Effects of Sb-doped SnO2–WO3 nanocomposite on electrochromic performance

With the increase in global challenges related to energy depletion, there is significant emphasis on studies involving next-generation optoelectronic applications such as smart windows and electronic displays. In particular, electrochromic devices (ECDs) have been identified as strategic innovations for energy-saving “smart windows” to address these challenges. Despite this increased level of attentions, ECDs have not yet attained broad commercial acceptance because of their limited electrochromic (EC) properties including coloration efficiency (CE,< 30.0 cm²/C) and switching speeds (> 10.0 s). To address these limitations, critical effort is required to enhance the EC properties by tuning the film structure and electronic structure of ECDs. In this study, we demonstrated the effect of nanocomposite structure of conductive metal oxides and WO₃ EC films. Antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles (ATO NPs) were utilized because of their superior electrical conductivity and large band gap. To achieve the optimum addition amount of ATO NPs in EC films, we adjusted the amount as 0, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4 wt%. WO₃ EC films with the optimum addition amount (1.2 wt%) of ATO NPs exhibited improved EC performance including both the switching speeds (5.4 s for the coloration speed and 2.4 s for the bleaching speed) and CE value (48.2 cm²/C). The enhancement of EC performance was attributed to the well-dispersed ATO NPs in the WO₃ films that can effectively improve electrical conductivity via the formation of by forming preferred electron pathway. In addition, the large band gap of ATO NPs broadens the transmittance modulation of the EC layer which contributed to the increment of the CE value. Therefore, our results suggest a strategy to obtain the enhanced WO₃ films with superior EC performances using conductive metal oxides nanocomposite structure.     

Hierarchical assembly of SnO2 nanorod on spindle-like α-Fe2O3 for enhanced acetone gas-sensing performance

Preparing a heterojunction structure in different metal oxides is an efficacious method to improve the gas-sensing properties. In this article, a novelty SnO₂ nanorod/spindle-like Fe₂O₃ heterostructure was successfully fabricated through a simple two-step hydrothermal route. The morphological characterization revealed that the spindle-shaped Fe₂O₃ with length and diameter of 400 and 100 nm were firstly fabricated by a hydrothermal process, and then a large number of SnO₂ nanorods (lengths of 30 nm and diameterd of 8 nm) covered the spindle-shaped Fe₂O₃ uniformly. In order to facilitate better practical applications, the gas sensing performance of sensors based on SnO₂/Fe₂O₃ nanostructures and pure Fe₂O₃ nanospindles on volatile organic compounds were systematically studied. Gas sensing tests indicated that such hierarchical SnO₂/Fe₂O₃ heterostructures revealed improved acetone sensing performance compared to pure spindle-like Fe₂O₃, and the enhanced gas-sensitivity performance possibly be attributed to the synergistic effect and heterojunction of the interface between spindle-like Fe₂O₃ and SnO₂ nanorod. Additionally, this research on as-obtained SnO₂/Fe₂O₃ hierarchical assembly may provide a new insight and a rational strategy to upgrade the sensing performance of certain semiconductor metal oxide materials by rationally designing various novel layered nanostructures in the future.     

α-Fe2O3 modified ZnO flower-like microstructures with enhanced photocatalytic performance for pentachlorophenol degradation

Novel α-Fe₂O₃ modified ZnO flower-like microstructures were successfully prepared via a simple and rapid solution route with different α-Fe₂O₃ contents. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS) and N₂ adsorption/desorption. Photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃/ZnO composites was evaluated by degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) under simulated solar light. The results indicated that α-Fe₂O₃/ZnO composites showed higher photocatalytic activity than pure ZnO. The optimum photocatalytic activity of α-Fe₂O₃/ZnO composite with molar ratio of 1:7 was nearly 2 times as high as that of pure ZnO. The remarkably increased performance of α-Fe₂O₃/ZnO was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect between α-Fe₂O₃ and ZnO. In addition, the α-Fe₂O₃/ZnO composites also showed excellent circulation stability.     

