Dysprosium Doping Research Articles

Dysprosium-containing Cobalt Sulfide Nanoparticles as Anticancer Drug Carriers.

Among various materials designed for anticancer drug transport, sulfide nanoparticles are uniquely intriguing owing to their spectral characteristics. Exploration of newer nanoscale copper sulfide particles with dysprosium doping is reported herein. It leads to a change in the physicochemical properties of the sulfide nanoparticles and hence the difference in drug release and cytotoxicity. We intend to purport the suitably engineered cobalt sulfide and dysprosium-doped cobalt sulfide nanoparticles that are magnetic and NIR-absorbing, as drug delivery vehicles. The drug loading and release are based on the supramolecular drug complex formation on the surface of the nanoparticles. The nanomaterials are synthesized employing hydrothermal procedures, coated with a biocompatible poly-β-cyclodextrin, and characterized using the methods of diffractometry, microscopy, spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and magnetometry. The sustained drug release is investigated in vitro. 5-Fluorouracil is loaded in the nanocarriers. The empty and 5-fluorouracil-loaded nanocarriers are screened for their anti-breast cancer activity in vitro on MCF-7 cells. The size of the nanoparticles is below 10 nm. They show soft ferromagnetic characteristics. Further, they show broad NIR absorption bands extending up to 1200 nm, with the dysprosium-doped material displaying greater absorbance. The drug 5-fluorouracil is encapsulated in the nanocarriers and released sustainably, with the expulsion duration extending over 10 days. The IC50 of the blank and the drug-loaded cobalt sulfide are 16.24 ± 3.6 and 12.2 ± 2.6 μg mL-1, respectively. For the drug-loaded, dysprosium-doped nanocarrier, the IC50 value is 9.7 ± 0.3 μg mL-1. The ultrasmall nanoparticles possess a size suitable for drug delivery and are dispersed well in the aqueous medium. The release of the loaded 5-fluorouracil is slow and sustained. The anticancer activity of the drug-loaded nanocarrier shows an increase in efficacy, and the cytotoxicity is appreciable due to the controlled release. The nanocarriers show multi-functional characteristics, i.e., magnetic and NIR-absorbing, and are promising drug delivery agents.

Praseodymium dysprosium co-doped M-type strontium ferrite: Intentionally manufacturing heterophase growth to improve microwave absorption performance

When excessive praseodymium and dysprosium ions are doped with M-type strontium ferrite, heterophases with different magnetic and electrical properties will be formed. We use this to intentionally induce different heterogeneous growth in the Pr–Dy co-doped strontium ferrite system. While maintaining the dielectric loss of the main phase, the produced heterogeneous phase acts as a companion for dielectric and magnetic losses. The synthesized SrFe12-2xPrxDyxO19 ferrite demonstrates its potential as a microwave absorbing material, exhibiting excellent absorption effects over a wide range of Pr–Dy doping (x = 0.05–1.5). The XRD results show that the synthesized materials include both pure M-phase and coexistence of M-phase and heterophases, and the generated heterophases are mainly perovskite type ferrite and garnet type ferrite. SEM and EDS results indicate that Pr–Dy co-doping can significantly refine the grain size, reduce the grain size of the main and heterophases, and lead to a decrease in oxygen content. The XPS analysis shows that some praseodymium ions are in the Pr4+ oxidation state, leading to the existence of Fe2+ ions and oxygen defects (Od). The VSM results indicate that at different calcination temperatures, the saturation magnetization decreases and the coercivity shows an increasing trend as the Pr–Dy doping amount increases. Pr–Dy doping not only increases the dielectric and magnetic losses of the M phase, but also generates heterophases that can enhance the dielectric and magnetic losses of the material, jointly improving the absorption effect. This results in excellent absorption performance of the material within a large range of praseodymium dysprosium doping contents (x = 0.05–1.5, RLmin = −52.51 dB, EABmax = 4.81 GHz).

