light emission from the Si/ZnS nanowire heterojunction could open up the new possibility to integrate Si-based optical sources on a large scale.

WO{sub 3-x} rate at Au rate at MnO{sub 2} core-shell nanowires on carbon fabric for high-performance flexible supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Xihong; Zhai, Teng [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), College of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan (China); School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou (China); Zhang, Xianghui; Shen, Yongqi; Yuan, Longyan; Hu, Bin; Gao, Yihua; Zhou, Jun [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), College of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan (China); Gong, Li; Chen, Jian [Instrumental Analysis and Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou (China); Tong, Yexiang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou (China); Wang, Zhong Lin [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), College of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia (United States)

2012-02-14

WO{sub 3-x} rate at Au rate at MnO{sub 2} core-shell nanowires (NWs) are synthesized on a flexible carbon fabric and show outstanding electrochemical performance in supercapacitors such as high specific capacitance, good cyclic stability, high energy density, and high power density. These results suggest that the WO{sub 3-x} rate at Au rate at MnO{sub 2} NWs have promising potential for use in high-performance flexible supercapacitors. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

WO{sub 3-x}/MoO{sub 3-x} core/shell nanowires on carbon fabric as an anode for all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Xu; Ding, Tianpeng; Yuan, Longyan; Shen, Yongqi; Zhong, Qize; Zhang, Xianghui; Cao, Yuanzhi; Hu, Bin; Zhou, Jun [Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), College of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan (China); Zhai, Teng; Tong, Yexiang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou (China); Gong, Li; Chen, Jian [Instrumental Analysis and Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou (China); Wang, Zhong Lin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2012-11-15

Flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) are fabricated from a novel anode - WO{sub 3-x}/MoO{sub 3-x} core/shell nanowires on carbon fabric - and a polyaniline cathode (figure). In addition to the high electrochemical performance of the devices, other characteristics, such as low toxicity, flexibility, environmental compatibility, light weight, and low requirements for packaging, make the all-solid-state ASCs potential candidates for applications in energy storage, flexible electronics, and other consumer electronics. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Cross-section imaging and p-type doping assessment of ZnO/ZnO:Sb core-shell nanowires by scanning capacitance microscopy and scanning spreading resistance microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Lin, E-mail: lin.wang@insa-lyon.fr; Brémond, Georges [Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon (INL), Université de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5270, INSA Lyon, Bat. Blaise Pascal, 7 Avenue, Jean Capelle, 69621 Villeurbanne (France); Sallet, Vincent; Sartel, Corinne [Groupe d' étude de la Matière Condensée (GEMaC), CNRS - Université de Versailles St Quentin en Yvelines, Université Paris-Saclay, 45 Avenue des Etats-Unis, 78035 Versailles (France)

2016-08-29

ZnO/ZnO:Sb core-shell structured nanowires (NWs) were grown by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition method where the shell was doped with antimony (Sb) in an attempt to achieve ZnO p-type conduction. To directly investigate the Sb doping effect in ZnO, scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) and scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM) were performed on the NWs' cross-sections mapping their two dimensional (2D) local electrical properties. Although no direct p-type inversion in ZnO was revealed, a lower net electron concentration was pointed out for the Sb-doped ZnO shell layer with respect to the non-intentionally doped ZnO core, indicating an evident compensating effect as a result of the Sb incorporation, which can be ascribed to the formation of Sb-related acceptors. The results demonstrate SCM/SSRM investigation being a direct and effective approach for characterizing radial semiconductor one-dimensional (1D) structures and, particularly, for the doping study on the ZnO nanomaterial towards its p-type realization.

Energy transfer in nanowire solar cells with photon-harvesting shells

KAUST Repository

Peters, C. H.; Guichard, A. R.; Hryciw, A. C.; Brongersma, M. L.; McGehee, M. D.

2009-01-01

The concept of a nanowire solar cell with photon-harvesting shells is presented. In this architecture, organic molecules which absorb strongly in the near infrared where silicon absorbs weakly are coupled to silicon nanowires (SiNWs). This enables

Large-scale fabrication of vertically aligned ZnO nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhong L; Das, Suman; Xu, Sheng; Yuan, Dajun; Guo, Rui; Wei, Yaguang; Wu, Wenzhuo

2013-02-05

In a method for growing a nanowire array, a photoresist layer is placed onto a nanowire growth layer configured for growing nanowires therefrom. The photoresist layer is exposed to a coherent light interference pattern that includes periodically alternately spaced dark bands and light bands along a first orientation. The photoresist layer exposed to the coherent light interference pattern along a second orientation, transverse to the first orientation. The photoresist layer developed so as to remove photoresist from areas corresponding to areas of intersection of the dark bands of the interference pattern along the first orientation and the dark bands of the interference pattern along the second orientation, thereby leaving an ordered array of holes passing through the photoresist layer. The photoresist layer and the nanowire growth layer are placed into a nanowire growth environment, thereby growing nanowires from the nanowire growth layer through the array of holes.

Enhancement of thermoelectric figure-of-merit in laterally-coupled nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yiqun; Shi, Yi; Pu, Lin; Wang, Junzhuan; Pan, Lijia; Zheng, Youdou

2011-01-01

A high ZT value is predicted in laterally-coupled nanowire arrays. The quantum confinement and coupling of electrons are considered in the framework of effective-mass envelope-function theory. The boundary scattering on phonons is also taken into account. The thermoelectric properties benefit from the large Seebeck coefficient and dramatically reduced lattice thermal conductivity, as well as the preserved electronic conductivity in the minibands of the coupling nanowires. The enhancement of ZT to more than 10-fold is achieved in the n-type Si nanowires/Ge host material. Results suggest that the laterally-coupled nanowire arrays can be designed for high-performance thermoelectric devices. -- Highlights: → A high ZT value is predicted in the lateral-coupling nanowire arrays. → The lattice thermal conductivity is dramatically reduced in the lateral direction of nanowire arrays. → The electron transport is preserved in the lateral direction due to the coupling effect. → The ZT value is largely enhanced as the nanowire volume fraction exceeds some critical point.

Nanowire sensors and arrays for chemical/biomolecule detection

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Minhee; Lee, Choonsup; Vasquez, Richard P.; Ramanathan, K.; Bangar, M. A.; Chen, W.; Mulchandan, A.; Myung, N. V.

2005-01-01

We report electrochemical growth of single nanowire based sensors using e-beam patterned electrolyte channels, potentially enabling the controlled fabrication of individually addressable high density arrays. The electrodeposition technique results in nanowires with controlled dimensions, positions, alignments, and chemical compositions. Using this technique, we have fabricated single palladium nanowires with diameters ranging between 75 nm and 300 nm and conducting polymer nanowires (polypyrrole and polyaniline) with diameters between 100 nm and 200 nm. Using these single nanowires, we have successfully demonstrated gas sensing with Pd nanowires and pH sensing with polypirrole nanowires.

Layered structure in core–shell silicon nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Tuan, Pham [Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (AIST) and International Training Institute for Materials Science Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 01 Dai Co Viet Street,Hanoi 10000,Vietnam (Viet Nam); Anh Tuan, Chu; Thanh Thuy, Tran; Binh Nam, Vu [Institute of Materials Science (IMS), Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Hanoi 10000 (Viet Nam); Toan Thang, Pham [Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (AIST) and International Training Institute for Materials Science Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 01 Dai Co Viet Street,Hanoi 10000,Vietnam (Viet Nam); Hong Duong, Pham, E-mail: duongphamhong@yahoo.com [Institute of Materials Science (IMS), Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Hanoi 10000 (Viet Nam); Thanh Huy, Pham, E-mail: huy.phamthanh@hust.edu.vn [Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (AIST) and International Training Institute for Materials Science Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 01 Dai Co Viet Street,Hanoi 10000,Vietnam (Viet Nam)

2014-10-15

Silicon nanowires (NWs) with core–shell structures were prepared using the Vapor–Liquid–Solid (VLS) method. The wires have lengths of several hundreds of nanometers and diameters in the range of 30–50 nm. Generally, these wires are too large to exhibit the quantum confinement effect of excitons in Si nanocrystals. However, the photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra are similar to those of nanocrystalline silicon embedded in a SiO{sub 2} matrix, in which the recombination of quantum-confined excitons plays an important role. This effect occurs only when the average size of the silicon nanocrystals is smaller than 5 nm. To understand this discrepancy, TEM images of nanowires were obtained and analyzed. The results revealed that the cores of wires have a layered Si/SiO{sub 2} structure, in which the thickness of each layer is much smaller than its diameter. The temperature dependence of the PL intensity was recorded from 11 to 300 K; the result is in good agreement with a model that takes into account the energy splitting between the excitonic singlet and triplet levels. - Highlights: • The cores of the Si NWs have a layered Si/SiO{sub 2} structure. • The Si NWs were formed due to the phase separation of Si and SiO{sub 2} and the partial oxidization by residual oxygen. • Two processes, the reaction of Si and oxygen atoms and the combination between Si atoms, occur simultaneously. • The formation of the layered structures is associated with the self-limiting oxidation phenomenon in Si nanostructures.

Broadband absorption of semiconductor nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Ningfeng; Lin, Chenxi; Povinelli, Michelle L

2012-01-01

We use electromagnetic simulations to carry out a systematic study of broadband absorption in vertically-aligned semiconductor nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications. We study six semiconductor materials that are commonly used for solar cells. We optimize the structural parameters of each nanowire array to maximize the ultimate efficiency. We plot the maximal ultimate efficiency as a function of height to determine how it approaches the perfect-absorption limit. We further show that the ultimate efficiencies of optimized nanowire arrays exceed those of equal-height thin films for all six materials and over a wide range of heights from 100 nm to 100 µm

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Mechanism of Unusual Zigzag Ag2Te and Ag2Te/C Core-Shell Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saima Manzoor

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A single step surfactant-assisted hydrothermal route has been developed for the synthesis of zigzag silver telluride nanowires with diameter of 50–60 nm and length of several tens of micrometers. Silver nitrate (AgNO3 and sodium tellurite (Na2TeO3, are the precursors and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP is used as surfactant in the presence of the reducing agent, that is, hydrazine hydrate (N2H4·H2O. In addition to the zigzag nanowires a facile hydrothermal reduction-carbonization route is proposed for the preparation of uniform core-shell Ag2Te/C nanowires. In case of Ag2Te/C synthesis process the same precursors are employed for Ag and Te along with the ethylene glycol used as reducing agent and glucose as the carbonizing agent. Morphological and compositional properties of the prepared products are analyzed with the help of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. The detailed formation mechanism of the zigzag morphology and reduction-carbonization growth mechanism for core-shell nanowires are illustrated on the bases of experimental results.

Hysteresis and compensation behaviors of mixed spin-2 and spin-1 hexagonal Ising nanowire core–shell structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masrour, R., E-mail: rachidmasrour@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Materials, Processes, Environment and Quality, Cady Ayyed University, National School of Applied Sciences, 63 46000 Safi (Morocco); Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco); Jabar, A. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco); Benyoussef, A. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco); Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco); Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, Rabat (Morocco); Hamedoun, M. [Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco); Bahmad, L. [Laboratoire de Magnétisme et Physique des Hautes Energies L.M.P.H.E.URAC 12, Université Mohammed V, Faculté des Sciences, B.P. 1014 Rabat (Morocco)

2015-09-01

The magnetic behaviors of a mixed spins (2-1) hexagonal Ising nanowire with core–shell structure are investigated by using the Monte Carlo simulations. The thermal magnetizations, the magnetic susceptibilities and the transition temperatures of core–shell are studied for different values of crystal field and exchange interactions. The thermal and magnetic hysteresis cycles are given for different values of the crystal field. - Highlights: • Critical temperature increase when exchange interaction increasing in core-shell. • Hysteresis loop areas decrease at above transition temperature. • Magnetic coercive field decrease when crystal field increasing. • Magnetic coercive field increase when exchange interaction increasing.

Study of spin dynamics and damping on the magnetic nanowire arrays with various nanowire widths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Jaehun [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Fujii, Yuya; Konioshi, Katsunori [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); Yoon, Jungbum [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576 (Singapore); Kim, Nam-Hui; Jung, Jinyong [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of); Miwa, Shinji [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); Jung, Myung-Hwa [Department of Physics, Sogang University, Seoul, 121-742 (Korea, Republic of); Suzuki, Yoshishige [Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 (Japan); You, Chun-Yeol, E-mail: cyyou@inha.ac.kr [Department of Physics, Inha University, Incheon, 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-07-01

We investigate the spin dynamics including Gilbert damping in the ferromagnetic nanowire arrays. We have measured the ferromagnetic resonance of ferromagnetic nanowire arrays using vector-network analyzer ferromagnetic resonance (VNA-FMR) and analyzed the results with the micromagnetic simulations. We find excellent agreement between the experimental VNA-FMR spectra and micromagnetic simulations result for various applied magnetic fields. We find that the same tendency of the demagnetization factor for longitudinal and transverse conditions, N{sub z} (N{sub y}) increases (decreases) as increasing the nanowire width in the micromagnetic simulations while N{sub x} is almost zero value in transverse case. We also find that the Gilbert damping constant increases from 0.018 to 0.051 as the increasing nanowire width for the transverse case, while it is almost constant as 0.021 for the longitudinal case. - Highlights: • We investigate the spin dynamic properties in the ferromagnetic nanowire arrays. • The demagnetization factors have similar tendency with the prism geometry results. • The Gilbert damping constant is increased from 0.018 to 0.051 as the increasing nanowire width for the transverse. • The Gilbert damping constant is almost constant as 0.021 for the longitudinal case.

Photovoltaic Performance of a Nanowire/Quantum Dot Hybrid Nanostructure Array Solar Cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yao; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

2018-02-23

An innovative solar cell based on a nanowire/quantum dot hybrid nanostructure array is designed and analyzed. By growing multilayer InAs quantum dots on the sidewalls of GaAs nanowires, not only the absorption spectrum of GaAs nanowires is extended by quantum dots but also the light absorption of quantum dots is dramatically enhanced due to the light-trapping effect of the nanowire array. By incorporating five layers of InAs quantum dots into a 500-nm high-GaAs nanowire array, the power conversion efficiency enhancement induced by the quantum dots is six times higher than the power conversion efficiency enhancement in thin-film solar cells which contain the same amount of quantum dots, indicating that the nanowire array structure can benefit the photovoltaic performance of quantum dot solar cells.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO/TiO 2 composite core/shell ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Organic solar cells; ZnO/TiO2 core/shell; nanorod arrays; sol–gel. ... on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate via a facile sol–gel dip-coating process. Effects of solution pH for ZnO, annealing temperature, growth time and temperature on the ... The optical and electrical properties of the bare TiO2 thin film and core/shell composite ...

Ultradense, Deep Subwavelength Nanowire Array Photovoltaics As Engineered Optical Thin Films

KAUST Repository

Tham, Douglas; Heath, James R.

2010-01-01

A photovoltaic device comprised of an array of 20 nm wide, 32 nm pitch array of silicon nanowires is modeled as an optical material. The nanowire array (NWA) has characteristic device features that are deep in the subwavelength regime for light

In situ x-ray diffraction study on AgI nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yinhai; Ye Changhui; Wang Guozhong; Zhang Lide; Liu Yanmei; Zhao Zhongyan

2003-01-01

The AgI nanowire arrays were prepared in the ordered porous alumina membrane by an electrochemical method. Transmission electron microscopy observation shows that the AgI nanowires are located in the channels of the alumina membrane. In situ x-ray diffractions show that the nanowire arrays possess hexagonal close-packed structure (β-AgI) at 293 K, orienting along the (002) plane, whereas at 473 K, the nanowire arrays possess a body-centered cubic structure (α-AgI), orienting along the (110) plane. The AgI nanowire arrays exhibit a negative thermal expansion property from 293 to 433 K, and a higher transition temperature from the β to α phase. We ascribe the negative thermal expansion behavior to the phase transition from the β to α phase, and the elevated transition temperature to the radial restriction by the channels of alumina membrane

Geometrical optics, electrostatics, and nanophotonic resonances in absorbing nanowire arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Anttu, Nicklas

2013-03-01

Semiconductor nanowire arrays have shown promise for next-generation photovoltaics and photodetection, but enhanced understanding of the light-nanowire interaction is still needed. Here, we study theoretically the absorption of light in an array of vertical InP nanowires by moving continuously, first from the electrostatic limit to the nanophotonic regime and then to the geometrical optics limit. We show how the absorption per volume of semiconductor material in the array can be varied by a factor of 200, ranging from 10 times weaker to 20 times stronger than in a bulk semiconductor sample.

Vertically oriented CoO@FeOOH nanowire arrays anchored on carbon cloth as a highly efficient electrode for oxygen evolution reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yin; Ni, Yuanman; Liu, Bing; Shang, Shuxia; Yang, Song; Cao, Minhua; Hu, Changwen

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Three-dimensional CoO@FeOOH nanowire arrays grown on carbon cloth were constructed, which exhibit good electrocatalytic activity towards OER in alkaline solution. Display Omitted -- Abstract: Developing high efficiency electrocatalysts for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key to water splitting. In this work, we demonstrate the preparation of CoO@FeOOH core-shell nanowire (NWs) grown on three-dimensional (3D) carbon cloth (CC@CoO@FeOOH-NWAs) by hydrothermal method followed by electrodeposition process as well as its highly efficient activity for water oxidation. In this hybrid structure, CoO@FeOOH-NWs with an average diameter of 100 nm is vertically grown on the surface of carbon fibers of the carbon cloth. The combination of CoO@FeOOH catalyst with good electron transfer substrate exhibits exceptionally good electrocatalytic activity and long-term durability towards oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline solution. It needs an overpotential as low as 255 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm −2 , with a Tafel slope of 82 mV dec −1 and also exhibits a good stability in 20 h. In addition, the nanowire array structure is well retained after the durability test with high current density of 50 mA cm −2 . Our strategy provides a guide to rational design of micro-structures of the materials to achieve their high performance.

A general melt-injection-decomposition route to oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Dongqiang; Zhang, Xinwei; Hua, Zhenghe; Yang, Shaoguang

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A general melt-injection-decomposition (MID) route is proposed for the fabrication of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. • Four kinds of metal oxide (CuO, Mn_2O_3, Co_3O_4 and Cr_2O_3) nanowire arrays have been realized as examples through the developed MID route. • The mechanism of the developed MID route is discussed using Thermogravimetry and Differential Thermal Analysis technique. • The MID route is a versatile, simple, facile and effective way to prepare different kinds of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays in the future. - Abstract: In this manuscript, a general melt-injection-decomposition (MID) route has been proposed and realized for the fabrication of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. Nitrate was used as the starting materials, which was injected into the nanopores of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane through the capillarity action in its liquid state. At higher temperature, the nitrate decomposed into corresponding metal oxide within the nanopores of the AAO membrane. Oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays were formed within the AAO membrane as a result of the confinement of the nanopores. Four kinds of metal oxide (CuO, Mn_2O_3, Co_3O_4 and Cr_2O_3) nanowire arrays are presented here as examples fabricated by this newly developed process. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies showed clear evidence of the formations of the oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. Formation mechanism of the metal oxide nanowire arrays is discussed based on the Thermogravimetry and Differential Thermal Analysis measurement results.

Manipulation and Investigation of Uniformly-Spaced Nanowire Array on a Substrate via Dielectrophoresis and Electrostatic Interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U Hyeok Choi

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Directed-assembly of nanowires on the dielectrics-covered parallel electrode structure is capable of producing uniformly-spaced nanowire array at the electrode gap due to dielectrophoretic nanowire attraction and electrostatic nanowire repulsion. Beyond uniformly-spaced nanowire array formation, the control of spacing in the array is beneficial in that it should be the experimental basis of the precise positioning of functional nanowires on a circuit. Here, we investigate the material parameters and bias conditions to modulate the nanowire spacing in the ordered array, where the nanowire array formation is readily attained due to the electrostatic nanowire interaction. A theoretical model for the force calculation and the simulation of the induced charge in the assembled nanowire verifies that the longer nanowires on thicker dielectric layer tend to be assembled with a larger pitch due to the stronger nanowire-nanowire electrostatic repulsion, which is consistent with the experimental results. It was claimed that the stronger dielectrophoretic force is likely to attract more nanowires that are suspended in solution at the electrode gap, causing them to be less-spaced. Thus, we propose a generic mechanism, competition of dielectrophoretic and electrostatic force, to determine the nanowire pitch in an ordered array. Furthermore, this spacing-controlled nanowire array offers a way to fabricate the high-density nanodevice array without nanowire registration.

