scholarly journals Development of one-dimensional titania nanomaterials

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ναούμ Βαενάς

Σκοπός αυτής της διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η ανάπτυξη μονοδιάστατων νανοδομών τιτανίας και εν συνεχεία η εφαρμογή τους στην κατασκευή ευαισθητοποιημένων ηλιακών κελιών (Dye Solar Cells - DSCs). Οι νανοσωλήνες τιτανίας αποτελούν την ιδανική επιλογή για τους στόχους αυτής της έρευνας καθώς: α) μπορούν να προετοιμαστούν εύκολα από την ανοδική οξείδωση ενός φύλλου τιτανίου, β) επιτρέπουν τον εύκολο έλεγχο της μορφολογίας τους μέσω της ηλεκτροχημικής νάνο-μηχανικής, γ) εξασφαλίζουν εξαιρετικές ηλεκτρικές ιδιότητες, όπως κατευθυνόμενη κίνηση των ηλεκτρονίων. Οι νανοσωλήνες τιτανίας χρησιμοποιήθηκαν ως ηλεκτρόδια εργασίας (photo-anodes) στα ευαισθητοποιημένα ηλιακά κελιά που κατασκευάστηκαν στη συνέχεια.Τα μορφολογικά και δομικά χαρακτηριστικά των νανοσωλήνων μελετήθηκαν με τις τεχνικές, της μικροσκοπίας ατομικών δυνάμεων (Atomic Force Microscopy - AFM), της μικροσκοπίας ηλεκτρονικής σάρωσης (Scanning Electron Microscopy - SEM), της μικροσκοπίας ηλεκτρονικής διελεύσεως (Transmission Electron Microscopy - TEM), της φασματοσκοπίας υπεριώδους/ορατού (Ultraviolet–Visible - UV-Vis) και της φασματοσκοπίας Ράμαν (Raman spectroscopy). Επιπλέον η αξιολόγηση και ο χαρακτηρισμός των ηλιακών κελιών πραγματοποιήθηκε με τις μεθόδους, της φασματοσκοπίας ηλεκτροχημικής εμπέδησης (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy - EIS), της φασματοσκοπίας φωτοδυναμικού/φωτορεύματος περιοδικά μεταβαλλόμενης έντασης φωτισμού (Intensity Modulated Photovoltage/ Photocurrent Spectroscopy - IMVS/IMPS) και τελικά οι αποδόσεις των φωτοβολταϊκών εξάχθηκαν από την βολταμετρία φωτορεύματος (Linear Sweep Voltammetry - LSV). Κίνητρα για αυτήν την μελέτη αποτέλεσαν η ανάγκη κατανόησης, των βασικών μηχανισμών ανάπτυξης των νανοσωλήνων τιτανίας καθώς και των αρχών λειτουργίας που διέπουν τα ευαισθητοποιημένα ηλιακά κελιά. Στο πρώτο μέρος αυτής της έρευνας πραγματοποιήθηκαν μερικά προκαταρτικά πειράματα, με σκοπό την βελτίωση της μορφολογίας του χρησιμοποιούμενου υποστρώματος τιτανίου, όπως και των νανοσωλήνων τιτανίας που προέκυψαν. Μόλις οι συνθήκες ανοδίωσης σταθεροποιήθηκαν, υψηλής ομοιογένειας και ποιότητας νανοσωλήνες προετοιμάστηκαν και χρησιμοποιήθηκαν σε ευαισθητοποιημένα ηλιακά κελιά με ικανοποιητική απόδοση. Στην δεύτερη φάση αυτού του έργου, οι δομικές ιδιότητες των νανοσωλήνων μελετήθηκαν , με σκοπό να εξασφαλιστεί η ανεμπόδιστη μεταφορά των ηλεκτρονίων. Συγκεκριμένα η επίδραση της διαδικασίας απόπτυσης των νανοσωλήνων διερευνήθηκε συνάρτηση των ηλεκτρικών χαρακτηριστικών των φωτοβολταϊκών συσκευών που τελικά παράχθηκαν. Στο τρίτο στάδιο της διατριβής, προηγμένες δομές νανοσωλήνων προετοιμάσθηκαν μέσω σύνθετων τρόπων ανοδίωσης. Η ποτενσιοστατική και γαλβανοστατική ανοδίωση συνδυάστηκαν για πρώτη φορά στην βιβλιογραφία και οδήγησαν στην εξέλιξη της μεθόδου της ανοδίωσης. Το τελευταίο μέρος της δουλειάς αφιερώθηκε αποκλείστηκα στην αύξηση της απόδοσης των φωτοβολταϊκών που ενσωμάτωναν φωτοηλεκτροδία νανοσωλήνων, μέσω της χρήσης των πιο σύγχρονων ηλεκτρολυτών και χρωστικών. Το οξειδοαναγωγικό ζεύγος κοβαλτίου διαχύθηκε με ευκολία στους πορώδους νανοσωλήνες και σε συνδυασμό με την οργανική χρωστική D35, οδήγησε σε υψηλές φωτοτάσεις και αποδόσεις.

