This document provides supporting information for a research article on flexible and ultra-soft inorganic semiconductor systems based on tin(II) iodide (SnIP). It includes details from quantum chemical calculations and experimental measurements that characterize the mechanical and structural properties of individual SnIP nanowires. Density functional theory calculations determine the phonon dispersion relations and Raman modes of SnIP under pressure. Experimental force-distance spectroscopy on suspended SnIP nanowires measures the Young's modulus, finding values around 190 GPa along the wire direction. High-pressure x-ray diffraction data and Rietveld refinement are used to calculate the bulk modulus of SnIP as 14.87 GPa, characterizing its compressibility.
Harvesting Hot Holes in Plasmon-Coupled Ultrathin Photoanodes for High-Perfor...Pawan Kumar
The harvesting of hot carriers produced by plasmon decay to generate electricity or drive a chemical reaction enables the reduction of the thermalization losses associated with supra-band gap photons in semiconductor photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells. Through the broadband harvesting of light, hot-carrier PEC devices also produce a sensitizing effect in heterojunctions with wide-band gap metal oxide semiconductors possessing good photostability and catalytic activity but poor absorption of visible wavelength photons. There are several reports of hot electrons in Au injected over the Schottky barrier into crystalline TiO2 and subsequently utilized to drive a chemical reaction but very few reports of hot hole harvesting. In this work, we demonstrate the efficient harvesting of hot holes in Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) covered with a thin layer of amorphous TiO2 (a-TiO2). Under AM1.5G 1 sun illumination, photoanodes consisting of a single layer of ∼50 nm diameter Au NPs coated with a 10 nm shell of a-TiO2 (Au@a-TiO2) generated 2.5 mA cm–2 of photocurrent in 1 M KOH under 0.6 V external bias, rising to 3.7 mA cm–2 in the presence of a hole scavenger (methanol). The quantum yield for hot-carrier-mediated photocurrent generation was estimated to be close to unity for high-energy photons (λ < 420 nm). Au@a-TiO2 photoelectrodes produced a small positive photocurrent of 0.1 mA cm–2 even at a bias of −0.6 V indicating extraction of hot holes even at a strong negative bias. These results together with density functional theory modeling and scanning Kelvin probe force microscope data indicate fast injection of hot holes from Au NPs into a-TiO2 and light harvesting performed near-exclusively by Au NPs. For comparison, Au NPs coated with a 10 nm shell of Al2O3 (Au@Al2O3) generated 0.02 mA cm–2 of photocurrent in 1 M KOH under 0.6 V external bias. These results underscore the critical role played by a-TiO2 in the extraction of holes in Au@a-TiO2 photoanodes, which is not replicated by an ordinary dielectric shell. It is also demonstrated here that an ultrathin photoanode (<100 nm in maximum thickness) can efficiently drive sunlight-driven water splitting.
Noble Metal Free, Visible Light Driven Photocatalysis Using TiO2 Nanotube Arr...Pawan Kumar
Bulk g-C3N4 is an earth-abundant, easily synthesizable, and exceptionally stable photocatalyst with an electronic bandgap of 2.7 eV. Herein, the concepts of P-doping and size quantization are combined to synthesize highly fluorescent P-doped carbon nitride quantum dots (CNPQDs) with a bandgap of 2.1 eV. CNPQDs are hosted on anatase-phase and rutile-phase TiO2 nanotube array scaffolds, and examined as photoanodes for sunlight-driven water-splitting and as photocatalysts for surface catalytic reactions. Square-shaped rutile phase TiO2 nanotube arrays (STNAs) decorated with CNPQDs (CNPQD-STNA) generate 2.54 mA cm−2 photocurrent under AM1.5 G simulated sunlight. A champion hydrogen evolution rate of 22 µmol h−1 corresponds to a Faradaic efficiency of 93.2%. In conjunction with Ag nanoparticles (NPs), the CNPQD-STNA hybrid is also found to be an excellent plexcitonic photocatalyst for the visible light-driven transformation of 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT) to dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB), producing reaction completion at a laser power of 1 mW (532 nm) while Ag NP/TNA and Ag NP/STNA photocatalysts cannot complete this transformation even at 10 mW laser power. The results point the way forward for photochemically robust, noble metal free, visible light harvesting photoacatalysts based on nanostructured heterojunctions of graphenic frameworks with TiO2.
Photocatalytic Mechanism Control and Study of Carrier Dynamics in CdS@C3N5 Co...Pawan Kumar
We present a potential solution to the problem of extraction of photogenerated holes from CdS nanocrystals and nanowires. The nanosheet form of C3N5 is a low-band-gap (Eg = 2.03 eV), azo-linked graphenic carbon nitride framework formed by the polymerization of melem hydrazine (MHP). C3N5 nanosheets were either wrapped around CdS nanorods (NRs) following the synthesis of pristine chalcogenide or intercalated among them by an in situ synthesis protocol to form two kinds of heterostructures, CdS-MHP and CdS-MHPINS, respectively. CdS-MHP improved the photocatalytic degradation rate of 4-nitrophenol by nearly an order of magnitude in comparison to bare CdS NRs. CdS-MHP also enhanced the sunlight-driven photocatalytic activity of bare CdS NWs for the decolorization of rhodamine B (RhB) by a remarkable 300% through the improved extraction and utilization of photogenerated holes due to surface passivation. More interestingly, CdS-MHP provided reaction pathway control over RhB degradation. In the absence of scavengers, CdS-MHP degraded RhB through the N-deethylation pathway. When either hole scavenger or electron scavenger was added to the RhB solution, the photocatalytic activity of CdS-MHP remained mostly unchanged, while the degradation mechanism shifted to the chromophore cleavage (cycloreversion) pathway. We investigated the optoelectronic properties of CdS-C3N5 heterojunctions using density functional theory (DFT) simulations, finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS), and photoconductivity measurements. TRTS indicated high carrier mobilities >450 cm2 V–1 s–1 and carrier relaxation times >60 ps for CdS-MHP, while CdS-MHPINS exhibited much lower mobilities <150 cm2 V–1 s–1 and short carrier relaxation times <20 ps. Hysteresis in the photoconductive J–V characteristics of CdS NWs disappeared in CdS-MHP, confirming surface passivation. Dispersion-corrected DFT simulations indicated a delocalized HOMO and a LUMO localized on C3N5 in CdS-MHP. C3N5, with its extended π-conjugation and low band gap, can function as a shuttle to extract carriers and excitons in nanostructured heterojunctions, and enhance performance in optoelectronic devices. Our results demonstrate how carrier dynamics in core–shell heterostructures can be manipulated to achieve control over the reaction mechanism in photocatalysis.
C3N5: A Low Bandgap Semiconductor Containing an Azo-linked Carbon Nitride Fra...Pawan Kumar
Modification of carbon nitride based polymeric 2D materials for tailoring their optical, electronic and chemical properties for various applications has gained significant interest. The present report demonstrates the synthesis of a novel modified carbon nitride framework with a remarkable 3:5 C:N stoichiometry (C3N5) and an electronic bandgap of 1.76 eV, by thermal deammoniation of the melem hydrazine precursor. Characterization revealed that in the C3N5 polymer, two s-heptazine units are bridged together with azo linkage, which constitutes an entirely new and different bonding fashion from g-C3N4 where three heptazine units are linked together with tertiary nitrogen. Extended conjugation due to overlap of azo nitrogens and increased electron density on heptazine nucleus due to the aromatic π network of heptazine units lead to an upward shift of the valence band maximum resulting in bandgap reduction down to 1.76 eV. XRD, He-ion imaging, HR-TEM, EELS, PL, fluorescence lifetime imaging, Raman, FTIR, TGA, KPFM, XPS, NMR and EPR clearly show that the properties of C3N5 are distinct from pristine carbon nitride (g-C3N4). When used as an electron transport layer (ETL) in MAPbBr3 based halide perovskite solar cells, C3N5 outperformed g-C3N4, in particular generating an open circuit photovoltage as high as 1.3 V, while C3N5 blended with MAxFA1–xPb(I0.85Br0.15)3 perovskite active layer achieved a photoconversion efficiency (PCE) up to 16.7%. C3N5 was also shown to be an effective visible light sensitizer for TiO2 photoanodes in photoelectrochemical water splitting. Because of its electron-rich character, the C3N5 material displayed instantaneous adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution reaching complete equilibrium within 10 min, which is significantly faster than pristine g-C3N4 and other carbon based materials. C3N5 coupled with plasmonic silver nanocubes promotes plasmon-exciton coinduced surface catalytic reactions reaching completion at much low laser intensity (1.0 mW) than g-C3N4, which showed sluggish performance even at high laser power (10.0 mW). The relatively narrow bandgap and 2D structure of C3N5 make it an interesting air-stable and temperature-resistant semiconductor for optoelectronic applications while its electron-rich character and intra sheet cavity make it an attractive supramolecular adsorbent for environmental applications.
Asymmetric Multipole Plasmon-Mediated Catalysis Shifts the Product Selectivit...Pawan Kumar
Cu/TiO2 is a well-known photocatalyst for the photocatalytic transformation of CO2 into methane. The formation of C2+ products such as ethane and ethanol rather than methane is more interesting due to their higher energy density and economic value, but the formation of C–C bonds is currently a major challenge in CO2 photoreduction. In this context, we report the dominant formation of a C2 product, namely, ethane, from the gas-phase photoreduction of CO2 using TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) decorated with large-sized (80–200 nm) Ag and Cu nanoparticles without the use of a sacrificial agent or hole scavenger. Isotope-labeled mass spectrometry was used to verify the origin and identity of the reaction products. Under 2 h AM1.5G 1-sun illumination, the total rate of hydrocarbon production (methane + ethane) was highest for AgCu-TNTA with a total CxH2x+2 rate of 23.88 μmol g–1 h–1. Under identical conditions, the CxH2x+2 production rates for Ag-TNTA and Cu-TNTA were 6.54 and 1.39 μmol g–1 h–1, respectively. The ethane selectivity was the highest for AgCu-TNTA with 60.7%, while the ethane selectivity was found to be 15.9 and 10% for the Ag-TNTA and Cu-TNTA, respectively. Adjacent adsorption sites in our photocatalyst develop an asymmetric charge distribution due to quadrupole resonances in large metal nanoparticles and multipole resonances in Ag–Cu heterodimers. Such an asymmetric charge distribution decreases adsorbate–adsorbate repulsion and facilitates C–C coupling of reaction intermediates, which otherwise occurs poorly in TNTAs decorated with small metal nanoparticles.
Vapor Deposition of Semiconducting Phosphorus Allotropes into TiO2 Nanotube A...Pawan Kumar
Recent evidence of exponential environmental degradation will demand a drastic shift in research and development toward exploiting alternative energy resources such as solar energy. Here, we report the successful low-cost and easily accessible synthesis of hybrid semiconductor@TiO2 nanotube photocatalysts. In order to realize its maximum potential in harvesting photons in the visible-light range, TiO2 nanotubes have been loaded with earth-abundant, low-band-gap fibrous red and black phosphorus (P). Scanning electron microscopy– and scanning transmission electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, and UV–vis measurements have been performed, substantiating the deposition of fibrous red and black P on top and inside the cavities of 100-μm-long electrochemically fabricated nanotubes. The nanotubular morphology of titania and a vapor-transport technique are utilized to form heterojunctions of P and TiO2. Compared to pristine anatase 3.2 eV TiO2 nanotubes, the creation of heterojunctions in the hybrid material resulted in 1.5–2.1 eV photoelectrocatalysts. An enhanced photoelectrochemical water-splitting performance under visible light compared with the individual components resulted for the P@TiO2 hybrids. This feature is due to synergistically improved charge separation in the heterojunction and more effective visible-light absorption. The electronic band structure and charge-carrier dynamics are investigated in detail using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy to elucidate the charge-separation mechanism. A Fermi-level alignment in P@TiO2 heterojunctions leads to a more reductive flat-band potential and a deeper valence band compared to pristine P and thus facilitates a better water-splitting performance. Our results demonstrate effective conversion efficiencies for the nanostructured hybrids, which may enable future applications in optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors, photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical catalysts, and sensors.
