scholarly journals Electrodeposition of Iridium-Nickel Thin Films on Copper Foam: Effects of Loading and Solution Temperature on HER Performance of Electrocatalyst in Alkaline Water

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwen Liu ◽  
Wangping Wu ◽  
Xiang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Hydrogen Evolution ◽  
Electrocatalytic Activity ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
High Deposition Rate ◽  
Hydrogen Energy ◽  
Copper Foam

Developing novel hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts with high activity, high stability and low cost is of great importance for the applications of hydrogen energy. In this work, iridium-nickel (Ir-Ni) thin films were electrodeposited on a copper foam as electrocatalyst for HER, and electrodeposition mechanism of Ir-Ni film was studied. The morphology and chemical composition of thin films were determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The electrocatalytic performances of the films were estimated by linear sweep voltammograms, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The results show that Ir-Ni thin films were attached to the substrate of porous structure and hollow topography. The deposition of Ni was preferable in the electrolyte without the addition of additives, and Ir-Ni thin film was alloyed, resulting in high deposition rate for Ir42Ni58 thin film, and subsequently an increase of Ir content in the thin films of Ir80Ni20 and Ir88Ni12. Ir-Ni thin films with Tafel slopes of 40-49 mV·dec-1 exhibited highly efficient electrocatalytic activity for HER. The electrocatalytic activity of Ir-Ni thin films showed a loading dependence. As the solution temperature raised from 20 oC to 60 oC, the hydrogen evolution performance of Ir-Ni thin films improved. The apparent activation energy value of Ir88Ni12 film was 7.1 kJ·mol-1. Long-term hydrogen evolution tests exhibited excellent electrocatalystic stability in alkaline solution.

New tailored organic semiconductors thin films for optoelectronic applications

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Pathak ◽  
Sanjay Kumar ◽  
Sonali Andotra ◽  
Jibin Thomas ◽  
Navneet Kaur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Optical Absorption ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Organic Semiconductors ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Organic Thin Film ◽  
Vis Spectroscopy ◽  
Carbon Based

In this study, we have investigated new tailored organic semiconductors materials for the optoelectronic application, such as organic solar cells. The carbon-based organic semiconductor material has promising advantages in organic thin-film form. Moreover, due to its low cost, organic thin-films are suitable and cheaper than inorganic thin-film. The band gap of organic semiconductors materials can be tuned and mostly lies between 2.0eV to 4eV and the optical absorption edge of organic semiconductors typically lies in between 1.7eV to 3eV. They can be easily tailored by modifying the carbon chain and legends and looks promising for engineering the band gap to harness solar spectrum. In this work, with new tailored organic semiconductors the solution route is explored which is low cost processing method. (Anthracen-9-yl) methylene naphthalene-1-amine, 4-(anthracen-9-ylmethyleneamino)-1,5dimethyl-2-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-one and N-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-3,4-dimethoxyaniline thin-films are processed by spin coating method with changing concentration such as 0.05 wt% and 0.08 wt%. Thin films of Organic semiconductors were prepared on glass substrate and annealed at 55°C. The structural and optical behaviour of (Anthracen-9-yl) methylene naphthalene-1-amine, 4-(anthracen-9-ylmethyleneamino)-1,5dimethyl-2-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-one and N-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-3,4-dimethoxyaniline organic semiconductors thin films is studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-Visible Spectroscopy technique. The XRD data of synthesized sample suggests the Nano crystallinity of the Organic layers. The SEM micrographs shows the dense packing when we increase the wt% 0.05 to 0.08. Analysis of the optical absorption measurements found that the engineered band gap of synthesized thin films are 2.18eV, 2.35eV, 2.36eV, 2.52eV and 2.65eV which suggest suitability for applications of Optoelectronic devices such as solar cell. Such light weight, eco-friendly and disposable new carbon based materials seems to have potential to replace other traditional hazardous heavy materials for future eco-friendly flat fast electronics. Keywords: Thin-film, solar cell, tailored organic semiconductors, XRD, SEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy.

scholarly journals High-performance thermoelectric silver selenide thin films cation exchanged from a copper selenide template

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 368-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Chen ◽  
Michael R. Scimeca ◽  
Shlok J. Paul ◽  
Shihab B. Hafiz ◽  
Ze Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Cation Exchange ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Copper Selenide ◽  
Silver Selenide ◽  
Solution Processed

A high-performance n-type thermoelectric Ag2Se thin film via cation exchange using a low-cost solution processed Cu2Se template.