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 524-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunlong Li ◽  
Yuying Zheng

A conducting copolymer of 1,1′-ferrocenediacyl anilide and aniline (P(FcA-co-ANI)) was synthesized, which had a conjugated structure and ferrocene moieties in the main chain. The monomer and copolymer were characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. A P(FcA-co-ANI)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite was synthesized by oxidation polymerization, using rGO as a substrate. The characteristic peaks of P(FcA-co-ANI) and rGO were observed in the FTIR spectrum of P(FcA-co-ANI)/rGO. The X-ray diffraction pattern of P(FcA-co-ANI)/rGO exhibited similar peaks to the pattern of P(FcA-co-ANI), except for the absence of the weak broad peak at 9.0° owing to rGO. The surface morphologies of the materials were characterized by atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The interlayer distances of rGO and P(FcA-co-ANI)/rGO were 0.96 and 1.38 nm, respectively. The morphology of the copolymer was spherical, and it contained island structures covering the surface of the graphene layers. The electrochemical properties of the composite were measured by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The maximum specific capacitance of the composite was 722.5 F/g at 0.5 A/g. The diffusion resistance was very small, and the composites durability was sufficient for subjecting to prolonged oxidation and reduction.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 497-513
Author(s):  
Meiling Zhang ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Ting Nie ◽  
Jintao Bai ◽  
Fei Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study reports a facile method to prepare silica-coated graphene oxide nanoflakes (SiO2–GO). Results of X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal that silica was successfully coated on the GO flakes. The effect of SiO2–GO nanosheets on the corrosion protection and barrier performance of the epoxy coating was investigated in this work. Results indicate that the mechanical properties of all coatings added with GO and SiO2–GO were significantly improved. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance and Tafer polarisation curves showed that added 0.5 wt% SiO2–GO nanoflakes into zinc-rich epoxy coating could greatly improve the anti-corrosion performance of the sample, and the corrosion protection efficiency increased from 67.01 to 99.58%.


NANO ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 02 (05) ◽  
pp. 249-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
XIAODONG HAN ◽  
ZE ZHANG ◽  
ZHONG LIN WANG

This paper provides a comprehensive review on the methodological development and technical applications of in situ microscopy, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), developed in the last decade for investigating the structure-mechanical-property relationship of a single one-dimensional nanomaterial, such as nanotube, nanowire and nanobelt. The paper covers both the fundamental methods and detailed applications, including AFM-based static elastic and plastic measurements of a carbon nanotube, external field-induced resonance dynamic measurement of elastic modulus of a nanotube/nanowire, nano-indentation, and in situ plastic deformation process of a nanowire. Details are presented on the elastic property measurements and direct imaging of plastic to superplastic behavior of semiconductor nanowires at atomic resolution, providing quantitative information on the mechanical behavior of nanomaterials. The studies on the Si and SiC nanowires clearly demonstrated their distinct, "unexpected" and superior plastic mechanical properties. Finally, a perspective is given on the future of nanomechanics.


