Ensembles of indium phosphide nanowires: physical properties and functional devices integrated on non-single crystal platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P.; Lohn, Andrew; Onishi, Takehiro; Mathai, Sagi; Li, Xuema; Straznicky, Joseph; Wang, Shih-Yuan; Williams, R.S.; Logeeswaran, V.J.; Islam, M.S.

2009-01-01

A new route to grow an ensemble of indium phosphide single-crystal semiconductor nanowires is described. Unlike conventional epitaxial growth of single-crystal semiconductor films, the proposed route for growing semiconductor nanowires does not require a single-crystal semiconductor substrate. In the proposed route, instead of using single-crystal semiconductor substrates that are characterized by their long-range atomic ordering, a template layer that possesses short-range atomic ordering prepared on a non-single-crystal substrate is employed. On the template layer, epitaxial information associated with its short-range atomic ordering is available within an area that is comparable to that of a nanowire root. Thus the template layer locally provides epitaxial information required for the growth of semiconductor nanowires. In the particular demonstration described in this paper, hydrogenated silicon was used as a template layer for epitaxial growth of indium phosphide nanowires. The indium phosphide nanowires grown on the hydrogenerated silicon template layer were found to be single crystal and optically active. Simple photoconductors and pin-diodes were fabricated and tested with the view towards various optoelectronic device applications where group III-V compound semiconductors are functionally integrated onto non-single-crystal platforms. (orig.)

Ensembles of indium phosphide nanowires: physical properties and functional devices integrated on non-single crystal platforms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P.; Lohn, Andrew; Onishi, Takehiro [University of California, Santa Cruz (United States). Baskin School of Engineering; NASA Ames Research Center, Nanostructured Energy Conversion Technology and Research (NECTAR), Advanced Studies Laboratories, Univ. of California Santa Cruz, Moffett Field, CA (United States); Mathai, Sagi; Li, Xuema; Straznicky, Joseph; Wang, Shih-Yuan; Williams, R.S. [Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Information and Quantum Systems Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Logeeswaran, V.J.; Islam, M.S. [University of California Davis, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Davis, CA (United States)

2009-06-15

A new route to grow an ensemble of indium phosphide single-crystal semiconductor nanowires is described. Unlike conventional epitaxial growth of single-crystal semiconductor films, the proposed route for growing semiconductor nanowires does not require a single-crystal semiconductor substrate. In the proposed route, instead of using single-crystal semiconductor substrates that are characterized by their long-range atomic ordering, a template layer that possesses short-range atomic ordering prepared on a non-single-crystal substrate is employed. On the template layer, epitaxial information associated with its short-range atomic ordering is available within an area that is comparable to that of a nanowire root. Thus the template layer locally provides epitaxial information required for the growth of semiconductor nanowires. In the particular demonstration described in this paper, hydrogenated silicon was used as a template layer for epitaxial growth of indium phosphide nanowires. The indium phosphide nanowires grown on the hydrogenerated silicon template layer were found to be single crystal and optically active. Simple photoconductors and pin-diodes were fabricated and tested with the view towards various optoelectronic device applications where group III-V compound semiconductors are functionally integrated onto non-single-crystal platforms. (orig.)

TiO2 coated Si nanowire electrodes for electrochemical double layer capacitors in room temperature ionic liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konstantinou, F; Shougee, A; Albrecht, T; Fobelets, K

2017-01-01

Three TiO 2 deposition processes are used to coat the surface of Si nanowire array electrodes for electrochemical double layer capacitors in room temperature ionic liquid [Bmim][NTF 2 ]. The fabrication processes are based on wet chemistry only and temperature treatments are kept below 450 °C. Successful TiO 2 coatings are found to be those that are carried out at low pressure and with low TiO 2 coverage to avoid nanowires breakage. The best TiO 2 coated Si nanowire array electrode in [Bmim][NTF 2 ] showed energy densities of 0.9 Wh·kg −1 and power densities of 2.2 kW·kg −1 with a nanowire length of ∼10 µ m. (paper)

Single-crystalline self-branched anatase titania nanowires for dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhenquan; Yang, Huang; Wu, Fei; Fu, Jianxun; Wang, Linjun; Yang, Weiguang

2017-03-01

The morphology of the anatase titania plays an important role in improving the photovoltaic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells. In this work, single-crystalline self-branched anatase TiO2 nanowires have been synthesized by hydrothermal method using TBAH and CTAB as morphology controlling agents. The obtained self-branched TiO2 nanowires dominated by a large percentage of (010) facets. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency (6.37%) of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on the self-branched TiO2 nanowires shows a significant improvement (26.6%) compared to that of P25 TiO2 (5.03%). The enhanced performance of the self-branched TiO2 nanowires-based DSSC is due to heir large percent of exposed (010) facets which have strong dye adsorption capacity and effective charge transport of the self-branched 1D nanostructures.

Positron annihilation in single crystals of TiO2, VO2, Pb, and U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blau, M.

1982-09-01

Two positron annihilation set-ups for Doppler broadening correlation measurements are described. The Doppler broadening spectra were measured in different directions of single crystals of TiO 2 and VO 2 , at room temperature. The anisotropy was explained using two models in which the positron behaves as a free or bounded particle, and was related to the effective charge on the oxygen ion. The changes in the spectra in VO 2 , on passing from the insulator to the metal phase, were found to be gradual and small. The results indicate that the main contribution to the metal-insulator transition is due to changes in the relative occupation of the oxygen p-states and not to changes in covalency or screening. Angular correlations were measured in single crystals of lead in three crystallographic directions. The derivatives of the spectra were compared with the Fermi surface obtained from dHvA measurements, using plane-wave electrons. Most of the features of the experimental derivatives were explained with this simple model. Angular correlation measurements were made on single crystals of uranium in two crystallographic directions. The derivates of the spectra were very wide with a few peaks. (Author)

Photoluminescence Polarization Anisotropy in a Single Heterostructured III-V Nanowire with Mixed Crystal Phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moses, A. F.; Hoang, T. B.; Ahtapodov, L.; Dheeraj, D. L.; Fimland, B. O.; Weman, H.; Helvoort, A. T. J. van

2011-01-01

Low temperature (10 K) micro-photoluminescence (μ-PL) of single GaAs/AlGaAs core-shell nanowires with single GaAsSb inserts were measured. The PL emission from the zinc blende GaAsSb insert is strongly polarized along the nanowire axis while the PL emission from the wurtzite GaAs nanowire is perpendiculary polarized to the nanowire axis. The result indicates that the crystal phase, through the optical selection rules, has significant effect on the polarization of the PL from NWs besides the dielectric mismatch. The analysis of the PL results based on the electronic structure of these nanowires supports the correlation between the crystal phase and the PL emission.

Heterogeneous activation of H_2O_2 by defect-engineered TiO_2_−_x single crystals for refractory pollutants degradation: A Fenton-like mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ai-Yong; Lin, Tan; He, Yuan-Yi; Mou, Yu-Xuan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Facet- and defect-engineered TiO_2 is proposed for water treatment as Fenton-like catalyst. • The =Ti(III) center serves as lattice shuttle for electron transfer in H_2O_2 activation. • TiO_2 is promising due to low cost, high abundance, no toxicity and stable performance. - Abstract: The heterogeneous catalyst plays a key role in Fenton-like reaction for advanced oxidation of refractory pollutants in water treatment. Titanium dioxide (TiO_2) is a typical semiconductor with high industrial importance due to its earth abundance, low cost and no toxicity. In this work, it is found that TiO_2 can heterogeneously activate hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2, E° = 1.78 eV), a common chemical oxidant, to efficiently generate highly-powerful hydroxyl radical, ·OH (E"0 = 2.80 eV), for advanced water treatment, when its crystal shape, exposed facet and oxygen-stoichiometry are finely tuned. The defect-engineered TiO_2 single crystals exposed by high-energy {0 0 1} facets exhibited an excellent Fenton-like activity and stability for degrading typical refractory organic pollutants such as methyl orange and p-nitrophenol. Its defect-centered Fenton-like superiority is mainly attributed to the crystal oxygen-vacancy, single-crystalline structure and exposed polar {0 0 1} facet. Our findings could provide new chance to utilize TiO_2 for Fenton-like technology, and develop novel heterogeneous catalyst for advanced water treatment.

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.

TiO2 Microflowers Assembled by 6-nm Single-Crystal Stranded Wires with Improved Photoelectrochemical Performances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Chunlei; Zhou, Wei; Yu, Li; Zhang, Gong; Qu, Jiuhui; Liu, Huijuan

2017-01-01

Highlights: •The 6-nm single-crystal stranded wires of TiO 2 exhibited a photocurrent of 0.33 mA cm −2 compared to that of the P25/TF (0.06 mA cm −2 ), which greatly facilited the electron transfer rate. •A photoelectrochemical (PEC) system combining degradation of bisphenol A and H 2 production was constructed based on the TiO 2 -SWs/TF. •This PEC system exhibited a 94% bisphenol A degradation efficiency within 60 min at 1.2 V and H 2 production simultaneously. •A power consumption of only 0.02 kWh m −3 was consumed by the TiO 2 -SWs/TF in PEC system. •Two pathways for PEC degradation of bisphenol A were proposed based on the intermediates identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. -- Abstract: As the diffusion length of charge carriers in TiO 2 is around 10 nm, it would be an efficient way to increase the photocatalytic properties by controlling the size within 10 nm. Herein, TiO 2 microflowers assembled by 6-nm single-crystal stranded wires grown on Ti foam (TiO 2 -SWs/TF) were synthesized which facilated electron transfer rate with a photocurrent of 0.33 mA cm −2 compared to that of the P25/TF (0.06 mA cm −2 ). A photoelectrochemical (PEC) system combining degradation of bisphenol A and H 2 production was constructed based on the as-obtained TiO 2 -SWs/TF as photoanode and Pt wire as cathode. This PEC system exhibited excellent ability for simultaneous bisphenol A degradation and H 2 production, giving a 94% bisphenol A degradation efficiency within 60 min at 1.2 vs (Ag/AgCl) V with power consumption of only 0.02 kWh m −3 . The excellent PEC degradation of bisphenol A by the TiO 2 -SWs/TF could mainly be ascribed to the fast electron transfer via the 6-nm ultrathin wires and synergetic effect of photocatalysis and electrochemical process. Two pathways for PEC degradation of bisphenol A were proposed based on the intermediates identified by Ultra Performance liquid chromatography-quadruple-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS).

Fullerene C70 decorated TiO2 nanowires for visible-light-responsive photocatalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Er-Chieh; Ciou, Jing-Hao; Zheng, Jia-Huei; Pan, Job; Hsiao, Yu-Sheng; Lee, Kuen-Chan; Huang, Jen-Hsien

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • TiO 2 nanowire decorated with C 60 and C 70 derivatives has been synthesized. • The fullerenes impede the charge recombination due to its high electron affinity. • The fullerenes expand the utilization of solar light from UV to visible light. • The modified-TiO 2 has great biocompatibility. - Abstract: In this study, we have synthesized C 60 and C 70 -modified TiO 2 nanowire (NW) through interfacial chemical bonding. The results indicate that the fullerenes (C 60 and C 70 derivatives) can act as sinks for photogenerated electrons in TiO 2 , while the fullerene/TiO 2 is illuminated under ultraviolet (UV) light. Therefore, in comparison to the pure TiO 2 NWs, the modified TiO 2 NWs display a higher photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation. Moreover, the fullerenes also can function as a sensitizer to TiO 2 which expand the utilization of solar light from UV to visible light. The results reveal that the C 70 /TiO 2 NWs show a significant photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue (MB) in visible light region. To better understand the mechanism responsible for the effect of fullerenes on the photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 , the electron only devices and photoelectrochemical cells based on fullerenes/TiO 2 are also fabricated and evaluated.

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.

Preparation and Use of Photocatalytically Active Segmented Ag|ZnO and Coaxial TiO2-Ag Nanowires Made by Templated Electrodeposition

Science.gov (United States)

Maijenburg, A. Wouter; Rodijk, Eddy J.B.; Maas, Michiel G.; ten Elshof, Johan E.

2014-01-01

Photocatalytically active nanostructures require a large specific surface area with the presence of many catalytically active sites for the oxidation and reduction half reactions, and fast electron (hole) diffusion and charge separation. Nanowires present suitable architectures to meet these requirements. Axially segmented Ag|ZnO and radially segmented (coaxial) TiO2-Ag nanowires with a diameter of 200 nm and a length of 6-20 µm were made by templated electrodeposition within the pores of polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) or anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes, respectively. In the photocatalytic experiments, the ZnO and TiO2 phases acted as photoanodes, and Ag as cathode. No external circuit is needed to connect both electrodes, which is a key advantage over conventional photo-electrochemical cells. For making segmented Ag|ZnO nanowires, the Ag salt electrolyte was replaced after formation of the Ag segment to form a ZnO segment attached to the Ag segment. For making coaxial TiO2-Ag nanowires, a TiO2 gel was first formed by the electrochemically induced sol-gel method. Drying and thermal annealing of the as-formed TiO2 gel resulted in the formation of crystalline TiO2 nanotubes. A subsequent Ag electrodeposition step inside the TiO2 nanotubes resulted in formation of coaxial TiO2-Ag nanowires. Due to the combination of an n-type semiconductor (ZnO or TiO2) and a metal (Ag) within the same nanowire, a Schottky barrier was created at the interface between the phases. To demonstrate the photocatalytic activity of these nanowires, the Ag|ZnO nanowires were used in a photocatalytic experiment in which H2 gas was detected upon UV illumination of the nanowires dispersed in a methanol/water mixture. After 17 min of illumination, approximately 0.2 vol% H2 gas was detected from a suspension of ~0.1 g of Ag|ZnO nanowires in a 50 ml 80 vol% aqueous methanol solution. PMID:24837535

High pressure structural phase transitions of TiO2 nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Quan-Jun; Liu Bing-Bing

2016-01-01

Recently, the high pressure study on the TiO 2 nanomaterials has attracted considerable attention due to the typical crystal structure and the fascinating properties of TiO 2 with nanoscale sizes. In this paper, we briefly review the recent progress in the high pressure phase transitions of TiO 2 nanomaterials. We discuss the size effects and morphology effects on the high pressure phase transitions of TiO 2 nanomaterials with different particle sizes, morphologies, and microstructures. Several typical pressure-induced structural phase transitions in TiO 2 nanomaterials are presented, including size-dependent phase transition selectivity in nanoparticles, morphology-tuned phase transition in nanowires, nanosheets, and nanoporous materials, and pressure-induced amorphization (PIA) and polyamorphism in ultrafine nanoparticles and TiO 2 -B nanoribbons. Various TiO 2 nanostructural materials with high pressure structures are prepared successfully by high pressure treatment of the corresponding crystal nanomaterials, such as amorphous TiO 2 nanoribbons, α -PbO 2 -type TiO 2 nanowires, nanosheets, and nanoporous materials. These studies suggest that the high pressure phase transitions of TiO 2 nanomaterials depend on the nanosize, morphology, interface energy, and microstructure. The diversity of high pressure behaviors of TiO 2 nanomaterials provides a new insight into the properties of nanomaterials, and paves a way for preparing new nanomaterials with novel high pressure structures and properties for various applications. (topical review)

Au nanostructure-decorated TiO2 nanowires exhibiting photoactivity across entire UV-visible region for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Ying-Chih; Wang, Gongming; Chang, Kao-Der; Ling, Yichuan; Lin, Yin-Kai; Fitzmorris, Bob C; Liu, Chia-Ming; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang; Zhang, Jin Z; Hsu, Yung-Jung; Li, Yat

2013-08-14

Here we demonstrate that the photoactivity of Au-decorated TiO2 electrodes for photoelectrochemical water oxidation can be effectively enhanced in the entire UV-visible region from 300 to 800 nm by manipulating the shape of the decorated Au nanostructures. The samples were prepared by carefully depositing Au nanoparticles (NPs), Au nanorods (NRs), and a mixture of Au NPs and NRs on the surface of TiO2 nanowire arrays. As compared with bare TiO2, Au NP-decorated TiO2 nanowire electrodes exhibited significantly enhanced photoactivity in both the UV and visible regions. For Au NR-decorated TiO2 electrodes, the photoactivity enhancement was, however, observed in the visible region only, with the largest photocurrent generation achieved at 710 nm. Significantly, TiO2 nanowires deposited with a mixture of Au NPs and NRs showed enhanced photoactivity in the entire UV-visible region. Monochromatic incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency measurements indicated that excitation of surface plasmon resonance of Au is responsible for the enhanced photoactivity of Au nanostructure-decorated TiO2 nanowires. Photovoltage experiment showed that the enhanced photoactivity of Au NP-decorated TiO2 in the UV region was attributable to the effective surface passivation of Au NPs. Furthermore, 3D finite-difference time domain simulation was performed to investigate the electrical field amplification at the interface between Au nanostructures and TiO2 upon SPR excitation. The results suggested that the enhanced photoactivity of Au NP-decorated TiO2 in the UV region was partially due to the increased optical absorption of TiO2 associated with SPR electrical field amplification. The current study could provide a new paradigm for designing plasmonic metal/semiconductor composite systems to effectively harvest the entire UV-visible light for solar fuel production.

Observation of plastic deformation in freestanding single crystal Au nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dongyun; Zhao Manhong; Wei Xiaoding; Chen Xi; Jun, Seong C.; Hone, James; Herbert, Erik G.; Oliver, Warren C.; Kysar, Jeffrey W.

2006-01-01

Freestanding single crystal nanowires of gold were fabricated from a single grain of pure gold leaf by standard lithographic techniques, with center section of 7 μm in length, 250 nm in width, and 100 nm in thickness. The ends remained anchored to a silicon substrate. The specimens were deflected via nanoindenter until plastic deformation was achieved. Nonlocalized and localized plastic deformations were observed. The resulting force-displacement curves were simulated using continuum single crystal plasticity. A set of material parameters which closely reproduce the experimental results suggests that the initial critical resolved shear stress was as high as 135 MPa

Oxygen vacancy-induced room-temperature ferromagnetism in D—D neutron irradiated single-crystal TiO2 (001) rutile

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Nan-Nan; Li, Gong-Ping; Pan, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Yun-Bo; Chen, Jing-Sheng; Bao, Liang-Man

2014-10-01

Remarkable room temperature ferromagnetism in pure single-crystal rutile TiO2 (001) samples irradiated by D—D neutron has been investigated. By combining X-ray diffraction and positron annihilation lifetime, the contracted lattice has been clearly identified in irradiated TiO2, where Ti4+ ions can be easily reduced to the state of Ti3+. As there were no magnetic impurities that could contaminate the samples during the whole procedure, some Ti3+ ions reside on interstitial or substituted sites accompanied by oxygen vacancies should be responsible for the ferromagnetism.

Constructed Single-Crystal Rutile TiO_2 Cluster and Plasmon Synergistic Effect for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Wenjing; Sun, Weiwei; Liu, Yumin; Mehnane, Hadja Fatima; Liu, Haimin; Zhang, Kun; Cai, Bo; Liu, Wei; Guo, Shishang; Zhao, Xing-Zhong

2015-01-01

We demonstrate a method for incorporating plasmon metallic nanoparticles in hierarchical rutile TiO_2 clusters (RTC) assembled from single-crystal nanospindles. The RTC could efficiently improve the diffusion of the photoelectrons, which can be ascribed to the improvement of the connectivity by bridging the neighbouring microflowers through the single-crystal nanospindles. But not all the nanospindles are tightly interconnected, hence organic colloid has been prepared for post-treatment of the device based on RTC by the generation of TiO_2 nanoparticles. When added into Au nanoparticles, localized electric fields can be produced, because Au can excite dye molecules more intensively than incident far-field light. The surface plasmon synergistic effect had been investigated by Uv-vis absorption spectrum of Au@ organic colloid and the relative change of the IPCE. As a result, the cell based on RTC exhibits an overall conversion efficiency of 7.68%, indicating a 17% promotion compared with that derived from commercial P25 (6.58%) which could be ascribed to faster electron transfer of single-crystal nanospindles. With the Au nanoparticles incorporation in RTC, the device achieves a conversion efficiency of 9.15%, resulting in a 11% increase compared to the RTC device post-treated by organic colloid without Au nanoparticles (8.24%), which is attributed to the surface plasmon synergistic of Au nanoparticles.

Photovoltaic and Impedance Properties of Hierarchical TiO2 Nanowire Based Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanullah Fatehmulla

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Growth and characterization of TiO2 nanowire (NW assemblies on FTO glass using a typical hydrothermal synthesis have been reported. CdS quantum dots (QDs have been deposited on TiO2 nanowires by successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR method. FESEM image exhibits the flower-like hierarchical TiO2 bunch of nanowires. HRTEM image confirms the size of CdS QDs between 5 and 6 nm. XRD and absorption studies revealed proper growth of CdS quantum dots on TiO2 nanowires. At AM 1.5 illumination intensity, the solar cell, with the configuration FTO/TiO2-NW/CdS-QDs/Pt-FTO, displays a short circuit current (Jsc of 1.295 mA and an open circuit voltage (Voc of 0.38 V. The Voc and Jsc showed linear behavior at higher illumination intensities. The peak in power-voltage characteristics at various illuminations showed a shift towards higher Voc values. Capacitance-voltage (C-V, conductance-voltage (G-V, and series resistance-voltage (Rs-V measurements of the cell in the frequency ranging from 5 kHz to 5 MHz showed decreasing trend of capacitance with increase of frequency whereas increase in conductance and decrease in resistance have been noticed with increase of frequency. All the results including the individual behavior of the plots of capacitance, conductance, and series resistance as a function of bias voltage have been discussed.

Study of the Bulk Charge Carrier Dynamics in Anatase and Rutile TiO2 Single Crystals by Femtosecond Time Resolved Spectroscopy

KAUST Repository

Maity, Partha; Mohammed, Omar F.; Katsiev, Khabiboulakh; Idriss, Hicham

2018-01-01

as the best model for fundamental studies. Their ultrafast charge carrier dynamics especially on TiO2 anatase single crystal (the most active phase) are unresolved. Here femtosecond time resolved spectroscopy (TRS) was carried out to explore the dynamics

Transparent TiO2 nanowire networks via wet corrosion of Ti thin films for dye-sensitized solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Eunhye; Jin, Saera; Hong, Jongin

2017-09-01

Transparent TiO2 nanowire networks were prepared by corrosion of Ti thin films on F-doped SnO2 glass substrates in an alkaline (potassium hydroxide: KOH) solution. The formation of the porous TiO2 nanostructures from the Ti thin films was thoroughly investigated. Dye-sensitized solar cells with a photoanode of 1.2-μm-thick nanowire networks exhibit an average optical transmittance of 40% in the visible light region and a power conversion efficiency of 1.0% under one sun illumination.

Proline adsorption on TiO 2(1 1 0) single crystal surface: A study by high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, G. J.; Adib, K.; Rodriguez, J. A.; Barteau, M. A.; Idriss, H.

2007-12-01

The surface chemistry and binding of DL-proline were investigated on the oxidised (stoichiometric) and reduced (sub-stoichiometric) TiO 2(1 1 0) single crystal surfaces. TiO 2 was chosen as the substrate as it best represents the surface of a biomedical implant, which bio-molecules interact with during the healing of bone/teeth fractures (molecular recognition). High resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HR-XPS) studies of the C1s and N1s regions revealed that DL-proline is present in two forms (dissociated and zwitterionic) on the oxidised TiO 2 surface. On TiO 2(1 1 0) surfaces reduced by Ar + sputtering, a significant increase in the amount of zwitterionic proline at the surface was detected when compared with the oxidised surface. Study of the temperature effect showed that in both cases the zwitterionic structure was the less stable structure. The reason for its relative instability appears to be thermodynamic.

Hydrothermal Growth and Application of ZnO Nanowire Films with ZnO and TiO2Buffer Layers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Chunhua

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract This paper reports the effects of the seed layers prepared by spin-coating and dip-coating methods on the morphology and density of ZnO nanowire arrays, thus on the performance of ZnO nanowire-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. The nanowire films with the thick ZnO buffer layer (~0.8–1 μm thick can improve the open circuit voltage of the DSSCs through suppressing carrier recombination, however, and cause the decrease of dye loading absorbed on ZnO nanowires. In order to further investigate the effect of TiO2buffer layer on the performance of ZnO nanowire-based DSSCs, compared with the ZnO nanowire-based DSSCs without a compact TiO2buffer layer, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency and open circuit voltage of the ZnO DSSCs with the compact TiO2layer (~50 nm thick were improved by 3.9–12.5 and 2.4–41.7%, respectively. This can be attributed to the introduction of the compact TiO2layer prepared by sputtering method, which effectively suppressed carrier recombination occurring across both the film–electrolyte interface and the substrate–electrolyte interface.

High performance and durability of order-structured cathode catalyst layer based on TiO_2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Ming; Wang, Meng; Yang, Zhaoyi; Wang, Xindong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • TiO_2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays were prepared and applied as catalyst support. • As-prepared Pt-TiO_2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays were applied as order-structured cathode catalyst layer. • The novel cathode catalyst structure without Nafion"® ionomer enhance the performance and durability of PEMFC. - Abstract: In this paper, an order-structured cathode catalyst layer consisting of Pt-TiO_2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays that in situ grown on commercial gas diffusion layer (GDL) are prepared and applied to membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). In order to prepare the TiO_2@PANI core-shell nanowire arrays with suitable porosity and prominent conductivity, the morphologies of the TiO_2 nanoarray and electrochemical polymerization process of aniline are schematically investigated. The MEA with order-structured cathode catalyst layer is assembled in the single cell to evaluate the electrochemical performance and durability of PEMFC. As a result, the PEMFC with order-structured cathode catalyst layer shows higher peak power density (773.54 mW cm"−"2) than conventional PEMFC (699.30 mW cm"−"2). Electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) and charge transfer impedance (R_c_t) are measured before and after accelerated degradation test (ADT), and the corresponding experimental results indicate the novel cathode structure exhibits a better stability with respect to conventional cathode. The enhanced electrochemical performance and durability toward PEMFC can be ascribed to the order-structured cathode nanoarray structure with high specific surface area increases the utilization of catalyst and reduces the tortuosity of transport pathways, and the synergistic effect between TiO_2@PANI support and Pt nanoparticles promotes the high efficiency of electrochemical reaction and improves the stability of catalyst. This research provides a facile and controllable method to prepare order

Study of the Bulk Charge Carrier Dynamics in Anatase and Rutile TiO2 Single Crystals by Femtosecond Time Resolved Spectroscopy

KAUST Repository

Maity, Partha

2018-04-02

Understanding of the fundamentals behind charge carriers of photo-catalytic materials are still illusive hindering progress in our quest for renewable energy. TiO2 anatase and rutile are the most understood phases in photo-catalysis and serve as the best model for fundamental studies. Their ultrafast charge carrier dynamics especially on TiO2 anatase single crystal (the most active phase) are unresolved. Here femtosecond time resolved spectroscopy (TRS) was carried out to explore the dynamics of photo-excited charge carriers’ recombination in anatase single crystal, for the first time using pump fluence effects, and compares it to that of the rutile single crystal. A significant difference in charge carrier recombination rates between both crystals is observed. We found that the time constants for carrier recombination are two orders of magnitude slower for anatase (101) when compared to those of rutile (110). Moreover, bulk defects introduced by reduction of the samples via annealing in ultra-high vacuum resulted in faster recombination rates for both polymorphs. Both states (fresh and reduced) probed by pump fluence dependence measurements revealed that the major recombination channel in fresh and reduced anatase and reduced rutile is the first-order Shockley–Reed mediated. However, for fresh rutile, third-body Auger recombination was observed, attributed to the presence of higher density of intrinsic charge carriers. At all excitation wavelengths and fluence investigated, anatase (101) single crystal show longer charge carrier lifetime when compared to rutile (110) single. This may explain the superiority of the anatase phase for the electron transfer H+ reduction to molecular hydrogen.

Reliability of Single Crystal Silver Nanowire-Based Systems: Stress Assisted Instabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandramoorthy, Rajaprakash; Wang, Yanming; Aghaei, Amin; Richter, Gunther; Cai, Wei; Espinosa, Horacio D

2017-05-23

Time-dependent mechanical characterization of nanowires is critical to understand their long-term reliability in applications, such as flexible-electronics and touch screens. It is also of great importance to develop a theoretical framework for experimentation and analysis on the mechanics of nanowires under time-dependent loading conditions, such as stress-relaxation and fatigue. Here, we combine in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM)/transmission electron microscope (TEM) tests with atomistic and phase-field simulations to understand the deformation mechanisms of single crystal silver nanowires held under constant strain. We observe that the nanowires initially undergo stress-relaxation, where the stress reduces with time and saturates after some time period. The stress-relaxation process occurs due to the formation of few dislocations and stacking faults. Remarkably, after a few hours the nanowires rupture suddenly. The reason for this abrupt failure of the nanowire was identified as stress-assisted diffusion, using phase-field simulations. Under a large applied strain, diffusion leads to the amplification of nanowire surface perturbation at long wavelengths and the nanowire fails at the stress-concentrated thin cross-sectional regions. An analytical analysis on the competition between the elastic energy and the surface energy predicts a longer time to failure for thicker nanowires than thinner ones, consistent with our experimental observations. The measured time to failure of nanowires under cyclic loading conditions can also be explained in terms of this mechanism.

Plasmonic engineering of metal-oxide nanowire heterojunctions in integrated nanowire rectification units

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Luchan; Zou, Guisheng; Liu, Lei; Duley, Walt W.; Zhou, Y. Norman

2016-05-01

We show that irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses can produce robust nanowire heterojunctions in coupled non-wetting metal-oxide Ag-TiO2 structures. Simulations indicate that joining arises from the effect of strong plasmonic localization in the region of the junction. Strong electric field effects occur in both Ag and TiO2 resulting in the modification of both surfaces and an increase in wettability of TiO2, facilitating the interconnection of Ag and TiO2 nanowires. Irradiation leads to the creation of a thin layer of highly defected TiO2 in the contact region between the Ag and TiO2 nanowires. The presence of this layer allows the formation of a heterojunction and offers the possibility of engineering the electronic characteristics of interfacial structures. Rectifying junctions with single and bipolar properties have been generated in Ag-TiO2 nanowire circuits incorporating asymmetrical and symmetrical interfacial structures, respectively. This fabrication technique should be applicable for the interconnection of other heterogeneous metal-oxide nanowire components and demonstrates that femtosecond laser irradiation enables interfacial engineering for electronic applications of integrated nanowire structures.

Polyaniline nanowires on TiO2 nano/microfiber hierarchical nano/microstructures: Preparation and their photocatalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Qiaozhen; Wang Mang; Chen Hongzheng; Dai Zhengwei

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We fabricate PANI nanowire-on-TiO 2 nano/microfiber hierarchical nano/microstructure composite fiber films by electrospinning, calcinations and in situ polymerization. → PANI/TiO 2 composite fiber film exhibits high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye MB. → The photocatalytic activity and reusability of PANI/TiO 2 composite fiber film were lower than those of pure TiO 2 fiber film. - Abstract: TiO 2 /PANI composite fiber films were fabricated by electrospinning, calcinations and in situ polymerization. The morphology and structure of the resulting composites were analyzed by scanning electron micrograph, transmission electron micrograph, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was found that this composite fiber film has a PANI nanowire-on-TiO 2 nano/microfiber hierarchical nano/microstructure. The surface morphology of this hierarchical nano/microstructure was related to the structure of TiO 2 nano/microfiber film, the time and temperature of in situ polymerization. Its photocatalytic property on methylene blue (MB) was studied, and the results showed that TiO 2 /PANI composite fiber film with this hierarchical nano/microstructure exhibited high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB under natural light. But both its photocatalytic activity and reusability were lower than those of pure TiO 2 fiber film. To improve the stability and reusability of TiO 2 /PANI composite fiber film, a direct chemical bonding of PANI chains onto TiO 2 surface, such as, the surface-initiated graft polymerization, is a useful method.

A novel method for preparing vertically grown single-crystalline gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tung, H-T; Nien, Y-T; Chen, I-G; Song, J-M

2008-01-01

A surfactant-free, template-less and seed-less method, namely the thermal-assisted photoreduction (TAP) process, has been developed to synthesize vertically grown Au nanowires (30-80 nm in diameter and about 2 μm in length) on the surface of thin film titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), which is locally excited by blackbody radiation. The Au nanowires thus produced are single-crystalline with a preferred [11 bar 0] growth direction. The electrical behavior investigated using a nanomanipulation device indicates that the Au nanowires possess an excellent electrical resistivity of about 3.49 x 10 -8 Ω m.

Photodegradation of rhodamine B and methyl orange over one-dimensional TiO2 catalysts under simulated solar irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Changsheng; Xu Jian; He Yan; Zhang Yuan; Wang Yuqiu

2011-01-01

In this paper, two one-dimensional (1D) TiO 2 nanostructures, nanotube and nanowire were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using Degussa P25 TiO 2 as a precursor. The synthesized anatase TiO 2 nanotubes with the diameters of 10-20 nm and length of several hundred nanometers were formed from P25 and NaOH with the hydrothermal treatment temperature at 150 deg. C, and anatase TiO 2 nanowires with the diameters of 10-40 nm and length up to several micrometers were prepared at 180 deg. C. The photocatalytic activity of the two nanostructures was evaluated by degrading rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solutions under simulated solar light irradiation. The results suggested that the TiO 2 nanocatalysts displayed higher degradation activity compared to P25. For RhB, 98.9% and 91.9% of RhB were removed by nanotubes and nanowires, respectively after 60 min irradiation in comparison to the 81.8% removal by P25. Similar trend was observed for MO, with the removal percentage of 95.6%, 88.3% and 74.9%, respectively by TiO 2 nanotubes, nanowires and P25. Meanwhile, RhB and MO showed different photodegradation rates in nanotubes and nanowires suspensions, probably due to the morphology and crystal structure of the TiO 2 nanocatalysts which play important roles in the degradation activity of the catalysts.

Controlled synthesis of TiO2-B nanowires and nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi Lihong; Liu Yongjun; Li Chunyan

2010-01-01

Controllable synthesis of the TiO 2 -B nanowires (NWs) and nanoparticles (NPs) had been achieved via a facile hydrothermal route, respectively, only by tuning the solution volume. The dye-sensitized solar cells prototypes had been fabricated using TiO 2 -B NW and NP electrodes, respectively. The TiO 2 -B NP cells had higher photocurrent and photoelectrical conversion efficiency than the TiO 2 -B NW cells though the latter exhibited larger photovoltage compared to the former. The key factors such as the photogenerated electron injection drive force, surface defects and the interfacial charge transfer, which determined the photoelectrical properties, had been systematically researched with the surface photovoltage spectra (SPS) and the electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The SPS proved that there was larger photoelectron injection drive force in TiO 2 -B NP photoelectrode than that in NW photoelectrode. And the electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) revealed that TiO 2 -B NP cells had faster interface charge transfer compared to TiO 2 -B NW cells. Both proved that NP cells had the higher photocurrents.

Controllable preparation of TiO2 nanowire arrays on titanium mesh for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Wenwu; Lu, Hui; Zhang, Mei; Guo, Min

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: TiO 2 nanowire arrays with controlled morphology and density have been synthesized on Ti mesh substrates by hydrothermal approach for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells which showed well photovoltaic efficiency of 3.42%. - Highlights: • Flexible titanium mesh was first used for hydrothermal preparation of TiO 2 NWAs. • The formation mechanism of the TiO 2 nanostructures was discussed. • The density, average diameter, and morphology of TiO 2 NWAs can be controlled. • The effects of the sensitization temperature and time on the properties were studied. - Abstract: TiO 2 nanowire arrays (NWAs) with an average diameter of 80 nm have been successfully synthesized on titanium (Ti) mesh substrates via hydrothermal method. The effects of preparing conditions such as concentration of NaOH solution, reaction time, and hydrothermal temperature on the growth of TiO 2 nanoarrays and its related photovoltaic properties were systematically investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photovoltaic properties test. The growth mechanism of the Ti mesh-supported TiO 2 nanostructures was discussed in detail. Moreover, a parametric study was performed to determine the optimized temperature and time of the dye sensitized process for the flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). It is demonstrated that hydrothermal parameters had obvious influence on the morphology and growth density of the as-prepared TiO 2 nanoarrays. In addition, the performance of the flexible DSSC depended strongly on the sensitization temperature and time. By utilizing Ti mesh-supported TiO 2 NWAs (with a length of about 14 μm) as a photoanode, the flexible DSSC with a short circuit current density of 10.49 mA cm −2 , an open-circuit voltage of 0.69 V, and an overall power conversion efficiency of 3.42% was achieved

Hydrogenated TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Ming; Zhou, Sihua; Yang, Lun; Gan, Zhixing; Liu, Kuili; Tian, Fengshou; Zhu, Yu; Li, ChunYang; Liu, Weifeng; Yuan, Honglei; Zhang, Yan

2018-04-02

We report the design, fabrication and characterization of novel TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals with a crystalline core/disordered shell structure as well as substantial oxygen vacancies for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The novel TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals are fabricated by annealing of anodized TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals in hydrogen atmosphere at various temperatures. The optimized novel TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals produce a maximal photocurrent density of 2.2 mA cm -2 at 0.22 V versus Ag/AgCl, which is two times higher that of the TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystals annealed in air. Such significant PEC performance improvement can be ascribed to synergistic effects of the disordered surface layer and oxygen vacancies. The reduced band gap owing to the disordered surface layer and localized states induced by oxygen vacancies can enhance the efficient utilization of visible light. In addition, the disordered surface layer and substantial oxygen vacancies can promote the efficiency for separation and transport of the photogenerated carriers. This work may open up new opportunities for the design and construction of the high efficient and low-cost PEC water splitting system.

