Spectroscopic Study on CdS/Ni/KNbO: Confirming Ni Effect to Photocatalytic Activity.

Herein, we report the structural and photophysical properties of CdS/Ni/KNbO composites with a quantum yield for photocatalytic H generation that is CdS and Ni amount dependent. The nonstoichiometric KNbO (1:1.1) structure indicates the defect at the K site, which is Ni-occupied during its deposit process.

Fully solution-processed transparent conducting oxide-free counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells: spray-coated single-wall carbon nanotube thin films loaded with chemically-reduced platinum nanoparticles.

We report fully solution-processed fabrication of transparent conducting oxide-free counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by combining spray-coating of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and chemical reduction of chloroplatinic acid precursor to platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) with formic acid. The power conversion efficiency of a semitransparent DSSC with such SWCNT-based CE loaded with Pt NPs is comparable to that of a control device with a conventional CE. Quantification of Pt loading shows that network morphology of entangled SWCNTs is efficient in forming and retaining chemically reduced Pt NPs.

Non-emissive colour filters for fluorescence detection.

We describe a simple technique for fabricating non-emissive colour filters based on the sensitisation of a highly porous nanostructured metal-oxide film with a monolayer of dye molecules. Ultrafast electron transfer at the oxide/dye interface induces efficient quenching of photogenerated excitons in the dye, reducing the photoluminescence quantum yield by many orders of magnitude. The resultant filters exhibit much less autofluorescence than conventional colour filters (where the chromophore is dispersed in a glass or polymer host), and are a viable low cost alternative to interference filters for microfluidic devices and other applications requiring non-emissive filtering.