Formation Of Schottky Junction Research Articles

Engineering Ultrathin CuxS Layer on Planar Sb2S3 Photocathode to Enhance Photoelectrochemical Transformation.

Sb2S3 has been extensively used as light absorber for photoelectrochemical cell. However, its p-type nature may result in the formation of Schottky junction with substrates, thus hindering the collection of photogenerated holes. Herein, an ultrathin CuxS layer is successfully engineered as the bottom junction for Sb2S3 for the first time. Capitalizing on its impressive electrical properties and superior optical properties, the CuxS layer exhibits a high work function of 4.90 eV, which causes the upward band bending of p-type Sb2S3, forming a hole-transparent structure with ohmic contact. The transparency of the ultrathin CuxS layer enables back-illumination of the Sb2S3/CuxS platform, facilitating the integration of intricate catalyst layers for photoelectrochemical transformation. When modified with Pt nanoparticles, the photocurrent density reaches -5.38 mA cm-2 at 0 V vs. RHE, marking a fourfold increase compared to the photocathode without CuxS layer. When introducing a molecular hybrid TC-CoPc@carbon black, a remarkable average photocurrent density of -0.44 mA cm-2 at the overpotential of 0 V is obtained for CO2 reduction reaction, while the photocurrent density is less than -0.03 mA cm-2 without CuxS.

Engineering Ultrathin CuxS Layer on Planar Sb2S3 Photocathode to Enhance Photoelectrochemical Transformation

Sb2S3 has been extensively used as light absorber for photoelectrochemical cell. However, its p‐type nature may result in the formation of Schottky junction with substrates, thus hindering the collection of photogenerated holes. Herein, an ultrathin CuxS layer is successfully engineered as the bottom junction for Sb2S3 for the first time. Capitalizing on its impressive electrical properties and superior optical properties, the CuxS layer exhibits a high work function of 4.90 eV, which causes the upward band bending of p‐type Sb2S3, forming a hole‐transparent structure with ohmic contact. The transparency of the ultrathin CuxS layer enables back‐illumination of the Sb2S3/CuxS platform, facilitating the integration of intricate catalyst layers for photoelectrochemical transformation. When modified with Pt nanoparticles, the photocurrent density reaches −5.38 mA cm−2 at 0 V vs. RHE, marking a fourfold increase compared to the photocathode without CuxS layer. When introducing a molecular hybrid TC‐CoPc@carbon black, a remarkable average photocurrent density of −0.44 mA cm−2 at the overpotential of 0 V is obtained for CO2 reduction reaction, while the photocurrent density is less than −0.03 mA cm−2 without CuxS.

Upcycle polyethylene terephthalate waste by photoreforming: Bifunction of Pt cocatalyst

Upcycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste by photoreforming (PR) is a sustainable and green approach to tackle environmental problems but with challenges to obtain valuable oxidation products and high purity hydrogen simultaneously. Noble metal cocatalysts are essential to enhance the overall PR reaction efficacy. In this work, TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) decorated with single Pt atoms (Pt1/TiO2) or Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs/TiO2) are used in the photoreforming reaction (in one batch), and the oxidation products from ethylene glycol (EG, hydrolysed product of PET) in liquid phase and hydrogen are detected. With Pt1/TiO2, EG is oxidized to glyoxal, glyoxylate or lactate, and hydrogen evolution rate (r H2) reaches 51.8 μmol⋅h−1⋅gcat−1, that is 30 times higher than that of TiO2. For PtNPs/TiO2 (size of Pt NPs: 1.97 nm), hydrogen evolution reaches 219.1 μmol⋅h−1⋅gcat−1, but with the oxidation product of acetate only. DFT calculation demonstrates that for Pt NPs, the reaction path for hydrogen evolution is preferred thermodynamically, due to the formation of Schottky junction. On the oxidation of EG, theoretical and spectroscopic analysis suggest that bidentate adsorption of EG at the interface is facile on Pt1/TiO2, compared to that on PtNPs/TiO2 (two Pt sites), but oxidation products, adsorb less strongly, compared to PtNPs/TiO2, that eventually regulates the distribution of oxidation products. The results thus demonstrate the bifunctions of Pt in the PR reaction, i.e., electron transfer mediator for hydrogen evolution and reactive sites for molecules adsorption. The oxidation reaction is dominated by the adsorption-desorption behavior of molecules but the reduction reaction is controlled by the electron transfer. In addition, acidification of pretreated PET alkaline solution achieves separation of pure terephthalic acid (PTA), which further improves the reaction efficiency possibly by offering high density of active sites and acidic environment. Our work thus demonstrates that to upcycle PET plastics, an optimized process can be reached by atomic design of photocatalysts and proper treatment on the plastic wastes.

