Conduction Band Energy Levels Research Articles

Slowing down the hot electron cooling to activate near-infrared photocatalytic activity in potassium/carbon co-doped polymeric carbon nitride

The research on hot electron cooling in photocatalysis has been neglected. Here, taking polymeric carbon nitride as an example, a potassium/carbon (K/C) co-doping strategy is proposed to slow down hot electron cooling. The K/C co-doping reduces the specific arrangement and overlap of electronic band structures, and decreases the degeneracy of conduction band energy levels, thus exciting phonon bottleneck effect to effectively suppress the relaxation of hot electrons by reducing the interaction between hot electrons and phonons. Our work benefits to improve the efficiency of photocatalytic energy conversion.

Mesoporous Vinylene-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks with Heteroatom-Tuned Crystallinity and Photocatalytic Behaviors.

Owing to its prominent π-delocalization and stability, vinylene linkage holds great merits in the construction of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with promising semiconducting properties. However, carbon-carbon double bond formation reaction always exhibits relatively low reversibility, unfavorable for the formation of high crystalline frameworks through self-error correction and assembling processes. In this work, we report a heteroatom-tuned strategy to build up a series of two-dimensional (2D) vinylene-linked COFs by Knoevenagel condensation of an electron-deficient methylthiazolyl-based monomer with different triformyl substituted (hetero-)aromatic derivatives. The resulting COFs show high-quality periodic mesoporous structures with high surface areas. Embedding heteroatoms into the backbones enables significantly improving their crystallinity, and finely tailoring their semiconducting structures. Upon visible light stimulation, one of the as-prepared COFs with donor-π-acceptor structure could deliver a nearly seven-fold increase in the catalytic activity of hydrogen generation as compared with the other two. Meanwhile, in combination with high crystallinity and the matched conduction band energy level, such kind of COFs can be able to selectively generate singlet oxygen and superoxide radicals in a high ratio of up to 30:1, allowing for catalyzing aerobic thioanisole oxidation in distinctly tunable activities through the substituent electronic effect of the substrates.

Mesoporous Vinylene‐Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks with Heteroatom‐Tuned Crystallinity and Photocatalytic Behaviors

AbstractOwing to its prominent π‐delocalization and stability, vinylene linkage holds great merits in the construction of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with promising semiconducting properties. However, carbon‐carbon double bond formation reaction always exhibits relatively low reversibility, unfavorable for the formation of high crystalline frameworks through self‐error correction and assembling processes. In this work, we report a heteroatom‐tuned strategy to build up a series of two‐dimensional (2D) vinylene‐linked COFs by Knoevenagel condensation of an electron‐deficient methylthiazolyl‐based monomer with different triformyl substituted (hetero−)aromatic derivatives. The resulting COFs show high‐quality periodic mesoporous structures with high surface areas. Embedding heteroatoms into the backbones enables significantly improving their crystallinity, and finely tailoring their semiconducting structures. Upon visible light stimulation, one of the as‐prepared COFs with donor‐π‐acceptor structure could deliver a nearly seven‐fold increase in the catalytic activity of hydrogen generation as compared with the other two. Meanwhile, in combination with high crystallinity and the matched conduction band energy level, such kind of COFs can be able to selectively generate singlet oxygen and superoxide radicals in a high ratio of up to 30 : 1, allowing for catalyzing aerobic thioanisole oxidation in distinctly tunable activities through the substituent electronic effect of the substrates.

