Large-Scale Green Method for Synthesizing Ultralong Uniform Tellurium Nanowires for Semiconductor Devices.

This study presents a large-scale green approach for synthesizing ultralong tellurium nanowires with diameters around 13 nm using a solution-based method. By adjusting key synthesis parameters such as the surfactant concentration, temperature, and reaction duration, we achieved high-quality, ultralong Te NWs. These nanowires exhibit properties suitable for use in semiconductor applications, particularly when employed as channel materials in thin-film transistors, displaying a pronounced gate effect with a high switch of up to 10 and a mobility of 0.

Exploring Applications and Preparation Techniques for Cellulose Hydrogels: A Comprehensive Review.

Cellulose hydrogels, formed either through physical or chemical cross-linking into a three-dimensional network from cellulose or its derivatives, are renowned for their exceptional water absorption capacities and biocompatibility. Rising demands for sustainable materials have spurred interest in cellulose hydrogels, attributed to their abundant supply, biodegradability, and non-toxic nature. These properties highlight their extensive potential across various sectors including biomedicine, the food industry, and environmental protection.

Highly Sensitive and Selective Gas Sensors Based on Metal Iodates: Material Characterization and Sensor Performance Evaluation.

This study proposes the possibility of employing metal iodates as novel gas-sensing materials synthesized using a facile chemical precipitation method. An extensive survey of a library of metal iodates reveals that cobalt, nickel, and copper iodates are useful for gas sensor applications. Material analysis conducted using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal gravity differential temperature analysis, and Raman spectroscopy enables us to understand the thermal behavior and optimize post-annealing conditions.

Functional Aerogels Composed of Regenerated Cellulose and Tungsten Oxide for UV Detection and Seawater Desalination.

Functional aerogels composed of regenerated cellulose and tungsten oxide were fabricated by implanting tungsten-oxide nanodots into regenerated cellulose fiber. This superfast photochromic property benefitted from the small size and even distribution of tungsten oxide, which was caused by the confinement effect of the regenerated cellulose fiber. The composite was characterized using XRD and TEM to illustrate the successful loading of tungsten oxide.

Development of Morphologically engineered Flower-like Hafnium-Doped ZnO with Experimental and DFT Validation for Low-Temperature and Ultrasensitive Detection of NO Gas.

Substitutional doping and different nanostructures of ZnO have rendered it an effective sensor for the detection of volatile organic compounds in real-time atmosphere. However, the low selectivity of ZnO sensors limits their applications. Herein, hafnium (Hf)-doped ZnO (Hf-ZnO) nanostructures are developed by the hydrothermal method for high selectivity of hazardous NO gas in the atmosphere, substantially portraying the role of doping concentration on the enhancement of structural, optical, and sensing behavior.

Nickel sulfide nanorods decorated on graphene as advanced hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts in acidic and alkaline media.

Nowadays, the fabrication of robust and earth-abundant hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts with noble-metal-like catalytic activities is still facing great challenges. In this report, nanorod (NR)-shaped nickel sulfide (NiS) is successfully decorated on graphene (Gr) by utilizing carbon cloth (CC) as a substrate (NiS-Gr-CC). Benefiting from the NR morphology and strong interfacial synergetic effect between NiS and Gr, the NiS-Gr-CC electrocatalyst shows good catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).

Bioinspired, Shape-Morphing Scale Battery for Untethered Soft Robots.

Geometrically multifunctional structures inspired by nature can address the challenges in the development of soft robotics. A bioinspired structure based on origami and kirigami can significantly enhance the stretchability and reliability of soft robots. This study proposes a novel structure with individual, overlapping units, similar to snake scales that can be used to construct shape-morphing batteries for untethered soft robots.