A general melt-injection-decomposition route to oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Dongqiang; Zhang, Xinwei; Hua, Zhenghe; Yang, Shaoguang, E-mail: sgyang@nju.edu.cn

2016-12-30

Highlights: • A general melt-injection-decomposition (MID) route is proposed for the fabrication of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. • Four kinds of metal oxide (CuO, Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanowire arrays have been realized as examples through the developed MID route. • The mechanism of the developed MID route is discussed using Thermogravimetry and Differential Thermal Analysis technique. • The MID route is a versatile, simple, facile and effective way to prepare different kinds of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays in the future. - Abstract: In this manuscript, a general melt-injection-decomposition (MID) route has been proposed and realized for the fabrication of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. Nitrate was used as the starting materials, which was injected into the nanopores of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane through the capillarity action in its liquid state. At higher temperature, the nitrate decomposed into corresponding metal oxide within the nanopores of the AAO membrane. Oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays were formed within the AAO membrane as a result of the confinement of the nanopores. Four kinds of metal oxide (CuO, Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanowire arrays are presented here as examples fabricated by this newly developed process. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies showed clear evidence of the formations of the oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. Formation mechanism of the metal oxide nanowire arrays is discussed based on the Thermogravimetry and Differential Thermal Analysis measurement results.

Intrinsic Ge nanowire nonvolatile memory based on a simple core–shell structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Wen-Hua; Liu, Chang-Hai; Li, Qin-Liang; Sun, Qi-Jun; Liu, Jie; Gao, Xu; Sun, Xuhui; Wang, Sui-Dong

2014-01-01

Intrinsic Ge nanowires (NWs) with a Ge core covered by a thick Ge oxide shell are utilized to achieve nanoscale field-effect transistor nonvolatile memories, which show a large memory window and a high ON/OFF ratio with good retention. The retainable surface charge trapping is considered to be responsible for the memory effect, and the Ge oxide shell plays a key role as the insulating tunneling dielectric which must be thick enough to prevent stored surface charges from leaking out. Annealing the device in air is demonstrated to be a simple and effective way to attain thick Ge oxide on the Ge NW surface, and the Ge-NW-based memory corresponding to thick Ge oxide exhibits a much better retention capability compared with the case of thin Ge oxide. (paper)

A force sensor using nanowire arrays to understand biofilm formation (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Sahoo, Prasana K.; Cavalli, Alessandro; Pelegati, Vitor B.; Murillo, Duber M.; Souza, Alessandra A.; Cesar, Carlos L.; Bakkers, Erik P. A. M.; Cotta, Monica A.

2016-03-01

Understanding the cellular signaling and function at the nano-bio interface can pave the way towards developing next-generation smart diagnostic tools. From this perspective, limited reports detail so far the cellular and subcellular forces exerted by bacterial cells during the interaction with abiotic materials. Nanowire arrays with high aspect ratio have been used to detect such small forces. In this regard, live force measurements were performed ex-vivo during the interaction of Xylella fastidiosa bacterial cells with InP nanowire arrays. The influence of nanowire array topography and surface chemistry on the response and motion of bacterial cells was studied in detail. The nanowire arrays were also functionalized with different cell adhesive promoters, such as amines and XadA1, an afimbrial protein of X.fastidiosa. By employing the well-defined InP nanowire arrays platform, and single cell confocal imaging system, we were able to trace the bacterial growth pattern, and show that their initial attachment locations are strongly influenced by the surface chemistry and nanoscale surface topography. In addition, we measure the cellular forces down to few nanonewton range using these nanowire arrays. In case of nanowire functionalized with XadA1, the force exerted by vertically and horizontally attached single bacteria on the nanowire is in average 14% and 26% higher than for the pristine array, respectively. These results provide an excellent basis for live-cell force measurements as well as unravel the range of forces involved during the early stages of bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.

Magnetoimpedance effects in a CoNiFe nanowire array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atalay, S., E-mail: selcuk.atalay@inonu.edu.tr [Inonu University, Science and Arts Faculty, Physics Department, Malatya (Turkey); Kaya, H.; Atalay, F.E.; Aydogmus, E. [Inonu University, Science and Arts Faculty, Physics Department, Malatya (Turkey)

2013-06-05

Highlights: ► CoNiFe nanowires were produced by electrodeposition method. ► Magnetoimpedance effect of nanowires arrays were investigated. ► Single peak behaviour was observed in the magnetoimpedance curve. ► Nanowire arrays exhibit uniaxial magnetic anisotropy along the wire axis. -- Abstract: This report describes the growth of CoNiFe nanowires into highly ordered porous anodic alumina oxide (AAO) templates by DC electrodeposition at a pH value of 2.6. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed that the wires have diameters of approximately 270–290 nm and a length of 25 μm. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis indicated that the composition of the nanowires is Co{sub 12}Ni{sub 64}Fe{sub 24}. Electrical contacts were created on both sides of the nanowire array, and their magnetoimpedance (MI) properties were investigated. The impedance value was initially 1.2 ohm at low frequency and increased to approximately 1000 ohm for a 33-MHz driving current frequency under no applied magnetic field. All the MI curves exhibited single peak behaviour due to the high shape anisotropy. The maximum MI change at the 33-MHz driving current frequency was 2.72%. The maximum resistance change was 5.4% at 33 MHz.

Construction of cobalt sulfide/nickel core-branch arrays and their application as advanced electrodes for electrochemical energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Minghua; Zhang, Jiawei; Xia, Xinhui; Qi, Meili; Yin, Jinghua; Chen, Qingguo

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Self-supported CoS/Ni core-branch arrays prepared by the combination of hydrothermal and electrodeposition methods demonstrate with high specific capacity and good cycling stability. - Highlights: • Construct porous CoS/Ni core-branch arrays. • Core-branch arrays show high Li storage properties. • Core-branch structure is favorable for fast ion and electron transfer. • Porous conductive metal branch can keep structure stable. - Abstract: Design/fabrication of advanced electrodes with tailored functionality is critical for the development of advanced electrochemical devices. Herein, we report a powerful strategy for construction of high-quality cobalt sulfide (CoS)/Ni core-branch arrays via combined methods of hydrothermal and electro-deposition. Electrodeposited thin porous Ni branch is successfully decorated on the CoS nanowires arrays with the help of hydrothermal ZnO nanorods template. Enhanced mechanical stability and improved ion/electron transfer characteristics are achieved in this composite system. As compared to the pure CoS nanowires arrays, the CoS/Ni core-branch arrays show enhanced electrochemical performance with lower polarization, better high-rate capability and superior cycling life. A high capacity of 605 mAh g −1 at 2C and 371 mAh g −1 at 6C is obtained in the composite core-branch system, respectively. Our developed electrode design protocol can be applicable for fabrication of other advanced metal sulfides electrodes for applications in solar cells, batteries and supercapacitors.

Nanostructued core–shell Sn nanowires @ CNTs with controllable thickness of CNT shells for lithium ion battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhong, Yu; Li, Xifei; Zhang, Yong; Li, Ruying [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9 (Canada); Cai, Mei [General Motors Research and Development Center, Warren, MI 48090-9055 (United States); Sun, Xueliang, E-mail: xsun@eng.uwo.ca [Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B9 (Canada)

2015-03-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Sn nanowires encapsulated in CNTs directly grew on current collectors. • The thickness of CNTs were controlled via growth time, gas flow rate and synthesis temperature. • Thick CNTs contributed to a better capacity retention while thin CNTs led to a higher capacity. • The core–shell structures formed in one-step CVD process. - Abstract: Core–shell structure of Sn nanowires encapsulated in amorphous carbon nanotubes (Sn@CNTs) with controlled thickness of CNT shells was in situ prepared via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The thickness of CNT shells was accurately controlled from 4 to 99 nm by using different growth time, flow rate of hydrocarbon gas (C{sub 2}H{sub 4}) and synthesis temperature. The microstructure and composition of the coaxial Sn@CNTs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. Moreover, the Sn@CNTs were studied as anode materials for Li-ion batteries and showed excellent cycle performance. The capacity was affected by the thickness of outer CNT shells: thick CNT shells contributed to a better retention while thin CNT shells led to a higher capacity. The thin CNT shell of 6 nm presented the highest capacity around 630 mAh g{sup −1}.

Nanostructued core–shell Sn nanowires @ CNTs with controllable thickness of CNT shells for lithium ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong, Yu; Li, Xifei; Zhang, Yong; Li, Ruying; Cai, Mei; Sun, Xueliang

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Sn nanowires encapsulated in CNTs directly grew on current collectors. • The thickness of CNTs were controlled via growth time, gas flow rate and synthesis temperature. • Thick CNTs contributed to a better capacity retention while thin CNTs led to a higher capacity. • The core–shell structures formed in one-step CVD process. - Abstract: Core–shell structure of Sn nanowires encapsulated in amorphous carbon nanotubes (Sn@CNTs) with controlled thickness of CNT shells was in situ prepared via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The thickness of CNT shells was accurately controlled from 4 to 99 nm by using different growth time, flow rate of hydrocarbon gas (C 2 H 4 ) and synthesis temperature. The microstructure and composition of the coaxial Sn@CNTs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. Moreover, the Sn@CNTs were studied as anode materials for Li-ion batteries and showed excellent cycle performance. The capacity was affected by the thickness of outer CNT shells: thick CNT shells contributed to a better retention while thin CNT shells led to a higher capacity. The thin CNT shell of 6 nm presented the highest capacity around 630 mAh g −1

Optical Sensing with Simultaneous Electrochemical Control in Metal Nanowire Arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janos Vörös

2010-11-01

Full Text Available This work explores the alternative use of noble metal nanowire systems in large-scale array configurations to exploit both the nanowires’ conductive nature and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR. The first known nanowire-based system has been constructed, with which optical signals are influenced by the simultaneous application of electrochemical potentials. Optical characterization of nanowire arrays was performed by measuring the bulk refractive index sensitivity and the limit of detection. The formation of an electrical double layer was controlled in NaCl solutions to study the effect of local refractive index changes on the spectral response. Resonance peak shifts of over 4 nm, a bulk refractive index sensitivity up to 115 nm/RIU and a limit of detection as low as 4.5 × 10−4 RIU were obtained for gold nanowire arrays. Simulations with the Multiple Multipole Program (MMP confirm such bulk refractive index sensitivities. Initial experiments demonstrated successful optical biosensing using a novel form of particle-based nanowire arrays. In addition, the formation of an ionic layer (Stern-layer upon applying an electrochemical potential was also monitored by the shift of the plasmon resonance.

Photoconductivity of Germanium Nanowire Arrays Incorporated in Anodic Aluminum Oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polyakov, B; Prikulis, J; Grigorjeva, L; Millers, D; Daly, B; Holmes, J D; Erts, D

2007-01-01

Photoconductivity of germanium nanowire arrays of 50 and 100 nm diameter incorporated into Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membranes illuminated with visible light is investigated. Photocurrent response to excitation radiation with time constants faster than 10 -4 s were governed by absorption of incident light by nanowires, while photokinetics with time constants of the order of 10 -3 s originates from the photoluminescence of the AAO matrix. Possible applications of nanowire arrays inside AAO as photoresistors are discussed

A general melt-injection-decomposition route to oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Dongqiang; Zhang, Xinwei; Hua, Zhenghe; Yang, Shaoguang

2016-12-01

In this manuscript, a general melt-injection-decomposition (MID) route has been proposed and realized for the fabrication of oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. Nitrate was used as the starting materials, which was injected into the nanopores of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane through the capillarity action in its liquid state. At higher temperature, the nitrate decomposed into corresponding metal oxide within the nanopores of the AAO membrane. Oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays were formed within the AAO membrane as a result of the confinement of the nanopores. Four kinds of metal oxide (CuO, Mn2O3, Co3O4 and Cr2O3) nanowire arrays are presented here as examples fabricated by this newly developed process. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies showed clear evidence of the formations of the oriented metal oxide nanowire arrays. Formation mechanism of the metal oxide nanowire arrays is discussed based on the Thermogravimetry and Differential Thermal Analysis measurement results.

Ag@Ni core-shell nanowire network for robust transparent electrodes against oxidation and sulfurization.

Science.gov (United States)

Eom, Hyeonjin; Lee, Jaemin; Pichitpajongkit, Aekachan; Amjadi, Morteza; Jeong, Jun-Ho; Lee, Eungsug; Lee, Jung-Yong; Park, Inkyu

2014-10-29

Silver nanowire (Ag NW) based transparent electrodes are inherently unstable to moist and chemically reactive environment. A remarkable stability improvement of the Ag NW network film against oxidizing and sulfurizing environment by local electrodeposition of Ni along Ag NWs is reported. The optical transmittance and electrical resistance of the Ni deposited Ag NW network film can be easily controlled by adjusting the morphology and thickness of the Ni shell layer. The electrical conductivity of the Ag NW network film is increased by the Ni coating via welding between Ag NWs as well as additional conductive area for the electron transport by electrodeposited Ni layer. Moreover, the chemical resistance of Ag NWs against oxidation and sulfurization can be dramatically enhanced by the Ni shell layer electrodeposited along the Ag NWs, which provides the physical barrier against chemical reaction and diffusion as well as the cathodic protection from galvanic corrosion. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ferromagnetic resonance in low interacting permalloy nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raposo, V.; Zazo, M.; Flores, A. G.; Iñiguez, J. [Departamento de Física Aplicada, University of Salamanca, E-37071 Salamanca (Spain); Garcia, J.; Vega, V.; Prida, V. M. [Departamento de Física, Universidad de Oviedo, E-33007 Oviedo (Spain)

2016-04-14

Dipolar interactions on magnetic nanowire arrays have been investigated by various techniques. One of the most powerful techniques is the ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy, because the resonance field depends directly on the anisotropy field strength and its frequency dependence. In order to evaluate the influence of magnetostatic dipolar interactions among ferromagnetic nanowire arrays, several densely packed hexagonal arrays of NiFe nanowires have been prepared by electrochemical deposition filling self-ordered nanopores of alumina membranes with different pore sizes but keeping the same interpore distance. Nanowires’ diameter was changed from 90 to 160 nm, while the lattice parameter was fixed to 300 nm, which was achieved by carefully reducing the pore diameter by means of Atomic Layer Deposition of conformal Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layers on the nanoporous alumina templates. Field and frequency dependence of ferromagnetic resonance have been studied in order to obtain the dispersion diagram which gives information about anisotropy, damping factor, and gyromagnetic ratio. The relationship between resonance frequency and magnetic field can be explained by the roles played by the shape anisotropy and dipolar interactions among the ferromagnetic nanowires.

Co3O4 nanoneedle@electroactive nickel boride membrane core/shell arrays: A novel hybrid for enhanced capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tingting; Zhu, Congxu; Yang, Xiaogang; Gao, Yuanhao; He, Weiwei; Yue, Hongwei; Zhao, Hongxiao

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Active nickel boride membrane anchored Co 3 O 4 nanoneedle arrays hybrid is synthesized via rapid interface reaction. The optimized core/shell nanostructure demonstrates greatly enhanced electrochemical properties. Display Omitted -- Highlights: •Active nickel boride membrane anchored Co 3 O 4 nanoneedle arrays core-shell hybrid architectures was fabricated via rapid interface reaction. •Specific capacity was improved by synergy between highly active components and optimized electron transfer microstructure. •The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device exhibited excellent electrochemical performance. -- Abstract: Exploring novel hybrid materials with efficient microstructure using facile approaches is highly urgent in designing supercapacitor electrodes. Here, the Ni-B membrane was used for coating the porous Co 3 O 4 nanoneedle arrays which supported on the nickel foam (NF) frameworks through a rapid chemical reduction process (denoted as NF/Co 3 O 4 @NiB). The Ni-B membrane both provided sufficient active sites for redox reactions and inhibited the aggregation of formed hybrid architectures. Benefiting from the unique structural design and strongly coupled effects between porous Co 3 O 4 arrays and Ni-B membrane, the resulted NF/Co 3 O 4 @NiB electrode exhibited high areal capacitance of 3.47 F cm −2 (0.48 mAh cm −2 ) at a current density of 2.5 mA cm −2 , an excellent rate capability while maintaining 95.5% capacity retention after 2000 cycles. The asymmetric supercapacitor constructed with the NF/Co 3 O 4 @NiB as positive electrode and hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) as negative electrode also showed ideal capacitive behavior, and simultaneously delivered high energy and power densities. The easily decoration of Ni-B membrane on various active nanoarrays may arouse more novel design about hybrid architectures for large-scale applications.

Crosstalk analysis of silicon-on-insulator nanowire-arrayed waveguide grating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Kai-Li; An Jun-Ming; Zhang Jia-Shun; Wang Yue; Wang Liang-Liang; Li Jian-Guang; Wu Yuan-Da; Yin Xiao-Jie; Hu Xiong-Wei

2016-01-01

The factors influencing the crosstalk of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) nanowire arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) are analyzed using the transfer function method. The analysis shows that wider and thicker arrayed waveguides, outsider fracture of arrayed waveguide, and larger channel space, could mitigate the deterioration of crosstalk. The SOI nanowire AWGs with different arrayed waveguide widths are fabricated by using deep ultraviolet lithography (DUV) and inductively coupled plasma etching (ICP) technology. The measurement results show that the crosstalk performance is improved by about 7 dB through adopting 800 nm arrayed waveguide width. (paper)

Functionalization of lanthanum hydroxide nanowires by atom transfer radical polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Mi; Yuan Jinying; Yuan Weizhong; Yin Yingwu; Hong Xiaoyin

2007-01-01

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) has been used to prepare a core-shell hybrid nanostructure successfully: a hard core of single-crystalline lanthanum hydroxide nanowires and a soft shell of polystyrene (PS) brushes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicated that the resulting products presented special structures and different thicknesses of polymer layers. The chemical components and grafted PS quantities of the samples were measured by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The polymers showed narrow polydispersity, which proved that the lanthanum hydroxide nanowires initiated the 'living'/controlled polymerization of styrene. With the modifiability of lanthanum hydroxide nanowires, the solubility increased, which affords a new way to functionalize nanowires

Investigation into Photoconductivity in Single CNF/TiO2-Dye Core–Shell Nanowire Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rochford Caitlin

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract A vertically aligned carbon nanofiber array coated with anatase TiO2 (CNF/TiO2 is an attractive possible replacement for the sintered TiO2 nanoparticle network in the original dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC design due to the potential for improved charge transport and reduced charge recombination. Although the reported efficiency of 1.1% in these modified DSSC’s is encouraging, the limiting factors must be identified before a higher efficiency can be obtained. This work employs a single nanowire approach to investigate the charge transport in individual CNF/TiO2 core–shell nanowires with adsorbed N719 dye molecules in dark and under illumination. The results shed light on the role of charge traps and dye adsorption on the (photo conductivity of nanocrystalline TiO2 CNF’s as related to dye-sensitized solar cell performance.

Reactive diffusion and stresses in nanowires or nanorods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roussel, Manuel; Erdélyi, Zoltán; Schmitz, Guido

2017-01-01

Heterostructured nanowires are of prime interest in nowadays technology such as field-effect transistors, field emitters, batteries and solar cells. We consider their aging behavior and developed a model focusing on reactive diffusion in core-shell nanowires. A complete set of analytical equations is presented that takes into account thermodynamic driving forces, vacancy distribution, elastic stress and its plastic relaxation. This complete description of the reactive diffusion can be used in finite element simulations to investigate diffusion processes in various geometries. In order to show clearly the interplay between the cylindrical geometry, the reactive diffusion and the stresses developing in the nanowire, we investigate the formation of an intermetallic reaction product in various core-shell geometries. Emphasis is placed on showing how it is possible to control the kinetics of the reaction by applying an axial stress to the nanowires.

Patchy silica-coated silver nanowires as SERS substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunyadi Murph, Simona E.; Murphy, Catherine J.

2013-05-08

We report a class of core-shell nanomaterials that can be used as efficient surface-enhancement Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The core consists of silver nanowires, prepared through a chemical reduction process, that are used to capture 4- mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), a model analyte. The shell was prepared through a modified Stöber method and consists of patchy or full silica coats. The formation of silica coats was monitored via transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy and phase-analysis light scattering for measuring effective surface charge. Surprisingly, the patchy silica coated silver nanowires are better SERS substrate than silver nanowires; nanomolar concentration of 4-MBA can be detected. In addition, “nano-matryoshka” configurations were used to quantitate/explore the effect of the electromagnetic field at the tips of the nanowire (“hot spots”) in the Raman scattering experiment.