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

Fabrication and simulation of single crystal p-type Si nanowire using SOI technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehzangi, Arash; Larki, Farhad; Naseri, Mahmud G.; Navasery, Manizheh; Majlis, Burhanuddin Y.; Razip Wee, Mohd F.; Halimah, M.K.; Islam, Md. Shabiul; Md Ali, Sawal H.; Saion, Elias

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Single crystal silicon nanowire is fabricated on Si on insulator substrate, using atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography and KOH + IPA chemical wet etching. • Some of major parameters in fabrication process, such as writing speed and applied voltage along with KOH etching depth are investigated, and then the I–V characteristic of Si nanowires is measured. • For better understanding of the charge transmission through the nanowire, 3D-TCAD simulation is performed to simulate the Si nanowires with the same size of the fabricated ones, and variation of majority and minority carriers, hole quasi-Fermi level and generation/recombination rate are investigated. - Abstract: Si nanowires (SiNWs) as building blocks for nanostructured materials and nanoelectronics have attracted much attention due to their major role in device fabrication. In the present work a top-down fabrication approach as atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography was performed on Si on insulator (SOI) substrate to fabricate a single crystal p-type SiNW. To draw oxide patterns on top of the SOI substrate local anodic oxidation was carried out by AFM in contact mode. After the oxidation procedure, an optimized solution of 30 wt.% KOH with 10 vol.% IPA for wet etching at 63 °C was applied to extract the nanostructure. The fabricated SiNW had 70–85 nm full width at half maximum width, 90 nm thickness and 4 μm length. The SiNW was simulated using Sentaurus 3D software with the exact same size of the fabricated device. I–V characterization of the SiNW was measured and compared with simulation results. Using simulation results variation of carrier's concentrations, valence band edge energy and recombination generation rate for different applied voltage were investigated

Fabrication and simulation of single crystal p-type Si nanowire using SOI technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dehzangi, Arash, E-mail: arashd53@hotmail.com [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Larki, Farhad [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Naseri, Mahmud G. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Malayer University, Malayer, Hamedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Navasery, Manizheh [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Majlis, Burhanuddin Y.; Razip Wee, Mohd F. [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Halimah, M.K. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Islam, Md. Shabiul; Md Ali, Sawal H. [Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics (IMEN), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia); Saion, Elias [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia)

2015-04-15

Highlights: • Single crystal silicon nanowire is fabricated on Si on insulator substrate, using atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography and KOH + IPA chemical wet etching. • Some of major parameters in fabrication process, such as writing speed and applied voltage along with KOH etching depth are investigated, and then the I–V characteristic of Si nanowires is measured. • For better understanding of the charge transmission through the nanowire, 3D-TCAD simulation is performed to simulate the Si nanowires with the same size of the fabricated ones, and variation of majority and minority carriers, hole quasi-Fermi level and generation/recombination rate are investigated. - Abstract: Si nanowires (SiNWs) as building blocks for nanostructured materials and nanoelectronics have attracted much attention due to their major role in device fabrication. In the present work a top-down fabrication approach as atomic force microscope (AFM) nanolithography was performed on Si on insulator (SOI) substrate to fabricate a single crystal p-type SiNW. To draw oxide patterns on top of the SOI substrate local anodic oxidation was carried out by AFM in contact mode. After the oxidation procedure, an optimized solution of 30 wt.% KOH with 10 vol.% IPA for wet etching at 63 °C was applied to extract the nanostructure. The fabricated SiNW had 70–85 nm full width at half maximum width, 90 nm thickness and 4 μm length. The SiNW was simulated using Sentaurus 3D software with the exact same size of the fabricated device. I–V characterization of the SiNW was measured and compared with simulation results. Using simulation results variation of carrier's concentrations, valence band edge energy and recombination generation rate for different applied voltage were investigated.

Defect types and room temperature ferromagnetism in N-doped rutile TiO2 single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xiu-Bo; Li, Dong-Xiang; Li, Rui-Qin; Zhang, Peng; Li, Yu-Xiao; Wang, Bao-Yi

2014-06-01

The magnetic properties and defect types of virgin and N-doped TiO2 single crystals are probed by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and positron annihilation analysis (PAS). Upon N doping, a twofold enhancement of the saturation magnetization is observed. Apparently, this enhancement is not related to an increase in oxygen vacancy, rather to unpaired 3d electrons in Ti3+, arising from titanium vacancies and the replacement of O with N atoms in the rutile structure. The production of titanium vacancies can enhance the room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM), and substitution of O with N is the onset of ferromagnetism by inducing relatively strong ferromagnetic ordering.

The control of the growth orientations of electrodeposited single-crystal nanowire arrays: a case study for hexagonal CdS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun Hongyu; Li Xiaohong; Chen Yan; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, 066004 Qinhuangdao (China); Li Feng; Liu Baoting [College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, 071002 Baoding (China)], E-mail: xyzh66@ysu.edu.cn

2008-06-04

The controllable growth of highly aligned and ordered semiconductor nanowire arrays is crucial for their potential applications in nanodevices. In the present study, both the growth orientation and the microstructure of hexagonal CdS nanowire arrays electrodeposited in a porous alumina template with 40 nm diameter pores have been controlled by simply tuning the deposition current density. An extremely low current density of 0.05 mA cm{sup -2} is favorable for the growth of single-crystal CdS nanowires along the normal direction of the intrinsic low-surface-energy (103) face. This can be understood well by a modified critical dimension model given in the present work.

The control of the growth orientations of electrodeposited single-crystal nanowire arrays: a case study for hexagonal CdS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hongyu; Li Xiaohong; Chen Yan; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi; Li Feng; Liu Baoting

2008-01-01

The controllable growth of highly aligned and ordered semiconductor nanowire arrays is crucial for their potential applications in nanodevices. In the present study, both the growth orientation and the microstructure of hexagonal CdS nanowire arrays electrodeposited in a porous alumina template with 40 nm diameter pores have been controlled by simply tuning the deposition current density. An extremely low current density of 0.05 mA cm -2 is favorable for the growth of single-crystal CdS nanowires along the normal direction of the intrinsic low-surface-energy (103) face. This can be understood well by a modified critical dimension model given in the present work

Synthesis of ZnTe nanowires onto TiO2 nanotubular arrays by pulse-reverse electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gandhi, T.; Raja, K.S.; Misra, M.

2009-01-01

Growth of ZnTe nanowires using a pulse-reverse electrodeposition technique from a non-aqueous solution is reported. ZnTe nanowires were grown on to an ordered nanotubular TiO 2 template in a propylene carbonate solution at 130 o C inside a controlled atmosphere glove box. The pulse-reverse electro deposition process consisted of a cathodic pulse at - 0.62 V and an anodic pulse at 0.75 V Vs Zn 2+ /Zn. Stoichiometry growth of crystalline ZnTe nanowires was observed in the as-deposited condition. The anodic pulse cycle of the pulse-reverse electrodeposition process presumably introduced zinc vacancies as deep level acceptors at an energy level of E v + 0.47 eV. The resultant ZnTe nanowires showed p-type semiconductivity with a resistivity of 7.8 x 10 4 Ω cm and a charge carrier density of 1.67 x 10 14 cm -3 . Annihilation of the defects occurred upon thermal annealing that resulted in marginal decrease in the defect density.

Anomalous magnetic properties of 7 nm single-crystal Co3O4 nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Ping; Zhang, Yan; Xu, Rui; Nie, Jia-Cai; He, Lin

2012-01-01

We present a study of magnetic properties of single-crystal Co3O4 nanowires with diameter about 7 nm. The nanowires expose (111) planes composed of plenty of Co3+ cations and exhibit two order temperatures at 56 K (TN of wire cores) and 73 K (order temperature of wire shells), which are far above TN = 40 K of bulk Co3O4. This novel behavior is attributed to symmetry breaking of surface Co3+ cations and magnetic proximity effect. The nanowire shells show macroscopic residual magnetic moments. Cooling in a magnetic field, a fraction of the residual moments are tightly pinned to the antiferromagnetic lattice, which results in an obvious horizontal and vertical shift of hysteresis loop. Our experiment demonstrates that the exchange bias field HE and the pinned magnetic moments Mpin follow a simple expression HE = aMpin with a a constant.

Defects in TiO2 crystals produced by neutron irradiations at 20 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okada, M.; Nakagawa, M.; Atobe, K.; Kawabata, Y.

1994-01-01

The single crystals rutile (TiO 2 ), cut parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis, are irradiated by reactor neutrons at 20 K (8.0x10 16 n/cm 2 ; E>0.1 MeV). By means of optical measurements an intense absorption band, which has a maximum peak near 1 μm (having FWHM similar 0.87 eV), is observed and is annealed out at about 220 K. Also, some kinds of defect centers can be distinguished by ESR measurements. The broad band has similar characteristics to that in reduced TiO 2 crystal, in which the band has a maximum peak at 1.5 μm. With heavy reduction, the intensity of the broad band enhances with increasing electrical conductivity. It has been proposed that the origin of the band in reduced crystals may be attributable to the absorption of donors due to the polaron effects. The evidence for the assignment to the defect in the irradiated crystals is obtained by optical, ESR, and electrical resistivity measurements. The results lead to quite a different origin for the irradiation produced defect centers. ((orig.))

Crystal structure mediates mode of cell death in TiO2 nanotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braydich-Stolle, Laura K.; Schaeublin, Nicole M.; Murdock, Richard C.; Jiang, Jingkun; Biswas, Pratim; Schlager, John J.; Hussain, Saber M.

2009-01-01

Certain properties that nanoparticles possess differentiate them from their bulk counterparts, and these characteristics must be evaluated prior to nanoparticle studies and include: size, shape, dispersion, physical and chemical properties, surface area, and surface chemistry. Early nanotoxicity studies evaluating TiO 2 have yielded conflicting data which identify either size or crystal structure as the mediating property for nano-TiO 2 toxicity. However, it is important to note that none of these studies examined size with the crystal structure composition controlled for or examined crystal structure while controlling the nanoparticle size. The goal of this study was to evaluate the role of size and crystal structure in TiO 2 nanotoxicity while controlling for as many other nanoproperties as possible using the HEL-30 mouse keratinocyte cell line as a model for dermal exposure. In the size-dependent studies, all the nanoparticles are 100% anatase, and aggregate sizes were determined in order to take into account the effect of agglomeration on size-dependent toxicity. In addition, varying crystal structures were assessed while the size of the nanoparticles was controlled. We were able to identify that both size and crystal structure contribute to cytotoxicity and that the mechanism of cell death varies based on crystal structure. The 100% anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles, regardless of size, induced cell necrosis, while the rutile TiO 2 nanoparticles initiated apoptosis through formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Highly ordered uniform single-crystal Bi nanowires: fabrication and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bisrat, Y; Luo, Z P; Davis, D; Lagoudas, D

2007-01-01

A mechanical pressure injection technique has been used to fabricate uniform bismuth (Bi) nanowires in the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. The AAO template was prepared from general purity aluminum by a two-step anodization followed by heat treatment to achieve highly ordered nanochannels. The nanowires were then fabricated by an injection technique whereby the molten Bi was injected into the AAO template using a hydraulic pressure method. The Bi nanowires prepared by this method were found to be dense and continuous with uniform diameter throughout the length. Electron diffraction experiments using the transmission electron microscope on cross-sectional and free-standing longitudinal Bi nanowires showed that the majority of the individual nanowires were single crystalline, with preferred orientation of growth along the [011] zone axis of the pseudo-cubic structure. The work presented here provides an inexpensive and effective way of fabricating highly ordered single-crystalline Bi nanowires, with uniform size distributions

Growth mechanism of titanium dioxide nanowires for dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boercker, J E; Enache-Pommer, E; Aydil, E S

2008-01-01

Mesoporous films made of titanium dioxide nanowires are desirable for dye-sensitized solar cells because nanowires provide direct conduction pathways for photogenerated electrons. Anatase titanium dioxide nanowires with polycrystalline microstructure were synthesized on titanium foil using a three-step process. First, the top surface of the titanium foil was transformed to Na 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes through hydrothermal oxidation in NaOH. Next, the Na 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes were converted to H 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes by ion exchange. Finally, the H 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes were converted to polycrystalline anatase nanowires through a topotactic transformation. The film morphology evolution, crystal structure transformations and growth mechanism are described in detail. Titanium foil reacts with NaOH to form Na 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 sheets, which exfoliate and spiral into nanotubes. The Na 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes are immersed in HCl solution to replace the Na + ions with H + ions. During the topotactic transformation of H 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes to anatase TiO 2 nanowires, the sheets made of edge bonded TiO 6 octahedra in the H 2 Ti 2 O 4 (OH) 2 nanotubes dehydrate and move towards each other to form anatase crystals oriented along the nanotube axis which creates a polycrystalline nanowire. These mesoporous TiO 2 nanowire films were suitable for use as dye-sensitized solar cell photoanodes

Study of GaN nanowires converted from β-Ga2O3 and photoconduction in a single nanowire

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Mukesh; Kumar, Sudheer; Chauhan, Neha; Sakthi Kumar, D.; Kumar, Vikram; Singh, R.

2017-08-01

The formation of GaN nanowires from β-Ga2O3 nanowires and photoconduction in a fabricated single GaN nanowire device has been studied. Wurtzite phase GaN were formed from monoclinic β-Ga2O3 nanowires with or without catalyst particles at their tips. The formation of faceted nanostructures from catalyst droplets presented on a nanowire tip has been discussed. The nucleation of GaN phases in β-Ga2O3 nanowires and their subsequent growth due to interfacial strain energy has been examined using a high resolution transmission electron microscope. The high quality of the converted GaN nanowire is confirmed by fabricating single nanowire photoconducting devices which showed ultra high responsivity under ultra-violet illumination.

Crystallization kinetics of a soda lime silica glass with TiO2 addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De la Parra A, S. M.; Alvarez M, A.; Torres G, L. C.; Sanchez, E. M.

2009-01-01

Studies conducted into Na 2 O-CaO-3SiO 2 glass composition suggest that its phase transformation occurs from the surface towards the interior of the sample. In a study carried out in 1982, it was reported that no addition of nucleating agents modified the mechanism. Taking advantage of the disposition materials synthesized by nanotechnology, in this study TiO 2 in nanometer size was used with the idea that, because of its qualities, it could modify the crystallization mechanism. The glasses obtained as well as the thermally treated samples, were evaluated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) powder method, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and by optical microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Within the range of TiO 2 concentration studied (0 - 10 wt %), 10 wt % of TiO 2 considerably reduced the Na 2 O-2CaO-3SiO 2 phase crystallization process. The crystallization mechanism was not modified and TiO 2 did not form compounds with the matrix components. (Author)

Tunable top-down fabrication and functional surface coating of single-crystal titanium dioxide nanostructures and nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Seungkyu; Janissen, Richard; Ussembayev, Yera Ye.; van Oene, Maarten M.; Solano, Belen; Dekker, Nynke H.

2016-05-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a key component of diverse optical and electronic applications that exploit its exceptional material properties. In particular, the use of TiO2 in its single-crystalline phase can offer substantial advantages over its amorphous and polycrystalline phases for existing and yet-to-be-developed applications. However, the implementation of single-crystal TiO2 has been hampered by challenges in its fabrication and subsequent surface functionalization. Here, we introduce a novel top-down approach that allows for batch fabrication of uniform high-aspect-ratio single-crystal TiO2 nanostructures with targeted sidewall profiles. We complement our fabrication approach with a functionalization strategy that achieves dense, uniform, and area-selective coating with a variety of biomolecules. This allows us to fabricate single-crystal rutile TiO2 nanocylinders tethered with individual DNA molecules for use as force- and torque-transducers in an optical torque wrench. These developments provide the means for increased exploitation of the superior material properties of single-crystal TiO2 at the nanoscale.Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a key component of diverse optical and electronic applications that exploit its exceptional material properties. In particular, the use of TiO2 in its single-crystalline phase can offer substantial advantages over its amorphous and polycrystalline phases for existing and yet-to-be-developed applications. However, the implementation of single-crystal TiO2 has been hampered by challenges in its fabrication and subsequent surface functionalization. Here, we introduce a novel top-down approach that allows for batch fabrication of uniform high-aspect-ratio single-crystal TiO2 nanostructures with targeted sidewall profiles. We complement our fabrication approach with a functionalization strategy that achieves dense, uniform, and area-selective coating with a variety of biomolecules. This allows us to fabricate single-crystal rutile

Damage evolution in Xe-ion irradiated rutile (TiO2) single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, F.; Sickafus, K.E.; Evans, C.R.; Nastasi, M.

1999-01-01

Rutile (TiO 2 ) single crystals with (110) orientation were irradiated with 360 keV Xe 2+ ions at 300 K to fluences ranging from 2 x 10 19 to 1 x 10 20 Xe/m 2 . Irradiated samples were analyzed using: (1) Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy combined with ion channeling analysis (RBS/C); and (2) cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). Upon irradiation to a fluence of 2 x 10 19 Xe/m 2 , the sample thickness penetrated by the implanted ions was observed to consist of three distinct layers: (1) a defect-free layer at the surface (thickness about 12 nm) exhibiting good crystallinity; (2) a second layer with a low density of relatively large-sized defects; and (3) a third layer consisting of a high concentration of small defects. After the fluence was increased to 7 x 10 19 Xe/m 2 , a buried amorphous layer was visible by XTEM. The thickness of the amorphous layer was found to increase with increasing Xe ion fluence. The location of this buried amorphous layer was found to coincide with the measured peak in the Xe concentration (measured by RBS/C), rather than with the theoretical maximum in the displacement damage profile. This observation suggests the implanted Xe ions may serve as nucleation sites for the amorphization transformation. The total thickness of the damaged microstructure due to ion irradiation was always found to be much greater than the projected range of the Xe ions. This is likely due to point defect migration under the high stresses induced by ion implantation

Three-dimensional TiO2 nanowire@NiMoO4 ultrathin nanosheet core-shell arrays for lithium ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Minglei; Bu, Yi; Lv, Xiaowei; Jiang, Xingxing; Wang, Lichuan; Dai, Sirui; Wang, Mingkui; Shen, Yan

2018-03-01

This study reports a general and rational two-step hydrothermal strategy to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) TiO2 nanowire@NiMoO4 ultrathin nanosheet core-shell arrays (TNAs-NMO) as additives-free anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The TNAs-NMO electrode delivers a reversible capacity of up to 446.6 mA h g-1 over 120 cycles at the current density of 0.2 A g-1 and a high rate capacity of 234.2 mA h g-1 at 2.0 A g-1. Impressively, the capacity retention efficiency is 74.7% after 2500 cycles at the high rate of 2.0 A g-1. In addition, the full cell consisting of TNAs-NMO anode and LCO cathode can afford a specific energy of up to 220.3 W h kg-1 (based on the entire mass of both electrodes). The high electrochemical performance of the TNAs-NMO electrode is ascribed to its 3D core-shell nanowire array architecture, in which the TiO2 nanowire arrays (TNAs) and the ultrathin NiMoO4 nanosheets exhibit strong synergistic effects. The TNAs maintain mechanical integrity of the electrode and the ultrathin NiMoO4 nanosheets contribute to high capacity and favorable electronic conductivity.

Robust binder-free anodes assembled with ultralong mischcrystal TiO2 nanowires and reduced graphene oxide for high-rate and long cycle life lithium-ion storage

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yongzheng; Yang, Dongzhi; Yu, Ruomeng; Liu, Yaxin; Hao, Shu-Meng; Zhang, Shiyi; Qu, Jin; Yu, Zhong-Zhen

2018-04-01

To satisfy increasing power demands of mobile devices and electric vehicles, rationally designed electrodes with short diffusion length are highly imperative to provide highly efficient ion and electron transport paths for high-rate and long-life lithium-ion batteries. Herein, binder-free electrodes with the robust three-dimensional conductive network are prepared by assembling ultralong TiO2 nanowires with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets for high-performance lithium-ion storage. Ultralong TiO2 nanowires are synthesized and used to construct an interconnecting network that avoids the use of inert auxiliary additives of polymer binders and conductive agents. By thermal annealing, a small amount of anatase is generated in situ in the TiO2(B) nanowires to form abundant TiO2(B)/anatase interfaces for accommodating additional lithium ions. Simultaneously, RGO sheets efficiently enhance the electronic conductivity and enlarge the specific surface area of the TiO2/RGO nanocomposite. The robust 3D network in the binder-free electrode not only effectively avoids the agglomeration of TiO2/RGO components during the long-term charging/discharging process, but also provides direct and fast ion/electron transport paths. The binder-free electrode exhibits a high reversible capacity of 259.9 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C and an excellent cycling performance with a high reversible capacity of 111.9 mA h g-1 at 25 C after 5000 cycles.

Single-Nanoparticle Photoelectrochemistry at a Nanoparticulate TiO2 -Filmed Ultramicroelectrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yue-Yi; Ma, Hui; Ma, Wei; Long, Yi-Tao; Tian, He

2018-03-26

An ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical method for achieving real-time detection of single nanoparticle collision events is presented. Using a micrometer-thick nanoparticulate TiO 2 -filmed Au ultra-microelectrode (TiO 2 @Au UME), a sub-millisecond photocurrent transient was observed for an individual N719-tagged TiO 2 (N719@TiO 2 ) nanoparticle and is due to the instantaneous collision process. Owing to a trap-limited electron diffusion process as the rate-limiting step, a random three-dimensional diffusion model was developed to simulate electron transport dynamics in TiO 2 film. The combination of theoretical simulation and high-resolution photocurrent measurement allow electron-transfer information of a single N719@TiO 2 nanoparticle to be quantified at single-molecule accuracy and the electron diffusivity and the electron-collection efficiency of TiO 2 @Au UME to be estimated. This method provides a test for studies of photoinduced electron transfer at the single-nanoparticle level. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coupling of a single quantum emitter to end-to-end aligned silver nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumar, Shailesh; Huck, Alexander; Chen, Yuntian

2013-01-01

We report on the observation of coupling a single nitrogen vacancy (NV) center in a nanodiamond crystal to a propagating plasmonic mode of silver nanowires. The nanocrystal is placed either near the apex of a single silver nanowire or in the gap between two end-to-end aligned silver nanowires. We...

Microwave-assisted self-doping of TiO2 photonic crystals for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhonghai

2014-01-08

In this article, we report that the combination of microwave heating and ethylene glycol, a mild reducing agent, can induce Ti3+ self-doping in TiO2. A hierarchical TiO2 nanotube array with the top layer serving as TiO2 photonic crystals (TiO2 NTPCs) was selected as the base photoelectrode. The self-doped TiO2 NTPCs demonstrated a 10-fold increase in visible-light photocurrent density compared to the nondoped one, and the optimized saturation photocurrent density under simulated AM 1.5G illumination was identified to be 2.5 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, which is comparable to the highest values ever reported for TiO2-based photoelectrodes. The significant enhancement of photoelectrochemical performance can be ascribed to the rational coupling of morphological and electronic features of the self-doped TiO 2 NTPCs: (1) the periodically morphological structure of the photonic crystal layer traps broadband visible light, (2) the electronic interband state induced from self-doping of Ti3+ can be excited in the visible-light region, and (3) the captured light by the photonic crystal layer is absorbed by the self-doped interbands. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Microwave-assisted self-doping of TiO2 photonic crystals for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhonghai; Yang, Xiulin; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Ahmed, Elaf S.; Shi, Le; Wang, Peng

2014-01-01

In this article, we report that the combination of microwave heating and ethylene glycol, a mild reducing agent, can induce Ti3+ self-doping in TiO2. A hierarchical TiO2 nanotube array with the top layer serving as TiO2 photonic crystals (TiO2 NTPCs

Novel Flexible Transparent Conductive Films with Enhanced Chemical and Electromechanical Sustainability: TiO2 Nanosheet-Ag Nanowire Hybrid.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Hiesang; Kim, Seyun; Shin, Weonho; Lee, Jong Min; Lee, Hyangsook; Yun, Dong-Jin; Moon, Kyoung-Seok; Han, In Taek; Kwak, Chan; Hwang, Seong-Ju

2018-01-24

Flexible transparent conductive films (TCFs) of TiO 2 nanosheet (TiO 2 NS) and silver nanowire (Ag NW) network hybrid were prepared through a simple and scalable solution-based process. The as-formed TiO 2 NS-Ag NW hybrid TCF shows a high optical transmittance (TT: 97% (90.2% including plastic substrate)) and low sheet resistance (R s : 40 Ω/sq). In addition, the TiO 2 NS-Ag NW hybrid TCF exhibits a long-time chemical/aging and electromechanical stability. As for the chemical/aging stability, the hybrid TCF of Ag NW and TiO 2 NS reveals a retained initial conductivity (ΔR s /R s 4000%) or RuO 2 NS-Ag NW hybrid (ΔR s /R s > 200%). As corroborated by the density functional theory simulation, the superb chemical stability of TiO 2 NS-Ag NW hybrid is attributable to the unique role of TiO 2 NS as a barrier, which prevents Ag NW's chemical corrosion via the attenuated adsorption of sulfidation molecules (H 2 S) on TiO 2 NS. With respect to the electromechanical stability, in contrast to Ag NWs (ΔR/R 0 ∼ 152.9%), our hybrid TCF shows a limited increment of fractional resistivity (ΔR/R 0 ∼ 14.4%) after 200 000 cycles of the 1R bending test (strain: 6.7%) owing to mechanically welded Ag NW networks by TiO 2 NS. Overall, our unique hybrid of TiO 2 NS and Ag NW exhibits excellent electrical/optical properties and reliable chemical/electromechanical stabilities.

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.

Flexible Semitransparent Energy Harvester with High Pressure Sensitivity and Power Density Based on Laterally Aligned PZT Single-Crystal Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Quan-Liang; He, Guang-Ping; Di, Jie-Jian; Song, Wei-Li; Hou, Zhi-Ling; Tan, Pei-Pei; Wang, Da-Wei; Cao, Mao-Sheng

2017-07-26

A flexible semitransparent energy harvester is assembled based on laterally aligned Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 (PZT) single-crystal nanowires (NWs). Such a harvester presents the highest open-circuit voltage and a stable area power density of up to 10 V and 0.27 μW/cm 2 , respectively. A high pressure sensitivity of 0.14 V/kPa is obtained in the dynamic pressure sensing, much larger than the values reported in other energy harvesters based on piezoelectric single-crystal NWs. Furthermore, theoretical and finite element analyses also confirm that the piezoelectric voltage constant g 33 of PZT NWs is competitive to the lead-based bulk single crystals and ceramics, and the enhanced pressure sensitivity and power density are substantially linked to the flexible structure with laterally aligned PZT NWs. The energy harvester in this work holds great potential in flexible and transparent sensing and self-powered systems.

In situ controlled synthesis of various TiO2 nanostructured materials via a facile hydrothermal route

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hai; Liu Yong; Zhong Minyi; Xu Hongmei; Huang Hong; Shen Hui

2011-01-01

Various TiO 2 nanomaterials, such as nanosheets, nanoflowers, and nanowires were directly self assembled on titanium substrate on a large scale under hydrothermal conditions. The morphology of the formed TiO 2 nanomaterials could be easily tuned by varying the experimental parameters of temperature, reaction time, and the NaOH concentration. A possible formation mechanism was suggested on the basis of the shape evolution of TiO 2 nanostructures by SEM images in combination with XRD patterns of as-grown samples. The optical properties of TiO 2 nanosheets, nanoflowers, and nanowires were characterized by reflectance spectroscopy. The studies revealed that the absorption capability of visible light is obviously different for TiO 2 with different morphologies. Moreover, TiO 2 nanosheets exhibited better light trapping than TiO 2 nanoflowers and TiO 2 nanowires due to their unique nanostructure.

Controlled Growth of Rubrene Nanowires by Eutectic Melt Crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jeyon; Hyon, Jinho; Park, Kyung-Sun; Cho, Boram; Baek, Jangmi; Kim, Jueun; Lee, Sang Uck; Sung, Myung Mo; Kang, Youngjong

2016-03-01

Organic semiconductors including rubrene, Alq3, copper phthalocyanine and pentacene are crystallized by the eutectic melt crystallization. Those organic semiconductors form good eutectic systems with the various volatile crystallizable additives such as benzoic acid, salicylic acid, naphthalene and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene. Due to the formation of the eutectic system, organic semiconductors having originally high melting point (Tm > 300 °C) are melted and crystallized at low temperature (Te = 40.8-133 °C). The volatile crystallizable additives are easily removed by sublimation. For a model system using rubrene, single crystalline rubrene nanowires are prepared by the eutectic melt crystallization and the eutectic-melt-assisted nanoimpinting (EMAN) technique. It is demonstrated that crystal structure and the growth direction of rubrene can be controlled by using different volatile crystallizable additives. The field effect mobility of rubrene nanowires prepared using several different crystallizable additives are measured and compared.

Synthesis, structure and optical properties of single-crystalline In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadia, N.M.A., E-mail: nomery_abass@yahoo.com [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, 82524 Sohag (Egypt); Mohamed, H.A. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, 82524 Sohag (Egypt); King Saud University, Teachers College, Science Department (Physics), 11148 Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Metal and metal oxide one dimensional (1D) nanostructured materials are of crucial importance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The paper deals with the synthesis of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires without the use of catalysts. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The optical constants and Photoluminescence (PL) of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires were evaluated. - Abstract: Indium oxide In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires have been recently synthesized revealing interesting properties and used in various applications. In order to reduce as much as possible the influence of undesired dopants and/or impurities on the observed properties, In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires have been grown without the use of catalysts, directly from metallic indium by a vapor transport technique and a controlled oxidation with oxygen-argon mixtures. Depending on the growth conditions (temperature, vapor pressure, oxygen concentration, etc.) different results have been achieved and it has been observed that a 'proper' In condensation on the substrates may enhance the nanowires growth. Detailed structural analysis showed that the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures are single crystalline with a cubic crystal structure. The grown In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires were optically characterized in order to evaluate the absorption coefficient, optical band gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient. Room temperature Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum showed broad and intense blue emission at 375 nm.

An innovative approach to synthesize highly-ordered TiO2 nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Isimjan, Tayirjan T; Yang, D Q; Rohani, Sohrab; Ray, Ajay K

2011-02-01

An innovative route to prepare highly-ordered and dimensionally controlled TiO2 nanotubes has been proposed using a mild sonication method. The nanotube arrays were prepared by the anodization of titanium in an electrolyte containing 3% NH4F and 5% H2O in glycerol. It is demonstrated that the TiO2 nanostructures has two layers: the top layer is TiO2 nanowire and underneath is well-ordered TiO2 nanotubes. The top layer can easily fall off and form nanowires bundles by implementing a mild sonication after a short annealing time. We found that the dimensions of the TiO2 nanotubes were only dependent on the anodizing condition. The proposed technique may be extended to fabricate reproducible well-ordered TiO2 nanotubes with large area on other metals.

Simple hydrothermal synthesis and sintering of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang Xiangping; Lin Mei; Tu Na; Chen Chao; Zhou Shulan; Zhan Hongquan

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Single-crystalline NBT nanowires were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal route. → Reaction time can significantly influence the growth behavior of powders. → 1D growth mechanism of NBT corresponds to the dissolution-recrystallization mechanism. → NBT ceramics derived from nanowires showed typical characteristics of relax or ferroelectrics. - Abstract: Single-crystalline Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 (NBT) nanowires, with diameters of 100 nm and lengths of about 4 μm, were synthesized by using a simple hydrothermal method. Phase composition, morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The effects of reaction temperature and reaction time on precipitation of the NBT nanowires were investigated. It was found that reaction time significantly influenced the growth behavior of the powders in the hydrothermal system. Based on the experimental results, the one-dimensional (1D) growth mechanism of the NBT was governed by a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism. NBT ceramics derived from the nanowires showed typical characteristics of relaxor ferroelectrics, with diffuseness exponent γ of as high as 1.73.

Crystallization of TiO2 Nanotubes by In Situ Heating TEM

KAUST Repository

Casu, Alberto

2018-01-15

The thermally-induced crystallization of anodically grown TiO2 amorphous nanotubes has been studied so far under ambient pressure conditions by techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry and in situ X-ray diffraction, then looking at the overall response of several thousands of nanotubes in a carpet arrangement. Here we report a study of this phenomenon based on an in situ transmission electron microscopy approach that uses a twofold strategy. First, a group of some tens of TiO2 amorphous nanotubes was heated looking at their electron diffraction pattern change versus temperature, in order to determine both the initial temperature of crystallization and the corresponding crystalline phases. Second, the experiment was repeated on groups of few nanotubes, imaging their structural evolution in the direct space by spherical aberration-corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy. These studies showed that, differently from what happens under ambient pressure conditions, under the microscope’s high vacuum (p < 10−5 Pa) the crystallization of TiO2 amorphous nanotubes starts from local small seeds of rutile and brookite, which then grow up with the increasing temperature. Besides, the crystallization started at different temperatures, namely 450 and 380 °C, when the in situ heating was performed irradiating the sample with electron beam energy of 120 or 300 keV, respectively. This difference is due to atomic knock-on effects induced by the electron beam with diverse energy.

Tree-like SnO2 nanowires and optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao Tao; Chen Qiyuan; Hu Huiping; Chen Ying

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Tree-like SnO 2 nanowires can be grown as low as 1100 deg. C by a vapour-solid process using a milled SnO 2 powder as the evaporation source. → FT-IR and PL measurements have shown that the tree-like nanostructures lead to superb physical properties. → The PL spectrum of such tree-like nanowires exhibits a strong PL peak at 548 nm. - Abstract: Tree-like SnO 2 nanowires have been grown by a vapor-solid process using a milled SnO 2 powder as the evaporation source. Phase, structural evolution and chemical composition were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The process yields a large proportion of ultra-long rutile nanowires of 50-150 nm diameter and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) shows that the SnO 2 nanowires are single crystals in the (1 0 1) growth direction with scattered smaller crystals or nanowires as the tree branches. The SnO 2 nanostructures were also examined using Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. A strong emission band centered at 548 nm dominated the PL spectrum of the tree-like nanowires.

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.

Self-diffusion in single crystalline silicon nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Südkamp, T.; Hamdana, G.; Descoins, M.; Mangelinck, D.; Wasisto, H. S.; Peiner, E.; Bracht, H.

2018-04-01

Self-diffusion experiments in single crystalline isotopically controlled silicon nanowires with diameters of 70 and 400 nm at 850 and 1000 °C are reported. The isotope structures were first epitaxially grown on top of silicon substrate wafers. Nanowires were subsequently fabricated using a nanosphere lithography process in combination with inductively coupled plasma dry reactive ion etching. Three-dimensional profiling of the nanosized structure before and after diffusion annealing was performed by means of atom probe tomography (APT). Self-diffusion profiles obtained from APT analyses are accurately described by Fick's law for self-diffusion. Data obtained for silicon self-diffusion in nanowires are equal to the results reported for bulk silicon crystals, i.e., finite size effects and high surface-to-volume ratios do not significantly affect silicon self-diffusion. This shows that the properties of native point defects determined from self-diffusion in bulk crystals also hold for nanosized silicon structures with diameters down to 70 nm.