Enhanced Photodetection and Air Stability of Lead‐Free Tin Perovskite Photodiodes via Germanium Incorporation and Organic Cation‐Mediated Dimensionality Control

AbstractThis work presents the advancement of lead‐free tin perovskite photodiodes in terms of their photodetection and air stability by incorporating germanium (Ge) and ethylenediamine (EDA) to formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI3). EDA0.01FA0.98SnI3:Ge‐based photodiodes demonstrate a significantly improved specific detectivity (1.6 × 1012 Jones at −0.1 V), cut‐off frequency (6.6 × 105 Hz), response speed (0.53 µs), and signal‐to‐noise ratio (45 dB) compared with control devices. The superior performance is attributed to the stronger Ge─I bond, the passivation of Sn2+ and I– vacancies by smaller Ge2+ ions, the promotion of a fully 3D perovskite structure, the elevation of the conduction band energy level, and the formation of a protective GeO layer. Various film analyses, including X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV photoelectron spectroscopy, density functional theory, as well as device testing using time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and voltage‐dependent admittance, support and explain the mechanisms behind the enhancements. Ge‐ and EDA‐incorporated photodiodes exhibit excellent air stability, as evidenced by the time‐dependent ultraviolet visible spectra and the considerably high certified power conversion efficiency without encapsulation in air, demonstrating their potential for practical applications. The obtained photodetection performance is highest among the published lead‐free tin‐based perovskite photodetectors, presenting a monumental progress from the previous report of the same group.

Optical absorption properties in multi-layer InGaN/GaN core-shell quantum dots: The influences of ternary mixed crystal effect and hydrogen-like impurity

Based on the effective mass approximation and the compact density matrix theory, the electronic states and optical absorption properties of intersubband transitions between the conduction-band energy levels in zinc blende InGaN/GaN/InGaN/GaN core-shell quantum dots (CSQDs) are investigated by using the finite difference method. The effects of hydrogen-like impurity and In component on the wave functions, transition energies, and optical absorption properties are discussed in detail. The results show that hydrogen-like impurity can cause the peak positions of optical absorption coefficients (OACs) and refractive index changes (RICs) to move to high energy area, and the peak values of OACs rise. Increasing In component of InGaN crystal in the core region of a CSQD has the same effect. But an opposite tendency will be found when increasing In component in the shell-well of a CSQD, i.e. optical absorption peaks move to low energy area and their values decrease. Comparing to the shell-well, the core region has more powerful confinement effect on electrons. So the better absorption properties are more likely to be obtained for this type of multi-layer InGaN/GaN CSQDs when In component in the core is larger than that in the shell-well.

Enhanced terahertz ISBT in GaAsBi/AlGaAs quantum well: impact of doping modulation

One of the pivotal characteristics of quantum wells (QW) designed for applications in filters or modulators is its absorption coefficient. This study investigates the combined influence of doping and active layer thickness on the absorption coefficient in GaAsBi/AlGaAs quantum wells. The self-consistent coupling between Schrödinger and Poisson equations was employed for this purpose. A comprehensive analysis of conduction band structure, energy levels, potentials, and densities is presented. This analysis discerns the effects of doping on intersubband transitions (ISBTs) in the terahertz (THz) frequency domain. An introduction of a donor impurity into the system greatly influenced the intersubband absorption coefficient, increasing its intensity and causing the optical response to shift toward the lowest frequency. The obtained resonant peak energies, situated within the terahertz spectrum, hint at promising applications for GaAsBi-based devices within this frequency band.

Extraordinary photoexcitation of semimetal 1T'-MoTe2 inducing ultrafast charge transfer in lateral 2D homojunction

Exploring novel and more efficient photoexcitation transition mechanisms in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is crucial for the advancement of high-performance optoelectronic devices. In this study, an extraordinary photoluminescence (PL) phenomenon is discovered that originates from a vertical transition between specific bands in the X-point energy valley of K-space in multilayer Weyl semi-metal monoclinic (1T') MoTe2 without a gap structure. This effective transition is independent of the bandgap and is unaffected by the number of layers in 1T'-MoTe2, breaking the limitations of traditional TMDCs semiconductor materials and promoting the development of advanced two-dimensional (2D) semimetal-based optoelectronic devices. In a lateral multilayer 1T'-MoTe2-2H hetero-phase homojunction, a record ultrafast transfer of photogenerated charges up to 25 fs is achieved. The highly efficient interband transition, small conduction band energy level difference (less than 100 meV), and exceptionally strong e-p coupling synergistically promote the ultrafast transfer of photo-generated charges. Together with the merits of multilayer 1T'-MoTe2 such as higher carrier densities and lower resistance, these findings open the door to potentially ultra-high performance optoelectronic applications.