Dysprosium doping induced effects on structural, dielectric, energy storage density, and electro-caloric response of lead-free ferroelectric barium titanate ceramics

Dysprosium doping induced effects on structural, dielectric, energy storage density, and electro-caloric response of lead-free ferroelectric barium titanate ceramics

Valence electronic engineering of superhydrophilic Dy-evoked Ni-MOF outperforming RuO2 for highly efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Tackling the problem of poor conductivity and catalytic stability of pristine metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is crucial to improve their oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Herein, we introduce a novel strategy of dysprosium (Dy) doping, using the unique 4f orbitals of this rare earth element to enhance electrocatalytic activity of MOFs. Our method involves constructing Dy-doped Ni-MOF (Dy@Ni-MOF) nanoneedles on carbon cloth via a Dy-induced valence electronic perturbation approach. Experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that Dy doping can effectively modify the electronic structure of the Ni active centers and foster a strong electronic interaction between Ni and Dy. The resulting benefits include a reduced work function and a closer proximity of the d-band center to the Fermi level, which is conducive to improving electrical conductivity and promoting the adsorption of oxygen-containing intermediates. Furthermore, the Dy@Ni-MOF achieves superhydrophilicity, ensuring effective electrolyte contact and thus accelerating reaction kinetics. Ex-situ and in-situ analysis results manifest Dy2O3/NiOOH as the actual active species. Therefore, Dy@Ni-MOF shows impressive OER performance, significantly surpassing Ni-MOF. Besides, the overall water splitting device with Dy@Ni-MOF as an anode delivers a low cell voltage of 1.51 V at 10 mA cm−2 and demonstrates long-term stability for 100 h, positioning it as a promising substitute for precious metal catalysts.

Nanocrystalline cerium tungstate and its dysprosium doped forms with high NIR reflectance

Nanocrystalline cerium tungstate and its 6 % dysprosium doped nanocrystals have been prepared by the chemical precipitation followed by the heat treatment at 600 °C. X-ray diffraction studies confirm the crystalline formation of the cerium tungstate phase without any secondary phases occurring due to dysprosium doping. The doping caused a small variation in the crystallite size. Transmission electron microscopic images show the agglomeration of the particles and the high-resolution transmission electron microscope images exhibit the different planes of the polycrystalline samples. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analysis confirms the presence of elements present in the material. The characteristic vibrations due to the W-O-W and O-W-O stretching modes characteristics of tetrahedral tungstates (WO42-) are confirmed from Fourier transform infrared spectra. UV–Vis-NIR reflectance studies show high reflectance in the near-infrared region. Also, the samples show high absorption in the visible and ultraviolet regions.

Nickel sulfide and dysprosium-doped nickel sulfide nanoparticles: Dysprosium-induced variation in properties, in vitro chemo-photothermal behavior, and antibacterial activity

Newer materials for utilization in multi-directional therapeutic actions are investigated, considering delicate design principles involving size and shape control, surface modification, and controllable drug loading and release. Multi-faceted properties are imparted to the engineered nanoparticles, like magnetism, near-infrared absorption, photothermal efficiency, and suitable size and shape. This report presents nickel sulfide and dysprosium-doped nickel sulfide nanoparticles with poly-β-cyclodextrin polymer coating. The nanoparticles belong to the orthorhombic crystal systems, as indicated by X-ray diffraction studies. The size and shape of the nanoparticles are investigated using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and a particle-size analyzer. The particles show soft ferromagnetic characteristics with definite and moderate saturation magnetization values. The nickel sulfide nanoparticles' in vitro anticancer and antibacterial activities are investigated in free and 5-fluorouracil/penicillin benzathine-loaded forms. The 5-fluorouracil-encapsulation efficiency of the nanoparticles is around 87%, whereas it is above 92% in the case of penicillin benzathine. Both drugs are released slowly in a controlled fashion. The dysprosium-doped nickel sulfide nanoparticles show better anticancer activity, and the efficacy is more significant than the free drug. The nanoparticles are irradiated with a low-power 808 nm laser. The dysprosium-doped nickel sulfide nanoparticles attain a higher temperature on irradiation, i.e., above 59 °C. The photothermal conversion efficiency of this material is determined, and the significance of dysprosium doping is discussed. Contrarily, the undoped nickel sulfide nanoparticles show more significant antibacterial activity. This study presents a novel designed nanoparticle system and the exciting variation of properties on dysprosium doping in nickel sulfide nanoparticles.