Electronic structures and abnormal phonon behaviors of cobalt-modified Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-6%BaTiO3 single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, T.; Zhang, P.; Xu, L. P.; Chen, C.; Zhang, J. Z.; Hu, Z. G.; Luo, H. S.; Chu, J. H.

2016-10-01

Optical properties, electronic structures, and structural variations of x wt% cobalt (Co) doped Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-6%BaTiO3 (x=0%, 0.5%, 0.8%) single crystals have been studied by temperature-dependent optical ellipsometry and Raman spectra from 250 to 650 K. Based on the temperature evolution of electronic transitions (Ecp1 and Ecp2) and the phonon modes involving Ti-O vibrations, two critical temperature points exhibit an increasing trend with Co dopants, which are related to structural variations for ferroelectric to anti-ferroelectric, and anti-ferroelectric to paraelectric transition, respectively. Additionally, distinguishing abnormal phonon behaviors can be observed from Raman spectra for the crystal of x=0.5% and 0.8%, which show reverse frequency shift of the modes involving Ti-O vibration. It can be ascribed to different relative concentration of Co2+ and Co3+ in the crystals, which has been confirmed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy data.

Electronic structures and abnormal phonon behaviors of cobalt-modified Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-6%BaTiO3 single crystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Huang

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Optical properties, electronic structures, and structural variations of x wt% cobalt (Co doped Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-6%BaTiO3 (x=0%, 0.5%, 0.8% single crystals have been studied by temperature-dependent optical ellipsometry and Raman spectra from 250 to 650 K. Based on the temperature evolution of electronic transitions (Ecp1 and Ecp2 and the phonon modes involving Ti-O vibrations, two critical temperature points exhibit an increasing trend with Co dopants, which are related to structural variations for ferroelectric to anti-ferroelectric, and anti-ferroelectric to paraelectric transition, respectively. Additionally, distinguishing abnormal phonon behaviors can be observed from Raman spectra for the crystal of x=0.5% and 0.8%, which show reverse frequency shift of the modes involving Ti-O vibration. It can be ascribed to different relative concentration of Co2+ and Co3+ in the crystals, which has been confirmed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy data.

Polarization-switching dynamics and microstructures of ferroelectric (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Yanai, Ken; Onozuka, Hiroaki; Kitanaka, Yuuki; Noguchi, Yuji; Miyayama, Masaru; Moriyoshi, Chikako; Kuroiwa, Yoshihiro; Kurushima, Kousuke; Mori, Shigeo

2013-04-01

Single crystals of ferroelectric (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 were successfully grown by using the top-seeded solution growth method at a high oxygen pressure of 0.9 MPa and their polarization switching dynamics along the c direction and their domain structures were investigated. Piezoelectric force microscope (PFM) observations show that BNT crystals poled along the c direction. had 71-degree domains in which the spontaneous polarization ( P s ) vector was opposite to the direction of the poling electric field. Synchrotron-radiation single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and PFM observations revealed that the polarization switching in the BNT crystals along the c direction was achieved by a 71-degree rotation of the P s vector.

TiO2 effect on crystallization mechanism and physical properties of nano glass-ceramics of MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass system.

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Sinae; Kang, Seunggu

2013-05-01

The effect of TiO2 on the degree of crystallization, thermal properties and microstructure for MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 glass-ceramics system containing 0-13 wt% TiO2 and 0-1.5 wt% B2O3 in which the cordierite is the main phase was studied. Using Kissinger and Augis-Bennett equations, the activation energy, 510 kJ/mol and Avrami constant, 1.8 were calculated showing the surface-oriented crystallization would be preferred. The alpha-cordierite phase was generated in the glass-ceramics of containing TiO2 of 0-5.6 wt%. However, for the glass-ceramics of TiO2 content above 7 wt%, an alpha-cordierite disappeared and micro-cordierite phase was formed. The glass-ceramics of no TiO2 added had spherical crystals of few tens nanometer size spread in the matrix. As TiO2 content increased up to 5.6 wt%, a lump of dendrite was formed. In the glass-ceramics containing TiO2 7-13 wt%, in which the main phase is micro-cordierite, the dendrite crystal disappeared and a few hundred nanometer sized crystal particles hold tightly each other were generated. The thermal conductivity of glass-ceramics of both a-cordierite and micro-cordierite base decreased with TiO2 contend added. The thermal conductivity of glass-ceramics of 1.5 wt% TiO2 added was 3.4 W/mK which is 36% higher than that of glass-ceramics of no TiO2 added. The sintering temperature for 1.5 wt% TiO2 glass-ceramics was 965 degrees C which could be concluded as to apply to LTCC process for LED packaging.

Influence of TiO2 content on the crystallization and microstructure of machinable glass-ceramics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debasis Pradip Mukherjee

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Glasses based on the SiO2–Al2O3–MgO–K2O–B2O3–MgF2 system added with TiO2 were synthesized and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM techniques. The results showed that by increasing the TiO2 content, glass transition temperature (Tg, both the crystallization peak temperature (TpI and TpII and activation energy (E increased. The interconnected large blocky card-like crystals were identified as fluorophlogopite as a major crystalline phase for all three glass-ceramic specimens by (XRD and subsequently confirmed by SEM. The Vickers hardness (Hv value for glass-ceramic specimens decreases with progressively increasing TiO2 content (1–10 wt% and Titania containing MGT-3 glass-ceramic specimen with interconnected large blocky card-like fluorophlogopite mica crystals possess lower Hv (4.26 GPa as well as good machinability (m = 0.12 useable for machinable applications. The study shows that Titania promoted initial crystallization of glass and can be used as an effective nucleting agent.

Preparation of TiO2 thin films from autoclaved sol containing needle-like anatase crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ge Lei; Xu Mingxia; Fang Haibo; Sun Ming

2006-01-01

A new inorganic sol-gel method was introduced in this paper to prepare TiO 2 thin films. The autoclaved sol with needle-like anatase crystals was synthesized using titanyl sulfate (TiOSO 4 ) and peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as starting materials. The transparent anatase TiO 2 thin films were prepared on glass slides from the autoclaved sol by sol-gel dip-coating method. A wide range of techniques such as Fourier transform infrared transmission spectra (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopes, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet-visible spectrum were applied to characterize the autoclaved sol and TiO 2 thin films. The results indicate that the autoclaved sol is flavescent, semitransparent and stable at room temperature. The anatase crystals of TiO 2 films connect together to form net-like structure after calcined and the films become uniform with increasing heating temperature. The surface of the TiO 2 films contain not only Ti and O elements, but also a small amount of N and Na elements diffused from substrates during heat treatment. The TiO 2 films are transparent and their maximal light transmittances exceed 80% under visible light region

Searching for new TiO2 crystal phases with better photoactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shang, Cheng; Zhao, Wei-Na; Liu, Zhi-Pan

2015-01-01

Using the recently developed stochastic surface walking global optimization method, this work explores the potential energy surface of TiO 2 crystals aiming to search for likely phases with higher photocatalytic activity. Five new phases of TiO 2 are identified and the lowest energy phase transition pathways connecting to the most abundant phases (rutile and anatase) are determined. Theory shows that a high-pressure phase, α-PbO 2 -like form (TiO 2 II) acts as the key intermediate in between rutile and anatase. The phase transition of anatase to rutile belongs to the diffusionless Martensitic phase transition, occurring through a set of habit planes, rutile(101)//TiO 2 II(001), and TiO 2 II(100)//anatase(112). With regard to the photocatalytic activity, three pure phases (#110, pyrite and fluorite) are found to possess the band gap narrower than rutile, but they are unstable at the low-pressure condition. Instead, a mixed anatase-TiO 2 II phase is found to have good stability and narrower band gap than both parent phases. Because of the phase separation, the mixed phase is also expected to improve the photocatalytic performance by reducing the probability of the electron-hole pair recombination. (paper)

Simple synthesis of ultra-long Ag2Te nanowires through solvothermal co-reduction method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Feng; Chen Gang; Wang Qun; Wang Lin; Pei Jian; Zhou Nan

2010-01-01

Ultra-long single crystal β-Ag 2 Te nanowires with the diameter of about 300 nm were fabricated through a solvothermal route in ethylene glycol (EG) system without any template. The long single crystal wires were curves, with high purity, well-crystallized, and dislocation-free and characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM). The detailed topotactic transformation process from particles into single crystal wires was studied. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient have been systematically studied between 300 and 600 K. - Graphical abstract: Ultra-long single crystal β-Ag 2 Te nanowires with the diameter of about 300 nm were fabricated by the solvothermal route in ethylene glycol (EG) system without any template. The diagram displays the variation of the phases and morphologies of products with different reaction time.

Theoretical explanation of EPR parameters for Cu2+ ion in TiO2 crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, H.N.; Wu, S.Y.; Li, P.

2004-01-01

The EPR parameters anisotropic g-factors g x , g y and g z for Cu 2+ ion and hyperfine structure constants A x , A y and A z for 63 Cu 2+ and 65 Cu 2+ isotopes in rutile (TiO 2 ) crystal are calculated by the method of diagonalizing the full Hamiltonian matrix. The crystal-field parameters contact with the crystal structure by the aid of the superposition model. The calculated results are in reasonable agreement with the observed values. The results are discussed. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Surface properties of anatase TiO2 nanowire films grown from a fluoride-containing solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Thomas; Anta, Juan A; Morales-Flórez, Víctor

2013-06-03

Controlling the surface chemistry of nucleating seeds during wet-chemical synthesis allows for the preparation of morphologically well-defined nanostructures. Synthesis conditions play a key role in the surface properties, which directly affect the functional properties of the material. Therefore, it is important to establish post-synthesis treatments to facilitate the optimization of surface properties with respect to a specific application, without losing the morphological peculiarity of the nanostructure. We studied the surface properties of highly crystalline and porous anatase TiO2 nanowire (NW) electrodes, grown by chemical-bath deposition in fluoride-containing solutions, using a combined electrochemical and spectroscopic approach. As-deposited films showed low capacity for catechol adsorption and a poor photoelectrocatalytic activity for water oxidation. Mild thermal annealing at 200 °C resulted in a significant improvement of the electrode photoelectrocatalytic activity, whereas the bulk properties of the NWs (crystal structure, band-gap energy) remained unchanged. Enhancement of the functional properties of the material is discussed on the basis of adsorption capacity and electronic properties. The temperature-induced decrease of recombination centers, along with the concomitant increase of adsorption and reaction sites upon thermal annealing are called to be responsible for such improved performance. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Crystal structure of Fe2TiO5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiojiri, M.; Sekimoto, S.; Maeda, T.; Ikeda, Y.; Iwauchi, K.

1984-01-01

The crystal structure of metal pseudobrookite, Fe 2 TiO 5 , is determined from high-resolution electron microscopy images observed and their computer simulated images, with the aid of electron diffraction and X-ray powder diffraction. The new structure has a monoclinic unit, containing eight molecules, with a = 2.223, b = 0.373, c = 0.980 nm, and β = 116.2 0 . The Fe, Ti, and O atoms occupy the positions (4c), +-(u, 0, w; 1/2 + u, 1/2, w), of C 2 3 (C2). The most probable parameters u and w, of Fe(1 to 4), Ti(1, 2), and O(1 to 10) are given. (author)

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

The synthesis of aqueous-dispersible anatase TiO2 nanoplatelets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shan Guobin; Demopoulos, George P

2010-01-01

Aqueous well-dispersed and phase-pure anatase TiO 2 truncated octahedron nanoplatelets (NPLs) were prepared via controlled hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4 ) in ethylene glycol at 240 deg. C. Two shapes, square and hexagon, were observed by microscopy, exactly corresponding to the truncated octahedron NPLs. Ethylene glycol was found to produce water in situ that reacts with TiCl 4 to produce TiO 2 and HCl-the latter promoting TiO 2 colloid peptization. TiO 2 truncated octahedron NPLs are formed under the stabilizing action of ethylene glycol thermolysis derivatives, such as aldehydes. Crystal growth of the TiO 2 NPLs was affected by the reaction temperature that determines the water production rate and HCl-assisted peptization. TGA and FT-IR results showed ∼1.2% ethylene glycol thermolysis derivatives are attached to the surface of the TiO 2 NPLs, which prevents their agglomeration, hence making them easily dispersible in aqueous media. HR-TEM and SAED results showed that the TiO 2 NPLs are well crystallized and that the SAED patterns of the single TiO 2 NPL changes with its size and shape. XRD patterns showed that the TiO 2 NPLs are phase-pure anatase and the percentage of the {101} plane in the TiO 2 NPLs to be only 18%-a structural feature that renders the TiO 2 NPLs with enhanced UV absorption and reactivity properties.

The Influence of Cr3+ on TiO2 Crystal Growth and Photoactivity Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Wahyuningsih, S.; Hidayatika, W. N.; Sari, P. L.; Sari, P. P.; Hidayat, R.; Munawaroh, H.; Ramelan, A. H.

2018-03-01

The photocatalyst technology is an integrated combination of photochemical processes and catalysis in order to carry out a chemical transformation reaction. One of the semiconductor materials that have good photocatalytic activity is TiO2 anatase. This study aim to determine the effect of the Cr3+ addition on the growth of TiO2 rutile crystal and the increasing of TiO2 photoactivity. Diffractogram X-Ray of the samples showed that the synthesized TiO2 at 400 °C has been produced 100% TiO2 anatase. Synthesis of TiO2 doped Cr3+ composite was using wet impregnation method. The TiO2 doped Cr3+ composites have beed grown by annealed at a temperature of 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 °C, respectively Annealing process have capabled to gain to the TiO2 doped Cr3+ nanocomposite. The result product annealed at 500 °C only appear anatase phase due to the Cr3+ addition influence that was able to suppress the growth of rutile. Identification of TiO2 doped Cr3+ composite using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) showed O-Cr vibration at 2283.72 cm-1. The TiO2 doped Cr3+ photoactivity was studied to degrade Rhodamin B. The best result on photodegradation of Rhodamin B was performed by using TiO2 doped Cr3+ composite which was annealed at 700 °C i.e. 74.71%.

TiO2 Nanowire Networks Prepared by Titanium Corrosion and Their Application to Bendable Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saera Jin

2017-10-01

Full Text Available TiO2 nanowire networks were prepared, using the corrosion of Ti foils in alkaline (potassium hydroxide, KOH solution at different temperatures, and then a further ion-exchange process. The prepared nanostructures were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The wet corroded foils were utilized as the photoanodes of bendable dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs, which exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 1.11% under back illumination.

Pseudocapacitive Sodium Storage in Mesoporous Single-Crystal-like TiO2-Graphene Nanocomposite Enables High-Performance Sodium-Ion Capacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Zaiyuan; Liu, Fang; Nie, Ping; Li, Xinru; Liu, Xiaoyan; Bian, Zhenfeng; Chen, Gen; Wu, Hao Bin; Lu, Yunfeng

2017-03-28

Sodium-ion capacitors can potentially combine the virtues of high power capability of conventional electrochemical capacitors and high energy density of batteries. However, the lack of high-performance electrode materials has been the major challenge of sodium-based energy storage devices. In this work, we report a microwave-assisted synthesis of single-crystal-like anatase TiO 2 mesocages anchored on graphene as a sodium storage material. The architecture of the nanocomposite results in pseudocapacitive charge storage behavior with fast kinetics, high reversibility, and negligible degradation to the micro/nanostructure. The nanocomposite delivers a high capacity of 268 mAh g -1 at 0.2 C, which remains 126 mAh g -1 at 10 C for over 18 000 cycles. Coupling with a carbon-based cathode, a full cell of sodium-ion capacitor successfully demonstrates a high energy density of 64.2 Wh kg -1 at 56.3 W kg -1 and 25.8 Wh kg -1 at 1357 W kg -1 , as well as an ultralong lifespan of 10 000 cycles with over 90% of capacity retention.

High-pressure polymorphs of anatase TiO2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arlt, T.; Bermejo, M.; Blanco, M. A.

2000-01-01

The equation of state of anatase TiO2 has been determined experimentally-using polycrystalline as well as single-crystal material-and compared with theoretical calculations using the ab initio perturbed ion model. The results are highly consistent, the zero-pressure bulk modulus being 179(2) GPa ...

Decorating TiO2 Nanowires with BaTiO3 Nanoparticles: A New Approach Leading to Substantially Enhanced Energy Storage Capability of High-k Polymer Nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Da; Wang, Guanyao; Huang, Yanhui; Jiang, Pingkai; Huang, Xingyi

2018-01-31

The urgent demand of high energy density and high power density devices has triggered significant interest in high dielectric constant (high-k) flexible nanocomposites comprising dielectric polymer and high-k inorganic nanofiller. However, the large electrical mismatch between polymer and nanofiller usually leads to earlier electric failure of the nanocomposites, resulting in an undesirable decrease of electrical energy storage capability. A few studies show that the introduction of moderate-k shell onto a high-k nanofiller surface can decrease the dielectric constant mismatch, and thus, the corresponding nanocomposites can withstand high electric field. Unfortunately, the low apparent dielectric enhancement of the nanocomposites and high electrical conductivity mismatch between matrix and nanofiller still result in low energy density and low efficiency. In this study, it is demonstrated that encapsulating moderate-k nanofiller with high-k but low electrical conductivity shell is effective to significantly enhance the energy storage capability of dielectric polymer nanocomposites. Specifically, using BaTiO 3 nanoparticles encapsulated TiO 2 (BaTiO 3 @TiO 2 ) core-shell nanowires as filler, the corresponding poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropylene) nanocomposites exhibit superior energy storage capability in comparison with the nanocomposites filled by either BaTiO 3 or TiO 2 nanowires. The nanocomposite film with 5 wt % BaTiO 3 @TiO 2 nanowires possesses an ultrahigh discharged energy density of 9.95 J cm -3 at 500 MV m -1 , much higher than that of commercial biaxial-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) (3.56 J cm -3 at 600 MV m -1 ). This new strategy and corresponding results presented here provide new insights into the design of dielectric polymer nanocomposites with high electrical energy storage capability.

Photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet by thiourea-doped TiO2 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this study, optimisation of the photocatalytic behaviour of crystal violet (CV) by thiourea (Tu)-codoped TiO2 thin film in fixed bed photoreactor was investigated by central composite designs (CCDs). The effective variables were pH, the concentration of CV dye, flow rate and reaction time. The results of the CCD model ...

Toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles to Escherichia coli: effects of particle size, crystal phase and water chemistry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiuchun Lin

Full Text Available Controversial and inconsistent results on the eco-toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs are commonly found in recorded studies and more experimental works are therefore warranted to elucidate the nanotoxicity and its underlying precise mechanisms. Toxicities of five types of TiO2 NPs with different particle sizes (10∼50 nm and crystal phases were investigated using Escherichia coli as a test organism. The effect of water chemistry on the nanotoxicity was also examined. The antibacterial effects of TiO2 NPs as revealed by dose-effect experiments decreased with increasing particle size and rutile content of the TiO2 NPs. More bacteria could survive at higher solution pH (5.0-10.0 and ionic strength (50-200 mg L(-1 NaCl as affected by the anatase TiO2 NPs. The TiO2 NPs with anatase crystal structure and smaller particle size produced higher content of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, in line with their greater antibacterial effect. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed the concentration buildup of the anatase TiO2 NPs especially those with smaller particle sizes on the cell surfaces, leading to membrane damage and internalization. These research results will shed new light on the understanding of ecological effects of TiO2 NPs.

Toxicity of TiO2 Nanoparticles to Escherichia coli: Effects of Particle Size, Crystal Phase and Water Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Xiuchun; Li, Jingyi; Ma, Si; Liu, Gesheng; Yang, Kun; Tong, Meiping; Lin, Daohui

2014-01-01

Controversial and inconsistent results on the eco-toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) are commonly found in recorded studies and more experimental works are therefore warranted to elucidate the nanotoxicity and its underlying precise mechanisms. Toxicities of five types of TiO2 NPs with different particle sizes (10∼50 nm) and crystal phases were investigated using Escherichia coli as a test organism. The effect of water chemistry on the nanotoxicity was also examined. The antibacterial effects of TiO2 NPs as revealed by dose-effect experiments decreased with increasing particle size and rutile content of the TiO2 NPs. More bacteria could survive at higher solution pH (5.0–10.0) and ionic strength (50–200 mg L−1 NaCl) as affected by the anatase TiO2 NPs. The TiO2 NPs with anatase crystal structure and smaller particle size produced higher content of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, in line with their greater antibacterial effect. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed the concentration buildup of the anatase TiO2 NPs especially those with smaller particle sizes on the cell surfaces, leading to membrane damage and internalization. These research results will shed new light on the understanding of ecological effects of TiO2 NPs. PMID:25310452

A simple route to the synthesis of single crystalline copper metagermanate nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pei, L.Z., E-mail: lzpei@ahut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Lab of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Zhao, H.S. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Lab of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Tan, W. [Henkel Huawei Electronics Co. Ltd., Lian' yungang, Jiangsu 222006 (China); Yu, H.Y. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Lab of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China); Chen, Y.W. [Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China); Zhang Qianfeng; Fan, C.G. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Molecular Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Key Lab of Materials Science and Processing of Anhui Province, Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan, Anhui 243002 (China)

2009-12-15

Single crystalline copper metagermanate (CuGeO{sub 3}) nanowires with the diameter of 30-300 nm and length of longer than 100 {mu}m have been prepared by a simple hydrothermal deposition route. X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Raman analyses confirm that the nanowires are orthorhombic single crystals with a main growth direction along <101>. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurement shows a strong blue emission peak at 442 nm with a broad emission band. The blue emission may be ascribed to radiative recombination of oxygen vacancies and oxygen-germanium vacancies. The formation process of CuGeO{sub 3} nanowires is also discussed.

Design and construction of hierarchical TiO2 nanorod arrays by combining layer-by-layer and hydrothermal crystallization techniques for electrochromic application

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yongbo; Li, Xiaomin; Bi, Zhijie; He, Xiaoli; Li, Guanjie; Xu, Xiaoke; Gao, Xiangdong

2018-05-01

The hierarchical TiO2 (H-TiO2) nanorod arrays (NRAs) composed of single-crystalline nanorods and nanocrystals were finely designed and successfully constructed for electrochromic (EC) application. By combining layer-by-layer (LBL) method and hydrothermal crystallization technique, the superfine nanocrystals (5-7 nm), which can provide abundant active sites and facilitate ion insertion/extraction during EC reactions, were uniformly and conformally assembled on the surface of single-crystalline TiO2 (SC-TiO2) NRAs. The as-formed H-TiO2 NRAs integrate the advantages of one-dimensional NRAs with fast kinetics and superfine nanocrystals with high ion capacity, showing highly enhanced EC performance. Large optical contrast (40.3%), shorter coloring/bleaching time (22/4 s), high coloration efficiency (11.2 cm2 C-1), and excellent cycling stability can be achieved in H-TiO2 NRAs, superior to the pristine SC-TiO2 NRAs and nanocrystalline TiO2 films. This work provides a feasible and well-designed strategy to explore high-performance materials for EC application.

Hydrothermal growth of titania nanowires for SAW device sensing area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakaria Mohd Rosydi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Synthesis of titania or titanium dioxide (TiO2 is attracted to energy and environmental applications. Here, the growth of nanostructure TiO2 nanowires on Si (100 substrates by using the two-step method. Different seed layers of TiO2 were deposited by spin coating and annealing, followed by the growth of TiO2 nanowires by using the hydrothermal method. The sol-gel technique was used in preparing the TiO2 solution for the thin film deposition purpose. Acetic acid, hydrochloric acid and tris (2-aminoethyl amine were used as a stabilizer to synthesize three different TiO2 seed layers. The aim of this study was to understand the role of polycrystalline size on thin film towards the diameter of nanowires grown as a sensing area in Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW Biosensor. The morphology and structure of the thin film and TiO2 nanowires were characterized using X-Ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM.

Dye-sensitized solar cells with vertically aligned TiO2 nanowire arrays grown on carbon fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Xin; Wu, Hongwei; Hou, Shaocong; Peng, Ming; Yu, Xiao; Zou, Dechun

2014-02-01

One-dimensional semiconductor TiO2 nanowires (TNWs) have received widespread attention from solar cell and related optoelectronics scientists. The controllable synthesis of ordered TNW arrays on arbitrary substrates would benefit both fundamental research and practical applications. Herein, vertically aligned TNW arrays in situ grown on carbon fiber (CF) substrates through a facile, controllable, and seed-assisted thermal process is presented. Also, hierarchical TiO2 -nanoparticle/TNW arrays were prepared that favor both the dye loading and depressed charge recombination of the CF/TNW photoanode. An impressive conversion efficiency of 2.48 % (under air mass 1.5 global illumination) and an apparent efficiency of 4.18 % (with a diffuse board) due to the 3D light harvesting of the wire solar cell were achieved. Moreover, efficient and inexpensive wire solar cells made from all-CF electrodes and completely flexible CF-based wire solar cells were demonstrated, taking into account actual application requirements. This work may provide an intriguing avenue for the pursuit of lightweight, cost-effective, and high-performance flexible/wearable solar cells. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Neutron diffraction study of the inverse spinels Co2TiO4 and Co2SnO4

Science.gov (United States)

Thota, S.; Reehuis, M.; Maljuk, A.; Hoser, A.; Hoffmann, J.-U.; Weise, B.; Waske, A.; Krautz, M.; Joshi, D. C.; Nayak, S.; Ghosh, S.; Suresh, P.; Dasari, K.; Wurmehl, S.; Prokhnenko, O.; Büchner, B.

2017-10-01

We report a detailed single-crystal and powder neutron diffraction study of Co2TiO4 and Co2SnO4 between the temperature 1.6 and 80 K to probe the spin structure in the ground state. For both compounds the strongest magnetic intensity was observed for the (111)M reflection due to ferrimagnetic ordering, which sets in below TN=48.6 and 41 K for Co2TiO4 and Co2SnO4 , respectively. An additional low intensity magnetic reflection (200)M was noticed in Co2TiO4 due to the presence of an additional weak antiferromagnetic component. Interestingly, from both the powder and single-crystal neutron data of Co2TiO4 , we noticed a significant broadening of the magnetic (111)M reflection, which possibly results from the disordered character of the Ti and Co atoms on the B site. Practically, the same peak broadening was found for the neutron powder data of Co2SnO4 . On the other hand, from our single-crystal neutron diffraction data of Co2TiO4 , we found a spontaneous increase of particular nuclear Bragg reflections below the magnetic ordering temperature. Our data analysis showed that this unusual effect can be ascribed to the presence of anisotropic extinction, which is associated to a change of the mosaicity of the crystal. In this case, it can be expected that competing Jahn-Teller effects acting along different crystallographic axes can induce anisotropic local strain. In fact, for both ions Ti3 + and Co3 +, the 2 tg levels split into a lower dx y level yielding a higher twofold degenerate dx z/dy z level. As a consequence, one can expect a tetragonal distortion in Co2TiO4 with c /a <1 , which we could not significantly detect in the present work.

CNTs threaded (001) exposed TiO2 with high activity in photocatalytic NO oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Shuning; Zhu, Wei; Liu, Peijue; Liu, Fanfan; Dai, Wenrui; Zhang, Dieqing; Chen, Wei; Li, Hexing

2016-02-07

A microwave-ionothermal strategy was developed for in situ synthesis of CNTs threaded TiO2 single crystal with a tunable percentage of surface exposed (001) active facets. The CNTs were used as microwave antennas to create local "super hot" dots to induce Ti(3+) adsorption and hydrolysis, thereby leading to a good assembly of (001) facets exposed single crystalline TiO2 threaded by the CNTs in the presence of Hmim[BF4] ionic liquid. Due to the high percentage of the active (001) facets of single crystal TiO2 and the direct electron transfer property of the CNTs, the as-prepared CNTs-TiO2 composite showed a photocatalytic NO removal ratio of up to 76.8% under UV irradiation. In addition, with self-doped Ti(3+), the CNTs-TiO2 composite also exhibited an enhanced activity under irradiation with either solar lights or visible lights, showing good potential in practical applications for environmental remediation.

High-Performance Single Nanowire Tunnel Diodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wallentin, Jesper; Persson, Johan Mikael; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

2010-01-01

We demonstrate single nanowire tunnel diodes with room temperature peak current densities of up to 329 A/cm(2). Despite the large surface to volume ratio of the type-II InP-GaAs axial heterostructure nanowires, we measure peak to valley current ratios (PVCR) of up to 8.2 at room temperature and 27...

Single Nanowire Probe for Single Cell Endoscopy and Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Ruoxue

The ability to manipulate light in subwavelength photonic and plasmonic structures has shown great potentials in revolutionizing how information is generated, transformed and processed. Chemically synthesized nanowires, in particular, offers a unique toolbox not only for highly compact and integrated photonic modules and devices, including coherent and incoherent light sources, waveguides, photodetectors and photovoltaics, but also for new types of nanoscopic bio-probes for spot cargo delivery and in-situ single cell endoscopy and sensing. Such nanowire probes would enable us to carry out intracellular imaging and probing with high spatial resolution, monitor in-vivo biological processes within single living cells and greatly improve our fundamental understanding of cell functions, intracellular physiological processes, and cellular signal pathways. My work is aimed at developing a material and instrumental platform for such single nanowire probe. Successful optical integration of Ag nanowire plasmonic waveguides, which offers deep subwavelength mode confinement, and conventional photonic waveguides was demonstrated on a single nanowire level. The highest plasmonic-photonic coupling efficiency coupling was found at small coupling angles and low input frequencies. The frequency dependent propagation loss was observed in Ag nanowire and was confirmed by quantitative measurement and in agreement with theoretical expectations. Rational integration of dielectric and Ag nanowire waveguide components into hybrid optical-plasmonic routing devices has been demonstrated. This capability is essential for incorporating sub-100nm Ag nanowire waveguides into optical fiber based nanoprobes for single cell endoscopy. The nanoprobe system based on single nanowire waveguides was demonstrated by optically coupling semiconductor or metal nanowire with an optical fiber with tapered tip. This nanoprobe design requires minimal instrumentation which makes it cost efficient and readily

Raman scattering and x-ray diffractometry studies of epitaxial TiO2 and VO2 thin films and multilayers on α-Al2O3(11 bar 20)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, C.M.; Chiarello, R.P.; Chang, H.L.M.; You, H.; Zhang, T.J.; Frase, H.; Parker, J.C.; Lam, D.J.

1993-01-01

Epitaxial thin films of TiO 2 and VO 2 single layers and TiO 2 /VO 2 multilayers were grown on (11 bar 20) sapphire (α-Al 2 O 3 ) substrates using the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique and were characterized using Raman scattering and four x-ray diffractometry. X-ray diffraction results indicate that the films are high quality single crystal material with well defined growth plane and small in-plane and out-of-plane mosaic. Single-layer films are shown to obey the Raman selection rules of TiO 2 and VO 2 single crystals. The close adherence to the Raman selection rules indicates the high degree of orientation of the films, both parallel and perpendicular to the growth plane. Selection rule spectra of two and three layer TiO 2 /VO 2 multilayers are dominated by the VO 2 layers with only minimal signature of the TiO 2 layers. Due to the low band gap of semiconducting vanadium dioxide, we attribute the strong signature of the VO 2 layers to resonant enhancement of the VO 2 Raman component accompanied with absorption of the both the incident and scattered laser light from the TiO 2 layers

Sb2S3 surface modification induced remarkable enhancement of TiO2 core/shell nanowries solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, Xiuqing; Wang, Xiaozhou; Zhong, Mianzeng; Wu, Fengmin; Fang, Yunzhang

2013-01-01

This study presents the fabrication of a novel dye-sensitized solar cell with Sb 2 S 3 -modified TiO 2 nanowire (NW) arrays/TiO 2 nanoparticles (NP) (TiO 2(NWs) /TiO 2(NPs) /Sb 2 S 3 ) as the anodes and N719 dye as the sensitizer. A solar conversion efficiency of 4.91% at 1 sun illumination was achieved for the composite cell, which is markedly higher than the efficiency rates obtained using TiO 2 and TiO 2(NWs) /Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2(NPs) NW cells, calculated at 2.36% and 3.11%, respectively. The improved efficiency results from the large surface area of the NPs, as well as the expansion of the light absorption region and high absorption coefficient by Sb 2 S 3 surface modification. - Graphical abstract: A novel TiO 2(NWs) /TiO 2(NPs) /Sb 2 S 3 dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is fabricated, a solar conversion efficiency of 4.91 % at 1 sun illumination is achieved. Highlights: ► We fabricate sandwich structured TiO 2 dye-sensitized solar cells. ► The anode of the solar cells consist of Sb 2 S 3 modified TiO 2 nanowire arrays/TiO 2 nanopartices. ► A solar conversion efficiency of 4.91% at 1 sun illumination is achieved. ► The high efficiency results from large surface area and expanded light adsorption of the anode

Crystal growth and design of a facile synthesized uniform single crystalline football-like anatase TiO2 microspheres with exposed {0 0 1} facets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Bitao; Jin, Chunhua; Ju, Yue; Peng, Lingling; Tian, Liangliang; Wang, Jinbiao; Zhang, Tiejun

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Football-like TiO 2 synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. • The formation mechanism of football-like TiO 2 was investigated. • The DSSC efficiency assembled by football-like TiO 2 is 23.3% higher than P25. - Abstract: Uniform football-like anatase TiO 2 particles exposed by {0 0 1} facets were successfully synthesized by an environment-friendly, facile and low-temperature hydrothermal method in water solution without any additional capping agent. The crystallographic structure and the growth mechanism of anatase TiO 2 particles were investigated systematically by X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), respectively. The formation mechanism of football-like anatase TiO 2 particles exposed by {0 0 1} facets is investigated. It was found that there existed a selective adsorption of F − ions on different facets by analyzed with the density functional theory (DFT) computer simulation results, and it would lead to a selective nucleation and crystal growth of anatase football-like TiO 2 particles. Additionally, this type of exposed {0 0 1} facets football-like TiO 2 microspheres were used as a scattering overlayer on a transparent P25 film for fabrication of photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The results showed that an overall light conversion efficiency of this film was 6.31%, which is higher than that of the overall efficiency (5.13%) obtained from the P25 photoanode owing to the superior light scattering effect of microspheres and excellent light reflecting ability of the mirror-like plane {0 0 1} facets

Composition of Surface Adsorbed Layer of TiO2 Stored in Ambient Air

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakharenko V.S.

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The processes of dark, UV, and visible light promoted desorption of surface species were investigated for three different TiO2 samples: TiO2 prepared by dispersion of the titania single crystal, TiO2 prepared by combustion of a pyrotechnic mixture in air, and commercial TiO2 P25. The composition of the adsorbed layer was identified in the dark and under UV and visible light irradiation. The composition of desorption products showed the dependence of the adsorption layer state on the TiO2 nature. Methane photodesorption was detected only for the commercial TiO2 P25. Possible reasons for methane emission include the capturing of complete molecules during the TiO2 production process and photocatalytic hydrogenation of CO2 under UV-light.

Three-dimensional electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: synthesis of indium-tin-oxide nanowire arrays and ITO/TiO2 core-shell nanowire arrays by electrophoretic deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H-W; Ting, C-F; Hung, M-K; Chiou, C-H; Liu, Y-L; Liu Zongwen; Ratinac, Kyle R; Ringer, Simon P

2009-01-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) show promise as a cheaper alternative to silicon-based photovoltaics for specialized applications, provided conversion efficiency can be maximized and production costs minimized. This study demonstrates that arrays of nanowires can be formed by wet-chemical methods for use as three-dimensional (3D) electrodes in DSSCs, thereby improving photoelectric conversion efficiency. Two approaches were employed to create the arrays of ITO (indium-tin-oxide) nanowires or arrays of ITO/TiO 2 core-shell nanowires; both methods were based on electrophoretic deposition (EPD) within a polycarbonate template. The 3D electrodes for solar cells were constructed by using a doctor-blade for coating TiO 2 layers onto the ITO or ITO/TiO 2 nanowire arrays. A photoelectric conversion efficiency as high as 4.3% was achieved in the DSSCs made from ITO nanowires; this performance was better than that of ITO/TiO 2 core-shell nanowires or pristine TiO 2 films. Cyclic voltammetry confirmed that the reaction current was significantly enhanced when a 3D ITO-nanowire electrode was used. Better separation of charge carriers and improved charge transport, due to the enlarged interfacial area, are thought to be the major advantages of using 3D nanowire electrodes for the optimization of DSSCs.

Dispersions of geometric TiO2 nanomaterials and their toxicity to RPMI 2650 nasal epithelial cells

Science.gov (United States)

Tilly, Trevor B.; Kerr, Lei L.; Braydich-Stolle, Laura K.; Schlager, John J.; Hussain, Saber M.