Core-shell microspheres with porous nanostructured shells for liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Adham; Skinley, Kevin; Herodotou, Stephanie; Zhang, Haifei

2018-01-01

The development of new stationary phases has been the key aspect for fast and efficient high-performance liquid chromatography separation with relatively low backpressure. Core-shell particles, with a solid core and porous shell, have been extensively investigated and commercially manufactured in the last decade. The excellent performance of core-shell particles columns has been recorded for a wide range of analytes, covering small and large molecules, neutral and ionic (acidic and basic), biomolecules and metabolites. In this review, we first introduce the advance and advantages of core-shell particles (or more widely known as superficially porous particles) against non-porous particles and fully porous particles. This is followed by the detailed description of various methods used to fabricate core-shell particles. We then discuss the applications of common silica core-shell particles (mostly commercially manufactured), spheres-on-sphere particles and core-shell particles with a non-silica shell. This review concludes with a summary and perspective on the development of stationary phase materials for high-performance liquid chromatography applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of magnetic luminescent core/shell nanocomplex particles with fluorescence using Rhodamine 6G

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hee Uk; Song, Yoon Seok [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, 5 Ga, Anam-Dong, Sungbuk-Gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Chulhwan [Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, 447-1 Wolgye-Dong, Nowon-Gu, Seoul 139-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Seung Wook, E-mail: kimsw@korea.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, 5 Ga, Anam-Dong, Sungbuk-Gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-12-15

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► A simple method was developed to synthesize Co-B/SiO{sub 2}/dye/SiO{sub 2} composite particles. ► The magnetic particle shows that highly luminescent and core/shell particles are formed. ► Such core/shell particles can be easily suspended in water. ► The magnetic particles could detect fluorescence for the application of biosensor. -- Abstract: A simple and reproducible method was developed to synthesize a novel class of Co-B/SiO{sub 2}/dye/SiO{sub 2} composite core/shell particles. Using a single cobalt core, Rhodamine 6G of organic dye molecules was entrapped in a silica shell, resulting in core/shell particles of ∼200 nm diameter. Analyses using a variety of techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, vibration sample magnetometry, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and fluorescence intensity demonstrated that dye molecules were trapped inside the core/shell particles. A photoluminescence investigation showed that highly luminescent and photostable core/shell particles were formed. Such core/shell particles can be easily suspended in water. The synthesized magnetic particles could be used to detect fluorescence on glass substrate arrays for bioassay and biosensor applications.

Optical properties of core-shell and multi-shell nanorods

Science.gov (United States)

Mokkath, Junais Habeeb; Shehata, Nader

2018-05-01

We report a first-principles time dependent density functional theory study of the optical response modulations in bimetallic core-shell (Na@Al and Al@Na) and multi-shell (Al@Na@Al@Na and Na@Al@Na@Al: concentric shells of Al and Na alternate) nanorods. All of the core-shell and multi-shell configurations display highly enhanced absorption intensity with respect to the pure Al and Na nanorods, showing sensitivity to both composition and chemical ordering. Remarkably large spectral intensity enhancements were found in a couple of core-shell configurations, indicative that optical response averaging based on the individual components can not be considered as true as always in the case of bimetallic core-shell nanorods. We believe that our theoretical results would be useful in promising applications depending on Aluminum-based plasmonic materials such as solar cells and sensors.

Characterization and Optical Properties of the Single Crystalline SnS Nanowire Arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yue GH

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The SnS nanowire arrays have been successfully synthesized by the template-assisted pulsed electrochemical deposition in the porous anodized aluminum oxide template. The investigation results showed that the as-synthesized nanowires are single crystalline structures and they have a highly preferential orientation. The ordered SnS nanowire arrays are uniform with a diameter of 50 nm and a length up to several tens of micrometers. The synthesized SnS nanowires exhibit strong absorption in visible and near-infrared spectral region and the direct energy gapE gof SnS nanowires is 1.59 eV.

TiO2 nanocrystals decorated Z-schemed core-shell CdS-CdO nanorod arrays as high efficiency anodes for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chia-Hsun; Hsu, Chan-Wei; Lu, Shih-Yuan

2018-07-01

TiO 2 nanocrystals decorated core-shell CdS-CdO nanorod arrays, TiO 2 @CdO/CdS NR, were fabricated as high efficiency anodes for photoelctrochemical hydrogen generation. The novel sandwich heterostructure was constructed from first growth of CdS nanorod arrays on a fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate with a hydrothermal process, followed by in situ generation of CdO thin films of single digit nanometers from the CdS nanorod surfaces through thermal oxidation, and final decoration of TiO 2 nanocrystals of 10-20 nm via a successive ionic layer absorption and reaction process. The core-shell CdS-CdO heterostructure possesses a Z-scheme band structure to enhance interfacial charge transfer, facilitating effective charge separation to suppress electron-hole recombination within CdS for much improved current density generation. The final decoration of TiO 2 nanocrystals passivates surface defects and trap states of CdO, further suppressing surface charge recombination for even higher photovoltaic conversion efficiencies. The photoelectrochemical performances of the plain CdS nanorod array were significantly improved with the formation of the sandwich heterostructure, achieving a photo current density of 3.2 mA/cm 2 at 1.23 V (vs. RHE), a 141% improvement over the plain CdS nanorod array and a 32% improvement over the CdO/CdS nanorod array. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth and characterization of InGaAs based nanowire-heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treu, Julian Pascal

2017-01-01

tunability covering the technologically relevant telecommunication wavelengths. However, given their high surface-to-volume ratio, nanowire structures are especially prone to detrimental surface states, deteriorating in particular radiative efficiencies. Probing surfacestate related Fermi level pinning via detailed photoluminescence spectroscopy, we evaluate the influence of Ga-content on band bending and dominant recombination mechanism by studying as-grown nanowires covered by native oxide in comparison with nanowires free of oxide after wet-chemical treatment. In conjunction with complementary X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we identify a cross-over between surface electron accumulation for In-rich InGaAs nanowires to electron depletion for a gallium content between ∼ 20-30%. For stable passivation of deteriorating surface states higher bandgap materials are applied in radial core-shell geometry. Exploiting low surface recombination velocity and existing doping proficiency of InAsP, we establish a hybrid process combining MBE grown InAs core structures surrounded by metal organic vapor deposited (MOCVD) InAsP layers. This directly induces an increase in emission intensity by up to two orders of magnitude that can be related to high interface quality, as further corroborated by detailed TEM analysis of cross-sectional lamella structures. By systematically tuning thickness and phosphorus content we tune core-emission energies via strain-induced peak shifts and elucidate detrimental effects of plastic relaxation upon too high lattice mismatch. Introducing fully latticematched InGaAs-InAlAs heterostructures, such undesired strain accumulation and accompanied defect formation can be avoided, reflected by the absence of any strain-induced spectral shifts in peak emission energy and confirmed by high-resolution X-ray reciprocal space maps (strain ε core < 0.1%). As entirely in-situ based MBE process, exposure to ambient conditions is no longer required, further enhancing

Facile synthesis of Co3O4 nanowires grown on hollow NiO microspheres with superior electrochemical performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Meiqing; Ren, Bo; Yu, Lei; Song, Dalei; Liu, Qi; Liu, Jingyuan; Wang, Jun; Jing, Xiaoyan; Liu, Lianhe

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • The NiO hollow spheres were decorated by Co 3 O 4 nanowires. • The NiO hollow spheres were comprised of many NiO particles. • The Co 3 O 4 nanowires were composed of nanoparticles. • The NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell nanocomposites have good electrochemical properties. - Abstract: The NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites as a promising supercapacitor material have been fabricated by facile hydrothermal process. The structure and morphology of the NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the NiO hollow spheres were decorated by Co 3 O 4 nanowires, and the nanowires were composed of nanoparticles. Electrochemical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results suggested that the NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites had good electrochemical reversibility and displayed superior capacitive performance with large capacitance (510 F g −1 ). Moreover, NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites showed excellent cyclic performanceafter 1000 cycles

Resonant absorption in semiconductor nanowires and nanowire arrays: Relating leaky waveguide modes to Bloch photonic crystal modes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fountaine, Katherine T., E-mail: kfountai@caltech.edu [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Whitney, William S. [Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Department of Physics, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Atwater, Harry A. [Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125 (United States)

2014-10-21

We present a unified framework for resonant absorption in periodic arrays of high index semiconductor nanowires that combines a leaky waveguide theory perspective and that of photonic crystals supporting Bloch modes, as array density transitions from sparse to dense. Full dispersion relations are calculated for each mode at varying illumination angles using the eigenvalue equation for leaky waveguide modes of an infinite dielectric cylinder. The dispersion relations along with symmetry arguments explain the selectivity of mode excitation and spectral red-shifting of absorption for illumination parallel to the nanowire axis in comparison to perpendicular illumination. Analysis of photonic crystal band dispersion for varying array density illustrates that the modes responsible for resonant nanowire absorption emerge from the leaky waveguide modes.

Construction of 3D Metallic Nanowire Arrays on Arbitrarily-Shaped Substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fei; Li, Jingning; Yu, Fangfang; Peng, Ru-Wen; Wang, Mu; Mu Wang Team

Formation of three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures is an important step of advanced manufacture for new concept devices with novel functionality. Despite of great achievements in fabricating nanostructures with state of the art lithography approaches, these nanostructures are normally limited on flat substrates. Up to now it remains challenging to build metallic nanostructures directly on a rough and bumpy surface. Here we demonstrate a unique approach to fabricate metallic nanowire arrays on an arbitrarily-shaped surface by electrodeposition, which is unknown before 2016. Counterintuitively here the growth direction of the nanowires is perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, and the specific geometry of nanowires can be achieved by introducing specially designed shaped substrate. The spatial separation and the width of the nanowires can be tuned by voltage, electrolyte concentration and temperature in electrodeposition. By taking cobalt nanowire array as an example, we demonstrate that head-to-head and tail-to-tail magnetic domain walls can be easily introduced and modulated in the nanowire arrays, which is enlightening to construct new devices such as domain wall racetrack memory. We acknowledge the foundation from MOST and NSF(China).

Toward optimized light utilization in nanowire arrays using scalable nanosphere lithography and selected area growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Madaria, Anuj R; Yao, Maoqing; Chi, Chunyung; Huang, Ningfeng; Lin, Chenxi; Li, Ruijuan; Povinelli, Michelle L; Dapkus, P Daniel; Zhou, Chongwu

2012-06-13

Vertically aligned, catalyst-free semiconducting nanowires hold great potential for photovoltaic applications, in which achieving scalable synthesis and optimized optical absorption simultaneously is critical. Here, we report combining nanosphere lithography (NSL) and selected area metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (SA-MOCVD) for the first time for scalable synthesis of vertically aligned gallium arsenide nanowire arrays, and surprisingly, we show that such nanowire arrays with patterning defects due to NSL can be as good as highly ordered nanowire arrays in terms of optical absorption and reflection. Wafer-scale patterning for nanowire synthesis was done using a polystyrene nanosphere template as a mask. Nanowires grown from substrates patterned by NSL show similar structural features to those patterned using electron beam lithography (EBL). Reflection of photons from the NSL-patterned nanowire array was used as a measure of the effect of defects present in the structure. Experimentally, we show that GaAs nanowires as short as 130 nm show reflection of <10% over the visible range of the solar spectrum. Our results indicate that a highly ordered nanowire structure is not necessary: despite the "defects" present in NSL-patterned nanowire arrays, their optical performance is similar to "defect-free" structures patterned by more costly, time-consuming EBL methods. Our scalable approach for synthesis of vertical semiconducting nanowires can have application in high-throughput and low-cost optoelectronic devices, including solar cells.

Synthesis of vertical arrays of ultra long ZnO nanowires on noncrystalline substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Bong Jun; Lee, Kyung Moon; Shin, Hae-Young; Kim, Jinwoong; Liu, Jinzhang; Yoon, Seokhyun; Lee, Soonil; Ahn, Y.H.; Park, Ji-Yong

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Arrays of vertical ultra-long ZnO nanowires with lengths upto 300 μm. ► Controls of lengths and diameters of vertical arrays of ZnO nanowires on SiO 2 substrates. ► Luminescent and electrical properties of ZnO nanowires prepared with different growth conditions. - Abstract: Vertically aligned arrays of ultralong ZnO nanowires were synthesized on SiO 2 substrates with carbothermal vapor phase transport method with Au seeding layer. High density of vertically aligned ZnO nanowires with lengths from a few to ∼300 μm could be grown by controlling growth conditions. Supply of high concentration of Zn vapor and control of the ratio between Zn vapor and oxygen are found to have the most significant effects on the growth of long ZnO nanowires in the vapor–solid growth mechanism. The nanowires are of high crystalline quality as confirmed by various structural, compositional, and luminescent measurements. Luminescent and electrical properties of ZnO nanowires with different growth conditions were also investigated.

MnO{sub 2} nanotube and nanowire arrays by electrochemical deposition for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Hui; Feng, Jinkui; Wang, Hailong; Lai, Man On; Lu, Li [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2010-07-01

Highly ordered MnO{sub 2} nanotube and nanowire arrays are successfully synthesized via a electrochemical deposition technique using porous alumina templates. The morphologies and microstructures of the MnO{sub 2} nanotube and nanowire arrays are investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Electrochemical characterization demonstrates that the MnO{sub 2} nanotube array electrode has superior capacitive behaviour to that of the MnO{sub 2} nanowire array electrode. In addition to high specific capacitance, the MnO{sub 2} nanotube array electrode also exhibits good rate capability and good cycling stability, which makes it promising candidate for supercapacitors. (author)

A Stable Flexible Silicon Nanowire Array as Anode for High-Performance Lithium-ion Batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jiantao; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Bingchang; Wang, Yao; Lu, Shigang; Zhang, Xiaohong

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A flexible SiNW array in PDMS structure is designed and fabricated as Li-ion battery anode material. • The aggregation and fracture of SiNWs are alleviated by the flexible PDMS skeleton during the process of charge and discharge. • The loose SiO 2 shells coating on the SiNWscould form the protective layer in charge/discharge. • The as-obtain flexible SiNW array/PDMS composite exhibits a much better cycling stability. - Abstract: A Silicon nanowire (SiNW) array inserted into flexible poly-dimethylsiloxane (SiNW array/PDMS) composite structure as anode with high capacity and long-term cycling stability is synthesized by a cost-effective and scalable method. In this structure, the aggregation and fracture of SiNWs are alleviated by the flexible PDMS skeleton. Act as the main active component, the SiNWs are coated by loose SiO 2 shells. These loose SiO 2 shells not only provide space for the large volume changes of SiNW, but also react with the electrolyte and form the stable protective layer during the processes of the lithiation and delithiation. These two functions could improve the cycling stability and columbic efficiency of the SiNWs. The as-obtain flexible SiNW array/PDMS composite structure exhibits excellent long-term cycling stability with a specific capacity of 887.2 mA·h·g −1 and capacity retention of ∼83.4% over 350 cycles at 0.5 C rate compared with the fifteenth cycle. The design of this new structure provides a potential way for developing other functional composite materials

Writing and functionalisation of suspended DNA nanowires on superhydrophobic pillar arrays

KAUST Repository

Miele, Ermanno; Accardo, Angelo; Falqui, Andrea; Marini, Monica; Giugni, Andrea; Leoncini, Marco; De Angelis, Francesco De; Krahne, Roman; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.

2014-01-01

Nanowire arrays and networks with precisely controlled patterns are very interesting for innovative device concepts in mesoscopic physics. In particular, DNA templates have proven to be versatile for the fabrication of complex structures that obtained functionality via combinations with other materials, for example by functionalisation with molecules or nanoparticles, or by coating with metals. Here, the controlled motion of the a three-phase contact line (TCL) of DNA-loaded drops on superhydrophobic substrates is used to fabricate suspended nanowire arrays. In particular, the deposition of DNA wires is imaged in situ, and different patterns are obtained on hexagonal pillar arrays by controlling the TCL velocity and direction. Robust conductive wires and networks are achieved by coating the wires with a thin layer of gold, and as proof of concept conductivity measurements are performed on single suspended wires. The plastic material of the superhydrophobic pillars ensures electrical isolation from the substrate. The more general versatility of these suspended nanowire networks as functional templates is outlined by fabricating hybrid organic-metal-semiconductor nanowires by growing ZnO nanocrystals onto the metal-coated nanowires.

Writing and functionalisation of suspended DNA nanowires on superhydrophobic pillar arrays

KAUST Repository

Miele, Ermanno

2014-08-08

Nanowire arrays and networks with precisely controlled patterns are very interesting for innovative device concepts in mesoscopic physics. In particular, DNA templates have proven to be versatile for the fabrication of complex structures that obtained functionality via combinations with other materials, for example by functionalisation with molecules or nanoparticles, or by coating with metals. Here, the controlled motion of the a three-phase contact line (TCL) of DNA-loaded drops on superhydrophobic substrates is used to fabricate suspended nanowire arrays. In particular, the deposition of DNA wires is imaged in situ, and different patterns are obtained on hexagonal pillar arrays by controlling the TCL velocity and direction. Robust conductive wires and networks are achieved by coating the wires with a thin layer of gold, and as proof of concept conductivity measurements are performed on single suspended wires. The plastic material of the superhydrophobic pillars ensures electrical isolation from the substrate. The more general versatility of these suspended nanowire networks as functional templates is outlined by fabricating hybrid organic-metal-semiconductor nanowires by growing ZnO nanocrystals onto the metal-coated nanowires.

Study of residual gas adsorption on GaN nanowire arrays photocathode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Sihao; Liu, Lei, E-mail: liu1133_cn@sina.com.cn; Diao, Yu; Kong, Yike

2017-05-01

Highlights: • H{sub 2}O is more easily to absorb on the nanowire surface. • The work function increase after residual gas adsorption. • Bandgaps of the nanowire increase slightly. • Absorption coefficient is reduced and moves to higher energy side. - Abstract: In order to find out the influences of residual gas on GaN nanowire arrays photocathode, the optoelectronic properties of adsorption system are calculated on the basis of first principles. Results suggest that the residual gas adsorption will increase the work function and introduce a dipole moment with a direction from the nanowire to the adsorbates. The surface structures are changed and electrons transfer from nanowire to gas molecule. The bandgaps are enhanced after adsorption. Besides, the peak of absorption coefficients is reduced and moves to higher energy side. It is discovered that residual gas will drastically degrade the characteristics and lifetime of GaN nanowire arrays photocathode.

On the core-mass-shell-luminosity relation for shell-burning stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffery, C.S.; Saint Andrews Univ.

1988-01-01

Core-mass-shell-luminosity relations for several types of shell-burning star have been calculated using simultaneous differential equations derived from simple homology approximations. The principal objective of obtaining a mass-luminosity relation for helium giants was achieved. This relation gives substantially higher luminosities than the equivalent relation for H-shell stars with core masses greater than 1 solar mass. The algorithm for calculating mass-luminosity relations in this fashion was investigated in detail. Most of the assumptions regarding the physics in the shell do not play a critical role in determining the core-mass-shell-luminosity relation. The behaviour of the core-mass-core-radius relation for a growing degenerate core as a single unique function of mass and growth rate needs to be defined before a single core-mass-shell-luminosity relation for all H-shell stars can be obtained directly from the homology approximations. (author)

Epitaxial TiO 2/SnO 2 core-shell heterostructure by atomic layer deposition

KAUST Repository

Nie, Anmin

2012-01-01

Taking TiO 2/SnO 2 core-shell nanowires (NWs) as a model system, we systematically investigate the structure and the morphological evolution of this heterostructure synthesized by atomic layer deposition/epitaxy (ALD/ALE). All characterizations, by X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and Raman spectra, reveal that single crystalline rutile TiO 2 shells can be epitaxially grown on SnO 2 NWs with an atomically sharp interface at low temperature (250 °C). The growth behavior of the TiO 2 shells highly depends on the surface orientations and the geometrical shape of the core SnO 2 NW cross-section. Atomically smooth surfaces are found for growth on the {110} surface. Rough surfaces develop on {100} surfaces due to (100) - (1 × 3) reconstruction, by introducing steps in the [010] direction as a continuation of {110} facets. Lattice mismatch induces superlattice structures in the TiO 2 shell and misfit dislocations along the interface. Conformal epitaxial growth has been observed for SnO 2 NW cores with an octagonal cross-section ({100} and {110} surfaces). However, for a rectangular core ({101} and {010} surfaces), the shell also derives an octagonal shape from the epitaxial growth, which was explained by a proposed model based on ALD kinetics. The surface steps and defects induced by the lattice mismatch likely lead to improved photoluminescence (PL) performance for the yellow emission. Compared to the pure SnO 2 NWs, the PL spectrum of the core-shell nanostructures exhibits a stronger emission peak, which suggests potential applications in optoelectronics. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.