Luminescence study of Dy3+ doped magnesium aluminate phosphors for white light

AbstractPure MgAl2O4 and a series of Dysprosium (Dy3+) doping in MgAl2O4 nanoparticles has synthesized using wet chemical sol‐gel method and prepared samples were sintered at 1100 °C. X‐ray diffraction analysis confirms the cubic phase of MgAl2O4 spinel without any impurity in phase even with different doping concentrations of Dy3+ (0.2–1.8 mol %). Under ultraviolet irradiation (283 nm) the fluorescence spectrum of pure MgAl2O4 shows maximum emission in the green‐yellow region. On Dy3+ doping in MgAl2O4, broad emission spectra have been observed due to energy transition that takes place between the host and dopant. To explore the nanophosphor for white light, chromaticity coordinates (CIE), color temperature (CCT), color rendering index (CRI) and color purity were analyzed and at 1.4 mol % doping concentration of Dy3+ in MgAl2O4 got best results i. e. CIE co‐ordinates (0.3326, 0.3334), CCT (5487), CRI (95) and minimum value of color purity (0.20 %). It is observed that emission shifts from yellow‐green to nearly white light emission as the doping is incorporated into the host. It is found that the prepared nanophosphors are energy efficient white light material.

Influence of Dysprosium Doping on Structural, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Ni–Zn Ferrites

The spinel ferrites with the compositional formula Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2−xDyxO4 (x = 0, 0.004, 0.008, 0.012, 0.016) have been prepared using the sol–gel method. The X‐ray diffraction measurements confirm the cubic spinel structure of the sample with a space group of Fd‐3m. Morphological analysis of scanning electron microscope images reveals that the particles are spherical in shape. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirms the elemental composition. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of synthesized dysprosium (Dy) doped Ni–Zn ferrites are carried out from 25 to 700 °C. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy studies reveal the stretching and bending vibrations of the various bonds presented in the compounds. The UV–vis absorption spectrum indicates the energy gap values which small decrease with the Dy concentration increase. Raman spectroscopy reveals the crystal distortion and phases of the samples. The room temperature magnetic measurements (M–H loops) are carried out to study the effect of Dy doping on magnetic properties.

Tuning structural, electrical, dielectric and magnetic properties of Mg–Cu–Co ferrites via dysprosium (Dy3+) doping

In current research work, Dy3+ substituted Mg0.5Cu0.25Co0.25Fe2‒xDyxO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.04 with the step interval of 0.01) soft ferrites were synthesized by the sol–gel auto combustion method. The prepared samples were characterized by the techniques using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, current–voltage (I–V) measurement, LCR meter, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Raman. XRD data reveal that the average crystallite size is 49.71 nm and the lattice constant is 0.83703 nm for sample x = 0.03. The non-uniform grain growth was demonstrated by micrographs and impurity-free elemental composition was observed from EDX analysis. The DC resistivity has an increasing and decreasing trend in ferromagnetic and paramagnetic regions with an increase in temperature. Moreover, the high resistivity is observed with the order of 1010 Ω·cm, and the activation energy is 0.944 eV for samples x = 0.03. The dielectric parameters including dielectric constant, dielectric losses, and impedance gradually decrease with the increase in frequency from 8 Hz to 8 MHz. The minimum dielectric loss at high frequency is found for sample x = 0.03. The coercivity (Hc) and saturation magnetization (Ms) are found in the ranges of 520.82–544.02 Oe and 20.5841–21.1473 emu/g, respectively. These observations confirm that dysprosium (x = 0.03) doped MCC-soft ferrites may be applicable in transformer cores, microwave absorbance, and telecommunication devices.

Visible light activated SnO2:Dy thin films for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.

This paper explores the impact of dysprosium (Dy) doping on structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties of tin oxide (SnO2) thin films fabricated via spray pyrolysis. Dysprosium doping levels ranged from 0 to 7 at%, and films were grown on glass substrates at 350 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed an increase in crystallite size with Dy doping, signifying improved crystalline quality. Simultaneously, dislocation density and strain decreased, indicating enhanced film quality. Texture coefficient (Tchkl) results showed a predominant crystal orientation along the (110) plane due to Dy doping. Optical band gap energy (Eg) decreased with Dy doping up to 5%. Urbach energy increased with Dy doping, suggesting atomic structural flaws and defects. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed the presence of numerous micro-aggregates on the film's surface. Notably, the density of these micro-aggregates increased proportionally with higher Dy doping levels, particularly emphasizing the pronounced effect observed in SnO2:Dy 5% thin films. These findings underscore the potential of Dy-doped SnO2 thin films for advanced photocatalytic applications, with SnO2:Dy 5% exhibiting favorable properties and demonstrating a 90.99% degradation efficiency in three hours under solar irradiation.