Ultra-Thin ReS Nanosheets Grown on Carbon Black for Advanced Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

ReS nanosheets are grown on the surface of carbon black (CB) via an efficient hydrothermal method. We confirmed the ultra-thin ReS nanosheets with ≈1-4 layers on the surface of the CB (ReS@CB) by using analytical techniques of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The ReS@CB nanocomposite showed high specific capacities of 760, 667, 600, 525, and 473 mAh/g at the current densities of 0.

Highly Efficient Nanocarbon Coating Layer on the Nanostructured Copper Sulfide-Metal Organic Framework Derived Carbon for Advanced Sodium-Ion Battery Anode.

High theoretical capacity and low-cost copper sulfide (CuS)-based anodes have gained great attention for advanced sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, their practical application may be hindered due to their unstable cycling performance and problems with the dissolution of sodium sulfides (NaS) into electrolyte. Here, we employed metal organic framework (MOF-199) as a sacrificial template to fabricate nanoporous CuS with a large surface area embedded in the MOF-derived carbon network (CuS-C) through a two-step process of sulfurization and carbonization via HS gas-assisted plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processing.

Correction: The role of thermal annealing on the microstructures of (Ti, Fe)-alloyed Si thin-film anodes for high-performance Li-ion batteries.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C7RA13172K.].

Cross-Linked Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-co-HFP) Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Flexible Li-Ion Battery Integrated with Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED).

Here, we fabricate poly(vinylidene fluoride--hexafluoropropene) (PVDF--HFP) by electrospinning for a gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) for use in flexible Li-ion batteries (LIBs). As a solvent, we use -methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), which helps produce the cross-linked morphology of PVDF--HFP separator, owing to its low volatility. The cross-linked PVDF--HFP separator shows an uptake rate higher than that of a commercialized polypropylene (PP) separator.

The role of thermal annealing on the microstructures of (Ti, Fe)-alloyed Si thin-film anodes for high-performance Li-ion batteries.

Here, we studied the effect of thermal annealing on the microstructure and cyclic stability of a (Ti, Fe)-alloyed Si thin-film fabricated by a simple sputtering deposition method for Li-ion battery (LIB) anodes. The anode samples annealed at different temperatures (300-600 °C) were subjected to microstructure analysis and LIB performance test. The (Ti, Fe)-alloyed Si thin-film anode delivered a high capacity of 1563 mA h g for 100 cycles at 0.

Employment of gold-coated silver nanowires as transparent conductive electrode for organic light emitting diodes.

This study proposes a simple method of Au coating on silver nanowires (Ag NWs) transparent conductive films as the anode of organic light emitting diodes (OLED) to increase the work function of the film and thus enhance hole transport. We carefully engineer the process conditions (pretreatment, solution concentrations, and coating number) of the coating using a diluted HAuCl solution on the Ag NWs film to minimize etching damage on Ag NWs accompanying the galvanic replacement reaction. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy show work function increase of Ag NWs upon Au coating.

Nanospherical solid electrolyte interface layer formation in binder-free carbon nanotube aerogel/Si nanohybrids to provide lithium-ion battery anodes with a long-cycle life and high capacity.

Silicon anodes for lithium ion batteries (LiBs) have been attracting considerable attention due to a theoretical capacity up to about 10 times higher than that of conventional graphite. However, huge volume expansion during the cycle causes cracks in the silicon, resulting in the degradation of cycling performance and eventual failure. Moreover, low electrical conductivity and an unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer resulting from repeated changes in volume still block the next step forward for the commercialization of the silicon material.

Polyethylenimine Ethoxylated-Mediated All-Solution-Processed High-Performance Flexible Inverted Quantum Dot-Light-Emitting Device.

We report on an all-solution-processed fabrication of highly efficient green quantum dot-light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) with an inverted architecture, where an interfacial polymeric surface modifier of polyethylenimine ethoxylated (PEIE) is inserted between a quantum dot (QD) emitting layer (EML) and a hole transport layer (HTL), and a MoO hole injection layer is solution deposited on top of the HTL. Among the inverted QLEDs with varied PEIE thicknesses, the device with an optimal PEIE thickness of 15.5 nm shows record maximum efficiency values of 65.