Mixed-Valence Single-Atom Catalyst Derived from Functionalized GraphenePawan Kumar
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) aim at bridging the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. The challenge is the development of materials with ligands enabling coordination of metal atoms in different valence states, and preventing leaching or nanoparticle formation. Graphene functionalized with nitrile groups (cyanographene) is herein employed for the robust coordination of Cu(II) ions, which are partially reduced to Cu(I) due to graphene-induced charge transfer. Inspired by nature's selection of Cu(I) in enzymes for oxygen activation, this 2D mixed-valence SAC performs flawlessly in two O2-mediated reactions: the oxidative coupling of amines and the oxidation of benzylic CH bonds toward high-value pharmaceutical synthons. High conversions (up to 98%), selectivities (up to 99%), and recyclability are attained with very low metal loadings in the reaction. The synergistic effect of Cu(II) and Cu(I) is the essential part in the reaction mechanism. The developed strategy opens the door to a broad portfolio of other SACs via their coordination to various functional groups of graphene, as demonstrated by successful entrapment of FeIII/FeII single atoms to carboxy-graphene.
Consistently High Voc Values in p-i-n Type Perovskite Solar Cells Using Ni3+-...Pawan Kumar
Leading edge p-i-n type halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) severely underperform n-i-p PSCs. p-i-n type PSCs that use PEDOT:PSS hole transport layers (HTLs) struggle to generate open-circuit photovoltage values higher than 1 V. NiO HTLs have shown greater promise in achieving high Voc values albeit inconsistently. In this report, a NiO nanomesh with Ni3+ defect grown by the hydrothermal method was used to obtain PSCs with Voc values that consistently exceeded 1.10 V (champion Voc = 1.14 V). A champion device photoconversion efficiency of 17.75% was observed. Density functional theory modeling was used to understand the interfacial properties of the NiO/perovskite interface. The PCE of PSCs constructed using the Ni3+-doped NiO nanomesh HTL was ∼34% higher than that of conventional compact NiO-based perovskite solar cells. A suite of characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy, time-resolved photoluminescence, steady-state photoluminescence, and Kelvin probe force microscopy provided evidence of better film quality, enhanced charge transfer, and suppressed charge recombination in PSCs based on hydrothermally grown NiO nanostructures.
Harvesting Hot Holes in Plasmon-Coupled Ultrathin Photoanodes for High-Perfor...Pawan Kumar
The harvesting of hot carriers produced by plasmon decay to generate electricity or drive a chemical reaction enables the reduction of the thermalization losses associated with supra-band gap photons in semiconductor photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells. Through the broadband harvesting of light, hot-carrier PEC devices also produce a sensitizing effect in heterojunctions with wide-band gap metal oxide semiconductors possessing good photostability and catalytic activity but poor absorption of visible wavelength photons. There are several reports of hot electrons in Au injected over the Schottky barrier into crystalline TiO2 and subsequently utilized to drive a chemical reaction but very few reports of hot hole harvesting. In this work, we demonstrate the efficient harvesting of hot holes in Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) covered with a thin layer of amorphous TiO2 (a-TiO2). Under AM1.5G 1 sun illumination, photoanodes consisting of a single layer of ∼50 nm diameter Au NPs coated with a 10 nm shell of a-TiO2 (Au@a-TiO2) generated 2.5 mA cm–2 of photocurrent in 1 M KOH under 0.6 V external bias, rising to 3.7 mA cm–2 in the presence of a hole scavenger (methanol). The quantum yield for hot-carrier-mediated photocurrent generation was estimated to be close to unity for high-energy photons (λ < 420 nm). Au@a-TiO2 photoelectrodes produced a small positive photocurrent of 0.1 mA cm–2 even at a bias of −0.6 V indicating extraction of hot holes even at a strong negative bias. These results together with density functional theory modeling and scanning Kelvin probe force microscope data indicate fast injection of hot holes from Au NPs into a-TiO2 and light harvesting performed near-exclusively by Au NPs. For comparison, Au NPs coated with a 10 nm shell of Al2O3 (Au@Al2O3) generated 0.02 mA cm–2 of photocurrent in 1 M KOH under 0.6 V external bias. These results underscore the critical role played by a-TiO2 in the extraction of holes in Au@a-TiO2 photoanodes, which is not replicated by an ordinary dielectric shell. It is also demonstrated here that an ultrathin photoanode (<100 nm in maximum thickness) can efficiently drive sunlight-driven water splitting.
Noble Metal Free, Visible Light Driven Photocatalysis Using TiO2 Nanotube Arr...Pawan Kumar
Bulk g-C3N4 is an earth-abundant, easily synthesizable, and exceptionally stable photocatalyst with an electronic bandgap of 2.7 eV. Herein, the concepts of P-doping and size quantization are combined to synthesize highly fluorescent P-doped carbon nitride quantum dots (CNPQDs) with a bandgap of 2.1 eV. CNPQDs are hosted on anatase-phase and rutile-phase TiO2 nanotube array scaffolds, and examined as photoanodes for sunlight-driven water-splitting and as photocatalysts for surface catalytic reactions. Square-shaped rutile phase TiO2 nanotube arrays (STNAs) decorated with CNPQDs (CNPQD-STNA) generate 2.54 mA cm−2 photocurrent under AM1.5 G simulated sunlight. A champion hydrogen evolution rate of 22 µmol h−1 corresponds to a Faradaic efficiency of 93.2%. In conjunction with Ag nanoparticles (NPs), the CNPQD-STNA hybrid is also found to be an excellent plexcitonic photocatalyst for the visible light-driven transformation of 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT) to dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB), producing reaction completion at a laser power of 1 mW (532 nm) while Ag NP/TNA and Ag NP/STNA photocatalysts cannot complete this transformation even at 10 mW laser power. The results point the way forward for photochemically robust, noble metal free, visible light harvesting photoacatalysts based on nanostructured heterojunctions of graphenic frameworks with TiO2.
Photocatalytic Mechanism Control and Study of Carrier Dynamics in CdS@C3N5 Co...Pawan Kumar
We present a potential solution to the problem of extraction of photogenerated holes from CdS nanocrystals and nanowires. The nanosheet form of C3N5 is a low-band-gap (Eg = 2.03 eV), azo-linked graphenic carbon nitride framework formed by the polymerization of melem hydrazine (MHP). C3N5 nanosheets were either wrapped around CdS nanorods (NRs) following the synthesis of pristine chalcogenide or intercalated among them by an in situ synthesis protocol to form two kinds of heterostructures, CdS-MHP and CdS-MHPINS, respectively. CdS-MHP improved the photocatalytic degradation rate of 4-nitrophenol by nearly an order of magnitude in comparison to bare CdS NRs. CdS-MHP also enhanced the sunlight-driven photocatalytic activity of bare CdS NWs for the decolorization of rhodamine B (RhB) by a remarkable 300% through the improved extraction and utilization of photogenerated holes due to surface passivation. More interestingly, CdS-MHP provided reaction pathway control over RhB degradation. In the absence of scavengers, CdS-MHP degraded RhB through the N-deethylation pathway. When either hole scavenger or electron scavenger was added to the RhB solution, the photocatalytic activity of CdS-MHP remained mostly unchanged, while the degradation mechanism shifted to the chromophore cleavage (cycloreversion) pathway. We investigated the optoelectronic properties of CdS-C3N5 heterojunctions using density functional theory (DFT) simulations, finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS), and photoconductivity measurements. TRTS indicated high carrier mobilities >450 cm2 V–1 s–1 and carrier relaxation times >60 ps for CdS-MHP, while CdS-MHPINS exhibited much lower mobilities <150 cm2 V–1 s–1 and short carrier relaxation times <20 ps. Hysteresis in the photoconductive J–V characteristics of CdS NWs disappeared in CdS-MHP, confirming surface passivation. Dispersion-corrected DFT simulations indicated a delocalized HOMO and a LUMO localized on C3N5 in CdS-MHP. C3N5, with its extended π-conjugation and low band gap, can function as a shuttle to extract carriers and excitons in nanostructured heterojunctions, and enhance performance in optoelectronic devices. Our results demonstrate how carrier dynamics in core–shell heterostructures can be manipulated to achieve control over the reaction mechanism in photocatalysis.
C3N5: A Low Bandgap Semiconductor Containing an Azo-linked Carbon Nitride Fra...Pawan Kumar
Modification of carbon nitride based polymeric 2D materials for tailoring their optical, electronic and chemical properties for various applications has gained significant interest. The present report demonstrates the synthesis of a novel modified carbon nitride framework with a remarkable 3:5 C:N stoichiometry (C3N5) and an electronic bandgap of 1.76 eV, by thermal deammoniation of the melem hydrazine precursor. Characterization revealed that in the C3N5 polymer, two s-heptazine units are bridged together with azo linkage, which constitutes an entirely new and different bonding fashion from g-C3N4 where three heptazine units are linked together with tertiary nitrogen. Extended conjugation due to overlap of azo nitrogens and increased electron density on heptazine nucleus due to the aromatic π network of heptazine units lead to an upward shift of the valence band maximum resulting in bandgap reduction down to 1.76 eV. XRD, He-ion imaging, HR-TEM, EELS, PL, fluorescence lifetime imaging, Raman, FTIR, TGA, KPFM, XPS, NMR and EPR clearly show that the properties of C3N5 are distinct from pristine carbon nitride (g-C3N4). When used as an electron transport layer (ETL) in MAPbBr3 based halide perovskite solar cells, C3N5 outperformed g-C3N4, in particular generating an open circuit photovoltage as high as 1.3 V, while C3N5 blended with MAxFA1–xPb(I0.85Br0.15)3 perovskite active layer achieved a photoconversion efficiency (PCE) up to 16.7%. C3N5 was also shown to be an effective visible light sensitizer for TiO2 photoanodes in photoelectrochemical water splitting. Because of its electron-rich character, the C3N5 material displayed instantaneous adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution reaching complete equilibrium within 10 min, which is significantly faster than pristine g-C3N4 and other carbon based materials. C3N5 coupled with plasmonic silver nanocubes promotes plasmon-exciton coinduced surface catalytic reactions reaching completion at much low laser intensity (1.0 mW) than g-C3N4, which showed sluggish performance even at high laser power (10.0 mW). The relatively narrow bandgap and 2D structure of C3N5 make it an interesting air-stable and temperature-resistant semiconductor for optoelectronic applications while its electron-rich character and intra sheet cavity make it an attractive supramolecular adsorbent for environmental applications.