Influence of Eu, Gd and Lu dopants on the properties of TiO2: A first-principles study

The present study investigates the electronic structure, magnetic properties, and optical performance of anatase TiO2 and pure TiO2 systems with the addition of rare earth elements RE (Eu/Gd/Lu). Using first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory, we explore the effects of RE doping on these systems. Our calculations reveal that the structural stability remains intact under the conditions of RE doping. The total magnetic moment is determined to be 2.987 μB, 6.052 μB, and 0 μB for Eu, Gd, and Lu-doped TiO2 respectively. Furthermore, the band gap of Eu/Gd/Lu-doped TiO2 decreases significantly to 1.91eV, 1.8eV, and 1.88eV, leading to a lower energy requirement for electron transition, as compared to the initial energy band gap of 2.31eV. The incorporation of rare earth elements also results in an increase in the number of valence and conduction band energy levels near the Fermi level, primarily influenced by orbital electrons in the 4f layer of the rare earth elements. Additionally, our findings demonstrate a remarkable shift towards the red region in the absorption spectrum of the Eu-TiO2 system, accompanied by a relatively long photocarrier lifetime. These characteristics suggest its potential as a photocatalyst with enhanced performance. Overall, this research provides valuable theoretical insights towards the development and synthesis of novel TiO2 photocatalysts.

Ce-Doped SnO2 Electron Transport Layer for Minimizing Open Circuit Voltage Loss in Lead Perovskite Solar Cells.

In the planar heterostructure of perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs), tin oxide (SnO2) is a material that is often used as the electron transport layer (ETL). SnO2 ETL exhibits favorable optical and electrical properties in the PSC structures. Nevertheless, the open circuit voltage (VOC) depletion occurs in PSCs due to the defects arising from the high oxygen vacancy on the SnO2 surface and the deeper conduction band (CB) energy level of SnO2. In this research, a cerium (Ce) dopant was introduced in SnO2 (Ce-SnO2) to suppress the VOC loss of the PSCs. The CB minimum of SnO2 was shifted closer to that of the perovskite after the Ce doping. Besides, the Ce doping effectively passivated the surface defects on SnO2 as well as improved the electron transport velocity by the Ce-SnO2. These results enabled the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to increase from 21.1% (SnO2) to 23.0% (Ce-SnO2) of the PSCs (0.09 cm2 active area) with around 100 mV of improved VOC and reduced hysteresis. Also, the Ce-SnO2 ETL-based large area (1.0 cm2) PSCs delivered the highest PCE of 22.9%. Furthermore, a VOC of 1.19 V with a PCE of 23.3% was demonstrated by Ce-SnO2 ETL-based PSCs (0.09 cm2 active area) that were treated with 2-phenethylamine hydroiodide on the perovskite top surface. Notably, the unencapsulated Ce-SnO2 ETL-based PSC was able to maintain above 90% of its initial PCE for around 2000 h which was stored under room temperature condition (23-25 °C) with a relative humidity of 40-50%.

La implanted band engineering of ZnO nanorods for enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting performance

In the quest to improve photoelectrochemical water-splitting performance, we have doped lanthanum (La) in highly crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs) using a facile and low-temperature hydrothermal route and successful substitution of La3+ at the Zn2+ site is confirmed from structural and chemical analysis. The tapered NRs morphology gained after La doping resulted in lower optical bandgap of 3.17 eV, enhanced visible light trapping, and multiphoton absorption, which assist in achieving good PEC activity. The La doping also offered higher Urbach energy (EU), subsidizing the number of oxygen vacancies. The UPS spectra show that La doping reduces conduction band energy level and endorses smooth charge transportation. The La-doped ZnO exhibits two times enhancement in photocurrent (1.54 mA·cm−2) compared to pristine ZnO (0.81 mA·cm−2). The higher applied bias to the photon conversion efficiency of ∼1.14% for La-doped ZnO confirms the efficient utilization of solar energy. The EIS measurements demonstrated reduction in charge transfer resistance with La-doping. Mott-Schottky analysis shows that La doping lowers the flat-band potential and enhances charge transportation, making it a potential photoanode for PEC water-splitting applications.