Template-assisted fabrication of tin and antimony based nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zaraska, Leszek; Kurowska, Elżbieta; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-10-01

Antimony nanowires with diameters ranging from 35 nm to 320 nm were successfully prepared by simple, galvanostatic electrodeposition inside the pores of anodic alumina membranes from a citrate based electrolyte. The use of the potassium antimonyl tartrate electrolyte for electrodeposition results in the formation of Sb/Sb2O3 nanowires. The structural features of the nanowire arrays were investigated by FE-SEM, and the nanowire composition was confirmed by EDS and XRD measurements. A distinct peak at about 27.5° in the XRD pattern recorded for nanowires formed in the tartrate electrolyte was attributed to the presence of co-deposited Sb2O3. Three types of dense arrays of Sn-SnSb nanowires with diameters ranging from 82 nm to 325 nm were also synthesized by DC galvanostatic electrodeposition into the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes for the first time. Only Sn and SnSb peaks appeared in the XRD pattern and both phases seem to have a relatively high degree of crystallinity. The influence of current density applied during electrodeposition on the composition of nanowires was investigated. It was found that the Sb content in fabricated nanowires decreases with increasing current density. The diameters of all synthesized nanowires roughly correspond to the dimensions of the nanochannels of AAO templates used for electrodeposition.

Engineered inorganic core/shell nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mélinon, Patrice, E-mail: patrice.melinon@univ-lyon1.fr [Institut Lumière matière Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 et CNRS et OMNT, Domaine Scientifique de la Doua, Bâtiment Léon Brillouin, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, F 69622 Villeurbanne (France); Begin-Colin, Sylvie [IPCMS et OMNT, 23 rue du Loess BP 43, 67034 STRASBOURG Cedex 2 (France); Duvail, Jean Luc [IMN UMR 6502 et OMNT Campus Sciences : 2 rue de la Houssinire, BP32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex3 (France); Gauffre, Fabienne [SPM et OMNT : Institut des sciences chimiques de Rennes - UMR 6226, 263 Avenue du General Leclerc, CS 74205, 35042 RENNES Cedex (France); Boime, Nathalie Herlin [IRAMIS-NIMBE, Laboratoire Francis Perrin (CEA CNRS URA 2453) et OMNT, Bat 522, CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex (France); Ledoux, Gilles [Institut Lumière Matière Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 et CNRS et OMNT, Domaine Scientifique de la Doua, Bâtiment Alfred Kastler 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918 F 69622 Villeurbanne (France); Plain, Jérôme [Universit de technologie de Troyes LNIO-ICD, CNRS et OMNT 12 rue Marie Curie - CS 42060 - 10004 Troyes cedex (France); Reiss, Peter [CEA Grenoble, INAC-SPrAM, UMR 5819 CEA-CNRS-UJF et OMNT, Grenoble cedex 9 (France); Silly, Fabien [CEA, IRAMIS, SPEC, TITANS, CNRS 2464 et OMNT, F-91191 Gif sur Yvette (France); Warot-Fonrose, Bénédicte [CEMES-CNRS, Université de Toulouse et OMNT, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig F 31055 Toulouse (France)

2014-10-20

It has been for a long time recognized that nanoparticles are of great scientific interest as they are effectively a bridge between bulk materials and atomic structures. At first, size effects occurring in single elements have been studied. More recently, progress in chemical and physical synthesis routes permitted the preparation of more complex structures. Such structures take advantages of new adjustable parameters including stoichiometry, chemical ordering, shape and segregation opening new fields with tailored materials for biology, mechanics, optics magnetism, chemistry catalysis, solar cells and microelectronics. Among them, core/shell structures are a particular class of nanoparticles made with an inorganic core and one or several inorganic shell layer(s). In earlier work, the shell was merely used as a protective coating for the core. More recently, it has been shown that it is possible to tune the physical properties in a larger range than that of each material taken separately. The goal of the present review is to discuss the basic properties of the different types of core/shell nanoparticles including a large variety of heterostructures. We restrict ourselves on all inorganic (on inorganic/inorganic) core/shell structures. In the light of recent developments, the applications of inorganic core/shell particles are found in many fields including biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. In addition to a representative overview of the properties, general concepts based on solid state physics are considered for material selection and for identifying criteria linking the core/shell structure and its resulting properties. Chemical and physical routes for the synthesis and specific methods for the study of core/shell nanoparticle are briefly discussed.

Uniaxial Magnetization Performance of Textured Fe Nanowire Arrays Electrodeposited by a Pulsed Potential Deposition Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Neetzel, C.; Ohgai, T.; Yanai, T.; Nakano, M.; Fukunaga, H.

2017-11-01

Textured ferromagnetic Fe nanowire arrays were electrodeposited using a rectangular-pulsed potential deposition technique into anodized aluminum oxide nanochannels. During the electrodeposition of Fe nanowire arrays at a cathodic potential of - 1.2 V, the growth rate of the nanowires was ca. 200 nm s-1. The aspect ratio of Fe nanowires with a diameter of 30 ± 5 nm reached ca. 2000. The long axis of Fe nanowires corresponded with the direction when a large overpotential during the on-time pulse was applied, whereas it orientated to the direction under the potentiostatic condition with a small overpotential. By shifting the on-time cathode potential up to - 1.8 V, the texture coefficient for the (200) plane, TC200, reached up to 1.94. Perpendicular magnetization performance was observed in Fe nanowire arrays. With increasing TC200, the squareness of Fe nanowire arrays increased up to 0.95 with the coercivity maintained at 1.4 kOe at room temperature. This research result has opened a novel possibility of Fe nanowire arrays that can be applied for a new permanent magnetic material without rare-earth metals.

Emission enhancement, light extraction and carrier dynamics in InGaAs/GaAs nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Kivisaari, Pyry; Chen, Yang; Anttu, Nicklas

2018-03-01

Nanowires (NWs) have the potential for a wide range of new optoelectronic applications. For example, light-emitting diodes that span over the whole visible spectrum are currently being developed from NWs to overcome the well known green gap problem. However, due to their small size, NW devices exhibit special properties that complicate their analysis, characterization, and further development. In this paper, we develop a full optoelectronic simulation tool for NW array light emitters accounting for carrier transport and wave-optical emission enhancement (EE), and we use the model to simulate InGaAs/GaAs NW array light emitters with different geometries and temperatures. Our results show that NW arrays emit light preferentially to certain angles depending on the NW diameter and temperature, encouraging temperature- and angle-resolved measurements of NW array light emission. On the other hand, based on our results both the EE and light extraction efficiency can easily change by at least a factor of two between room temperature and 77 K, complicating the characterization of NW light emitters if conventional methods are used. Finally, simulations accounting for surface recombination emphasize its major effect on the device performance. For example, a surface recombination velocity of 104 cm s-1 reported earlier for bare InGaAs surfaces results in internal quantum efficiencies less than 30% for small-diameter NWs even at the temperature of 30 K. This highlights that core-shell structures or high-quality passivation techniques are eventually needed to achieve efficient NW-based light emitters.

Smart Construction of Integrated CNTs/Li4Ti5O12 Core/Shell Arrays with Superior High-Rate Performance for Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhujun; Xia, Xinhui; Zhou, Cheng-Ao; Zhong, Yu; Wang, Yadong; Deng, Shengjue; Wang, Weiqi; Wang, Xiuli; Tu, Jiangping

2018-03-01

Exploring advanced high-rate anodes is of great importance for the development of next-generation high-power lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, novel carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) core/shell arrays on carbon cloth (CC) as integrated high-quality anode are constructed via a facile combined chemical vapor deposition-atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. ALD-synthesized LTO is strongly anchored on the CNTs' skeleton forming core/shell structures with diameters of 70-80 nm the combined advantages including highly conductive network, large surface area, and strong adhesion are obtained in the CC-LTO@CNTs core/shell arrays. The electrochemical performance of the CC-CNTs/LTO electrode is completely studied as the anode of LIBs and it shows noticeable high-rate capability (a capacity of 169 mA h g -1 at 1 C and 112 mA h g -1 at 20 C), as well as a stable cycle life with a capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles at 10 C, which is much better than the CC-LTO counterpart. Meanwhile, excellent cycling stability is also demonstrated for the full cell with LiFePO 4 cathode and CC-CNTs/LTO anode (87% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 10 C). These positive features suggest their promising application in high-power energy storage areas.

Smart Construction of Integrated CNTs/Li4Ti5O12 Core/Shell Arrays with Superior High‐Rate Performance for Application in Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhujun; Zhou, Cheng‐ao; Zhong, Yu; Wang, Yadong; Deng, Shengjue; Wang, Weiqi; Wang, Xiuli

2018-01-01

Abstract Exploring advanced high‐rate anodes is of great importance for the development of next‐generation high‐power lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Here, novel carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) core/shell arrays on carbon cloth (CC) as integrated high‐quality anode are constructed via a facile combined chemical vapor deposition–atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. ALD‐synthesized LTO is strongly anchored on the CNTs' skeleton forming core/shell structures with diameters of 70–80 nm the combined advantages including highly conductive network, large surface area, and strong adhesion are obtained in the CC‐LTO@CNTs core/shell arrays. The electrochemical performance of the CC‐CNTs/LTO electrode is completely studied as the anode of LIBs and it shows noticeable high‐rate capability (a capacity of 169 mA h g−1 at 1 C and 112 mA h g−1 at 20 C), as well as a stable cycle life with a capacity retention of 86% after 5000 cycles at 10 C, which is much better than the CC‐LTO counterpart. Meanwhile, excellent cycling stability is also demonstrated for the full cell with LiFePO4 cathode and CC‐CNTs/LTO anode (87% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 10 C). These positive features suggest their promising application in high‐power energy storage areas. PMID:29593977

Fabrication and Photovoltaic Characteristics of Coaxial Silicon Nanowire Solar Cells Prepared by Wet Chemical Etching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chien-Wei Liu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nanostructured solar cells with coaxial p-n junction structures have strong potential to enhance the performances of the silicon-based solar cells. This study demonstrates a radial junction silicon nanowire (RJSNW solar cell that was fabricated simply and at low cost using wet chemical etching. Experimental results reveal that the reflectance of the silicon nanowires (SNWs declines as their length increases. The excellent light trapping was mainly associated with high aspect ratio of the SNW arrays. A conversion efficiency of ∼7.1% and an external quantum efficiency of ∼64.6% at 700 nm were demonstrated. Control of etching time and diffusion conditions holds great promise for the development of future RJSNW solar cells. Improving the electrode/RJSNW contact will promote the collection of carries in coaxial core-shell SNW array solar cells.

Tunable absorption resonances in the ultraviolet for InP nanowire arrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Aghaeipour, Mahtab; Anttu, Nicklas; Nylund, Gustav; Samuelson, Lars; Lehmann, Sebastian; Pistol, Mats-Erik

2014-11-17

The ability to tune the photon absorptance spectrum is an attracting way of tailoring the response of devices like photodetectors and solar cells. Here, we measure the reflectance spectra of InP substrates patterned with arrays of vertically standing InP nanowires. Using the reflectance spectra, we calculate and analyze the corresponding absorptance spectra of the nanowires. We show that we can tune absorption resonances for the nanowire arrays into the ultraviolet by decreasing the diameter of the nanowires. When we compare our measurements with electromagnetic modeling, we generally find good agreement. Interestingly, the remaining differences between modeled and measured spectra are attributed to a crystal-phase dependence in the refractive index of InP. Specifically, we find indication of significant differences in the refractive index between the modeled zinc-blende InP nanowires and the measured wurtzite InP nanowires in the ultraviolet. We believe that such crystal-phase dependent differences in the refractive index affect the possibility to excite optical resonances in the large wavelength range of 345 InP nanowire-based solar cells and photodetectors.

Cell membrane conformation at vertical nanowire array interface revealed by fluorescence imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berthing, Trine; Bonde, Sara; Rostgaard, Katrine R; Martinez, Karen L; Madsen, Morten Hannibal; Sørensen, Claus B; Nygård, Jesper

2012-01-01

The perspectives offered by vertical arrays of nanowires for biosensing applications in living cells depend on the access of individual nanowires to the cell interior. Recent results on electrical access and molecular delivery suggest that direct access is not always obtained. Here, we present a generic approach to directly visualize the membrane conformation of living cells interfaced with nanowire arrays, with single nanowire resolution. The method combines confocal z-stack imaging with an optimized cell membrane labelling strategy which was applied to HEK293 cells interfaced with 2–11 μm long and 3–7 μm spaced nanowires with various surface coatings (bare, aminosilane-coated or polyethyleneimine-coated indium arsenide). We demonstrate that, for all commonly used nanowire lengths, spacings and surface coatings, nanowires generally remain enclosed in a membrane compartment, and are thereby not in direct contact with the cell interior. (paper)

Quantitative measurements of C-reactive protein using silicon nanowire arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-Ho Lee

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Min-Ho Lee, Kuk-Nyung Lee, Suk-Won Jung, Won-Hyo Kim, Kyu-Sik Shin, Woo-Kyeong SeongKorea Electronics Technology Institute, Gyeonggi, KoreaAbstract: A silicon nanowire-based sensor for biological application showed highly desirable electrical responses to either pH changes or receptor-ligand interactions such as protein disease markers, viruses, and DNA hybridization. Furthermore, because the silicon nanowire can display results in real-time, it may possess superior characteristics for biosensing than those demonstrated in previously studied methods. However, despite its promising potential and advantages, certain process-related limitations of the device, due to its size and material characteristics, need to be addressed. In this article, we suggest possible solutions. We fabricated silicon nanowire using a top-down and low cost micromachining method, and evaluate the sensing of molecules after transfer and surface modifications. Our newly designed method can be used to attach highly ordered nanowires to various substrates, to form a nanowire array device, which needs to follow a series of repetitive steps in conventional fabrication technology based on a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS method. For evaluation, we demonstrated that our newly fabricated silicon nanowire arrays could detect pH changes as well as streptavidin-biotin binding events. As well as the initial proof-of-principle studies, C-reactive protein binding was measured: electrical signals were changed in a linear fashion with the concentration (1 fM to 1 nM in PBS containing 1.37 mM of salts. Finally, to address the effects of Debye length, silicon nanowires coupled with antigen proteins underwent electrical signal changes as the salt concentration changed.Keywords: silicon nanowire array, C-reactive protein, vapor-liquid-solid method

Synthesis and high catalytic properties of mesoporous Pt nanowire array by novel conjunct template method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yi; Xu, Cai-Ling; Kong, Ling-Bin; Li, Hu-Lin

2008-12-01

A novel conjunct template method for fabricating mesoporous Pt nanowire array through direct current (DC) electrodeposition of Pt into the pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template on Ti/Si substrate from hexagonal structured lyotropic liquid crystalline phase is demonstrated in this paper. The morphology and structure of as-prepared Pt nanowire array are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrocatalytic properties of Pt nanowire array for methanol are also investigated in detail. The results indicate that Pt nanowire array has the unique mesoporous structure of approximate 40-50 nm in diameter, which resulted in the high surface area and greatly improved electrocatalytic activity for methanol. The mesoporous Pt nanowire array synthesized by the new conjunct template method has a very promising application in portable fuel cell power sources.

Amperometric Morphine Detection Using Pt-Co Alloy Nanowire Array-modified Electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao, Manlan; Xu, Feng; Li, Yueting; Xu, Quanqing; Chang, Yanbing; Yang, Yunhui; Wu, Zaisheng

2010-01-01

Pt-Co alloy nanowire array was directly synthesized by electrochemical deposition with polycarbonate template at -1.0V and subsequent chemical etching of the template. The use of Pt-Co alloy nanowire array-modified electrode (Pt- Co NAE) for the determination of morphine (MO) is described. The morphology of the Pt-Co alloy nanowire array has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy disperse X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis), respectively. The resulting Pt-Co NAE offered a linear amperometric response for morphine ranging from 2.35 x 10 -5 to 2.39 x 10 -3 M with a detection limit of 7.83 x 10 -6 M at optimum conditions. This sensor displayed high sensitivity and long-term stability

Semiconductor nanowires and templates for electronic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ying, Xiang

2009-07-15

This thesis starts by developing a platform for the organized growth of nanowires directly on a planar substrate. For this, a method to fabricate horizontal porous alumina membranes is studied. The second part of the thesis focuses on the study of nanowires. It starts by the understanding of the growth mechanisms of germanium nanowires and follows by the structural and electrical properties at the single nanowire level. Horizontally aligned porous anodic alumina (PAA) was used as a template for the nanowire synthesis. Three PAA arrangements were studied: - high density membranes - micron-sized fingers - multi-contacts Membranes formed by a high density of nanopores were obtained by anodizing aluminum thin films. Metallic and semiconducting nanowires were synthesized into the PAA structures via DC deposition, pulsed electro-depostion and CVD growth. The presence of gold, copper, indium, nickel, tellurium, and silicon nanowires inside PAA templates was verified by SEM and EDX analysis. Further, room-temperature transport measurements showed that the pores are completely filled till the bottom of the pores. In this dissertation, single crystalline and core-shell germanium nanowires are synthesized using indium and bismuth as catalyst in a chemical vapor deposition procedure with germane (GeH{sub 4}) as growth precursor. A systematic growth study has been performed to obtain high aspect-ratio germanium nanowires. The influence of the growth conditions on the final morphology and the crystalline structure has been determined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In the case of indium catalyzed germanium nanowires, two different structures were identified: single crystalline and crystalline core-amorphous shell. The preferential growth axis of both kinds of nanowires is along the [110] direction. The occurrence of the two morphologies was found to only depend on the nanowire dimension. In the case of bismuth

Sidewall coring shell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edelman, Ya A; Konstantinov, L P; Martyshin, A N

1966-12-12

A sidewall coring shell consists of a housing and a detachable core catcher. The core lifter is provided with projections, the ends of which are situated in another plane, along the longitudinal axis of the lifter. The chamber has corresponding projections.

Hybrid heterojunction solar cell based on organic-inorganic silicon nanowire array architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xiaojuan; Sun, Baoquan; Liu, Dong; Lee, Shuit-Tong

2011-12-07

Silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWs) on a planar silicon wafer can be fabricated by a simple metal-assisted wet chemical etching method. They can offer an excellent light harvesting capability through light scattering and trapping. In this work, we demonstrated that the organic-inorganic solar cell based on hybrid composites of conjugated molecules and SiNWs on a planar substrate yielded an excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.70%. The high efficiency was ascribed to two aspects: one was the improvement of the light absorption by SiNWs structure on the planar components; the other was the enhancement of charge extraction efficiency, resulting from the novel top contact by forming a thin organic layer shell around the individual silicon nanowire. On the contrary, the sole planar junction solar cell only exhibited a PCE of 6.01%, due to the lower light trapping capability and the less hole extraction efficiency. It indicated that both the SiNWs structure and the thin organic layer top contact were critical to achieve a high performance organic/silicon solar cell. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Plasmon resonant cavities in vertical nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Bora, Mihail; Bond, Tiziana C.; Fasenfest, Benjamin J.; Behymer, Elaine M.

2014-07-15

Tunable plasmon resonant cavity arrays in paired parallel nanowire waveguides are presented. Resonances can be observed when the waveguide length is an odd multiple of quarter plasmon wavelengths, consistent with boundary conditions of node and antinode at the ends. Two nanowire waveguides can satisfy the dispersion relation of a planar metal-dielectric-metal waveguide of equivalent width equal to the square field average weighted gap. Confinement factors of over 10.sup.3 are possible due to plasmon focusing in the inter-wire space.

Ge/Si core/shell quantum dots in alumina: tuning the optical absorption by the core and shell size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nekić Nikolina

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Ge/Si core/shell quantum dots (QDs recently received extensive attention due to their specific properties induced by the confinement effects of the core and shell structure. They have a type II confinement resulting in spatially separated charge carriers, the electronic structure strongly dependent on the core and shell size. Herein, the experimental realization of Ge/Si core/shell QDs with strongly tunable optical properties is demonstrated. QDs embedded in an amorphous alumina glass matrix are produced by simple magnetron sputtering deposition. In addition, they are regularly arranged within the matrix due to their self-assembled growth regime. QDs with different Ge core and Si shell sizes are made. These core/shell structures have a significantly stronger absorption compared to pure Ge QDs and a highly tunable absorption peak dependent on the size of the core and shell. The optical properties are in agreement with recent theoretical predictions showing the dramatic influence of the shell size on optical gap, resulting in 0.7 eV blue shift for only 0.4 nm decrease at the shell thickness. Therefore, these materials are very promising for light-harvesting applications.