An effective dysprosium modification to enhance the structural stability and diffusion kinetics of LiCoO2 at high-voltage

As the most attractive cathode for digital devices, LiCoO2 can acquire a more specific capacity by raising the cut-off voltage. However, the unstable layered structure is considered a critical obstacle to the practical application of LiCoO2 at high-voltage. Herein, the dysprosium modification strategy to reinforce the structural stability of LiCoO2 at 4.5 V by the sloid-state method is proposed. Dysprosium doping enhances the stability of the Co-O chemical bonds, thus suppressing the lattice oxygen release during cycling at high-voltage. Meanwhile, the doping of dysprosium enlarges the c-axis spacing and restrains the formation of the Li-insulator Co3O4 phase, further providing a stable and expanded channel for the rapid intercalation/extraction of Li+. The dysprosium-modified LiCoO2 cathode material exhibits a discharge capacity of 162.1 mAh·g−1 with a retention rate of 81.1% after 400 cycles over 3.0–4.5 V at 1 C. Despite a higher current density of 8 C, the modified sample displays a discharge capacity of 154.4 mAh·g−1, with a retention rate of 93.3% after 300 cycles. Hence, it is believed that the study can provide some insights into enhancing the structural stability of cathode materials under high-voltage.

Dysprosium doping in CdTe@CdS type II core/shell and cosensitizing with CdSe for photocurrent and efficiency enhancement in quantum dot sensitized solar cells

Quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on the II-VI QDs have become a promising and attractive technology due to their unique properties. However, the applications of the II-VI QDs, especially CdTe QDs, have still been restricted. Herein, a CdTe@Dy-doped CdS core/shell QDs cosensitized with CdSe QDs have been developed as a sensitizer in QDSSCs for enhancing the light-harvesting range and efficiency, accelerating charge separation, and suppressing charge recombination. The fabricated QDSSCs using TiO2/CdTe@Dy-doped-CdS/CdSe/ZnS photoanode exhibited the best short-circuit current (JSC = 20.08 mA/cm2) and power conversion efficiency (ƞ=8.26%) in comparison with that of other photoanodes comprising TiO2/CdTe, TiO2/CdTe@CdS, TiO2/CdTe@CdS/ZnS, TiO2/CdTe@CdS/CdSe/ZnS, and TiO2/CdTe@CdS/CdSe/Dy-Doped ZnS. As the obtained results from Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, Photoluminescence, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy revealed, the CdTe/CdS type-II core/shell structure QDs leads to a wide absorption range, fast electron injection, and slower recombination rate because of the spatially indirect energy gap formation. Moreover, the presence of Dy cations in CdS crystal lattice boosts the charge transferring rate to the conduction band of TiO2. On the other hand, the cosensitizing of CdTe@Dy-doped CdS QDs with CdSe is advantageous not only to the electron injection and transferring but also to the hole-recovery from the valence band of QDs toward the electrolyte.

Effect of lanthanide fission product concentrations on the mechanical properties of UO2: A first principle based study

The fission products generated from UO2 during the nuclear fission process alters the mechanical properties of the nuclear fuel. The effect of fission atom substitution in UO2 is a requisite for the safe operation of nuclear reactors. The lanthanide atoms contribute significantly to the mixture of fission products generated. Therefore, in this work, we investigate the effect of lanthanum (La), promethium (Pm), and dysprosium (Dy) doping on mechanical properties of UO2. Further, the relation between doping concentration and different mechanical properties are derived by varying the La, Pm and Dy substitution in UO2. All the calculations are performed with density functional theory with Hubbard U corrections in the DFT + U formalism. Mechanical properties such as bulk, Young’s and shear modulus of UO2 change with the amount of dopant atom in the fuel. The results obtained from our calculations show good agreement with available experimental and theoretical findings. Thus, the present study validates the relationship between fission atom substitution and mechanical properties of UO2, which will help to understand the fuel performance at reactor conditions.