Study of rutile TiO2(110) single crystal by transient absorption spectroscopy in the presence of Ce4+ cations in aqueous environment. Implication on water splitting

Ce4+ cations are commonly used as electron acceptors during the water oxidation to O2 reaction over Ir- and Ru-based catalysts. They can also be reduced to Ce3+ cations by excited electrons from the conduction band of an oxide semiconductor with a suitable energy level. In this work, we have studied their interaction with a rutile TiO2(110) single crystal upon band gap excitation by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) in solution in the 350–900 nm range and up to 3.5 ns. Unlike excitation in the presence of water alone the addition of Ce4+ resulted in a clear ground-state bleaching (GSB) signal at the band gap energy of TiO2 (ca. 400 nm) with a time constant t = 4–5 ps. This indicated that the Ce4+ cations presence has quenched the e-h recombination rate when compared to water alone. In addition to GSB, two positive signals are observed and are attributed to trapped holes (in the visible region, 450–550 nm) and trapped electrons in the IR region (>700 nm). Contrary to expectation, the lifetime of the positive signal between 450 and 550 nm decreased with increasing concentrations of Ce4+. We attribute the decrease in the lifetime of this signal to electrostatic repulsion between Ce4+ at the surface of TiO2(110) and positively charged trapped holes. It was also found that at the very short time scale (<2–3 ps) the fast decaying TAS signal of excited electrons in the conduction band is suppressed because of the presence of Ce4+ cations. Results point out that the presence of Ce4+ cations increases the residence time (mobility) of excited electrons and holes at the conduction band and valence band energy levels (instead of being trapped). This might provide further explanations for the enhanced reaction rate of water oxidation to O2 in the presence of Ce4+ cations.

Regulation on photocatalytic debromination by the reconfiguration of carbonyl groups on the covalent organic frameworks

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as promising organic semiconductor photocatalysts have become a research hotspot in the field of photocatalytic organic synthesis. Herein, a series of imine-linked EN-COF-x were synthesized by condensation reaction of amine monomer with triformylbenzene monomer. Then, β-ketoamine-linked KE-COF-y were obtained by the reconstruction of EN-COF-x in alkaline solution. The photocatalytic performance of COFs before and after the isomerization from enols to ketones were investigated. The characterization results and density functional theory calculations clearly demonstrated that the carbonyl groups not only make the conduction band energy level more negative, but also lead to a more inhomogeneous charge distribution in the molecule, which improved the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electrons. In addition, the increase in the number of hydroxyl groups on triformylbenzene monomer contributed to the formation of more carbonyl groups in the COF frameworks, which is beneficial to improving its photocatalytic performance. KE-COF-3 synthesized from 2,4,6-Trihydroxy-1,3,5-benzenetricarbaldehyde has more carbonyl group units and more suitable redox potential, which effectively promoted the debromination reaction with 99% yield under light irradiation. Meanwhile, it can be reused at least five times without loss of catalytic activity. This work provides insights for the rational design of functionalized β-ketoamine COFs for photocatalytic organic transformations.

Realization of new n = 3 and n = 4 Dion-Jacobson layered perovskite series with interlayer K+ ions and perovskite blocks stabilized by Pr3+ ions