Plasmon-polariton modes of dense Au nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Hongdan; Lemmens, Peter; Wulferding, Dirk; Cetin, Mehmet Fatih [IPKM, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany); Tornow, Sabine; Zwicknagl, Gertrud [IMP, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany); Krieg, Ulrich; Pfnuer, Herbert [IFP, LU Hannover (Germany); Daum, Winfried; Lilienkamp, Gerhard [IEPT, TU Clausthal (Germany); Schilling, Meinhard [EMG, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany)

2011-07-01

Using optical absorption and other techniques we study plasmon-polariton modes of dense Au nanowire arrays as function of geometrical parameters and coupling to molecular degrees of freedom. For this instance we electrochemically deposit Au nanowires in porous alumina with well controlled morphology and defect concentration. Transverse and longitudinal modes are observed in the absorption spectra resulting from the anisotropic plasmonic structure. The longitudinal mode shows a blue shift of energy with increasing length of the wires due to the more collective nature of this response. We compare our observations with model calculations and corresponding results on 2D Ag nanowire lattices.

n-GaAs/InGaP/p-GaAs core-multishell nanowire diodes for efficient light-to-current conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutsche, Christoph; Lysov, Andrey; Regolin, Ingo; Keller, Gregor; Prost, Werner; Tegude, Franz-Josef [Department of Solid-State Electronics and CeNIDE University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg (Germany); Braam, Daniel; Li, Zi-An; Geller, Martin; Spasova, Marina [Department of Experimental Physics and CeNIDE University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg (Germany)

2012-03-07

Heterostructure n-GaAs/InGaP/p-GaAs core-multishell nanowire diodes are synthesized by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy. This structure allows a reproducible, selective wet etching of the individual shells and therefore a simplified contacting of single nanowire p-i-n junctions. Nanowire diodes show leakage currents in a low pA range and at a high rectification ratio of 3500 (at {+-}1V). Pronounced electroluminescence at 1.4 eV is measured at room temperature and gives evidence of the device quality. Photocurrent generation is demonstrated at the complete area of the nanowire p-i-n junction by scanning photocurrent microscopy. A solar-conversion efficiency of 4.7%, an open-circuit voltage of 0.5 V and a fill factor of 52% are obtained under AM 1.5G conditions. These results will guide the development of nanowire-based photonic and photovoltaic devices. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Electrochemical fabrication of CdS/Co nanowire arrays in porous aluminum oxide templates

CERN Document Server

Yoon, C H

2002-01-01

A procedure for preparing semiconductor/metal nanowire arrays is described, based on a template method which entails electrochemical deposition into nanometer-wide parallel pores of anodic aluminum oxide films on aluminum. Aligned CdS/Co heterostructured nanowires have been prepared by ac electrodeposition in the anodic aluminum oxide templates. By varying the preparation conditions, a variety of CdS/Co nanowire arrays were fabricated, whose dimensional properties could be adjusted.

Geometric screening of core/shell hydrogel microcapsules using a tapered microchannel with interdigitated electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Ye; Qi, Lin; Zhang, Fen; Zhao, Yi

2018-07-30

Core/shell hydrogel microcapsules attract increasing research attention due to their potentials in tissue engineering, food engineering, and drug delivery. Current approaches for generating core/shell hydrogel microcapsules suffer from large geometric variations. Geometrically defective core/shell microcapsules need to be removed before further use. High-throughput geometric characterization of such core/shell microcapsules is therefore necessary. In this work, a continuous-flow device was developed to measure the geometric properties of microcapsules with a hydrogel shell and an aqueous core. The microcapsules were pumped through a tapered microchannel patterned with an array of interdigitated microelectrodes. The geometric parameters (the shell thickness and the diameter) were derived from the displacement profiles of the microcapsules. The results show that this approach can successfully distinguish all unencapsulated microparticles. The geometric properties of core/shell microcapsules can be determined with high accuracy. The efficacy of this method was demonstrated through a drug releasing experiment where the optimization of the electrospray process based on geometric screening can lead to controlled and extended drug releasing profiles. This method does not require high-speed optical systems, simplifying the system configuration and making it an indeed miniaturized device. The throughput of up to 584 microcapsules per minute was achieved. This study provides a powerful tool for screening core/shell hydrogel microcapsules and is expected to facilitate the applications of these microcapsules in various fields. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superconductivity of a Sn film controlled by an array of Co nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Z.; Ye, Z.; Rathnayaka, K. D. D.; Lyuksyutov, I. F.; Wu, W.; Naugle, D. G.

2012-09-01

Superconducting properties of a hybrid structure composed of ferromagnetic Co nanowire arrays and a superconducting Sn film have been investigated. Ordered Co nanowires arrays with 60 nm, 150 nm and 200 nm diameter were electroplated into the pores of self organized Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membranes. Hysteretic dependence of the Sn film superconducting properties on applied magnetic field and critical current enhancement at moderate fields has been observed. This behavior strongly depends on the ratio of the Sn film thickness to the Co nanowire diameter.

Superconductivity of a Sn film controlled by an array of Co nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Z.; Ye, Z.; Rathnayaka, K.D.D.; Lyuksyutov, I.F.; Wu, W.; Naugle, D.G.

2012-01-01

Superconducting properties of a hybrid structure composed of ferromagnetic Co nanowire arrays and a superconducting Sn film have been investigated. Ordered Co nanowires arrays with 60 nm, 150 nm and 200 nm diameter were electroplated into the pores of self organized Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membranes. Hysteretic dependence of the Sn film superconducting properties on applied magnetic field and critical current enhancement at moderate fields has been observed. This behavior strongly depends on the ratio of the Sn film thickness to the Co nanowire diameter.

Tunable silver-shell dielectric core nano-beads array for thin-film solar cell application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chou Chau, Yuan-Fong, E-mail: a0920146302@gmail.com, E-mail: chou.fong@ubd.edu.bn; Lim, Chee Ming [Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Centre for Advanced Material and Energy Sciences (Brunei) (Brunei Darussalam); Chiang, Chien-Ying [National Taipei University of Technology, Department of Electro-Optical Engineering (China); Voo, Nyuk Yoong; Muhammad Idris, Nur Syafi’ie; Chai, Siew Ung [Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Centre for Advanced Material and Energy Sciences (Brunei) (Brunei Darussalam)

2016-04-15

The absorbance spectra of thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) can be enhanced by constructing the tunable periodic Ag-shell nano-bead (PASNB) arrays in the active material. In this paper, we investigated a plasmonic thin-film solar cell (TFSC) which composed of the arrays of PASNB deposited onto a crystalline silicon layer. By performing three-dimensional finite element method, we demonstrate that near field coupling among the PASNB arrays results in SPR modes with enhanced absorbance and field intensity. The proposed structure can significantly enhance the plasmonic activity in a wide range of incident light and enlarge working wavelength of absorbance in the range of near-UV, visible and near-infrared. We show that the sensitivity of the PASNB arrays reveals a linear relationship with the thickness of Ag-shell nano-bead (ASNB) for both the anti-bonding and bonding modes in the absorbance spectra. The broadband of absorbance spectra could be expanded as a wide range by varying the thickness of ASNB while the particle size is kept constant. Simulation results suggest this alternative scheme to the design and improvements on plasmonic enhanced TFSCs can be extended to other nanophotonic applications.

Porous Core-Shell Nanostructures for Catalytic Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Ewers, Trevor David

Porous core-shell nanostructures have recently received much attention for their enhanced thermal stability. They show great potential in the field of catalysis, as reactant gases can diffuse in and out of the porous shell while the core particle is protected from sintering, a process in which particles coalesce to form larger particles. Sintering is a large problem in industry and is the primary cause of irreversible deactivation. Despite the obvious advantages of high thermal stability, porous core-shell nanoparticles can be developed to have additional interactive properties from the combination of the core and shell together, rather than just the core particle alone. This dissertation focuses on developing new porous core-shell systems in which both the core and shell take part in catalysis. Two types of systems are explored; (1) yolk-shell nanostructures with reducible oxide shells formed using the Kirkendall effect and (2) ceramic-based porous oxide shells formed using sol-gel chemistry. Of the Kirkendall-based systems, Au FexOy and Cu CoO were synthesized and studied for catalytic applications. Additionally, ZnO was explored as a potential shelling material. Sol-gel work focused on optimizing synthetic methods to allow for coating of small gold particles, which remains a challenge today. Mixed metal oxides were explored as a shelling material to make dual catalysts in which the product of a reaction on the core particle becomes a reactant within the shell.

Constructing Ultrahigh-Capacity Zinc-Nickel-Cobalt Oxide@Ni(OH)2 Core-Shell Nanowire Arrays for High-Performance Coaxial Fiber-Shaped Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qichong; Xu, Weiwei; Sun, Juan; Pan, Zhenghui; Zhao, Jingxin; Wang, Xiaona; Zhang, Jun; Man, Ping; Guo, Jiabin; Zhou, Zhenyu; He, Bing; Zhang, Zengxing; Li, Qingwen; Zhang, Yuegang; Xu, Lai; Yao, Yagang

2017-12-13

Increased efforts have recently been devoted to developing high-energy-density flexible supercapacitors for their practical applications in portable and wearable electronics. Although high operating voltages have been achieved in fiber-shaped asymmetric supercapacitors (FASCs), low specific capacitance still restricts the further enhancement of their energy density. This article specifies a facile and cost-effective method to directly grow three-dimensionally well-aligned zinc-nickel-cobalt oxide (ZNCO)@Ni(OH) 2 nanowire arrays (NWAs) on a carbon nanotube fiber (CNTF) with an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 2847.5 F/cm 3 (10.678 F/cm 2 ) at a current density of 1 mA/cm 2 , These levels are approximately five times higher than those of ZNCO NWAs/CNTF electrodes (2.10 F/cm 2 ) and four times higher than Ni(OH) 2 /CNTF electrodes (2.55 F/cm 2 ). Benefiting from their unique features, we successfully fabricated a prototype coaxial FASC (CFASC) with a maximum operating voltage of 1.6 V, which was assembled by adopting ZNCO@Ni(OH) 2 NWAs/CNTF as the core electrode and a thin layer of carbon coated vanadium nitride (VN@C) NWAs on a carbon nanotube strip (CNTS) as the outer electrode with KOH poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the gel electrolyte. A high specific capacitance of 94.67 F/cm 3 (573.75 mF/cm 2 ) and an exceptional energy density of 33.66 mWh/cm 3 (204.02 μWh/cm 2 ) were achieved for our CFASC device, which represent the highest levels of fiber-shaped supercapacitors to date. More importantly, the fiber-shaped ZnO-based photodetector is powered by the integrated CFASC, and it demonstrates excellent sensitivity in detecting UV light. Thus, this work paves the way to the construction of ultrahigh-capacity electrode materials for next-generation wearable energy-storage devices.

Unit cell parameters of wurtzite InP nanowires determined by x-ray diffraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kriegner, D; Wintersberger, E; Kawaguchi, K; Wallentin, J; Borgström, M T; Stangl, J

2011-10-21

High resolution x-ray diffraction is used to study the structural properties of the wurtzite polytype of InP nanowires. Wurtzite InP nanowires are grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy using S-doping. From the evaluation of the Bragg peak position we determine the lattice parameters of the wurtzite InP nanowires. The unit cell dimensions are found to differ from the ones expected from geometric conversion of the cubic bulk InP lattice constant. The atomic distances along the c direction are increased whereas the atomic spacing in the a direction is reduced in comparison to the corresponding distances in the zinc-blende phase. Using core/shell nanowires with a thin core and thick nominally intrinsic shells we are able to determine the lattice parameters of wurtzite InP with a negligible influence of the S-doping due to the much larger volume in the shell. The determined material properties will enable the ab initio calculation of electronic and optical properties of wurtzite InP nanowires.

GISAXS and SAXS studies on the spatial structures of Co nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Weidong; Xing Xueqing; Wang Dehong; Gong Yu; Mo Guang; Cai Quan; Chen Zhongjun; Wu Zhonghua

2011-01-01

The spatial structures of magnetic Co nanowire array embedded in anodic aluminium membranes were investigated by grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and conventional small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. Compared with SEM observation, the GISAXS and SAXS measurements can get more overall structural information in a large-area scale. In this study, the two-dimensional GISAXS pattern was well reconstructed by using the IsGISAXS program. The results demonstrate that the hexagonal lattice formed by the Co nanowires is distorted (a≈105 nm, b≈95 nm). These Co nanowires are isolated into many structure domains with different orientations with a size of about 2 μm. The SAXS results have also confirmed that the nanopore structures in the AAM can be retained after depositing Co nanowires although the Co nanowires can not completely but only just fill up the nanopores. These results are helpful for understanding the global structure of the Co nanowire array. (authors)

Smart construction of polyaniline shell on cobalt oxides as integrated core-shell arrays for enhanced lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi, Meili; Xie, Dong; Zhong, Yu; Chen, Minghua; Xia, Xinhui

2017-01-01

Smart construction of advanced anode materials is extremely critical to develop high-performance lithium ion batteries. In this work, we have reported a facile strategy for fabricating Co 3 O 4 /polyaniline (PANI) core–shell arrays (CSAs) by chemical bath deposition (CBD) + electrodeposition methods Electrodeposited PANI shell is intimately decorated on the CBD-Co 3 O 4 nanorods forming composite CSAs. Highly conductive network and stress buffer layer are achieved with the aid of tailored PANI shell. Due to these advantages above, the designed Co 3 O 4 /PANI CSA S exhibit good electrochemical performance with higher reversible capacity (787 mAh g −1 ) and better cycle stability than the unmodified Co 3 O 4 counterpart. Our results show a new way for preparing advanced inorganic-organic composite electrodes for electrochemical energy storage.

Nanowire arrays restore vision in blind mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jing; Qin, Nan; Chong, Yan; Diao, Yupu; Yiliguma; Wang, Zhexuan; Xue, Tian; Jiang, Min; Zhang, Jiayi; Zheng, Gengfeng

2018-03-06

The restoration of light response with complex spatiotemporal features in retinal degenerative diseases towards retinal prosthesis has proven to be a considerable challenge over the past decades. Herein, inspired by the structure and function of photoreceptors in retinas, we develop artificial photoreceptors based on gold nanoparticle-decorated titania nanowire arrays, for restoration of visual responses in the blind mice with degenerated photoreceptors. Green, blue and near UV light responses in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are restored with a spatial resolution better than 100 µm. ON responses in RGCs are blocked by glutamatergic antagonists, suggesting functional preservation of the remaining retinal circuits. Moreover, neurons in the primary visual cortex respond to light after subretinal implant of nanowire arrays. Improvement in pupillary light reflex suggests the behavioral recovery of light sensitivity. Our study will shed light on the development of a new generation of optoelectronic toolkits for subretinal prosthetic devices.

Robust electrodes based on coaxial TiC/C-MnO2 core/shell nanofiber arrays with excellent cycling stability for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuming; Peng, Xiang; Li, Wan; Li, Limin; Gao, Biao; Wu, Guosong; Huo, Kaifu; Chu, Paul K

2015-04-17

A coaxial electrode structure composed of manganese oxide-decorated TiC/C core/shell nanofiber arrays is produced hydrothermally in a KMnO4 solution. The pristine TiC/C core/shell structure prepared on the Ti alloy substrate provides the self-sacrificing carbon shell and highly conductive TiC core, thus greatly simplifying the fabrication process without requiring an additional reduction source and conductive additive. The as-prepared electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 645 F g(-1) at a discharging current density of 1 A g(-1) attributable to the highly conductive TiC/C and amorphous MnO2 shell with fast ion diffusion. In the charging/discharging cycling test, the as-prepared electrode shows high stability and 99% capacity retention after 5000 cycles. Although the thermal treatment conducted on the as-prepared electrode decreases the initial capacitance, the electrode undergoes capacitance recovery through structural transformation from the crystalline cluster to layered birnessite type MnO2 nanosheets as a result of dissolution and further electrodeposition in the cycling. 96.5% of the initial capacitance is retained after 1000 cycles at high charging/discharging current density of 25 A g(-1). This study demonstrates a novel scaffold to construct MnO2 based SCs with high specific capacitance as well as excellent mechanical and cycling stability boding well for future design of high-performance MnO2-based SCs. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fabrication and optical properties of multishell InAs quantum dots on GaAs nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Xin; Zhang, Xia, E-mail: xzhang@bupt.edu.cn; Li, Junshuai; Cui, Jiangong; Ren, Xiaomin [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communications, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China)

2015-02-07

Hybrid nanostructures combining nanowires with quantum dots promote the development of nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices with integrated functionalities. In this work, we present a complex nanostructure with multishell quantum dots grown on nanowires. 1–4 shells of Stranski-Krastanov InAs quantum dots are grown on the sidewalls of GaAs nanowires by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Different dot shells are separated by 8 nm GaAs spacer shells. With increasing the number of shells, the quantum dots become sparser and tend to align in one array, which is caused by the shrinkage of facets on which dots prefer to grow as well as the strain fields produced by the lower set of dots which influences the migration of In adatoms. The size of quantum dots increases with the increase of shell number due to enhanced strain fields coupling. The spectra of multishell dots exhibit multiwavelength emission, and each peak corresponds to a dot shell. This hybrid structure may serve as a promising element in nanowire intermediate band solar cells, infrared nanolasers, and photodetectors.

Effects of Nanowire Length and Surface Roughness on the Electrochemical Sensor Properties of Nafion-Free, Vertically Aligned Pt Nanowire Array Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiyang Li

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper, vertically aligned Pt nanowire arrays (PtNWA with different lengths and surface roughnesses were fabricated and their electrochemical performance toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 detection was studied. The nanowire arrays were synthesized by electroplating Pt in nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO template. Different parameters, such as current density and deposition time, were precisely controlled to synthesize nanowires with different surface roughnesses and various lengths from 3 μm to 12 μm. The PtNWA electrodes showed better performance than the conventional electrodes modified by Pt nanowires randomly dispersed on the electrode surface. The results indicate that both the length and surface roughness can affect the sensing performance of vertically aligned Pt nanowire array electrodes. Generally, longer nanowires with rougher surfaces showed better electrochemical sensing performance. The 12 μm rough surface PtNWA presented the largest sensitivity (654 μA·mM−1·cm−2 among all the nanowires studied, and showed a limit of detection of 2.4 μM. The 12 μm rough surface PtNWA electrode also showed good anti-interference property from chemicals that are typically present in the biological samples such as ascorbic, uric acid, citric acid, and glucose. The sensing performance in real samples (river water was tested and good recovery was observed. These Nafion-free, vertically aligned Pt nanowires with surface roughness control show great promise as versatile electrochemical sensors and biosensors.

Antibacterial activity of single crystalline silver-doped anatase TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xiangyu, E-mail: zhangxiangyu@tyut.edu.cn; Li, Meng; He, Xiaojing; Hang, Ruiqiang; Huang, Xiaobo; Wang, Yueyue; Yao, Xiaohong; Tang, Bin, E-mail: tangbin@tyut.edu.cn

2016-05-30

Graphical abstract: The silver-doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays on titanium foil substrate were synthesized via a two-step process. It includes: deposition of AgTi films on titanium foil by magnetron sputtering; preparation of AgNW arrays on AgTi films via alkali (NaOH) hydrothermal treatment and ion-exchange with HCl, followed by calcinations. - Highlights: • Ag-doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays have been prepared by a duplex-treatment. • The duplex-treatment consisted of magnetron sputtering and hydrothermal growth. • Ag-doped nanowire arrays show excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli. - Abstract: Well-ordered, one-dimensional silver-doped anatase TiO{sub 2} nanowire (AgNW) arrays have been prepared through a hydrothermal growth process on the sputtering-deposited AgTi layers. Electron microscope analyses reveal that the as-synthesized AgNW arrays exhibit a single crystalline phase with highly uniform morphologies, diameters ranging from 85 to 95 nm, and lengths of about 11 μm. Silver is found to be doped into TiO{sub 2} nanowire evenly and mainly exists in the zerovalent state. The AgNW arrays show excellent efficient antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli), and all of the bacteria can be killed within 1 h. Additionally, the AgNW arrays can still kill E. coli after immersion for 60 days, suggesting the long-term antibacterial property. The technique reported here is environmental friendly for formation of silver-containing nanostructure without using any toxic organic solvents.