Cd-Free Zn(O,S) as Alternative Buffer Layer for Chalcogenide and Kesterite Based Thin Films Solar Cells: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 3622-3635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuldeep S. Gour ◽  
Rahul Parmar ◽  
Rahul Kumar ◽  
Vidya N. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Buffer Layer ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Incident Light ◽  
High Resistivity ◽  
Short Wavelength Range ◽  
Absorber Material

Cd is categorized as a toxic material with restricted use in electronics as there are inherent problems of treating waste and convincing consumers that it is properly sealed inside without any threat of precarious leaks. Apart from toxicity, band-gap of CdS is about 2.40–2.50 eV, which results significant photon loss in short-wavelength range which restricts the overall performance of solar cells. Thin film of Zn(O,S) is a favorable contender to substitute CdS thin film as buffer layer for CuInGaSe2 (CIGS), CuInGa(S,Se)2 (CIGSSe), Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe), Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin film absorber material based photovoltaic due to it made from earth abundant, low cost, non-toxic materials and its ability to improve the efficiency of chalcogenide and kesterite based photovoltaic due to wider band-gap which results in reduction of absorption loss compared to CdS. In this review, apart from mentioning various deposition technique for Zn(O,S) thin films, changes in various properties i.e., optical, morphological, and opto-electrical properties of Zn(O,S) thin film deposited using various methods utilized for fabricating solar cell based on CIGS, CIGSSe, CZTS, CZTSe and CZTSSe thin films, the material has been evaluated for all the properties of buffer layer (high transparency for incident light, good conduction band lineup with absorber material, low interface recombination, high resistivity and good device stability).

Eco-friendly, solution-processed In-W-O thin films and their applications in low-voltage, high-performance transistors

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (20) ◽  
pp. 4478-4484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ao Liu ◽  
Guoxia Liu ◽  
Huihui Zhu ◽  
Byoungchul Shin ◽  
Elvira Fortunato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Thin Film Transistors ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Solution Process ◽  
Solution Processed

Eco-friendly IWO thin films are fabricated via a low-cost solution process and employed as channel layers in thin-film transistors.

Visible-Light Illumination Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution on CuO Modified TiO2 Nanotube Arrays/Ti Electrocatalyst

2013 ◽  
Vol 772 ◽  
pp. 343-348
Author(s):  
Zhao Xiong Yan ◽  
Zhi Hua Xu ◽  
Li Hong Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Visible Light ◽  
Hydrogen Evolution ◽  
Hydrogen Evolution Reaction ◽  
Electrocatalytic Activity ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance ◽  
Electrochemical Impedance Spectrum ◽  
Nanotube Arrays ◽  
Light Illumination ◽  
Current Time ◽  
Visible Light Illumination

TiO2nanotube arrays (TNAs) modified by CuO (CuO-TNAs) catalysts were prepared by an impregnating-calcinating method using the electrochemically prepared TNAs and Cu (NO3)2as precursors and were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic properties of the CuO-TNAs samples for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) were investigated by linear sweep curves, electrochemical impedance spectrum and current-time curves. The results showed that the electrocatalytic activity of TNAs for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was significantly enhanced by CuO modification, and the electrocatalytic activity of CuO-TNAs catalysts could be further promoted by visible-light illumination. The combination of visible-light irradiation with applying a controlled potential may provide new insight into enhancing the performances of the cathode for hydrogen evolution reaction.

Large Surface Area of HMDS Plasma Polymerized Thin Film Used for Production of Miniaturized Structures

2010 ◽  
Vol 636-637 ◽  
pp. 1065-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lilian Marques Silva ◽  
Roberto R. Lima ◽  
E.R. Fachini ◽  
E.W. Simões ◽  
E. Pecoraro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Surface Area ◽  
Preliminary Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Large Surface Area ◽  
Polar Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Mixtures ◽  
Surface Areas ◽  
Good Agreement

The aim of this work was the production of a large surface area of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) plasma-deposited thin films and their applicability in a miniaturized structure useful for preliminary analysis of organic mixtures. The HMDS plasma films were produced with different surface areas and morphologies, and all films adsorbed polar and non-polar organic compounds. A low cost miniaturized structure was manufactured in glass using a Milling cutter and covered with HMDS plasma films. Good agreement was observed between simulation and experimental results on those microstructures. The observed different performance between pure and mixtures of organic compound samples suggests that the proposed system is a simple setup that could be useful for rough analysis of a fuel.

