AgInS/ZnS Quantum Dots for Luminescent Down-Shifting and Antireflective Layer in Enhancing Photovoltaic Performance.

Colloidal AgInS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) have recently emerged as a promising, efficient, nontoxic, down-shifting material in optoelectronic devices. These QDs exhibit a high photoluminescent quantum yield and offer a range of potential applications, specifically in the field of photovoltaics (PVs) for light management. In this work, we report an eco-friendly method to synthesize AgInS/ZnS QDs and deposit them on commercial silicon solar cells (with an active area of 7.

A Sustainable Method for Removal of the Full Range of Liquid and Solid Hydrocarbons from Water Including Up- and Recycling.

Beyond their CO emittance when burned as fuels, hydrocarbons (HCs) serve as omnipresent raw materials and commodities. No matter if as liquid oil spills or the endless amounts of plastic roaming the oceans, HCs behave as persistent pollutants with water as main carrier to distribute. Even if their general chemical structure [-(CH ) -] is quite simple, the endless range of n leads to contaminations of different appearances and properties.

Polythiophene as a Double-Electrostatic Template for Zinc Oxide and Gold: Multicomponent Nano-Objects for Enhanced Photocatalysis.

Using electrostatic self-assembly and electrostatic nanotemplating, a quaternary nanostructured system consisting of zinc oxide nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, poly[3-(potassium-4-butanoate)thiophene-2,5-diyl] (PT), and methyltrioctylammonium chloride (MTOA) (PT-MTOA-ZnO-Au) was designed for aqueous photocatalysis. The PT-MTOA hollow sphere aggregates served as an electrostatic template for both individual inorganic nanoparticles controlling their morphology, stabilizing the nanoparticles, and acting as a photosensitizer. The hybrid structures included spherical ZnO nanoparticles with a diameter of = 2.

Light-Induced Agglomeration of Single-Atom Platinum in Photocatalysis.

With recent advances in the field of single-atoms (SAs) used in photocatalysis, an unprecedented performance of atomically dispersed co-catalysts has been achieved. However, the stability and agglomeration of SA co-catalysts on the semiconductor surface may represent a critical issue in potential applications. Here, the photoinduced destabilization of Pt SAs on the benchmark photocatalyst, TiO , is described.

Regioselective Seeded Polymerization in Block Copolymer Nanoparticles: Post-Assembly Control of Colloidal Features.

Post-assembly modifications are efficient tools to adjust colloidal features of block copolymer (BCP) particles. However, existing methods often address particle shape, morphology, and chemical functionality individually. For simultaneous control, we transferred the concept of seeded polymerization to phase separated BCP particles.

The nano- and meso-scale structure of amorphous calcium carbonate.

Understanding the underlying processes of biomineralization is crucial to a range of disciplines allowing us to quantify the effects of climate change on marine organisms, decipher the details of paleoclimate records and advance the development of biomimetic materials. Many biological minerals form via intermediate amorphous phases, which are hard to characterize due to their transient nature and a lack of long-range order. Here, using Monte Carlo simulations constrained by X-ray and neutron scattering data together with model building, we demonstrate a method for determining the structure of these intermediates with a study of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) which is a precursor in the bio-formation of crystalline calcium carbonates.

Noncovalent Liquid Phase Functionalization of 2H-WS with PDI: An Energy Conversion Platform with Long-Lived Charge Separation.

Transition metal dichalcogenides are attractive 2D materials in the context of solar energy conversion. Previous investigations have focused predominantly on the properties of these systems. The realization of noncovalent hybrids with, for example, complementary electroactive materials remains underexplored to this date for exfoliated WS.

Additive Manufacturing in Atomic Layer Processing Mode.

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) has not been applicable to micro- and nanoscale engineering due to the limited resolution. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a technique for coating large areas with atomic thickness resolution based on tailored surface chemical reactions. Thus, combining the principles of additive manufacturing with ALD could open up a completely new field of manufacturing.

Distinct endocytosis and immune activation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles prepared by single- and double-emulsion evaporation.

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles can be prepared by emulsion-solvent-evaporation from o/w and w/o/w emulsions. To elaborate similarities and differences regarding mechanical, morphological and physicochemical properties, as well as endocytosis and dose-dependent immune responses by primary human leukocytes between nanoparticles prepared by these two methods. Fluorescently labeled as well as TLR agonist (R848)-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared via both single- and double-emulsion solvent evaporation.

As a single atom Pd outperforms Pt as the most active co-catalyst for photocatalytic H evolution.

Here, we evaluate three different noble metal co-catalysts (Pd, Pt, and Au) that are present as single atoms (SAs) on the classic benchmark photocatalyst, TiO. To trap the single atoms on the surface, we introduced controlled surface vacancies (Ti-O) on anatase TiO nanosheets by a thermal reduction treatment. After anchoring identical loadings of single atoms of Pd, Pt, and Au, we measure the photocatalytic H generation rate and compare it to the classic nanoparticle co-catalysts on the nanosheets.