Triethylamine gas sensor based on Zn2SnO4 polyhedron decorated with Au nanoparticles and density functional theory investigation

The effective detection of toxic and harmful triethylamine (TEA) gases is of great significance for the living environment and personal safety. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a high-quality TEA sensor that can respond quickly and has high response and low detection limits. In this work, Au nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully loaded onto the surface of the Zn2SnO4 (ZSO) polyhedron by hydrothermal and subsequent impregnation methods. The formation of Schottky junctions between Au and ZSO and the sensitization effect of Au NPs can effectively improve the sensor's sensitivity to triethylamine. The gas characteristic test results show that the AuZSO2-based sensor exhibits the highest response value to TEA. Specifically, at a working temperature of 300°C, the response of the sensor based on AuZSO2 to 100 ppm TEA is as high as 193, which is more than 7 times that of ZSO. The detection limit is reduced from 0.5 ppm to 0.1 ppm. Moreover, the AuZSO2-based sensor exhibits excellent selectivity and stability. Meanwhile, the sensitivity mechanism of the sensor was further explained through density functional theory (DFT). The research provides a reference value for improving the performance and explaining the mechanism of TEA sensors.

Modulating charge carrier transfer channel by 2D/2D Schottky heterojunction of Ti3C2/BiOIO3 for effective photocatalytic degradation of typical antibiotics

Constructing two-dimensional (2D)/2D Schottky heterojunction using Ti3C2 with n-type semiconductors has a great potential in photocatalysis field owing to the improved separation and transfer ability of photogenerated charges. However, an in-depth exploration of electron transfer behavior in the Schottky heterojunction using Ti3C2 with n-type semiconductor is still lacking, thus hindering the development of Ti3C2 based Schottky heterojunction. Herein, 2D/2D Schottky heterojunction of Ti3C2/BiOIO3 was successfully fabricated with improved photocatalyst efficiency. With the Schottky junction formation between Ti3C2 and BiOIO3, 3 wt% Ti3C2/BiOIO3 exhibited superior ciprofloxacin photodegradation performance (94.11 % within 60 min). In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy reveals that the enhanced performance could be ascribed to one-way carrier transfer channel for preventing the carrier recombination and remarkably prolonging the carrier lifetime through Schottky heterojunction. Meanwhile, in the Schottky heterojunction, the 2D ultrathin structures and plentiful interfaces not only offer abundant channels for photogenerated charges migration, but also promote mass transfer. In addition, the toxicity estimation software tool analysis demonstrates that the toxicity of most intermediates was lower than ciprofloxacin. The work provides an in-depth understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism of typical antibiotics degradation, and offers an idea for the exploitation of highly active Schottky heterojunction photocatalysts.

Ag-Fe2O3 nanocomposites for synergistically enhanced antibacterial activity

Doping of metal or metal ions in the host lattice with good dopant distribution or forming a local contact boosts materials properties for specific applications. This work used the solution combustion approach (SCA) to synthesize Ag-Fe2O3 nanocomposites (SICs) following the single-source precursor doping strategy with good final material stoichiometry. The elemental distribution and composition, crystallinity, and morphology of SCA-based synthesized materials were analyzed using common techniques such as TEM, FESEM-EDS, and XRD. Even though the Lewis hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) idea was precise for inclusion of Ag dopant in the Fe2O3 lattice, the formation of Schottky junctions between Ag and Fe2O3 is dominance as a result of dopant-host radii size differences. The independent peak for both Ag and Fe2O3 crystals on the XRD pattern analysis without peak shift confirms the dominance of Schottky junction formation. The presence of local contact between Ag and Fe2O3 was also confirmed by the HRTEM analysis, with d-spacing values of 0.22 and 0.36 nm, respectively. Compared to the bare Fe2O3, the antibacterial potential of the SIC is much greater, with a 23-mm zone of inhibition on Pseudomonas aeruginosa gram-negative bacteria, which confirms the presence of a synergistic effect.

