SCAPS study on the effect of various hole transport layer on highly efficient 31.86% eco-friendly CZTS based solar cell.

Copper Zinc Tin Sulphide (CZTS) is a propitious semiconductor for active absorber material in thin-film solar cells (SCs). Here, SC architecture comprising FTO/ZnS/CZTS/variable HTLs/Au is discussed. Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and gold (Au) are used as front and back contacts, respectively.

Low vacuum annealing of cellulose acetate on nickel towards transparent conductive CNT-graphene hybrid films.

We report a versatile method based on low vacuum annealing of cellulose acetate on nickel (Ni) surface for rapid fabrication of graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT)-graphene hybrid films with tunable properties. Uniform films mainly composed of tri-layer graphene can be achieved via a surface precipitation of dissociated carbon at 800 °C for 30 seconds under vacuum conditions of ∼0.6 Pa.

Interconnected Pt-nanodendrite/DNA/reduced-graphene-oxide hybrid showing remarkable oxygen reduction activity and stability.

Controlling the morphology and size of platinum nanodendrites (PtDs) is a key factor in improving their catalytic activity and stability. Here, we report the synthesis of PtDs on genomic-double-stranded-DNA/reduced-graphene-oxide (gdsDNA/rGO) by the NaBH4 reduction of H(2)PtCl(6) in the presence of plant gdsDNA. Compared to industrially adopted catalysts (i.

Stable platinum nanoclusters on genomic DNA-graphene oxide with a high oxygen reduction reaction activity.

Nanosize platinum clusters with small diameters of 2-4 nm are known to be excellent catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. The inherent catalytic activity of smaller platinum clusters has not yet been reported due to a lack of preparation methods to control their size (<2 nm). Here we report the synthesis of platinum clusters (diameter ≤1.

Thermal transformation of carbon hybrid materials to graphene films.

We demonstrate a simple approach to grow graphene films on polycrystalline nickel (Ni) foils, in which polycrystalline carbon hybrid materials (CHMs) were used in sandwich structures (molybdenum-CHMs-Ni-molybdenum) as a carbon source for graphene, and pressure was then applied to the sandwich. The CHMs were transformed into single as well as few layer graphene by a segregation-precipitation process. The applied pressure not only increased the density of the graphene films but also reduced the vaporization of dissociated carbon molecules of the CHMs.

Synthesis of graphene film from fullerene rods.

Here we demonstrate a facile approach to grow uniform and large area single layer graphene directly over polycrystalline metal foil from fullerene, where fullerene molecules formed rod-like polycrystals in the toluene solvent. The generated pressure on sandwich structures has enhanced the density (scalable) as well as quality of graphene at partially low temperatures.

Synthesis of Pt nanopetals on highly ordered silicon nanocones for enhanced methanol electrooxidation activity.

Platinum (Pt) nanopetals were electrodeposited on highly ordered silicon nanocones (SiNCs) and explored as the electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) for direct methanol fuel cells applications. Highly ordered SiNCs array fabricated using the porous anodic aluminum oxide as the template had a high surface area. Well-dispersed Pt nanopetals possessing high electrocatalytic surface area was synthesized by pulse-electrodeposition on the SiNCs.

Thin-film composite materials as a dielectric layer for flexible metal-insulator-metal capacitors.

A new organic-organic nanoscale composite thin-film (NCTF) dielectric has been synthesized by solution deposition of 1-bromoadamantane and triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123, BASF, EO20-PO70-EO20), in which the precursor solution has been achieved with organic additives. We have used a sol-gel process to make a metal-insulator-metal capacitor (MIM) comprising a nanoscale (10 nm-thick) thin-film on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate at room temperature. Scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope revealed that the deposited NCTFs were crack-free, uniform, highly resistant to moisture absorption, and well adhered on the Au-Cr/PI.

A promising approach to the synthesis of 3D nanoporous graphitic carbon as a unique electrocatalyst support for methanol oxidation.

A 3D nanoporous graphitic carbon (g-C) material is synthesized by using an adamantane (C(10)H(16)) flame, and utilized to support a Pt(50)-Ru(50) alloy catalyst. The physico-chemical properties of the Pt(50)-Ru(50)/3D nanoporous g-C electrode are examined by a range of spectroscopy techniques as well as Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis. Cyclic voltammetry measurements are used for electrochemical characterization of the Pt(50)-Ru(50)/3D nanoporous g-C electrode.

Facile synthesis of continuous Pt island networks and their electrochemical properties for methanol electrooxidation.

A two-dimensional continuous Pt island network was successfully synthesized by pulse-potentiostatic electrodeposition on a flat silicon substrate, which showed markedly enhanced catalytic activity toward methanol electrooxidation and high CO tolerance, probably due to the synergistic effect of the Pt island catalyst and surrounding SiO(2) surface layer.