Preparation of graphene and TiO2 layer by layer composite with highly photocatalytic efficiency

A process for fabricating graphene and TiO2 layer by layer composite was introduced to improve the photocatalytic activity by controlling the layers, thickness and the mass ratio between graphene and TiO2. The graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized from natural graphite pow der by the modified Hummers met hod. Large-area uniform GO and TiO2 thin films were made by a spin-coating process in turn. After exposure of the TiO2/GO multilayer film to UV light irradiation which allows the reduction of GO to graphene, a novel photocatalyt ic structure as graphene and TiO2 layer by layer composite was synthesized. The cross-sectional SEM image showed that a clear layer by layer microstructure with a single layer thickness of graphene or TiO2 was in the range of about 50 nm. The total thickness of the film was around 5 μm which was varied according to the layer number of spin coating process. Raman spectra revealed th at significant structural changes occurred through UV light irradiation. Photodegrada tion for methylene blue (MB) exhibited that the layer by layer com posite is of higher photocatalytic activity than the pure TiO2 layer.     

Enhanced superconducting performance in solution-derived YBCO-BaZrO_3composite film

YBa_2 Cu_3 O_(7-δ)/BaZrO_3(YBCO/BZO) composite film with enhanced flux-pinning performance was prepared on LaAlO_3(LAO) substrate via a fluorine-free sol-gel method in combination with a novel photosensitive sol-gel lithography technique.Owing to the difference of lattice mismatch between the interfaces of YBCO/LAO and YBCO/BZO,high-density stacking faults were successfully introduced into YBCO matrix,which has been confirmed by XRD and HRTEM analysis.Magnetization measurement results indicate that YBCO/BZO composite film has a stronger current-carrying capacity than the pure YBCO film especially under applied magnetic fields.However,the critical current density of YBCO/CeO_2 composite film is much lower than that of the pure YBCO film at all the applied magnetic fields due to the chemical reaction between YBCO and CeO_2.Therefore,it can be concluded that the flux-pinning performance of YBCO film can be improved by the lattice distortions within YBCO matrix as long as the metal oxide microarrays cannot react with YBCO films.     

TEM and TEM-EDX Analysis of Cross-section of TiO2 Thin Film and Glass Substrate

TiO₂ thin film was deposited on Na-Ca-Si glass substrate by sol-gel process. TEM observation showed that the film is compactly joined to the substrate. TEM-EDX analyses of the film, film-substrate interface, and substrate revealed that the diffusion of Na+ from the substrate to the film is negative diffusion.     

Preparation and magnetic properties of Co-P thin films

Magnetic Co-P thin films were prepared by electroless deposition. The experiment results show that the film thickness has a significant influence on the coercivity. While the film thickness varied from 300 nm to 5 μm,the coercivity dropped sharply from 45.36 to 22.28 kA/m. As the film thickness increased further,the coercivity varied slowly. When the thickness of the film was 300 nm,the deposited film could realize the coercivity as high as 45.36 kA/m,and the remanent magnetization as high as 800 kA/m.The Co-P films were deposited on the surface of magnetic drums of encoders,whose diameter was 40 mm,and then 512 magnetic poles were recorded,meaning that the magnetizing pitch was 0.245 mm. The testing results indicate that the output signals are perfect,the output waveforms are steady and the pulses account is integral. Compared with the γ-Fe₂O₃ coating,the Co-P thin film is suitable to be the magnetic recording media for the high resolution magnetic rotary encoder.     

Magnetoresistance of the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions

The magnetoresistance and I-V characteristics at different temperatures of the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions of variable width (from 20 to 250 nm) and 10 nm thicknesses, fabricated by electron beam lithography and vacuum thin film deposition are compared. The magnetoresistance and resistance of the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions are not related to the width of the nanoconstrictions. Instead the resistance of the local nano-region in the middle of the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstriction has only a minor role compared to that of the two microscale thin film ferromagnetic electrodes, which contribute the majority of the measured resistance. The magnetoresistances of the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions and a 0.2 cm × 0.8 cm thin ferromagnetic film deposited under the same conditions were also compared; the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions have higher magnetoresistances than the thin ferromagnetic film, which implies that the measured magnetoresistance of the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions comes mainly from the local nano-region in their centers. In conclusion, the measured magnetoresistance of the whole sample is similar to the anisotropic magnetoresistance, because the resistance of the two microscale thin film ferromagnetic electrodes is much higher than that of the local nano-region in the middle of the samples. Comparing the experimental results for the thin film ferromagnetic nanoconstrictions and the thin ferromagnetic film reveals that the magnetoresistance of the local nano-region in the middle of the sample is much higher than that of the two microscale thin film ferromagnetic electrodes attached to it.     