Polarization-Resolved Position-Sensitive Self-Powered Binary Photodetection in Multilayer Janus CrSBr.

Recent progress in polarization-resolved photodetection based on low-symmetry 2D materials has formed the basis of cutting-edge optoelectronic devices, including quantum optical communication, 3D image processing, and sensing applications. Here, we report an optical polarization-resolving photodetector (PD) fabricated from multilayer semiconducting CrSBr single crystals with high structural anisotropy. We have demonstrated self-powered photodetection due to the formation of Schottky junctions at the Au-CrSBr interfaces, which also caused the photocurrent to display a position-sensitive and binary nature. The self-biased CrSBr PD showed a photoresponsivity of ∼0.26 mA/W with a detectivity of 3.4 × 108 Jones at 514 nm excitation of fluency (0.42 mW/cm2) under ambient conditions. The optical polarization-induced photoresponse exhibits a large dichroic ratio of 3.4, while the polarization is set along the a- and the b-axes of single-crystalline CrSBr. The PD also showed excellent stability, retaining >95% of the initial photoresponsivity in ambient conditions for more than five months without encapsulation. Thus, we demonstrate CrSBr as a fascinating material for ultralow-powered optical polarization-resolving optoelectronic devices for cutting-edge technology.

Pt-loaded Bi2WO6 microdiscs for highly sensitive and selective triethylamine monitoring

Pt-loaded curling-like Bi2WO6 (BWO) microdiscs were fabricated via a simple one-step hydrothermal and impregnation route. Various characterization methods, such as XRD, EDS and TEM, were conducted to prove the successful Pt loading. Electron migration from the semiconductor BWO to the precious metal Pt was revealed by the blue shift of the Bi 4f and W 4f XPS peaks with the increase of the Pt loading amount and the ∼10-fold baseline resistance elevation of the BWO-based sensor by the Pt loading, proving the formation of Schottky junction. Among the pristine BWO and Pt-loaded BWO with different Pt loading amounts, 1 wt % Pt-loaded BWO exhibits the highest gas response of 209 in sensing 500 ppm triethylamine at 300 °C, a minimal selectivity coefficient of 130.6 against some typical interfering gases at the same concentration and a low detection threshold of 1 ppm. Additionally, the sensitization mechanism is discussed as the synergistic effect of noble metal catalytic effect and metal-semiconductor junctions.

Monodispersed Ag nanoparticles deposited on Ni-based coordination polymer composite with enhanced photocatalytic degradation for bisphenol A

Exploring effective methods to improve photoresponse and charge separation efficiency is the key to preparing high-performance photocatalysts. A novel Ni-based coordination polymer, namely {[Ni(TIPA)2]·2Ac·6 H2O}n (Ni-TIPA), was designed and synthesized hydrothermally using the ligand tri-(4-imidazole phenyl) amine (TIPA). The metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) of Ni-TIPA is visually demonstrated by theoretical calculations as the key to enhanced charge separation efficiency. A series of novel silver-deposited Ni-TIPA composites (Ag@Ni-TIPA-X, X = 1, 2, 3) and excellent light-driven photocatalytic activity were prepared using a simple photoreduction method at room temperature. The prepared Ag@Ni-TIPA-2 composite had excellent photocatalytic performance for degrading bisphenol A (BPA) under ultraviolet light irradiation. The excellent photocatalytic performance might be attributed to MLCT and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag nanoparticles, which improved hole-electron separation capability, and the formation of Schottky junctions. The intermediates in the BPA degradation process were further predicted and analyzed by electrostatic potential (ESP), orbital-weighted dual descriptor (ODD), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technologies, and the possible degradation mechanisms were deduced deeply. The work as a new reference might be provided for the efficient optimization of photocatalysts for BPA degradation.

Schottky junction enhanced H2 evolution for graphitic carbon nitride-NiS composite photocatalysts

As one of the most promising photocatalysts for H2 evolution, graphitic carbon nitride (CN) has many appealing attributes. However, the activity of pristine CN remains unsatisfactory due to severe charge carrier recombination and lack of active sites. In this study, we report a two-step approach for the synthesis of CN nanotubes (TCN) loaded with NiS nanoparticles. The resulting composite photocatalysts gave a H2 evolution rate of 752.9 μmol g−1 h−1, which is 42.3 times higher compared to the pristine CN photocatalyst. Experimental and simulation results showed that the Schottky junction which was formed between TCN and NiS was key to achieving high activity. This is because the formation of Schottky junction prevented the backflow of electrons from NiS to TCN, which improved charge separation efficiency. More importantly, it also led to the accumulation of electrons on NiS, which significantly weakened the SH bond, such that the intermediate hydrogen species desorbed more easily from NiS surface to promote H2 evolution activity.