MoS2-InGaZnO Heterojunction Phototransistors with Broad Spectral Responsivity.

We introduce an amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) heterostructure phototransistor consisting of solution-based synthetic molybdenum disulfide (few-layered MoS2, with a band gap of ∼1.7 eV) and sputter-deposited a-IGZO (with a band gap of ∼3.0 eV) films as a novel sensing element with a broad spectral responsivity.

Effects of Sb Content (x) on (Bi(1-x)Sb(x))2Te3 Thermoelectric Thin Film Deposited by Effusion Cell Evaporator.

This paper investigates the effects of the Sb content (x) on (Bi(1-x)Sb(x))2Te3 thermoelectric films with x changing widely from 0 (Sb2Te3) to 1 (Bi2Te3). First, the XRD analysis discloses that with the Sb content (x) increasing, the phase changed gradually from Bi2Te3 to Sb2Te3 as Sb atoms replaced substitutionally Bi atoms. Further microstructure analysis reveals that an extensive grain growth occurred during post-annealing for the samples with high Sb contents.

Enhancement of electrical conductivity of silver nanowires-networked films via the addition of Cs-added TiO2.

This study proposes a novel method of improving the electrical conductivity of silver nanowires (NWs)-networked films for the application of transparent conductive electrodes. We applied Cs-added TiO2 (TiO2:Cs) nanoparticles onto Ag NWs, which caused the NWs to be neatly welded together through local melting at the junctions, according to our transmission and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Systematic comparison of the sheet resistance of the samples reveals that these welded NWs yielded a significant improvement in conductivity.

Defect-free erbium silicide formation using an ultrathin Ni interlayer.

An ultrathin Ni interlayer (∼1 nm) was introduced between a TaN-capped Er film and a Si substrate to prevent the formation of surface defects during thermal Er silicidation. A nickel silicide interfacial layer formed at low temperatures and incurred uniform nucleation and the growth of a subsequently formed erbium silicide film, effectively inhibiting the generation of recessed-type surface defects and improving the surface roughness. As a side effect, the complete transformation of Er to erbium silicide was somewhat delayed, and the electrical contact property at low annealing temperatures was dominated by the nickel silicide phase with a high Schottky barrier height.

Silicide formation process of Er films with Ta and TaN capping layers.

The phase development and defect formation during the silicidation reaction of sputter-deposited Er films on Si with ∼20-nm-thick Ta and TaN capping layers were examined. TaN capping effectively prevented the oxygen incorporation from the annealing atmosphere, which resulted in complete conversion to the ErSi2-x phase. However, significant oxygen penetration through the Ta capping layer inhibited the ErSi2-x formation, and incurred the growth of several Er-Si-O phases, even consuming the ErSi2-x layer formed earlier.

Effects of Sn doping on the growth morphology and electrical properties of ZnO nanowires.

This study examines the effects of doping ZnO nanowires (NWs) with Sn on the growth morphology and electrical properties. ZnO NWs with various Sn contents (1-3 at.%) were synthesized using the vapor-liquid-solid method.

A hybridized graphene carrier highway for enhanced thermoelectric power generation.

The decoupling and enhancement of both Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity were achieved by constructing the c-axis preferentially oriented nanoscale Sb(2)Te(3) film on monolayer graphene. The external graphene layer provided a highway for charge carriers, which were stored in the thicker binary telluride film, due to the extremely high mobility.

Ge oxidation in the remaining cores of Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires after prolonged oxidation.

For this investigation of the Ge behavior of condensed Si(1-y)Ge(y) (y > x) cores during the oxidation of Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires, Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires were grown in a tube furnace by the vapor-liquid-solid method and thermally oxidized. The test results were characterized using several techniques of transmission electron microscopy. The two types of Ge condensation are related to the diameter and Ge content of the nanowires.