Integrated Bi2O3 nanostructure modified with Au nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

An integrated Bi_2O_3(i-Bi_2O_3) nanostructure with a particle size 10 nm inducing agglomerated structure were synthesized by dissolving bismuth nitrate pentahydrate in diethylene glycol at 180 ℃ with post heat treatment.The prepared i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructures were employed for the construction of Au/i-Bi_2O_3 composite system and characterized by X-ray diffraction pattern,UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS),and transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoemission spectroscopy(XPS) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS).The i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure and Au/i-Bi_2O_3 composite system were found to exhibit high photocatalytic activity than commercial Bi_2O_3 in decomposing salicylic acid under visible light irradiation.The high catalytic activity of i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure was deduced to be caused by charge separation facilitated by electron hopping between the particles within the integrated structure and space-charge separation between i-Bi_2O_3 and Au.The charge separation behavior in i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure was further bolstered by comparing the measured.OH radical produced in the solution with i-Bi_2O_3 nanostructure,commercial Bi_2O_3 and Au/i-Bi_2O_3 composite which readily react with 1,4-terephthalic acid(TA) inducing 2-hydroxy terephthalic acid(TAOH) that shows unique fluorescence peak at 426 nm.The space-charge separation between i-Bi_2O_3 and An was confirmed by measuring the electron spin resonance(ESR) spectra.     

Scaffold-like 3D networks fabricated via the organogelation of β-diketone-boron for fluorescent sensing organic amine vapors

A new compoud based on carbazole functionalized β-diketone-boron difluoride(1) was synthesized.It is found that compoud 1 can gel toluene,ethylbenzene and some mixed solvents,and 3D networks consisting lots of nanofibers were observed using SEM and fluorescence microscopy.The molecular packing model in xerogel 1 was proposed according to the results of XRD,UV/Vis absorption and semiempirical calculations.The obtained nanofibers prepared through organogelation can emit strong orange light under irradiation.It is interesting that the fluorescence of the nanofiber-based film can be quenched quickly and significantly upon exposed to the vapors of n-butylamine,dibutylamine,triethylamine,triethylamine,cyclohexylamine,aniline and pyridine instead of other common reagents.Notably,the response time of the nanofiber-based film to aniline vapor reached ca.0.59 s,and the detection limit for aniline was as low as ca.0.83 mL/m 3.     

Plasmonic coupling in single flower-like gold nanoparticle assemblies

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) arises when light interacts with metallic nanoparticles (NPs). When nanoparticles (NPs) assemble together, the plasmon coupling effect between the NPs often leads to new features in the LSPR of the assembled structure. Understanding the plasmon coupling in the complex assemblies will greatly benefit the development of new plasmonic devices. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of a 3D structure using two different sized Au NPs as building blocks. This 3D structure was achieved by manipulating the binding efficiency of ligands linking the NPs, and proper choice of the NP size. The assembled structure is flower-like structure, with one 130 nm Au NP in the center, and several 40 nm Au NPs attaching as “petals”. Single particle dark-field scattering measurements of the individual assemblies were performed, together with electrodynamics simulations. The experimental and theoretical studies show that, the plasmonic coupling lead to broadening of the LSPR and additional peaks, depending on the number and 3D arrangement of the 40 nm NPs around the center 130 nm NP.     

Preparation and magnetic properties of CoFe_2O_4/TiO_2 composite films

Using (Ti(OC_4H_9)_4) and metal chlorates as starting materials, CoFe_2O_4/TiO_2 composite films were pre-pared by sol-gel method. The effects of heat treatment temperature and pH of the precursor on micro-structure and magnetic properties were studied. The phase structure of the samples was examined by X-ray diffraction. The microstructure was examined by scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope and polarized microscope. The magnetic property was measured by vibrating sample magnetometer. The results show that the crystals of different phases grow up independently. CoFe_2O_4 is uniformly embedded into the TiO_2 matrix in the prepared composite films, and the growth of com-posite films is dependent on the heat treatment temperatures and PH of the precursor. The average size of CoFe_2O_4 crystal is 19 nm in Nanocomposite film prepared when the heat treatment temperature is 800℃ and the pH of the precursor is between 2 and 3. The magnetism of the composite films is en-hanced as the heat treatment temperature increases.     

Thermal detection of surface plasmons on gold nanohole arrays

We used a thin-film thermocouple to detect the thermal effect of surface plasmons excited in Au nanohole array structures.We found that the thermal electromotive force of Au film with periodic nanohole structures is three times greater than that of a bare Au film for 785-nm laser excitation at a given power.This effect is caused by the resonant excitation of localized surface plas- mons in the nanoholes.In addition,we found that the thermal electromotive force(EMF)of the Au film with dumbbell-like na- nohole arrays depends strongly on the incident polarization.The thermal EMF is the greatest when the excitation light is polarized perpendicular to the long axis of the dumbbell.     