The synergy of ferric surface anchoring and interior doping engineering enables anode with boosted potassium ion storage performances

Interfacial engineering, especially atomic substitution at the interface or inside the nanomaterials, is a promising strategy for fabricating high-performance electrode materials. Herein, an interfacial modification strategy was reported to develop cobaltous sulfide (CoS2) nanomaterials with Fe clusters modified on their interface and Fe single atoms partially substituted Co atoms in CoS2 (Fe-CFS), which were further wrapped by graphene networks, forming highly active Fe-CFS@graphene nanomaterials (Fe-CFS@C) with triple reaction interfaces. As the 1st interface, graphene can decrease their electrical resistance. At the 2nd interface, partial substitution of Co atoms in CoS2 by Fe single atoms can reduce its band gap and boost the potassium ion (K+) diffusion rate. At the 3rd interface, anchoring Fe clusters on the surface of CoS2 results in the formation of Schottky junction and promotes the formation of built-in electric fields, which accelerates the K+ insertion/extraction kinetics and depresses the dynamic polarization. Acting as anode for K+ battery, Fe-CFS@C exhibits a high reversible capacity of 755.8 mA h g−1 at 0.05 A g−1. Even at 10 A g−1, it can maintain 178.3 mA h g−1 over 4000 cycles due to the greatly enhanced electrochemical reaction kinetics and effectively improved structural stability.

Recent advances in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of AgIn5S8‐based photocatalysts

AbstractThe development of semiconductor photocatalysts is of great significance for the realization of efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE). AgIn5S8, as an emerging ternary metal sulfide photocatalyst, possesses the advantages of suitable bandgap (1.7–2.0 eV), environment‐friendly elements, and strong photostability, which holds great potential to realize high‐efficiency PHE. Although AgIn5S8‐based photocatalysts have achieved promising research progresses, their PHE performances are still far below the level of commercial applications. In this review, the basic semiconductor properties of AgIn5S8 and PHE mechanism are first introduced in detail. Subsequently, the development process and PHE activities of AgIn5S8‐based photocatalysts are systematically summarized, mainly including morphology control, Schottky junction formation through cocatalyst loading, and construction of different types of heterojunctions. Finally, the current issues and the possible solutions of AgIn5S8‐based photocatalysts in future studies are presented.

Exploring the Enhanced Catalytic Activity of Pt Nanoparticles Generated on the Red Phosphorus/Graphitic Carbon Nitride Binary Heterojunctions in the Photo-assisted Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane.

Ammonia borane (AB) holds great promise for chemical hydrogen storage, but its slow dehydrogenation kinetics under ambient conditions requires a suitable catalyst to facilitate hydrogen production from AB. Here, we fabricated binary red phosphorus/graphitic carbon nitride (RP/g-CN) heterojunctions decorated with Pt nanoparticles (NPs, denoted Pt/RP/g-CN) with a facile ultrasound-assisted two-step protocol as a photo-assisted catalyst for the hydrolysis of AB (HAB). The heterojunction established through intimate P-O-N bonds was proven to have improved photophysical properties such as a lower electron-hole recombination and enhanced visible light utilization compared to the pristine components. With the incorporation of Pt NPs, the optical properties of RP/g-CN heterojunctions were further improved through Schottky junction formation between semiconductors and Pt NPs, enabling a superb hydrogen gas (H2) generation rate of 142 mol H2·mol Pt-1·min-1 under visible light irradiation. Even though g-CN is a well-known host material for many metal NPs, here we discovered that the interaction of Pt NPs with RP in the ternary heterojunction structure is more favorable than that of g-CN, stressing the key role of RP as a support material in the designed ternary heterostructure. The band alignment of the ternary heterojunction catalyst along with the flow of charge carriers was also studied and shown to be a type-II heterojunction structure without hole migration, namely, a complex type-II heterojunction. Several scavenger experiments were also conducted to explain the mechanism of the photo-assisted HAB. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a dual mechanism proposed for the visible light-assisted HAB. While the majority of the H2 was believed to be produced on the Pt NPs surface with the traditional B-N bond dissociation mechanism, the strong oxidizing action of OH• radicals formed by the heterojunction photocatalyst was also speculated to account for the 33% increase in the activity upon visible light irradiation through another mechanism.