2014-11-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) based nanofilaments—nanotube, nanowire, nanorod—have gained interest for industrial, electrical, and as of recent, medical applications due to their superior performance over TiO2 nanoparticles. Safety assessment of these nanomaterials is critical to protect workers, patients, and bystanders as these technologies become widely implemented. Additionally, TiO2 based nanofilaments can easily be inhaled by humans and their high aspect ratio, much like asbestos fibers, may make them toxic in the respiratory system. The tendency of TiO2 nanofilaments to aggregate makes evaluating their nanotoxicity difficult and the results controversial, because incomplete dispersion results in larger particle sizes that are no longer in the nano dimensional size range. TiO2 nanofilaments are aggregated and difficult to disperse homogeneously in solution by conventional methods, such as sonication and vortexing. In this study, a microfluidic device was utilized to produce stable, homogeneous dosing solutions necessary for in vitro toxicity evaluation by eliminating any toxicity caused by aggregated TiO2 nanomaterials. The toxicity results could then be directly correlated to the TiO2 nanostructure itself. The toxicity of four TiO2 nanogeometries—nanotube, nanowire, nanorod, and nanoparticle—were assessed in RPMI 2650 human nasal epithelial cells at representative day, week, and month in vitro exposure dosages of 10, 50, 100 μg/ml, respectively. All TiO2 based nanomaterials dispersed by the microfluidic method were nontoxic to RPMI 2650 cells at the concentrations tested, whereas higher concentrations of 100 μg/ml of nanowires and nanotubes dispersed by sonication reduced viability up to 27 %, indicating that in vitro toxicity results may be controlled by the dispersion of dosing solutions.

Defect annealing in Mn/Fe-implanted TiO2(rutile)

CERN Document Server

Gunnlaugsson, H P; Masenda, H; Mølholt, T E; Johnston, K; Bharuth-Ram, K; Gislason, H; Langouche, G; Naidoo, D; Ólafsson, S; Svane, A; Weyer, G

2014-01-01

A study of the annealing processes and charge state of dilute Fe in rutile TiO2 single crystals was performed in the temperature range 143-662 K, utilizing online 57Fe emission Mossbauer spectroscopy following low concentrations ( 350 K.

Effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on largely improving solar reflectance and cooling property of high density polyethylene (HDPE) by influencing its crystallization behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shichao; Zhang, Jun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • HDPE/TiO 2 composites have more perfect crystal structure. • Refractive index is the key factor affecting the final solar reflectance. • HDPE/TiO 2 composites can achieve high solar reflectance. • The real cooling property is in accordance with solar reflectance. - Abstract: In this study, the different crystal forms of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) were added into high density polyethylene (HDPE) to fabricate cool material. Crystal structure, crystallization behavior, crystal morphology were investigated by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscope (POM). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was applied to observe dispersion of TiO 2 particles in the HDPE matrix and the cross section morphology. The solar reflectance and actual cooling property were evaluated by UV–Vis–NIR spectrometer and a self-designed device. By adding TiO 2 particles into HDPE matrix, the polymer chain could crystallize into more perfect and thermal stable lamella. The presence of TiO 2 particles dramatically increased the number of nucleation site therefore decreased the crystal size. The subsequent solar reflectance was related to the degree of crystallinity, the spherulite size of HDPE, refractive index, and distribution of TiO 2 particles in HDPE matrix. It was found the rutile TiO 2 could largely improve the total solar reflectance from 28.2% to 51.1%. Finally, the temperature test showed that the composites had excellent cooling property, which was in accordance with solar reflectance result

Crystallization behaviour of nanostructured hybrid SiO2-TiO2 gel glasses to nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsvetelina, Gerganova; Yordanka, Ivanova; Yuliya, Vueva; Miranda, Salvado Isabel M; Helena, Fernandes Maria

2010-04-01

The crystallization behaviour of hybrid SiO2-TiO2 nanocomposites derived from titanosiloxanes by sol-gel method has been investigated depending on the type of siloxane precursor and the pirolysis temperature. The resulting hybrid titanosiloxanes, crosslinked with trimethylsilil isocyanate (nitrogen-modified) or methyltrietoxisilane (carbon-modified), were pirolyzed in an inert atmosphere in the temperature range between 600 to 1100 degrees C in order to form C-(N)-Si-O-TiO2 nanocomposites. By means of XRD, FTIR, 29Si NMR, SEM, TEM and AFM investigations have been established that the transformation of the nanostructured SiO2-TiO2 hybrid materials into nanocomposites as well as the crystalline size depend on the titanium content and the type of cross-linking agents used in the synthesizes.

Electrical transport of bottom-up grown single-crystal Si1-xGex nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, W F; Lee, S J; Liang, G C; Whang, S J; Kwong, D L

2008-01-01

In this work, we fabricated an Si 1-x Ge x nanowire (NW) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) by using bottom-up grown single-crystal Si 1-x Ge x NWs integrated with HfO 2 gate dielectric, TaN/Ta gate electrode and Pd Schottky source/drain electrodes, and investigated the electrical transport properties of Si 1-x Ge x NWs. It is found that both undoped and phosphorus-doped Si 1-x Ge x NW MOSFETs exhibit p-MOS operation while enhanced performance of higher I on ∼100 nA and I on /I off ∼10 5 are achieved from phosphorus-doped Si 1-x Ge x NWs, which can be attributed to the reduction of the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH). Further improvement in gate control with a subthreshold slope of 142 mV dec -1 was obtained by reducing HfO 2 gate dielectric thickness. A comprehensive study on SBH between the Si 1-x Ge x NW channel and Pd source/drain shows that a doped Si 1-x Ge x NW has a lower effective SBH due to a thinner depletion width at the junction and the gate oxide thickness has negligible effect on effective SBH

Engineering the TiO2 -graphene interface to enhance photocatalytic H2 production.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lichen; Liu, Zhe; Liu, Annai; Gu, Xianrui; Ge, Chengyan; Gao, Fei; Dong, Lin

2014-02-01

In this work, TiO2 -graphene nanocomposites are synthesized with tunable TiO2 crystal facets ({100}, {101}, and {001} facets) through an anion-assisted method. These three TiO2 -graphene nanocomposites have similar particle sizes and surface areas; the only difference between them is the crystal facet exposed in TiO2 nanocrystals. UV/Vis spectra show that band structures of TiO2 nanocrystals and TiO2 -graphene nanocomposites are dependent on the crystal facets. Time-resolved photoluminescence spectra suggest that the charge-transfer rate between {100} facets and graphene is approximately 1.4 times of that between {001} facets and graphene. Photoelectrochemical measurements also confirm that the charge-separation efficiency between TiO2 and graphene is greatly dependent on the crystal facets. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that Ti-C bonds are formed between {100} facets and graphene, while {101} facets and {001} facets are connected with graphene mainly through Ti-O-C bonds. With Ti-C bonds between TiO2 and graphene, TiO2 -100-G shows the fastest charge-transfer rate, leading to higher activity in photocatalytic H2 production from methanol solution. TiO2 -101-G with more reductive electrons and medium interfacial charge-transfer rate also shows good H2 evolution rate. As a result of its disadvantageous electronic structure and interfacial connections, TiO2 -001-G shows the lowest H2 evolution rate. These results suggest that engineering the structures of the TiO2 -graphene interface can be an effective strategy to achieve excellent photocatalytic performances. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fabrication of three-dimensional MIS nano-capacitor based on nano-imprinted single crystal silicon nanowire arrays

KAUST Repository

Zhai, Yujia

2012-11-26

We report fabrication of single crystalline silicon nanowire based-three-dimensional MIS nano-capacitors for potential analog and mixed signal applications. The array of nanowires is patterned by Step and Flash Imprint Lithography (S-FIL). Deep silicon etching (DSE) is used to form the nanowires with high aspect ratio, increase the electrode area and thus significantly enhance the capacitance. High-! dielectric is deposited by highly conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD) Al2O3 over the Si nanowires, and sputtered metal TaN serves as the electrode. Electrical measurements of fabricated capacitors show the expected increase of capacitance with greater nanowire height and decreasing dielectric thickness, consistent with calculations. Leakage current and time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) are also measured and compared with planar MIS capacitors. In view of greater interest in 3D transistor architectures, such as FinFETs, 3D high density MIS capacitors offer an attractive device technology for analog and mixed signal applications. - See more at: http://www.eurekaselect.com/105099/article#sthash.EzeJxk6j.dpuf

Fabrication of three-dimensional MIS nano-capacitor based on nano-imprinted single crystal silicon nanowire arrays

KAUST Repository

Zhai, Yujia; Palard, Marylene; Mathew, Leo; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa; Willson, Grant Grant; Tutuc, Emanuel; Banerjee, Sanjay Kumar

2012-01-01

We report fabrication of single crystalline silicon nanowire based-three-dimensional MIS nano-capacitors for potential analog and mixed signal applications. The array of nanowires is patterned by Step and Flash Imprint Lithography (S-FIL). Deep silicon etching (DSE) is used to form the nanowires with high aspect ratio, increase the electrode area and thus significantly enhance the capacitance. High-! dielectric is deposited by highly conformal atomic layer deposition (ALD) Al2O3 over the Si nanowires, and sputtered metal TaN serves as the electrode. Electrical measurements of fabricated capacitors show the expected increase of capacitance with greater nanowire height and decreasing dielectric thickness, consistent with calculations. Leakage current and time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) are also measured and compared with planar MIS capacitors. In view of greater interest in 3D transistor architectures, such as FinFETs, 3D high density MIS capacitors offer an attractive device technology for analog and mixed signal applications. - See more at: http://www.eurekaselect.com/105099/article#sthash.EzeJxk6j.dpuf

Selective binding of oligonucleotide on TiO2 surfaces modified by swift heavy ion beam lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vicente Pérez-Girón, J.; Hirtz, M.; McAtamney, C.; Bell, A.P.; Antonio Mas, J.; Jaafar, M.; Luis, O. de; Fuchs, H.

2014-01-01

We have used swift heavy-ion beam based lithography to create patterned bio-functional surfaces on rutile TiO 2 single crystals. The applied lithography method generates a permanent and well defined periodic structure of micrometre sized square holes having nanostructured TiO 2 surfaces, presenting different physical and chemical properties compared to the surrounding rutile single crystal surface. On the patterned substrates selective binding of oligonucleotides molecules is possible at the surfaces of the holes. This immobilisation process is only being controlled by UV light exposure. The patterned transparent substrates are compatible with fluorescence detection techniques, are mechanically robust, have a high tolerance to extreme chemical and temperature environments, and apparently do not degrade after ten cycles of use. These qualities make the patterned TiO 2 substrates useful for potential biosensor applications

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

Superior environment resistance of quartz crystal microbalance with anatase TiO2/ZnO nanorod composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiang, Wei; Wei, Li; Shaodan, Wang; Yu, Bai

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanorod array being prepared by an in situ method on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process and surface modification with coated TiO 2 by sol–gel methods to form a superhydrophobic TiO 2 /ZnO composite film the anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film with a sharp, pencil-like structure exhibiting excellent superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 155°), non-sticking water properties, and an autonomous cleaning property under UV irradiation. The anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film facilitates the precise measurement and extended lifetime of the QCM for the detection of organic gas molecules. - Highlights: • This work combines, for the first time, the advantage of the TiO 2 /ZnO composite film on photocatalysis and reversible super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic transition, and puts forward a solution to satisfy weatherability of quartz crystal microbalance in long-term application. • The anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film with pencil structure exhibit excellent super-hydrophobicity (water contact angle can reach 155°), no-sticking water properties and self-cleaning property under UV irradiation. • The photocatalysis and reversible super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic transition of the TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film is stable in long-term application. - Abstract: The precise measurement of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in the detection and weighing of organic gas molecules is achieved due to excellent superhydrophobicity of a deposited film composite. Photocatalysis is utilized as a method for the self-cleaning of organic molecules on the QCM for extended long-term stability in the precision of the instrument. In this paper, ZnO nanorod array is prepared via in situ methods on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process. Subsequently, a TiO 2 /ZnO composite film is synthesized by surface modification with TiO 2 via sol–gel methods. Results show the anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod

Insights into the Controllable Chemical Composition of Metal Oxide Nanowires and Graphene Aerogels

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Anna Patrice

The design and synthesis of materials that absorb visible light and create fuel to store solar energy is a pursuit that has captivated chemists for decades. In order to take part in solar water splitting, i.e. the production of hydrogen and oxygen gas from water and sunlight, electrode materials must fit specific requirements in terms of their electronic structure. Zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are both of interest for their ability to produce oxygen from photogenerated holes, but their band gaps are too large to capture a significant portion of the solar spectrum. We address this challenge by modifying the crystal structures of ZnO and TiO 2 to make lower band gap materials. Furthermore, we use nanowires as the synthetic template for these materials because they provide a large semiconductor-liquid interfacial area. ZnO nanowires can be alloyed with In3+, Fe3+ and other trivalent metal ions to form a unique structure with the formula M2O3(ZnO)n, also known as MZO. We synthesize indium zinc oxide (IZO) and indium iron zinc oxide (IFZO) nanowires and study their crystal structure using atomically-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM), among other methods. We elucidate a structural model for MZO that resolves inconsistencies in the existing literature, based on the identification of the zigzag layer as an inversion domain boundary. These nanowires are shown to have a lower band gap than ZnO and produce photocurrent under visible light illumination. The solid-state diffusion reaction to form ternary titanates is also studied by TEM. TiO2 nanowires are coated with metal oxides by a variety of deposition methods, and then converted to MTiO3 at high temperatures, where M is a divalent transition metal ion such as Mn 2+, CO2+, or Ni2+. When Co3O 4 particles attached to TiO2 nanowires are annealed for a short time, we observe the formation of a CoO(111)/TiO2 (010) interface. If the nanowires are instead coated with Co(NO3)2 salt and then annealed

Random crystal field effect on the magnetic and hysteresis behaviors of a spin-1 cylindrical nanowire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zaim, N.; Zaim, A., E-mail: ah_zaim@yahoo.fr; Kerouad, M., E-mail: kerouad@fs-umi.ac.ma

2017-02-15

In this work, the magnetic behavior of the cylindrical nanowire, consisting of a ferromagnetic core of spin-1 atoms surrounded by a ferromagnetic shell of spin-1 atoms is studied in the presence of a random crystal field interaction. Based on Metropolis algorithm, the Monte Carlo simulation has been used to investigate the effects of the concentration of the random crystal field p, the crystal field D and the shell exchange interaction J{sub s} on the phase diagrams and the hysteresis behavior of the system. Some characteristic behaviors have been found, such as the first and second-order phase transitions joined by tricritical point for appropriate values of the system parameters, triple and isolated critical points can be also found. Depending on the Hamiltonian parameters, single, double and para hysteresis regions are explicitly determined. - Highlights: • Phase diagrams of a ferromagnetic nanowire are examined by the Monte Carlo simulation. • Different types of the phase diagrams are obtained. • The effect of the random crystal field on the hysteresis loops is studied. • Single, double and para hysteresis regions are explicitly determined.

Assembly of Nanoscale Organic Single-Crystal Cross-Wire Circuits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørnholm, Thomas

2009-01-01

Organic single-crystal transistors and circuits can be assembled by nanomechanical manipulation of nanowires of CuPc, F(16)CuPc, and SnO(2):Sb. The crossed bar devices have low operational voltage, high mobility and are stable in air. They can be combined into circuits, providing varied functions...... including inverters and NOR and NAND logic gates, opening new opportunities for organic nanoelectronics and highly sophisticated integrated logic devices....

Synthesis of uniform CdS nanowires in high yield and its single nanowire electrical property

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Shancheng; Sun Litao; Qu Peng; Huang Ninping; Song Yinchen; Xiao Zhongdang

2009-01-01

Large-scale high quality CdS nanowires with uniform diameter were synthesized by using a rapid and simple solvothermal route. Field emission scan electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that the CdS nanowires have diameter of about 26 nm and length up to several micrometres. High resolution TEM (HRTEM) study indicates the single-crystalline nature of CdS nanowires with an oriented growth along the c-axis direction. The optical properties of the products were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectra, photoluminescence spectra and Raman spectra. The resistivity, electron concentration and electron mobility of single NW are calculated by fitting the symmetric I-V curves measured on single NW by the metal-semiconductor-metal model based on thermionic field emission theory. - Graphical abstract: Large-scale high quality CdS nanowires (NWs) with uniform diameter were synthesized by using a rapid and simple solvothermal route. The reaction time is reduced to 2 h, comparing to other synthesis which needed long reaction time up to 12 h. In addition, the as-prepared CdS nanowires have more uniform diameter and high yield. More importantly, the I-V curve of present single CdS nanowire has a good symmetric characteristic as expected by the theory.

Designing and building nanowires: directed nanocrystal self-assembly into radically branched and zigzag PbS nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Fan; Ma Xin; Gerlein, L Felipe; Cloutier, Sylvain G

2011-01-01

Lead sulfide nanowires with controllable optoelectronic properties would be promising building blocks for various applications. Here, we report the hot colloidal synthesis of radically branched and zigzag nanowires through self-attachment of star-shaped and octahedral nanocrystals in the presence of multiple surfactants. We obtained high-quality single-crystal nanowires with uniform diameter along the entire length, and the size of the nanowire can be tuned by tailoring the reaction parameters. This slow oriented attachment provides a better understanding of the intricacies of this complex nanocrystal assembly process. Meanwhile, these self-assembled nanowire structures have appealing lateral conformations with narrow side arms or highly faceted edges, where strong quantum confinement can occur. Consequently, the single-crystal nanowire structures exhibit strong photoluminescence in the near-infrared region with a large blue-shift compared to the bulk material.

The effect of TiO2 on nucleation and crystallization of a Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass investigated by XANES and STEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleebusch, Enrico; Patzig, Christian; Krause, Michael; Hu, Yongfeng; Höche, Thomas; Rüssel, Christian

2018-02-13

Glass ceramics based on Li 2 O/Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 are of high economic importance, as they often show very low coefficients of thermal expansion. This enables a number of challenging applications, such as cooktop panels, furnace windows or telescope mirror blanks. Usually, the crystallization of the desired LAS crystal phases within the glasses must be tailored by a careful choice of crystallization schedule and type of nucleation agents to be used. The present work describes the formation of nanocrystalline TiO 2 within an LAS base composition that contains solely TiO 2 as nucleating agent. Using a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy as well as X-ray absorption spectroscopy, it is found that a mixture of four- and six-fold coordinated Ti 4+ ions exists already within the glass. Heating of the glass to 740 °C immediately changes this ratio towards a high content of six-fold coordinated Ti, which accumulates in liquid-liquid phase-separation droplets. During the course of thermal treatment, these droplets eventually evolve into nanocrystalline TiO 2 precipitations, in which Ti 4+ is six-fold coordinated. Thus, it is shown that the nucleation of nanocrystalline TiO 2 is initiated by a gradual re-arrangement of the Ti ions in the amorphous, glassy matrix, from a four-fold towards a six-fold coordination.

Manganese oxide nanowires, films, and membranes and methods of making

Science.gov (United States)

Suib, Steven Lawrence [Storrs, CT; Yuan, Jikang [Storrs, CT

2008-10-21

Nanowires, films, and membranes comprising ordered porous manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieves, and methods of making, are disclosed. A single crystal ultra-long nanowire includes an ordered porous manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieve, and has an average length greater than about 10 micrometers and an average diameter of about 5 nanometers to about 100 nanometers. A film comprises a microporous network comprising a plurality of single crystal nanowires in the form of a layer, wherein a plurality of layers is stacked on a surface of a substrate, wherein the nanowires of each layer are substantially axially aligned. A free standing membrane comprises a microporous network comprising a plurality of single crystal nanowires in the form of a layer, wherein a plurality of layers is aggregately stacked, and wherein the nanowires of each layer are substantially axially aligned.

Fabrication of a TiO2-P25/(TiO2-P25+TiO2 nanotubes junction for dye sensitized solar cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nguyen Huy Hao

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC, which converts solar light into electric energy, is expected to be a promising renewable energy source for today's world. In this work, dye sensitized solar cells, one containing a single layer and one containing a double layer, were fabricated. In the double layer DSSC structure, the under-layer was TiO2-P25 film, and the top layer consisted of a mixture of TiO2-P25 and TiO2 nanotubes. The results indicated that the efficiency of the DSSC with the double layer structure was a significant improvement in comparison to the DSSC consisting of only a single film layer. The addition of TiO2-P25 in the top layer caused an improvement in the adsorption of dye molecules on the film rather than on the TiO2 nanotubes only. The presence of the TiO2 nanotubes together with TiO2-P25 in the top layer revealed the enhancement in harvesting the incident light and an improvement of electron transport through the film.

Controlled Assembly of Nanorod TiO2 Crystals via a Sintering Process: Photoanode Properties in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeid Vafaei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present for the first time a synthetic method of obtaining 1D TiO2 nanorods with sintering methods using bundle-shaped 3D rutile TiO2 particles (3D BR-TiO2 with the dimensions of around 100 nm. The purpose of this research is (i to control crystallization of the mixture of two kinds of TiO2 semiconductor nanocrystals, that is, 3D BR-TiO2 and spherical anatase TiO2 (SA-TiO2 on FTO substrate via sintering process and (ii to establish a new method to create photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. In addition, we focus on the preparation of low-cost and environmentally friendly titania electrode by adopting the “water-based” nanofluids. Our results provide useful guidance on how to improve the photovoltaic performance by reshaping the numerous 3D TiO2 particles to 1D TiO2-based electrodes with sintering technique.

Nanoscale heterostructures with molecular-scale single-crystal metal wires.

Science.gov (United States)

Kundu, Paromita; Halder, Aditi; Viswanath, B; Kundu, Dipan; Ramanath, Ganpati; Ravishankar, N

2010-01-13

Creating nanoscale heterostructures with molecular-scale (synthesis of nanoscale heterostructures with single-crystal molecular-scale Au nanowires attached to different nanostructure substrates. Our method involves the formation of Au nanoparticle seeds by the reduction of rocksalt AuCl nanocubes heterogeneously nucleated on the substrates and subsequent nanowire growth by oriented attachment of Au nanoparticles from the solution phase. Nanoscale heterostructures fabricated by such site-specific nucleation and growth are attractive for many applications including nanoelectronic device wiring, catalysis, and sensing.

Metal-Catalyst-Free Synthesis and Characterization of Single-Crystalline Silicon Oxynitride Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuang Xi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Large quantities of single-crystal silicon oxynitride nanowires with high N concentration have been synthesized directly on silicon substrate at 1200°C without using any metal catalyst. The diameter of these ternary nanowires is ranging from 10 to 180 nm with log-normal distribution, and the length of these nanowires varies from a few hundreds of micrometers to several millimeters. A vapor-solid mechanism was proposed to explain the growth of the nanowires. These nanowires are grown to form a disordered mat with an ultrabright white nonspecular appearance. The mat demonstrates highly diffusive reflectivity with the optical reflectivity of around 80% over the whole visible wavelength, which is comparable to the most brilliant white beetle scales found in nature. The whiteness might be resulted from the strong multiscattering of a large fraction of incident light on the disordered nanowire mat. These ultra-bright white nanowires could form as reflecting surface to meet the stringent requirements of bright-white light-emitting-diode lighting for higher optical efficiency. They can also find applications in diverse fields such as sensors, cosmetics, paints, and tooth whitening.

Effect of orientation on deformation behavior of Fe nanowires: A molecular dynamics study

Science.gov (United States)

Sainath, G.; Srinivasan, V. S.; Choudhary, B. K.; Mathew, M. D.; Jayakumar, T.

2014-04-01

Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to study the effect of crystal orientation on tensile deformation behaviour of single crystal BCC Fe nanowires at 10 K. Two nanowires with an initial orientation of /{100} and /{111} have been chosen for this study. The simulation results show that the deformation mechanisms varied with crystal orientation. The nanowire with an initial orientation of /{100} deforms predominantly by twinning mechanism, whereas the nanowire oriented in /{111}, deforms by dislocation plasticity. In addition, the single crystal oriented in /{111} shows higher strength and elastic modulus than /{100} oriented nanowire.

Method for manufacturing a single crystal nanowire

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, Albert; Bomer, Johan G.; Carlen, Edwin; Chen, S.; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik Adriaan; Pinedo, Herbert Michael

2013-01-01

A method for manufacturing a single crystal nano-structure is provided comprising the steps of providing a device layer with a 100 structure on a substrate; providing a stress layer onto the device layer; patterning the stress layer along the 110 direction of the device layer; selectively removing

Method for manufacturing a single crystal nanowire

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Berg, Albert; Bomer, Johan G.; Carlen, Edwin; Chen, S.; Kraaijenhagen, R.A.; Pinedo, Herbert Michael

2010-01-01

A method for manufacturing a single crystal nano-structure is provided comprising the steps of providing a device layer with a 100 structure on a substrate; providing a stress layer onto the device layer; patterning the stress layer along the 110 direction of the device layer; selectively removing

Self-supported supercapacitor membrane through incorporating MnO2 nanowires into carbon nanotube networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Yueping; Liu, Jianwei; Li, Jun

2010-08-01

We report on a study on the development of a self-supported membrane of carbon nanotube (CNT) mixed with MnO2 nanowires as supercapacitors. Both single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs) have been explored to serve as the electrically conductive networks to connect redox active MnO2 nanowires. High-quality alpha-MnO2 nanowires were synthesized using bulk alpha-MnO2 crystals as the precursor by a facile hydrothermal method. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared alpha-MnO2 nanowires were characterized by X-ray and electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Supercapacitor membranes were prepared by filtration of mixture solutions of MnO2 nanowires and CNTs at various ratios, forming entangled networks which are self-supported and directly used as supercapacitor electrodes without binders or backing metals. Cyclic voltammetry at various scan rates and charge--discharging measurements are used to characterize the supercapacitance of the CNT-MnO2 nanowire membranes. The specific capacitance has been found to be increased by several times over that of pure CNT membranes after incorporation of MnO2 nanowires.

Effect of sulfate ions on the crystallization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/diatomite composite photocatalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jinjun; Wang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Jimei; Wang, Jing; Ji, Zhijiang

2016-01-01

TiO2 nanoparticles were immobilized on diatomite by hydrolysis-deposition method using titanium tetrachloride as precursor. The effect of sulfate ions on the crystallization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/diatomite composite photocatalyst was characterized by TG-DSC, XRD, BET surface area, SEM, FT-IR spectroscopy, XPS and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The results indicate that addition of a small amount of sulfate ions promotes the formation of anatase phase and inhibits the transformation from anatase to rutile. On the other hand, sulfate ions immobilized on the surface of TiO2/diatomite have strong affinity for electrons, capturing the photo-generated electrons, which hinders the recombination of electrons and holes.

Synthesis of metallic ReO3 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myung, Dongshin; Lee, Yumin; Lee, Jaeyeon; Kim, Myung Hwa; Yu, Hak Ki; Lee, Jong-Lam; Baik, Jeong Min; Kim, Woong

2010-01-01

We present the synthesis of highly crystalline metallic rhenium trioxide (ReO 3 ) nanowires via a simple physical vapor transport at 300 C for the first time. Based on HRTEM, the ReO 3 nanowires exhibit a core of perfect cubic perovskite-type single crystal structure with a shell of thin amorphous and disordered structures of less than 2 nm in the near surface layers. Possibly this is due to proton intercalation induced by the surface reaction of single crystal ReO 3 with water. (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Self-organized TiO2 nanotubular arrays for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation: effect of crystallization and defect structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahajan, V K; Misra, M; Raja, K S; Mohapatra, S K

2008-01-01

The effect of crystallization and surface chemistry of nanotubular titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) in connection with the photoelectrochemical process is reported in this investigation. TiO 2 nanotubular arrays were synthesized by a simple anodization process in an acidified fluoride electrolyte at room temperature. The TiO 2 nanotubes were amorphous in as-anodized condition; their transformation to crystalline phases was a function of annealing temperature and gaseous environment. The anatase phase was observed predominantly after annealing in non-oxidizing atmospheres, whereas annealing in an oxygen environment showed a mixture of anatase and rutile phases. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the chemical environment of the surface, which revealed the presence of phosphate, oxygen vacancies and pentacoordinated Ti in hydrogen annealed samples. Diffuse reflectance photospectrometry of non-oxygen annealed samples showed long absorption tails extending in the visible region. The photoelectrochemical response of the TiO 2 nanotubes annealed in different conditions was investigated. Photoelectrochemical performance under simulated solar light was improved by annealing the nanotubular TiO 2 samples in non-oxidizing environment

Towards TiO2 nanotubes modified by WO3 species: influence of ex situ crystallization of precursor on the photocatalytic activities of WO3/TiO2 composites

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hui; Dong, Bohua; Su, Ge; Gao, Rongjie; Liu, Wei; Song, Liang; Cao, Lixin

2015-09-01

TiO2 nanotubes (TNT) crystallized at different temperatures were loaded with WO3 hydrate through the reaction between (NH4)6W7O24·6H2O and an aqueous solution of HCl. The photocatalytic activities of nanocomposites firstly increase and then decrease as a function of the crystallized temperature of the TNT precursor. The structural, morphologic and optical properties of WO3/TiO2 nanocomposites were also investigated in this study. The samples, initially anatase titania (573 K-773 K), presented phase transition to rutile titania at 873 K. With the crystallized temperature increasing, an evolution of samples morphology changing from nanotube-like structure to nanorod-like structure was observed. Meanwhile, the absorption edge of samples exhibited a red shift, and correspondingly their band gap decreased. Consistent with x-ray diffraction diffractograms, the existence of rutile titania as an impurity in the precursor TNT, crystallized at higher than 873 K, depressed photocatalytic activity evidently. As a result, the degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) increased with the samples crystallinity firstly, and then reduced due to the appearance of rutile titania. In our experimental conditions, the optimal photocatalytic activity was achieved for the sample crystalized at 773 K. Its degradation rate could reach 98.76% after 90 min UV light irradiation.

Towards TiO2 nanotubes modified by WO3 species: influence of ex situ crystallization of precursor on the photocatalytic activities of WO3/TiO2 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Hui; Dong, Bohua; Su, Ge; Gao, Rongjie; Liu, Wei; Cao, Lixin; Song, Liang

2015-01-01

TiO 2 nanotubes (TNT) crystallized at different temperatures were loaded with WO 3 hydrate through the reaction between (NH 4 ) 6 W 7 O 24 ·6H 2 O and an aqueous solution of HCl. The photocatalytic activities of nanocomposites firstly increase and then decrease as a function of the crystallized temperature of the TNT precursor. The structural, morphologic and optical properties of WO 3 /TiO 2 nanocomposites were also investigated in this study. The samples, initially anatase titania (573 K–773 K), presented phase transition to rutile titania at 873 K. With the crystallized temperature increasing, an evolution of samples morphology changing from nanotube-like structure to nanorod-like structure was observed. Meanwhile, the absorption edge of samples exhibited a red shift, and correspondingly their band gap decreased. Consistent with x-ray diffraction diffractograms, the existence of rutile titania as an impurity in the precursor TNT, crystallized at higher than 873 K, depressed photocatalytic activity evidently. As a result, the degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) increased with the samples crystallinity firstly, and then reduced due to the appearance of rutile titania. In our experimental conditions, the optimal photocatalytic activity was achieved for the sample crystalized at 773 K. Its degradation rate could reach 98.76% after 90 min UV light irradiation. (paper)

Crystal structures of orthorhombic, hexagonal, and cubic compounds of the Sm(x)Yb(2−x)TiO5 series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aughterson, Robert D.; Lumpkin, Gregory R.; Reyes, Massey de los; Sharma, Neeraj; Ling, Christopher D.; Gault, Baptiste; Smith, Katherine L.; Avdeev, Maxim; Cairney, Julie M.

2014-01-01

A series of single phase compounds with nominal stoichiometry Sm (x) Yb (2−x) TiO 5 (x=2, 1.4, 1, 0.6, and 0) have been successfully fabricated to generate a range of crystal structures covering the most common polymorphs previously discovered in the Ln 2 TiO 5 series (Ln=lanthanides and yttrium). Four of the five samples have not been previously fabricated in bulk, single phase form so their crystal structures are refined and detailed using powder synchrotron and single crystal x-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Based on the phase information from diffraction data, there are four crystal structure types in this series; orthorhombic Pnma, hexagonal P6 3 /mmc, cubic (pyrochlore-like) Fd-3m and cubic (fluorite-like) Fm-3m. The cubic materials show modulated structures with variation between long and short range ordering and the variety of diffraction techniques were used to describe these complex crystal structure types. - Graphical abstract: A high resolution image of the compound Sm 0.6 Yb 1.4 TiO 5 showing contrast from lattice fringes and the corresponding fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the HREM image with pyrochlore related diffraction spots marked “P” and fluorite marked “F”. The crystal is oriented down the [1 1 0] zone axis based on the Fd-3m structure. The ideal crystal structure (no vacancies) of the cubic, pyrochlore-like (Sm 0.6 Yb 1.4 TiO 5 ). - Highlights: • First fabrication of bulk single-phase material with stoichiometry Sm 2 TiO 5 . • Systematic study of crystal structure types within Ln 2 TiO 5 series (Ln=lanthanides). • A novel technique using IFFT of HREM images to study cubic structures

Carrier thermalization dynamics in single zincblende and wurtzite InP Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yuda; Jackson, Howard E; Smith, Leigh M; Burgess, Tim; Paiman, Suriati; Gao, Qiang; Tan, Hark Hoe; Jagadish, Chennupati

2014-12-10

Using transient Rayleigh scattering (TRS) measurements, we obtain photoexcited carrier thermalization dynamics for both zincblende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) InP single nanowires (NW) with picosecond resolution. A phenomenological fitting model based on direct band-to-band transition theory is developed to extract the electron-hole-plasma density and temperature as a function of time from TRS measurements of single nanowires, which have complex valence band structures. We find that the thermalization dynamics of hot carriers depends strongly on material (GaAs NW vs InP NW) and less strongly on crystal structure (ZB vs WZ). The thermalization dynamics of ZB and WZ InP NWs are similar. But a comparison of the thermalization dynamics in ZB and WZ InP NWs with ZB GaAs NWs reveals more than an order of magnitude slower relaxation for the InP NWs. We interpret these results as reflecting their distinctive phonon band structures that lead to different hot phonon effects. Knowledge of hot carrier thermalization dynamics is an essential component for effective incorporation of nanowire materials into electronic devices.

Methanol, ethanol and hydrogen sensing using metal oxide and metal (TiO(2)-Pt) composite nanoclusters on GaN nanowires: a new route towards tailoring the selectivity of nanowire/nanocluster chemical sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Aluri, Geetha S; Motayed, Abhishek; Davydov, Albert V; Oleshko, Vladimir P; Bertness, Kris A; Sanford, Norman A; Mulpuri, Rao V

2012-05-04

We demonstrate a new method for tailoring the selectivity of chemical sensors using semiconductor nanowires (NWs) decorated with metal and metal oxide multicomponent nanoclusters (NCs). Here we present the change of selectivity of titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) nanocluster-coated gallium nitride (GaN) nanowire sensor devices on the addition of platinum (Pt) nanoclusters. The hybrid sensor devices were developed by fabricating two-terminal devices using individual GaN NWs followed by the deposition of TiO(2) and/or Pt nanoclusters (NCs) using the sputtering technique. This paper present the sensing characteristics of GaN/(TiO(2)-Pt) nanowire-nanocluster (NWNC) hybrids and GaN/(Pt) NWNC hybrids, and compare their selectivity with that of the previously reported GaN/TiO(2) sensors. The GaN/TiO(2) NWNC hybrids showed remarkable selectivity to benzene and related aromatic compounds, with no measurable response for other analytes. Addition of Pt NCs to GaN/TiO(2) sensors dramatically altered their sensing behavior, making them sensitive only to methanol, ethanol and hydrogen, but not to any other chemicals we tested. The GaN/(TiO(2)-Pt) hybrids were able to detect ethanol and methanol concentrations as low as 100 nmol mol(-1) (ppb) in air in approximately 100 s, and hydrogen concentrations from 1 µmol mol(-1) (ppm) to 1% in nitrogen in less than 60 s. However, GaN/Pt NWNC hybrids showed limited sensitivity only towards hydrogen and not towards any alcohols. All these hybrid sensors worked at room temperature and are photomodulated, i.e. they responded to analytes only in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light. We propose a qualitative explanation based on the heat of adsorption, ionization energy and solvent polarity to explain the observed selectivity of the different hybrids. These results are significant from the standpoint of applications requiring room-temperature hydrogen sensing and sensitive alcohol monitoring. These results demonstrate the tremendous potential for

Eosin yellowish dye sensitized TiO2 solar cell with PEG/PEO/LiI/I2 as electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Kanmani, S. S.; Umapathy, S.; Ramachandran, K.