Ordered ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowire arrays prepared by seed-layer-assisted electrochemical deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Yu-Min; Pan, Chih-Huang; Wang, Sheng-Chang; Huang, Jow-Lay

2011-01-01

An Al-doped ZnO (AZO) seed layer is prepared on the back side of a porous alumina membrane (PAM) substrate by spin coating followed by annealing in a vacuum at 400 °C. Zinc oxide in ordered arrays mediated by a high aspect ratio and an ordered pore array of AZO/PAM is synthesized. The ZnO nanowire array is prepared via a 3-electrode electrochemical deposition process using ZnSO 4 and H 2 O 2 solutions at a potential of − 1 V (versus saturated calomel electrode) and temperatures of 65 and 80 °C. The microstructure and chemical composition of the AZO seed layer and ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowire arrays are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Results indicate that the ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowire arrays were assembled in the nanochannel of the porous alumina template with diameters of 110–140 nm. The crystallinity of the ZnO nanowires depends on the AZO seed layer during the annealing process. The nucleation and growth process of ZnO/AZO/PAM nanowires are interpreted by the seed-layer-assisted growth mechanism.

Highly stable supercapacitors with conducting polymer core-shell electrodes for energy storage applications

KAUST Repository

Xia, Chuan; Chen, Wei; Wang, Xianbin; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Wei, Nini; Alshareef, Husam N.

2015-01-01

commercial application. Here, the development of nanostructured PAni-RuO2 core-shell arrays as electrodes for highly stable pseudocapacitors with excellent energy storage performance is reported. A thin layer of RuO2 grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD

Generic nano-imprint process for fabrication of nanowire arrays

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pierret, A.; Hocevar, M.; Diedenhofen, S.L.; Algra, R.E.; Vlieg, E.; Timmering, E.C.; Verschuuren, M.A.; Immink, W.G.G.; Verheijen, M.A.; Bakkers, E.P.A.M.

2010-01-01

A generic process has been developed to grow nearly defect-free arrays of (heterostructured) InP and GaP nanowires. Soft nano-imprint lithography has been used to pattern gold particle arrays on full 2inch substrates. After lift-off organic residues remain on the surface, which induce the growth of

X-ray diffraction from single GaAs nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biermanns, Andreas

2012-11-12

In recent years, developments in X-ray focussing optics have allowed to produce highly intense, coherent X-ray beams with spot sizes in the range of 100 nm and below. Together with the development of new experimental stations, X-ray diffraction techniques can now be applied to study single nanometer-sized objects. In the present work, X-ray diffraction is applied to study different aspects of the epitaxial growth of GaAs nanowires. Besides conventional diffraction methods, which employ X-ray beams with dimensions of several tens of {mu}m, special emphasis lies on the use of nanodiffraction methods which allow to study single nanowires in their as-grown state without further preparation. In particular, coherent X-ray diffraction is applied to measure simultaneously the 3-dimensional shape and lattice parameters of GaAs nanowires grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. It is observed that due to a high density of zinc-blende rotational twins within the nanowires, their lattice parameter deviates systematically from the bulk zinc-blende phase. In a second step, the initial stage in the growth of GaAs nanowires on Si (1 1 1) surfaces is studied. This nanowires, obtained by Ga-assisted growth in molecular beam epitaxy, grow predominantly in the cubic zinc-blende structure, but contain inclusions of the hexagonal wurtzite phase close to their bottom interface. Using nanodiffraction methods, the position of the different structural units along the growth axis is determined. Because the GaAs lattice is 4% larger than silicon, these nanowires release their lattice mismatch by the inclusion of dislocations at the interface. Whereas NWs with diameters below 50 nm are free of strain, a rough interface structure in nanowires with diameters above 100 nm prevents a complete plastic relaxation, leading to a residual strain at the interface that decays elastically along the growth direction. Finally, measurements on GaAs-core/InAs-shell nanowire heterostructures are presented

Synthesis of parallel and antiparallel core-shell triangular nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharjee, Gourab; Satpati, Biswarup

2018-04-01

Core-shell triangular nanoparticles were synthesized by seed mediated growth. Using triangular gold (Au) nanoparticle as template, we have grown silver (Ag) shellto get core-shell nanoparticle. Here by changing the chemistry we have grown two types of core-shell structures where core and shell is having same symmetry and also having opposite symmetry. Both core and core-shell nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to know the crystal structure and composition of these synthesized core-shell nanoparticles. From diffraction pattern analysis and energy filtered TEM (EFTEM) we have confirmed the crystal facet in core is responsible for such two dimensional growth of core-shell nanostructures.

One-step synthesis of CdTe branched nanowires and nanorod arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Junwei; Yang Xiuchun; Lv Xiaoyi; Peng Dengfeng; Huang Min; Wang Qingyao

2011-01-01

Single crystalline CdTe branched nanowires and well-aligned nanorod arrays were simultaneously synthesized by a simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and selected area electronic diffraction (SAED) were used to study the crystalline structure, composition and morphology of different samples. Vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) and vapor-solid (VS) processes were proposed for the formation of the CdTe branched nanowires and nanorod arrays, respectively. As-grown CdTe nanorod arrays show a strong red emission band centered at about 620 nm, which can be well fitted by two Gaussian curves centered at 610 nm and 635 nm, respectively.

Superconducting Properties of Lead-Bismuth Films Controlled by Ferromagnetic Nanowire Arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Zuxin; Lyuksyutov, Igor F.; Wu, Wenhao; Naugle, Donald G.

2011-03-01

Superconducting properties of lead-bismuth (82% Pb and 18% Bi) alloy films deposited on ferromagnetic nanowire arrays have been investigated. Ferromagnetic Co or Ni nanowires are first electroplated into the columnar pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. Superconducting Pb 82 Bi 18 films are then quench-condensed onto the polished surface of the AAO membranes filled with magnetic nanowires. A strong dependence of the Pb 82 Bi 18 superconducting properties on the ratio of the superconducting film thickness to the magnetic nanowire diameter and the material variety was observed.

Co/Au multisegmented nanowires: a 3D array of magnetostatically coupled nanopillars

KAUST Repository

Bran, C.; Ivanov, Yurii P.; Kosel, Jü rgen; Chubykalo-Fesenko, O.; Vazquez, M.

2017-01-01

Arrays of multisegmented Co/Au nanowires with designed segment lengths and diameters have been prepared by electrodeposition into aluminum oxide templates. The high quality of the Co/Au interface and the crystallographic structure of Co segments have determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Magnetic hysteresis loop measurements show larger coercivity and squareness of multisegmented nanowires as compared to single segment Co nanowires. The complementary micromagnetic simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results, confirming that the magnetic behavior is defined mainly by magnetostatic coupling between different segments. The proposed structure constitutes an innovative route towards a 3D array of synchronized magnetic nano-oscillators with large potential in nanoelectronics.

Co/Au multisegmented nanowires: a 3D array of magnetostatically coupled nanopillars

KAUST Repository

Bran, C.

2017-01-31

Arrays of multisegmented Co/Au nanowires with designed segment lengths and diameters have been prepared by electrodeposition into aluminum oxide templates. The high quality of the Co/Au interface and the crystallographic structure of Co segments have determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Magnetic hysteresis loop measurements show larger coercivity and squareness of multisegmented nanowires as compared to single segment Co nanowires. The complementary micromagnetic simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results, confirming that the magnetic behavior is defined mainly by magnetostatic coupling between different segments. The proposed structure constitutes an innovative route towards a 3D array of synchronized magnetic nano-oscillators with large potential in nanoelectronics.

Understanding InP Nanowire Array Solar Cell Performance by Nanoprobe-Enabled Single Nanowire Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Otnes, Gaute; Barrigón, Enrique; Sundvall, Christian; Svensson, K Erik; Heurlin, Magnus; Siefer, Gerald; Samuelson, Lars; Åberg, Ingvar; Borgström, Magnus T

2018-05-09

III-V solar cells in the nanowire geometry might hold significant synthesis-cost and device-design advantages as compared to thin films and have shown impressive performance improvements in recent years. To continue this development there is a need for characterization techniques giving quick and reliable feedback for growth development. Further, characterization techniques which can improve understanding of the link between nanowire growth conditions, subsequent processing, and solar cell performance are desired. Here, we present the use of a nanoprobe system inside a scanning electron microscope to efficiently contact single nanowires and characterize them in terms of key parameters for solar cell performance. Specifically, we study single as-grown InP nanowires and use electron beam induced current characterization to understand the charge carrier collection properties, and dark current-voltage characteristics to understand the diode recombination characteristics. By correlating the single nanowire measurements to performance of fully processed nanowire array solar cells, we identify how the performance limiting parameters are related to growth and/or processing conditions. We use this understanding to achieve a more than 7-fold improvement in efficiency of our InP nanowire solar cells, grown from a different seed particle pattern than previously reported from our group. The best cell shows a certified efficiency of 15.0%; the highest reported value for a bottom-up synthesized InP nanowire solar cell. We believe the presented approach have significant potential to speed-up the development of nanowire solar cells, as well as other nanowire-based electronic/optoelectronic devices.

Nitride stabilized core/shell nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Kuttiyiel, Kurian Abraham; Sasaki, Kotaro; Adzic, Radoslav R.

2018-01-30

Nitride stabilized metal nanoparticles and methods for their manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment the metal nanoparticles have a continuous and nonporous noble metal shell with a nitride-stabilized non-noble metal core. The nitride-stabilized core provides a stabilizing effect under high oxidizing conditions suppressing the noble metal dissolution during potential cycling. The nitride stabilized nanoparticles may be fabricated by a process in which a core is coated with a shell layer that encapsulates the entire core. Introduction of nitrogen into the core by annealing produces metal nitride(s) that are less susceptible to dissolution during potential cycling under high oxidizing conditions.

Patchy silica-coated silver nanowires as SERS substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunyadi Murph, Simona E.; Murphy, Catherine J.

2013-01-01

We report a class of core–shell nanomaterials that can be used as efficient surface-enhancement Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The core consists of silver nanowires, prepared through a chemical reduction process, that are used to capture 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA), a model analyte. The shell was prepared through a modified Stöber method and consists of patchy or full silica coats. The formation of silica coats was monitored via transmission electron microscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, and phase-analysis light-scattering for measuring effective surface charge. Surprisingly, the patchy silica-coated silver nanowires are better SERS substrate than silver nanowires; nanomolar concentration of 4-MBA can be detected. In addition, “nano-matryoshka” configurations were used to quantitate/explore the effect of the electromagnetic field at the tips of the nanowire (“hot spots”) in the Raman scattering experiment.

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-07-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm2) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-01-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm 2 ) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Large-area fabrication of patterned ZnO-nanowire arrays using light stamping lithography.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Jae K; Cho, Sangho; Seo, Eun K; Myoung, Jae M; Sung, Myung M

2009-12-01

We demonstrate selective adsorption and alignment of ZnO nanowires on patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) thin layers with (aminopropyl)siloxane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Light stamping lithography (LSL) was used to prepare patterned PDMS thin layers as neutral passivation regions on Si substrates. (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane-based SAMs were selectively formed only on regions exposing the silanol groups of the Si substrates. The patterned positively charged amino groups define and direct the selective adsorption of ZnO nanowires with negative surface charges in the protic solvent. This procedure can be adopted in automated printing machines that generate patterned ZnO-nanowire arrays on large-area substrates. To demonstrate its usefulness, the LSL method was applied to prepare ZnO-nanowire transistor arrays on 4-in. Si wafers.

Silicon nanowire arrays as learning chemical vapour classifiers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niskanen, A O; Colli, A; White, R; Li, H W; Spigone, E; Kivioja, J M

2011-01-01

Nanowire field-effect transistors are a promising class of devices for various sensing applications. Apart from detecting individual chemical or biological analytes, it is especially interesting to use multiple selective sensors to look at their collective response in order to perform classification into predetermined categories. We show that non-functionalised silicon nanowire arrays can be used to robustly classify different chemical vapours using simple statistical machine learning methods. We were able to distinguish between acetone, ethanol and water with 100% accuracy while methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol were classified with 96% accuracy in ambient conditions.

CONDUCTING-POLYMER NANOWIRE IMMUNOSENSOR ARRAYS FOR MICROBIAL PATHOGENS

Science.gov (United States)

The lack of methods for routine rapid and sensitive detection and quantification of specific pathogens has limited the amount of information available on their occurrence in drinking water and other environmental samples. The nanowire biosensor arrays developed in this study w...

Magnetic behaviour of densely packed hexagonal arrays of Ni nanowires: Influence of geometric characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez, M.; Pirota, K.; Torrejon, J.; Navas, D.; Hernandez-Velez, M.

2005-01-01

Densely packed arrays of magnetic nanowires with hexagonal symmetry have been prepared by electrodeposition filling of the nanopores in alumina membranes previously formed by self-assembling induced by anodization. The influence of geometrical characteristics of arrays of Ni nanowires on their hysteresis loops have been studied. These characteristics are controlled by suitable choosing of preparation parameters: nanowires diameter ranges between 18 and 80 nm for lattice parameter of hexagonal symmetry of 65 and 105 nm, while length of nanowires is taken between 500 and 2000 nm. Additionally, the temperature dependence of coercivity when applying the field parallel to the nanowires or in-plane of the membrane has been measured. All these results allows us to conclude that magnetic behaviour is determined by the balance between different energy contributions, namely, the shape anisotropy of individual nanowires, the magnetostatic interaction among nanowires (confirmed to play a decisive role), and seemingly the magnetoelastic anisotropy induced in the nanowires by the alumina matrix through temperature changes as a consequence of their different thermal expansion coefficients

Pseudodirect to Direct Compositional Crossover in Wurtzite GaP/InxGa1–xP Core–Shell Nanowires

KAUST Repository

Gagliano, L.

2016-11-29

Thanks to their uniqueness, nanowires allow the realization of novel semiconductor crystal structures with yet unexplored properties, which can be key to overcome current technological limits. Here we develop the growth of wurtzite GaP/InGaP core-shell nanowires with tunable indium concentration and optical emission in the visible region from 590 nm (2.1 eV) to 760 nm (1.6 eV). We demonstrate a pseudodirect (δ-δ) to direct (δ-δ) transition crossover through experimental and theoretical approach. Time resolved and temperature dependent photoluminescence measurements were used, which led to the observation of a steep change in carrier lifetime and temperature dependence by respectively one and 3 orders of magnitude in the range 0.28 ± 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.41 ± 0.04. Our work reveals the electronic properties of wurtzite InGaP.

Improving emission uniformity and linearizing band dispersion in nanowire arrays using quasi-aperiodicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, P. Duke [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Ming Hsieh Dept. of Electrical Engineering; Koleske, Daniel D. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Povinelli, Michelle L. [Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Ming Hsieh Dept. of Electrical Engineering; Subramania, Ganapathi [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-10-01

For this study, we experimentally investigate a new class of quasi-aperiodic structures for improving the emission pattern in nanowire arrays. Efficient normal emission, as well as lasing, can be obtained from III-nitride photonic crystal (PhC) nanowire arrays that utilize slow group velocity modes near the Γ-point in reciprocal space. However, due to symmetry considerations, the emitted far-field pattern of such modes are often ‘donut’-like. Many applications, including lighting for displays or lasers, require a more uniform beam profile in the far-field. Previous work has improved far-field beam uniformity of uncoupled modes by changing the shape of the emitting structure. However, in nanowire systems, the shape of nanowires cannot always be arbitrarily changed due to growth or etch considerations. Here, we investigate breaking symmetry by instead changing the position of emitters. Using a quasi-aperiodic geometry, which changes the emitter position within a photonic crystal supercell (2x2), we are able to linearize the photonic bandstructure near the Γ-point and greatly improve emitted far-field uniformity. We realize the III-nitride nanowires structures using a top-down fabrication procedure that produces nanowires with smooth, vertical sidewalls. Comparison of room-temperature micro-photoluminescence (µ-PL) measurements between periodic and quasi-aperiodic nanowire arrays reveal resonances in each structure, with the simple periodic structure producing a donut beam in the emitted far-field and the quasi-aperiodic structure producing a uniform Gaussian-like beam. We investigate the input pump power vs. output intensity in both systems and observe the simple periodic array exhibiting a non-linear relationship, indicative of lasing. We believe that the quasi-aperiodic approach studied here provides an alternate and promising strategy for shaping the emission pattern of nanoemitter systems.

Nanostructured core-shell electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Long-bo; Yuan, Xing-zhong; Liang, Jie; Zhang, Jin; Wang, Hou; Zeng, Guang-ming

2016-11-01

Core-shell nanostructure represents a unique system for applications in electrochemical energy storage devices. Owing to the unique characteristics featuring high power delivery and long-term cycling stability, electrochemical capacitors (ECs) have emerged as one of the most attractive electrochemical storage systems since they can complement or even replace batteries in the energy storage field, especially when high power delivery or uptake is needed. This review aims to summarize recent progress on core-shell nanostructures for advanced supercapacitor applications in view of their hierarchical architecture which not only create the desired hierarchical porous channels, but also possess higher electrical conductivity and better structural mechanical stability. The core-shell nanostructures include carbon/carbon, carbon/metal oxide, carbon/conducting polymer, metal oxide/metal oxide, metal oxide/conducting polymer, conducting polymer/conducting polymer, and even more complex ternary core-shell nanoparticles. The preparation strategies, electrochemical performances, and structural stabilities of core-shell materials for ECs are summarized. The relationship between core-shell nanostructure and electrochemical performance is discussed in detail. In addition, the challenges and new trends in core-shell nanomaterials development have also been proposed.

TiO2 nanorod arrays functionalized with In2S3 shell layer by a low-cost route for solar energy conversion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gan Xiaoyan; Li Xiaomin; Gao Xiangdong; Qiu Jijun; Zhuge Fuwei

2011-01-01

We report the fabrication and characterization of a TiO 2 -In 2 S 3 core-shell nanorod array structure for application of semiconductor-sensitized solar cells. Hydrothermally synthesized TiO 2 nanorod arrays on FTO glass substrates are functionalized with a uniform In 2 S 3 shell layer by using the successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. This low-cost technique promotes a uniform deposition of In 2 S 3 nanoshells on the surface of TiO 2 nanorods, thus forming an intact interface between the In 2 S 3 shell and TiO 2 core. Results show that the thickness of In 2 S 3 shell layers as well as the visible light absorption threshold can be effectively controlled by varying the coating cycles during the SILAR process. The best reproducible performance of the sandwich solar cell using the TiO 2 -In 2 S 3 core-shell nanorod arrays as photoelectrodes was obtained after 30 SILAR cycles, exhibiting a short-circuit current (I sc ) of 2.40 mA cm -2 , an open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of 0.56 V, a fill factor (ff) of 0.40 and a conversion efficiency (η) of 0.54%, respectively. These results demonstrate a feasible and controllable route towards In 2 S 3 coating on a highly structured substrate and a proof of concept that such TiO 2 -In 2 S 3 core-shell architectures are novel and promising photoelectrodes in nanostructured solar cells.

Monolithic photonic crystals created by partial coalescence of core-shell particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Joon-Seok; Lim, Che Ho; Yang, Seung-Man; Kim, Shin-Hyun

2014-03-11

Colloidal crystals and their derivatives have been intensively studied and developed during the past two decades due to their unique photonic band gap properties. However, complex fabrication procedures and low mechanical stability severely limit their practical uses. Here, we report stable photonic structures created by using colloidal building blocks composed of an inorganic core and an organic shell. The core-shell particles are convectively assembled into an opal structure, which is then subjected to thermal annealing. During the heat treatment, the inorganic cores, which are insensitive to heat, retain their regular arrangement in a face-centered cubic lattice, while the organic shells are partially fused with their neighbors; this forms a monolithic structure with high mechanical stability. The interparticle distance and therefore stop band position are precisely controlled by the annealing time; the distance decreases and the stop band blue shifts during the annealing. The composite films can be further treated to give a high contrast in the refractive index. The inorganic cores are selectively removed from the composite by wet etching, thereby providing an organic film containing regular arrays of air cavities. The high refractive index contrast of the porous structure gives rise to pronounced structural colors and high reflectivity at the stop band position.