1995 ◽  
Vol 378 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Kissinger ◽  
T. Morgenstern ◽  
G. Morgenstern ◽  
H. B. Erzgräber ◽  
H. Richter

AbstractStepwise equilibrated graded GexSii-x (x≤0.2) buffers with threading dislocation densities between 102 and 103 cm−2 on the whole area of 4 inch silicon wafers were grown and studied by transmission electron microscopy, defect etching, atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy.


1995 ◽  
Vol 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Bai ◽  
S. Wittenbrock ◽  
V. Ochoa ◽  
R. Villasol ◽  
C. Chiang ◽  
...  

AbstractCu has two advantages over Al for sub-quarter micron interconnect application: (1) higher conductivity and (2) improved electromigration reliability. However, Cu diffuses quickly in SiO2and Si, and must be encapsulated. Polycrystalline films of Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Ta, W, Mo, TiN, and Metal-Organo Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) TiN and Ti-Si-N have been evaluated as Cu diffusion barriers using electrically biased-thermal-stressing tests. Barrier effectiveness of these thin films were correlated with their physical properties from Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Secondary Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) analysis. The barrier failure is dominated by “micro-defects” in the barrier film that serve as easy pathways for Cu diffusion. An ideal barrier system should be free of such micro-defects (e.g., amorphous Ti-Si-N and annealed Ta). The median-time-to-failure (MTTF) of a Ta barrier (30 nm) has been measured at different bias electrical fields and stressing temperatures, and the extrapolated MTTF of such a barrier is > 100 year at an operating condition of 200C and 0.1 MV/cm.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 4081-4085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Batra ◽  
D. Kabiraj ◽  
D. Kanjilal

Germanium (Ge) nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention due to their excellent optical properties. In this paper, we report on the formation of Ge nanoparticles embedded in GeO2 matrix prepared by electron beam evaporation and subsequent annealing. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies clearly indicate the formation of Ge nanocrystals in the films annealed at 500 °C. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic studies are carried out to verify the evolution of the structure after annealingat each stage. Micro-Raman analysis also confirms the formation of Ge nanoparticles in the annealed films. Development of Ge nanoparticles is also established by photoluminescence (PL) analysis. Surface morphology study is carried out by atomic force microscopy (AFM). It shows the evolution of granular structure of the films with increasing annealing temperature.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 661-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Li ◽  
Di Zhang ◽  
Ilker Capoglu ◽  
Karl A. Hujsak ◽  
Dhwanil Damania ◽  
...  

AbstractEssentially all biological processes are highly dependent on the nanoscale architecture of the cellular components where these processes take place. Statistical measures, such as the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the three-dimensional (3D) mass–density distribution, are widely used to characterize cellular nanostructure. However, conventional methods of reconstruction of the deterministic 3D mass–density distribution, from which these statistical measures can be calculated, have been inadequate for thick biological structures, such as whole cells, due to the conflict between the need for nanoscale resolution and its inverse relationship with thickness after conventional tomographic reconstruction. To tackle the problem, we have developed a robust method to calculate the ACF of the 3D mass–density distribution without tomography. Assuming the biological mass distribution is isotropic, our method allows for accurate statistical characterization of the 3D mass–density distribution by ACF with two data sets: a single projection image by scanning transmission electron microscopy and a thickness map by atomic force microscopy. Here we present validation of the ACF reconstruction algorithm, as well as its application to calculate the statistics of the 3D distribution of mass–density in a region containing the nucleus of an entire mammalian cell. This method may provide important insights into architectural changes that accompany cellular processes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petar Stanić ◽  
◽  
Nataša Vukićević ◽  
Vesna Cvetković ◽  
Miroslav Pavlović ◽  
...  

Four 2-thiohydantoin derivatives were synthesized and their corrosion inhibition properties on mild steel (MS) in 0.5M HCl solution was evaluated using usual gravimetric and electrochemical methods (weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Morphology of the metal surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The study has shown that these compounds provide good protection for mild steel against corrosion in the acidic medium.


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