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of LiVOPO4–Li3V2(PO4)3 cathode materials for lithium ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) present the advantages of long cycle life, high voltage, and energy density and are widely made in the field of energy storage. LiVOPO₄ (LVOP), a cathode material used in LIBs, has a high conceptual capacity of 159 mAh g⁻¹ and high operating voltage of 3.9 V. However, its low electrical conductivity and cycle performance limit its commercial applications. According to the X-ray diffraction results, orthogonal crystal LVOP and monoclinic crystal Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ (LVP) coexisted in the synthesised composite material. The transmission electron microscopy results also indicated that the LVOP and LVP phases coexist, which were coated by carbon layer of about 2.5 nm. The discharge of LVOP–LVP composite material initially was 143.2 mAh g⁻¹, and that after 120 cycles was 132.2 mAh g⁻¹ (at 0.1 C and 3–4.5 V). Thus, the electronic conductivity and first discharge specific capacity of the material enhanced due to the introduction of fast ion conductor LVP into LVOP. Electrochemical performance improved because the introduction of LVP led to an increase in Li⁺ pervasion channels in the original material and the acceleration of the Li⁺ transmission speed.     

Metal modified (Ni,Ce, Ta) Ti/SnO2–Sb2O5–RuO2 electrodes for enhanced electrochemical degradation of Orange G

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry - Ni, Ce, and Ta modified Ti/SnO2–Sb2O5–RuO2 anodes were first prepared by thermal decomposition strategy and applied for Orange G degradation to...     

Novel one-step synthesis for 3-D four-pointed micro-star of quaternary metal (Mo–V–Mn–Ag) oxide electrode for asymmetric supercapacitor

An intention of the present work is to synthesize a quaternary metal oxide by a simple and cost-effective method. MoVMnAg-oxide@Ni-foam is synthesised by one-step hydrothermal method. The as-deposited MoVMnAg-oxide sample is systematically examined through XRD, FESEM, EDS-mapping, and TEM analysis. The electrochemical performance of an MoVMnAg@Ni-foam electrode is tested using CV, GCD, and EIS techniques. MoVMnAg-oxide@Ni-foam has a considerable high areal capacitance of 651 mFcm^?2 with 0.13 mWhcm^?2 energy at 1.8 mWcm^?2 power density in 1 M KOH electrolyte calculated from GCD curves. Also, the electrode shows a diffusion coefficient of 1.52 × 10^?7 cm²s^?1 along with 91 % of diffusive-controlled contribution and a b-value of 0.51, which depicts faradaic charge storage mechanism. An assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device (MoVMnAg@Ni-foam//AC) delivers an areal capacitance of 312 mFcm^?2 with 0.37 mWcm^?2 power density at 1 mAcm^?2 current density within 0 – 1.5 V voltage window. The asymmetric device showed cyclability and coulombic efficiency of 80.3% and 95% respectively measured up to 10,000 GCD cycles. These results demonstrate the deposition of quaternary metal oxide directly on Ni-foam showing highly competitive electrochemical performance so that they can be utilized in energy storage applications.     

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of Pb(Sc1/2Nb1/2)O3–Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbTiO3 ternary ceramic materials

The dielectric and electrical properties of xPb(Sc_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃–yPb(Ni_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–zPbTiO₃ (PSNNT 100x/100y/100z) ternary ceramic materials near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) were investigated. The MPB follows on almost linear region between PSNNT 58/00/42 and PSNNT 00/68/32 of the binary systems. The maximum electromechanical coupling factor kp=70·7% was found at PSNNT 36/26/38, where ε₃₃^T/ε₀=3019 and Tc=210°C were obtained. These values are similar to those of the Pb(Sc_1/2Nb_1/2)O₃–Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–PbTiO₃ system and better than those of PZT.     

Structures and performance of Pd–Mo–K/Al2O3 catalysts used for mixed alcohol synthesis from synthesis gas

The structures of the palladium-modified Mo–K/Al₂O₃ catalyst samples were characterized by the XRD, LRS, and EXAFS techniques and correlated to the catalytic properties of the samples for alcohol synthesis from synthesis gas. It is found that in the oxidic palladium-modified samples a strong interaction of the palladium modifier with the supported K–Mo–O species occurs. This interaction leads to a decrease in the size of the molybdenum species and stabilization of the cationic palladium species on the samples during sulfidation. Upon sulfidation, the sulfided molybdenum species in the palladium-free sample is mainly present as large patches of MoS₂-like slabs with their basal sulfur planes interacting with the support surface. With the modification of palladium to the samples, the supported MoS₂-like species becomes highly dispersed as revealed by the decrease in the average size of the sulfided molybdenum species. The interaction of the palladium species with the molybdenum component may cause the basal planes of the MoS₂-like species to become oriented perpendicular to the support surface due to favorable bonding of the MoS₂ edge planes to the support through Mo–O–Al bonds. In comparison with the sulfided Pd-free sample, the properties of the Pd-modified samples for alcohol synthesis from synthesis gas are much improved, which most probably results from the synergic interaction of the palladium with the molybdenum species that gives rise to the appearance of the active sites.     