The structural flexibility of the perovskite blocks in the Dion-Jacobson family of layered perovskite oxides has successfully resulted in the generation of KPrNan-2NbnO3n+1 and KPrCan-2Nb2Tin-2O3n+1 (n = 3, 4). The stabilization of K+ ions preferring a six coordination in the interlayer region is significant compared to the facile formation of layered perovskite oxides possessing bigger Rb+ or Cs+ ions with an eight coordination in the interlayer. The structure of the n = 3 members, KPrNaNb3O10 (S. G. Cmcm; a = 3.8858(1) Å, b = 29.6553(9) Å, c = 7.7635(3) Å) and KPrCaNb2TiO10 (S. G. Cmcm; a = 3.8634(2) Å, b = 29.4808(2) Å, c = 7.6945(5) Å) were confirmed respectively using the Rietveld and Le Bail methods utilizing the powder X-ray diffraction data. The n = 4 members, KPrNa2Nb4O13 and KPrCa2Nb2Ti2O13 are synthesized through high-temperature ceramic methods. The compounds are phase pure as confirmed from the X-ray diffraction data and were characterized by UV–visible diffuse reflectance measurements. These two-dimensional oxides also undergo facile topochemical ion-exchange and intercalation reactions and opens up several interesting possibilities. We have replaced the K+ ions in the interlayer by H+, Li+, Na+ ions and [CuCl]+ groups through low temperature reactions. The usefulness of various Dion-Jacobson layered perovskite oxides for potential photocatalytic applications has been explored by determining the optical band gaps, the valence band, and the conduction band energy levels based on the UV–visible diffuse reflectance measurements.

Investigating for Photocatalytic Activity of Hybrid TiO2/Reduced Graphene Oxide and Application in Reducing VOCs

In this study, rGO/TiO2 hybrid nanostructures (rGO : reduced Graphene Oxide) have been successfully fabricated for the purpose of application in the treatment of volatile organic compound (VOCs) that harmful for the environment through the method of directly measuring the change in concentration of decomposed VOCs in real time under UV-excited conditions using a home-made measuring system. the results showed that hybrids TiO2 : rGONFs (reduced Graphene Oxide nano flake) samples with the weight ratio between two kind of material are 99%:1% and 98%:2% which reduced VOCs faster than 2 time intrinsic TiO2. The phenomenon of 2D materials involved in the hybrids lead to the fact that the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 had been significantly improved, this can be explained as follows: When heterogeneous hybrid was formed, because of the difference in energy levels of conduction band between two materials was negligible, heterojunction barrier is not too high this made the photogenerated electrons from TiO2 easily move through rGONFs under UV stimulation. This thing has significantly reduced the recombination of the generated carrier in TiO2 during irradiation, which lead to an increase in the lifetime of the carrier and make photocatalytic reaction of the assembly become more effective. Copyright © 2024 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Analytical Modeling of [001] Orientation in Silicon Trigate Rectangular Nanowire Using a Tight-Binding Model

AbstractIn the realm of electronics, the performance of Silicon Trigate Rectangular Nanowires (Si-TRNW) and the structural characteristics of &lt;001&gt; orientation using tight-binding models have been analyzed. The fast algorithm based on the tight-binding model for Trigate Silicon nanowires yielded a remarkable ION/IOFF ratio of 1.49 × 1010 and leakage current (ILeak or IOFF) of 3.7 × 10−17μA. Furthermore, a maximum conduction band energy level (Ecmax) of −0.003 eV and a Subthreshold Slope (SS) of 120 mV has been obtained for a channel length of 15 nm. At an energy level of 3 eV, a high Transmission coefficient, T(ε), of 4 has been attained using the E-k dispersion method. This analysis also involved the calculation of three ∆ valleys pertinent to the channel’s effectiveness in &lt;001&gt; orientation, with proximity nearer to 1 m0. The Schrodinger-Poisson equation has been analyzed with the Ballistic transport along the [001] z-direction in channel potential. A comparative assessment has been also performed between the lateral dimensions of rectangular nanowires with equal energy levels, utilizing both the tight-binding model and Density Functional Theory (DFT) techniques. In some high-frequency applications, a high transmission coefficient is beneficial to maximize the amount of energy or information that gets transmitted. Reducing leakage current would offer a technological pathway for performance improvement of high-frequency applications. The high ON-current (ION) has been obtained through the DFT approach between source and drain terminals is particularly desirable for applications demanding for fast switching speeds and high-performance computing. The strengths of both methods in hybrid approaches is a common strategy to achieve simulations that are both accurate and efficient. Notably, the nanowires subjected to hydrostatic strain, exhibiting enhanced mobility and exceptional electrostatic integrity, emerged as pivotal components for forthcoming technology nodes. This research augments the potential feasibility of strain-based Si nanowires, even at the 3 nm scale, in subsequent technological advancements.