2012-06-01

Eosin Yellowish dye sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles (NP) and nanowires (NW) are employed as photo anodes in dye sensitized solar cells with PEO/PEG/LiI/I2 as electrolyte. Material characterization by XRD and SEM confirms the formation of anatase phased TiO2 NP and NW. Effective quenching of UV emission in TiO2 NW than NP is a consequence of reduction in recombination rate, which directly favours for better solar conversion efficiency. The photovoltaic performance of TiO2 NW with an overall conversion efficiency of 0.31 % is better than NP, which is the outcome of improved electron transport in NW.

Crystal growth and scintillation properties of Pr-doped SrI2 single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Yokota, Yuui; Ito, Tomoki; Yoshino, Masao; Yamaji, Akihiro; Ohashi, Yuji; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Kamada, Kei; Yoshikawa, Akira

2018-04-01

Pr-doped SrI2 (Pr:SrI2) single crystals with various Pr concentrations were grown by the halide-micro-pulling-down (H-μ-PD) method, and the scintillation properties were investigated. Pr1%:SrI2 single crystal with high transparency could be grown by the H-μ-PD method while Pr2, 3 and 5%:SrI2 single crystals included some cracks and opaque parts. In the photoluminescence spectrum of the Pr1%:SrI2 single crystal, an emission peak originated from the Pr3+ ion was observed around 435 nm while the radioluminescence spectra showed an emission peak around 535 nm for the undoped SrI2 and Pr:SrI2 single crystals. Light yields of Pr1, 2, 3 and 5%:SrI2 single crystals under γ-ray irradiation were 7700, 8700, 7200 and 6700 photons/MeV, respectively. Decay times of Pr1 and 2%:SrI2 single crystals under γ-ray irradiation were 55.9 and 35.0 ns of the fast decay component, and 435 and 408 ns of the slow decay component, respectively.

First-principles atomistic Wulff constructions for an equilibrium rutile TiO2 shape modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Fengzhou; Yang, Lei; Zhou, Dali; He, Gang; Zhou, Jiabei; Wang, Fanhou; Chen, Zhi-Gang

2018-04-01

Identifying the exposed surfaces of rutile TiO2 crystal is crucial for its industry application and surface engineering. In this study, the shape of the rutile TiO2 was constructed by applying equilibrium thermodynamics of TiO2 crystals via first-principles density functional theory (DFT) and Wulff principles. From the DFT calculations, the surface energies of six low-index stoichiometric facets of TiO2 are determined after the calibrations of crystal structure. And then, combined surface energy calculations and Wulff principles, a geometric model of equilibrium rutile TiO2 is built up, which is coherent with the typical morphology of fully-developed equilibrium TiO2 crystal. This study provides fundamental theoretical guidance for the surface analysis and surface modification of the rutile TiO2-based materials from experimental research to industry manufacturing.

Organic Nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balzer, Frank; Schiek, Manuela; Al-Shamery, Katharina

Single crystalline nanowires from fluorescing organic molecules like para-phenylenes or thiophenes are supposed to become key elements in future integrated optoelectronic devices [1]. For a sophisticated design of devices based on nanowires the basic principles of the nanowire formation have...... atomic force microscopy and from polarized far-field optical microscopy for various prototypical molecules are reproduced by electrostatic and Monte Carlo calculations. Based on the crystal structure, predictions on the growth habit from other conjugated molecules become in reach....

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.

Highly piezoelectric BaTiO3 nanorod bundle arrays using epitaxially grown TiO2 nanomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Seon-Min; Yang, Su Chul

2018-06-08

Low-dimensional piezoelectric nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons and nanosheets have been developed for potential applications as energy harvesters, tunable sensors, functional transducers and low-power actuators. In this study, lead-free BaTiO 3 nanorod bundle arrays (NBA) with highly piezoelectric properties were successfully synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate via a two-step process consisting of TiO 2 epitaxial growth and BaTiO 3 conversion. Through the TiO 2 epitaxial growth on FTO substrate, (001) oriented TiO 2 nanostructures formed vertically-aligned NBA with a bundle diameter of 80 nm and an aspect ratio of six. In particular, chemical etching of the TiO 2 NBA was conducted to enlarge the surface area for effective Ba 2+ ion diffusion during the perovskite conversion process from TiO 2 to BaTiO 3 . The final structure of perovskite BaTiO 3 NBA was found to exhibit a feasible piezoelectric response of 3.56 nm with a clear phase change of 180° from the single BaTiO 3 bundle, by point piezoelectric forced microscopy (PFM) analysis. Consequently, highly piezoelectric NBA could be a promising nanostructure for various nanoscale electronic devices.

Highly piezoelectric BaTiO3 nanorod bundle arrays using epitaxially grown TiO2 nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Seon-Min; Yang, Su Chul

2018-06-01

Low-dimensional piezoelectric nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoribbons and nanosheets have been developed for potential applications as energy harvesters, tunable sensors, functional transducers and low-power actuators. In this study, lead-free BaTiO 3 nanorod bundle arrays (NBA) with highly piezoelectric properties were successfully synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate via a two-step process consisting of TiO2 epitaxial growth and BaTiO3 conversion. Through the TiO2 epitaxial growth on FTO substrate, (001) oriented TiO2 nanostructures formed vertically-aligned NBA with a bundle diameter of 80 nm and an aspect ratio of six. In particular, chemical etching of the TiO2 NBA was conducted to enlarge the surface area for effective Ba2+ ion diffusion during the perovskite conversion process from TiO2 to BaTiO3. The final structure of perovskite BaTiO3 NBA was found to exhibit a feasible piezoelectric response of 3.56 nm with a clear phase change of 180° from the single BaTiO3 bundle, by point piezoelectric forced microscopy (PFM) analysis. Consequently, highly piezoelectric NBA could be a promising nanostructure for various nanoscale electronic devices.

Plasmonic gold nanocrystals coupled with photonic crystal seamlessly on TiO2 nanotube photoelectrodes for efficient visible light photoelectrochemical water splitting

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhonghai

2013-01-09

A visible light responsive plasmonic photocatalytic composite material is designed by rationally selecting Au nanocrystals and assembling them with the TiO2-based photonic crystal substrate. The selection of the Au nanocrystals is so that their surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) wavelength matches the photonic band gap of the photonic crystal and thus that the SPR of the Au receives remarkable assistance from the photonic crystal substrate. The design of the composite material is expected to significantly increase the Au SPR intensity and consequently boost the hot electron injection from the Au nanocrystals into the conduction band of TiO2, leading to a considerably enhanced water splitting performance of the material under visible light. A proof-of-concept example is provided by assembling 20 nm Au nanocrystals, with a SPR peak at 556 nm, onto the photonic crystal which is seamlessly connected on TiO2 nanotube array. Under visible light illumination (>420 nm), the designed material produced a photocurrent density of ∼150 μA cm-2, which is the highest value ever reported in any plasmonic Au/TiO2 system under visible light irradiation due to the photonic crystal-assisted SPR. This work contributes to the rational design of the visible light responsive plasmonic photocatalytic composite material based on wide band gap metal oxides for photoelectrochemical applications. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

TiO2 nanowires for potential facile integration of solar cells and electrochromic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiang, Pengfei; Chen, Zhongwei; Yang, Peihua; Liu, Pengyi; Mai, Wenjie; Cai, Xiang; Tan, Shaozao

2013-01-01

Self-powered systems usually consist of energy-acquisition components, energy-storage components and functional components. The development of nanoscience and nanotechnology has greatly improved the performance of all the components of self-powered systems. However, huge differences in the materials and configurations in the components cause large difficulties for integration and miniaturization of self-powered systems. Design and fabrication of different components in a self-powered system with the same or similar materials/configurations should be able to make the above goal easier. In this work, a proof-of-concept experiment involving an integrated self-powered color-changing system consisting of TiO 2 nanowire based sandwich dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and electrochromic devices (ECDs) is designed and demonstrated. When sunlight illuminates the entire system, the DSSCs generate electrical power and turn the ECD to a darker color, dimming the light; by switching the connection polarity of the DSSCs, the lighter color can be regained, implying the potential application of this self-powered color-changing system for next generation sun glasses and smart windows. (paper)

Morphology and optical properties of ternary Zn-Sn-O semiconductor nanowires with catalyst-free growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Yuan-Chang, E-mail: yuanvictory@gmail.com [Institute of Materials Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan (China); Huang, Chiem-Lum; Hu, Chia-Yen; Deng, Xian-Shi; Zhong, Hua [Institute of Materials Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan (China)

2012-10-05

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} nanowires with various morphologies were successfully synthesized by thermal evaporation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The as-synthesized Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} nanowires have a face-centered cubic crystal structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thermal annealing of Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} nanowires changes the properties of the visible emission band. - Abstract: This study reports the synthesis of Zn{sub 2}SnO{sub 4} (ZTO) nanowires with various morphologies using thermal evaporation without a metal catalyst. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the structure of the as-synthesized ZTO nanowires is a face-centered cubic spinel phase. Scanning electron microscopy images exhibit that the as-synthesized nanowires have various morphologies, and homogeneously cover the area of interest. High-resolution transmittance electron microscopy reveals that these ZTO nanowires have single crystalline microstructures with four morphologies. The results of low-temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements show the crystal defects of oxygen vacancies and interstitials may contribute to blue-green and yellow-orange emissions, respectively, for the as-synthesized single nanowire. This study also discusses the effects of thermal annealing under oxygen-rich and reducing ambient on the CL properties of the single ZTO nanowire.

Thiourea-Modified TiO2 Nanorods with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaofeng Wu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Semiconductor TiO2 photocatalysis has attracted much attention due to its potential application in solving the problems of environmental pollution. In this paper, thiourea (CH4N2S modified anatase TiO2 nanorods were fabricated by calcination of the mixture of TiO2 nanorods and thiourea at 600 °C for 2 h. It was found that only N element was doped into the lattice of TiO2 nanorods. With increasing the weight ratio of thiourea to TiO2 (R from 0 to 8, the light-harvesting ability of the photocatalyst steady increases. Both the crystallization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanorods increase first and then decrease with increase in R value, and R2 sample showed the highest crystallization and photocatalytic activity in degradation of Brilliant Red X3B (X3B and Rhodamine B (RhB dyes under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm. The increased visible-light photocatalytic activity of the prepared N-doped TiO2 nanorods is due to the synergistic effects of the enhanced crystallization, improved light-harvesting ability and reduced recombination rate of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. Note that the enhanced visible photocatalytic activity of N-doped nanorods is not based on the scarification of their UV photocatalytic activity.

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite for degradation of crystal violet dye and industrial waste effluent

Science.gov (United States)

Zahoor, Mehvish; Arshad, Amara; Khan, Yaqoob; Iqbal, Mazhar; Bajwa, Sadia Zafar; Soomro, Razium Ali; Ahmad, Ishaq; Butt, Faheem K.; Iqbal, M. Zubair; Wu, Aiguo; Khan, Waheed S.

2018-03-01

This study presents the synthesis of CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite and its potential application for the visible light-driven photocatalytic degradation of model crystal violet dye as well as real industrial waste water. The ceria-titania (CeO2-TiO2) nanocomposite material was synthesised using facile hydrothermal route without the assistance of any template molecule. As-prepared composite was characterised by SEM, TEM, HRTEM, XRD, XPS for surface features, morphological and crystalline characters. The formed nanostructures were determined to possess crystal-like geometrical shape and average size less than 100 nm. The as-synthesised nanocomposite was further investigated for their heterogeneous photocatalytic potential against the oxidative degradation of CV dye taken as model pollutant. The photo-catalytic performance of the as-synthesised material was evaluated both under ultra-violet as well as visible light. Best photocatalytic performance was achieved under visible light with complete degradation (100%) exhibited within 60 min of irradiation time. The kinetics of the photocatalytic process were also considered and the reaction rate constant for CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite was determined to be 0.0125 and 0.0662 min-1 for ultra-violet and visible region, respectively. In addition, the as-synthesised nanocomposite demonstrated promising results when considered for the photo-catalytic degradation of coloured industrial waste water collected from local textile industry situated in Faisalabad region of Pakistan. Enhanced photo-catalytic performance of CeO2-TiO2 nanocomposite was proposed owing to heterostructure formation leading to reduced electron-hole recombination.

Crystal phase-based epitaxial growth of hybrid noble metal nanostructures on 4H/fcc Au nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Qipeng; Wang, An-Liang; Gong, Yue; Hao, Wei; Cheng, Hongfei; Chen, Junze; Li, Bing; Yang, Nailiang; Niu, Wenxin; Wang, Jie; Yu, Yifu; Zhang, Xiao; Chen, Ye; Fan, Zhanxi; Wu, Xue-Jun; Chen, Jinping; Luo, Jun; Li, Shuzhou; Gu, Lin; Zhang, Hua

2018-03-01

Crystal-phase engineering offers opportunities for the rational design and synthesis of noble metal nanomaterials with unusual crystal phases that normally do not exist in bulk materials. However, it remains a challenge to use these materials as seeds to construct heterometallic nanostructures with desired crystal phases and morphologies for promising applications such as catalysis. Here, we report a strategy for the synthesis of binary and ternary hybrid noble metal nanostructures. Our synthesized crystal-phase heterostructured 4H/fcc Au nanowires enable the epitaxial growth of Ru nanorods on the 4H phase and fcc-twin boundary in Au nanowires, resulting in hybrid Au-Ru nanowires. Moreover, the method can be extended to the epitaxial growth of Rh, Ru-Rh and Ru-Pt nanorods on the 4H/fcc Au nanowires to form unique hybrid nanowires. Importantly, the Au-Ru hybrid nanowires with tunable compositions exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance towards the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media.

Simple synthetic route to manganese-containing nanowires with the spinel crystal structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Lei; Zhang, Yan; Hudak, Bethany M.; Wallace, Damon K.; Kim, Doo Young; Guiton, Beth S.

2016-08-15

This report describes a new route to synthesize single-crystalline manganese-containing spinel nanowires (NWs) by a two-step hydrothermal and solid-state synthesis. Interestingly, a nanowire or nanorod morphology is maintained during conversion from MnO{sub 2}/MnOOH to CuMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}/Mg{sub 2}MnO{sub 4}, despite the massive structural rearrangement this must involve. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) curves of the products give preliminary demonstration that CuMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} NWs are catalytically active towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline solution, exhibiting five times the magnitude of current density found with pure carbon black. - Highlights: • Synthesis of single-crystalline manganese-containing spinel nanowires. • Binary oxide nanowire converted to ternary oxide wire through solid state reaction. • Approach to structure conversion with shape retention could be generally applicable. • Copper and Manganese display multiple oxidation states with potential for catalysis. • CuMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanowires show promise as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.

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.

TiO2--a prototypical memristive material.

Science.gov (United States)

Szot, K; Rogala, M; Speier, W; Klusek, Z; Besmehn, A; Waser, R

2011-06-24

Redox-based memristive switching has been observed in many binary transition metal oxides and related compounds. Since, on the one hand, many recent reports utilize TiO(2) for their studies of the memristive phenomenon and, on the other hand, there is a long history of the electronic structure and the crystallographic structure of TiO(2) under the impact of reduction and oxidation processes, we selected this material as a prototypical material to provide deeper insight into the mechanisms behind memristive switching. In part I, we briefly outline the results of the historical and recent studies of electroforming and resistive switching of TiO(2)-based cells. We describe the (tiny) stoichiometrical range for TiO(2 - x) as a homogeneous compound, the aggregation of point defects (oxygen vacancies) into extended defects, and the formation of the various Magnéli phases. Furthermore, we discuss the driving forces for these solid-state reactions from the thermodynamical point of view. In part II, we provide new experimental details about the hierarchical transformation of TiO(2) single crystals into Magnéli phases, and vice versa, under the influence of chemical, electrical and thermal gradients, on the basis of the macroscopic and nanoscopic measurements. Those include thermogravimetry, high-temperature x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-temperature conductivity measurements, as well as low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and LC-AFM (atomic force microscope equipped with a conducting tip) studies. Conclusions are drawn concerning the relevant parameters that need to be controlled in order to tailor the memristive properties.

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.

Temperature compensation effects of TiO2 on Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ microwave dielectric ceramic

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Mingzhe; Wei, Huanghe; Xiao, Lihua; Zhang, Kesheng; Hao, Yongde

2017-10-01

The crystal structure and dielectric properties of TiO2-modified Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ microwave ceramics are investigated in the present paper. The crystal structure is probed by XRD patterns and their Rietveld refinement, results show that a single perovskite phase is formed in TiO2-modified Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ ceramics with the crystal structure belonging to the orthorhombic Pbnm 62 space group. Raman spectra results indicate that the B-site order-disorder structure transition is a key point to the dielectric loss of TiO2-modified Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ ceramics at microwave frequencies. After properly modified by TiO2, the large negative temperature coefficient of Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ ceramic can be compensated and the optimal microwave dielectric properties can reach 𝜀r = 25.66, Qf = 18,894 GHz and TCF = -6.3 ppm/∘C when sintered at 1170∘C for 2.5 h, which manifests itself for potential use in microwave dielectric devices for modern wireless communication.

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.

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SINGLE CRYSTAL NANO-WIRE

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Den Berg, Albert; Bomer, Johan; Carlen Edwin, Thomas; Chen, Songyue; Kraaijenhagen Roderik, Adriaan; Pinedo Herbert, Michael

2012-01-01

A method for manufacturing a single crystal nano-structure includes providing a device layer with a 100 structure on a substrate; providing a stress layer onto the device layer; patterning the stress layer along the 110 direction of the device layer; selectively removing parts of the stress layer to

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SINGLE CRYSTAL NANO-WIRE.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Den Berg, Albert; Bomer, Johan; Carlen Edwin, Thomas; Chen, Songyue; Kraaijenhagen Roderik, Adriaan; Pinedo Herbert, Michael

2011-01-01

A method for manufacturing a single crystal nano-structure is provided comprising the steps of providing a device layer with a 100 structure on a substrate; providing a stress layer onto the device layer; patterning the stress layer along the 110 direction of the device layer; selectively removing

Growth and surface topography of WSe_2 single crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dixit, Vijay; Vyas, Chirag; Pataniya, Pratik; Jani, Mihir; Pathak, Vishal; Patel, Abhishek; Pathak, V. M.; Patel, K. D.; Solanki, G. K.

2016-01-01

Tungsten Di-Selenide belongs to the family of TMDCs showing their potential applications in the fields of Optoelectronics and PEC solar cells. Here in the present investigation single crystals of WSe_2 were grown by Direct Vapour Transport Technique in a dual zone furnace having temperature difference of 50 K between the two zones. These single crystals were characterized by EDAX which confirms the stiochiometry of the grown crystals. Surface topography of the crystal was studied by optical micrograph showing the left handed spirals on the surface of WSe_2 crystals. Single crystalline nature of the crystals was confirmed by SAED.

Growth of Ga2O3 single crystal

OpenAIRE

龍見, 雅美; 小池, 裕之; 市木, 伸明; Tatsumi, Masami; Koike, Hiroyuki; Ichiki, Nobuaki

2010-01-01

Single crystals of β-Ga2O3 for substrates of GaN LED were grown by Floating Zone(FZ) method. The transparent single crystals of 5-6 mm in diameter were reproducibly obtained by applying necking procedure and the preferential growth direction was . Many cracks were induced along the cleavage plane of (100) in slicing process, which is related to thermal stress and the growth direction. However, this preliminary growth experiments suggested that β-Ga2O3 single crystal is promising as a substrat...

Preparation and photonic bandgap properties of Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3 inverse opal photonic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Zhengwen; Zhou Ji; Huang Xueguang; Xie Qin; Fu Ming; Li Bo; Li Longtu

2009-01-01

The Na 1/2 Bi 1/2 TiO 3 (NBT) inverse opal photonic crystals were prepared by the self-assembly technique in combination with a sol-gel method. In the preparation process, NBT precursors were filled into the interstices of the opal template assembled by monodispersive polystyrene microspheres. The polystyrene template was then removed by calcination at 800 deg. C for 5 h, meanwhile, a perovskite NBT inverse opal photonic crystal was formed. An optical micrograph shows that the NBT inverse opals reflect green-yellow light strongly. Moreover, a photonic band gap was observed by reflective spectra of NBT sample

Efficiency Enhancement of Nanotextured Black Silicon Solar Cells Using Al2O3/TiO2 Dual-Layer Passivation Stack Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Cheng; Tsai, Meng-Chen; Yang, Jason; Hsu, Chuck; Chen, Miin-Jang

2015-05-20

In this study, efficient nanotextured black silicon (NBSi) solar cells composed of silicon nanowire arrays and an Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack on the n(+) emitter were fabricated. The highly conformal Al2O3 and TiO2 surface passivation layers were deposited on the high-aspect-ratio surface of the NBSi wafers using atomic layer deposition. Instead of the single Al2O3 passivation layer with a negative oxide charge density, the Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack treated with forming gas annealing provides a high positive oxide charge density and a low interfacial state density, which are essential for the effective field-effect and chemical passivation of the n(+) emitter. In addition, the Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack suppresses the total reflectance over a broad range of wavelengths (400-1000 nm). Therefore, with the Al2O3/TiO2 dual-layer passivation stack, the short-circuit current density and efficiency of the NBSi solar cell were increased by 11% and 20%, respectively. In conclusion, a high efficiency of 18.5% was achieved with the NBSi solar cells by using the n(+)-emitter/p-base structure passivated with the Al2O3/TiO2 stack.

Sol-gel synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles and photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in aqueous TiO2 suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Huaming; Zhang Ke; Shi Rongrong; Li Xianwei; Dong Xiaodan; Yu Yongmei

2006-01-01

Anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles of about 16 nm in crystal size have been successfully synthesized via a sol-gel method. Thermal treatment of the precursor at 500-600 deg. C results in the formation of different TiO 2 phase compositions. The samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Effects of the pH value of the solution, H 2 O 2 addition, TiO 2 phase composition and recycled TiO 2 on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MeO) in TiO 2 suspensions under ultraviolet (UV) illumination were primarily investigated. The results indicate that a low pH value, proper amount of H 2 O 2 and pure anatase TiO 2 will facilitate the photocatalytic oxidation of the MeO solution. The photodegradation degree decreases with increasing the pH value of the solution and varies with different amounts of H 2 O 2 . Pure anatase TiO 2 shows better photocatalytic activity for MeO decolorization than biphase TiO 2 . The photocatalytic mechanism of the as-synthesized TiO 2 nanoparticles was discussed

Photocatalytic characteristics of single phase Fe-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles sensitized with vitamin B12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharagozlou, Mehrnaz; Bayati, R.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Anatase TiO 2 /B 12 hybrid nanostructured catalyst was successfully synthesized by sol–gel technique. • The nanoparticle catalyst was doped with iron at several concentrations. • Nanoparticles were characterized in detail by XRD, Raman, TEM, EDS, and spectroscopy techniques. • The formation mechanism and role of point defects on photocatalytic properties were discussed. • A structure-property-processing correlation was established. - Abstract: We report a processing-structure-property correlation in B 12 -anatase titania hybrid catalysts doped with several concentrations of iron. Our results clearly show that low-level iron doping alters structure, defect content, and photocatalytic characteristics of TiO 2 . XRD and Raman studies revealed formation of a single-phase anatase TiO 2 where no iron based segregation in particular iron oxide, was detected. FT-IR spectra clearly confirmed sensitization of TiO 2 nanoparticles with vitamin B 12 . TEM micrographs and diffraction patterns confirmed crystallization of anatase nanoparticles with a radius of 15–20 nm. Both XRD and Raman signals showed a peak shift and a peak broadening which are surmised to originate from creation of point defects, namely oxygen vacancy and titanium interstitial. The doped samples revealed a narrower band gap as compared to undoped samples. Photocatalytic activity of the samples was assessed through measuring the decomposition rate of rhodamine B. It was found that sensitization with vitamin B 12 and Fe-doping significantly enhances the photocatalytic efficiency of the anatase nanoparticles. We also showed that there is an optimum Fe-doping level where the maximum photocatalytic activity is achieved. The boost of photocatalytic activity was qualitatively understood to originate from a more effective use of the light photons, formation of point defects, which enhance the charge separation, higher carrier mobility

Quantum chemical elucidation of the mechanism for hydrogenation of TiO2 anatase crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Raghunath, P.; Huang, W. F.; Lin, M. C.

2013-04-01

Hydrogenation of TiO2 is relevant to hydrogen storage and water splitting. We have carried out a detailed mechanistic study on TiO2 hydrogenation through H and/or H2 diffusion from the surface into subsurface layers of anatase TiO2 (101) by periodic density functional theory calculations implementing on-site Coulomb interactions (DFT + U). Both H atoms and H2 molecules can migrate from the crystal surface into TiO2 near subsurface layer with 27.8 and 46.2 kcal/mol energy barriers, respectively. The controlling step for the former process is the dissociative adsorption of H2 on the surface which requires 47.8 kcal/mol of energy barrier. Both hydrogen incorporation processes are expected to be equally favorable. The barrier energy for H2 migration from the first layer of the subsurface Osub1 to the 2nd layer of the subsurface oxygen Osub2 requires only 6.6 kcal. The presence of H atoms on the surface and inside the subsurface layer tends to promote both H and H2 penetration into the subsurface layer by reducing their energy barriers, as well as to prevent the escape of the H2 from the cage by increasing its escaping barrier energy. The H2 molecule inside a cage can readily dissociate and form 2HO-species exothermically (ΔH = -31.0 kcal/mol) with only 26.2 kcal/mol barrier. The 2HO-species within the cage may further transform into H2O with a 22.0 kcal/mol barrier and 19.3 kcal/mol exothermicity relative to the caged H2 molecule. H2O formation following the breaking of Ti-O bonds within the cage may result in the formation of O-vacancies and surface disordering as observed experimentally under a high pressure and moderately high temperature condition. According to density of states analysis, the projected density of states of the interstitial H, H2, and H2O appear prominently within the TiO2 band gap; in addition, the former induces a shift of the band gap position notably towards the conduction band. The thermochemistry for formation of the most stable sub

Nanoparticle-mediated nonclassical crystal growth of sodium fluorosilicate nanowires and nanoplates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongxia Li

2011-12-01

Full Text Available We observed nonclassical crystal growth of the sodium fluorosilicate nanowires, nanoplates, and hierarchical structures through self-assembly and aggregation of primary intermediate nanoparticles. Unlike traditional ion-by-ion crystallization, the primary nanoparticles formed first and their subsequent self-assembly, fusion, and crystallization generated various final crystals. These findings offer direct evidences for the aggregation-based crystallization mechanism.

Crystallization and sintering characteristics of CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 glasses in the presence of TiO2, CaF2 and ZrO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banijamali, S.; Eftekhari Yekta, B.; Rezaie, H.R.; Marghussian, V.K.

2009-01-01

In this study, the effects of different amounts of TiO 2 , ZrO 2 and CaF 2 nucleating agents on sinterability, crystallization, mechanical properties and chemical resistance of glass-ceramics belonging to the CaO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 system were investigated, using differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical and chemical resistance measurements. It was found that in CaF 2 containing samples, the sinterability, crystallization and mechanical properties were improved by increasing of CaF 2 amount. However, addition of ZrO 2 and TiO 2 increases the firing temperature required for complete densification of specimens. Our experiments showed that fluctuations of chemical composition of the residual glass phases during sintering were responsible for these dissimilar trends and greatly influenced mechanical and chemical properties. According to the obtained results, appropriate sinterability, acceptable mechanical and chemical properties, as well as desirable whiteness of the most promising specimens make them suitable choices for floor tile applications. The main crystallization phases in all fully sintered glass-ceramics were wollastonite, anorthite and calcium aluminum silicate.

Analysis of Ti valence states in resistive switching regions of a rutile TiO2‑ x four-terminal memristive device

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Kengo; Takeuchi, Shotaro; Tohei, Tetsuya; Ikarashi, Nobuyuki; Sakai, Akira

2018-06-01

We have performed Ti valence state analysis of our four-terminal rutile TiO2‑ x single-crystal memristors using scanning transmission electron microscopy–electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM–EELS). Analysis of Ti-L2,3 edge EELS spectra revealed that the electrocolored region formed by the application of voltage includes a valence state reflecting highly reduced TiO2‑ x due to the accumulation of oxygen vacancies. Such a valence state mainly exists within ∼50 nm from the crystal surface and extends along specific crystal directions. These electrically reduced surface layers are considered to directly contribute to the resistive switching (RS) in the four-terminal device. The present results add new insights into the microscopic mechanisms of the RS phenomena and should contribute to further development and improvements of TiO2‑ x based memristive devices.

Highly selective GaN-nanowire/TiO2-nanocluster hybrid sensors for detection of benzene and related environment pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aluri, Geetha S; Motayed, Abhishek; Davydov, Albert V; Oleshko, Vladimir P; Bertness, Kris A; Sanford, Norman A; Rao, Mulpuri V

2011-01-01

Nanowire-nanocluster hybrid chemical sensors were realized by functionalizing gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires (NWs) with titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoclusters for selectively sensing benzene and other related aromatic compounds. Hybrid sensor devices were developed by fabricating two-terminal devices using individual GaN NWs followed by the deposition of TiO 2 nanoclusters using RF magnetron sputtering. The sensor fabrication process employed standard microfabrication techniques. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution analytical transmission electron microscopy using energy-dispersive x-ray and electron energy-loss spectroscopies confirmed the presence of the anatase phase in TiO 2 clusters after post-deposition anneal at 700 deg. C. A change of current was observed for these hybrid sensors when exposed to the vapors of aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and chlorobenzene mixed with air) under UV excitation, while they had no response to non-aromatic organic compounds such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, chloroform, acetone and 1,3-hexadiene. The sensitivity range for the noted aromatic compounds except chlorobenzene were from 1% down to 50 parts per billion (ppb) at room temperature. By combining the enhanced catalytic properties of the TiO 2 nanoclusters with the sensitive transduction capability of the nanowires, an ultra-sensitive and selective chemical sensing architecture is demonstrated. We have proposed a mechanism that could qualitatively explain the observed sensing behavior.

Optical Constants of Crystallized TiO2 Coatings Prepared by Sol-Gel Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Shen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Titanium oxide coatings have been deposited by the sol-gel dip-coating method. Crystallization of titanium oxide coatings was then achieved through thermal annealing at temperatures above 400 °C. The structural properties and surface morphology of the crystallized coatings were studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Characterization technique, based on least-square fitting to the measured reflectance and transmittance spectra, is used to determine the refractive indices of the crystallized TiO2 coatings. The stability of the synthesized sol was also investigated by dynamic light scattering particle size analyzer. The influence of the thermal annealing on the optical properties was then discussed. The increase in refractive index with high temperature thermal annealing process was observed, obtaining refractive index values from 1.98 to 2.57 at He-Ne laser wavelength of 633 nm. The Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy studies indicate that the index variation is due to the changes in crystalline phase, density, and morphology during thermal annealing.

Synthesis, structural and optical properties of pure and rare-earth ion doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays by a facile hydrothermal technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bandi, Vengala Rao; Raghavan, Chinnambedu Murugesan; Grandhe, Bhaskar kumar; Kim, Sang Su [Department of Physics, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Jang, Kiwan, E-mail: kwjang@changwon.ac.kr [Department of Physics, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Dong-Soo [Department of Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Yi, Soung-Soo [Department of Photonics, Silla University, Busan 617-736 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Jung-Hyun [Department of Physics, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-11-29

Single crystalline pure and rare-earth metal ions (Eu{sup 3+} and Ce{sup 3+}) doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays were prepared on conductive fluorine doped indium tin oxide substrates by a facile hydrothermal method. Initially the conditions and parameters were optimized to prepare the high quality TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays in the absence of organic additives. The average diameter and length of the TiO{sub 2} nanowire were found to be ∼ 30–50 nm and ∼ 0.5–1.5 μm, respectively. The formations of rutile phase structure in all the samples were confirmed by x-ray diffractometric analysis while the transmission electron microscopy confirms the single crystallinity and the maximum orientation of growth direction along [001] for the as-grown TiO{sub 2} nanowire. The optical properties of all the samples were analyzed using photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photocatalytic properties of the pure and doped TiO{sub 2} were investigated for the decomposition of organic toludine blue-O dye under ultraviolet irradiation. The result demonstrates that the Ce{sup 3+}: TiO{sub 2} decomposed almost 90% of the organic dye within 80 min. - Highlights: • Rare-earth (RE) doped TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays were prepared by hydrothermal method • RE doping enhanced the growth rate of TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays • The catalysts used to check their photocatalytic activity by toludine blue-O dye • RE doped TiO2 act as unprecedented photocatalyst for organic dye decomposition.

The preparation and cathodoluminescence of ZnS nanowires grown by chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Meng-Wen; Cheng, Yin-Wei; Pan, Ko-Ying; Chang, Chen-Chuan; Shieu, F.S.; Shih, Han C.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► ZnS nanowires have been achieved by thermal evaporation. ► The nanowires were 20–50 nm in diameter and up to tens of nanometers in length. ► Single-crystalline wurtzite and sphalerite ZnS phase are coexist in the nanowires. ► The ZnS nanowires showed almost identical blue luminescence at room temperature. ► ZnS nanowires may be appropriate for use in UV/blue LED phosphor materials. - Abstract: Single crystal ZnS nanowires were successfully synthesized in large quantities on Si (1 0 0) substrates by simple thermal chemical vapor deposition without using any catalyst. The morphology, composition, and crystal structure were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy. SEM observations show that the nanowires have diameters about 20–50 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. XRD and TEM results confirmed that the nanowires exhibited both wurtzite and zinc blende structures with growth directions aligned along [0 0 0 2] and [1 1 1], respectively. The CL spectrum revealed emission bands in the UV and blue regions. The blue emissions at 449 and ∼581 nm were attributed to surface states and impurity-related defects of the nanowires, respectively. The perfect crystal structure of the nanowires indicates their potential applications in nanotechnology and in the fabrication of nanodevices.

Shape-dependent Surface Energetics of Nanocrystalline TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, T.J.; Wong, S.; Levchenko, A.A.; Zhou, H.; Navrotsky, A.

2010-01-01

We report the direct determination of surface enthalpies for nanophase TiO 2 anatase with different morphologies derived from drop solution calorimetry in a molten sodium molybdate (3Na 2 Ol·4MoO 3 ) solvent at 702 C. The energetics of surface hydration has been measured using a Calvet microcalorimeter coupled with a gas dosing system. The surface enthalpies of hydrated surfaces for anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles, nanowires and sea-urchin-like assemblies are 0.51 ± 0.05, 1.07 ± 0.28, and 1.29 ± 0.16 J m -2 , respectively, whereas those of anhydrous surfaces are 0.74 ± 0.04, 1.24 ± 0.28, and 1.41 ± 0.16 J m -2 , respectively. The trend in TiO 2 , which shows higher surface enthalpies for more complex nanostructures, is consistent with that reported in ZnO. The shape-dependent surface enthalpy at the nanoscale level is discussed in terms of exposed surface structures. The enthalpies of hydration appear to be similar for all morphologies.

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.

On the thermal growth and properties of doped TiO2 and In2O3 elongated nanostructures and nanoplates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cremades, A.; Herrera, M.; Bartolomé, J.; Vásquez, G.C.; Maestre, D.; Piqueras, J.