A Transparent Photodetector Based on a Composite of Silver and Tungsten Oxide Nanowires

This work presents the development of a transparent photodetector based on a composite of tungsten trioxide (WO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> ) and silver nanowires (Ag NWs). A uniform transparent conducting film with a resistance of 64 Ω and a transparency of 89 % (at 550 nm) is obtained via spin coating followed by annealing at 120 °C. The device exhibits negative photo-conductance, which can be attributed to the Schottky junction formation at the silver and tungsten oxide interface. The device shows a sensitivity of 25.6 mAW <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-1</sup> and detectivity of 3.38 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">8</sup> Jones at a low bias voltage of 1 V at room temperature. The low annealing temperature makes the composite compatible with conventional flexible substrates.

Rapid electron transfer via hetero-interface engineering of 2D MOF anchored Ti3C2 MXene nanosheet for enhanced photocatalytic disinfection

Photocatalytic materials are one of the most promising alternatives of antibiotics for wound disinfection, and the bacteria-killing efficacy is restrained by photocatalytic performance. Herein, Ti3C2 MXene-anchored 2D metal-organic frame (MOF) nanosheets were constructed to enhance the photocatalytic performance through interface engineering strategy by in-situ growth of 2D MOF on Ti3C2 nanosheets. On the one hand, the close contact between them decreased the bandgap of 2D MOF, improving the yield of photogenerated electrons. On the other hand, it not only provided a rapid electron transfer channel across the interface but also induced the formation of Schottky junction at the interface. Consequently, the separation efficiency of photo-generated electron-hole pairs was significantly enhanced by rapid transfer and inhibition of electron backflow. Thus, under 660 nm plus 808 nm light, MOF/Ti3C2 killed 99.73 ± 0.12% of Staphylococcus aureus. This work will provide insights for designing photo-responsive materials through in-situ interfacial engineering strategies.

Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production and simultaneous benzyl alcohol oxidation by modulating the Schottky barrier with nano high-entropy alloys

Catalysts play a vital role in photocatalytic water-splitting by converting solar energy into storable chemical energy. In this study, we successfully synthesized an HCN/HEA heterostructure by rationally combining the Pt18Ni26Fe15Co14Cu27 nano-high-entropy alloy (HEA) as an effective cocatalyst with protonated g-C3N4 (HCN) nanosheets, via an electrostatic self-assembly method. The resulting HCN/HEA exhibited remarkable performance in both photocatalytic H2 production and selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. The integration of HEA into HCN leads to the formation of Schottky junctions, which can significantly accelerate charge migration and reduce the recombination of charge carriers. Further investigations using in situ surface photovoltage imaging demonstrated that the reducing cocatalyst HEA can act as a photogenerated electron trap. The best HCN/HEA heterojunction exhibited excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production activity, reaching 2.4 mmol g−1 h−1 and an impressive benzaldehyde production rate of 5.44 mmol g−1 h−1. These values were 958 and 6.6 times higher than those achieved with pristine HCN, respectively. This study offers promise for the rational design of high-performance cocatalysts to improve the transport, separation, and utilization of light-release charge carriers.

Recent Advancements in Applications of Graphene to Attain Next-Level Solar Cells

This paper presents an intensive review covering all the versatile applications of graphene and its derivatives in solar photovoltaic technology. To understand the internal working mechanism for the attainment of highly efficient graphene-based solar cells, graphene’s parameters of control, namely its number of layers and doping concentration are thoroughly discussed. The popular graphene synthesis techniques are studied. A detailed review of various possible applications of utilizing graphene’s attractive properties in solar cell technology is conducted. This paper clearly mentions its applications as an efficient transparent conducting electrode, photoactive layer and Schottky junction formation. The paper also covers advancements in the 10 different types of solar cell technologies caused by the incorporation of graphene and its derivatives in solar cell architecture. Graphene-based solar cells are observed to outperform those solar cells with the same configuration but lacking the presence of graphene in them. Various roles that graphene efficiently performs in the individual type of solar cell technology are also explored. Moreover, bi-layer (and sometimes, tri-layer) graphene is shown to have the potential to fairly uplift the solar cell performance appreciably as well as impart maximum stability to solar cells as compared to multi-layered graphene. The current challenges concerning graphene-based solar cells along with the various strategies adopted to resolve the issues are also mentioned. Hence, graphene and its derivatives are demonstrated to provide a viable path towards light-weight, flexible, cost-friendly, eco-friendly, stable and highly efficient solar cell technology.

