Bandgap Shrinkage and Charge Transfer in 2D Layered SnS Doped with V for Photocatalytic Efficiency Improvement.

Effects of electronic and atomic structures of V-doped 2D layered SnS are studied using X-ray spectroscopy for the development of photocatalytic/photovoltaic applications. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure measurements at V K-edge reveal the presence of VO and VS bonds which form the intercalation of tetrahedral OVS sites in the van der Waals (vdW) gap of SnS layers. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) reveals not only valence state of V dopant in SnS is ≈4 but also the charge transfer (CT) from V to ligands, supported by V L resonant inelastic X-ray scattering.

Role of Interfacial Defects in Photoelectrochemical Properties of BiVO Coated on ZnO Nanodendrites: X-ray Spectroscopic and Microscopic Investigation.

Synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopic and microscopic techniques are used to identify the origin of enhancement of the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of BiVO (BVO) that is coated on ZnO nanodendrites (hereafter referred to as BVO/ZnO). The atomic and electronic structures of core-shell BVO/ZnO nanodendrites have been well-characterized, and the heterojunction has been determined to favor the migration of charge carriers under the PEC condition. The variation of charge density between ZnO and BVO in core-shell BVO/ZnO nanodendrites with many unpaired O 2p-derived states at the interface forms interfacial oxygen defects and yields a band gap of approximately 2.

Correlation among photoluminescence and the electronic and atomic structures of SrSiO:xEu phosphors: X-ray absorption and emission studies.

A series of Eu-activated strontium silicate phosphors, SrSiO:xEu (SSO:xEu, x = 1.0, 2.0 and 5.

Contact angle measurements: a preliminary diagnostic tool for evaluating the performance of ZnFe2O4 nano-flake based supercapacitors.

Contact angle measurements (surface wettability) of the electrolytes (1 M KOH, NaOH and LiOH) and their combination (1 M 1 : 1 v/v LiOH + KOH, NaOH + KOH and LiOH + NaOH) in contact with ZnFe2O4 nano-flake based electrodes is used as an empirical diagnostic tool to pre-evaluate the performance of a supercapacitor prior to actual fabrication of the device.