Asymmetric Multipole Plasmon-Mediated Catalysis Shifts the Product Selectivit...Pawan Kumar
Cu/TiO2 is a well-known photocatalyst for the photocatalytic transformation of CO2 into methane. The formation of C2+ products such as ethane and ethanol rather than methane is more interesting due to their higher energy density and economic value, but the formation of C–C bonds is currently a major challenge in CO2 photoreduction. In this context, we report the dominant formation of a C2 product, namely, ethane, from the gas-phase photoreduction of CO2 using TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) decorated with large-sized (80–200 nm) Ag and Cu nanoparticles without the use of a sacrificial agent or hole scavenger. Isotope-labeled mass spectrometry was used to verify the origin and identity of the reaction products. Under 2 h AM1.5G 1-sun illumination, the total rate of hydrocarbon production (methane + ethane) was highest for AgCu-TNTA with a total CxH2x+2 rate of 23.88 μmol g–1 h–1. Under identical conditions, the CxH2x+2 production rates for Ag-TNTA and Cu-TNTA were 6.54 and 1.39 μmol g–1 h–1, respectively. The ethane selectivity was the highest for AgCu-TNTA with 60.7%, while the ethane selectivity was found to be 15.9 and 10% for the Ag-TNTA and Cu-TNTA, respectively. Adjacent adsorption sites in our photocatalyst develop an asymmetric charge distribution due to quadrupole resonances in large metal nanoparticles and multipole resonances in Ag–Cu heterodimers. Such an asymmetric charge distribution decreases adsorbate–adsorbate repulsion and facilitates C–C coupling of reaction intermediates, which otherwise occurs poorly in TNTAs decorated with small metal nanoparticles.
Vapor Deposition of Semiconducting Phosphorus Allotropes into TiO2 Nanotube A...Pawan Kumar
Recent evidence of exponential environmental degradation will demand a drastic shift in research and development toward exploiting alternative energy resources such as solar energy. Here, we report the successful low-cost and easily accessible synthesis of hybrid semiconductor@TiO2 nanotube photocatalysts. In order to realize its maximum potential in harvesting photons in the visible-light range, TiO2 nanotubes have been loaded with earth-abundant, low-band-gap fibrous red and black phosphorus (P). Scanning electron microscopy– and scanning transmission electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, and UV–vis measurements have been performed, substantiating the deposition of fibrous red and black P on top and inside the cavities of 100-μm-long electrochemically fabricated nanotubes. The nanotubular morphology of titania and a vapor-transport technique are utilized to form heterojunctions of P and TiO2. Compared to pristine anatase 3.2 eV TiO2 nanotubes, the creation of heterojunctions in the hybrid material resulted in 1.5–2.1 eV photoelectrocatalysts. An enhanced photoelectrochemical water-splitting performance under visible light compared with the individual components resulted for the P@TiO2 hybrids. This feature is due to synergistically improved charge separation in the heterojunction and more effective visible-light absorption. The electronic band structure and charge-carrier dynamics are investigated in detail using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy to elucidate the charge-separation mechanism. A Fermi-level alignment in P@TiO2 heterojunctions leads to a more reductive flat-band potential and a deeper valence band compared to pristine P and thus facilitates a better water-splitting performance. Our results demonstrate effective conversion efficiencies for the nanostructured hybrids, which may enable future applications in optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors, photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical catalysts, and sensors.
Mixed-Valence Single-Atom Catalyst Derived from Functionalized GraphenePawan Kumar
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) aim at bridging the gap between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. The challenge is the development of materials with ligands enabling coordination of metal atoms in different valence states, and preventing leaching or nanoparticle formation. Graphene functionalized with nitrile groups (cyanographene) is herein employed for the robust coordination of Cu(II) ions, which are partially reduced to Cu(I) due to graphene-induced charge transfer. Inspired by nature's selection of Cu(I) in enzymes for oxygen activation, this 2D mixed-valence SAC performs flawlessly in two O2-mediated reactions: the oxidative coupling of amines and the oxidation of benzylic CH bonds toward high-value pharmaceutical synthons. High conversions (up to 98%), selectivities (up to 99%), and recyclability are attained with very low metal loadings in the reaction. The synergistic effect of Cu(II) and Cu(I) is the essential part in the reaction mechanism. The developed strategy opens the door to a broad portfolio of other SACs via their coordination to various functional groups of graphene, as demonstrated by successful entrapment of FeIII/FeII single atoms to carboxy-graphene.
Consistently High Voc Values in p-i-n Type Perovskite Solar Cells Using Ni3+-...Pawan Kumar
Leading edge p-i-n type halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) severely underperform n-i-p PSCs. p-i-n type PSCs that use PEDOT:PSS hole transport layers (HTLs) struggle to generate open-circuit photovoltage values higher than 1 V. NiO HTLs have shown greater promise in achieving high Voc values albeit inconsistently. In this report, a NiO nanomesh with Ni3+ defect grown by the hydrothermal method was used to obtain PSCs with Voc values that consistently exceeded 1.10 V (champion Voc = 1.14 V). A champion device photoconversion efficiency of 17.75% was observed. Density functional theory modeling was used to understand the interfacial properties of the NiO/perovskite interface. The PCE of PSCs constructed using the Ni3+-doped NiO nanomesh HTL was ∼34% higher than that of conventional compact NiO-based perovskite solar cells. A suite of characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy, intensity-modulated photovoltage spectroscopy, time-resolved photoluminescence, steady-state photoluminescence, and Kelvin probe force microscopy provided evidence of better film quality, enhanced charge transfer, and suppressed charge recombination in PSCs based on hydrothermally grown NiO nanostructures.
Visible light assisted photocatalytic reduction of CO2 using a graphene oxide...Pawan Kumar
A new heteroleptic ruthenium complex containing 2-thiophenyl benzimidazole ligands was synthesized using a microwave technique and was immobilized to graphene oxide via covalent attachment. The synthesized catalyst was used for the photoreduction of carbon dioxide under visible light irradiation without using a sacrificial agent, which gave 2050 μmol g−1 cat methanol after 24 h of irradiation
Air- and water-stable halide perovskite nanocrystals protected with nearly-mo...Pawan Kumar
Halide perovskites are exciting candidates for broad-spectrum photocatalysts but have the problem of ambient stability. Protective shells of oxides and polymers around halide perovskite nano- and micro-crystals provide a measure of chemical and photochemical resilience but the photocatalytic performance of perovskites is compromised due to low electron mobility in amorphous oxide or polymer shells and rapid charge carrier recombination on the surface. Herein an in situ surface passivation and stabilization of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals was achieved using monolayered graphenic carbon nitride (CNM). Extensive characterization of carbon nitride protected CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (CNMBr) indicated spherical CsPbBr3 nanoparticles encased in a few nm thick g-C3N4 sheets facilitating better charge separation via percolation/tunneling of charges on conductive 2D nanosheets. The CNMBr core-shell nanocrystals demonstrated enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting performance and photocurrent reaching up to 1.55 mA cm−2. The CNMBr catalyst was successfully deployed for CO2 photoreduction giving carbon monoxide and methane as the reaction products.
M.Sc. Chemical Engineering Thesis Defense (Omer Farooqi)Omer Farooqi
This is the presentation for my M.Sc. research thesis. I worked on a novel electrode preparation method to carry out voltammetry in order to detect heavy metals in water.
Synthesis of flower-like magnetite nanoassembly: Application in the efficient...Pawan Kumar
A facile approach for the synthesis of magnetite microspheres with flower-like morphology is reported that proceeds via the reduction of iron (III) oxide under hydrogen atmosphere. The ensuing magnetic catalyst is well characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and Mössbauer spectroscopy and explored for a simple yetbut efficient transfer hydrogenation reduction of a variety of nitroarenes to respective anilines in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) employing hydrazine hydrate. . The catalyst could be easily separated at the end of reaction using an external magnet and can be recycled up to 10 times without any loss in catalytic activity.
This work studied the effect of applying pulse current
(ton=off=1s) on the electrodeposition of silver nanoparticles on
carbon sphere surface as a substrate. The electrolyte is made of 0.1
M KNO3, 0.1 M KCN and 0.01M AgNO3. The pH value has been
adjusted in the alkaline region of 9.1 with the help of K(NO3)
addition. Experiments were carried out at room temperature for
periods up to 12 minutes. The cell is fitted with a mechanical stirrer
to keep the electrolyte in a dynamic state. Product(s) was
characterized with the help of SEM and EDX and field emission.
Results obtained show that silver nanoparticles has successfully
electrodeposited under pulse current conditions with a particle size
of 100–400 nm after 2 minutes. Deposition takes place on certain
accessible sites of the carbon surface of the substrate forming a
monolayer of scattered silver nanoparticles. Formation of macro
particles with larger diameter and multilayer in thickness takes
place with continuous deposition of silver nanoparticles on the
formerly deposited silver. Pulse current helps management of the
monolayer deposition as compared to the steady DC application
with respect to particle diameter and number of layers.
Study of Measurement of luminescence life time of the Nd3+ ions in the 6-FDA/...IJERA Editor
Luminescence life time measurements of the Nd3+ ions in the 6-FDA/UVR and Al2o3 hosts were performed
using a Laser diode emitting at 800nm as the excitation source. Optical losses in both materials have been
studied and compared absorption bands of Nd3+ have been observed at 580nm ,745nm, 800nm and 870nm .
Based on which Judd- ofelt analysis has been applied to study the transition properties of Nd3+ ions in the two
hosts. Photoluminescence spectra of Nd3+ have been experimentally studied and emission around 880nm,
1060nm and 1330nm is observed, which indicates that Nd3+ ions are active in these two hosts.
Behaviour Analysis of Corroded Wires Based on Statistical ModelsIJERDJOURNAL
ABSTRACT: Steel wires are the primary components of a lifting wire rope. The behaviour of a wire governs the behaviour of the whole of the cable. The physico-chemical processes like rates of degradation due to the environment (corrosion, etc.) are different for each layer, external layers being more exposed. The analysis of steel wires behaviour is traditionally based on statistical models describing the variability of its properties. For this purpose a statistical study was carried out on two populations of healthy and corroded wires by applying the Student distribution to select the most reliable results and the Weibull distribution to define the survival probability and the failure probability.
Visible light assisted photocatalytic reduction of CO2 using a graphene oxide...Pawan Kumar
A new heteroleptic ruthenium complex containing 2-thiophenyl benzimidazole ligands was synthesized using a microwave technique and was immobilized to graphene oxide via covalent attachment. The synthesized catalyst was used for the photoreduction of carbon dioxide under visible light irradiation without using a sacrificial agent, which gave 2050 μmol g−1 cat methanol after 24 h of irradiation
Air- and water-stable halide perovskite nanocrystals protected with nearly-mo...Pawan Kumar
Halide perovskites are exciting candidates for broad-spectrum photocatalysts but have the problem of ambient stability. Protective shells of oxides and polymers around halide perovskite nano- and micro-crystals provide a measure of chemical and photochemical resilience but the photocatalytic performance of perovskites is compromised due to low electron mobility in amorphous oxide or polymer shells and rapid charge carrier recombination on the surface. Herein an in situ surface passivation and stabilization of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals was achieved using monolayered graphenic carbon nitride (CNM). Extensive characterization of carbon nitride protected CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (CNMBr) indicated spherical CsPbBr3 nanoparticles encased in a few nm thick g-C3N4 sheets facilitating better charge separation via percolation/tunneling of charges on conductive 2D nanosheets. The CNMBr core-shell nanocrystals demonstrated enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting performance and photocurrent reaching up to 1.55 mA cm−2. The CNMBr catalyst was successfully deployed for CO2 photoreduction giving carbon monoxide and methane as the reaction products.
M.Sc. Chemical Engineering Thesis Defense (Omer Farooqi)Omer Farooqi
This is the presentation for my M.Sc. research thesis. I worked on a novel electrode preparation method to carry out voltammetry in order to detect heavy metals in water.
Synthesis of flower-like magnetite nanoassembly: Application in the efficient...Pawan Kumar
A facile approach for the synthesis of magnetite microspheres with flower-like morphology is reported that proceeds via the reduction of iron (III) oxide under hydrogen atmosphere. The ensuing magnetic catalyst is well characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and Mössbauer spectroscopy and explored for a simple yetbut efficient transfer hydrogenation reduction of a variety of nitroarenes to respective anilines in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) employing hydrazine hydrate. . The catalyst could be easily separated at the end of reaction using an external magnet and can be recycled up to 10 times without any loss in catalytic activity.
