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Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) transition-metal oxide phases with the general formula An+1BnO3n+1 are versatile functional materials that can accommodate a large variety of compositions without compromising structural stability. Substitutions at the A and B sites allow for the precise control of functional properties of these materials. This opens wide possibilities for rational design. In particular, some of these materials were demonstrated to be efficient and stable catalysts for electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER)—one of the key processes in fuel cells and water electrolyzers. In this work, RP phases LaSrM11−xM2xO4±δ (M1, M2—Fe, Co, Ni) with unreported stoichiometry are prepared from aqueous solutions of metal nitrates using the ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis (USP) technique. We found that the phase purity of samples synthesized by USP is higher as compared to samples prepared by solid-state synthesis or by precipitation from aqueous solutions followed by calcination, used in previous studies of RP oxides. LaSrFe0.5Ni0.5O4–δ (LSNF) oxides are found to be very active in OER in alkaline solutions, with overpotential 0.27 V at j = 0.1 A cm–2 of visible electrode surface in a 5 M solution of KOH. This overpotential is on par with the noble-metal-based OER electrocatalysts. Moreover, the catalytic performance of LSNF in OER is found to be stable over the electrolysis time even in the strongly alkaline solution. These two factors let us conduct the water splitting process in more concentrated electrolytes decreasing the energy cost of hydrogen production by water electrolysis.

Nano- and meso-porous SnO2 powders doped with and without 1-10 wt% MoO3 have been synthesized by an ultrasonic spray-pyrolysis method employing a precursor aqueous solution containing tin (IV) chloride pentahydrate (SnCl4·5H2O), ammonium heptamolybdate and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres as a template, and the effects of MoO3-doping and the addition of PMMA microspheres on the structural, morphological and gas-sensing properties of SnO2 were investigated in this study. It is confirmed that control of the amounts of PMMA microspheres in the precursor solution was effective in realizing well-developed nano- and meso-porous structures of SnO2 by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the measurement of specific surface area and pore size distribution using a N2 adsorption isotherm. Gas-sensing properties of their thick films (about 50 μm thick), which were fabricated by screen-printing to various gases (NO2, C2H5OH and H2) were tested in ambient air. The doped thick films showed a high response and selectivity to 5 ppm NO2 gas in the case of 10 wt% MoO3-doping in both nano- and meso-porous structures of SnO2. We observed that the presence of Mo species in SnO2 lattice can improve the sensor response and selectivity towards NO2 gas. The effect of the MoO3-doping on the sensing characteristics of these films towards NO2 was discussed., Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 147(2), pp.554-560; 2010