Nanocomposite Paste Research Articles

NiOx/PANI nanocomposite doped carbon paste as electrode for long-term stable and highly efficient perovskite solar cells.

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a hopeful alternative in the realm of photovoltaics. They are considered promising due to their affordability, remarkable durability in humid environments, and impressive electrical conductivity. One approach to address the cost issue is to use affordable counter electrodes in PSCs that do not require organic hole transport materials (HTMs). This study utilized an innovative and economical method to create NiOx/PANI nanocomposites. Later, these nanoparticles were integrated into a carbon paste to act as an HTM. This incorporation is intended to optimize charge extraction, improve interfacial contact, align energy levels, reduce energy loss, minimize charge recombination, and protect the perovskite (FAPbI3) surface from degradation. The optoelectronic properties of these devices were investigated, and all cells showed improved efficiency compared to control cells. The NiOx/PANI doped carbon (NiOx/PANI+CE) exhibited excellent performance due to strong hole conductivity, well-aligned energy levels, and the formation of stepwise band alignment at the perovskite interface.

A Novel Electrochemical Sensor Based on an Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Magnetic Chitosan Nanocomposite Carbon Paste Electrode for the Determination of Diclofenac to Control Inflammation.

A simple and eco-friendly electrochemical sensor for the anti-inflammatory diclofenac (DIC) was developed in a chitosan nanocomposite carbon paste electrode (M-Chs NC/CPE). The M-Chs NC/CPE was characterized with FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM for the size, surface area, and morphology. The produced electrode showed a high electrocatalytic activity to use the DIC in 0.1 M of the BR buffer (pH 3.0). The effect of scanning speed and pH on the DIC oxidation peak suggests that the DIC electrode process has a typical diffusion characteristic with two electrons and two protons. Furthermore, the peak current linearly proportional to the DIC concentration ranged from 0.025 M to 4.0 M with the correlation coefficient (r2). The sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD; 3σ), and the limit of quantification (LOQ; 10σ) were 0.993, 9.6 µA/µM cm2, 0.007 µM, and 0.024 µM, respectively. In the end, the proposed sensor enables the reliable and sensitive detection of DIC in biological and pharmaceutical samples.

Graphene Oxide-PAMAM Nanocomposite and Ionic Liquid Modified Carbon Paste Electrode: An Efficient Electrochemical Sensor for Simultaneous Determination of Catechol and Resorcinol.

In this paper, a simple strategy was proposed for the analysis of catechol by a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with graphene oxide-third generation of poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (GO/G3-PAMAM) nanocomposite and ionic liquid (IL). The synthesis of GO-PAMAM nanocomposite was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The prepared modified electrode (GO-PAMAM/ILCPE) exhibited good performance to detect catechol with a notable decrease in overpotential and increase in current compared with an unmodified CPE. Under optimum experimental conditions, GO-PAMAM/ILCPE electrochemical sensors indicated a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.034 μM and a linear response in the concentration range of 0.1 to 200.0 µM for the quantitative measurement of catechol in aqueous solutions. In addition, GO-PAMAM/ILCPE sensor exhibited an ability to simultaneously determine catechol and resorcinol. It can be found that catechol and resorcinol could be completely separated on the GO-PAMAM/ILCPE with the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Finally, a GO-PAMAM/ILCPE sensor was utilized to detect catechol and resorcinol in water samples with recoveries of 96.2% to 103.3% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 1.7%.

Cu-Ag Nanocomposite Pastes for Low Temperature Bonding and Flexible Interlayer-Interconnections

Cu-Ag composite pastes consisting of carboxylate-capped Ag nanoparticles, spray-pyrolyzed Ag submicron particles, and copper formate were developed in this study for low-temperature low-pressure bonding. The joints between the Cu, Ni/Au, and Ag finished substrates can be well formed at temperatures as low as 160 °C under a load pressure of 1.6 MPa. The joints with Cu substrates possess 18.0 MPa bonding strength, while those with Ag surface finish could be enhanced to 23.3 MPa. When subject to sintering under 10 MPa at 160 °C, the electrical resistivity of the sintered structure on metal-coated polymeric substrates was around 11~17 μΩ-cm and did not differ too much when subjected to harsh reliability tests such as mechanical bending and thermal cycling tests, as well as electrical current stressing. This low-temperature, low-pressure nanocomposite paste shows great potential as interconnect materials for microelectronics or flexible device assembly.