This work studied the effect of applying pulse current
(ton=off=1s) on the electrodeposition of silver nanoparticles on
carbon sphere surface as a substrate. The electrolyte is made of 0.1
M KNO3, 0.1 M KCN and 0.01M AgNO3. The pH value has been
adjusted in the alkaline region of 9.1 with the help of K(NO3)
addition. Experiments were carried out at room temperature for
periods up to 12 minutes. The cell is fitted with a mechanical stirrer
to keep the electrolyte in a dynamic state. Product(s) was
characterized with the help of SEM and EDX and field emission.
Results obtained show that silver nanoparticles has successfully
electrodeposited under pulse current conditions with a particle size
of 100–400 nm after 2 minutes. Deposition takes place on certain
accessible sites of the carbon surface of the substrate forming a
monolayer of scattered silver nanoparticles. Formation of macro
particles with larger diameter and multilayer in thickness takes
place with continuous deposition of silver nanoparticles on the
formerly deposited silver. Pulse current helps management of the
monolayer deposition as compared to the steady DC application
with respect to particle diameter and number of layers.
Study of Measurement of luminescence life time of the Nd3+ ions in the 6-FDA/...IJERA Editor
Luminescence life time measurements of the Nd3+ ions in the 6-FDA/UVR and Al2o3 hosts were performed
using a Laser diode emitting at 800nm as the excitation source. Optical losses in both materials have been
studied and compared absorption bands of Nd3+ have been observed at 580nm ,745nm, 800nm and 870nm .
Based on which Judd- ofelt analysis has been applied to study the transition properties of Nd3+ ions in the two
hosts. Photoluminescence spectra of Nd3+ have been experimentally studied and emission around 880nm,
1060nm and 1330nm is observed, which indicates that Nd3+ ions are active in these two hosts.
Behaviour Analysis of Corroded Wires Based on Statistical ModelsIJERDJOURNAL
ABSTRACT: Steel wires are the primary components of a lifting wire rope. The behaviour of a wire governs the behaviour of the whole of the cable. The physico-chemical processes like rates of degradation due to the environment (corrosion, etc.) are different for each layer, external layers being more exposed. The analysis of steel wires behaviour is traditionally based on statistical models describing the variability of its properties. For this purpose a statistical study was carried out on two populations of healthy and corroded wires by applying the Student distribution to select the most reliable results and the Weibull distribution to define the survival probability and the failure probability.
International Journal of Computational Engineering Research (IJCER) ijceronline
International Journal of Computational Engineering Research(IJCER) is an intentional online Journal in English monthly publishing journal. This Journal publish original research work that contributes significantly to further the scientific knowledge in engineering and Technology
International Journal of Engineering Research and DevelopmentIJERD Editor
Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering,
Information Engineering and Technology,
Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering,
Automation and Mechatronics Engineering,
Material and Chemical Engineering,
Civil and Architecture Engineering,
Biotechnology and Bio Engineering,
Environmental Engineering,
Petroleum and Mining Engineering,
Marine and Agriculture engineering,
Aerospace Engineering.
Design of the Probe Sensor for the TDR Soil Moisture Sensor SystemIJLT EMAS
The probe sensor is of two parallel plates type which is used to determine the moisture content of the soil. The probe sensor is connected to a resistance to time period converter circuit of the TDR soil moisture sensor system whose output time period depends upon the resistance of the soil which in turn depends upon the moisture content of the soil acting as medium between the plates of the probe sensor. The TDR probe sensor is designed and simulated using the Integrated Electro software in order to determine the effects of the parameters like length, thickness and gap between the plates on electric field and energy density. The simulation results are used to predict and determine the geometry of the probe sensor, the materials that should be used in making the plates of the probe sensor and coating the plates of the probe sensor for reducing the effects of the fringing field and noise in the environment.
Conical Shaped Monopole Antenna for Multiband Wireless Applicationsiosrjce
IOSR Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering(IOSR-JECE) is a double blind peer reviewed International Journal that provides rapid publication (within a month) of articles in all areas of electronics and communication engineering and its applications. The journal welcomes publications of high quality papers on theoretical developments and practical applications in electronics and communication engineering. Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, and high quality technical notes are invited for publications.
Phi shape uwb antenna with band notch characteristicsKiran Ajetrao
In this paper a novel band notch antenna in UWB
frequency range is designed using split rings. Split rings are
overlapped with designed monopole to give phi shape. The slit
gap gives band-notch operation from 5.1GHz to 6.29GHz and
from 4.94GHz to 5.91GHz for SPSSR and SPSCR antennas
respectively. Simulated and measured results are in good
agreement.
Compact Rectangular Slot Microstrip Antenna with Band-Notched Characteristics...jmicro
In this paper, we present an offset microstrip-fed ultrawideband antenna with band notch
characteristics.The antenna structure consists of rectangular radiating patch and ground plane with
rectangular shaped slot, which increases impedance bandwidth upto 117.73%(2.9-11.2GHz).A new
modified U slot is etched in the radiating patch to create band-notched properties in the WiMAX (3.3-
3.7GHz) and C-band satellite communication (3.7-4.15GHz).Furthermore, parametric studies have been
conducted using EM simulation software CADFEKO suite(7.0) and optimized with stable radiation pattern
which satisfied UWB requirement for VSWR<2.A prototype of antenna is fabricated on 1.6mm thick FR-4
substrate with dielectric constant of 4.4 and loss tangent of 0.02.The designed antenna exhibits
bidirectional and omni directional radiation patterns along E and H-plane with stable gain and efficiency
over entire operating band except notch frequency band. Simulated results are in good agreement with the
measured results of the proposed antenna which makes it a good candidate for UWB application.
COUPLER, POWER DIVIDER AND CIRCULATOR IN V-BAND SUBSTRATE INTEGRATED WAVEGUID...ijcsa
In recent years substrate integrated waveguide technology (SIW) has been applied successfully to the conception of planar compact components for the microwave and millimeter waves applications. In this study, a V-band substrate integrated waveguide coupler, power divider and circulator are conceived and optimized by Ansoft HFSS code. Thus, through this modeling, design considerations and results are discussed and presented. Attractive features including compact size and planar form make these devices structure easily integrated in planar circuits
Similar to Flexible and Ultrasoft Inorganic 1D Semiconductor and Heterostructure Systems Based on SnIP (20)
Isolated Iridium Sites on Potassium-Doped Carbon-nitride wrapped Tellurium Na...Pawan Kumar
Many industrial processes such transesterification of fatty acid for biodiesel production, soap manufacturing and biosynthesis of ethanol generate glycerol as a major by-product that can be used to produce commodity chemicals. Photocatalytic transformation of glycerol is an enticing approach that can exclude the need of harsh oxidants and extraneous thermal energy. However, the product yield and selectivity remain poor due to low absorption and unsymmetrical site distribution on the catalyst surface. Herein, tellurium (Te) nanorods/nanosheets (TeNRs/NSs) wrapped potassium-doped carbon nitride (KCN) van der Waal (vdW) heterojunction (TeKCN) is designed to enhance charge separation and visible-NIR absorption. The iridium (Ir) single atom sites decoration on the TeKCN core-shell structure (TeKCNIr) promotes selective oxidation of glycerol to glyceraldehyde with a conversion of 45.6% and selectivity of 61.6% under AM1.5G irradiation. The catalytic selectivity can reach up to 88% under 450 nm monochromatic light. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) demonstrates the presence of undercoordinated IrN2O2 sites which improved catalytic selectivity for glycol oxidation. Band energies and computational calculations reveal faile charge transfer in the TeKCNIr heterostructure. EPR and scavenger tests discern that superoxide (O2•−) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals are prime components driving glycerol oxidation.
Isolated Iridium Sites on Potassium-Doped Carbon-nitride wrapped Tellurium Na...Pawan Kumar
Many industrial processes such transesterification of fatty acid for biodiesel production, soap manufacturing and biosynthesis of ethanol generate glycerol as a major by-product that can be used to produce commodity chemicals. Photocatalytic transformation of glycerol is an enticing approach that can exclude the need of harsh oxidants and extraneous thermal energy. However, the product yield and selectivity remain poor due to low absorption and unsymmetrical site distribution on the catalyst surface. Herein, tellurium (Te) nanorods/nanosheets (TeNRs/NSs) wrapped potassium-doped carbon nitride (KCN) van der Waal (vdW) heterojunction (TeKCN) is designed to enhance charge separation and visible-NIR absorption. The iridium (Ir) single atom sites decoration on the TeKCN core-shell structure (TeKCNIr) promotes selective oxidation of glycerol to glyceraldehyde with a conversion of 45.6% and selectivity of 61.6% under AM1.5G irradiation. The catalytic selectivity can reach up to 88% under 450 nm monochromatic light. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) demonstrates the presence of undercoordinated IrN2O2 sites which improved catalytic selectivity for glycol oxidation. Band energies and computational calculations reveal faile charge transfer in the TeKCNIr heterostructure. EPR and scavenger tests discern that superoxide (O2•−) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals are prime components driving glycerol oxidation.
Isolated Iridium Sites on Potassium-Doped Carbon-nitride wrapped Tellurium Na...Pawan Kumar
Many industrial processes such transesterification of fatty acid for biodiesel production, soap manufacturing and biosynthesis of ethanol generate glycerol as a major by-product that can be used to produce commodity chemicals. Photocatalytic transformation of glycerol is an enticing approach that can exclude the need of harsh oxidants and extraneous thermal energy. However, the product yield and selectivity remain poor due to low absorption and unsymmetrical site distribution on the catalyst surface. Herein, tellurium (Te) nanorods/nanosheets (TeNRs/NSs) wrapped potassium-doped carbon nitride (KCN) van der Waal (vdW) heterojunction (TeKCN) is designed to enhance charge separation and visible-NIR absorption. The iridium (Ir) single atom sites decoration on the TeKCN core-shell structure (TeKCNIr) promotes selective oxidation of glycerol to glyceraldehyde with a conversion of 45.6% and selectivity of 61.6% under AM1.5G irradiation. The catalytic selectivity can reach up to 88% under 450 nm monochromatic light. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) demonstrates the presence of undercoordinated IrN2O2 sites which improved catalytic selectivity for glycol oxidation. Band energies and computational calculations reveal faile charge transfer in the TeKCNIr heterostructure. EPR and scavenger tests discern that superoxide (O2•−) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals are prime components driving glycerol oxidation.
Solar-Driven Cellulose Photorefining into Arabinose over Oxygen-Doped Carbon ...Pawan Kumar
Biomass photorefining is a promising strategy to address the energy crisis and transition toward carbon carbon-neutral society. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of direct cellulose photorefining into arabinose by a rationally designed oxygen-doped polymeric carbon nitride, which generates favorable oxidative species (e.g., O2–, •OH) for selective oxidative reactions at neutral conditions. In addition, we also illustrate the mechanism of the photocatalytic cellulose to arabinose conversion by density functional theory calculations. The oxygen insertion derived from oxidative radicals at the C1 position of glucose within cellulose leads to oxidative cleavage of β-1,4 glycosidic linkages, resulting in the subsequent gluconic acid formation. The following decarboxylation process of gluconic acid via C1–C2 α-scissions, triggered by surface oxygen-doped active sites, generates arabinose and formic acid, respectively. This work not only offers a mechanistic understanding of cellulose photorefining to arabinose but also sets up an example for illuminating the path toward direct cellulose photorefining into value-added bioproducts under mild conditions.