Impact of Dysprosium doping on the structural and electrical properties of BiSbTe3 single crystals

Breaking of time reversal symmetry in 3D topological insulators and tuning of Fermi level in the vicinity of the Dirac point is a prerequisite for unravelling various exotic physical phenomena which might be leveraged for potential technological device applications. Here we account effective single crystal growth of (BiSb)2-xDyxTe3 where x = 0, 0.005, 0.05 using modified Bridgman method. The structural, morphological, electrical and Hall measurements were performed on the synthesized single crystals. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) measurements confirmed high quality crystal growth with unidirectional orientation of the synthesized crystals. The lattice parameters were found decreasing with Dysprosium (Dy) doping thereby decreasing the lattice volume,indicating the incorporation of Dy atoms in the lattice of BiSbTe3. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed the layered morphology of synthesized crystals while Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) measurements revealed the uniform distribution of all the elements as well as stoichiometry of prepared crystals. The resistivity versus temperature (ρ-T) plot from 4 K to 300 K showed metallic behaviour of crystals with an increase in resistivity with Dy doping. The Hall resistivity (ρxy) demonstrates that holes are the predominant charge carriers. The Hall data revealed displacement of Fermi level with Dy doping. These results are indicative to the shift in the Fermi level in the vicinity of the Dirac point.

Investigation of Structural, Dielectric, and Optical Behaviour of Dysprosium-Doped Barium Titanate Ceramics

The influence of Dysprosium (Dy) doping on the structure, dielectric and optical properties of the BaTiO3 system has been investigated in the manuscript. The solid-state reaction method was employed to prepare ceramics with compositions of Ba1−xDy2x/3TiO3 (x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1). X-ray diffraction (XRD) structural analysis was carried out, showing complete dissemination of Dysprosium in the BaTiO3 lattice with a tetragonal symmetry. Close investigation of the XRD pattern revealed the existence of a small secondary phase above x ≥ 0.025. Microstructure was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, showing that grain growth was suppressed by the incorporation of Dysprosium. Raman spectra further confirmed crystal symmetry and existence of a secondary phase for higher doping concentrations. Dielectric behavior was studied with variations of frequency and temperature. The temperature variant dielectric constant and dielectric loss represent a decrease of dielectric constant and loss with a rise in dysprosium content with a slight variation of transition temperature. Temperature coefficient of capacitance values for all compositions were calculated. The diffusivity parameter for all compositions was obtained using modified Curie-Weiss law and an enhancement in diffusivity was observed with increased dysprosium content. The optical behaviour of the doped samples was studied via UV–visible spectroscopy and the optical band gap was found to decrease with doping.

Dysprosium doping of Ca2MnO4: Effect on crystal structure at room temperature and thermal behavior

Dysprosium-doped Ruddlesden−Popper calcium manganates with compositions of Ca2-xDyxMnO4 are potential candidates for high temperature thermoelectric applications. The effect of dysprosium doping on the crystal structure of Ca2-xDyxMnO4 at room temperature and its thermal behavior between RT and 800 °C were investigated in the range 0 < x < 0.2 by Rietveld analysis of RT- and HT- X-ray powder diffraction data. The Rietveld analysis confirmed the compatibility of all the analyzed compounds with the I41/acd space group. Ca2+ substitution by Dy3+, electrically balanced by the reduction of an equivalent amount of Mn4+ to Mn3+, leads to an increase of the a parameter and a decrease of the c parameter. No phase transition was observed from RT to 800 °C but we show that several complex structural mechanisms lead to a strong anisotropic thermal expansion.

Dysprosium doping effects on perovskite oxides for air and fuel electrodes of solid oxide cells

Solid oxide cells (SOCs) which can be operated as a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) have tremendous attention as a next-generation energy device. To improve the SOCs, recently the atmospheric adaptive materials (AAMs) which can change the crystal structure by themselves to the atmosphere have been studied and reported. As an approach to develop the AAMs, the Dy doping strategy was applied to both air and fuel electrodes for SOCs with various doping amounts from 0 to 50 wt%. Among the samples, the 10% Dy doped Pr0.5Ba0.5MnO3-d shows the best improvements on the catalytic properties and electrochemical performances for both air and fuel electrode. The symmetrical cell with the 10 wt% Dy doped Pr0.5Ba0.5MnO3-d exhibits the maximum power density of 0.175 W cm−2 at 850 °C in SOFC mode and current density of −0.554 A cm−2 at 850 °C at 1.5 V in SOEC mode, respectively. The study demonstrates that the Dy doping strategy is effective on both air and fuel electrodes and is a promising approach to improve the electrochemical performances for both SOFC and SOEC.