Recent development of eco-friendly nanocomposite carbon paste electrode for voltammetric determination of Cd(II) in real samples

Using eco-friendly, cheap, and available adsorbents is promising for the determination of metal ions. So, this study focuses on the modification of graphite reinforcement carbon paste electrode (GRCPE) with mango seed kernel (MSK) for voltammetric determination of Cd(II). Moreover, to increase the surface area of this adsorbent, it was prepared in nanosized that formed nanoparticles of mango seed kernel (MSK-NPs). The developed nanocomposite electrode of carbon paste electrode modified with nanoparticles of mango seed kernel (MSK-NPs@GRCPE) was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of pH, buffer solution, and supporting electrolyte as experimental conditions were optimized through differential pulse adsorptive anodic stripping voltammetric method (DPAdASV). Britton-Robinson buffer pH = 3.9 at Eacc = – 1400 mV, tacc = 30 s, pulse width = 10 ms and sampling time = 8 ms were the optimum conditions for determination of Cd(II). The LOD and LOQ of MSK-NPs@GRCPE were calculated at 5.44 × 10–9 and 1.65 × 10–8 M, respectively. Compared with bare graphite reinforcement carbon paste electrode (BGRCPE), the nanocomposite MSK-NPs@GRCPE has a lower detection limit, indicating that the presence of MSK-NPs could greatly improve the response to Cd(II). The practical applicability of the electrode was verified by the determination of Cd(II) in chocolate and white rice samples. The results show high selectivity and sensitivity for Cd(II) in real samples.Graphical abstract

Economical and efficient dye sensitized solar cells using single wall carbon nanotube-titanium dioxide nanocomposites as photoanode and SWCNT as Pt-free counter electrode

Economical and efficient dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were fabricated using single wall carbon nanotube and titanium dioxide [SWCNT-TiO2] nanocomposite as photoanode and SWCNT as Platinum free (Pt-free) counter electrode (CE). By physical mixing, precise amounts (0.006 wt%, 0.018 wt%, 0.03 wt%, and 0.06 wt%) of SWCNT was mixed in TiO2 nano particles paste to obtain nanocomposite paste [nSWCNT-TiO2] for the anodes. Attachment and distribution of SWCNT within/among the TiO2 components has been confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray mapping techniques. The catalytic activity and stability of the SWCNT as catalyst in the CE of fabricated DSSCs have been appraised using cyclic voltammetry (CV), Tafel, and chronoamperometry characterizations. Finally, the fabricated solar cells have been evaluated by current–voltage characteristics (IV) and electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS). The optimized cell containing 0.018 wt% of SWCNTs mixed in TiO2 paste i.e. [0.018 %SWCNT-TiO2] for anode preparation and SWCNT as Pt-free CE i.e. [0.018 %SWCNT-TiO2/N3/SWCNT] showed an overall efficiency of 8.05 %, which is about 44 % higher than the conventional [TiO2/N3/Pt] based solar cell fabricated under the same conditions. This improvement in the overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) can be ascribed to the improved electron collection at photo-anode i.e. reduced charge recombination, efficient electron transport, good catalytic activity of the SWCNT at CE, and enhanced light harvesting efficiency due to the more dye adsorption.