Solar-Driven Cellulose Photorefining into Arabinose over Oxygen-Doped Carbon ...Pawan Kumar
Biomass photorefining is a promising strategy to address the energy crisis and transition toward carbon carbon-neutral society. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of direct cellulose photorefining into arabinose by a rationally designed oxygen-doped polymeric carbon nitride, which generates favorable oxidative species (e.g., O2–, •OH) for selective oxidative reactions at neutral conditions. In addition, we also illustrate the mechanism of the photocatalytic cellulose to arabinose conversion by density functional theory calculations. The oxygen insertion derived from oxidative radicals at the C1 position of glucose within cellulose leads to oxidative cleavage of β-1,4 glycosidic linkages, resulting in the subsequent gluconic acid formation. The following decarboxylation process of gluconic acid via C1–C2 α-scissions, triggered by surface oxygen-doped active sites, generates arabinose and formic acid, respectively. This work not only offers a mechanistic understanding of cellulose photorefining to arabinose but also sets up an example for illuminating the path toward direct cellulose photorefining into value-added bioproducts under mild conditions.
Solar-Driven Cellulose Photorefining into Arabinose over Oxygen-Doped Carbon ...Pawan Kumar
Biomass photorefining is a promising strategy to address the energy crisis and transition toward carbon carbon-neutral society. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of direct cellulose photorefining into arabinose by a rationally designed oxygen-doped polymeric carbon nitride, which generates favorable oxidative species (e.g., O2–, •OH) for selective oxidative reactions at neutral conditions. In addition, we also illustrate the mechanism of the photocatalytic cellulose to arabinose conversion by density functional theory calculations. The oxygen insertion derived from oxidative radicals at the C1 position of glucose within cellulose leads to oxidative cleavage of β-1,4 glycosidic linkages, resulting in the subsequent gluconic acid formation. The following decarboxylation process of gluconic acid via C1–C2 α-scissions, triggered by surface oxygen-doped active sites, generates arabinose and formic acid, respectively. This work not only offers a mechanistic understanding of cellulose photorefining to arabinose but also sets up an example for illuminating the path toward direct cellulose photorefining into value-added bioproducts under mild conditions.
Partial Thermal Condensation Mediated Synthesis of High-Density Nickel Single...Pawan Kumar
Direct selective transformation of greenhouse methane (CH4) to liquid oxygenates (methanol) can substitute energy-intensive two-step (reforming/Fischer–Tropsch) synthesis while creating environmental benefits. The development of inexpensive, selective, and robust catalysts that enable room temperature conversion will decide the future of this technology. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with isolated active centers embedded in support have displayed significant promises in catalysis to drive challenging reactions. Herein, high-density Ni single atoms are developed and stabilized on carbon nitride (NiCN) via thermal condensation of preorganized Ni-coordinated melem units. The physicochemical characterization of NiCN with various analytical techniques including HAADF-STEM and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) validate the successful formation of Ni single atoms coordinated to the heptazine-constituted CN network. The presence of uniform catalytic sites improved visible absorption and carrier separation in densely populated NiCN SAC resulting in 100% selective photoconversion of (CH4) to methanol using H2O2 as an oxidant. The superior catalytic activity can be attributed to the generation of high oxidation (NiIII═O) sites and selective C─H bond cleavage to generate •CH3 radicals on Ni centers, which can combine with •OH radicals to generate CH3OH.
Partial Thermal Condensation Mediated Synthesis of High-Density Nickel Single...Pawan Kumar
Direct selective transformation of greenhouse methane (CH4) to liquid oxygenates (methanol) can substitute energy-intensive two-step (reforming/Fischer–Tropsch) synthesis while creating environmental benefits. The development of inexpensive, selective, and robust catalysts that enable room temperature conversion will decide the future of this technology. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with isolated active centers embedded in support have displayed significant promises in catalysis to drive challenging reactions. Herein, high-density Ni single atoms are developed and stabilized on carbon nitride (NiCN) via thermal condensation of preorganized Ni-coordinated melem units. The physicochemical characterization of NiCN with various analytical techniques including HAADF-STEM and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) validate the successful formation of Ni single atoms coordinated to the heptazine-constituted CN network. The presence of uniform catalytic sites improved visible absorption and carrier separation in densely populated NiCN SAC resulting in 100% selective photoconversion of (CH4) to methanol using H2O2 as an oxidant. The superior catalytic activity can be attributed to the generation of high oxidation (NiIII═O) sites and selective C─H bond cleavage to generate •CH3 radicals on Ni centers, which can combine with •OH radicals to generate CH3OH.
Selective Cellobiose Photoreforming for Simultaneous Gluconic Acid and Syngas...Pawan Kumar
Here, we demonstrate the selective cellobiose (building block of cellulose) photoreforming for gluconic acid and syngas co-production in acidic conditions by rationally designing a bifunctional polymeric carbon nitride (CN) with potassium/sulfur co-dopant. This heteroatomic doped CN photocatalyst possesses enhanced visible light absorption, higher charge separation efficiency than pristine CN. Under acidic conditions, cellobiose is not only more efficiently hydrolyzed into glucose but also promotes the syngas and gluconic acid production. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the favorable generation of •O2− during the photocatalytic reaction, which is essential for gluconic acid production. Consequently, the fine-designed photocatalyst presents excellent cellobiose conversion (>80%) and gluconic acid selectivity (>70%) together with the co-production of syngas (~56 μmol g-1 h-1) under light illumination. The current work demonstrates the feasibility of biomass photoreforming with value-added chemicals and syngas co-production under mild condition.
Selective Cellobiose Photoreforming for Simultaneous Gluconic Acid and Syngas...Pawan Kumar
Here, we demonstrate the selective cellobiose (building block of cellulose) photoreforming for gluconic acid and syngas co-production in acidic conditions by rationally designing a bifunctional polymeric carbon nitride (CN) with potassium/sulfur co-dopant. This heteroatomic doped CN photocatalyst possesses enhanced visible light absorption, higher charge separation efficiency than pristine CN. Under acidic conditions, cellobiose is not only more efficiently hydrolyzed into glucose but also promotes the syngas and gluconic acid production. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the favorable generation of •O2− during the photocatalytic reaction, which is essential for gluconic acid production. Consequently, the fine-designed photocatalyst presents excellent cellobiose conversion (>80%) and gluconic acid selectivity (>70%) together with the co-production of syngas (~56 μmol g-1 h-1) under light illumination. The current work demonstrates the feasibility of biomass photoreforming with value-added chemicals and syngas co-production under mild condition.
Selective Cellobiose Photoreforming for Simultaneous Gluconic Acid and Syngas...Pawan Kumar
Here, we demonstrate the selective cellobiose (building block of cellulose) photoreforming for gluconic acid and syngas co-production in acidic conditions by rationally designing a bifunctional polymeric carbon nitride (CN) with potassium/sulfur co-dopant. This heteroatomic doped CN photocatalyst possesses enhanced visible light absorption, higher charge separation efficiency than pristine CN. Under acidic conditions, cellobiose is not only more efficiently hydrolyzed into glucose but also promotes the syngas and gluconic acid production. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal the favorable generation of •O2− during the photocatalytic reaction, which is essential for gluconic acid production. Consequently, the fine-designed photocatalyst presents excellent cellobiose conversion (>80%) and gluconic acid selectivity (>70%) together with the co-production of syngas (~56 μmol g-1 h-1) under light illumination. The current work demonstrates the feasibility of biomass photoreforming with value-added chemicals and syngas co-production under mild condition.
Partial Thermal Condensation Mediated Synthesis of High-Density Nickel Single...Pawan Kumar
Direct selective transformation of greenhouse methane (CH4) to liquid oxygenates (methanol) can substitute energy-intensive two-step (reforming/Fischer–Tropsch) synthesis while creating environmental benefits. The development of inexpensive, selective, and robust catalysts that enable room temperature conversion will decide the future of this technology. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with isolated active centers embedded in support have displayed significant promises in catalysis to drive challenging reactions. Herein, high-density Ni single atoms are developed and stabilized on carbon nitride (NiCN) via thermal condensation of preorganized Ni-coordinated melem units. The physicochemical characterization of NiCN with various analytical techniques including HAADF-STEM and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) validate the successful formation of Ni single atoms coordinated to the heptazine-constituted CN network. The presence of uniform catalytic sites improved visible absorption and carrier separation in densely populated NiCN SAC resulting in 100% selective photoconversion of (CH4) to methanol using H2O2 as an oxidant. The superior catalytic activity can be attributed to the generation of high oxidation (NiIII═O) sites and selective C─H bond cleavage to generate •CH3 radicals on Ni centers, which can combine with •OH radicals to generate CH3OH.
Recent advancements in tuning the electronic structures of transitional metal...Pawan Kumar
The smooth transition from finite non-renewables to renewable energy conversion technologies will require efficient electrocatalysts which can harness intermittent energies to store in the form of chemical bonds. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) impedes the widespread usage of water electrolyzers to convert H2O into H2 and persists as a bottleneck, including other energy conversion devices with sluggish four H+/e− kinetics. In this context, designing highly active and stable catalysts capable of driving a lower overpotential in the OER to produce continuous hydrogen (H2) is a primary demanded. This chapter discussed the mechanism of the OER in conventional adsorbate oxygen and lattice oxygen participation in transition metal oxides (TMOs). Further, the influences of surface engineering, doping, and defects in the TMOs and understanding the electronic structure to screen electrodes towards the structure–activity relationship are highlighted. Specifically, the adsorption strength of O 2p is understood in detail as its binding ability over the surface of TMOs can be correlated directly to the OER activity. The iterative development of TMOs in terms of understanding electronic structural attributes is essential for the commercial deployment of energy conversion technologies. The comprehensive outlook of this chapter investigates thoroughly how TMOs can be used as significant materials for the OER in the near future.
Hole transport materials (HTMs) have a significant impact on the effectiveness of organic electronic devices; therefore, we present a molecular architecture of pyrazino[2,3-g]quinoxaline (PQ10)-based room-temperature organic liquid crystalline semiconductor (OLCS) as an alternative HTM. The PQ10 compound exhibits three different rectangular columnar (Colr) phases offering an impressive hole mobility of 8.8 × 10−3 cm2V−1s−1 which is found to be dexterous than most of existing polymeric hole transport materials. The charge transport mechanism is governed by the hole polarons hopping through H-aggregates of the PQ10 molecules and the hole mobility remains nearly constant throughout the mesophase range, but it decreases with increasing applied electric field. The current-voltage characteristics of the PQ10 have also been investigated in all three Colr phases and explained via the Poole-Frenkel conduction mechanism. The dielectric spectroscopy has been eventually carried out to understand the nature of dielectric permittivity and conductivity as a function of temperature and a correlation is established between the molecular architecture of the Colr phases and aforementioned physical properties. Solar cell simulation has been additionally performed to demonstrate that the PQ10 material can be a better choice as HTM for organic electronics and photovoltaic applications.
Multifunctional carbon nitride nanoarchitectures for catalysisPawan Kumar
Catalysis is at the heart of modern-day chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and there is an urgent demand to develop metal-free, high surface area, and efficient catalysts in a scalable, reproducible and economic manner. Amongst the ever-expanding two-dimensional materials family, carbon nitride (CN) has emerged as the most researched material for catalytic applications due to its unique molecular structure with tunable visible range band gap, surface defects, basic sites, and nitrogen functionalities. These properties also endow it with anchoring capability with a large number of catalytically active sites and provide opportunities for doping, hybridization, sensitization, etc. To make considerable progress in the use of CN as a highly effective catalyst for various applications, it is critical to have an in-depth understanding of its synthesis, structure and surface sites. The present review provides an overview of the recent advances in synthetic approaches of CN, its physicochemical properties, and band gap engineering, with a focus on its exclusive usage in a variety of catalytic reactions, including hydrogen evolution reactions, overall water splitting, water oxidation, CO2 reduction, nitrogen reduction reactions, pollutant degradation, and organocatalysis. While the structural design and band gap engineering of catalysts are elaborated, the surface chemistry is dealt with in detail to demonstrate efficient catalytic performances. Burning challenges in catalytic design and future outlook are elucidated.