2014-01-01

In this work, the driving forces behind the growth mechanisms of In 2 O 3 and TiO 2 micro- and nano-structures grown by an evaporation–solidification method are discussed. Effective or limited doping incorporation and its influence on the growth and morphology of the low dimensional structures are also assessed. A dislocation driven growth mechanism is proposed for indium oxide, indium tin oxide (ITO) and zinc doped indium oxide (IZO) nanowires. This growth mechanism is extended to the growth of IZO nano-plates. On the other hand, different low dimensional TiO 2 morphologies, mainly nanowires, needles, and bidimensional leaf-like nanostructures, have been obtained by an anisotropic induced growth. By introducing Cr in the precursor mixture, needles are formed showing stepped lateral faces related to oxygen defect stoichiometry areas as observed by EDS mapping

Single n+-i-n+ InP nanowires for highly sensitive terahertz detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Kun; Parkinson, Patrick; Gao, Qian; Boland, Jessica L; Li, Ziyuan; Wang, Fan; Mokkapati, Sudha; Fu, Lan; Johnston, Michael B; Tan, Hark Hoe; Jagadish, Chennupati

2017-03-24

Developing single-nanowire terahertz (THz) electronics and employing them as sub-wavelength components for highly-integrated THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) applications is a promising approach to achieve future low-cost, highly integrable and high-resolution THz tools, which are desirable in many areas spanning from security, industry, environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics to fundamental science. In this work, we present the design and growth of n + -i-n + InP nanowires. The axial doping profile of the n + -i-n + InP nanowires has been calibrated and characterized using combined optical and electrical approaches to achieve nanowire devices with low contact resistances, on which the highly-sensitive InP single-nanowire photoconductive THz detectors have been demonstrated. While the n + -i-n + InP nanowire detector has a only pA-level response current, it has a 2.5 times improved signal-to-noise ratio compared with the undoped InP nanowire detector and is comparable to traditional bulk THz detectors. This performance indicates a promising path to nanowire-based THz electronics for future commercial applications.

Construction of anatase/rutile TiO2 hollow boxes for highly efficient photocatalytic performance

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Changchao; Zhang, Xiao; Yang, Ping

2018-02-01

Hollow TiO2 hierarchical boxes with suitable anatase and rutile ratios were designed for photocatalysis. The unique hierarchical structure was fabricated via a Topotactic synthetic method. CaTiO3 cubes were acted as the sacrificial templates to create TiO2 hollow hierarchical boxes with well-defined phase distribution. The phase composition of the hollow TiO2 hierarchical boxes is similar to that of TiO2 P25 nanoparticles (∼80% anatase, and 20% rutile). Compared with nanaoparticles, TiO2 hollow boxes with hierarchical structures exhibited an excellent performance in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue organic pollutant. Quantificationally, the degradation rate of the hollow boxes is higher than that of TiO2 P25 nanoparticles by a factor of 2.7. This is ascribed that hollow structure provide an opportunity for using incident light more efficiently. The surface hierarchical and well-organized porous structures are beneficial to supply more active sites and enough transport channels for reactant molecules. The boxes consist of single crystal anatase and rutile combined well with each other, which gives photon-generated carriers transfer efficiently.

Thermal degradation of TiO2 nanotubes on titanium

Science.gov (United States)

Shivaram, Anish; Bose, Susmita; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

2014-10-01

The objective of this research was to study thermal degradation behavior of TiO2 nanotubes on titanium (Ti). TiO2 nanotubes were grown via anodization method on commercially pure Ti (Cp-Ti) discs using two different electrolytes, 1 vol. % HF in deionized (DI) water and 1 vol. % HF + 0.5 wt. % NH4F + 10 vol. % DI water in ethylene glycol, to obtain nanotubes with two different lengths, 300 nm and 950 nm keeping the nanotube diameter constant at 100 ± 20 nm. As grown TiO2 nanotubes were subjected to heat treatment to understand thermal degradation as a function of both temperature and hold time. The signs of degradation were observed mainly when amorphous nanotubes started to crystallize, however the crystallization temperature varied based on TiO2 nanotubes length and anodizing condition. Overall, 300 nm nanotubes were thermally stable at least up to 400 °C for 12 h, while the 950 nm long nanotubes show signs of degradation from 400 °C for 6 h only. Clearly, length of nanotubes, heat treatment temperature as well as hold times show influence toward degradation kinetics of TiO2 nanotubes on titanium.

Controlling the Coupling of a Single Nitrogen Vacancy Center to a Silver Nanowire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huck, Alexander; Kumar, Shailesh; Shakoor, Abdul

2011-01-01

Dipole emitters are expected to efficiently couple to the plasmonic mode propagating along a cylindrically shaped metallic nano-structure. Such a strongly coupled system could serve as a fundamental building block for a single photon source on demand and a device enabling strong non-linear intera...... control over the relative nanowire diamond nano-crystal position is achieved by using an atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode operation....

One-Step Nonaqueous Synthesis of Pure Phase TiO2 Nanocrystals from TiCl4 in Butanol and Their Photocatalytic Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tieping Cao

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Pure phase TiO2 nanomaterials were synthesized by an autoclaving treatment of TiCl4 with butanol as a single alcohol source. It was found that the control of molar ratio of TiCl4 to butanol played an important role in determining the TiO2 crystal phase and morphology. A high molar ratio of TiCl4 to butanol favored the formation of anatase nanoparticles, whereas rutile nanorods were selectively obtained at a low molar ratio of TiCl4 to butanol. Evaluation of the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized TiO2 was performed in terms of decomposition of organic dye rhodamine B under ultraviolet irradiation. It turned out that the as-synthesized TiO2 crystallites possessed higher photocatalytic activities toward bleaching rhodamine B than Degussa P25, benefiting from theirhigh surface area, small crystal size as well as high crystallinity.

Characterization of NaA Zeolite Oxygen Permeable Membrane on TiO2/α-Al2O3 Composite Support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhu Mengfu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The NaA zeolite membrane was synthesized on the surface of TiO2/α-Al2O3 composite support with TiO2 as modifier of α-Al2O3 porous tubular ceramic membrane support by crystallization method. The structure characterization indicated that the TiO2 of the support surface could effectively improve the surface properties of the support. It didn’t affect the crystallization of NaA synthesis liquid and synthesis process of NaA zeolite membrane. There were no obvious defects between the crystal particles with size of approximate 6μm. The perfect and complete membrane with thickness of approximate 15μm combined closely with support to connection together by TiO2 modified. The oxygen permeability of the membrane on TiO2/α-Al2O3 composite support improves of 47% compared with that of α-Al2O3 support. So the process of TiO2 modifying the surface of α-Al2O3 support should increase the oxygen permeability of the NaA zeolite membrane.

Ni3Si2 nanowires grown in situ on Ni foam for high-performance supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yizhe; Li, Zhihui; Li, Beibei; Zhang, Jinying; Niu, Chunming

2016-07-01

Ni3Si2 nanowires and nanoawls have grown in situ on the surface of Ni foams by a controlled low pressure chemical vapor deposition process. Structural characterization shows that the individual Ni3Si2 nanowire is single crystal covered with a thin layer (1-2 nm) of SiO2 with a diameter of ∼20-30 nm and length of ten's micrometers. Individual nanoawl with a circular cone shape is polycrystalline. Both Ni3Si2 nanowire and nanoawl samples are evaluated as potential electrode materials for supercapacitors. The nanowire electrode delivers a very high specific capacitance and excellent rate capability. A specific capacitance of 760 F g-1 is measured at current density of 0.5 A g-1, which decreases to 518 F g-1 when the current density increases to 10 A g-1. The capacitance is dominated by pseudocapacitance with a mechanism similar to that of NiO or Ni(OH)2 widely studied in the literature. An asymmetric supercapacitor fabricated by pairing Ni3Si2 nanowire electrode with an activated carbon electrode exhibits energy densities of 17.5 Wh kg-1 and 8.8 Wh kg-1 at power densites of 301 W kg-1 and 3000 W kg-1.

Direct Photonic-Plasmonic Coupling and Routing in Single Nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Rouxue; Pausauskie, Peter; Huang, Jiaxing; Yang, Piedong

2009-10-20

Metallic nanoscale structures are capable of supporting surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), propagating collective electron oscillations with tight spatial confinement at the metal surface. SPPs represent one of the most promising structures to beat the diffraction limit imposed by conventional dielectric optics. Ag nano wires have drawn increasing research attention due to 2D sub-100 nm mode confinement and lower losses as compared with fabricated metal structures. However, rational and versatile integration of Ag nanowires with other active and passive optical components, as well as Ag nanowire based optical routing networks, has yet to be achieved. Here, we demonstrate that SPPs can be excited simply by contacting a silver nanowire with a SnO2 nanoribbon that serves both as an unpolarized light source and a dielectric waveguide. The efficient coupling makes it possible to measure the propagation-distance-dependent waveguide spectra and frequency-dependent propagation length on a single Ag nanowire. Furthermore, we have demonstrated prototypical photonic-plasmonic routing devices, which are essential for incorporating low-loss Ag nanowire waveguides as practical components into high-capacity photonic circuits.

Customization of Protein Single Nanowires for Optical Biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yun-Lu; Sun, Si-Ming; Wang, Pan; Dong, Wen-Fei; Zhang, Lei; Xu, Bin-Bin; Chen, Qi-Dai; Tong, Li-Min; Sun, Hong-Bo

2015-06-24

An all-protein single-nanowire optical biosensor is constructed by a facile and general femtosecond laser direct writing approach with nanoscale structural customization. As-formed protein single nanowires show excellent optical properties (fine waveguiding performance and bio-applicable transmission windows), and are utilized as evanescent optical nanobiosensors for label-free biotin detection. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A multistep single-crystal-to-single-crystal bromodiacetylene dimerization

Science.gov (United States)

Hoheisel, Tobias N.; Schrettl, Stephen; Marty, Roman; Todorova, Tanya K.; Corminboeuf, Clémence; Sienkiewicz, Andrzej; Scopelliti, Rosario; Schweizer, W. Bernd; Frauenrath, Holger

2013-04-01

Packing constraints and precise placement of functional groups are the reason that organic molecules in the crystalline state often display unusual physical or chemical properties not observed in solution. Here we report a single-crystal-to-single-crystal dimerization of a bromodiacetylene that involves unusually large atom displacements as well as the cleavage and formation of several bonds. Density functional theory computations support a mechanism in which the dimerization is initiated by a [2 + 1] photocycloaddition favoured by the nature of carbon-carbon short contacts in the crystal structure. The reaction proceeded up to the theoretical degree of conversion without loss of crystallinity, and it was also performed on a preparative scale with good yield. Moreover, it represents the first synthetic pathway to (E)-1,2-dibromo-1,2-diethynylethenes, which could serve as synthetic intermediates for the preparation of molecular carbon scaffolds. Our findings both extend the scope of single-crystal-to-single-crystal reactions and highlight their potential as a synthetic tool for complex transformations.

Single-step synthesis of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires decorated with TeO{sub 2} nanobeads and their acetone-sensing properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Lee, Chongmu [Inha University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sang Eon [Inha University, Department of Chemistry, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-04-15

In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires decorated with TeO{sub 2} nanobeads were synthesized by a facile single-step thermal evaporation process, and their acetone-gas-sensing properties were examined. The diameters and lengths of the In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires ranged from 10 to 20 nm and up to 100 μm, respectively, whereas the diameters of the TeO{sub 2} beads ranged from 50 to 200 nm. The TeO{sub 2}-decorated In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowire sensor showed stronger response to acetone gas than the pristine In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowire sensor. The pristine and TeO{sub 2}-decorated In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowires exhibited sensitivity of ∝10.13 and ∝24.87, respectively, to 200 ppm acetone at 300 C. The decorated nanowire sensor also showed much more rapid response and recovery than the latter. Both sensors showed the strongest response to acetone gas at 300 C, respectively. The mechanism and origin of the enhanced acetone-gas-sensing performance of the TeO{sub 2}-decorated In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowire sensor compared to the pristine In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowire sensor were discussed in detail. The enhanced sensing performance of the TeO{sub 2}-decorated In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanowire is mainly due to the modulation of the potential barrier height at the TeO{sub 2}-In{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface, high catalytic activity of TeO{sub 2,} and creation of active adsorption sites by incorporation of TeO{sub 2}. (orig.)

An atomistic study of the deformation behavior of tungsten nanowires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Shuozhi [University of California, California NanoSystems Institute, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Su, Yanqing [University of California, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Santa Barbara, CA (United States); Chen, Dengke [Georgia Institute of Technology, GWW School of Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, GA (United States); Li, Longlei [Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2017-12-15

Large-scale atomistic simulations are performed to study tensile and compressive left angle 112 right angle loading of single-crystalline nanowires in body-centered cubic tungsten (W). Effects of loading mode, wire cross-sectional shape, wire size, strain rate, and crystallographic orientations of the lateral surfaces are explored. Uniaxial deformation of a W bulk single crystal is also investigated for reference. Our results reveal a strong tension-compression asymmetry in both the stress-strain response and the deformation behavior due to different yielding/failure modes: while the nanowires fail by brittle fracture under tensile loading, they yield by nucleation of dislocations from the wire surface under compressive loading. It is found that (1) nanowires have a higher strength than the bulk single crystal; (2) with a cross-sectional size larger than 10 nm, there exists a weak dependence of strength on wire size; (3) when the wire size is equal to or smaller than 10 nm, nanowires buckle under compressive loading; (4) the cross-sectional shape, strain rate, and crystallographic orientations of the lateral surfaces affect the strength and the site of defect initiation but not the overall deformation behavior. (orig.)

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

Inkjet-printed transparent nanowire thin film features for UV photodetectors

KAUST Repository

Chen, Shih Pin; Duran Retamal, Jose Ramon; Lien, Der Hsien; He, Jr-Hau; Liao, Ying Chih

2015-01-01

In this study, a simple and effective direct printing method was developed to print patterned nanowire thin films for UV detection. Inks containing silver or titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanowires were first formulated adequately to form stable

Synthesis and characterization of straight and stacked-sheet AlN nanowires with high purity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei, M.; Yang, H.; Li, P.G.; Tang, W.H.

2008-01-01

Large-scale AlN nanowires with hexagonal crystal structure were synthesized by the direct nitridation method at high temperatures. The experimental results indicate that these single-crystalline AlN nanowires have high purity and consist of straight and stacked-sheet nanowires. It is found that straight AlN nanowire grows along [1, 1, -2, 0] direction, whereas the stacked-sheet nanowire with hexagonal cross section is along [0 0 0 1] direction. It is thought that vapor-solid (VS) mechanism should be responsible for the growth of AlN nanowires

Double functions of porous TiO2 electrodes on CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells: Enhancement of perovskite crystal transformation and prohibition of short circuiting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Govindhasamy Murugadoss

2014-08-01

Full Text Available In order to analyze the crystal transformation from hexagonal PbI2 to CH3NH3PbI3 by the sequential (two-step deposition process, perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 layers were deposited on flat and/or porous TiO2 layers. Although the narrower pores using small nanoparticles prohibited the effective transformation, the porous-TiO2 matrix was able to help the crystal transformation of PbI2 to CH3NH3PbI3 by sequential two-step deposition. The resulting PbI2 crystals in porous TiO2 electrodes did not deteriorate the photovoltaic effects. Moreover, it is confirmed that the porous TiO2 electrode had served the function of prohibiting short circuits between working and counter electrodes in perovskite solar cells.

Spatial mapping of exciton lifetimes in single ZnO nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. S. Reparaz

2013-07-01

Full Text Available We investigate the spatial dependence of the exciton lifetimes in single ZnO nanowires. We have found that the free exciton and bound exciton lifetimes exhibit a maximum at the center of nanowires, while they decrease by 30% towards the tips. This dependence is explained by considering the cavity-like properties of the nanowires in combination with the Purcell effect. We show that the lifetime of the bound-excitons scales with the localization energy to the power of 3/2, which validates the model of Rashba and Gurgenishvili at the nanoscale.

Orientation-controlled synthesis and magnetism of single crystalline Co nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Gui-Fang; Huang, Wei-Qing; Wang, Ling-Ling; Zou, B.S.; Pan, Anlian

2012-01-01

Orientation control and the magnetic properties of single crystalline Co nanowires fabricated by electrodeposition have been systematically investigated. It is found that the orientation of Co nanowires can be effectively controlled by varying either the current density or the pore diameter of AAO templates. Lower current density or small diameter is favorable for forming the (1 0 0) texture, while higher current values or larger diameter leads to the emergence and enhancement of (1 1 0) texture of Co nanowires. The mechanism for the manipulated growth characterization is discussed in detail. The orientation of Co nanowires has a significant influence on the magnetic properties, resulting from the competition between the magneto-crystalline and shape anisotropy of Co nanowires. This work offers a simple method to manipulate the orientation and magnetic properties of nanowires for future applications. - Highlights: ► Single crystalline Co nanowires have successfully been grown by DC electrodeposition. ► Orientation controlling and its effect on magnetism of Co nanowires were investigated. ► The orientation of Co nanowires can be effectively controlled by varying current density. ► The crystalline orientation of Co nanowires has significant influence on the magnetic properties.

Growth of methyl 2-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)aminopropanoate single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Perigaud, A.; Nicolau, Y. F.

1986-12-01

Methyl 2-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)aminopropanoate single crystals, 1 cm in diameter and 7 cm in length have been grown by a travelling-heater-Bridgman method in polyethylene tubes introduced into glass ampoules, at a growth rate of 1.5-6 mm/day. The starting material was synthesised and purified by recrystallization from methanol and by vacuum evaporation to a purity of 99.994%. The period of growth, and hence the length of the crystal, is limited due to melt decomposition and polycondensation. The b-axis of the crystals is always oriented at about 72° to the ampoule axis. Good quality single crystals have been obtained giving a FWHM of the Cu Kα (040) rocking curve of about 1'.

Synergistic effects between TiO2 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a TiO2/CNTs system under visible light irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Chung-Hsin; Kuo, Chao-Yin; Chen, Shih-Ting

2013-01-01

This study synthesized a TiO2/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite via the sol-gel method. The surface characteristics of the TiO2/CNTs composite were determined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, specific surface area analyser, ultraviolent (UV)-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectrometer. The photocatalytic activity ofthe TiO2/CNTs composite was evaluated by decolourizing C.I. Reactive Red 2 (RR2) under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the effects of calcination temperature, pH, RR2 concentration, and the TiO2/CNTs composite dosage on RR2 decolourization were determined simultaneously. The optimal calcination temperature to generate TiO2 and the TiO2/CNTs composite was 673 K, as the percentage of anatase crystallization at this temperature was highest. The specific surface area of the TiO2/CNTs composite and TiO2 were 45 and 42 m2/g, respectively. The band gap of TiO2 and the TiO2/CNTs composite was 2.97 and 2.71 eV by UV-vis measurements, respectively. Experimental data indicate that the Ti-O-C bond formed in the TiO2/CNTs composite. The RR2 decolourization rates can be approximated by pseudo-first-order kinetics; moreover, only the TiO2/CNTs composite had photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. At pH 7, the RR2 decolourization rate constant of 0.5, 1 and 2 g/L TiO2/CNTs addition was 0.005, 0.0015, and 0.0047 min(-1), respectively. Decolourization rate increased as pH and the RR2 concentration decreased. The CNTs functioned as electron acceptors, promoting separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs to retard their recombination; thus, photocatalytic activity of the TiO2/CNTs composite exceeded that of TiO2.

Origin of colossal dielectric permittivity of rutile Ti₀.₉In₀.₀₅Nb₀.₀₅O₂: single crystal and polycrystalline.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yongli; Wang, Xianjie; Sui, Yu; Liu, Ziyi; Zhang, Yu; Zhan, Hongsheng; Song, Bingqian; Liu, Zhiguo; Lv, Zhe; Tao, Lei; Tang, Jinke

2016-02-12

In this paper, we investigated the dielectric properties of (In + Nb) co-doped rutile TiO2 single crystal and polycrystalline ceramics. Both of them showed colossal, up to 10(4), dielectric permittivity at room temperature. The single crystal sample showed one dielectric relaxation process with a large dielectric loss. The voltage-dependence of dielectric permittivity and the impedance spectrum suggest that the high dielectric permittivity of single crystal originated from the surface barrier layer capacitor (SBLC). The impedance spectroscopy at different temperature confirmed that the (In + Nb) co-doped rutile TiO2 polycrystalline ceramic had semiconductor grains and insulating grain boundaries, and that the activation energies were calculated to be 0.052 eV and 0.35 eV for grain and grain boundary, respectively. The dielectric behavior and impedance spectrum of the polycrystalline ceramic sample indicated that the internal barrier layer capacitor (IBLC) mode made a major contribution to the high ceramic dielectric permittivity, instead of the electron-pinned defect-dipoles.

Ultraviolet photodetectors made from SnO2 nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jyh-Ming; Kuo, Cheng-Hsiang

2009-01-01

SnO 2 nanowires can be synthesized on alumina substrates and formed into an ultraviolet (UV) photodetector. The photoelectric current of the SnO 2 nanowires exhibited a rapid photo-response as a UV lamp was switched on and off. The ratio of UV-exposed current to dark current has been investigated. The SnO 2 nanowires were synthesized by a vapor-liquid-solid process at a temperature of 900 o C. It was found that the nanowires were around 70-100 nm in diameter and several hundred microns in length. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) image indicated that the nanowires grew along the [200] axis as a single crystallinity. Cathodoluminescence (CL), thin-film X-ray diffractometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the as-synthesized nanowires.

Platinum boride nanowires: Synthesis and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Zhanhui; Qiu Lixia; Zhang Jian; Yao Bin; Cui Tian; Guan Weiming; Zheng Weitao; Wang Wenquan; Zhao Xudong; Liu Xiaoyang

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Platinum boride nanowires have been synthesized via the direct current arc discharge method. ► XRD, TEM and SAED indicate that the nanowires are single-crystal PtB. ► Two broad photoluminescence emission peaks at about 586 nm and 626 nm have been observed in the PL spectroscopy of PtB nanowires. - Abstract: Platinum boride (PtB) nanowires have been successfully fabricated with direct current arc discharge method using a milled mixture of platinum (Pt) and boron nitride (BN) powders. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the compositions, morphology, and structures of the samples. The results show that PtB nanowires are 30–50 nm thick and 20–30 μm long. TEM and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns identify that the PtB nanowires are single-crystalline in nature. A growth mechanism based on vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) process is proposed for the formation of nanowires.

Direct observation of single-charge-detection capability of nanowire field-effect transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Salfi, J; Savelyev, I G; Blumin, M; Nair, S V; Ruda, H E

2010-10-01

A single localized charge can quench the luminescence of a semiconductor nanowire, but relatively little is known about the effect of single charges on the conductance of the nanowire. In one-dimensional nanostructures embedded in a material with a low dielectric permittivity, the Coulomb interaction and excitonic binding energy are much larger than the corresponding values when embedded in a material with the same dielectric permittivity. The stronger Coulomb interaction is also predicted to limit the carrier mobility in nanowires. Here, we experimentally isolate and study the effect of individual localized electrons on carrier transport in InAs nanowire field-effect transistors, and extract the equivalent charge sensitivity. In the low carrier density regime, the electrostatic potential produced by one electron can create an insulating weak link in an otherwise conducting nanowire field-effect transistor, modulating its conductance by as much as 4,200% at 31 K. The equivalent charge sensitivity, 4 × 10(-5) e Hz(-1/2) at 25 K and 6 × 10(-5) e Hz(-1/2) at 198 K, is orders of magnitude better than conventional field-effect transistors and nanoelectromechanical systems, and is just a factor of 20-30 away from the record sensitivity for state-of-the-art single-electron transistors operating below 4 K (ref. 8). This work demonstrates the feasibility of nanowire-based single-electron memories and illustrates a physical process of potential relevance for high performance chemical sensors. The charge-state-detection capability we demonstrate also makes the nanowire field-effect transistor a promising host system for impurities (which may be introduced intentionally or unintentionally) with potentially long spin lifetimes, because such transistors offer more sensitive spin-to-charge conversion readout than schemes based on conventional field-effect transistors.

Plasmonic gold nanocrystals coupled with photonic crystal seamlessly on TiO2 nanotube photoelectrodes for efficient visible light photoelectrochemical water splitting

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhonghai; Zhang, Lianbin; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Zhang, Hongnan; Wang, Peng

2013-01-01

A visible light responsive plasmonic photocatalytic composite material is designed by rationally selecting Au nanocrystals and assembling them with the TiO2-based photonic crystal substrate. The selection of the Au nanocrystals is so

Synthesis and characterization of single-crystalline zinc tin oxide nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jen-Bin; Wu, Po-Feng; Lin, Hsien-Sheng; Lin, Ya-Ting; Lee, Hsuan-Wei; Kao, Chia-Tze; Liao, Wei-Hsiang; Young, San-Lin

2014-05-01

Crystalline zinc tin oxide (ZTO; zinc oxide with heavy tin doping of 33 at.%) nanowires were first synthesized using the electrodeposition and heat treatment method based on an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane, which has an average diameter of about 60 nm. According to the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) results, the synthesized ZTO nanowires are highly ordered and have high wire packing densities. The length of ZTO nanowires is about 4 μm, and the aspect ratio is around 67. ZTO nanowires with a Zn/(Zn + Sn) atomic ratio of 0.67 (approximately 2/3) were observed from an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and corresponding selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns demonstrated that the ZTO nanowire is hexagonal single-crystalline. The study of ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV/Vis/NIR) absorption showed that the ZTO nanowire is a wide-band semiconductor with a band gap energy of 3.7 eV.

Single cell detection using a magnetic zigzag nanowire biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hao-Ting; Ger, Tzong-Rong; Lin, Ya-Hui; Wei, Zung-Hang

2013-08-07

A magnetic zigzag nanowire device was designed for single cell biosensing. Nanowires with widths of 150, 300, 500, and 800 nm were fabricated on silicon trenches by electron beam lithography, electron beam evaporation, and lift-off processes. Magnetoresistance measurements were performed before and after the attachment of a single magnetic cell to the nanowires to characterize the magnetic signal change due to the influence of the magnetic cell. Magnetoresistance responses were measured in different magnetic field directions, and the results showed that this nanowire device can be used for multi-directional detection. It was observed that the highest switching field variation occurred in a 150 nm wide nanowire when the field was perpendicular to the substrate plane. On the other hand, the highest magnetoresistance ratio variation occurred in a 800 nm wide nanowire also when the field was perpendicular to the substrate plane. Besides, the trench-structured substrate proposed in this study can fix the magnetic cell to the sensor in a fluid environment, and the stray field generated by the corners of the magnetic zigzag nanowires has the function of actively attracting the magnetic cells for detection.

CdSxSe1−x alloyed quantum dots-sensitized solar cells based on different architectures of anodic oxidation TiO2 film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zhen; Yu, Libo; Liu, Yingbo; Sun, Shuqing

2014-01-01

Nanostructured TiO 2 translucent films with different architectures including TiO 2 nanotube (NT), TiO 2 nanowire (NW), and TiO 2 nanowire/nanotube (NW/NT) have been produced by second electrochemical oxidization of TiO 2 NT with diameter around 90–110 nm via modulation of applied voltage. These TiO 2 architectures are sensitized with CdS x Se 1−x alloyed quantum dots (QDs) in sizes of around 3–5 nm aiming to tune the response of the photoelectrochemical properties in the visible region. One-step hydrothermal method facilitates the deposition of CdS x Se 1−x QDs onto TiO 2 films. These CdS x Se 1−x QDs exhibit a tunable range of light absorption with changing the feed molar ratio of S:Se in precursor solution, and inject electrons into TiO 2 films upon excitation with visible light, enabling their application as photosensitizers in sensitized solar cells. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.00, 1.72, and 1.06 % are achieved with CdS x Se 1−x (obtained with S:Se = 0:4) alloyed QDs sensitized solar cells based on TiO 2 NW/NT, TiO 2 NW, and TiO 2 NT architectures, respectively. The significant enhancement of power conversion efficiency obtained with the CdS x Se 1−x /TiO 2 NW/NT solar cell can be attributed to the extended absorption of light region tuned by CdS x Se 1−x alloyed QDs and enlarged deposition of QDs and efficient electrons transport provided by TiO 2 NW/NT architecture

Composition-graded nanowire solar cells fabricated in a single process for spectrum-splitting photovoltaic systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Caselli, Derek; Liu, Zhicheng; Shelhammer, David; Ning, Cun-Zheng

2014-10-08

Nanomaterials such as semiconductor nanowires have unique features that could enable novel optoelectronic applications such as novel solar cells. This paper aims to demonstrate one such recently proposed concept: Monolithically Integrated Laterally Arrayed Multiple Band gap (MILAMB) solar cells for spectrum-splitting photovoltaic systems. Two cells with different band gaps were fabricated simultaneously in the same process on a single substrate using spatially composition-graded CdSSe alloy nanowires grown by the Dual-Gradient Method in a chemical vapor deposition system. CdSSe nanowire ensemble devices tested under 1 sun AM1.5G illumination achieved open-circuit voltages up to 307 and 173 mV and short-circuit current densities as high as 0.091 and 0.974 mA/cm(2) for the CdS- and CdSe-rich cells, respectively. The open-circuit voltages were roughly three times those of similar CdSSe film cells fabricated for comparison due to the superior optical quality of the nanowires. I-V measurements were also performed using optical filters to simulate spectrum-splitting. The open-circuit voltages and fill factors of the CdS-rich subcells were uniformly larger than the corresponding CdSe-rich cells for similar photon flux, as expected. This suggests that if all wires can be contacted, the wide-gap cell is expected to have greater output power than the narrow-gap cell, which is the key to achieving high efficiencies with spectrum-splitting. This paper thus provides the first proof-of-concept demonstration of simultaneous fabrication of MILAMB solar cells. This approach to solar cell fabrication using single-crystal nanowires for spectrum-splitting photovoltaics could provide a future low-cost high-efficiency alternative to the conventional high-cost high-efficiency tandem cells.

Controlling the exciton energy of a nanowire quantum dot by strain fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yan; Zhang, Jiaxiang; Ding, Fei, E-mail: f.ding@ifw-dresden.de [Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, IFW Dresden, Helmholtz Strasse 20, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Zadeh, Iman Esmaeil; Jöns, Klaus D.; Fognini, Andreas; Zwiller, Val [Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, 2600 GA Delft (Netherlands); Reimer, Michael E. [Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, N2L 3G1 (Canada); Dalacu, Dan; Poole, Philip J. [National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6 (Canada); Schmidt, Oliver G. [Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, IFW Dresden, Helmholtz Strasse 20, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Material Systems for Nanoelectronics, Chemnitz University of Technology, Reichenhainer Strasse 70, 09107 Chemnitz (Germany)

2016-05-02

We present an experimental route to engineer the exciton energies of single quantum dots in nanowires. By integrating the nanowires onto a piezoelectric crystal, we controllably apply strain fields to the nanowire quantum dots. Consequently, the exciton energy of a single quantum dot in the nanowire is shifted by several meVs without degrading its optical intensity and single-photon purity. Second-order autocorrelation measurements are performed at different strain fields on the same nanowire quantum dot. The suppressed multi-photon events at zero time delay clearly verify that the quantum nature of single-photon emission is well preserved under external strain fields. The work presented here could facilitate on-chip optical quantum information processing with the nanowire based single photon emitters.

Anodically-grown TiO_2 nanotubes: Effect of the crystallization on the catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sacco, Adriano; Garino, Nadia; Lamberti, Andrea; Pirri, Candido Fabrizio; Quaglio, Marzia

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Anodically-grown TiO_2 nanotubes as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. • Amorphous NTs compared to thermal- and vapor-treated crystalline nanostructures. • The selection of the crystallization conditions leads to performance similar to Pt. - Abstract: In this work we investigated the behavior of TiO_2 nanotube (NT) arrays, grown by anodic oxidation of Ti foil, as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline water solution. In particular, as-grown amorphous NTs were compared to crystalline anatase nanostructures, obtained following two different procedures, namely thermal and vapor-induced crystallizations. The catalytic activity of these materials toward the ORR was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry measurements. ORR polarization curves, combined with the rotating disk technique, indicated a predominant four-electrons reduction path, especially for crystalline samples. The effect of the structural characteristics of the investigated materials on the catalytic activity was analyzed in details by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The catalytic performance of the crystalline NTs is only slightly lower with respect to the reference material for fuel cell applications, namely platinum, but is in line with other cost-effective catalysts recently proposed in the literature. However, if compared to the larger part of these low-cost catalysts, anodically-grown TiO_2 NTs are characterized by a synthesis route which is highly reproducible and easily up-scalable.

Hydrothermal transformation of titanate nanotubes into single-crystalline TiO2 nanomaterials with controlled phase composition and morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Yuanmei; Fang, Xiaoming; Xiong, Jian; Zhang, Zhengguo

2010-01-01

Single-crystalline TiO 2 nanomaterials were synthesized by hydrothermally treating suspensions of H-titanate nanotubes and characterized by XRD, TEM, and HRTEM. The effects of the pH values of the suspensions and the hydrothermal temperatures on the phase composition and morphology of the obtained TiO 2 nanomaterials were systematically investigated. The H-titanate nanotubes were predominately transformed into anatase nanoparticle with rhombic shape when the pH value was greater than or equal to 1.0, whereas primarily turned into rutile nanorod with two pyramidal ends at the pH value less than or equal to 0.5. We propose a possible mechanism for hydrothermal transformation of H-titanate nanotubes into single-crystalline TiO 2 nanomaterials. While the H-titanate nanotubes transform into tiny anatase nanocrystallites of ca. 3 nm in size, the formed nanocrystallites as an intermediate grow into the TiO 2 nanomaterials with controlled phase composition and morphology. This growth process involves the steps of protonation, oriented attachment, and Ostwald ripening.

Enhanced magnetotransport in nanopatterned manganite nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Marín, Lorena; Morellón, Luis; Algarabel, Pedro A; Rodríguez, Luis A; Magén, César; De Teresa, José M; Ibarra, Manuel R

2014-02-12

We have combined optical and focused ion beam lithographies to produce large aspect-ratio (length-to-width >300) single-crystal nanowires of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 that preserve their functional properties. Remarkably, an enhanced magnetoresistance value of 34% in an applied magnetic field of 0.1 T in the narrowest 150 nm nanowire is obtained. The strain release at the edges together with a destabilization of the insulating regions is proposed to account for this behavior. This opens new strategies to implement these structures in functional spintronic devices.

Rational design of a tripartite-layered TiO2 photoelectrode: a candidate for enhanced power conversion efficiency in dye sensitized solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Javid; Gu, Jiuwang; He, Shiman; Li, Xiaohui; Ahmed, Gulzar; Liu, Zhongwu; Akhtar, Muhammad Nadeem; Mai, Wenjie; Wu, Mingmei

2017-07-20

A tri-layered photoelectrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is assembled using single crystal hollow TiO 2 nanoparticles (HTNPs), sub-micro hollow TiO 2 mesospheres (SHTMSs) and hierarchical TiO 2 microspheres (HTMSs). The bottom layer composed of single crystal hollow TiO 2 nanoparticles serves to absorb dye molecules, harvest light due to its hollow structure and keep a better mechanical contact with FTO conducting glass; the middle layer consisting of sub-micro hollow mesospheres works as a multifunctional layer due to its high dye adsorption ability, strong light trapping and scattering ability and slow recombination rates; and the top layer consisting of hierarchical microspheres enhances light scattering. The DSSCs made of photoanodes with a tripartite-layer structure (Film 4) show a superior photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.24%, which is 7.4% higher than a single layered photoanode composed of HTNPs (Film 1: 8.90%), 4.6% higher than a double layer-based electrode consisting of HTNPs and SHTMSs (Film 2: 9.03%) and 2.6% higher than a double layer-based electrode made of HTNPs and HTMSs (Film 3: 9.11%). The significant improvements in the PCE for tri-layered TiO 2 photoanodes are mainly because of the combined effects of their higher light scattering ability, long electron lifetime, fast electron transport rate, efficient charge collection and a considerable surface area with high dye-loading capability. This study confirms that the facile tri-layered photoanode is an interesting structure for high-efficiency DSSCs.

A novel single-step synthesis of N-doped TiO2 via a sonochemical method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xi-Kui; Wang, Chen; Guo, Wei-Lin; Wang, Jin-Gang

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: The N-doped anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by sonochemical method. The as-prepared sample is characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS and UV-Vis DRS. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst was evaluated by the photodegradation of an azo dye direct sky blue 5B. Highlights: → A novel singal-step sonochemical synthesis method for the preparation of anatase N-doped TiO 2 nanocrystalline at low temperature has been devoleped. → The as-prepared sample is characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS and UV-Vis DRS. → The photodegradation of azo dye direct sky blue 5 showed that the N-doped TiO 2 catalyst is of high visible-light photocatalytic activity. -- Abstract: A novel single-step synthetic method for the preparation of anatase N-doped TiO 2 nanocrystalline at low temperature has been devoleped. The N-doped anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by sonication of the solution of tetraisopropyl titanium and urea in water and isopropyl alcohol at 80 o C for 150 min. The as-prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-vis absorption spectrum. The product structure depends on the reaction temperature and reaction time. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared photocatalyst was evaluated via the photodegradation of an azo dye direct sky blue 5B. The results show that the N-doped TiO 2 nanocrystalline prepared via sonication exhibit an excellent photocatalytic activity under UV light and simulated sunlight.