Smart- textile strain sensor for human joint monitoring

With the revolutionary advancement of wearable electronics for human motion monitoring, it has become a keen interest for researchers to turn traditional textiles into precise strain sensors with high accuracy levels and broad-spectrum sensitivity. Therefore, it is considered an active measurement that avoids the misuse of a sensing system. Since these platforms become more ubiquitous, they began to enter the industrial scales such as the fitness and health sector. To do so, stability, user-friendly, cost-effective, and minimum step fabrication processes are imperative in practice. Targeting those goals, a highly efficient textile strain sensor from a crochet knitted elastic (CKE) band was prepared and integrated into a wearable human motion monitoring device systematically. A low-cost customized conductive graphite-polyurethane nanocomposite (G-PU) paste has been developed and applied to the modify CKE band through a dip-coating technique. Finally, an appropriate shape was designed for the estimation of movement and angle measurement of finger, wrist, and elbow belonging a gentle gauge factor (GF=26.8) with high mechanical stability (1000 cycles). The strain sensor was capable to distinguish finger, wrist, and elbow joint angle following the change of resistance dynamically, enabling such potential to be integrated further into a human-machine interface for real-time monitoring.

Synthesis of titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite material via the incorporated hydrothermal co-precipitation method for fabricating photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cell

This study first investigates the preparation and characterization of titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide (TiO2/rGO) and then proposes the fabrication of photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) from synthesized materials. Herein, the TiO2/rGO nanocomposites were prepared by the incorporation of hydrothermal approach and co-precipitation method from the precursors of titanium (IV) isopropoxide and graphene oxide. The fabrication of photoanode from the as-prepared TiO2/rGO nanocomposite paste was carried out using screen-printing technique. The performance of fabricated DSSCs was evaluated by current density-voltage curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The characterizations of TiO2 nanoparticles, TiO2/rGO nanocomposites, and their precursors were confirmed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Experimental data showed that the optimal rGO weight percentage of 0.6% in the TiO2/rGO nanocomposite material fabricated DSSC successfully with the highest values of short-circuit current density (17.65 mA/cm2) and energy conversion efficiency (7.46%), approximately increasing 24% and 25%, respectively, in comparison with the pristine TiO2 material. Characterization results indicated that the incorporated hydrothermal co-precipitation method was efficient in producing well-defined spherical TiO2 nanoparticles decorated on the rGO sheets with an average diameter of 20–25 nm. Therefore, the TiO2/rGO nanocomposites with the eco-friendly and efficient synthesis method are highly promising for manufacturing and commercializing DSSCs widely.

Validated Electrochemical Method for Simultaneous Resolution of Tyrosine, Uric Acid, and Ascorbic Acid at Polymer Modified Nano-Composite Paste Electrode

In this work, an electrochemical sensor based on a poly threonine modified graphite-carbon nanotube paste electrode was developed for the investigation of tyrosine. The modification of the electrode was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry. The modified electrode shows many advantages such as simple preparation, good sensitivity, short response time, good stability and reproducibility. The developed electrode was highly selective because of the determination of tyrosine in the presence of the ascorbic acid and the uric acid. Under optimal conditions; the cyclic voltammetry provides a linear response with the concentration range from 2 × 10–6 to 2.5 × 10–5 M and 3 × 10–5 to 1.2 × 10–4 M with the limit of detection and limit of quantification values of 2.9 × 10–7 and 9.6 × 10–7 M. The developed sensor was employed for tyrosine detection in pharmaceutical sample, recoveries obtained were in a range of 99.0 to 102.80%.