Controlled Dy-doping to nickel-rich cathode materials in high temperature aerosol synthesis

Layered nickel-rich materials are promising next-generation cathode materials for lithium ion batteries due to their high capacity and low cost. However, the poor thermal stability and longtime cycling performance hinders the commercial applications of high nickel materials. Doping with heteroatoms has been an effective approach for improving electrochemical performance of cathode materials. Controlling doping concentration and geometrical distribution is desired for optimal electrochemical performance, but it is challenging in traditional co-precipitation methods. In this work, controlled dysprosium (Dy) doping to NCM811 was studied in an aerosol synthesis method by controlling the precursor concentrations and heating parameters. The obtained materials were characterized by SEM, XRD, and XPS, and their electrochemical properties and thermal stability were evaluated. By controlling the doping concentration (1.5%), Dy-doped NCM811 was improved simultaneously in long-term cycling and high-rate performance. The thermal-chemical stability of the Dy-doped cathode materials was examined in a microflow reactor with a mass spectrometer. The results showed that Dy-doping shifted the O2 onset temperature to a higher temperature and reduced O2 release by 80%, thus dramatically increasing the thermal-chemical stability and improving the fire safety of cathode materials. Since high temperature aerosol synthesis is a low-cost and scalable method, the findings in this work have broad implications for commercial synthesis of novel materials with controlled doping modification to achieve high electrochemical performance and safety in lithium ion batteries.

Frequency- and temperature-dependent dielectric features of multi-component electronic material: (Pb0.8Dy0.1Bi0.1)(Fe0.2Ti0.8)O3

A multiple cation containing sample as [(Pb0.8Dy0.1Bi0.1)(Fe0.2Ti0.8)O3] is fabricated by adopting the solid-state reaction process. The crystallographic structure, crystallite size, morphology, dielectric behavior, conductivity, polarization, impedance as well as electric modulus spectroscopy are experimentally observed for this fabricated composition. The crystal structure of the specimen is observed to be tetragonal from X-ray diffraction. The micrograph shows the presence of polycrystalline microstructure with uniform distributed grains. The impedance spectroscopy analysis as a function of temperature (100–450 °C) and frequency (1–1000 kHz) helps to signify the resistive and capacitive behavior of the compound. The nature of the prepared specimen and conduction mechanism is illustrated through AC conductivity study. The modulus analysis elucidates the existence of non-Debye dielectric relaxation nature in the synthesized compound. The compound possesses appreciable value of loss tangent and remnant polarization, i.e., 0.02 and 0.014 µC/cm2, with high value of dielectric constant at room temperature. The dysprosium doping entails stability with interesting electrical and dielectric properties. The preliminary capacitive characteristic has been elucidated, thus making it a stronger contender for functional device applications.

A synergetic approach of band gap engineering and reduced lattice thermal conductivity for the enhanced thermoelectric property in Dy ion doped ZnO

Donor cation substituted ZnO demonstrate a promising performance for the green energy harvesting and conservation. In this work we report the marked improvement in the thermoelectric transport properties of rare earth Dy ion substituted ZnO to achieve a maximum figure of merit ZT as 0.11 at 923 K for the 0.1 atomic% of Dysprosium doping. The enhancement in the TE properties were mainly through the increase in carrier concentration and by the energy filtering of carriers at the potential barrier formed in the lattice by Dy doping, which has a large atomic size and localized magnetic moment due to the presence of unpaired electrons. With the substitution of Dy3+ ion, excess electrons were generated in the conduction band of ZnO lattice and they were free to move hence to contribute for the upliftment of Fermi level towards the conduction band with an increment in the effective electron mass. Introduction of donor ion causes distortion of lattice structure and the induced strain responsible for the reduction of lattice thermal conductivity.