Factors affecting color strength of printing on film-coated tablets by UV laser irradiation: TiO2 particle size, crystal structure, or concentration in the film, and the irradiated UV laser power.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosokawa, Akihiro; Kato, Yoshiteru

2011-08-01

The purpose of this article is to study factors affecting color strength of printing on film-coated tablets by ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation: particle size, crystal structure, or concentration of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in film, and irradiated UV laser power. Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose films containing 4.0% of TiO2, of which BET particle sizes were ranging from 126.1 to 219.8 nm, were irradiated 3.14W of UV laser at a wavelength 355 nm to study effects of TiO2 particle size and crystal structure on the printing. The films containing TiO2 concentration ranging from 1.0 to 7.7% were irradiated 3.14 or 5.39W of the UV laser to study effect of TiO2 concentration on the printing. The film containing 4.0% of TiO2, was irradiated the UV laser up to 6.42W to study effect of the UV laser power on the printing. The color strength of the printed films was estimated by a spectrophotometer as total color difference (dE). Particle size, crystal structure, and concentration of TiO2 in the films did not affect the printing. In the relationship between the irradiated UV laser power and dE, there found an inflection point (1.6W). When the UV laser power was below 1.6W, the films were not printed. When it was beyond the point, total color difference increased linearly in proportion with the irradiated laser power. The color strength of the printing on film was not changed by TiO2 particle size, crystal structure, and concentration, but could be controlled by regulating the irradiated UV laser power beyond the inflection point.

Controlled self-decoration of Mo6SyIz (8.2 ≤ y + z ≤ 10) nanowires and their transformation to MoS2 nanotubes with gold nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovič, Andrej; Vengust, Damjan; Vilfan, Mojca; Mrzel, Aleš

2013-01-01

Nanowires and nanotubes decorated with gold nanoparticles are known for their excellent sensing and catalytic properties. However, the decoration of transition–metal dichalcogenide nanotubes can be very complex. Here we report on a simple procedure that enables efficient production and purification of thin bundles of Mo 6 S y I z (8.2 ≤ y + z ≤ 10) nanowires decorated with gold nanoparticles and their transformation to gold-decorated MoS 2 nanotubes. We isolated several hundred milligrams of nanowire bundles that were several microns long with average diameters of around 40 nm, and formed a stable dispersion in water without added surfactants. Gold nanoparticles were directly deposited on the nanowire bundles either in a solution or on a substrate at room temperature in a single-step reaction without any additional reducing reagents. The number of gold nanoparticles on a nanowire bundle is controlled by changing the concentration of chloroauric acid HAuCl 4 ·3H 2 O in the solution. Since the nanowires can serve as precursor crystals for fabrication of nanotubes, we were able to transform gold-decorated nanowires and produce gold-decorated MoS 2 nanotubes

Focused ion beam patterning to dielectrophoretically assemble single nanowire based devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Ferrara, V; Massera, E; Francia, G Di; Alfano, B

2010-01-01

Direct-write processing is increasingly taking place in nanodevice fabrication. In this work, Focused Ion Beam (FIB), a powerful tool in maskless micromachining, is used for electrode patterning onto a silicon/silicon nitride substrate. Then a single palladium nanowire is assembled between electrodes by means of dielectrophoresis (DEP). The nanowire morphology depends on the electrode pattern when DEP conditions are fixed. FIB/DEP combination overcomes the problem of nanowire electrical contamination due to gallium ion bombardment and the as-grown nanowire retains its basic electrical properties. Single nanowire based devices have been fabricated with this novel approach and have been tested as hydrogen sensors, confirming the reliability of this technology.

Photoelectrochemical energy conversion obtained with ultrathin organo-metallic-chemical-vapor-deposition layer of FeS2 (pyrite) on TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ennaoui, A.; Fiechter, S.; Tributsch, H.; Giersig, M.; Vogel, R.; Weller, H.

1992-01-01

Ultrathin (10 to 20 nm thick), polycrystalline films of FeS 2 (pyrite) were grown on TiO 2 (anatase) by chemical vapor deposition. The FeS 2 films were characterized using optical absorption and high-resolution electron microscopy. Photoelectrochemical solar cells, using TiO 2 (anatase) coated with FeS 2 ultrathin films, generated high open-circuit photo-voltages, of up to 600 mV, compared with a single crystal of pyrite electrode (200 mV). The photoelectrochemical behavior shows a strong dependence of photovoltage and photocurrent on the pH of the solution. This paper reports that it is explained by electron injection from the conduction band of FeS 2 to the conduction band of TiO 2 . Regeneration of holes is taking place by electron transfer from the redox system in the electrolyte

Optimizing TiO2 nanotube top geometry for use in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Mir, Nooshin; Lee, Kiyoung; Paramasivam, Indhumati; Schmuki, Patrik

2012-09-17

Recombination dynamics: For TiO(2) nanotube-based dye-sensitized solar cells, the efficiency can be drastically enhanced by a synergetic effect that occurs when using nanowire-ended nanotubes in combination with an adequate nanoparticle decoration (see figure). Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Controlled growth of single nanowires within a supported alumina template

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vlad, A.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, M.; Faniel, S.

2006-01-01

A simple technique for fabricating single nanowires with well-defined position is presented. The process implies the use of a silicon nitride mask for selective electrochemical growth of the nanowires in a porous alumina template. We show that this method allows the realization of complex nanowire...

Synthesis and Fluorescence Property of Mn-Doped ZnSe Nanowires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongmei Han

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Water-soluble Mn-doped ZnSe luminescent nanowires were successfully prepared by hydrothermal method without any heavy metal ions and toxic reagents. The morphology, composition, and property of the products were investigated. The experimental results showed that the Mn-doped ZnSe nanowires were single well crystallized and had a zinc blende structure. The average length of the nanowires was about 2-3 μm, and the diameter was 80 nm. With the increase of Mn2+-doped concentration, the absorbance peak showed large difference. The UV-vis absorbance spectrum showed that the Mn-doped ZnSe nanowires had a sharp absorption band appearing at 360 nm. The PL spectrum revealed that the nanowires had two distinct emission bands centered at 432 and 580 nm.

Optical spectroscopy of rare earth ion-doped TiO2 nanophosphors.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xueyuan; Luo, Wenqin

2010-03-01

Trivalent rare-earth (RE3+) ion-doped TiO2 nanophosphors belong to one kind of novel optical materials and have attracted increasing attention. The luminescence properties of different RE3+ ions in various TiO2 nanomaterials have been reviewed. Much attention is paid to our recent progresses on the luminescence properties of RE3+ (RE = Eu, Er, Sm, Nd) ions in anatase TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by a sol-gel-solvothermal method. Using Eu3+ as a sensitive optical probe, three significantly different luminescence centers of Eu3+ in TiO2 nanoparticles were detected by means of site-selective spectroscopy at 10 K. Based on the crystal-field (CF) splitting of Eu3+ at each site, C2v and D2 symmetries were proposed for Eu3+ incorporated at two lattice sites. A structural model for the formation of multiple sites was proposed based on the optical behaviors of Eu3+ at different sites. Similar multi-site luminescence was observed in Sm(3+)- or Nd(3+)-doped TiO2 nanoparticles. In Eu(3+)-doped TiO2 nanoparticles, only weak energy transfer from the TiO2 host to the Eu3+ ions was observed at 10 K due to the mismatch of energy between the TiO2 band-gap and the Eu3+ excited states. On the contrary, efficient host-sensitized luminescences were realized in Sm(3+)- or Nd(3+)-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles due to the match of energy between TiO2 band-gap and the Sm3+ and Nd3+ excited states. The excitation spectra of both Sm(3+)- and Nd(3+)-doped samples exhibit a dominant broad peak centered at approximately 340 nm, which is associated with the band-gap of TiO2, indicating that sensitized emission is much more efficient than direct excitation of the Sm3+ and Nd3+ ions. Single lattice site emission of Er3+ in TiO2 nanocrystals can be achieved by modifying the experimental conditions. Upon excitation by a Ti: sapphire laser at 978 nm, intense green upconverted luminescence was observed. The characteristic emission of Er3+ ions was obtained both in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and

Directed laser processing of compacted powder mixtures Al2O3-TiO2-Y2O3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vlasova M.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The phase formation, microstructure and surface texture of laser treated ternary powder mixtures of Al2O3-TiO2-Y2O3 had been studied. Rapid high temperature heating and subsequent rapid cooling due to the directed movement of the laser beam forms concave ceramic tracks. Phase composition and microstructure of the tracks depends on the Al2O3 content and the TiO2/Y2O3 ratio of the initial mixtures. The main phases observed are Y3Al5O12, Y2Ti2O7, Al2O3 and Al2TiO5. Due to the temperature gradient in the heating zone, complex layered structures are formed. The tracks consist of three main layers: a thin surface layer, a layer of crystallization products of eutectic alloys, and a lower sintered layer. The thickness of the crystallization layer and the shrinkage of the irradiation zone depend on the amount of Y3Al5O12 and Al2O3 crystallized from the melt.

The preparation and cathodoluminescence of ZnS nanowires grown by chemical vapor deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Meng-Wen; Cheng, Yin-Wei; Pan, Ko-Ying; Chang, Chen-Chuan; Shieu, F. S.; Shih, Han C.

2012-11-01

Single crystal ZnS nanowires were successfully synthesized in large quantities on Si (1 0 0) substrates by simple thermal chemical vapor deposition without using any catalyst. The morphology, composition, and crystal structure were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy. SEM observations show that the nanowires have diameters about 20-50 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. XRD and TEM results confirmed that the nanowires exhibited both wurtzite and zinc blende structures with growth directions aligned along [0 0 0 2] and [1 1 1], respectively. The CL spectrum revealed emission bands in the UV and blue regions. The blue emissions at 449 and ˜581 nm were attributed to surface states and impurity-related defects of the nanowires, respectively. The perfect crystal structure of the nanowires indicates their potential applications in nanotechnology and in the fabrication of nanodevices.

Tracking Ultrafast Carrier Dynamics in Single Semiconductor Nanowire Heterostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taylor A.J.

2013-03-01

Full Text Available An understanding of non-equilibrium carrier dynamics in silicon (Si nanowires (NWs and NW heterostructures is very important due to their many nanophotonic and nanoelectronics applications. Here, we describe the first measurements of ultrafast carrier dynamics and diffusion in single heterostructured Si nanowires, obtained using ultrafast optical microscopy. By isolating individual nanowires, we avoid complications resulting from the broad size and alignment distribution in nanowire ensembles, allowing us to directly probe ultrafast carrier dynamics in these quasi-one-dimensional systems. Spatially-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy demonstrates the influence of surface-mediated mechanisms on carrier dynamics in a single NW, while polarization-resolved femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy reveals a clear anisotropy in carrier lifetimes measured parallel and perpendicular to the NW axis, due to density-dependent Auger recombination. Furthermore, separating the pump and probe spots along the NW axis enabled us to track space and time dependent carrier diffusion in radial and axial NW heterostructures. These results enable us to reveal the influence of radial and axial interfaces on carrier dynamics and charge transport in these quasi-one-dimensional nanosystems, which can then be used to tailor carrier relaxation in a single nanowire heterostructure for a given application.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres on carbon fabric and FTO substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Gu, Jian; Zhang, Mengqi

2018-06-01

The wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres on carbon fabric (TiO2-CF) and FTO substrates (TiO2-FTO) have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method in alkali environment, using commercial TiO2 (P25) as precursors. The XRD results indicate that the as-prepared TiO2 have good crystallinity. And the SEM images show that the wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres with a diameter of 2-3 μm are composed of TiO2 nanowires, which have a diameter of 50 nm. The photocatalytic behavior of the wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres, TiO2-CF and TiO2-FTO under ultraviolet light was investigated by a pseudo first-order kinetic model, using methyl orange (MO) as pollutant. The wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres obtained a degradation rate constant (Kap) of 6.91×10-3 min-1 . The Kap values of TiO2-FTO and TiO2-CF reach 13.97×10-3 min-1 and 11.80×10-3 min-1, which are 2.0 and 1.7 times higher than that of pristine wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres due to the "sum effect" between TiO2 and substrates. This study offers a facile hydrothermal method to prepare wool-ball-like TiO2 microspheres on CF and FTO substrates, which will improve the recyclability of phtocatalysts and can be extended to other fields.

Novel Crystal Structure C60 Nanowire

Science.gov (United States)

Mickelson, William; Aloni, Shaul; Han, Weiqiang; Cumings, John; Zettl, Alex

2003-03-01

We have created insulated C60 nanowire by packing C60 molecules into the interior of insulating boron nitride (BN) nanotubes. For small-diameter BN tubes, the wire consists of a linear chain of C60's. With increasing BN tube inner diameter, novel C60 stacking configurations are obtained (including helical, hollow core, and incommensurate) which are unknown for bulk or thin film forms of C60. C60 in BN nanotubes presents a model system for studying the properties of new dimensionally-constrained "silo" crystal structures.

Inkjet-printed transparent nanowire thin film features for UV photodetectors

KAUST Repository

Chen, Shih Pin

2015-01-01

In this study, a simple and effective direct printing method was developed to print patterned nanowire thin films for UV detection. Inks containing silver or titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanowires were first formulated adequately to form stable suspension for inkjet printing applications. Sedimentation tests were also carried out to characterize the terminal velocity and dispersion stability of nanowires to avoid potential nozzle clogging problems. The well-dispersed silver nanowire ink was then inkjet printed on PET films to form patterned electrodes. Above the electrodes, another layer of TiO2 nanowires was also printed to create a highly transparent photodetector with >80% visible transmittance. The printed photodetector showed a fairly low dark current of 10-12-10-14 A with a high on/off ratio of 2000 to UV radiation. Under a bias voltage of 2 V, the detector showed fast responses to UV illumination with a rise time of 0.4 s and a recovery time of 0.1 s. More photo currents can also be collected with a larger printed electrode area. In summary, this study shows the feasibility of applying inkjet printing technology to create nanowire thin films with specific patterns, and can be further employed for photoelectric applications. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

Direct observation of short-circuit diffusion during the formation of a single cupric oxide nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C-L; Ma, Y-R; Chou, M H; Huang, C Y; Yeh, V; Wu, S Y

2007-01-01

Short-circuit diffusion was observed in a single CuO nanowire synthesized using a thermal oxidation method. The confocal Raman spectra of a single CuO nanowire permit direct observation of the nature of an individual CuO nanowire. The parameter order obtained from the inverse Raman B g 2 peak linewidth results in the length dependence of the linewidth and a short-circuit diffusion length of 3.3 μm. The observed structural information is also consistent with the energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic mapping. The results confirm that the growth of CuO nanowires occurs through the short-circuit diffusion mechanism

Room temperature synthesis of silver nanowires from tabular silver bromide crystals in the presence of gelatin

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Suwen; Wehmschulte, Rudolf J.; Lian, Guoda; Burba, Christopher M.

2006-03-01

Long silver nanowires were synthesized at room temperature by a simple and fast process derived from the development of photographic films. A film consisting of an emulsion of tabular silver bromide grains in gelatin was treated with a photographic developer (4-(methylamino)phenol sulfate (metol), citric acid) in the presence of additional aqueous silver nitrate. The silver nanowires have lengths of more than 50 μm, some even more than 100 μm, and average diameters of about 80 nm. Approximately, 70% of the metallic silver formed in the reduction consists of silver nanowires. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) results indicate that the silver nanowires grow along the [111] direction. It was found that the presence of gelatin, tabular silver bromide crystals and silver ions in solution are essential for the formation of the silver nanowires. The nanowires appear to originate from the edges of the silver bromide crystals. They were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SAED, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Room temperature synthesis of silver nanowires from tabular silver bromide crystals in the presence of gelatin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Suwen; Wehmschulte, Rudolf J.; Lian Guoda; Burba, Christopher M.

2006-01-01

Long silver nanowires were synthesized at room temperature by a simple and fast process derived from the development of photographic films. A film consisting of an emulsion of tabular silver bromide grains in gelatin was treated with a photographic developer (4-(methylamino)phenol sulfate (metol), citric acid) in the presence of additional aqueous silver nitrate. The silver nanowires have lengths of more than 50 μm, some even more than 100 μm, and average diameters of about 80 nm. Approximately, 70% of the metallic silver formed in the reduction consists of silver nanowires. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) results indicate that the silver nanowires grow along the [111] direction. It was found that the presence of gelatin, tabular silver bromide crystals and silver ions in solution are essential for the formation of the silver nanowires. The nanowires appear to originate from the edges of the silver bromide crystals. They were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SAED, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD)

CdS nanowires formed by chemical synthesis using conjugated single-stranded DNA molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Sarangi, S. N.; Sahu, S. N.; Nozaki, S.

2018-03-01

CdS nanowires were successfully grown by chemical synthesis using two conjugated single-stranded (ss) DNA molecules, poly G (30) and poly C (30), as templates. During the early stage of the synthesis with the DNA molecules, the Cd 2+ interacts with Poly G and Poly C and produces the (Cd 2+)-Poly GC complex. As the growth proceeds, it results in nanowires. The structural analysis by grazing angle x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the zinc-blende CdS nanowires with the growth direction of . Although the nanowires are well surface-passivated with the DNA molecules, the photoluminescence quenching was caused by the electron transfer from the nanowires to the DNA molecules. The quenching can be used to detect and label the DNAs.

Construction of hydrophobic wood surfaces by room temperature deposition of rutile (TiO2) nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Rongbo Zheng; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Qingyu Li; Hongyan Wang

2015-01-01

A convenient room temperature approach was developed for growing rutile TiO2 hierarchical structures on the wood surface by direct hydrolysis and crystallization of TiCl3 in saturated NaCl aqueous solution.The morphology and the crystal structure of TiO2 coated on the wood surface were characterized...

Size and temperature dependent stability and phase transformation in single-crystal zirconium nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutrakar, Vijay Kumar; Roy Mahapatra, D.

2011-01-01

A novel size dependent FCC (face-centered-cubic) → HCP (hexagonally-closed-pack) phase transformation and stability of an initial FCC zirconium nanowire are studied. FCC zirconium nanowires with cross-sectional dimensions 20 Å, in which surface stresses are not enough to drive the phase transformation, show meta-stability. In such a case, an external kinetic energy in the form of thermal heating is required to overcome the energy barrier and achieve FCC → HCP phase transformation. The FCC-HCP transition pathway is also studied using Nudged Elastic Band (NEB) method, to further confirm the size dependent stability/metastability of Zr nanowires. We also show size dependent critical temperature, which is required for complete phase transformation of a metastable-FCC nanowire.

Optical studies of cobalt implanted rutile TiO2 (110) surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Shalik Ram; Padmanabhan, B.; Chanda, Anupama; Mishra, Indrani; Malik, V.K.; Mishra, N.C.; Kanjilal, D.; Varma, Shikha

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The present study displays formation of nanostructures after Co implantation on TiO 2 surfaces. • Preferential sputtering leads to the creation of oxygen vacancies on the surface. • A large enhancement in visible light absorbance (nearly 5 times compared to pristine) is observed. • Creation of self-organized nanostructures and Ti 3+ oxygen vacancies promote photoabsorption. • Formation of Co-nanoclusters and Co–Ti–O phase play concerted role in enhancing photo-absorption. - Abstract: Present study investigates the photoabsorption properties of single crystal rutile TiO 2 (110) surfaces after they have been implanted with low fluences of cobalt ions. The surfaces, after implantation, demonstrate fabrication of nanostructures and anisotropic nano-ripple patterns. Creation of oxygen vacancies (Ti 3+ states), development of cobalt nano-clusters as well as band gap modifications have also been observed. Results presented here demonstrate that fabrication of self organized nanostructures, upon implantation, along with the development of oxygen vacancies and ligand field transitions of cobalt ion promote the enhancement of photo-absorbance in both UV (∼2 times) and visible (∼5 times) regimes. These investigations on nanostructured TiO 2 surfaces can be important for photo-catalysis.

Growth and microtopographic study of CuInSe{sub 2} single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chauhan, Sanjaysinh M.; Chaki, Sunil, E-mail: sunilchaki@yahoo.co.in; Deshpande, M. P. [Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat - 388120 (India); Tailor, J. P. [Applied Physics Department, S.V.N.I.T., Surat, Gujarat - 395007 (India)

2016-05-23

The CuInSe{sub 2} single crystals were grown by chemical vapour transport (CVT) technique using iodine as transporting agent. The elemental composition of the as-grown CuInSe{sub 2} single crystals was determined by energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX). The unit cell crystal structure and lattice parameters were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The surface microtopographic study of the as-grown CuInSe{sub 2} single crystals surfaces were done to study the defects, growth mechanism, etc. of the CVT grown crystals.

Unveiling the Formation Pathway of Single Crystalline Porous Silicon Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Xing; Qu, Yongquan; Lin, Yung-Chen; Liao, Lei; Duan, Xiangfeng

2011-01-01

Porous silicon nanowire is emerging as an interesting material system due to its unique combination of structural, chemical, electronic, and optical properties. To fully understand their formation mechanism is of great importance for controlling the fundamental physical properties and enabling potential applications. Here we present a systematic study to elucidate the mechanism responsible for the formation of porous silicon nanowires in a two-step silver-assisted electroless chemical etching method. It is shown that silicon nanowire arrays with various porosities can be prepared by varying multiple experimental parameters such as the resistivity of the starting silicon wafer, the concentration of oxidant (H2O2) and the amount of silver catalyst. Our study shows a consistent trend that the porosity increases with the increasing wafer conductivity (dopant concentration) and oxidant (H2O2) concentration. We further demonstrate that silver ions, formed by the oxidation of silver, can diffuse upwards and re-nucleate on the sidewalls of nanowires to initiate new etching pathways to produce porous structure. The elucidation of this fundamental formation mechanism opens a rational pathway to the production of wafer-scale single crystalline porous silicon nanowires with tunable surface areas ranging from 370 m2·g−1 to 30 m2·g−1, and can enable exciting opportunities in catalysis, energy harvesting, conversion, storage, as well as biomedical imaging and therapy. PMID:21244020

Optical Properties and Surface Morphology of Nano-composite PMMA: TiO2 Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyly Nyl Ismail; Ahmad Fairoz Aziz; Habibah Zulkefle

2011-01-01

There are two nano-composite PMMA: TiO 2 solutions were prepared in this research. First solution is nano-composite PMMA commercially available TiO 2 nanopowder and the second solution is nano-composite PMMA with self-prepared TiO 2 powder. The self-prepared TiO 2 powder is obtained by preparing the TiO 2 sol-gel. Solvo thermal method were used to dry the TiO 2 sol-gel and obtained TiO 2 crystal. Ball millers were used to grind the TiO 2 crystal in order to obtained nano sized powder. Triton-X was used as surfactant to stabilizer the composite between PMMA: TiO 2 . Besides comparing the nano-composite solution, we also studied the effect of the thin films thickness on the optical properties and surface morphology of the thin films. The thin films were deposited by sol-gel spin coating method on glass substrates. The optical properties and surface characterization were measured with UV-VIS spectrometer equipment and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The result showed that nano-composite PMMA with self prepared TiO 2 give high optical transparency than nano-composite PMMA with commercially available TiO 2 nano powder. The results also indicate as the thickness is increased the optical transparency are decreased. Both AFM images showed that the agglomerations of TiO 2 particles are occurred on the thin films and the surface roughness is increased when the thickness is increased. High agglomeration particles exist in the AFM images for nano-composite PMMA: TiO 2 with TiO 2 nano powder compare to the other nano-composite solution. (author)

X-ray dosimetry of TlGaSe2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerimova, E.M.; Mustafaeva, S.N.; Mamedbeili, S.D.; Jabarov, J.N.; Iskenderova, P.M.; Kazimov, S.B.

2002-01-01

TlGaSe 2 compound belongs to group of layered semiconductors of A 3 B 3 C 2 6 -type. Photoelectric and optical properties of TlGaSe 2 single crystals were investigated in detail. Influence of gamma-, electron and neutron radiation on photoelectric properties of TlGaSe 2 single crystals is investigated too. The present work deals with experimental results relative to X-ray dosimetric characteristics of TlGaSe 2 crystals at 300 K. X-ray conductivity and X-ray dosimetric characteristic measurements are carried out in low load resistance regime. The source of X-ray radiation is the installation of X-ray diffraction analysis (URS-55a) with the BCV-2(Cu). Intensity of X-ray radiation (E) is regulated by measurement with current variation in tube at each given value of X-ray radiation dose E (R/min) are measured by crystal dosimeter DRGZ-02. X-ray conductivity coefficients K σ characterising X-ray sensitivity of investigated crystals are determined as the relative change of conductivity under X-ray radiation a per dose. There have been determined values of characteristic coefficients of TlGaSe 2 single crystal X-ray conductivity at different values of accelerating voltage (V a ) on the tube and corresponding doses of X-ray radiation. Analysis of obtained data showed that X-ray conductivity coefficients K σ in studied crystals are regularly decreased (from 0.276 to 0.033) as with the rise of dose (E=0.75-78.0 R/min) as with the increase of values of V a on X-ray tube (V a =254-50 keV). One of the possible reasons of observed regularities is that X-ray conductivity in investigated crystals, especially at comparatively low V a is due predominantly to radiation of thin layer of crystal. In this case with the rise of radiation intensity there have been started to prevail the mechanism of surface quadratic recombination which leads to observed decrease of X-ray conductivity. With the rise of accelerating potential 'effective hardness' is increased, as a result of which there

Passivation of ZnO Nanowire Guests and 3D Inverse Opal Host Photoanodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Labouchere, Philippe

2014-04-23

A hierarchical host-guest nanostructured photoanode is reported for dye-sensitized solar cells. It is composed of ZnO nanowires grown in situ into the macropores of a 3D ZnO inverse opal structure, which acts both as a seed layer and as a conductive backbone host. Using a combination of self-assembly, hydrothermal or electrodeposition of single crystalline ZnO nanowires and TiO2 passivation, a novel photoanode with scattering capability for optimal light harvesting is fabricated. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation and solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2 composites: TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y.; Li, S. G.; Wang, J.; Li, Y.; Ma, C. H.; Zhang, L.

2014-12-01

Three TiO2 loaded composites, TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite, were prepared in order to improve the solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity could obviously be enhanced by loading appropriate amount of inorganic mineral materials. Meanwhile, TiO2 content, heat-treatment temperature and heat-treatment time on the photocatalytic activity were reviewed. Otherwise, the effect of solar light irradiation time and dye concentration on the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red B was investigated. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism and adsorption process were also discussed.

Hydrothermal synthesis of ultralong and single-crystalline Cd(OH)2 nanowires using alkali salts as mineralizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Bo; Zhuo, Linhai; Ge, Jiechao; Niu, Jinye; Shi, Zhiqiang

2005-04-18

Ultralong and single-crystalline Cd(OH)(2) nanowires were fabricated by a hydrothermal method using alkali salts as mineralizers. The morphology and size of the final products strongly depend on the effects of the alkali salts (e.g., KCl, KNO(3), and K(2)SO(4) or NaCl, NaNO(3), and Na(2)SO(4)). When the salt is absent, only nanoparticles are observed in TEM images of the products. The 1D nanostructure growth method presented herein offers an excellent tool for the design of other advanced materials with anisotropic properties. In addition, the Cd(OH)(2) nanowires might act as a template or precursor that is potentially converted into 1D cadmium oxide through dehydration or into 1D nanostructures of other functional materials (e.g., CdS, CdSe).

Investigation of TiO2 photocatalyst performance for decolorization in the presence of hydrodynamic cavitation as hybrid AOP.

Science.gov (United States)

Bethi, Bhaskar; Sonawane, S H; Rohit, G S; Holkar, C R; Pinjari, D V; Bhanvase, B A; Pandit, A B

2016-01-01

In this article, an acoustic cavitation engineered novel approach for the synthesis of TiO2, cerium and Fe doped TiO2 nanophotocatalysts is reported. The prepared TiO2, cerium and Fe doped TiO2 nanophotocatalysts were characterized by XRD and TEM analysis to evaluate its structure and morphology. Photo catalytic performance of undoped TiO2 catalyst was investigated for the decolorization of crystal violet dye in aqueous solution at pH of 6.5 in the presence of hydro dynamic cavitation. Effect of catalyst doping with Fe and Ce was also studied for the decolorization of crystal violet dye. The results shows that, 0.8% of Fe-doped TiO2 exhibits maximum photocatalytic activity in the decolorization study of crystal violet dye due to the presence of Fe in the TiO2 and it may acts as a fenton reagent. Kinetic studies have also been reported for the hybrid AOP (HAOP) that followed the pseudo first-order reaction kinetics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth and characterization of 2-Methylimidazolium D-tartrate single crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, T. P.; Anandhi, S.; Gopalakrishnan, R.

2011-03-01

Single crystal of 2-Methylimidazolium D-tartrate (2MImdT; C8N2O6H12) has been grown by slow evaporation solution growth technique at room temperature using mixed solvents of ethanol and deionized water. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study confirms that 2-Methylimidazolium D-tartrate belongs to monoclinic crystal system with non-centrosymmetric space group P21. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of 2-Methylimidazolium D-tartrate reveals the presence of methyl and carboxyl functional groups in the compound. The mechanical properties of 2MImdT crystal were studied. The theoretical factor group analysis predicts 168 optical modes in the title compound. The dielectric behavior of 2MImdT crystals was studied at different frequencies and temperatures. Decomposition and melting point of 2MImdT were found using thermal measurements. SHG behavior of the title compound was demonstrated using Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

A graphene/single GaAs nanowire Schottky junction photovoltaic device.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yanbin; Yan, Xin; Zhang, Jinnan; Li, Bang; Wu, Yao; Lu, Qichao; Jin, Chenxiaoshuai; Zhang, Xia; Ren, Xiaomin

2018-05-04

A graphene/nanowire Schottky junction is a promising structure for low-cost high-performance optoelectronic devices. Here we demonstrate a graphene/single GaAs nanowire Schottky junction photovoltaic device. The Schottky junction is fabricated by covering a single layer graphene onto an n-doped GaAs nanowire. Under 532 nm laser excitation, the device exhibits a high responsivity of 231 mA W-1 and a short response/recover time of 85/118 μs at zero bias. Under AM 1.5 G solar illumination, the device has an open-circuit voltage of 75.0 mV and a short-circuit current density of 425 mA cm-2, yielding a remarkable conversion efficiency of 8.8%. The excellent photovoltaic performance of the device is attributed to the strong built-in electric field in the Schottky junction as well as the transparent property of graphene. The device is promising for self-powered high-speed photodetectors and low-cost high-efficiency solar cells.

TiO2/Cu2O composite based on TiO2 NTPC photoanode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under visible light

KAUST Repository

Shi, Le

2015-05-01

Water splitting through photoelectrochemical reaction is widely regarded as a major method to generate H2 , a promising source of renewable energy to deal with the energy crisis faced up to human being. Efficient exploitation of visible light in practice of water splitting with pure TiO2 material, one of the most popular semiconductor material used for photoelectrochemical water splitting, is still challenging. One dimensional TiO2 nanotubes is highly desired with its less recombination with the short distance for charge carrier diffusion and light-scattering properties. This work is based on TiO2 NTPC electrode by the optimized two-step anodization method from our group. A highly crystalized p-type Cu2O layer was deposited by optimized pulse potentiostatic electrochemical deposition onto TiO2 nanotubes to enhance the visible light absorption of a pure p-type TiO2 substrate and to build a p-n junction at the interface to improve the PEC performance. However, because of the real photocurrent of Cu2O is far away from its theoretical limit and also poor stability in the aqueous environment, a design of rGO medium layer was added between TiO2 nanotube and Cu2O layer to enhance the photogenerated electrons and holes separation, extend charge carrier diffusion length (in comparison with those of conventional pure TiO2 or Cu2O materials) which could significantly increase photocurrent to 0.65 mA/cm2 under visible light illumination (>420 nm) and also largely improve the stability of Cu2O layer, finally lead to an enhancement of water splitting performance.

Single-electron tunneling in InP nanowires

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Franceschi, De S.; Dam, Van J.A.; Bakkers, E.P.A.M.; Feiner, L.F.; Gurevich, L.; Kouwenhoven, L.P.

2003-01-01

A study was performed on single-electron tunneling in InP nanowires. The contact resistances as low as ~10 k¿, with minor temperature dependence were obtained. The Coulomb-blockade behavior was shown with single-electron charging energies of ~1 meV.

Structural and optical characterization of electrodeposited CdSe in mesoporous anatase TiO2 for regenerative quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauvage, Frédéric; Davoisne, Carine; Philippe, Laetitia; Elias, Jamil

2012-01-01

We investigated CdSe-sensitized TiO 2 solar cells by means of electrodeposition under galvanostatic control. The electrodeposition of CdSe within the mesoporous film of TiO 2 gives rise to a uniform, thickness controlled, conformal layer of nanostructured CdSe particles intimately wrapping the anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles. This technique has the advantage of providing not only a fast method for sensitization ( 2 –CdSe core–shell structure followed by the growth of an assembly of CdSe nanoparticles resembling cauliflowers. This assembly exhibits at its core a mosaic texture with crystallites of about 3 nm in size, in contrast to a shell composed of well-crystallized single crystals between 5 and 10 nm in size. Preliminary results on the photovoltaic performance of such a nanostructured composite of TiO 2 and CdSe show 0.8% power conversion efficiency under A.M.1.5 G conditions—100 mW cm −2 in association with a new regenerative redox couple based on cobalt(+III/+II) polypyridil complex (V oc = 485 mV, J sc = 4.26 mA cm −2 , ff=0.37). (paper)

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.

Single particle analysis of TiO2 in candy products using triple quadrupole ICP-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Candás-Zapico, S; Kutscher, D J; Montes-Bayón, M; Bettmer, J

2018-04-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) belongs to the materials that have gained great importance in many applications. In its particulate form (micro- or nanoparticles), it has entered a huge number of consumer products and food-grade TiO 2 , better known as E171 within the European Union, represents an important food additive. Thus, there is an increasing need for analytical methods able to detect and quantify such particles. In this regard, inductively coupled-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), in particular single particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS), has gained importance due to its simplicity and ease of use. Nevertheless, the number of applications for Ti nanoparticles is rather limited. In this study, we have applied the spICP-MS strategy by comparing different measuring modes available in triple quadrupole ICP-MS. First, single quadrupole mode using the collision/reaction cell system was selected for monitoring the isotope 47 Ti. Different cell gases like He, O 2 and NH 3 were tested under optimised conditions for its applicability in spICP-MS of standard suspensions of TiO 2 . The determined analytical figures of merit were compared to those obtained by triple quadrupole mode using the 47 Ti or 48 Ti reaction products using O 2 and NH 3 as reaction gases. This comparison demonstrated that the triple quadrupole mode (TQ mode) was superior in terms of sensitivity due to the more efficient removal of spectral interferences. Particle size detection limits down to 26nm were obtained using the best instrumental conditions for TiO 2 particles at a dwell time of 10ms. Finally, the different measuring modes were applied to the analysis of chewing gum samples after a simple extraction procedure using an ultrasonic bath. The obtained results showed a good agreement for the detected particle size range using the different TQ modes. The size range of TiO 2 particles was determined to be between approximately 30 and 200nm, whereas roughly 40% of the particles were smaller than 100nm. For the

Single-walled carbon nanotube-facilitated dispersion of particulate TiO2 on ZrO2 ceramic membrane filters.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yuan; Li, Gonghu; Gray, Kimberly A; Lueptow, Richard M

2008-07-15

We report that SWCNTs substantially improve the uniformity and coverage of TiO2 coatings on porous ZrO2 ceramic membrane filters. The ZrO2 filters were dip coated with 100 nm anatase TiO2, TiO2/SWCNT composites, a TiO2+SWCNT mixture, and a TiO2/MWCNT composite at pH 3, 5, and 8. Whereas the TiO2+SWCNT mixture and the TiO2/MWCNT composite promote better coverage and less clumping than TiO2 alone, the TiO2/SWCNT composite forms a complete uniform coating without cracking at pH 5 ( approximately 100% coverage). A combination of chemical and electrostatic effects between TiO2 and SWCNTs forming the composite as well as between the composite and the ZrO2 surface explains these observations.