Substituted Mo–V(Ti)–Te(Ce)-oxide M2 Catalysts for Propene Ammoxidation

One of the most effective propane to acrylonitrile ammoxidation catalyst is comprised of the two phases M1 (orthorhombic) Mo_7.5V_1.5NbTeO₂₉ and M2 (pseudo-hexagonal) Mo₄V₂Te₂O₂₀. Under reaction conditions, the two phases work in symbiosis with each other where M1 is the paraffin activating component and M2 is the olefin activating component. Since the catalytic improvement of either phase should result in an enhancement of the overall acrylonitrile yield, controlled substitution of certain elements in either or both phases might result in the desired improvement. Our current study concentrates on the partial substitutions of V with Ti and Te with Ce in the M2 phase. Ti substitution results in a considerable propene activity improvement, whereas the selectivity to acrylonitrile is unaffected. Substitution with Ce, on the contrary, substantially improves the selectivity to acrylonitrile. Also, a minor improvement of the activity is notable. The acrylonitrile selectivity improvement is a result of better NH₃ utilization and comes at the expense of reduced acrolein make. XRD reveals that all of the substituted compositions retain the M2 structure and essentially are monophasic. XANES recordings show for the bulk that the Mo is 6+, the V is 4+, or 4+ and 5+ when Ce is present, the Ti is 4+, the Ce is 3+, and the Te 4+ with some 6+ also present. According to the ESR data, in the M2 with Ce (7Te/3Ce) only 21% of the V is 4+, the remainder being 5+, which tentatively can be explained by the existence of some cation vacancies in the hexagonal channels. HRTEM imaging reveals little if any differences between the materials, all have the typical pseudo-hexagonal habit of the M2 phase and expose a 1–2 nm thick surface layer without any apparent long-range ordering. XPS data show that all catalysts, including the base, are highly enriched at the surface with Te at the expense of other metals. The 7Te/3Ce composition exhibits also substantial Ce surface enrichment. Moreover, the valences of the cations at the surface differ from the bulk in that for all fresh catalysts V is 5+ and Te is 6+ on the surface. Characterization by XPS of catalysts used in propene ammoxidation, reveals reduction of Te and, except when Ce is present, also Mo. Therefore, it might be inferred that the surfaces of the catalysts studied here are comprised essentially of one or a few monolayers of TeMoO or TeCeMoO on an interacting M2 crystalline base.     

A Novel KCaNi/α-Al2O3 Catalyst for CH4 Reforming with CO2

A potassium and calcium co-promoted nickel catalyst (KCaNi/-Al₂O₃) prepared by a direct impregnation method possessed a high activity, high stability and excellent coke resistance properties in CH₄ reforming with CO₂. XRD, XPS and H₂-TPR characterizations indicated that (i) Ca and K strengthened the interaction between Ni and -Al₂O₃ and promoted the formation of a unique NiAl₂O₄ phase on the surface of the catalyst and (ii) Ca and K increased the dispersion of Ni and retarded its sintering. Coking reactions (CH₄ temperature-programmed decomposition and O₂-TPO) disclosed that K reduced carbon formation via CH₄ decomposition.     