scholarly journals A review on Spray pyrolysis deposited CZTS thin films for solar cell applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (09) ◽  
pp. 1196-1206
Author(s):  
C.S.A. Raj ◽  
◽  
S. Sebastian ◽  
Susai Rajendran ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Spray Pyrolysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thin Film Deposition ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Film Deposition ◽  
Deposition Technique ◽  
Czts Thin Films

Cu2ZnSnS4 generally abridged as CZTS is a potential material for economical thin film solar cells, due to its appropriate band gap energy of around 1.5 eV and great absorption coefficient of above 104 cm-1. All the constituents of this material are plentiful in the earth’s crust, and they are non-hazardous making it an elegant alternative. Subsequent to the early achievement of the CZTS based solar cell with its light to electrical conversion efficiency of 0.6%, significant advancement in this research area has been attained, particularly in the last seven years. Currently, the conversion effectiveness of the CZTS thin film solar cell has enhanced to 24%. More than 500 papers on CZTS have been available and the greater part of these converses the preparation of CZTS thin films by diverse methods. Until now, many physical and chemical methods have been engaged for preparing CZTS thin films. Amongst them, spray pyrolysis is a flexible deposition technique. Spray pyrolysis is a simple deposition technique that finds use in widespread areas of thin film deposition research. This method is appropriate for depositing good quality films with low cost, clean deposition, and simplicity and flexibility in the manufacturing design. This script, reviews the synthesis of CZTS semiconductor thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis. This analysis initiates with a portrayal of the spray pyrolysis system, and then establish the CZTS and preparation of the CZTS precursor for coating. A review of spray pyrolysis of CZTS thin films are discussed in detail. To conclude, we present perspectives for advancements in spray pyrolysis for a CZTS based solar cell absorber layer.

scholarly journals SCAPS modelling of ZnO/CdS/CdTe/CuO photovoltaic heterosystem

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 660-668
Author(s):  
Z. R. Zapukhlyak ◽  
L.I. Nykyruy ◽  
G. Wisz ◽  
V.M. Rubish ◽  
V.V. Prokopiv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Modern Literature ◽  
Vacuum Deposition ◽  
Critical Dimensions ◽  
Technological Improvement ◽  
Wide Range

The authors have developed a simple, cheap and reproducible technology for obtaining thin-film heterostructures based on CdTe with a given surface morphology during vacuum deposition, which contributes to their low cost [1, 2]. The critical dimensions (thicknesses) of individual layers of the heterostructure were substantiated, a simulation was performed and a wide range of optical properties was investigated [3]. It is shown that for the deposited CdS / CdTe heterostructure on glass it is possible to obtain an efficiency of 15.8%. Given that thin films are relatively new systems, their study can offer much wider opportunities for technological improvement of photovoltaic energy converters. According to the analysis of modern literature data, the efficiency can be increased by performing deposition on ITO films and introducing nanoparticles of controlled sizes.

scholarly journals Surface plasmon assisted toxic chemical NO<sub>2</sub> gas sensor by Au ∕ ZnO functional thin films

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-169
Author(s):  
Ravinder Gaur ◽  
Himanshu Mohan Padhy ◽  
Manikandan Elayaperumal
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Thin Films ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Surface Plasmon ◽  
Gas Sensing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Film Material ◽  
Hybrid Thin Film ◽  
Spr Sensor

Abstract. In this short communication, we propose a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on a ZnO / Au hybrid thin-film material structure and experimentally investigate its sensitivity improvement. The Kretschmann-based SPR sensor utilizes ZnO thin films and nanostructures for performance enhancement. The advancement in SPR technology relies on a low-cost, high-sensitivity, and high-selectivity sensor. Metal oxide (MO) has been incorporated into the SPR sensor to be used for detection of biological and chemical compounds. ZnO as one of the metal oxides is an attractive material due to its unique physical and optical properties. Numerous techniques for fabrication and characterization of ZnO on SPR gold substrate have been studied. The mechanism for gas and biomolecule detection depends on their interaction with the ZnO surface, which is mainly attributed to the high isoelectric point of ZnO. There are several types of ZnO nanostructures which have been employed for SPR application based on the Kretschmann configuration. In the future, the thin film and nanostructures of ZnO could be a potential application for miniature design, robust, high sensitivity, and a low-cost portable type of SPR biosensor to be used for on-site testing in a real-time and label-free manner. The present work includes the application of a developed SPR setup for gas sensing at room temperature using a specially designed gas cell. The change in the optical properties of dielectric layers (ZnO) with adsorption of gases (NO2) in order to develop an optical sensor has been presented. The obtained results emphasize the applications of an SPR setup for the study of interaction of adsorbed gas molecules, with dielectrics and gas sensing.

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