The influence of MOVPE growth conditions on the shell of core-shell GaN microrod structures

Science.gov (United States)

Schimpke, Tilman; Avramescu, Adrian; Koller, Andreas; Fernando-Saavedra, Amalia; Hartmann, Jana; Ledig, Johannes; Waag, Andreas; Strassburg, Martin; Lugauer, Hans-Jürgen

2017-05-01

A core-shell geometry is employed for most next-generation, three-dimensional opto-electric devices based on III-V semiconductors and grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). Controlling the shape of the shell layers is fundamental for device optimization, however no detailed analysis of the influence of growth conditions has been published to date. We study homogeneous arrays of gallium nitride core-shell microrods with height and diameter in the micrometer range and grown in a two-step selective area MOVPE process. Changes in shell shape and homogeneity effected by deliberately altered shell growth conditions were accurately assessed by digital analysis of high-resolution scanning electron microscope images. Most notably, two temperature regimes could be established, which show a significantly different behavior with regard to material distribution. Above 900 °C of wafer carrier temperature, the shell thickness along the growth axis of the rods was very homogeneous, however variations between vicinal rods increase. In contrast, below 830 °C the shell thickness is higher close to the microrod tip than at the base of the rods, while the lateral homogeneity between neighboring microrods is very uniform. This temperature effect could be either amplified or attenuated by changing the remaining growth parameters such as reactor pressure, structure distance, gallium precursor, carrier gas composition and dopant materials. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed with respect to GaN decomposition as well as the surface and gas phase diffusion of growth species, leading to an improved control of the functional layers in next-generation 3D V-III devices.

Hierarchical Fe₃O₄@Fe₂O₃ Core-Shell Nanorod Arrays as High-Performance Anodes for Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiao; Jia, Ruyue; Zhai, Teng; Xia, Hui

2015-12-16

Anode materials with relatively low capacitance remain a great challenge for asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) to pursue high energy density. Hematite (α-Fe2O3) has attracted intensive attention as anode material for ASCs, because of its suitable reversible redox reactions in a negative potential window (from 0 V to -1 V vs Ag/AgCl), high theoretical capacitance, rich abundance, and nontoxic features. Nevertheless, the Fe2O3 electrode cannot deliver large volumetric capacitance at a high rate, because of its poor electrical conductivity (∼10(-14) S/cm), resulting in low power density and low energy density. In this work, a hierarchical heterostructure comprising Fe3O4@Fe2O3 core-shell nanorod arrays (NRAs) is presented and investigated as the negative electrode for ASCs. Consequently, the Fe3O4@Fe2O3 electrode exhibits superior supercapacitive performance, compared to the bare Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 NRAs electrodes, demonstrating large volumetric capacitance (up to 1206 F/cm(3) with a mass loading of 1.25 mg/cm(2)), as well as good rate capability and cycling stability. The hybrid electrode design is also adopted to prepare Fe3O4@MnO2 core-shell NRAs as the positive electrode for ASCs. Significantly, the as-assembled 2 V ASC device delivered a high energy density of 0.83 mWh/cm(3) at a power density of 15.6 mW/cm(3). This work constitutes the first demonstration of Fe3O4 as the conductive supports for Fe2O3 to address the concerns about its poor electronic and ionic transport.

Stable field emission from arrays of vertically aligned free-standing metallic nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xavier, S.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan; Ferain, E.

2008-01-01

We present a fully elaborated process to grow arrays of metallic nanowires with controlled geometry and density, based on electrochemical filling of nanopores in track-etched templates. Nanowire growth is performed at room temperature, atmospheric pressure and is compatible with low cost...

Process to make core-shell structured nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Luhrs, Claudia; Phillips, Jonathan; Richard, Monique N

2014-01-07

Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains core-shell structured nanoparticles. The process includes providing a precursor in the form of a powder a liquid and/or a vapor of a liquid that contains a core material and a shell material, and suspending the precursor in an aerosol gas to produce an aerosol containing the precursor. In addition, the process includes providing a plasma that has a hot zone and passing the aerosol through the hot zone of the plasma. As the aerosol passes through the hot zone of the plasma, at least part of the core material and at least part of the shell material in the aerosol is vaporized. Vapor that contains the core material and the shell material that has been vaporized is removed from the hot zone of the plasma and allowed to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles.

Improved photocatalytic activity of highly ordered TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays for methylene blue degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, Xiaojun, E-mail: xjlv@mail.ipc.ac.cn [Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials and HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Zhang, Hao; Chang, Haixin [WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan)

2012-10-15

Although many efforts have been done on the photocatalytic properties of anodic TiO{sub 2} nanotubes, much less work is done on the photocatalytic performance of TiO{sub 2} nanowires. Self-organized anodic TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays have been fabricated using a simple electrochemical approach and used as photocatalysts in photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dyes. Here we found for the first time TiO{sub 2} nanowires have better photocatalytic properties and incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) than TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. N doped TiO{sub 2} nanowires showed further enhancement in photodegradation activity and photocurrent response in the visible region. Such TiO{sub 2} nanowires are expected to have great potential in photodegradation of pollutants, photovoltaic solar energy conversion and water splitting for hydrogen generation as well. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays electrode fabricated via anodizing Ti foil. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays have higher photodegradation activity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer N doped TiO{sub 2} nanowires enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Heterogeneous metal-oxide nanowire micro-sensor array for gas sensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeMeo, Dante; E Vandervelde, Thomas; MacNaughton, Sam; Sonkusale, Sameer; Wang, Zhilong; Zhang, Xinjie

2014-01-01

Vanadium oxide, manganese oxide, tungsten oxide, and nickel oxide nanowires were investigated for their applicability as chemiresistive gas sensors. Nanowires have excellent surface-to-volume ratios which yield higher sensitivities than bulk materials. Sensing elements consisting of these materials were assembled in an array to create an electronic nose platform. Dielectrophoresis was used to position the nanomaterials onto a microfabricated array of electrodes, which was subsequently mounted onto a leadless chip carrier and printed circuit board for rapid testing. Samples were tested in an enclosed chamber with vapors of acetone, isopropanol, methanol, and aqueous ammonia. The change in resistance of each assembly was measured. Responses varied between nanowire compositions, each demonstrating unique and repeatable responses to different gases; this enabled direct detection of the gases from the ensemble response. Sensitivities were calculated based on the fractional resistance change in a saturated environment and ranged from 6 × 10 −4 to 2 × 10 −5 %change ppm −1 . (papers)

Localized temperature and chemical reaction control in nanoscale space by nanowire array.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, C Yan; Li, Zhiyong; Williams, R Stanley; Lee, K-Cheol; Park, Inkyu

2011-11-09

We introduce a novel method for chemical reaction control with nanoscale spatial resolution based on localized heating by using a well-aligned nanowire array. Numerical and experimental analysis shows that each individual nanowire could be selectively and rapidly Joule heated for local and ultrafast temperature modulation in nanoscale space (e.g., maximum temperature gradient 2.2 K/nm at the nanowire edge; heating/cooling time chemical reactions such as polymer decomposition/cross-linking and direct and localized hydrothermal synthesis of metal oxide nanowires were demonstrated.

Angular dependence of the coercivity in arrays of ferromagnetic nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holanda, J.; Silva, D.B.O.; Padrón-Hernández, E.

2015-01-01

We present a new magnetic model for polycrystalline nanowires arrays in porous anodic aluminum oxide. The principal consideration here is the crystalline structure and the morphology of the wires and them the dipolar interactions between the crystals into the wire. Other aspect here is the direct calculation of the dipolar energy for the interaction of one wire with the others in the array. The free energy density was formulated for polycrystalline nanowires arrays in order to determinate the anisotropy effective field. It was using the microstructure study by scanning and transmission electron microscopy for the estimation of the real structure of the wires. After the structural analysis we used the angular dependences for the coercivity field and for the remnant magnetization to determine the properties of the wires. All analysis were made by the theory treatment proposed by Stoner and Wohlfarth

Angular dependence of the coercivity in arrays of ferromagnetic nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holanda, J. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, PE (Brazil); Silva, D.B.O. [Pós-Graduação em Ciência de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, PE (Brazil); Padrón-Hernández, E., E-mail: padron@df.ufpe.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, PE (Brazil); Pós-Graduação em Ciência de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, PE (Brazil)

2015-03-15

We present a new magnetic model for polycrystalline nanowires arrays in porous anodic aluminum oxide. The principal consideration here is the crystalline structure and the morphology of the wires and them the dipolar interactions between the crystals into the wire. Other aspect here is the direct calculation of the dipolar energy for the interaction of one wire with the others in the array. The free energy density was formulated for polycrystalline nanowires arrays in order to determinate the anisotropy effective field. It was using the microstructure study by scanning and transmission electron microscopy for the estimation of the real structure of the wires. After the structural analysis we used the angular dependences for the coercivity field and for the remnant magnetization to determine the properties of the wires. All analysis were made by the theory treatment proposed by Stoner and Wohlfarth.

A universal approach to electrically connecting nanowire arrays using nanoparticles—application to a novel gas sensor architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Parthangal, Prahalad M.; Cavicchi, Richard E.; Zachariah, Michael R.

2006-08-01

We report on a novel, in situ approach toward connecting and electrically contacting vertically aligned nanowire arrays using conductive nanoparticles. The utility of the approach is demonstrated by development of a gas sensing device employing this nano-architecture. Well-aligned, single-crystalline zinc oxide nanowires were grown through a direct thermal evaporation process at 550 °C on gold catalyst layers. Electrical contact to the top of the nanowire array was established by creating a contiguous nanoparticle film through electrostatic attachment of conductive gold nanoparticles exclusively onto the tips of nanowires. A gas sensing device was constructed using such an arrangement and the nanowire assembly was found to be sensitive to both reducing (methanol) and oxidizing (nitrous oxides) gases. This assembly approach is amenable to any nanowire array for which a top contact electrode is needed.

A universal approach to electrically connecting nanowire arrays using nanoparticles-application to a novel gas sensor architecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parthangal, Prahalad M; Cavicchi, Richard E; Zachariah, Michael R

2006-01-01

We report on a novel, in situ approach toward connecting and electrically contacting vertically aligned nanowire arrays using conductive nanoparticles. The utility of the approach is demonstrated by development of a gas sensing device employing this nano-architecture. Well-aligned, single-crystalline zinc oxide nanowires were grown through a direct thermal evaporation process at 550 deg. C on gold catalyst layers. Electrical contact to the top of the nanowire array was established by creating a contiguous nanoparticle film through electrostatic attachment of conductive gold nanoparticles exclusively onto the tips of nanowires. A gas sensing device was constructed using such an arrangement and the nanowire assembly was found to be sensitive to both reducing (methanol) and oxidizing (nitrous oxides) gases. This assembly approach is amenable to any nanowire array for which a top contact electrode is needed

Growth of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanowire Arrays Using Bilayered Metal Catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

12] J. P. Liu, C. X. Guo, C. M. Li et al., “Carbon-decorated ZnO nanowire array: a novel platform for direct electrochemistry of enzymes and...cited. Vertically aligned, high-density ZnO nanowires (NWs) were grown for the first time on c-plane sapphire using binary alloys of Ni/Au or Cu/Au as...deleterious to the ZnO NW array growth. Significant improvement of the Au adhesion on the substrate was noted, opening the potential for direct

Synthesis of Cationic Core-Shell Latex Particles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dziomkina, N.; Hempenius, Mark A.; Vancso, Gyula J.

2006-01-01

Surfactant-free seeded (core-shell) polymerization of cationic polymer colloids is presented. Polystyrene core particles with sizes between 200 nm and 500 nm were synthesized. The number average diameter of the colloidal core particles increased with increasing monomer concentration. Cationic shells

Magnetic behavior of NixFe(100-x) (65=nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navas, D.; Asenjo, A.; Jaafar, M.; Pirota, K.R.; Hernandez-Velez, M.; Sanz, R.; Lee, W.; Nielsch, K.; Batallan, F.; Vazquez, M.

2005-01-01

Arrays of magnetic nanowires with composition Ni x Fe (100-x) (65= 2 and 105nm lattice parameter of hexagonal symmetry, is achieved by self-ordering process, and characterized by SEM and AFM. Magnetic behavior of the arrays has been determined by VSM. Maximum coercivity of around 1.23kOe and reduced remanence (about 0.8 saturation magnetization) is observed for x=77, while minimum values are observed for x=100. Detailed AFM and MFM studies allow us to gain additional information of the filling degree of pores which can result in a distributed nanowires length that finally correlates with a deterioration of macroscopic magnetic behavior of the array

Ultradense, Deep Subwavelength Nanowire Array Photovoltaics As Engineered Optical Thin Films

KAUST Repository

Tham, Douglas

2010-11-10

A photovoltaic device comprised of an array of 20 nm wide, 32 nm pitch array of silicon nanowires is modeled as an optical material. The nanowire array (NWA) has characteristic device features that are deep in the subwavelength regime for light, which permits a number of simplifying approximations. Using photocurrent measurements as a probe of the absorptance, we show that the NWA optical properties can be accurately modeled with rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The densely structured NWAs behave as homogeneous birefringent materials into the ultraviolet with effective optical properties that are accurately modeled using the dielectric functions of bulk Si and SiO 2, coupled with a physical model for the NWA derived from ellipsometry and transmission electron microscopy. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Fabrication of Au-Pd Core-shell Nanoparticles using Au Thin-Film Dewetting at High Temperature and Chemical Synthesis Methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Min-Gyu; Lee, Hye-Jung; Oh, Yong-Jun [Hanbat National Univ., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-07-15

Au-Pd bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have received a lot of attention in the fields of catalysts and hydrogen sensors. In this study, Au-Pd core-shell NP arrays were successfully fabricated using two steps: formation of the ordered array of Au NPs cores via solid-state dewetting of a Au thin film on a topographic silica substrate, and Pd shell formation via chemical synthesis using two different surfactants (CTAB and CTAC). Using the CTAB surfactant in particular, a 2-D composite structure comprised of an ordered array of Au-Pd NPs, with smaller Pd NPs on the nanoscopic gaps between the Au-Pd NPs, could be formed. This structure is expected to have potential application in resistance-base hydrogen sensors.

Ni@Ru and NiCo@Ru Core-Shell Hexagonal Nanosandwiches with a Compositionally Tunable Core and a Regioselectively Grown Shell.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Hyeyoun; Kwon, Taehyun; Kim, Ho Young; Park, Jongsik; Oh, Aram; Kim, Byeongyoon; Baik, Hionsuck; Joo, Sang Hoon; Lee, Kwangyeol

2018-01-01

The development of highly active electrocatalysts is crucial for the advancement of renewable energy conversion devices. The design of core-shell nanoparticle catalysts represents a promising approach to boost catalytic activity as well as save the use of expensive precious metals. Here, a simple, one-step synthetic route is reported to prepare hexagonal nanosandwich-shaped Ni@Ru core-shell nanoparticles (Ni@Ru HNS), in which Ru shell layers are overgrown in a regioselective manner on the top and bottom, and around the center section of a hexagonal Ni nanoplate core. Notably, the synthesis can be extended to NiCo@Ru core-shell nanoparticles with tunable core compositions (Ni 3 Co x @Ru HNS). Core-shell HNS structures show superior electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to a commercial RuO 2 black catalyst, with their OER activity being dependent on their core compositions. The observed trend in OER activity is correlated to the population of Ru oxide (Ru 4+ ) species, which can be modulated by the core compositions. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Investigation on the Tunable-Length Zinc Oxide Nanowire Arrays for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shou-Yi Kuo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We had successfully fabricated ZnO-based nanowires by vapor transport method in the furnace tube. ZnO nanowire arrays grown in 600°C for 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, and 120 minutes had applied to the dye-sensitized solar cells. The dye loading is proportional to the total equivalent surface area of ZnO nanowire arrays in the cells and plays an important role in improving power conversion efficiency. The highest efficiency was observed in DSSC sample with ZnO nanowires grown for 90 minutes, which had the largest equivalent surface area and also the highest dye loading. According to our experimental results, the enhancement in power conversion efficiency is attributed to the higher light harvesting and reduction of carrier recombination. In addition, ZnO nanowires also contribute to the photocurrent in the UV region.

The fabrication and the coercivity mechanism of segmented (Ni/Fe)m composite nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue, D S; Shi, H G; Si, M S

2004-01-01

Arrays of segmented (Ni/Fe) m (m = 1,2,3,4,5) composite nanowires about 3 μm in length and with aspect ratios of about 60 were electrodeposited on anodic porous alumina templates using a dual bath. The structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the samples were characterized by means of x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry, respectively. It is found that Fe(110) and Ni(111) orientations along nanowire axis are preferred. The large aspect ratio of the composite nanowires reveals a strong shape magnetic anisotropy. As the number of the Ni/Fe composite segments m increases, the coercivity of the nanowire arrays, with the magnetic field applied parallel to the wire, gradually increases. The coercivity variation of the segmented composite nanowires is closely related to the effective exchange coupling between the Ni and Fe segments

Oxidative fabrication of patterned, large, non-flaking CuO nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mumm, F; Sikorski, P

2011-01-01

We report a simple and fast approach to fabricate large, non-flaking arrays of CuO nanowires by oxidizing thin copper substrates in air. Oxidative CuO nanowire growth is commonly accompanied by oxide layer flaking due to stress at the copper-copper oxide interface. Using thin substrates is shown to prevent this flaking by introducing favourable material thickness ratios in the samples after oxidation. Additionally, thin foils allow larger scale topographic patterns to be transferred from an underlying mould to realize non-flat, nanowire-decorated surfaces. Further patterning is possible by electrodeposition of a nickel layer, which restricts nanowire growth to specific areas of the sample.

Diameter- and current-density-dependent growth orientation of hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays via electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hongyu; Li Xiaohong; Chen Yan; Guo Defeng; Xie Yanwu; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi; Liu Baoting

2009-01-01

Controlling the growth orientation of semiconductor nanowire arrays is of vital importance for their applications in the fields of nanodevices. In the present work, hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays with various preferential growth orientations have been successfully yielded by employing the electrodeposition technique using porous alumina as templates (PATs). We demonstrate by experimental and theoretical efforts that the growth orientation of the CdSe nanowires can be effectively manipulated by varying either the nanopore diameter of the PATs or the deposited current density, which has significant effects on the optical properties of the CdSe nanowires. The present study provides an alternative approach to tuning the growth direction of electrodeposited nanowires and thus is of importance for the fabrication of nanodevices with controlled functional properties.

Diameter- and current-density-dependent growth orientation of hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays via electrodeposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun Hongyu; Li Xiaohong; Chen Yan; Guo Defeng; Xie Yanwu; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004 (China); Liu Baoting, E-mail: xyzh66@ysu.edu.c [College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 (China)

2009-10-21

Controlling the growth orientation of semiconductor nanowire arrays is of vital importance for their applications in the fields of nanodevices. In the present work, hexagonal CdSe nanowire arrays with various preferential growth orientations have been successfully yielded by employing the electrodeposition technique using porous alumina as templates (PATs). We demonstrate by experimental and theoretical efforts that the growth orientation of the CdSe nanowires can be effectively manipulated by varying either the nanopore diameter of the PATs or the deposited current density, which has significant effects on the optical properties of the CdSe nanowires. The present study provides an alternative approach to tuning the growth direction of electrodeposited nanowires and thus is of importance for the fabrication of nanodevices with controlled functional properties.

Optical Bistability in Graded Core-Shell Granular Composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Ya-Min; Chen Guo-Qing; Xue Si-Zhong; Zhu Zhuo-Wei; Ma Chao-Qun

2012-01-01

The intrinsic optical bistability (OB) of graded core-shell granular composites is investigated. The coated particles are made of cores with gradient dielectric function in c (r) = A(r/a) k and nonlinear shells. In view of the exponential distribution of the core dielectric constant, the potential functions of each region are obtained by solving the Maxwell equations, and the mathematical expressions of electric field in the shells and cores are determined. Numerical study reveals that the optical bistable threshold and the threshold width of the composite medium are dependent on the shell thickness, core dielectric exponent, and power function coefficient. The optical bistable width increases with the decreasing shell thickness and the power exponent and with the increasing power function coefficient

Preparation and characterization of CdS/Si coaxial nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, X. L.; Li, L. H.; Tang, W. H.