Electronic Performance of Polymer Carbon‐Paste Nanoallotropes from 0D to 3D as Novel Gate Electrodes in Water‐Gated Organic Field‐Effect Transistors

AbstractWater‐gated organic field‐effect transistors (WGOFETs) are expected to have a strong impact in the field of electronic biosensors owing to the synergism between the transduction function of the transistors with the fact that they can be operated in physiological media. Nonetheless, a limited library of gate electrodes has currently been explored for this aim. Herein, different polymer nanocomposite carbon paste gate electrodes (NC‐CPgEs) are successfully exploited for the first time as unusual nonmetal gate electrodes in WGOFET devices employing four types of carbon nanoallotropes with dimensionality ranging from 0D to 3D (i.e., carbon nanohorns, carbon nanotubes, reduced graphene oxide, and graphite, respectively). Interestingly, after an accurate electrochemical and electrical characterization, it is demonstrated that the WGOFETs with the developed NC‐CPgEs reveal excellent behaviors comparable to that achieved with conventional gate electrodes, such as gold or glassy carbon electrodes. Further, depending on the carbon nature the device performance can be tuned, being the devices based on reduced graphene oxide the ones showing a better electrical response. Accordingly, this work can pave the way for widespread applications of NC‐CPgEs for the development of a new generation of WGOFET devices based on carbon nanostructures.

Myoglobin-silver reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite stochastic biosensor for the determination of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone from saliva samples.

A silver reduced graphene oxide (Ag-rGO) nanocomposite paste was prepared for the assay of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in children's saliva. The paste was modified with a solution of myoglobin (Myb) to form the stochastic biosensor, to improve the sensitivity of the method. The Ag-rGO powder and Myb-Ag-rGO paste were morphologically and structurally characterized by SEM, TEM and XRD measurements. For the molecular recognition of the hormones, the biosensor based on Myb-Ag-rGO reached determination limits of 8.5 × 10-3UIL-1 (2.0 × 10-12g/mL) for luteinizing hormone and 1.4 × 10-2UIL-1 (1.0 × 10-12g/mL) for follicle-stimulating hormone. The determination of both hormones in saliva samples collected from children was done with high reliability. Graphical Abstract.

Low-cost voltammetric sensor based on an anionic surfactant modified carbon nanocomposite material for the rapid determination of curcumin in natural food supplement

A highly sensitive and selective voltammetric method was developed for the determination of curcumin using sodium dodecyl sulfate modified carbon nanocomposite paste electrode. The electrochemical performance for curcumin was characterized by the use of linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and differential pulse voltammetry. These measurements showed that the sodium dodecyl sulfate modified carbon nanocomposite paste electrode provided excellent electrocatalytic enhancement for the oxidation of curcumin compared to an unmodified carbon nanocomposite paste electrode. Using the optimized conditions, the oxidation peak current showed a linear response from 2 × 10−7 to 1 × 10−6 M and 1.5 × 10−6 to 4.5 × 10−6 M with a detection limit equal to 2.7 × 10−8 M and limit of quantification equal to 9.2 × 10−8 M. The simultaneous determination of curcumin and vitamin B2 included a well resolved peaks, that provides rapid and selective analysis in the presence of vitamin B2. Moreover, the practical application of the developed electrode was performed for the analysis of a natural food supplement for curcumin.

Amplified oxadiazole derivative nano MgO–multiwall carbon nanotubes modified carbon paste electrode for the determination of dopamine in presence of morphine

AbstractIn this paper, we report the fabrication of an amplified sensor to determine dopamine in the presence of morphine based on nano‐MgO, multiwall carbon nanotubes, and an oxadiazole derivative. The electrochemical behavior and electrocatalyic activity of the sensor toward the oxidation of dopamine were investigated. Cyclic voltammetry was used to study the redox features of the sensor, and the results have shown that dopamine overpotential oxidation at the surface of the sensor was reduced to nearly 460 mV. The diffusion coefficient was estimated by chronoamperometry. Three segmented linear dynamic ranges over the range 0.05–5175.0 and detection limit of 0.021 μM for the quantification of dopamine were obtained using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The modified nanocomposite carbon paste electrode, which showed excellent sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, and reproducibility, was satisfactorily employed to determine dopamine and morphine in actual samples.