α-Fe2O3@CNSs nanocomposites as superior anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

The nanocomposite of hematite@carbon nanosprings (α-Fe₂O₃@CNSs) was synthesized by simple precipitation and following heat treatment, in which the amount of α-Fe₂O₃ can be easily controlled by changing the synthesis conditions. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Brunau–Emmertt–Teller (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to characterize the as-synthesized nanocomposite. When applied as anode in Li-ion batteries (LIBs), the effect of α-Fe₂O₃/CNSs weight ratio on electrochemical performance of α-Fe₂O₃@CNSs nanocomposite has been researched. Enhancing the amount of α-Fe₂O₃ in nanocomposite would make the increase of specific capacity, but led to the degradation of cyclic stability and rate capability. The electrode of S-FeC (with weight ratio of CNSs/α-Fe₂O₃ about 4:1) could deliver a charge capacity of 527.6 mAh g⁻¹at 0.2 C with excellent cyclability (96.9% capacity retention after 50 cycles), and retained 343.3 mAh g⁻¹even at the rate of 5.0 C. In comparison with pure CNSs and α-Fe₂O₃, the improved cycling performance, specific capacity and rate capability of S-FeC should be mainly attributed to the combined effects of uniformly dispersed nanosized α-Fe₂O₃ particles and the highly strong network of CNSs.     

Energy storage and discharge performance for (1−x)BaSrTiO3−xBi(Zn1/2Ti1/2)O3 ceramics

Although lead-free dielectric ceramics have been widely studied to obtain excellent dielectric properties and good energy storage properties, the primary challenge of low energy storage density has not yet been resolved. Here, we introduce the concept of crossover relaxor ferroelectrics, which represent a state intermediate between normal ferroelectrics and relaxor ferroelectrics, as a solution to address the issue of low energy density. The (1−x)BaSrTiO₃−xBi(Zn_1/2Ti_1/2)O₃ (x = 0,.05, .1, .15, .2) ceramics were prepared by a solid-state method. Remarkably, 0.85BST–0.15BZT ceramics achieved a high recoverable energy density (W_rec) of 2.18 J/cm³ under an electric field of 240 kV/cm. BST–BZT materials exhibit substantial recoverable energy density, high breakdown strength, and superior energy efficiency, positioning them as a promising alternative to meet the diverse demands of high-power applications.     

Novel MoO3/CeO2–ZrO2 catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx by NH3

A series of MoO₃-doped CeO₂–ZrO₂ catalysts were investigated for the selective catalytic reduction of NO_x by NH₃ (NH₃-SCR). It was found that the added MoO₃ significantly enhanced the activity of CeO₂–ZrO₂ catalyst for NH₃-SCR of NO_x in a wide temperature range and the optimum MoO₃ loading is 5%. The highly dispersed MoO₃ not only resulted in more Lewis acid and Brønsted acid sites formed on the catalyst surface, but also increased the redox property of the catalyst, all of which account for the enhanced SCR activity.     

Temperature-independent and enhanced dielectric properties for two-layer structure capacitors with 0.8Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3–0.2PbTiO3–MnO and 0.7Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3–MnO ceramics

This study fabricates capacitors with two-layer structure and different compositions, 0.8Pb(Fe_2/3W_1/3)O₃–0.2PbTiO₃–MnO and 0.7Pb(Fe_2/3W_1/3)O₃–0.3PbTiO₃–MnO, by using the conventional solid state oxide reaction method. By using the temperature compensation effect and adjusting the thickness ratio of the two layers with different compositions, the temperature–dielectric peak is enhanced and smoothed. The dielectric loss, space charge polarization and dc conduction are suppressed at the highest temperature region. Furthermore, the Maxwell–Wagner model is used to fit and explain the dielectric behaviors. This study also provides suggestions and discussion related to the effect of the interfacial region based on the experimental data and fitting results.     

Large-strain 0.7Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3–0.1Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.2Pb(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 piezoelectric ceramics for high-temperature application

0.7Pb(Zr_xTi_1−x)O₃–0.1Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–0.2Pb(Ni_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃ (0.7PZT–0.1PZN–0.2PNN, x = 0.44–0.47) piezoelectric powders and ceramics have been prepared through conventional solid-state reaction method. Outstanding piezoelectric and dielectric properties occurred at the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), which was characterized by the X-ray diffraction spectrum. The MPB composition (x = 0.46) performed high d₃₃ value (641 pC/N), indicating that the system suited large-strain application. The field-induced strain reached 0.25% under a considerably low electric field (0.8 kV/mm) according to the bipolar strain *S–E loops. The effect of the grain size on the aging phenomenon and temperature stability has also been investigated. Due to higher Curie temperature and smaller grain size, the 0.7PZT–0.1PZN–0.2PNN ceramics maintained a high d₃₃ level after depoling treatment, revealing a superior strain capacity for high-temperature application.     