Production of Renewable Fuels by the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 using Ma...Pawan Kumar
The photo-reductive performance of natural ilmenite was boosted and the production of renewable fuels from the reduction of CO2 was enhanced by doping the natural mineral with magnesium. The doping was achieved by high energy ball milling in the presence of MgO and Mg(NO3)2. The photo-reduction of CO2 in aqueous solution led to the evolution of H2, CH4, C2H4, and C2H6, and the insertion of Mg in the structure of ilmenite enabled increases of up to 1245% in the fuel production yield, reaching total production of 210.9 µmol h-1 gcat-1. Displacements of the conduction band to more negative potentials were evidenced for the samples doped with magnesium. Indirect effects such as increases in the valence band maximum, and the introduction of intermediate energy levels were also evidenced through the measurement of the crystallite size and the determination of the band structure of the materials. Mott-Schottky analyses of the samples showed the n-type nature of the semiconductor materials and enabled the estimation of the density of charge carriers, which strongly influenced the photocatalytic performance. The strong potential of the application of natural ilmenite in gas phase artificial photosynthesis was proved by the evaluation of CO2 reduction in gas conditions, which allowed the enhancement in the selectivity and significantly increased the production of CH4 as compared to aqueous solution, reaching an important yield of CH4 of 16.1 µmol h-1 gcat-1.
Nanoengineered Au-Carbon Nitride Interfaces Enhance PhotoCatalytic Pure Water...Pawan Kumar
Photocatalytic pure water splitting using solar energy is one of the promising routes to produce sustainable green hydrogen (H2). Tuning the interfacial active site density at catalytic heterojunctions and better light management are imperative to steer the structure-activity correlations to enhance the photo-efficiency of nanocomposite photocatalysts. Herein, we report the decoration of nitrogen defects-rich carbon nitride CN(T) with metallic Au nanostructures of different morphologies and sizes to investigate their influence on the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). The CN(T)-7-NP nano-heterostructure comprises Au nanoparticles (NPs) of ~7 nm and thiourea-derived defective CN exhibits an excellent H2 production rate of 76.8 µmol g–1 h–1 from pure water under simulated AM 1.5 solar irradiation. In contrast to large-size Au nanorods, the high activity of CN(T)-7-NP was attributed to their strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) mediated visible absorption and interfacial charge separation. The surface ligands used to control Au nanostructures morphology were found to play a major role in the stabilization of NPs and improve interfacial charge transport between Au NPs and CN(T). First-principles calculations revealed that defects in CN and Au-CN interfacial sites in these nanocomposites facilitate the separation of e-/h+ pairs after light excitation and provide lower energy barrier pathways for H2 production by photocatalytic water splitting.
Nanoengineered Au-Carbon Nitride Interfaces Enhance Photo-Catalytic Pure Wate...Pawan Kumar
Photocatalytic pure water splitting using solar energy is one of the promising routes to produce sustainable green hydrogen (H2). Tuning the interfacial active site density at catalytic heterojunctions and better light management are imperative to steer the structure-activity correlations to enhance the photo-efficiency of nanocomposite photocatalysts. Herein, we report the decoration of nitrogen defects-rich carbon nitride CN(T) with metallic Au nanostructures of different morphologies and sizes to investigate their influence on the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). The CN(T)-7-NP nano-heterostructure comprises Au nanoparticles (NPs) of ~7 nm and thiourea-derived defective CN exhibits an excellent H2 production rate of 76.8 µmol g–1 h–1 from pure water under simulated AM 1.5 solar irradiation. In contrast to large-size Au nanorods, the high activity of CN(T)-7-NP was attributed to their strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) mediated visible absorption and interfacial charge separation. The surface ligands used to control Au nanostructures morphology were found to play a major role in the stabilization of NPs and improve interfacial charge transport between Au NPs and CN(T). First-principles calculations revealed that defects in CN and Au-CN interfacial sites in these nanocomposites facilitate the separation of e-/h+ pairs after light excitation and provide lower energy barrier pathways for H2 production by photocatalytic water splitting.
Cooperative Copper Single Atom Catalyst in Two-dimensional Carbon Nitride for...Pawan Kumar
Renewable electricity powered carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction (eCO2R) to high-value fuels like methane (CH4) holds the potential to close the carbon cycle at meaningful scales. However, this kinetically staggered 8-electron multistep reduction still suffers from inadequate catalytic efficiency and current density. Atomic Cu-structures can boost eCO2R-to-CH4 selectivity due to enhanced intermediate binding energies (BEs) resulting from favorably shifted d-band centers. Herein, we exploit two-dimensional carbon nitride (CN) matrices, viz. Na-polyheptazine (PHI) and Li-polytriazine imides (PTI), to host Cu-N2 type single atom sites with high density (∼1.5 at%), via a facile metal ion exchange process. Optimized Cu loading in nanocrystalline Cu-PTI maximizes eCO2R-to-CH4 performance with Faradaic efficiency (FECH4) of ≈68% and a high partial current density of 348 mA cm−2 at a low potential of -0.84 V versus RHE, surpassing the state-of-the-art catalysts. Multi-Cu substituted N-appended nanopores in the CN frameworks yield thermodynamically stable quasi-dual/triple sites with large interatomic distances dictated by the pore dimensions. First-principles calculations elucidate the relative Cu-CN cooperative effects between the two matrices and how the Cu-Cu distance and local environment dictate the adsorbate BEs, density of states, and CO2-to-CH4 energy profile landscape. The 9N pores in Cu-PTI yield cooperative Cu-Cu sites that synergistically enhance the kinetics of the rate-limiting steps in the eCO2R-to-CH4 pathway.
Bioinspired multimetal electrocatalyst for selective methane oxidationPawan Kumar
Selective partial electrooxidation of methane (CH4) to liquid oxygenates has been a long-sought goal. However, the high activation energy of C–H bonds and competing oxygen evolution reaction limit product selectivity and reaction rates. Inspired by iron (IV)-oxo containing metalloenzymes’ functionality to activate the C–H bond, here we report on the design of a copper-iron-nickel catalyst for selective oxidation of CH4 to formate via a peroxide-assisted pathway. Each catalyst serves a specific role which is confirmed via electrochemical, in situ, and theoretical studies. A combination of electrochemical and in situ spectroelectrochemical studies revealed that H2O2 oxidation on nickel led to the formation of active oxygen species which trigger the formation of iron (IV) at low voltages. Density functional theory analysis helped reveal the role of iron (IV)-oxo species in reducing the activation energy barrier for CH4 deprotonation and the critical role of copper to suppress overoxidation. Our multimetal catalyst exhibits a formate faradaic efficiency of 42% at an applied potential of 0.9 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode.
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As the population is increasing and will reach about 9 billion upto 2050. Also due to climate change, it is difficult to meet the food requirement of such a large population. Facing the challenges presented by resource shortages, climate
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be linked to genomics information for crop improvement at all growth stages have become as important as genotyping. Thus,
high-throughput phenotyping has become the major bottleneck restricting crop breeding. Plant phenomics has been defined as the high-throughput, accurate acquisition and analysis of multi-dimensional phenotypes
during crop growing stages at the organism level, including the cell, tissue, organ, individual plant, plot, and field levels. With the rapid development of novel sensors, imaging technology,
and analysis methods, numerous infrastructure platforms have been developed for phenotyping.
Comparing Evolved Extractive Text Summary Scores of Bidirectional Encoder Rep...University of Maribor
Slides from:
11th International Conference on Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering (IcETRAN), Niš, 3-6 June 2024
Track: Artificial Intelligence
https://www.etran.rs/2024/en/home-english/
ESR spectroscopy in liquid food and beverages.pptxPRIYANKA PATEL
With increasing population, people need to rely on packaged food stuffs. Packaging of food materials requires the preservation of food. There are various methods for the treatment of food to preserve them and irradiation treatment of food is one of them. It is the most common and the most harmless method for the food preservation as it does not alter the necessary micronutrients of food materials. Although irradiated food doesn’t cause any harm to the human health but still the quality assessment of food is required to provide consumers with necessary information about the food. ESR spectroscopy is the most sophisticated way to investigate the quality of the food and the free radicals induced during the processing of the food. ESR spin trapping technique is useful for the detection of highly unstable radicals in the food. The antioxidant capability of liquid food and beverages in mainly performed by spin trapping technique.
DERIVATION OF MODIFIED BERNOULLI EQUATION WITH VISCOUS EFFECTS AND TERMINAL V...Wasswaderrick3
In this book, we use conservation of energy techniques on a fluid element to derive the Modified Bernoulli equation of flow with viscous or friction effects. We derive the general equation of flow/ velocity and then from this we derive the Pouiselle flow equation, the transition flow equation and the turbulent flow equation. In the situations where there are no viscous effects , the equation reduces to the Bernoulli equation. From experimental results, we are able to include other terms in the Bernoulli equation. We also look at cases where pressure gradients exist. We use the Modified Bernoulli equation to derive equations of flow rate for pipes of different cross sectional areas connected together. We also extend our techniques of energy conservation to a sphere falling in a viscous medium under the effect of gravity. We demonstrate Stokes equation of terminal velocity and turbulent flow equation. We look at a way of calculating the time taken for a body to fall in a viscous medium. We also look at the general equation of terminal velocity.
Seminar of U.V. Spectroscopy by SAMIR PANDASAMIR PANDA
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Richard's aventures in two entangled wonderlandsRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
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Monitor common gases, weather parameters, particulates.
ISI 2024: Application Form (Extended), Exam Date (Out), EligibilitySciAstra
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Earliest Galaxies in the JADES Origins Field: Luminosity Function and Cosmic ...Sérgio Sacani
We characterize the earliest galaxy population in the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the deepest
imaging field observed with JWST. We make use of the ancillary Hubble optical images (5 filters
spanning 0.4−0.9µm) and novel JWST images with 14 filters spanning 0.8−5µm, including 7 mediumband filters, and reaching total exposure times of up to 46 hours per filter. We combine all our data
at > 2.3µm to construct an ultradeep image, reaching as deep as ≈ 31.4 AB mag in the stack and
30.3-31.0 AB mag (5σ, r = 0.1” circular aperture) in individual filters. We measure photometric
redshifts and use robust selection criteria to identify a sample of eight galaxy candidates at redshifts
z = 11.5 − 15. These objects show compact half-light radii of R1/2 ∼ 50 − 200pc, stellar masses of
M⋆ ∼ 107−108M⊙, and star-formation rates of SFR ∼ 0.1−1 M⊙ yr−1
. Our search finds no candidates
at 15 < z < 20, placing upper limits at these redshifts. We develop a forward modeling approach to
infer the properties of the evolving luminosity function without binning in redshift or luminosity that
marginalizes over the photometric redshift uncertainty of our candidate galaxies and incorporates the
impact of non-detections. We find a z = 12 luminosity function in good agreement with prior results,
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from z = 12 to z = 14. We discuss the possible implications of our results in the context of theoretical
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Flexible and Ultrasoft Inorganic 1D Semiconductor and Heterostructure Systems Based on SnIP
1. Copyright WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69469 Weinheim, Germany, 2019.
Supporting Information
for Adv. Funct. Mater., DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201900233
Flexible and Ultrasoft Inorganic 1D Semiconductor and
Heterostructure Systems Based on SnIP
Claudia Ott, Felix Reiter, Maximilian Baumgartner, Markus
Pielmeier, Anna Vogel, Patrick Walke, Stefan Burger, Michael
Ehrenreich, Gregor Kieslich,* Dominik Daisenberger, Jeff
Armstrong, Ujwal Kumar Thakur, Pawan Kumar, Shunda
Chen, Davide Donadio, Lisa S. Walter, R. Thomas Weitz,
Karthik Shankar,* and Tom Nilges*
2. Flexible and ultra-soft inorganic 1D semiconductor and
heterostructure systems based on SnIP
Claudia Otta),ǂ
,Felix Reitera), ǂ
, Maximilian Baumgartner, Markus Pielmeier a)
, Anna Vogel a)
,
Patrick Walke a)
, Stefan Burgerb)
, Michael Ehrenreichb)
, Gregor Kieslichb,
*)
, Dominik
Daisenbergerc)
, Jeff Armstrongd)
, Thakur Ujwal Kumare) ǂ
, Pawan Kumar e)
, Shunda Chenf)
,
Davide Donadiof)
, Lisa S. Walter g)
, R. Thomas Weitzg,h)
, Karthik Shankare,
*)
and Tom
Nilgesa,
*)
Supplement
1. Mechanical properties of individual, suspended SnIP nanowires
To determine the mechanical properties of individual SnIP nanowires, we have realized
suspended nanowires and measured the Young’s modulus of such individual wires using an
Atomic Force Microscope. The double helix axis runs along the needle axis.
