Ultra-Broadband High-Entropy Oxide Absorber Layer for Enhanced Photodetector Performance.

A novel light-absorbing material of high-entropy oxide (HEO) has been synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The HEO has six metals, namely, Fe, Ni, Mn, Cr, Mg, and Cu. The obtained HEO light absorber is demonstrated to show unprecedented broadband absorption, ranging from 310 to 1400 nm.

Balance of photon management and charge collection from carbon-quantum-dot layers as self-powered broadband photodetectors.

Semiconductor colloidal quantum dots (QDs) have been regarded as promising fluorescent materials for chemical sensing, bio-detection and optical communications; yet it still remains challenging to bring out self-powered photodetectors based solely on QDs because the excited charges within QDs are extremely immobile due to their reduced dimensionalities and they hardly form effective photocurrents. Hence, we have attempted to decouple the light-absorption and charge-transport criteria in order to feature highly-sensitive, rapid-response and self-driven photodetectors based on single-layer carbon QD layers (CQDLs) facile self-assembling deposition with fine control over thickness. We show explicit dark-current suppression by visualizing charge blocking phenomena and screen effects due to layered CQDL structures, which alleviate the movement of leakage carriers crossing over the CQD interlayers.

Unveiling the detection kinetics and quantitative analysis of colorimetric sensing for sodium salts using surface-modified Au-nanoparticle probes.

Rapid, reliable, and sensitive colorimetric detection has been regarded as a highly potential technique for visually monitoring the cation ions. Yet, insight into detection kinetics and quantitative analysis for colorimetric sensing of sodium ions has rarely been revealed. Herein, in-depth kinetic investigations of colorimetric detection using surface-modified Au-nanoparticle (AuNP) probes were performed for interpreting the correlation of salt concentration, reaction duration, and light absorbance.

Synergistic absorbents based on SnFeO@ZnO nanoparticles decorated with reduced graphene oxide for highly efficient dye adsorption at room temperature.

Recently, adsorption techniques have emerged as practical and effective methods for removing organic dyes, dramatically extending practical capabilities for treating deleterious pollutants in wastewater. However, an urgent issue restricting the performance of these techniques is that no available absorbents that can be used to treat both cationic and anionic organic dyes have been made with simple and reliable methods until now. Herein, we report a green synthetic strategy for the preparation of SnFeO/ZnO nanoparticles decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO), exhibiting a remarkably large surface area (120.

Day-night active photocatalysts obtained through effective incorporation of Au@CuS nanoparticles onto ZnO nanowalls.

Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes has been considered one of the promising solutions that enabled to effectively treat the demanding pollutants in wastewater. Yet, insight into the photocatalytic process under both illumination and dark conditions were hitherto missing. Herein, by virtue of incorporating the core-shell Au@CuS nanoparticles to the ZnO nanowalls synthesized via all-solution synthesis, the intriguing heterostructures allowed to trigger the extraordinary capability of dye degradation either under light irradiance or dark environment.

ZnO/CuO/Si Nanowire Arrays as Ternary Heterostructure-Based Photocatalysts with Enhanced Photodegradation Performances.

Ternary ZnO/CuO/Si nanowire arrays with vertical regularity were prepared with all-solution processed method at low temperature. In addition to the detailed characterizations of morphologies and crystallographic patterns, the analyses of photoluminescence and photocurrents revealed the sound carrier separation owing from the established step-like band structures. By modeling the photodegradation process of the prepared heterostructures through kinetic investigations and scavenger examinations, the photocatalytic removal of MB dyes was found to follow the second-order kinetic model with reaction constant more than 15.

Insights for Realizing Ultrasensitive Colorimetric Detection of Glucose Based on Carbon/Silver Core/Shell Nanodots.

On-site and instant glucose sensing is essential for objectively monitoring the change of glucose content that has decisive effects on the normal regulation of carbon metabolism. Colorimetric synergy based on indicators for real-time sensing seemed to be the potential route, but so far it has remained quite challenge to shift down the detection limit in a stable manner. Also, the lack of a direct identification of the underlying detection mechanism especially on the exhibited color change limited their practical use.

Efficient Photocatalysts Made by Uniform Decoration of CuO Nanoparticles on Si Nanowire Arrays with Low Visible Reflectivity.

Highly uniformed decorations of CuO nanoparticles on the sidewalls of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with high aspect ratio were prepared through a two-step electroless deposition at room temperature. Morphology evolutions and photocatalytic performance of SiNWs decorated with aggregated and dispersed CuO nanoparticles were unveiled, and the correlated photodegradation kinetics was identified. In comparison with the conventional direct loadings where the aggregated CuO/SiNW structures were created, the uniform incorporation of CuO with SiNWs exhibited more than three and nine times of improved photodegradation efficiency than the aggregated-CuO/SiNWs and sole SiNWs, respectively.

Well incorporation of carbon nanodots with silicon nanowire arrays featuring excellent photocatalytic performances.

Recently, silicon (Si) nanowires have been intensively applied for a wide range of optoelectronic applications. Nevertheless, rare explorations considering the photodegradation of organic pollutants based on Si nanowires were performed, and they still require vast improvement, in particular for their degradation efficiency. In this study, broad-band and high efficiency photocatalytic systems were demonstrated through the good incorporation of Si nanowires with highly fluorescent carbon nanodots.

Silver-assisted chemical etching on silicon with polyvinylpyrrolidone-mediated formation of silver dendrites.

Metal-assisted chemical etching (MaCE) on silicon (Si)-mediated by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-is systematically investigated herein. It is found that the morphologies and crystallographic natures of the grown silver (Ag) dendrites can be significantly modulated, with the presence of PVP in the MaCE process leading to the formation of faceted Ag dendrites preferentially along the (111) crystallographic phase, rather than along the (200) phase. Further explorations of the PVP-mediated effect on Si etching are also revealed.