Preparation of melamine–formaldehyde resin grafted by (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane for high-performance hydrophobic materials

Aiming at meeting the specific market demands and expanding the downstream application of melamine–formaldehyde (MF) resins, a series of (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) grafted MF (MF-Si) resins were synthesized via an effective method that minimized the hydrolysis of APTES and overcame the polarity discrepancy of APTES with MF resin matrix. The structure of MF-Si resins was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and solid state ¹³C NMR. It was found that APTES moieties in MF-Si materials afforded increased hydrophobicity, water resistance, and the thermal stability was not affected. With the increasing amount of APTES, the water contact angle of MF-Si films increased from 70.56 to 105.92°and the surface free energy decreased from 46.8 to 23.5 mN/m. The temperature of maximum weight loss rate (T_dmax) of MF-Si materials decreased slightly from 371.15 to 353.70 °C and the ultimate residual weight of MF-Si materials increased from 12.51 to 30.04% at 800 °C under N₂. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 137, 48664.     

Multilayer 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.1PbTiO3 elements for electrocaloric cooling

Electrocaloric (EC) cooling elements in the form of multilayers (MLs) were prepared. The elements consist of five layers of the relaxor-ferroelectric 0.9Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–0.1PbTiO₃, about 60 μm thick, with internal platinum electrodes and exhibiting a dense, uniform microstructure with a grain size of 1.7 μm. The largest temperature change ΔT_EC of 2.26 K was achieved at an electric field (E) of 100 kV cm⁻¹ and at 105 °C, measured by a high-resolution calorimeter. These results agree well with the indirect measurements. The EC coefficient, ΔT_EC/ΔE, obtained for the MLs, is similar to the value obtained for bulk ceramics of the same composition. The ΔT_EC values above 2 K over a broad temperature range from 75 to 105 °C make the ML elements suitable candidates for EC cooling devices at significantly lower voltages than bulk ceramic plates with comparable dimensions and mass.     

均相Nd(vers)3/Al(i-Bu)2H/Al(i-Bu)2Cl催化聚合异戊二烯

采用A l(i-Bu)2C l(简称C l)、Nd(vers)3(简称Nd)和A l(i-Bu)2H(简称A l)在少量异戊二烯(Ip)存在下,Nd与A l在50℃下反应后,再与C l作用,可配制成均相高效催化剂体系。考察了Nd和A l二组分陈化时间、Nd和A l、C l三组分陈化时间、A l/Nd(摩尔比)、C l/Nd(摩尔比)、聚合温度及溶剂对催化剂相态和Ip聚合的影响。结果表明,上述反应因素对催化剂的相态和产物微观结构均无影响,聚异戊二烯(PI)的顺式-1,4-结构摩尔分数在95.0%以上;Nd和A l二组分陈化时间应控制在10 m in之内;Nd、A l和C l三组分陈化时间对PI收率无影响。当A l/Nd为15或C l/Nd为1.0时,均相Nd/A l/C l催化剂体系仍具有高的聚合活性。当聚合温度为30~70℃时,提高温度可提高PI收率;以环己烷替代或部分替代己烷可提高PI收率。     

Synthesis and characterization of α/β-Bi2O3 with enhanced photocatalytic activity for 17α-ethynylestradiol

The α/β-Bi₂O₃ photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a novel solvothermal-calcination method. The physical and chemical properties of as-prepared samples were characterized based on XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, EDS, BET, UV–vis DRS and PL techniques. The synthesized α/β-Bi₂O₃ photocatalyst exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), and 96.9% of EE2 was degraded after only 24 min of visible-light irradiation using α/β-Bi₂O₃ as photocatalyst. The reaction rate constant over α/β-Bi₂O₃ photocatalyst was 1.42, 2.23, 9.22 and 54.1 times higher than pure β-Bi₂O₃, α-Bi₂O₃+β-Bi₂O₃, α-Bi₂O₃ and P25 respectively. Effect of catalyst dosage and pH value was investigated. The possible photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed on the basis of the theoretical calculation and the experimental results. α/β-Bi₂O₃ was a fairly stable and efficient photocatalyst under the studied experimental conditions, proving that the α/β-Bi₂O₃ photocatalyst was a promising photocatalyst for the practical application.