Force-deflection spectroscopy
The Young’s modulus has been measured with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) in
nanoindenation mode following a protocol similar to what has previously been described e.g.
by G. Xiong et al.[66]
However, it is noteworthy that usually wires with diameters one order of
magnitude below ours are detected using this procedure.[66, 67, 68]
Prior to each measurement,
the profile of the respective wire was recorded (see e.g. Figure S1b and S2b), to make sure
that a clean region of the wire is indented. The indentation was performed in approximately
the middle of the holes. For the indentation measurements, we used a maximal force
between approximately 100 and 250 nN. The AFM detects the deflection of the laser beam
as a voltage difference on a four-quadrant diode depending on the position of the piezo .
The raw data are calculated to the force applied to the wire according to Hook’s Law
and the indentation depth , where is the spring
constant of the cantilever (BudgetSensors, BS-Tap300Al) and is the cantilever sensitivity
determined by a calibration measurement on a hard substrate (here pure SiO2).
For determination of the Young’s modulus we have used the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation
as has also been used in [66], giving the relation of indentation depth to applied force in the
middle of the freestanding wire part as
(1)
3. with the length of the suspended part of the wire, the Young’s modulus. As area-moment
of inertia in the direction parallel to the indentation direction, we have used the formula
for a beam with an elliptic cross section with the width and the height of the
beam.[69]
The wire height is measured as height difference between wire and substrate next
to the trench using the AFM (Figure S1b and S2b), while its width is measured after all
mechanical measurements using a scanning electron microscope (SEM, Figure S1c and
S2c). The wire length across the hole is determined using optical microscopy (Figure S1a
and S2a). If we include the moment of inertia into equation (1), we find:
(2)
Fitting the slope of the linear regime in the force-distance curve and dividing by the factor
results in the Young’s modulus (Figure S1d, e and S2d, e).
For each wire, we have indented three to four times to test if the applied force has affected
the mechanical properties of the wires and found that for four out of the five wires tested the
extracted Young’s modulus has not changed significantly for the indents. For one of the wires
(wire 8), a slight increase of the Young’s modulus for each indentation can be observed.
We have indented about 20 – 40 nm for each wire, thus making sure that the bending angle
is well below 5° and the previously described theory can be applied.[70]
Also, our wires were
not clamped on the SiO2 surface at the edges of the holes and thus might in principle slip
during indentation resulting in a non-linear behavior in the force-distance curve.[70]
However,
such a deviation can only be supposed for one of the wires (wire 11). Consequently, we
assume (as also was previously done[66, 70]
) that in our measurements the substrate-
supported parts of the wires do not move due to a sufficient adhesion of the wires on the
substrate.
According to the theory described above, the force-distance curve has to be detected in the
center of the wire. However, as it was also assured that no dirt on top of the wire was
indented, it was not always possible to precisely hit the wire center. Furthermore, the wires
are not perfectly uniform (compare e.g. Figure S2b), making the value for the area-moment
of inertia only an approximation.
We have measured the Young’s modulus E of five suspended wires, the detailed data of two
of these wires are shown in Figures S1 and S2. Wire 2, 10 and 11 showed comparable
results and were used to characterize SnIP. Figure S1 illustrates such a measurement. In the
case of wire 5 (Figure S2) and wire 8 we found strongly deviating values for the Young’s
modulus which are related to structural degradation or sliding of SnIP double helices of the
wire upon indentation. At the point where the indentation took place (Figure S2b, c) one can
4. observe a deformation of the wire. Therefore, such measurements were not used for the
characterization of the material.
E was found to be on the order of 190 GPa and consequently higher than in the bulk
measurements discussed in the main text. Possibly the reason is that during sample
preparation the wires were disassembled mechanically, thereby applying high forces and
hardening the wires. Furthermore, we measured smaller Young’s Moduli for thicker wires,
which in contradiction seem to consist of several helix strands, allowing them to slip along
each other upon bending.
Furthermore, the nanoindenation measurements only probe E in the direction along the wire,
while the bulk measurements provide an average over all directions, hence giving evidence
for the strong anisotropic behavior of SnIP. The respective Young’s modulus of all measured
wires and a selection of reported Young’s modulus of different main group element
semiconductors is given in Table S1-1.
Figure S1. a) and b) Optical- and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements of a
suspended wire (wire 11). c) Scanning-electron microscopy (SEM) image of part of the wire.
The respective measured widths are given. d) and e) Two force-distance curve taken in the
middle of the wire.
6. Table S1-1. Width (measured by SEM) and height (measured by AFM) as well as the
measured Young’s modulus of all wires investigated. The Young’s modulus is given as an
average of at least three indents with the error being the standard deviation. Young’s
modulus of IV, III-V and II-VI semiconductors are taken from literature.
Comp., [hkl] Width w
[nm]
Height h
[nm]
Young’s modulus [GPa] Literature
SnIP, [100] Wire 2 535 ± 4 562 ± 10 181 ± 7 This work
SnIP, [100] Wire 5 1295 ± 187 604 ± 90 33 ± 1 This work
SnIP, [100] Wire 8 713 ± 34 330 ± 9 810 ± 149 This work
SnIP, [100] Wire 10 1719 ± 61 685 ± 21 189 ± 12 This work
SnIP, [100] Wire 11 524 ± 19 603 ± 12 205 ± 28 This work
GaN, [120] 36 - 48 227 - 305 [67]
Si, [001] 130 [20]
Ge, [001] 103 [20]
a-Sn, [001] 52 [20]
b-GaN, [001] 191 [20]
GaP, [001] 103 [20]
GaAs, [001] 85 [20]
GaSb, [001] 63 [20]
InP, [001] 61 [20]
InAs, [001] 51 [20]
InSb, [001] 42 [20]
b-ZnS, [001] 51 [20]
ZnSe, [001] 48 [20]
ZnTe, [001] 42 [20]
c-CdS, [001] 33 [20]
c-CdSe, [001] 29 [20]
CdTe, [001] 23 [20]
7. 2. Quantum chemical DFT calculations
2.1. Calculation of Raman modes for SnIP at normal and high pressure conditions
Raman spectra were calculated within the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT).
HSE06 functionals were applied including Grimme D2 corrections to address the weak van
der Waals interactions in SnIP. A band assignment was performed for the modes detectable
in Raman experiments. Selected modes defining the three different areas detectable in the
experimental Raman spectrum of SnIP are given below.
125 cm−1
mode 339 cm−1
mode 355 cm−1
mode
125SnIP.mp4 339P.mp4 355P.mp4
Sn-I breathing region P-P stretching region P-P stretching region
422 cm−1
mode 458 cm−1
mode
422P.mp4 458P.mp4
P-P breathing region P-P breathing region
Based on these assignments we defined three general regions in the spectrum as stated
below the videos and denoted in Figure S3.
8. Figure S3. Illustrations of Raman modes (top), experimental Raman spectrum and Raman
mode positions derived from Quantum-chemical (DFT) calculations for different pressures
(lines). Calculations are based on experimental cell parameters measured in a DAC cell
including a geometry optimization of the structure for SnIP with restrained lattice parameters.
Band assignments are given for highlighted modes in the Sn-I breathing, P-P stretching and
P-P breathing regions. Videos of the modes are given above.
9. 2.2. Calculation of phonon spectra and thermal conductivity of SnIP
Quantum chemical calculations within the framework of DFT within the local density
approximation were performed to evaluate the electronic band structure (S5.a) and the
phonon dispersion relations of SnIP (S5.b). The electronic band structure calculations are in
good accordance with data reported earlier on.[17]
The phonon dispersion relations account
for the low thermal conductivity of the system and for its anisotropy. They feature a very
narrow frequency range for the acoustic modes and flat optical bands in the -Z direction,
whereas modes are more dispersive in the -Y direction that corresponds to propagation
along the helices.
Figure S4. a) Calculated band structure and b) phonon dispersion curves of SnIP.
10. Although this was a remarkably challenging experiment for inelastic neutron scattering (INS)
due to the extremely low non-hydrogenous scattering cross sections, we were nonetheless
able to obtain clearly distinguishable signals in the high frequency region (> 250 cm−1
)
through a careful background/cell subtraction (Figure S5).
Figure S5. Calculated and measured phonon spectra for SnIP.
These signals were corroborated with comparison to DFT phonon and high-frequency peaks
can be clearly assigned to result from different motions of the lighter P atoms. These P
motions can be broadly broken down into concentric helical breathing/twisting modes (442,
330/265 cm−1
), and stretching modes along the axis of the helices (339.6 cm−1
). The fact that
these two sets of modes are comparable in frequency, yet involve spatial dimensions with
largely varying mechanical properties indicates that the P motions are largely localized, and
independent of the lateral inter-helical interactions. Our measurements do in fact quite clearly
show the presence of low frequency modes in the region where DFT predicts lateral inter-
helical motions (< 100 cm−1
), however the low sensitivity and resolution in this region makes
it difficult to unambiguously assign modes to quantitative agreement. Nonetheless we
attempt a coarse guide to the eye assignment in Figure S5 and give a tentative assignment
11. of a "complete helical breathing" at 99 cm−1
. This result indicates that P-P interactions both in
the axis of the helix and laterally are similar in strength, yet seem to have a larger effect on
the mechanical properties along the axis on the helix due to the observed decoupling of
frequencies between the internal P-P breathing modes, and the "complete helical breathing"
as a whole.
12. 2.3. Pressure dependent crystal structure evolution of SnIP
Results from quantum chemical DFT calculations after geometry optimization on SnIP. Cell
parameters were calculated from 0.1 and 11.5 GPa. Cell Volume and pressure as extracted
from Pawley profile fits coming from the high-pressure DAC setup and the Low Pressure Cell
(LPC) as used for the calculation of the bulk modulus. By fitting a Birch-Murnaghan equation
of state to the complete dataset, a Bulk modulus of 14.87 ± 1.01 GPa (K’ = 12.18 GPa) was
obtained. The error of the pressure was estimated based on the datasets and ruby
fluorescence (DAC) to 0.009 GPa. For the calculation a home written code was used, and
results compared with EoSFit7c, which resulted in virtually similar bulk moduli and errors.