Synergistic Effects of the Ni3B Cocatalyst and N Vacancy on g-C3N4 for Effectively Enhanced Photocatalytic N2 Fixation.

The photocatalytic fixation of N2 is a promising technology for sustainable production of ammonia, while the unsatisfactory efficiency resulting from the low electron-transfer rate, narrow light absorption range, and limited active sites of the photocatalyst seriously hinder its application. Herein, we designed a noble metal-free Schottky junction photocatalyst constructed by g-C3N4 nanosheets with N vacancies (VN-CN) and metallic Ni3B nanoparticles (Ni3B/VN-CN) for N2 reduction to ammonia. The ammonia yield rate over the optimized Ni3B/VN-CN is 7.68 mM g-1 h-1, which is 6.7 times higher than that of pristine CN (1.15 mM g-1 h-1). The superior photocatalytic N2 fixation performance of Ni3B/VN-CN can be attributed not only to the formation of Schottky junctions between Ni3B and VN-CN, which facilitates the migration and separation of photogenerated electrons, but also to the incorporation of VN into g-C3N4, which enhances visible light absorption and improves electrical conductivity. More importantly, Ni3B nanoparticles can act as the cocatalyst, which provide more active sites for the adsorption and activation of N2, thereby improving the N2 reduction activity. This work provides an effective strategy of designing noble metal-free-based cocatalyst photocatalyst for sustainable and economic N2 fixation.

Rose-inspired 3D 1T-MoS x /Ti3C2T x /TiO2 photocatalyst for water purification

The rose-inspired photocatalyst, 1T-MoS x /Ti3C2T x /TiO2, demonstrated exceptional activity in the simultaneous removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and methylene blue (MB), achieving high efficiencies of 97.7% and 97.2% respectively. Furthermore, it exhibited effective degradation of another dye, Rhodamine B (Rh.B). Scanning electron microscopy figures showed its unique nanoflower morphology. The introduction of titanium carbide nanosheets (Ti3C2T x ) and the formation of Schottky junctions can effectively prolong the carrier lifetime. The degradation path of MB was deduced by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, which confirmed the process of photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollutants. Compared to physical purification methods, it offers the advantage of not only removing pollutants but also degrading them. Furthermore, by utilizing MB as a sacrificial agent, the reduction can take place in a mild neutral environment, resulting in minimized secondary pollution. Through its distinctive three-dimensional structure and the Ti3C2T x cocatalyst, the 1T-MoS x /Ti3C2T x /TiO2 photocatalyst demonstrates remarkable catalytic activity, and effective purification of wastewater containing Cr(VI) and organic dyes.

Dislocation-Assisted Quasi-Two-Dimensional Semiconducting Nanochannels Embedded in Perovskite Thin Films.

Defect engineering in perovskite thin films has attracted extensive attention recently due to the films' atomic-scale modification, allowing for remarkable flexibility to design novel nanostructures for next generation nanodevices. However, the defect-assisted three-dimensional nanostructures in thin film matrices usually has large misfit strain and thus causes unstable thin film structures. In contrast, defect-assisted one- or two-dimensional nanostructures embedded in thin films can sustain large misfit strains without relaxation, which make them suitable for defect engineering in perovskite thin films. Here, we reported the fabrication and characterization of edge-type misfit dislocation-assisted two-dimensional BiMnOx nanochannels embedded in SrTiO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/TbScO3 perovskite thin films. The nanochannels are epitaxially grown from the surrounding films without noticeable misfit strain. Diode-like current rectification was spatially observed at nanochannels due to the formation of Schottky junctions between BiMnOx nanochannels and conducting La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films. Such atomically scaled heterostructures constitute more flexible ultimate functional units for nanoscale electronic devices.