Laser-Generated Supranano Liquid Metal as Efficient Electron Mediator in Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells.

Creating colloids of liquid metal with tailored dimensions has been of technical significance in nano-electronics while a challenge remains for generating supranano (<10 nm) liquid metal to unravel the mystery of their unconventional functionalities. Present study pioneers the technology of pulsed laser irradiation in liquid from a solid target to liquid, and yields liquid ternary nano-alloys that are laborious to obtain via wet-chemistry synthesis. Herein, the significant role of the supranano liquid metal on mediating the electrons at the grain boundaries of perovskite films, which are of significance to influence the carriers recombination and hysteresis in perovskite solar cells, is revealed.

Correction: Preparation of carbon dots by non-focusing pulsed laser irradiation in toluene.

Correction for 'Preparation of carbon dots by non-focusing pulsed laser irradiation in toluene' by Huiwu Yu et al., Chem. Commun.

Correction: Fabrication of metal/semiconductor nanocomposites by selective laser nano-welding.

Correction for 'Fabrication of metal/semiconductor nanocomposites by selective laser nano-welding' by Huiwu Yu et al., Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 7012-7015.

Embedding laser generated nanocrystals in BiVO photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Addressing the intrinsic charge transport limitation of metal oxides has been of significance for pursuing viable PEC water splitting photoelectrodes. Growing a photoelectrode with conductive nanoobjects embedded in the matrix is promising for enhanced charge transport but remains a challenge technically. We herein show a strategy of embedding laser generated nanocrystals in BiVO photoanode matrix, which achieves photocurrent densities of up to 5.

In situ construction of hollow carbon spheres with N, Co, and Fe co-doping as electrochemical sensors for simultaneous determination of dihydroxybenzene isomers.

Control of the active sites/centers plays an important role in the design of novel electrode materials with unusual properties and achievement of sensors with high performance. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) freestanding multi-doped hollow carbon spheres (N-Co-Fe-HCS) with a layer thickness of 30 nm, which contained multiple active sites of the heteroatom N and transition metals (Co and Fe), were synthesized via a simple template method (with SiO2 as the template) and cost-efficient in situ self-polymerization, self-adsorption/reduction and carbonization strategies. Moreover, a series of hollow carbon sphere composites of the same family (N-HCS, N-Co-HCS and N-Fe-HCS) were prepared by this sensible process using the same method and precursors but different doping elements.

Determination of Trace Available Heavy Metals in Soil Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Assisted with Phase Transformation Method.

To detect available heavy metals in soil using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and improve its poor detection sensitivity, a simple and low cost sample pretreatment method named solid-liquid-solid transformation was proposed. By this method, available heavy metals were extracted from soil through ultrasonic vibration and centrifuging and then deposited on a glass slide. Utilization of this solid-liquid-solid transformation method, available Cd and Pb elements in soil were detected successfully.

Highly crystalline graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots as a fluorescent probe for detection of Fe(III) via an innner filter effect.

Bulk g-CN was transformed into water-soluble graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (g-CNQDs) via a chemical oxidation and liquid exfoliation process. The g-CNQDs possess a size distribution ranging from 1 to 5 nm (centered at 3 nm), excellent crystallinity, and are water soluble. It is found that Fe(III) ions are adsorbed on the surface of the g-CNQDs via electrostatic interaction, and that the blue fluorescence of the g-CNQDs is reduced by Fe(III) via an inner filter effect.

Constituting fully integrated colorimetric analysis system for Fe(III) on multifunctional nitrogen-doped MoO/cellulose paper.

Using ammonium molybdate and thiourea as precursors, nitrogen-doped MoO was produced by a one-step carbonization and then fixed into the cellulose filter paper (NMCP) with acrylic resin as a fixative. NMCP was designed as a multifunctional nanocomposite, i.e.

Fabrication of metal/semiconductor nanocomposites by selective laser nano-welding.

A green and simple method to prepare metal/semiconductor nanocomposites by selective laser nano-welding metal and semiconductor nanoparticles was presented, in which the sizes, phases, and morphologies of the components can be maintained. Many types of nanocomposites (such as Ag/TiO, Ag/SnO, Ag/ZnO, Pt/TiO, Pt/SnO, and Pt/ZnO) can be prepared by this method and their corresponding performances were enhanced.

Spectral Interference Elimination in Soil Analysis Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Assisted by Laser-Induced Fluorescence.

The complex and serious spectral interference makes it difficult to detect trace elements in soil using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). To address it, LIBS-assisted by laser-induced fluorescence (LIBS-LIF) was applied to selectively enhance the spectral intensities of the interfered lines. Utilizing this selective enhancement effect, all the interference lines could be eliminated.

Simultaneous determination of La, Ce, Pr, and Nd elements in aqueous solution using surface-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Determination of rare earth elements (REEs) plays an important role in the extraction process. In this work, surface-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (SENLIBS) was introduced to detect REEs (lanthanum, cerium，praseodymium，and neodymium elements) in an aqueous solution. The emission lines of La II 394.

Preparation of carbon dots by non-focusing pulsed laser irradiation in toluene.

A simple approach for preparing carbon dots (CDs) by non-focusing pulsed laser irradiation in toluene was presented. The as-prepared CDs were graphite dots, which were formed by ablating the intermediate graphene. The size of the as-prepared CDs could be easily controlled by the input of laser fluence.