Influence of sintering temperature on the phases and photoelectric characteristics of BiOCl/ZnO composite powders

Zinc oxide is a typical functional oxide that has been widely researched for various industry applications due to its peculiar physical characteristics. However, to achieve its potential in promising applications, much work has been diligently performed to improve the physical properties of ZnO. In this work, an aqueous suspension route was used to prepare BiOCl/ZnO composite powders, and sintering processes were applied to investigate the influence of sintering temperature on the phase evolutions, microstructures, and photoelectric characteristics of BiOCl/ZnO composite powders. The results indicated that the photoelectric properties mainly depend on the relevant content of BiOCl in the composite powders and the sintering temperature. The photoelectric measurements in K₂SO₄ solutions show that the photoelectric properties of the samples with the appropriate BiOCl content (0.3mol% and 2.0mol%) are better than those of ZnO and commercial TiO₂ (P₂₅) powders, but the photoelectric measurements in NaOH solutions indicate that the photoelectric characteristics of the as-sintered samples are only better than those of P₂₅.     

Thermal conductivity of nanoscale thin nickel films

The inhomogeneous non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) scheme is applied to model phonon heat conduction in thin nickel films. The electronic contribution to the thermal conductivity of the film is deduced from the electrical conductivity through the use of the Wiedemann-Franz law. At the average temperature of T=300 K, which is lower than the Debye temperature ΘD=450 K, the results show that in a film thickness range of about 1?11 nm, the calculated cross-plane thermal conductivity decreases almost linearly with the decreasing film thickness, exhibiting a remarkable reduction compared with the bulk value. The electrical and thermal conductivities are anisotropic in thin nickel films for the thickness under about 10 nm. The phonon mean free path is estimated and the size effect on the thermal conductivity is attributed to the reduction of the phonon mean free path according to the kinetic theory.     

Photo-induced degradation of Ru（Ⅱ） complex absorbed on anatase TiO2 thin film electrode

Photo-induced degradation of a monolayer of Ru（Ⅱ） complex absorbed on anatase TiO2 thin film was studied by using resonant micro-Raman spectroscopy. Under intense light radiation of a laser and in the absence of a reducing agent, the dye decomposed quickly. When the dye-sensitized TiO2 thin film electrode was covered by a reducing agent, namely the I^-/I3^- redox couple, the photo-induced decomposing rate was slowed by a factor of -10^6. In both cases, the dye decomposed with time under an exponential law.     

Chemically robust carbon nanotube – PTFE superhydrophobic thin films with enhanced ability of wear resistance

A chemically robust superhydrophobic nanocomposite thin film with enhanced wear resistance is prepared from a composite comprising polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) and carbon nanotubes.The superhydrophobic thin films with hierarchical structure are fabricated by spraying an environmentally friendly aqueous dispersion containing carbon nanotubes and PTFE resin on silicon wafer.Thin films with a contact angle of 154.1°± 2° and a sliding angle less than 2° remain superhydrophobic after abrading over 500 times under a pressure of 50 g/cm~2.The thin film is also extremely stable even under much stress conditions.To further the understanding of the enhancement of wear resistance,we investigated the formation of microsized structure and their effects.The growth of microbumps is caused by attracting solution droplet to the hydrophilic islands on hydrophobic surface.     

Effect of plastic deformation on diffusion-rolling bonding of steel sandwich plates

Diffusion bonding is one of the most important techniques for composite materials, while bonding temperature, holding time,and rolling reduction are the key parameters that affect the bonding strength of sandwich plates. To study the effect of plastic deformation on the bonding strength, laboratory experiments were carried on a Gleeble Thermal Simulator to imitate the diffusion-rolling bonding under different reductions for steel sandwich plates. The bonding strength and interlayer film thickness were measured, and the element diffusion was analyzed using line scanning. The relationship between the bonding strength and “diffused interlayer” thickness was investigated. It has been found that the bonding strength increases with reduction, whereas the interlayer film thickness decreases gradually as the reduction increases. The diffusion under plastic deformation is obviously enhanced in comparison with that of nil reduction. The mechanism of plastic deformation effect on the diffusion bonding and related models have been discussed.     