Electrochemical migration and corrosion behaviours of SAC305 reinforced by NiO, Fe2O3, TiO2 nanoparticles in NaCl solution

Pb-free solders incorporated with nano-sized particles have been identified, as potential Pb-free nanocomposite solders that could provide higher microstructure stability and better mechanical properties than the conventional solders. Nowadays, the miniaturizations of electronic devices increase in their usage have increased the risk of failure due to ion migration and corrosion phenomena. This research investigates the effects the electrochemical migration (ECM) and corrosion behaviour of Sn- 3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) reinforced by NiO, Fe2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles in 0.1M NaCl solution. The SAC305 solder alloys were doped with different percentages of NiO, Fe2O3 and TiO2 at nominal percentages of 0.01, 0.05 and 0.15 wt% in producing nanocomposite solder paste. Then, the solder paste has flowed in the reflow oven at the temperature of 240°C. After that, the Water Drop Test (WDT) was performed using 0.1 M NaCl solution to investigate the ion migration behaviour and Potentiodyamic Tafel Polarization technique to determine the corrosion behaviour on the solder alloys. In general, the results showed the mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) of SAC305 solder alloy increased when added of the nanoparticles of NiO, Fe2O3 and TiO2. Besides, SAC305-TiO2 has the longest MTTF in 0.1 M NaCl solution followed by SAC305-Fe2O3 and SAC305-NiO nanoparticles. This results is believed due to the presence of nanoparticles as the alloying element in the solder that hinder the process of ECM to suppress the growth of the dendrites accelerating for the short circuit occurs and causes the failure of the IPC-24 test board. The potentiodynamic polarization curve results exhibit the SAC305 with nanoparticles decreased the corrosion rate compared with SAC305 solder alloy only. SAC305 with NiO and TiO2 have slightly lower corrosion rates compared with Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Therefore, SAC305 reinforced by TiO2, Fe2O3 and NiO nanoparticles exhibited excellent ECM and corrosion resistance behaviours in the 0.1 M NaCl solution.

Mechanical, electrical, and thermal reliability of Sn-58wt.%Bi solder joints with Ag-decorated MWCNT for LED package component during aging treatment

The effect of aging on reliability of Sn-58 wt%Bi solder joint with Ag-decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Ag-MWCNTs) was investigated for the LED package components. The mechanical, electrical and thermal characteristics of the solder joints with various Ag-MWCNT contents were examined under aging treatment. Ag-MWCNTs were synthesized by using a colloidal method and the nanocomposite solder paste was fabricated by mechanically mixing the Ag-MWCNTs with Sn-58 wt%Bi solder paste. The flip-chip light emission diode (FC-LED) package component was bonded on the substrate with Cu pad finished organic solderability preservative (OSP). And then these were isothermally aged at 85 °C up to 1000 h in an oven. The mechanical, electrical and thermal property of solder joints was evaluated by using shear test, measuring the electrical resistance and thermal transient test, respectively. The bonding strength of all of the solder joints decreased and the electrical resistance of the solder joints increased with increasing aging time. The bonding strength of the solder joints with 0.05Ag-MWCNTs was 12% higher than those of other solder joints. And the electrical and thermal resistance of the solder joints exhibited the lowest resistance with 0.1Ag-MWCNTs and 0.05Ag-MWCNTs after aging for 1000 h, respectively.

A highly sensitive wireless nitrogen dioxide gas sensor based on an organic conductive nanocomposite paste

The conducting nanocomposite paste composed of multidimensional hollow nanoparticles and PANI:PSS easily forms sensing area in the wireless sensor tag.