2006-04-01

CdS/Si coaxial nanowires were fabricated via a simple one-step thermal evaporation of CdS powder in mass scale. Their crystallinities, general morphologies and detailed microstructures were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and Raman spectra. The CdS core crystallizes in a hexagonal wurtzite structure with lattice constants of a=0.4140 nm and c=0.6719 nm, and the Si shell is amorphous. Five Raman peaks from the CdS core were observed. They are 1LO at 305 cm -1, 2LO at 601 cm -1, A 1-TO at 212 cm -1, E 1-TO at 234 cm -1, and E 2 at 252 cm -1. Photoluminescence measurements show that the nanowires have two emission bands around 510 and 590 nm, which originate from the intrinsic transitions of CdS cores and the amorphous Si shells, respectively.

Influence of Shell Thickness on the Colloidal Stability of Magnetic Core-Shell Particle Suspensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Neville, Frances; Moreno-Atanasio, Roberto

2018-01-01

We present a Discrete Element study of the behavior of magnetic core-shell particles in which the properties of the core and the shell are explicitly defined. Particle cores were considered to be made of pure iron and thus possessed ferromagnetic properties, while particle shells were considered to be made of silica. Core sizes ranged between 0.5 and 4.0 μm with the actual particle size of the core-shell particles in the range between 0.6 and 21 μm. The magnetic cores were considered to have a magnetization of one tenth of the saturation magnetization of iron. This study aimed to understand how the thickness of the shell hinders the formation of particle chains. Chain formation was studied with different shell thicknesses and particle sizes in the presence and absence of an electrical double layer force in order to investigate the effect of surface charge density on the magnetic core-shell particle interactions. For core sizes of 0.5 and 4.0 μm the relative shell thicknesses needed to hinder the aggregation process were approximately 0.4 and 0.6 respectively, indicating that larger core sizes are detrimental to be used in applications in which no flocculation is needed. In addition, the presence of an electrical double layer, for values of surface charge density of less than 20 mC/m 2 , could stop the contact between particles without hindering their vertical alignment. Only when the shell thickness was considerably larger, was the electrical double layer able to contribute to the full disruption of the magnetic flocculation process.

Electronic transport in narrow-gap semiconductor nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bloemers, Christian

2012-01-01

Throughout this work the electronic transport properties of InAs, InN, and GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires have been analyzed. This includes the analysis of specific resistivity at room temperature and low temperatures as well as the breakdown of resistivity by a contribution of mobility and carrier concentration using gate measurements. While the InN nanowires showed homogeneous transport properties, there was a large statistical spread in the properties of InAs nanowires. Differing crystal structures and the surface conditions are identified to be the main reasons for the statistical spread. Both quantities of influence have been pointed out by comparing the transport parameters before and after a surface treatment (electron irradiation and long time ambient air exposure), and by comparing the transport parameters of wires grown by different growth methods which exhibit different kinds of crystal structure. In particular, the temperature dependence of the conductivity revealed different activation energies in nanowires with differing crystal structures. An explanation has been suggested in terms of stacking fault induced potential barriers. A field-effect measurement setup has been utilized to determine the nanowire mobility and carrier concentration. Even though this method is widely used for nanowires, it is subject to a serious disadvantage concerning the influence of surface and interface states on the measurements. As an alternative method which does not suffer from this drawback, Hall measurements have been successfully performed on InAs nanowires for the first time. These measurements became possible because of the utilization of a new electron beam lithographic procedure with an alignment accuracy in the 5 nm range. Carrier concentration values could be determined and compared to the ones obtained from conventional field-effect measurements. The results of the Hall measurements revealed a methodical overestimation of the carrier concentrations obtained

Electronic transport in narrow-gap semiconductor nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bloemers, Christian

2012-10-19

Throughout this work the electronic transport properties of InAs, InN, and GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires have been analyzed. This includes the analysis of specific resistivity at room temperature and low temperatures as well as the breakdown of resistivity by a contribution of mobility and carrier concentration using gate measurements. While the InN nanowires showed homogeneous transport properties, there was a large statistical spread in the properties of InAs nanowires. Differing crystal structures and the surface conditions are identified to be the main reasons for the statistical spread. Both quantities of influence have been pointed out by comparing the transport parameters before and after a surface treatment (electron irradiation and long time ambient air exposure), and by comparing the transport parameters of wires grown by different growth methods which exhibit different kinds of crystal structure. In particular, the temperature dependence of the conductivity revealed different activation energies in nanowires with differing crystal structures. An explanation has been suggested in terms of stacking fault induced potential barriers. A field-effect measurement setup has been utilized to determine the nanowire mobility and carrier concentration. Even though this method is widely used for nanowires, it is subject to a serious disadvantage concerning the influence of surface and interface states on the measurements. As an alternative method which does not suffer from this drawback, Hall measurements have been successfully performed on InAs nanowires for the first time. These measurements became possible because of the utilization of a new electron beam lithographic procedure with an alignment accuracy in the 5 nm range. Carrier concentration values could be determined and compared to the ones obtained from conventional field-effect measurements. The results of the Hall measurements revealed a methodical overestimation of the carrier concentrations obtained

Radial composition of single InGaN nanowires: a combined study by EDX, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Gomez, M.; Garro, N.; Cantarero, A.; Segura-Ruiz, J.; Martinez-Criado, G.; Chu, M.H.; Denker, C.; Malindretos, J.; Rizzi, A.

2013-01-01

The radial alloy distribution of In x Ga 1-x N nanowires grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated by three different techniques with nanometric spatial resolution and capability to study single nanowires. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy radial line-scans revealed a gradient in the alloy composition of individual nanowires. Resonant Raman scattering and spatially resolved X-ray diffraction showed the existence of three distinctive regions with different alloy composition. The combination of the three techniques provides robust evidence of the spontaneous formation of a core-shell structure with a thin Ga-richer shell wrapping an In-rich core at the bottom part of the nanowires. This composition-modulated nanostructure offers an attractive way to explore new device concepts in fully epitaxial nanowire-based solar cells. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Titanium dioxide nanowire sensor array integration on CMOS platform using deterministic assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Gall, Oren Z; Zhong, Xiahua; Schulman, Daniel S; Kang, Myungkoo; Razavieh, Ali; Mayer, Theresa S

2017-06-30

Nanosensor arrays have recently received significant attention due to their utility in a wide range of applications, including gas sensing, fuel cells, internet of things, and portable health monitoring systems. Less attention has been given to the production of sensor platforms in the μW range for ultra-low power applications. Here, we discuss how to scale the nanosensor energy demand by developing a process for integration of nanowire sensing arrays on a monolithic CMOS chip. This work demonstrates an off-chip nanowire fabrication method; subsequently nanowires link to a fused SiO 2 substrate using electric-field assisted directed assembly. The nanowire resistances shown in this work have the highest resistance uniformity reported to date of 18%, which enables a practical roadmap towards the coupling of nanosensors to CMOS circuits and signal processing systems. The article also presents the utility of optimizing annealing conditions of the off-chip metal-oxides prior to CMOS integration to avoid limitations of thermal budget and process incompatibility. In the context of the platform demonstrated here, directed assembly is a powerful tool that can realize highly uniform, cross-reactive arrays of different types of metal-oxide nanosensors suited for gas discrimination and signal processing systems.

Magnetic behaviour of arrays of Ni nanowires by electrodeposition into self-aligned titania nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prida, V.M.; Hernandez-Velez, M.; Cervera, M.; Pirota, K.; Sanz, R.; Navas, D.; Asenjo, A.; Aranda, P.; Ruiz-Hitzky, E.; Batallan, F.; Vazquez, M.; Hernando, B.; Menendez, A.; Bordel, N.; Pereiro, R.

2005-01-01

Arrays of Ni nanowires electrodeposited into self-aligned and randomly disordered titania nanotube arrays grown by anodization process are investigated by X-ray diffraction, SEM, rf-GDOES and VSM magnetometry. The titania nanotube outer diameter is about 160 nm, wall thickness ranging from 60 to 70 nm and 300 nm in depth. The so-obtained Ni nanowires reach above 100 nm diameter and 240 nm length, giving rise to coercive fields of 98 and 200 Oe in the perpendicular or parallel to the nanowires axis hysteresis loops, respectively. The formation of magnetic vortex domain states is also discussed

Magnetoelectrolysis of Co nanowire arrays grown in a tracketched polycarbonate membrane

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radu, Florin [BESSY GmbH, Berlin (Germany); Rivero, Guillermo; Marin, Pilar; Hernando, Antonio [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, Madrid (Spain); Sanchez-Barriga, J. [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, Madrid (Spain); BESSY GmbH, Berlin (Germany); Lucas, M. [Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik, Technische Univ. Berlin (Germany)

2007-07-01

Arrays of Cobalt nanowires with a controlled length of 6{mu}m have been fabricated by electrochemical deposition into the pores of track-etched polycarbonate membranes with a nominal pore diameter of 30 nm. The magnetic properties of Co-deposited nanowires and the effects of a magnetic field applied during electrodeposition of the arrays have been studied. An enhancement of the mass deposition rate due to the presence of a 50 Oe magnetic field along the nanowire axis has been observed by measuring the experimental development of the current in the electrochemical cell during the fabrication process. X-Ray diffraction measurements reveal a different polycrystalline degree for each deposition configuration, indicating that the crystalline structure of the deposited material has been substantially modified. Magnetic measurements show a clear dependence of the anisotropy directions on the orientation of the magnetic field applied during the electrodeposition.

Static and dynamic magnetic properties of densely packed magnetic nanowire arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dmytriiev, O.; Al-Jarah, U.A.S.; Gangmei, P.

2013-01-01

and a continuous ferromagnetic thin film. In particular, the competition between anisotropies associated with the shape of the individual nanowires and that of the array as a whole has been studied. Measured and simulated hysteresis loops are largely anhysteretic with zero remanence, and the micromagnetic...... configuration is such that the net magnetization vanishes in directions orthogonal to the applied field. Simulations of the remanent state reveal antiferromagnetic alignment of the magnetization in adjacent nanowires and the formation of vortex flux closure structures at the ends of each nanowire....... The excitation spectra obtained from experiment and micromagnetic simulations are in qualitative agreement for magnetic fields applied both parallel and perpendicular to the axes of the nanowires. For the field parallel to the nanowire axes, there is also good quantitative agreement between experiment...

Synthesis and Plasmonic Understanding of Core/Satellite and Core Shell Nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Qifeng

Localized surface plasmon resonance, which stems from the collective oscillations of conduction-band electrons, endows Au nanocrystals with unique optical properties. Au nanocrystals possess extremely large scattering/absorption cross-sections and enhanced local electromagnetic field, both of which are synthetically tunable. Moreover, when Au nanocrystals are closely placed or hybridized with semiconductors, the coupling and interaction between the individual components bring about more fascinating phenomena and promising applications, including plasmon-enhanced spectroscopies, solar energy harvesting, and cancer therapy. The continuous development in the field of plasmonics calls for further advancements in the preparation of high-quality plasmonic nanocrystals, the facile construction of hybrid plasmonic nanostructures with desired functionalities, as well as deeper understanding and efficient utilization of the interaction between plasmonic nanocrystals and semiconductor components. In this thesis, I developed a seed-mediated growth method for producing size-controlled Au nanospheres with high monodispersity and assembled Au nanospheres of different sizes into core/satellite nanostructures for enhancing Raman signals. For investigating the interactions between Au nanocrystals and semiconductors, I first prepared (Au core) (TiO2 shell) nanostructures, and then studied their synthetically controlled plasmonic properties and light-harvesting applications. Au nanocrystals with spherical shapes are desirable in plasmon-coupled systems owing to their high geometrical symmetry, which facilitates the analysis of electrodynamic responses in a classical electromagnetic framework and the investigation of quantum tunneling and nonlocal effects. I prepared remarkably uniform Au nanospheres with diameters ranging from 20 nm to 220 nm using a simple seed-mediated growth method associated with mild oxidation. Core/satellite nanostructures were assembled out of differently sized

Dehydration of core/shell fruits

OpenAIRE

Liu, Y.; Yang, Xiaosong; Cao, Y.; Wang, Z.; Chen, B.; Zhang, Jian J.; Zhang, H.

2015-01-01

Dehydrated core/shell fruits, such as jujubes, raisins and plums, show very complex buckles and wrinkles on their exocarp. It is a challenging task to model such complicated patterns and their evolution in a virtual environment even for professional animators. This paper presents a unified physically-based approach to simulate the morphological transformation for the core/shell fruits in the dehydration process. A finite element method (FEM), which is based on the multiplicative decomposition...

Carbon-layer-protected cuprous oxide nanowire arrays for efficient water reduction

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhonghai

2013-02-26

In this work, we propose a solution-based carbon precursor coating and subsequent carbonization strategy to form a thin protective carbon layer on unstable semiconductor nanostructures as a solution to the commonly occurring photocorrosion problem of many semiconductors. A proof-of-concept is provided by using glucose as the carbon precursor to form a protective carbon coating onto cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanowire arrays which were synthesized from copper mesh. The carbon-layer-protected Cu2O nanowire arrays exhibited remarkably improved photostability as well as considerably enhanced photocurrent density. The Cu2O nanowire arrays coated with a carbon layer of 20 nm thickness were found to give an optimal water splitting performance, producing a photocurrent density of -3.95 mA cm-2 and an optimal photocathode efficiency of 0.56% under illumination of AM 1.5G (100 mW cm-2). This is the highest value ever reported for a Cu 2O-based electrode coated with a metal/co-catalyst-free protective layer. The photostability, measured as the percentage of the photocurrent density at the end of 20 min measurement period relative to that at the beginning of the measurement, improved from 12.6% on the bare, nonprotected Cu2O nanowire arrays to 80.7% on the continuous carbon coating protected ones, more than a 6-fold increase. We believe that the facile strategy presented in this work is a general approach that can address the stability issue of many nonstable photoelectrodes and thus has the potential to make a meaningful contribution in the general field of energy conversion. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Observation of intact desorption ionization of peptide molecules from arrays of tungsten oxide nanowires by laser irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Sang Yun [Dept. of Nanochemistry, Gachon University, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Length-controlled WO{sub 3} surface nanowires with a 50 nm diameter were prepared by utilizing anodic Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} templates. Careful control of the fabrication process yielded a set of length-controlled nanowire arrays (Figure 1). The lengths of the nanowires covered a range of 60–250 nm. Typically, a 0.5-μL drop of a sample solution in 10% MeOH that contained 2 pmol of sample was pipetted directly onto the nanowire chips, which were dried under ambient conditions. We report the observation of intact LDI of thermally labile peptides from WO{sub 3} nanowire arrays, which have never been reported for any other metal oxide nanowire arrays. As metal oxides are thermally stable and useful in many applications, and fabrication of various nanostructures are well established, we suggest that the nanostructured surfaces of metal oxides are promising for LDI and thus worthy of further investigations.

Negative impact of oxygen molecular activation on Cr(VI) removal with core–shell Fe@Fe2O3 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mu, Yi; Wu, Hao; Ai, Zhihui

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The presence of oxygen inhibited Cr(VI) removal efficiency with nZVI by near 3 times. • Cr(VI) removal with nZVI was related to adsorption, reduction, co-precipitation, and adsorption reactions. • Molecular oxygen activation competed donor electrons from Fe 0 core and surface bound Fe(II) of nZVI. • Thicker Cr(III)/Fe(III)/Cr(VI) oxyhydroxides shell of nZVI leaded to the electron transfer inhibition. - Abstract: In this study, we demonstrate that the presence of oxygen molecule can inhibit Cr(VI) removal with core–shell Fe@Fe 2 O 3 nanowires at neutral pH of 6.1. 100% of Cr(VI) removal was achieved by the Fe@Fe 2 O 3 nanowires within 60 min in the anoxic condition, in contrast, only 81.2% of Cr(VI) was sequestrated in the oxic condition. Removal kinetics analysis indicated that the presence of oxygen could inhibit the Cr(VI) removal efficiency by near 3 times. XRD, SEM, and XPS analysis revealed that either the anoxic or oxic Cr(VI) removal was involved with adsorption, reduction, co-precipitation, and re-adsorption processes. More Cr(VI) was bound in a reduced state of Cr(III) in the anoxic process, while a thicker Cr(III)/Fe(III)/Cr(VI) oxyhydroxides shell, leading to inhibiting the electron transfer, was found under the oxic process. The negative impact of oxygen molecule was attributed to the oxygen molecular activation which competed with Cr(VI) adsorbed for the consumption of donor electrons from Fe 0 core and ferrous ions bound on the iron oxides surface under the oxic condition. This study sheds light on the understanding of the fate and transport of Cr(VI) in oxic and anoxic environment, as well provides helpful guide for optimizing Cr(VI) removal conditions in real applications

High thermoelectric properties of (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire arrays by tilt-structure engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Ming; Hao, Yanming; Deng, Yuan; Chen, Jingyi

2018-06-01

In this paper, we present an innovative tilt-structure design concept for (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire array assembled by high-quality nanowires with well oriented growth, utilizing a simple vacuum thermal evaporation technique. The unusual tilt-structure (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire array with a tilted angle of 45° exhibits a high thermoelectric dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT = 1.72 at room temperature. The relatively high ZT value in contrast to that of previously reported (Sb, Bi)2Te3 materials and the vertical (Sb, Bi)2Te3 nanowire arrays evidently reveals the crucial role of the unique tilt-structure in favorably influencing carrier and phonon transport properties, resulting in a significantly improved ZT value. The transport mechanism of such tilt-structure is proposed and investigated. This method opens a new approach to optimize nano-structure in thin films for next-generation thermoelectric materials and devices.

Single-crystalline MgAl2O4 spinel nanotubes using a reactive and removable MgO nanowire template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Hongjin; Knez, Mato; Scholz, Roland; Nielsch, Kornelius; Pippel, Eckhard; Hesse, Dietrich; Goesele, Ulrich; Zacharias, Margit

2006-01-01

Using MgO nanowires as a reactive template, we fabricated for the first time single-crystal MgAl 2 O 4 spinel nanotubes through an interfacial solid-state reaction of MgO-Al 2 O 3 core-shell nanowires. Single-crystal MgO nanowires are coated with a conformal thin layer of amorphous Al 2 O 3 via atomic layer deposition. Subsequent annealing at 700 deg. C activates the interfacial reaction between MgO and Al 2 O 3 , transforming the alumina shell into a spinel shell. Finally, after etching away the remaining MgO core in ammonia sulfuric solution, MgAl 2 O 4 spinel nanotubes are obtained. As a transition from conventional planar spinel layers via thin-film interface reactions, our result might open a window for the fabrication of a wide variety of MgO-based spinel one-dimensional nanostructures

Core-shell architectures as nano-size transporters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adeli, M.; Zarnegar, Z.; Kabiri, R.; Salimi, F.; Dadkah, A.

2006-01-01

Core-shell architectures containing poly (ethylene imine) (PEI) as a core and poly (lactide) (PLA) as arms were prepared. PEI was used as macro initiator for ring opening polymerization of lactide. PEI-PLA core-shell architectures were able to encapsulate guest molecules. Size of the core-shell architectures was between 10- 100 nm, hence they can be considered as nano carriers to transport the guest molecules. Transport capacity of nano carriers depends on their nano-environments and type of self-assembly in solvent. In solid state nano carriers self-assemble as long structures with nano-size diameter or they form network structures. Aggregations type depends on the concentration of nano carriers in solution. Effect of the shell thickness and aggregation type on the release rate are also investigated

Core-Shell Microneedle Gel for Self-Regulated Insulin Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jinqiang; Ye, Yanqi; Yu, Jicheng; Kahkoska, Anna R; Zhang, Xudong; Wang, Chao; Sun, Wujin; Corder, Ria D; Chen, Zhaowei; Khan, Saad A; Buse, John B; Gu, Zhen

2018-03-27

A bioinspired glucose-responsive insulin delivery system for self-regulation of blood glucose levels is desirable for improving health and quality of life outcomes for patients with type 1 and advanced type 2 diabetes. Here we describe a painless core-shell microneedle array patch consisting of degradable cross-linked gel for smart insulin delivery with rapid responsiveness and excellent biocompatibility. This gel-based device can partially dissociate and subsequently release insulin when triggered by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) generated during the oxidation of glucose by a glucose-specific enzyme covalently attached inside the gel. Importantly, the H 2 O 2 -responsive microneedles are coated with a thin-layer embedding H 2 O 2 -scavenging enzyme, thus mimicking the complementary function of enzymes in peroxisomes to protect normal tissues from injury caused by oxidative stress. Utilizing a chemically induced type 1 diabetic mouse model, we demonstrated that this smart insulin patch with a bioresponsive core and protective shell could effectively regulate the blood glucose levels within a normal range with improved biocompatibility.