Preparation and characterization of PZT thick film enhanced by ZnO nanowhiskers for MEMS piezoelectric generators

A hybrid sol-gel route which was used to fabricate PZT thick film for MEMS piezoelectric generators was investigated. (100)-oriented Pb(Zr_(0.52)Ti_(0.48))O_3 thick films enhanced by ZnO nanowhiskers(ZnO_w) were successfully prepared on Pt/Cr/SiO_2/Si substrates via spin-coating ZnO_w suspension and PZT sol.The influences of film thickness on the microstructure and electrical properties of composite thick film were investigated.XRD results show that PZT composite thick films have(100)-oriented perovskite...     

Investigation of the effects of MoO_3 buffer layer on charge carrier injection and extraction by capacitance–voltage measurement

The effects of MoO3thin buffer layer on charge carrier injection and extraction in inverted configuration ITO/ZnO/MEH-PPV(poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene))/MoO3(0,5 nm)/Ag hybrid solar cells are investigated by capacitance–voltage measurement under dark and light illumination conditions.The efficiency of charge carrier injection and extraction is enhanced by inserting 5 nm MoO3thin layer,resulting in better device performances.Charge carrier transport of the whole device is improved and the interface energy barrier is reduced by inserting 5 nm MoO3thin buffer layer.The device fill factor is increased from 54.1%to 57.5%after modifying 5 nm MoO3.Simulations and experimental results consistently show that in the forward voltage under dark,the device with the 5 nm MoO3thin layer modification generates larger value of capacitance than the device without MoO3layer.While under illumination,the device with the 5 nm MoO3layer generates smaller value of capacitance than the device without the 5 nm MoO3layer in the bias region of reverse and before the peak position of maximum capacitance(VCmax).The underlying mechanism of the MoO3anode buffer layer on device current density–voltage characteristics is discussed.     

Electrical bistable characteristics of poly（phenylene sulfide） thin film deposited by thermal evaporation

Poly（phenylene sulfide） （PPS） is a well-known organic insulator. However, the PPS thin film, deposited by thermal evaporation in vacuum, showed electrical bistable characteristics. The structure of the PPS thin-film device was glass/ITOIPPS （300 nm）/Au. The thin film can be converted to a high conductance state by applying a pulse of 80 V （5 s）, and brought back to a low conductance state by applying a pulse of 100 V （5 s）. This kind of thin film is potential for active layer of a memory device. The critical voltage of the device is about 40 V, while the read-out voltage is 5 V. We tentatively ascribe the bistable phenomenon to the charge transfer from S to C atoms in the PPS molecule chains.     

Special IR properties of palladium nanoparticles and their aggregations in CO molecular probe infrared spectroscopy

Dispersed Pd nanoparticles (Pdn) have been synthesized by reducing H2PdCI4 with ethanol, and stabilized using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). The Pdn is applied to the glassy carbon substrate to form a thin film, and then the potential cyclic scanning at 50 mV.s^-1 from -0.25 to 1.25 V was carried out for about 30 min to form the aggregations of Pdn (Pdn^ag). FTIR spectroscopy of both transmission and reflection modes was employed to study CO adsorption on Pdn and Pdn^ag in both solidlliquid and solidlgas interfaces. It has been revealed that CO adsorption on Pdn film yields two IRbands near 1964 and 1906 cm-1, which are assigned to IR absorption of CO bonded on asymmetric and symmetric bridge sites, respectively. In contrast to the IR properties of CO adsorbed on Pdn, only species of CO bonded on asymmetric bridge sites was determined on Pdn^ag, and the direction of the IR band near 1963 cm^-1 is completely inverted. The full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the COB^as band near 1964 cm^-1 is measured to be 14 cm^-1 on Pdn film, while it is 24 cm^-1 on Pdn^ag film. The results of the present study demonstrated that the inverting of the IR band direction is a general phenomenon that is closely related to the interaction between nanoparticles in aggregation of Pdn.     

Photoelectrochemical Solar Cells Based on Chitosan Electroylte

1 Results ITO-ZnTe/Chitosan-NH4I-I2/ITO photoelectrochemical solar cells have been fabricated and characterized by current-voltage characteristics.In this work,the ZnTe thin film was prepared by electrodeposition on indium-tin-oxide coated glass.The chitosan electrolyte consists of NH4I salt and iodine.Iodine was added to provide the I3-/I- redox couple.The PEC solar cell was fabricated by sandwiching an electrolyte film between the ZnTe semiconductor and ITO conducting glass.The area of the solar cell was 2 cm2.The current-voltage characteristics in the dark and under white light illumination have been studied.The short circuit photocurrent density is optimized to 0.95 μA/cm2 for the polymer electrolyte containing of 0.3 wt.% I2 and open circuit voltage is 380 mV.The fill factor and efficiency were calculated to be 0.42 and 0.03% respectively.See Fig.1 and Fig.2.