Broadband Light Absorption and Efficient Charge Separation Using a Light Scattering Layer with Mixed Cavities for High‐Performance Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells with Stability

CH₃NH₃PbI₃ is one of the promising light sensitizers for perovskite photovoltaic cells, but a thick layer is required to enhance light absorption in the long‐wavelength regime ranging from PbI₂ absorption edge (500 nm) to its optical band‐gap edge (780 nm) in visible light. Meanwhile, the thick perovskite layer suppresses visible‐light absorption in the short wavelengths below 500 nm and charge extraction capability of electron–hole pairs produced upon light absorption. Herein, we find that a new light scattering layer with the mixed cavities of sizes in 100 and 200 nm between transparent fluorine‐doped tin oxide and mesoporous titanium dioxide electron transport layer enables full absorption of short‐wavelength photons (λ < 500 nm) to the perovskite along with enhanced absorption of long‐wavelength photons (500 nm < λ < 780 nm). Moreover, the light‐driven electric field is proven to allow efficient charge extraction upon light absorption, thereby leading to the increased photocurrent density as well as the fill factor prompted by the slow recombination rate. Additionally, the photocurrent density of the cell with a light scattering layer of mixed cavities is stabilized due to suppressed charge accumulation. Consequently, this work provides a new route to realize broadband light harvesting of visible light for high‐performance perovskite photovoltaic cells.     

Surface Energy and Surface Stability of Ag Nanocrystals at Elevated Temperatures and Their Dominance in Sublimation‐Induced Shape Evolution

The surface energy and surface stability of Ag nanocrystals (NCs) are under debate because the measurable values of the surface energy are very inconsistent, and the indices of the observed thermally stable surfaces are apparently in conflict. To clarify this issue, a transmission electron microscope is used to investigate these problems in situ with elaborately designed carbon‐shell‐capsulated Ag NCs. It is demonstrated that the {111} surfaces are still thermally stable at elevated temperatures, and the victory of the formation of {110} surfaces over {111} surfaces on the Ag NCs during sublimation is due to the special crystal geometry. It is found that the Ag NCs behave as quasiliquids during sublimation, and the cubic NCs represent a featured shape evolution, which is codetermined by both the wetting equilibrium at the Ag–C interface and the relaxation of the system surface energy. Small Ag NCs (≈10 nm) no longer maintain the wetting equilibrium observed in larger Ag NCs, and the crystal orientations of ultrafine Ag NCs (≈6 nm) can rotate to achieve further shape relaxation. Using sublimation kinetics, the mean surface energy of Ag NCs at 1073 K is calculated to be 1.1–1.3 J m^?2.     

Synthesis of Co/SiO2 hybrid nanocatalyst via twisted Co3Si2O5(OH)4 nanosheets for high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch reaction

A cobalt-silica hybrid nanocatalyst bearing small cobalt particles of diameter ～5 nm was prepared through a hydrothermal reaction and hydrogen reduction.The resulting material showed very high CO conversion (＞82％) and high hydrocarbon productivity (～1.0 gHc·g-1cat,·h-11) with high activity (～8.5 x 10-5 molco·g-1Co·S-1) in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.     

Three-dimensionally ordered,ultrathin graphitic-carbon frameworks with cage-like mesoporosity for highly stable Li-S batteries

Mesoporous carbons have been widely utilized as the sulfur host for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries.The ability to engineer the porosity,wall thickness,and graphitization degree of the carbon host is essential for addressing issues that hamper commercialization of Li-S batteries,such as fast capacity decay and poor high-rate performance.In this work,highly ordered,ultrathin mesoporous graphitic-carbon frameworks (MGFs) having unique cage-like mesoporosity,derived from self-assembled Fe3O4 nanoparticle superlattices,are demonstrated to be an excellent host for encapsulating sulfur.The resulting S@MGFs exhibit high specific capacity (1,446 mAh·g-1 at 0.15 C),good rate capability (430 mAh.g-1 at 6 C),and exceptional cycling stability (～0.049％ capacity decay per cycle at 1 C) when used as Li-S cathodes.The superior electrochemical performance of the S@MGFs is attributed to the many unique and advantageous structural features of MGFs.In addition to the interconnected,ultrathin graphitic-carbon framework that ensures rapid electron and lithium-ion transport,the microporous openings between adjacent mesopores efficiently suppress the diffusion of polysulfides,leading to improved capacity retention even at high current densities.     

Synthesis of large-scale atomic-layer SnS<Subscript>2</Subscript> through chemical vapor deposition

Two-dimensional layers of metal dichalcogenides have attracted much attention because of their ultrathin thickness and potential applications in electronics and optoelectronics.Monolayer SnS2,with a band gap of ～2.6 eV,has an octahedral lattice made of two atomic layers of sulfur and one atomic layer of tin.Till date,there have been limited reports on the growth of large-scale and high quality SnS2 atomic layers and the investigation of their properties as a semiconductor.Here,we report the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of atomic-layer SnS2 with a large crystal size and uniformity.In addition,the number of layers can be changed from a monolayer to few layers and to bulk by changing the growth time.Scanning transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze the atomic structure and demonstrate the 2H stacking poly-type of different layers.The resultant SnS2 crystals is used as a photodetector with external quantum efficiency as high as 150％,suggesting promise for optoelectronic applications.     

Interface evolution in the platelet-like SiC@C and SiC@SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> monocrystal nanocapsules

Carbon-coated SiC@C nanocapsules (NCs) with a hexagonal platelet-like morphology were fabricated by a simple direct current (DC) arc-discharge plasma method.The SiC@C NCs were monocrystalline,120-150 nm in size,and approximately 50 nm thick.The formation of the as-prepared SiC@C NCs included nucleation of truncated octahedral SiC seeds and subsequent anisotropic growth of the seeds into hexagonal nanoplatelets in a carbon-rich atmosphere.The disordered carbon layers on the SiC@C NCs were converted into SiO2 shells of SiC@SiO2 NCs by heat treatment at 650 ℃ in air,during which the shape and inherent characteristics of the crystalline SiC core were obtained.The interface evolution from carbon to SiO2 shells endowed the SiC@SiO2 NCs with enhanced photocatalytic activity due to the hydrophilic and transparent nature of the SiO2 shell,as well as to the photosensitive SiC nanocrystals.The band gap of the nanostructured SiC core was determined to be 2.70 eV.The SiC@SiO2 NCs degraded approximately 95％ of methylene blue in 160 min under visible light irradiation.