Organic semiconductors have great potential for producing hydrogen in a durable and economically viable manner because they rely on readily available materials and can be solution-processed over large areas. With the objective of building efficient hybrid organic-inorganic photoelectrochemical cells, we combined a noble-metal-free and solution-processable catalyst for proton reduction, MoS3, and a poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) bulk heterojunction (BHJ). Different interfacial layers were investigated to improve the charge transfer between P3HT:PCBM and MoS3. Metallic Al/Ti interfacial layers led to an increase of the photocurrent by up to 8 mA cm(-2) at reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) potential with a 0.6 V anodic shift of the H2 evolution reaction onset potential, a value close to the open-circuit potential of the P3HT:PCBM solar cell. A 50-nm-thick C60 layer also works as an interfacial layer, with a current density reaching 1 mA cm(-2) at the RHE potential. Moreover, two recently highlighted1 figures-of-merit, measuring the ratio of power saved, Φsaved,ideal and Φsaved,NPAC, were evaluated and discussed to compare the performances of various photocathodes assessed in a three-electrode configuration. Φsaved,ideal and Φsaved,NPAC use the RHE and a nonphotoactive electrode with an identical catalyst as the dark electrode, respectively. They provide different information especially for differentiation of the roles of the photogenerating layer and catalyst. The best results were obtained with the Al/Ti metallic interlayer, with Φsaved,ideal and Φsaved,NPAC reaching 0.64% and 2.05%, respectively.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5b03532 | DOI Listing |
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
Grundlagen von Energiematerialien, Institut für Physik, Technische Universität Ilmenau, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany.
To date, III-V semiconductor-based tandem devices with GaInP top photoabsorbers show the highest solar-to-electricity or solar-to-fuel conversion efficiencies. In photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, however, III-V semiconductors are sensitive, in terms of photochemical stability and, therefore, require suitable functional layers for electronic and chemical passivation. GaN films are discussed as promising options for this purpose.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Nano
January 2025
CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China.
Human sweat has the potential to be sufficiently utilized for noninvasive monitoring. Given the complexity of sweat secretion, the sensitivity and selectivity of sweat monitoring should be further improved. Here, we developed an olfactory-inspired separation-sensing nanochannel-based electronic for sensitive and selective sweat monitoring, which was simultaneously endowed with interferent separation and target detection performances.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoft Matter
January 2025
Department of Mathematics, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur-713209, India.
The present article deals with the modulation of oscillatory electroosmotic flow (EOF) and solute dispersion across a nanochannel filled with an electrolyte solution surrounded by a layer of a dielectric liquid. The dielectric permittivity of the liquid layer adjacent to supporting rigid walls is taken to be lower than that of the electrolyte solution. Besides, the aforesaid liquid layer may bear additional mobile charges, , free lipid molecules, charged surfactant molecules , which in turn lead to a nonzero charge along the liquid-liquid interface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdv Mater
January 2025
Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
Among direct recycling methods for spent lithium-ion batteries, solid-state regeneration is the route with minimal bottlenecks for industrial application and is highly compatible with the current industrial cathode materials production processes. However, surface structure degradation and interfacial impurities of spent cathodes significantly hinder Li replenishment during restoration. Herein, we propose a unique advanced oxidation strategy that leverages the inherent catalytic activity of spent layered cathode materials to address these challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Phys Condens Matter
January 2025
Dep. Fisica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ICEX, Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, BRAZIL.
Nowadays, experimental research advances in condensed matter physics are deep-rooted in the development and manipulation of nanomaterials, making it essential to explore the fundamental properties of materials that are candidates for nanotechnology. In this work, we study the dependence of the molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) Raman modes on the sample temperature and on the excitation laser power. From the correlation between these two sets of measurements, we determine the planar thermal conductivity of MoSmonolayers, bilayers, trilayers, four layers, seven layers, and eight layers.
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