Diameter Tuning of β-Ga2O3 Nanowires Using Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Mukesh; Kumar, Vikram; Singh, R

2017-12-01

Diameter tuning of [Formula: see text]-Ga 2 O 3 nanowires using chemical vapor deposition technique have been investigated under various experimental conditions. Diameter of root grown [Formula: see text]-Ga 2 O 3 nanowires having monoclinic crystal structure is tuned by varying separation distance between metal source and substrate. Effect of gas flow rate and mixer ratio on the morphology and diameter of nanowires has been studied. Nanowire diameter depends on growth temperature, and it is independent of catalyst nanoparticle size at higher growth temperature (850-900 °C) as compared to lower growth temperature (800 °C). These nanowires show changes in structural strain value with change in diameter. Band-gap of nanowires increases with decrease in the diameter.

Methanol, ethanol and hydrogen sensing using metal oxide and metal (TiO2–Pt) composite nanoclusters on GaN nanowires: a new route towards tailoring the selectivity of nanowire/nanocluster chemical sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aluri, Geetha S; Motayed, Abhishek; Davydov, Albert V; Oleshko, Vladimir P; Bertness, Kris A; Sanford, Norman A; Mulpuri, Rao V

2012-01-01

We demonstrate a new method for tailoring the selectivity of chemical sensors using semiconductor nanowires (NWs) decorated with metal and metal oxide multicomponent nanoclusters (NCs). Here we present the change of selectivity of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanocluster-coated gallium nitride (GaN) nanowire sensor devices on the addition of platinum (Pt) nanoclusters. The hybrid sensor devices were developed by fabricating two-terminal devices using individual GaN NWs followed by the deposition of TiO 2 and/or Pt nanoclusters (NCs) using the sputtering technique. This paper present the sensing characteristics of GaN/(TiO 2 –Pt) nanowire–nanocluster (NWNC) hybrids and GaN/(Pt) NWNC hybrids, and compare their selectivity with that of the previously reported GaN/TiO 2 sensors. The GaN/TiO 2 NWNC hybrids showed remarkable selectivity to benzene and related aromatic compounds, with no measurable response for other analytes. Addition of Pt NCs to GaN/TiO 2 sensors dramatically altered their sensing behavior, making them sensitive only to methanol, ethanol and hydrogen, but not to any other chemicals we tested. The GaN/(TiO 2 –Pt) hybrids were able to detect ethanol and methanol concentrations as low as 100 nmol mol −1 (ppb) in air in approximately 100 s, and hydrogen concentrations from 1 µmol mol −1 (ppm) to 1% in nitrogen in less than 60 s. However, GaN/Pt NWNC hybrids showed limited sensitivity only towards hydrogen and not towards any alcohols. All these hybrid sensors worked at room temperature and are photomodulated, i.e. they responded to analytes only in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light. We propose a qualitative explanation based on the heat of adsorption, ionization energy and solvent polarity to explain the observed selectivity of the different hybrids. These results are significant from the standpoint of applications requiring room-temperature hydrogen sensing and sensitive alcohol monitoring. These results demonstrate the tremendous potential

Longitudinal magnetoresistance and magnototermopower in Bi nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Para, G.

2011-01-01

Full text: The galvanomagnetic effect of single crystals Bi nanowires have been studied in longitudinal magnetic fields up to 14 T. The influence of diameters, temperature and deformation extension on the longitudinal magnetoresistance and magnetotermopower (H||I, H||ΔT) of bismuth nanowires is studied. Elastic deformation measurements were conducted at maximum relative elongation 2 %. For the first time have been investigated the magnetotermopower of Bi nanowires with d=45 nm. Essentially non monotonic dependence H max on temperature in longitudinal thermopower in wires with d=45-60 nm is found out. Such difference in behavior of maximum on R(H) and on α(H) in wires with d<100nm says that the behavior of resistance is caused by other mechanism, then thermopower. (author)

Electrodeposition of textured Bi27Sb28Te45 nanowires with enhanced electrical conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, Maksudul; Gautam, Devendraprakash; Enright, Ryan

2016-01-01

This work presents the template based pulsed potential electrodeposition technique of highly textured single crystalline bismuth antimony telluride (Bi 1-x Sb x ) 2 Te 3 nanowires from a single aqueous electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry was used as an electroanalytical tool to assess the effect of the precursor concentrations on the composition of the deposits and to determine the deposition potential for each element. Pulsed potential electrodeposition was then applied on a gold-coated anodised alumina template to examine the effect of the pulse parameters on the composition and texture of Bi 27 Sb 28 Te 45 nanowires. The nanowires are cylindrical in shape formed during the deposition inside the porous template and highly textured as they are decorated with sparse distribution of small crystal domains. The electrical conductivity (24.1 × 10 4  S m −1 ) of a single nanowire was measured using a four-point probe technique implemented on a custom fabricated test chip. In this work, we demonstrated that crystal orientation with respect to the transport direction controlled by tuning the pulsed electrodeposition parameters. This allowed us to realise electrical conductivities ∼2.5 times larger than Sb doped bismuth-tellurium based ternary material systems and similar to what is typically seen in binary systems. - Highlights: • Pulsed electrodeposition is described towards fabrication of (Bi 1-x Sb x ) 2 Te 3 nanowires. • The adopted method is compatible with existing CMOS process. • The nanowires were fabricated as highly textured to enhance phonon scattering. • The electrical conductivity is ∼2.5 times larger than the current ternary materials.

Improvement of light harvesting and device performance of dye-sensitized solar cells using rod-like nanocrystal TiO2 overlay coating on TiO2 nanoparticle working electrode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xueyang; Fang, Jian; Gao, Mei; Wang, Hongxia; Yang, Weidong; Lin, Tong

2015-01-01

Novel TiO 2 single crystalline nanorods were synthesized by electrospinning and hydrothermal treatment. The role of the TiO 2 nanorods on TiO 2 nanoparticle electrode in improvement of light harvesting and photovoltaic properties of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was examined. Although the TiO 2 nanorods had lower dye loading than TiO 2 nanoparticle, they showed higher light utilization behaviour. Electron transfer in TiO 2 nanorods received less resistance than that in TiO 2 nanoparticle aggregation. By just applying a thin layer of TiO 2 nanorods on TiO 2 nanoparticle working electrode, the DSSC device light harvesting ability and energy conversion efficiency were improved significantly. The thickness of the nanorod layer in the working electrode played an important role in determining the photovoltaic property of DSSCs. An energy conversion efficiency as high as 6.6% was found on a DSSC device with the working electrode consisting of a 12 μm think TiO 2 nanoparticle layer covered with 3 μm thick TiO 2 nanorods. The results obtained from this study may benefit further design of highly efficient DSSCs. - Highlights: • Single crystalline TiO 2 nanorods were prepared for DSSC application. • TiO 2 nanorods show effective light scattering performance. • TiO 2 nanorods have higher electron transfer efficiency than TiO 2 nanoparticles. • TiO 2 nanorods on TiO 2 nanoparticle electrode improve DSSC efficiency

Molecular dynamics simulation on the elastoplastic properties of copper nanowire under torsion

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yong; Li, Ying; Yang, Zailin; Zhang, Guowei; Wang, Xizhi; Liu, Jin

2018-02-01

Influences of different factors on the torsion properties of single crystal copper nanowire are studied by molecular dynamics method. The length, torsional rate, and temperature of the nanowire are discussed at the elastic-plastic critical point. According to the average potential energy curve and shear stress curve, the elastic-plastic critical angle is determined. Also, the dislocation at elastoplastic critical points is analyzed. The simulation results show that the single crystal copper nanowire can be strengthened by lengthening the model, decreasing the torsional rate, and lowering the temperature. Moreover, atoms move violently and dislocation is more likely to occur with a higher temperature. This work mainly describes the mechanical behavior of the model under different states.

3D ZnIn2S4 nanosheet/TiO2 nanowire arrays and their efficient photocathodic protection for 304 stainless steel

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wenxia; Wei, Na; Cui, Hongzhi; Lin, Yuan; Wang, Xinzhen; Tian, Jian; Li, Jian; Wen, Jing

2018-03-01

A well-designed heterostructure engineered ZnIn2S4 nanosheet/TiO2 nanowire arrays photoanode is investigated for photocathodic protection. The ZnIn2S4 nanosheets are distributed uniformly on the surface of the TiO2 nanowire by a hydrothermal method. The stem-and-leaf-like ZnIn2S4 nanosheet/TiO2 nanowire arrays exhibit excellent photoelectrochemical properties, owing to the energy band structure and large surface area. A maximum photocurrent density of 2 mA cm-2 is achieved for the ZnIn2S4 nanosheet/TiO2 nanowire composite film for a 6 h reaction time under white illumination. Moreover, the potential of the 304 stainless steel coupled with the composite film immediately shifts negatively to -1.17 V (vs. SCE), which is significantly lower than the corrosion potential (-0.201 V vs. SCE). Thus, the composite film offers a superior photocathodic protection for stainless steel against corrosion by a NaCl solution. This study provides a promising approach for the design and synthesis of composite films with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance.

Preparation and characterization of doped TiO2 nanofibers by coaxial electrospining combined with sol–gel process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong, Haixia; Tao, Xican; Wu, Daoxin; Zhang, Xiongfei; Li, Dan; Zhang, Ling

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: The surface of the precursor of Fe/TiO 2 nanofibers are smoother than that of Fe /TiO 2 nanofibers. After calcined at 500 °C, the tubers on the surface of the nanofibers become more obvious, and which also provides a direct proof for the dopant of Fe element. -- Highlights: • N, Fe, and W doped TiO 2 nanofibers have been fabricated by coaxial electrospining. • The dopant has obvious influences on the surface topographies and crystal structures. • Fe doping can make remarkable topography changes and easy formation of rutile TiO 2 . • The maximum doping amount of W in TiO 2 nanofibers is less than 10% under 500 °C. -- Abstract: N, Fe, and W doped TiO 2 nanofibers were fabricated by coaxial electrospining and directly annealing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/Tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) composite nanofibers. The crystal structure, morphology, and surface composition of the doped TiO 2 nanofibers were investigated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) respectively. The results show that the dopants have different influence on the surface topographies, the crystal structures and the transformation of anatase to rutile of TiO 2 nanofibers. Fe dopant promotes bigger influence on topographies, phase transformation and crystallite growth of TiO 2 nanofibers than that of either N or W dopant

Production and Characterization of (004) Oriented Single Anatase TiO2 Films

Science.gov (United States)

Atay, Ferhunde; Akyuz, Idris; Cergel, Muge Soyleyici; Erdogan, Banu

2018-02-01

Highly (004) oriented anatase TiO2 films have been successfully obtained by an inexpensive ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique at low substrate temperatures and without additional annealing. X-ray diffraction analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the structural, optical and surface properties of the films. By using the less reported TiCl4 solution, the optical band gap values falling into the visible region (between 2.70 eV and 2.92 eV) have been obtained for all films. Spectroscopic ellipsometry technique has been used to determine the dispersive refractive index and extinction coefficient of TiO2 films. Possible electrical conduction mechanisms in TiO2 films have been examined using temperature dependent conductivity measurements in the temperature range of 78-300 K. At room temperature, electrical resistivity values of TiO2 films change between 1.68 × 104 Ω cm and 5.88 × 104 Ω cm. Considering the analyzed parameters with respect to substrate temperature, this work refers to the properties of anatase TiO2 films that are strongly correlated to the growth direction, namely (004). As a result, (004) oriented anatase TiO2 films with appropriate optical band gap values are promising materials for technological applications, especially for photocatalysts.

Growth of high quality Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy single crystals by the modified vertical Bridgman method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagashima, O.; Tanaka, H.; Echizen, Y.; Kishida, S.

2004-01-01

We grew Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O y (Bi-2212) single crystals by the modified vertical Bridgman (VB) method, and investigated their characteristics in order to clarify the optimum growth conditions for obtaining high-quality Bi-2212 single crystals. The Bi-2212 single crystals were grown changing pulling rates or using starting materials after pre-treatments. We found that the superconducting critical temperature (T c ) of the single crystal prepared at a slow growth rate of 0.25 mm/h was about 88 K and that the single crystals were a Bi-2212 single phase. Moreover, the single crystals grown using the starting materials pre-treated in Ar and O 2 atmospheres, had the T c of about 88 and 86 K, respectively. In addition, both of single crystals were Bi-2212 single phase

Solid-state synthesis of Li_4Ti_5O_1_2 whiskers from TiO_2-B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Wenjun; Zhuang, Wei; Ji, Xiaoyan; Chen, Jingjing; Lu, Xiaohua; Wang, Changsong

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The Li_4Ti_5O_1_2 whiskers were synthesized from TiO_2-B whiskers via a solid state reaction. • The TiO_2-B crystal structure for lithium diffusion is easier than anatase. • The separated diffusion and reaction process is crucial for the solid-state syntheses of Li_4Ti_5O_1_2 whiskers. - Abstract: In this work, Li_4Ti_5O_1_2 (LTO) was synthesized from the precursors of TiO_2-B and anatase whiskers, respectively. The synthesized LTO whiskers from TiO_2-B whiskers via a solid state reaction at 650 °C have a high degree of crystallinity with an average diameter of 300 nm. However, when anatase whiskers were used as the precursor, only particle morphology LTO was produced at 750 °C. The further analysis of the precursors, the intermediate products and the final products reveal that the crystal structure of the anatase hinders the diffusion of lithium, leading to a typical reaction–diffusion process. Under this condition, only particle morphology LTO can be produced. However, the crystal structure of the TiO_2-B is easy for lithium diffusion and the process is performed in two separated steps (i.e., diffusion and reaction), which makes it possible to decrease the solid-state reaction temperature down to 650 °C and then maintain the morphologies of whiskers.

Semimetal-semiconductor transitions in bismuth-antimony films and nanowires induced by size quantization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikolaeva, A.A.; Konopko, L.A.; Grabov, V.M.; Komarov, V.A.; Kablukova, N.; Popov, I.A.

2013-01-01

Full text:Single-crystal bismuth films and nanowires undergo a transformation from semimetal to semiconductor (SMSC) thanks to the manifestation of quantum size effects, which modify phonon transport, which may be of practical interest. This effect must be most pronounced in single Bi 1-x Sb x nanostructures in the semimetal phase(x < 0.04) with a minimal overlapping of L and T bands. In this paper we present the experimental results an investigation of the low- temperature electrical transport, thermoelectrical properties, SdH oscillations of BiSb films, grown by vacuum thermal evaporation and nanowires prepared by a modified Ulitovsky - Teilor technique. We confirmed with X-ray diffraction that the trigonal axis were perpendicular to the film plane. The single Bi-2at% Sb nanowires with diameter 100-1000nm were represented single crystals in glass capillary with (1011) orientation along the wire axis. The investigations the Shubnikov de Haas oscillations shows, that overlapping L and-T- bands was in two time smaller, than in pure Bi. The quantum dimensional effect induced SMSC transition is observed in Bi-Sb films and nanowires at the wires diameters up to five times greater, than in pure Bi. That experimental fact on the one site will be allow to go at higher temperatures with the same diameters nanowires, and on the other hand allows to separate effects connected with surface state and QSE. We also discuss the thermoelectric properties for optimizing their performance for certain, such as thermoelectrics.

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

Investigation on the effect of atomic defects on the breaking behaviors of gold nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Fenying; Sun Wei; Wang Hongbo; Zhao Jianwei; Kiguchi, Manabu; Sun Changqing

2012-01-01

The mechanical properties and breaking behaviors of the [100]-oriented single-crystal gold nanowires containing a set of defect ratios have been studied at different temperatures using molecular dynamics simulations. The size of the nanowire is 10a × 10a × 30a (a stands for lattice constant, 0.408 nm for gold). The mechanical strengths of the nanowires decrease with the increasing temperature. However, the defects that enhance the local thermal energy have improved the nanowire mechanical strength under a wide range of temperature. Comparing to the single-crystal nanowire, the existence of the atomic defects extends the elastic deformation showing a larger yield strain. By summarizing 300 samples at each temperature, the statistical breaking position distribution shows that the nanowire breaking behavior is sensitive to the atomic defects when the defect ratio is 5 % at 100 K, whereas the ratio is 1 % when temperatures are 300 and 500 K.

Two steps hydrothermal growth and characterisations of BaTiO3 films composed of nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Zawawi, Che Zaheerah Najeehah Che Mohd; Salleh, Shahril; Oon Jew, Lee; Tufail Chaudhary, Kashif; Helmi, Mohamad; Safwan Aziz, Muhammad; Haider, Zuhaib; Ali, Jalil

2018-05-01

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) films composed of nanowires have gained considerable research interest due to their lead-free composition and strong energy conversion efficiency. BaTiO3 films can be developed with a simple two steps hydrothermal reactions, which are low cost effective. In this research, BaTiO3 films were fabricated on titanium foil through two steps hydrothermal method namely, the growth of TiO2 and followed by BaTiO3 films. The structural evolutions and the dielectric properties of the films were investigated as well. The structural evolutions of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and BaTiO3 nanowires were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. First step of hydrothermal reaction, TiO2 nanowires were prepared in varied temperatures of 160 °C, 200 °C and 250 °C respectively. Second step of hydrothermal reaction was performed to produce a layer of BaTiO3 films.

Crystal growth and optical properties of Sm:CaNb2O6 single crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Juqing; Xu Xiaodong; Xia Changtai; Zeng Huidan; Cheng Yan; Li Dongzhen; Zhou Dahua; Wu Feng; Cheng Jimeng; Xu Jun

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Sm:CaNb 2 O 6 single crystal was grown by the Czochralski method. ► Thermal expansion coefficients and J–O parameters were calculated. ► We found that this crystal had high quantum efficiency of 97%. - Abstract: Sm:CaNb 2 O 6 single crystal has been grown by the Czochralski method. Its high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction, optical absorption, emission spectroscopic as well as lifetime have been studied. Thermal expansion coefficients (α), J–O parameters (Ω i ), radiative lifetime (τ rad ), branching ratios (β) and stimulated emission cross-sections (σ e ) were calculated. The quantum efficiency (η) was calculated to be 97%. The intense peak emission cross section at 610, 658 nm were calculated to be 2.40 × 10 −21 , 2.42 × 10 −21 cm 2 . These results indicate that Sm:CaNb 2 O 6 crystal has potential use in visible laser and photonic devices area.

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Mo-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-guo Huang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The undoped and Mo-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, diffuse reflectance UV-visible absorption spectra (UV-vis DRS, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under irradiation of a 500 W xenon lamp and natural solar light outdoor. Effects of calcination temperatures and Mo doping amounts on crystal phase, crystallite size, lattice distortion, and optical properties were investigated. The results showed that most of Mo6+ took the place of Ti4+ in the crystal lattice of TiO2, which inhibited the growth of crystallite size, suppressed the transformation from anatase to rutile, and led to lattice distortion of TiO2. Mo doping narrowed the band gap (from 3.05 eV of TiO2 to 2.73 eV of TiMo0.02O and efficiently increased the optical absorption in visible region. Mo doping was shown to be an efficient method for degradation of methylene blue under visible light, especially under solar light. When the calcination temperature was 550°C and the Mo doping amount was 2.0%, the Mo-doped TiO2 sample exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity.

Annealing effect on superconductivity of La2CuO4 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, I.; Takahashi, H.; Kojima, H.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that La 2 CuO 4 single crystals grown at an oxygen pressure of 0.2 MPa by TSFZ method are superconducting below 32 K, and show a semiconducting behavior in nonsuperconducting state. The single crystals of La 2 CuO 4 are changed from superconductors to semiconductors by annealing in argon, and are returned to superconductors by annealing at ambient pressure of oxygen. Therefore, superconductivity of the La 2 CuO 4 single crystals is due to excess oxygen

Annealing effect on superconductivity of La2CuO4 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, L.; Takahashi, H.; Kojima, H.

1992-01-01

La 2 CuO 4 single crystals grown at an oxygen pressure of 0.2 MPa by TSFZ method are superconducting below 32 K, and show a semiconducting behavior in nonsuperconducting state. The single crystals of La 2 CuO 4 are changed from superconductors to semiconductors by annealing in argon, and are returned to superconductors by annealing at ambient pressure of oxygen. Therefore, superconductivity of the La 2 CuO 4 single crystals is due to excess oxygen. (orig.)

Growth Aspects, Structural and Optical Properties of 2-aminopyridinium 2,4 Dinitrophenolate Single Crystal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Reena Devi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Organic single crystal of 2-aminopyridinium 2,4-dinitrophenolate single crystal was grown by slow evaporation technique. The cell parameters and space group (P were determined from single X-ray diffraction analysis. HRXRD studies ascertained the crystalline quality. UV-Visible and PL spectral studies revealed the emission in red region, transparency (75% cutoff wavelength around 440 nm respectively. The laser damage threshold of grown crystal was estimated by using Nd:YAG laser beam and these results were mutually related with specific heat capacity of the grown crystal. The third-order nonlinear optical parameters were estimated by Z-scan technique which is useful for optical applications.

Nanolithography based contacting method for electrical measurements on single template synthesized nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fusil, S.; Piraux, L.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan

2005-01-01

A reliable method enabling electrical measurements on single nanowires prepared by electrodeposition in an alumina template is described. This technique is based on electrically controlled nanoindentation of a thin insulating resist deposited on the top face of the template filled by the nanowires....... We show that this method is very flexible, allowing us to electrically address single nanowires of controlled length down to 100 nm and of desired composition. Using this approach, current densities as large as 10 A cm were successfully injected through a point contact on a single magnetic...

Effect of Graphite Doped TiO_2 Nanoparticles on Smoke Degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roshasnorlyza Hazan; Mohamad Shahrizal Md Zain; Natrah Syafiqah Rosli

2016-01-01

Secondhand smoke affects in the same way as regular smoker. The best solution is to purify the air efficiently and effectively. In this study, we were successfully doped TiO_2 nanoparticle with graphite to accelerate the degradation of cigarette smoke. The graphite doped and undoped TiO_2 nanoparticles were prepared from synthetic rutile using alkaline fusion method and their photo catalytic activity were investigated under visible light irradiation. The photo catalytic activity of the TiO_2 nanoparticles was analyzed in terms of their particle size analysis, crystallization and optical band gap. TiO_2 nanoparticle act as photo catalyzer by utilization of light energy to excite electron-hole pairs in smoke degradation processes. With the aided from graphite in TiO_2 nanoparticles, the smoke degradation was accelerate up to 44.4 %. In this case, graphite helps to reduce optical band gap of TiO_2 nanoparticle, thus increasing excitation of electron from valence band to conduction band. (author)

Microporous TiO2-WO3/TiO2 films with visible-light photocatalytic activity synthesized by micro arc oxidation and DC magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Kee-Rong; Hung, Chung-Hsuang; Yeh, Chung-Wei; Wu, Jiing-Kae

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A simple MAO is used to prepare porous WO 3 /TiO 2 layer on Ti sheet as a visible-light enabled catalyst. ► The photocatalytic activity of the WO 3 /TiO 2 is enhanced by sputtering over an N,C-TiO 2 layer. ► This is ascribed to the synergetic effect of hybrid sample prepared by two-step method. - Abstract: This study reports the preparation of microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 films with a high surface area using a two-step approach. A porous WO 3 /TiO 2 template was synthesized by oxidizing a titanium sheet using a micro arc oxidation (MAO) process. This sheet was subsequently overlaid with a visible light (Vis)-enabled TiO 2 (N,C-TiO 2 ) film, which was deposited by codoping nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) ions into a TiO 2 lattice using direct current magnetron sputtering. The resulting microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 film with a 0.38-μm-thick N,C-TiO 2 top-layer exhibited high photocatalytic activity in methylene blue (MB) degradation among samples under ultraviolet (UV) and Vis irradiation. This is attributable to the synergetic effect of two-step preparation method, which provides a highly porous microstructure and the well-crystallized N,C-TiO 2 top-layer. This is because a higher surface area with high crystallinity favors the adsorption of more MB molecules and more photocatalytic active areas. Thus, the microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 film has promising applications in the photocatalytic degradation of dye solution under UV and Vis irradiation. These results imply that the microporous WO 3 /TiO 2 can be used as a template of hybrid electrode because it enables rapid fabrication.

The design, fabrication, and photocatalytic utility of nanostructured semiconductors: focus on TiO2-based nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Arghya Narayan

2011-01-01

Recent advances in basic fabrication techniques of TiO2-based nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanowires, nanoplatelets, and both physical- and solution-based techniques have been adopted by various research groups around the world. Our research focus has been mainly on various deposition parameters used for fabricating nanostructured materials, including TiO2-organic/inorganic nanocomposite materials. Technically, TiO2 shows relatively high reactivity under ultraviolet light, the energy of which exceeds the band gap of TiO2. The development of photocatalysts exhibiting high reactivity under visible light allows the main part of the solar spectrum to be used. Visible light-activated TiO2 could be prepared by doping or sensitizing. As far as doping of TiO2 is concerned, in obtaining tailored material with improved properties, metal and nonmetal doping has been performed in the context of improved photoactivity. Nonmetal doping seems to be more promising than metal doping. TiO2 represents an effective photocatalyst for water and air purification and for self-cleaning surfaces. Additionally, it can be used as an antibacterial agent because of its strong oxidation activity and superhydrophilicity. Therefore, applications of TiO2 in terms of photocatalytic activities are discussed here. The basic mechanisms of the photoactivities of TiO2 and nanostructures are considered alongside band structure engineering and surface modification in nanostructured TiO2 in the context of doping. The article reviews the basic structural, optical, and electrical properties of TiO2, followed by detailed fabrication techniques of 0-, 1-, and quasi-2-dimensional TiO2 nanomaterials. Applications and future directions of nanostructured TiO2 are considered in the context of various photoinduced phenomena such as hydrogen production, electricity generation via dye-sensitized solar cells, photokilling and self-cleaning effect, photo-oxidation of organic pollutant, wastewater management, and

Alkali-corrosion synthesis and excellent DSSC performance of novel jujube-like hierarchical TiO2 microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Jiajia; Li, Po; Wen, Xiaogang

2018-04-01

Novel jujube-like hierarchical TiO2 microspheres (HTMs) were synthesized by an alkali-corrosion process of titanium phosphate (Ti2O3(H2PO4)2 · 2H2O) microspheres. The hierarchical titanium phosphate microsphere (HTPM) intermediates consisting of nanoflakes with a thickness of 20 nm were firstly prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. After reacting with diluted NaOH at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, followed by subsequent acid washing and a calcination process, the HTPM intermediates were transformed to TiO2 with the microsphere morphology well retained, while the nanoflakes became porous, and some new nanowires were formed between the nanoflakes. Finally, HTMs consisting of porous nanoflakes and nanowires were obtained. The possible growth mechanisms of HTPMs and HTMs are discussed. The HTMs demonstrate high specific surface area and excellent light-scattering ability. The performance of the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) of the HTMs synthesized under different conditions is studied, and a total conversion efficiency of up to 8.93% was obtained. The improved DSSC performance was attributed to the enhanced dye loading, light-scattering, and charge transporting ability of the HTMs with a unique hierarchical nanostructure.

Controlled synthesis of organic single-crystalline nanowires via the synergy approach of the bottom-up/top-down processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuo, Ming-Peng; Zhang, Ye-Xin; Li, Zhi-Zhou; Shi, Ying-Li; Wang, Xue-Dong; Liao, Liang-Sheng

2018-03-15

The controlled fabrication of organic single-crystalline nanowires (OSCNWs) with a uniform diameter in the nanoscale via the bottom-up approach, which is just based on weak intermolecular interaction, is a great challenge. Herein, we utilize the synergy approach of the bottom-up and the top-down processes to fabricate OSCNWs with diameters of 120 ± 10 nm through stepwise evolution processes. Specifically, the evolution processes vary from the self-assembled organic micro-rods with a quadrangular pyramid-like end-structure bounded with {111}s and {11-1}s crystal planes to the "top-down" synthesized organic micro-rods with the flat cross-sectional {002}s plane, to the organic micro-tubes with a wall thickness of ∼115 nm, and finally to the organic nanowires. Notably, the anisotropic etching process caused by the protic solvent molecules (such as ethanol) is crucial for the evolution of the morphology throughout the whole top-down process. Therefore, our demonstration opens a new avenue for the controlled-fabrication of organic nanowires, and also contributes to the development of nanowire-based organic optoelectronics such as organic nanowire lasers.

Athermal avalanche in bilayer superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verma, V. B., E-mail: verma@nist.gov; Lita, A. E.; Stevens, M. J.; Mirin, R. P.; Nam, S. W. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States)

2016-03-28

We demonstrate that two superconducting nanowires separated by a thin insulating barrier can undergo an avalanche process. In this process, Joule heating caused by a photodetection event in one nanowire and the associated production of athermal phonons which are transmitted through the barrier cause the transition of the adjacent nanowire from the superconducting to the normal state. We show that this process can be utilized in the fabrication of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, reduce system jitter, maximize device area, and increase the external efficiency over a very broad range of wavelengths. Furthermore, the avalanche mechanism may provide a path towards a superconducting logic element based on athermal gating.

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.

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)

Improving iron-enriched basalt with additions of ZrO2 and TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reimann, G.A.; Kong, P.C.

1993-06-01

The iron-enriched basalt (IEB) waste form, developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory a decade ago, was modified to IEB4 by adding sufficient ZrO 2 and TiO 2 to develop crystals of zirconolite upon cooling, in addition to the crystals that normally form in a cooling basalt. Zirconolite (CaZrTi 2 O 7 ) is an extremely leach-resistant mineral with a strong affinity for actinides. Zirconolite crystals containing uranium and thorium have been found that have endured more than 2 billion years of natural processes. On this basis, zirconolite was considered to be an ideal host crystal for the actinides contained in transuranic (TRU)-contaminated wastes. Crystals of zirconolite were developed in laboratory melts of IEB4 that contained 5% each of ZrO 2 and TiO 2 and that were slow-cooled in the 1200--1000 degrees C range. When actinide surrogates were added to IEB4, these oxides were incorporated into the crystals of zirconolite rather than precipitating in the residual glass phase. Zirconolite crystals developed in IEB4 should stabilize and immobilize the dilute TRUs in heterogeneous, buried low-level wastes as effectively as this same phase does in the various formulations of Synroc used for the more concentrated TRUs encountered in high-level wastes. Synroc requires hot-pressing equipment, while IEB4 precipitates zirconolite from a cooling basaltic melt

1D-transport properties of single superconducting lead nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michotte, S.; Mátéfi-Tempfli, Stefan; Piraux, L.

2003-01-01

of the nanowire is small enough to ensure a 1D superconducting regime in a wide temperature range below T. The non-zero resistance in the superconducting state and its variation caused by fluctuations of the superconducting order parameter were measured versus temperature, magnetic field, and applied DC current......We report on the transport properties of single superconducting lead nanowires grown by an electrodeposition technique, embedded in a nanoporous track-etched polymer membrane. The nanowires are granular, have uniform diameter of ̃40 nm and a very large aspect ratio (̃500). The diameter...

Weak antilocalization and conductance fluctuation in a single crystalline Bi nanowire

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeongmin; Lee, Seunghyun; Kim, MinGin; Lee, Wooyoung; Brovman, Yuri M.; Kim, Philip

2014-01-01

We present the low temperature transport properties of an individual single-crystalline Bi nanowire grown by the on-film formation of nanowire method. The temperature dependent resistance and magnetoresistance of Bi nanowires were investigated. The phase coherence length was obtained from the fluctuation pattern of the magnetoresistance below 40 K using universal conductance fluctuation theory. The obtained temperature dependence of phase coherence length and the fluctuation amplitude indicates that the transport of electrons shows 2-dimensional characteristics originating from the surface states. The temperature dependence of the coherence length derived from the weak antilocalization effect using the Hikami–Larkin–Nagaoka model is consistent with that from the universal conductance fluctuations theory

High-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy of TiO3H2-: Probing the TiO2- + H2O dissociative adduct

Science.gov (United States)

DeVine, Jessalyn A.; Abou Taka, Ali; Babin, Mark C.; Weichman, Marissa L.; Hratchian, Hrant P.; Neumark, Daniel M.

2018-06-01

Slow electron velocity-map imaging spectroscopy of cryogenically cooled TiO3H2- anions is used to probe the simplest titania/water reaction, TiO20/- + H2O. The resultant spectra show vibrationally resolved structure assigned to detachment from the cis-dihydroxide TiO(OH)2- geometry based on density functional theory calculations, demonstrating that for the reaction of the anionic TiO2- monomer with a single water molecule, the dissociative adduct (where the water is split) is energetically preferred over a molecularly adsorbed geometry. This work represents a significant improvement in resolution over previous measurements, yielding an electron affinity of 1.2529(4) eV as well as several vibrational frequencies for neutral TiO(OH)2. The energy resolution of the current results combined with photoelectron angular distributions reveals Herzberg-Teller coupling-induced transitions to Franck-Condon forbidden vibrational levels of the neutral ground state. A comparison to the previously measured spectrum of bare TiO2- indicates that reaction with water stabilizes neutral TiO2 more than the anion, providing insight into the fundamental chemical interactions between titania and water.

Characterization and Comparison of Photocatalytic Activity Silver Ion doped on TiO2(TiO2/Ag+) and Silver Ion doped on Black TiO2(Black TiO2/Ag+)

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jin Yi; Sim, Ho Hyung; Song, Sinae; Noh, Yeoung Ah; Lee, Hong Woon; Taik Kim, Hee

2018-03-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the representative ceramic materials containing photocatalyst, optic and antibacterial activity. The hydroxyl radical in TiO2 applies to the intensive oxidizing agent, hence TiO2 is suitable to use photocatalytic materials. Black TiO2was prepared through reduction of amorphous TiO2 conducting under H2 which leads to color changes. Its black color is proven that absorbs 100% light across the whole-visible light, drawing enhancement of photocatalytic property. In this study, we aimed to compare the photocatalytic activity of silver ion doped on TiO2(TiO2/Ag+) and silver ion doped on black TiO2(black TiO2/Ag+) under visible light range. TiO2/Ag+ was fabricated following steps. 1) TiO2 was synthesized by a sol-gel method from Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP). 2) Then AgNO3 was added during an aging process step for silver ion doping on the surface of TiO2. Moreover, Black TiO2/Ag+ was obtained same as TiO2/Ag+ except for calcination under H2. The samples were characterized X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible reflectance (UV-vis DRS), and Methylene Blue degradation test. XRD analysis confirmed morphology of TiO2. The band gap of black TiO2/Ag+ was confirmed (2.6 eV) through UV-vis DRS, which was lower than TiO2/Ag+ (2.9 eV). The photocatalytic effect was conducted by methylene blue degradation test. It demonstrated that black TiO2/Ag+ had a photocatalytic effect under UV light also visible light.

On the thermomechanical deformation of silver shape memory nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Harold S.; Ji, Changjiang

2006-01-01

We present an analysis of the uniaxial thermomechanical deformation of single-crystal silver shape memory nanowires using atomistic simulations. We first demonstrate that silver nanowires can show both shape memory and pseudoelastic behavior, then perform uniaxial tensile loading of the shape memory nanowires at various deformation temperatures, strain rates and heat transfer conditions. The simulations show that the resulting mechanical response of the shape memory nanowires depends strongly upon the temperature during deformation, and can be fundamentally different from that observed in bulk polycrystalline shape memory alloys. The energy and temperature signatures of uniaxially loaded silver shape memory nanowires are correlated to the observed nanowire deformation, and are further discussed in comparison to bulk polycrystalline shape memory alloy behavior

Crystal phase evolution of TiO2 nanoparticles with reaction time in acidic solutions studied via freeze-drying method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Hyunho; Jung, Hyun Suk; Hong, Kug Sun; Lee, Jung-Kun

2005-01-01

The crystal phase evolution of TiO 2 nanoparticles, during hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetraisopropoxide, was quenched at various reaction times by a freeze-drying method, followed by various characterizations. Three types of solutions with different acid input times were studied: (1) addition in infinite time (no addition) (2) addition at 24h after the hydrolysis/condensation reaction started, and (3) addition from the beginning of the reaction. The acid-free solution yielded amorphous TiO 2 , which transformed to anatase very slowly. The acid input in 24h resulted in a fast transformation of amorphous to a metastable anatase having a highly distorted atomic arrangement: thereby its transformation to a more stable phase, rutile, was suitable. The acid addition from the beginning of the reaction yielded the formation of a relatively stable anatase from the hydrolysis seed, thereby the subsequent transformation to rutile was sluggish

Commensurability oscillations in NdBa2Cu3Oy single crystals

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)