ZnS Ultrathin Interfacial Layers for Optimizing Carrier Management in SbS-based Photovoltaics.

Antimony chalcogenides represent a family of materials of low toxicity and relative abundance, with a high potential for future sustainable solar energy conversion technology. However, solar cells based on antimony chalcogenides present open-circuit voltage losses that limit their efficiencies. These losses are attributed to several recombination mechanisms, with interfacial recombination being considered as one of the dominant processes.

Exploring the electronic structure and speciation of aqueous and colloidal Pu with high energy resolution XANES and computations.

Pu L3 HR-XANES and FEFF9 computations provide evidence for band-like 6d states in colloidal Pu contrasting to narrow 6d states in molecular Pu(iv). Pu L3 HR-XANES is valuable for bond length estimation in plutonyl, whereas Pu M5 HR-XANES is an advanced tool for analysing Pu redox states and 5f unoccupied density of states.

Intrinsically Activated SrTiO: Photocatalytic H Evolution from Neutral Aqueous Methanol Solution in the Absence of Any Noble Metal Cocatalyst.

Noble metal cocatalysts are conventionally a crucial factor in oxide-semiconductor-based photocatalytic hydrogen generation. In the present work, we show that optimized high-temperature hydrogenation of commercially available strontium titanate (SrTiO) powder can be used to engineer an intrinsic cocatalytic shell around nanoparticles that can create a photocatalyst that is highly effective without the use of any additional cocatalyst for hydrogen generation from neutral aqueous methanol solutions. This intrinsic activation effect can also be observed for SrTiO[100] single crystal as well as Nb-doped SrTiO[100] single crystal.

Fate of Lu(III) sorbed on 2-line ferrihydrite at pH 5.7 and aged for 12 years at room temperature. II: insights from STEM-EDXS and DFT calculations.

Transformation products of two-line ferrihydrite associated with Lu(III) were studied after 12 years of aging using aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), high-efficiency energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), and density functional theory (DFT). The transformation products consisted of hematite nanoparticles with overgrown goethite needles. High-efficiency STEM-EDXS revealed that Lu is only associated with goethite needles, and atomic-resolution HAADF-STEM reveals structural incorporation of Lu within goethite, partially replacing structural Fe sites.

Uranium Redox Transformations after U(VI) Coprecipitation with Magnetite Nanoparticles.

Uranium redox states and speciation in magnetite nanoparticles coprecipitated with U(VI) for uranium loadings varying from 1000 to 10 000 ppm are investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). It is demonstrated that the U M high energy resolution X-ray absorption near edge structure (HR-XANES) method is capable to clearly characterize U(IV), U(V), and U(VI) existing simultaneously in the same sample. The contributions of the three different uranium redox states are quantified with the iterative transformation factor analysis (ITFA) method.

In-situ TEM on (de)hydrogenation of Pd at 0.5-4.5 bar hydrogen pressure and 20-400°C.

We have developed a nanoreactor, sample holder and gas system for in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of hydrogen storage materials up to at least 4.5 bar. The MEMS-based nanoreactor has a microheater, two electron-transparent windows and a gas inlet and outlet.

Origin of the monoclinic-to-monoclinic phase transition and evidence for the centrosymmetric crystal structure of BiMnO3.

Structural properties of polycrystalline single-phased BiMnO3 samples prepared at 6 GPa and 1383 K have been studied by selected area electron diffraction (SAED), convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED), and the Rietveld method using neutron diffraction data measured at 300 and 550 K. The SAED and CBED data showed that BiMnO3 crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group C2/c at 300 K. The crystallographic data are a = 9.

Phase stability in the systems AeAl(2-x)Mgx (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba): electron concentration and size controlled variations on the laves phase structural theme.

The systems AeAl(2-x)Mgx (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba) display electron concentration induced Laves phase structural changes. However, the complete sequence MgCu2 --> MgNi2 --> MgZn2 with increasing x (decreasing electron count) is only observed for Ae = Ca. Compounds SrAl(2-x)Mgx (0 < x < or = 2) and BaAl(2-x)Mgx (x = 0.

Electron microscope studies of nano-domain structures in Ru-based magneto-superconductors: RuSr(2)Gd(1.5)Ce(0.5)Cu(2)O(10-delta) (Ru-1222) and RuSr(2)GdCu(2)O(8) (Ru-1212).

Microstructures of the RuSr(2)Gd(1.5)Ce(0.5)Cu(2)O(10-delta) (Ru-1222) and RuSr(2)GdCu(2)O(8) (Ru-1212) magneto-superconductors have been investigated by using selected-area electron diffraction, convergent-beam electron diffraction, dark-field electron microscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy at room temperature.