Table S2-1. Lattice parameters derived from DFT calculations (first part) on SnIP up to a
pressure of 11 GPa. Standard deviations are estimated to equal or less than 0.0001 Å for
lattice parameters, 0.01° for angles, 0.01 Å3
for cell volumes and 0.02 GPa for pressure.
Second part: Measured cell volumes from DAC and LPC cells.
Pressure [GPa] a [Å] b [Å] c [Å] [°] Cell volume [Å
3
] (DFT)
0 7.9388 9.8098 18.4376 110.4400 1345.48
0.28 7.9151 9.7363 18.3192 110.5427 1321.98
1.28 7.8532 9.6031 18.1031 110.7214 1276.94
2.05 7.8236 9.5512 18.0271 110.8018 1259.25
3.99 7.7272 9.4141 17.83204 111.0325 1210.75
5.67 7.6571 9.2982 17.67464 111.3293 1172.18
6.67 7.6260 9.2224 17.58983 111.552 1150.61
9.59 7.5485 9.0625 17.39729 112.1655 1102.16
11.46 7.4208 8.8867 17.17087 112.1716 1048.63
Pressure [GPa] Cell Volume [A³]
LPC 0.0001 1344.56
0.05 1339.88
0.1 1336.07
0.15 1332.12
0.2 1327.91
0.25 1324.23
0.3 1319.77
0.32 1318.63
0.33 1318.04
0.35 1317.02
0.4 1312.46
DAC 0.11 1335.06
0.23 1326.11
0.29 1322.06
0.37 1315.88
0.48 1309.07
13. Figure S6. Summary of selected bond lengths with minimal, maximal and average values for
SnIP in a pressure range of 0.1 to 11.5 GPa.
Figure S7. Inter-helical and intra-helical Sn-I distances for SnIP in a pressure range or 0.1 to
11.5 GPa. Dotted lines are extrapolated bond distances which cross each other at 20 GPa.
At this pressure the intra and interhelical distances are not distinguishable any more.
14. Figure S8. Evolution of the calculated band gaps (DFT, HSE06 functionals, Grimme D2
correction for SnIP in a pressure range of 0.1 to 11.5 GPa.
15. 3. Hybrid materials
3.1. Raman spectroscopy on SnIP and SnIP@polymer hybrids
The Raman measurement of the delaminated SnIP needles (25 to 100 nm diameter) shows
the same bands as the bulk sample (several micrometer-sized crystals in diameter). Figure
S9 shows the Raman spectrum of delaminated (red) and bulk (black) SnIP. The inserted
image illustrates a magnified view on the Sn-I breathing mode region of the compound. It is
obvious, that the intensity of the main and most intensive visible mode in this region chances
while delamination and the outer Sn-I-helix at 128 cm−1
is no longer the dominating one. The
mode at 142 cm−1
becomes dominant after exfoliation. Such a behavior of varying the
intensity of modes upon delamination was also observed for layered materials like black
phosphorus if it is transferred to phosphorene.[71]
An important finding is that all modes of
SnIP are invariant in terms of their position which illustrates a comparable and non-
influenced chemical bonding for all helices in the bulk and delaminated material.
Figure S9. Raman spectra of as prepared SnIP (black, diameter >10 m) and chemically
delaminated SnIP crystals (red, diameter ~ 25 nm). The inserted image shows a detail graph
ranging from 50 to 200 cm−1
. Modes are changing their intensity upon delamination.
After delamination of SnIP we prepared different SnIP@polymer hybrid materials in order to
evaluate the possibility to incorporate SnIP into different matrices. SnIP reference spectra
(25 to 100 nm diameters of needle-shaped crystals) shown in the oncoming figures are
measured for delaminated SnIP which was used to fabricate the hybrid materials afterwards.
Our intention was to verify if commonly used polymers are possible matrices to host nano-
16. sized SnIP without any degradation effects. We examined polyethylene glycol (PEO, solid
electrolyte, batteries), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyethylene (PE), poly(3,4-
ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS, solar cells) or Poly(3-
hexylthiophen-2,5-diyl) (P3HT; solar cells), and fluorine/chloride doped C3N4 (water splitting)
due to their importance for energy conversion and storage applications. In the following we
illustrate the effect on the Raman modes of SnIP in such non-conductive and conductive
polymer matrices.
In some cases, a small shift in the main Raman modes of SnIP is observed which points
towards a certain influence on the bonding in the respective hybrids. For the SnIP@PEO we
found a 28 cm−1
red shift for the Sn-I breathing mode which illustrates a weakening of
bonding in the outer [SnI] helix (Figure S10). In accordance with this we found a slight shift in
the direct (0.05 eV) and indirect band gaps (0.025 eV) towards lower energies.
A comparable shift of the Sn-I breathing modes is observed for SnIP@PVP but we see
different not assigned modes in the SnI breathing region which needs to be addressed in the
future. For SnIP@PE this shift of the Sn-I breathing mode is significantly reduced to only 14
cm-1
(see Figure S11). Interestingly, the P-P breathing and stretching modes are shifted to
slightly higher wavenumbers for the same two polymers indicating larger force constants and
stronger interactions in that case.
Interestingly, a blue shift of the Sn-I breathing mode towards higher wavenumbers is found
for the conductive PEDOT/PSS polymer. It seems to be the case that the breathing mode is
strengthened which points towards a certain electron transfer from the conductive polymer to
SnIP. Further experiments including P3HT are underway to substantiate this assumption. In
the case of SnIP@P3HT hybrids we were not able to measure reliable Raman spectra at the
present stage but it seems to be the case that hybrids can also be formed without showing
degradation effects.
In sum, each polymer used for the preparation of SnIP@polymer hybrid materials is capable
to host SnIP without a visible degradation or dissolution process. Slight red and blue shifts in
the modes is an indicator for a certain influence of the matrix to different substructures within
SnIP. At least for the conductive polymers a charge transfer from the polymer to SnIP seems
to occur. Therefore, SnIP might be a suitable candidate for thermoelectric or solar hybrid
devices in the near future but the influence of the matrix material must be taken into account.
17. Figure S10. a) Pictures of selected drop and electrospun SnIP@polymer hybrids. Left and
middle: Delaminated SnIP@PEO 1:1 (mass ratio) drop-casted; Right: Electrospun
SnIP@PEO 1:10 (mass ratio) membrane. b) Raman spectra of drop-casted SnIP@PEO thin-
film hybrids representing pure, delaminated SnIP, a 1:10, 1:1 and 10:1 (mass ratio) hybrid
and pure PEO. A significant shift of 28 cm−1
was observed for the 142 cm−1
mode in SnIP
which points towards a weakening of the Sn-I bonding interactions in the hybrid. Laser
wavelength 532 nm. c) Diffuse reflectance measurements of pure, delaminated SnIP
(diameters > 25 nm) and the 1:1 SnIP@PEO hybrid fabricated from such sample. The direct
and indirect band gap shifts slightly to lower energies.
18. Figure S11. Raman spectra of SnIP@polymer hybrids using non-conductive polymers PEO,
PVP and PE. Left: Full Raman spectrum. Right: Enlarged view on the Sn-I breathing region
with the most dominant Raman modes. The mass ratio for each blend is stated.
19. Figure S12. Raman spectra of SnIP@polymer hybrids using conductive polymers. Left: Full
Raman spectrum. Right: Enlarged view on the Sn-I breathing region with the most dominant
Raman modes. The mass ratio for each blend is stated.
20. 3.2. SnIP@carbon nanotube heterostructures
Carbon nanotubes might be helpful in getting bulk SnIP transferred to the one of the smallest
and chiral semiconductor fiber made so far. SnIP crystallizes in a racemic mixture on right
and left handed double helices. Each double helix itself represents an atomic-scale, chiral,
inorganic semiconductor fiber and once we are able to delaminate bulk SnIP to single one-
nanometer sized chiral fibers this will generate new perspectives for optic and electronic
applications, including the possibility to introduce chirality for inorganic semiconductors. In
general, there are two ways to achieve such chiral double helices. Either one might be able
to prepare them directly in a top-down approach by delaminating bulk SnIP into single fiber
nanotubes or one introduces a bottom-up approach atom by atom in a step by step process.
The top-down approach has been successfully used to prepare 2D materials from bulk
phases like for instance in the case of graphite/graphene[72]
and black
phosphorus/phosphorene[9, 4]
.
In these cases, crystalline monolayers were achieved which still resembled the properties of
the bulk material. For 1D SnIP the top down approach, either by mechanical or chemical
delamination led to 10 to 20 nm diameter fibers or five to ten shells of hexagonally stacked,
right and left handed double helices.[17]
If one intends to get smaller fibers one might think
about a direct synthesis following a template approach in suitable matrices. This has for
instance successfully performed for phosphorus[22, 23]
and selenium[24]
in multi-walled carbon
nanotubes. We conducted first principle DFT calculations including empirical dispersion
corrections for SnIP@Carbon nanotube(CNT) heterostructures. Three different types of CNT,
a metallic, semimetallic and semiconducting one, were selected based on their inner
diameter to accommodate a single P-double helix (rod group p 742) of SnIP. According to our
calculations, a (10,10), (18,0), and (19,0) CNT are the most suitable candidates for the
stabilization of single SnIP strands concerning simple space filling aspects of SnIP and the
diameter of a given CNT (see Figure S13a and b). Band structures of such heterostructures
taking simple and empirical dispersion corrections into account are given in Figure S13c. In
those cases, where the CNT is achiral, also the expected heterostructure will show a racemic
mixture of right and left-handed double helices. In order to separate the SnIP enantiomers
one has to use chiral CNTs like (15,5) or (16,10), to realize a separation of the two
enantiomeric form. If a synthesis of SnIP directly into such CNT will be possible will be
subject to further investigations. At the moment it mostly suffers from the availability of phase
pure CNT of a given type to verify our predictions. The synthesis of such CNTs might be
realized in the future.
21. Figure S13. SnIP@CNT heterostructure representations. a) View onto the SnIP a-axis. b)
View along the double helix and CNT axis. c) Band structures of SnIP@CNT
heterostructures.
22. 3.3. Hybrid materials and water splitting
Figure S14. Synthetic scheme for CNFCl sheets wrapped SnIP/CNFCl nanocomposite.
23. Figure S15. SEM pictures of of SnIP@C3N4(F,Cl) thin film devices.
Figure S16. Photoluminescence measurements of SnIP@CNFCl thin film devices.
24. Figure S17. (a) EDX elemental mapping of 30% SnIP/CNFCl; inset showing area of interest,
(b) line scale for different elements inset showing area of interest scan.
25. Figure S18. (a) Elemental survey scan for SnIP (black), CNFCl (navy blue), 30%
SnIP/CNFCl (red), and HR-XPS of SnIP in (b) Sn3d, (c) I3d, (d) P2p regions.
26. Figure S19. HR-XPS of CNFCl in (a) C1s, (b) N1s, (c) F1s, (d) O1s region.
27. Figure S20. HR-XPS of 30% SnIP/CNFCl in O1s region.
Figure S21. VB-XPS spectra of pristine SnIP (blue), CNFCl (green) and 30% SnIP/CNFCl
(red)
28. Author contributions
T.N. and K.S. initiated the study. C.O. and F.R. prepared the samples and measured
physical properties. M.P. and M.B. conducted the quantum chemical calculations and A.V.
measured Raman spectra. S.C. and Da.Do. calculated the phonon spectra and thermal
conductivity. G.K., Do.Da., S.B., M.E. and F.R. collected and analyzed the pressure-
dependent synchrotron data. T.U.K., P.K. and K.S. planned and conducted the water splitting
experiments and measured the electrochemical properties. L.S.W. and R.T.W. performed the
Young’s modulus experiments. T.N., K.S., and G.K. wrote the paper with contributions from
all other authors.
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