Metal-organic framework heterojunctions for photocatalysis.

Heterojunctions combining two photocatalysts of staggered conduction and valence band energy levels can increase the photocatalytic efficiency compared to their individual components. This activity enhancement is due to the minimization of undesirable charge recombination by the occurrence of carrier migration through the heterojunction interface with separated electrons and holes on the reducing and oxidizing junction component, respectively. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are currently among the most researched photocatalysts due to their tunable light absorption, facile charge separation, large surface area and porosity. The present review summarizes the current state-of-the-art in MOF-based heterojunctions, providing critical comments on the construction of these heterostructures. Besides including examples showing the better performance of MOF heterojunctions for three important photocatalytic processes, such as hydrogen evolution reaction, CO2 photoreduction and dye decolorization, the focus of this review is on describing synthetic procedures to form heterojunctions with MOFs and on discussing the experimental techniques that provide evidence for the operation of charge migration between the MOF and the other component. Special attention has been paid to the design of rational MOF heterojunctions with small particle size and controlled morphology for an appropriate interfacial contact. The final section summarizes the achievements of the field and provides our views on future developments.

Exploiting the role of coadsorbents on photovoltaic performances of dye sensitized solar cells: A DFT study

We examine the role of coadsorbents on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with metal-containing and metal-free organic dyes to assess the performance computationally. The results corroborate well with the reported experimental results of Ru-containing dyes exhibiting that the co-adsorbent with longer alkyl chains anchored on the semiconductor surface lower the electron recombination process. The calculated results reveal that the co-adsorbents influence the conduction band energy level and that improve the effective density of states augmenting the forward electron transmission as well as reducing the electron recombination process. The role of co-adsorbents with metal-free organic dyes in DSSCs has also been examined. The computational results suggest that the metal-free organic dyes employed in DSSCs can achieve similar efficiency as reported with metal-organic sensitizers. The results revealed that co-adsorbents grafted through non-covalent interaction are more efficient in improving the efficiency of the DSSCs than co-adsorbents grafted through covalent bonds. The coadsorbents, 1-dimethoxyphosphoryloctadecane with long alkyl chains anchored on the semiconductor surface through hydrogen bonding interactions highly improve the effective density of states resulting in better forward electron transmission and may be one of the parameters to enhance the DSSCs efficiency.

Electronic and nanoscale structures of metal oxyhalide intergrowth photocatalysts

Multimetal oxyhalide intergrowths show promise for photocatalytic water splitting. However, the relationships between intergrowth stoichiometry and their electronic and nanoscale structures are yet to be identified. This study investigates Bi4TaO8Cl–Bi2GdO4Cl intergrowths and demonstrates that stoichiometry controls the tilting of [TaO6] octahedra, influencing the bandgap of the photocatalyst and its valence and conduction band positions. To determine how the [TaO6] octahedral tilting in the intergrowths manifests as a function of intergrowth stoichiometry, we investigated changes in crystal symmetry by analyzing features arising at the higher order Laue zone (HOLZ) of convergent-beam electron diffraction patterns. Higher Ta content intergrowths displayed a more intense outer HOLZ ring compared to lower Ta content intergrowths, indicating transformation from P21cn (orthorhombic) to P4/mmm (tetragonal). This finding suggests that more distortion occurs along the ⟨001⟩ directions of the crystal than the ⟨100⟩ and ⟨010⟩ directions. This variation directly impacts the electronic structure, affecting both conduction and valence band energy levels. By combining ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy, the absolute band positions of the intergrowths were determined. Agreement between the bandgaps obtained via ensemble and nanoscale measurements indicates nanoscale homogeneity of the electronic structure. Overall, the integrated approach establishes that the bandgap energy increases with increasing Ta content, which is correlated with the crystal symmetry and [TaO6] octahedral tilting. Broadly, the modular nature of intergrowths provides building block layers to tune octahedral tilting within perovskite layers for manipulation of optoelectronic properties.