Graphene nanoplatelets in potentiometry: A nanocomposite carbon paste and PVC based membrane sensors for analysis of Vilazodone HCl in plasma and milk samples

Graphene is the ''new star'' material for electrochemical sensing. It has unique mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, in addition to its ultra light weight. In the present work we combine for the first time the special features offered by graphene and the advantages of ion selective potentiometric sensors in a single study. We propose two types of sensors, a graphene based carbon paste and a poly vinyl chloride (PVC) based membrane sensors for the analysis of Vilazodone hydrochloride in bulk, human plasma and formula milk samples. Electro active agent is an ion- association complex based on coupling of Vilazodone cationic cite with anionic cite of Molybdate ion in a ratio 1:1. Both sensors are evaluated according to the IUPAC recommendation data, revealing linear response in the concentration range 10−7 − 10−3 and10−8 − 10−3 M with a Nernestian slope 59.89 and 59.91 mV/decade for PVC membrane and Carbon paste sensors, respectively. Both sensors were successfully applied to the analysis of Vilazodone HCl in human plasma and formula milk samples showing good recovery percentage values. Graphene based carbon paste sensor shows several advantages over conventional PVC membrane sensor regarding lower limit of detection, faster response time, longer life time and higher selectivity towards target ion.

Carbon nanotube-based nanocomposite sensor tuned with a catechol as novel electrochemical recognition platform of uranyl ion in aqueous samples

This article reports a novel electrochemical recognition platform based on a nanocomposite carbon paste electrode containing carbon nanotubes modified with gold nanoparticles carrying a thiolated catechol for the fast amperometric determination of uranyl ion (UO22+) in water. Recognition of UO22+ is accomplished by supramolecular chemistry due to the formation of an inclusion complex between catechol and UO22+. The amperometric device operates at –0.40 V vs. Ag/AgCl, where the reduction of UO22+ takes place on the electrode surface, covering a linear range from 0.49 to 170 μg L−1 UO22+ in a 0.1 M boric acid buffer solution at pH 5.3. The developed sensing system presents good response towards UO22+ in aqueous environmental samples, with good selectivity over other browsed cations and can be easily reset by simple polishing. This platform has demonstrated to be a potential alternative regarding to the common standard bench-top analytical techniques for the development of in-field devices for in-situ monitoring.

A new carbon paste electrode modified with MWCNTs and nano-structured molecularly imprinted polymer for ultratrace determination of trimipramine: The crucial effect of electrode components mixing on its performance

A novel carbon nanocomposite paste electrode was prepared and used as a voltammetric sensor for ultratrace determination of trimipramine (TRI) which currently used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. For this aim, nanoparticles of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), synthesized by precipitation polymerization method, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were embedded in a nanocomposite paste electrode. The nanocomposite mixing style demonstrated a significant influence on the final electrode performance. The sensor exhibited linear response range of 1.0 × 10−10–2.5 × 10−8 mol L−1 and very high sensitivity of 2131 μA μ mol L−1. The lower detection limit of the sensor was calculated to be 4.5 × 10–11 mol L−1 (S/N = 3). This sensor was applied successfully for highly selective determination of TRI in pharmaceutical formulations, urine and serum samples without applying any sample pretreatment.

Chiral magnetic-nanobiofluids for rapid electrochemical screening of enantiomers at a magneto nanocomposite graphene-paste electrode

The development of highly sensitive and selective enantiomeric platforms towards the rapid screening of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is nowadays a crucial challenge in several fields related to pharmacology, biomedicine, biotechnology and (bio)sensors. Herein, it is presented a novel, facile and generic methodology focused on exploiting the synergistically and electrocatalytic properties of chiral magnetic-nanobiofluids (mNBFs) with electrochemical enantiobiosensing at a magneto nanocomposite graphene paste electrode (mNC–GPE). The feasibility of this approach has been validated by chirally recognizing tryptophan (TRP) enantiomers as a proof-of-concept. For this aim, a specific chiral mNBF based on an aqueous dispersion of cobalt ferrite loaded with gold nanoparticles carrying a thiolated β-cyclodextrin (β–CD-SH/Au/CoFe2O4–NPs) has been synthesized and used towards the supramolecular discrimination of TRP enantiomers at an advanced graphene-paste transducer via cyclic voltammetry. This strategy, which is the first demonstration of applicability of chiral mNBFs for electrochemical enantiorecognition, opens up new approaches into enantio(bio)sensing.