Hetero-Structured Palladium-Coated Zinc Oxide Photocatalysts for Sustainable Water Treatment

Hetero-structured catalysts have recently attracted considerable interest from researchers in various fields, including electronics, sensing, energy, and photocatalysis. Treated water contains many harmful microorganisms and organic contaminants, which can be effectively removed through an advanced photocatalytic oxidation process. Photocatalysts with wide band gaps, such as semiconductor oxides like titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO), are typically utilized to decompose these organic pollutants. These generate a charge when exposed to UV-A light irradiation and produce oxidation radicals that cause the decomposition of the organic matter present in water. Metals such as Pd, Ag, Au, Cu, and Ni are being studied as photocatalysts. Semiconducting oxides and metals with appropriate band gaps and Fermi levels can effectively capture the charge generated by the oxide owing to the Moss–Burstein effect. These reactions can enhance the photocatalytic effect by hindering the recombination of the generated holes and electrons, thereby increasing the probability of charge survival.In this study, the performance of zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) decorated with Pd nanoparticles was evaluated as photocatalysts for sustainable water treatment. To maximize the number of active sites on the surface of the ZnO nanowires, Pd nanoparticles were uniformly deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD). In ALD, a very thin film that can be deposited in one cycle is created with less than one atomic layer owing to the precursor oxidation reaction. Additionally, the ALD process provides all the surfaces with sufficient time and chemical sources to react, resulting in a uniform amount of deposited material. This unique technology is suitable for the large-area deposition of atomic-level thickness surface materials. Therefore, ALD was used to deposit Pd onto the catalyst surface. The ZnO nanowires were initially fabricated in the form of seeds by ALD and grown via a hydrothermal method. Subsequently, ALD Pd nanoparticles with an average particle size of 3.75 nm were deposited on the enlarged ZnO nanowires. The prepared hetero-structured ALD Pd-deposited ZnO nanowires were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A new Fermi level of the Pd-ZnO hetero-structure was formed, which was lower than the conduction band energy level of ZnO. The new Fermi level suppresses the recombination of the conduction band and valence band electron holes under UV-A irradiation. The enhanced charge separation enhances the photocatalytic activity. In addition, compared to ZnO NWs, ALD Pd-deposited ZnO NWs produced higher amounts of reactive oxygen species and improved the decomposition rate of organic pollutants in water. To evaluate the performance of the prepared photocatalyst, the decomposition rates of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), 4-chlorobenzoic acid, and furfuryl alcohol were measured. Regarding the decomposition rate of 4-CP, the photocatalytic performance increased significantly from 42.5 % to 62.8 % when the ZnO nanowires were decorated with Pd nanoparticles. Figure 1

All-Solution-Processed Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Based on a Thiol-Modified ZnO Electron-Transporting Layer.

All-solution-processed perovskite light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have the potential to be inexpensive and easily manufactured on a large scale without requiring vacuum thermal deposition of the emissive and charge transport layers. Zinc oxide (ZnO), which possesses superior optical and electronic properties, is commonly used in all-solution-processed optoelectronic devices. However, the polar solvent of ZnO inks can corrode the perovskite layer and cause severe photoluminescence quenching. In this work, we report the successful dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles in nonpolar n-octane by controlling the surface ligands from acetates to thiols. The nonpolar ink prevents the destruction of perovskite films. In addition, thiol ligands upshift the conduction band energy level, which also helps inhibit exciton quenching. Consequently, we demonstrate the fabrication of high-performance all-solution-processed green perovskite LEDs with a brightness of 21 000 cd/m2 and an external quantum efficiency of 6.36%. Our work provides a ZnO ink for fabricating efficient all-solution-processed perovskite LEDs.