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In the field of energy storage by high-rate supercapacitors, there has been an upper limit for the total interfacial capacitance of carbon-based materials. This upper limit originates from both quantum and electric double-layer capacitances. Surpassing this limit has been the focus of intense research in this field. Here, we precisely investigate the effect of chemical functional groups and physical confinement on the electrochemical performance of graphene nanoribbons. We present the results of a quasi-one-dimensional single-layer graphene nanoribbon (120 nm in width and ∼100 μm in length) microelectrode fabricated by mechanical exfoliation of graphite, followed by electron beam lithography process and oxygen plasma etching treatment. We directly measure the interfacial capacitance as a function of frequency at different potentials in an aqueous electrolyte using a three-electrode electrochemical system. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry tests show an average capacitance of 75...

Transition metal oxides are being more frequently used as hole injection layer (HIL) in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), in place of polymer HILs such as PEDOT:PSS. The very thin films of the metal oxide HILs are usually deposited using vapor deposition, in order to create uniform films. Here, we report OLEDs fabricated using solution processed MoOx films as the HIL and super yellow as the emissive layer. The performance of the devices is comparable to PEDOT:PSS based devices, while the stability tests show the lifetime of MoOx-based devices is 4 × 106 h, about 40 times longer than PEDOT:PSS devices, at typical working condition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicates both Mo5+ and Mo6+ states in the film. The Oxygen vacant MoO3 film shows bandgap states close to valence band, as confirmed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and optical absorption. The method show promise for all-solution- processed LEDs utilizing metal oxide HILs.

Growing demands for clean and renewable energy technologies have sparked broad research on the development of highly efficient and stable non-noble metal electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this regard, in the present work a three-dimensional Fe2TiO5/nitrogen-doped graphene (denoted as 3D FTO/NG) hybrid electrocatalyst was synthesized via a facile in-situ process using a hydrothermal method. Structural characterization of the prepared nanocomposite is performed by various techniques e.g. field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopic methods. A novel binder-free electrode for OER activity has been prepared by coating a 3D FTO/NG onto nickel foam (NF). In particular, the 3D FTO/NG nanocomposite, which is synthesized with in-situ hydrothermal process, exhibited a remarkable OER performance in alkaline media. The prepared electrocatalyst showed a small overpotential of 0.36 V with a Tafel slope of 0.07 V dec−1 at 100 A m−2 with a long-term stability for OER reaction in 1 M KOH. The outstanding OER performance and durability of 3D FTO/NG can be attributed to the synergistic effects originating from NG and FTO in the prepared electrocatalyst, which helps to enhance the conductivity of the nanocomposite. The presence of conductive NG in the prepared 3D nanocomposite can not only improve the mechanical stability, but also facilitate its electron transport. Also, N atoms and FTO provide abundant electrocatalytic active sites, which accelerate evolution of gas bubbles. This work provides a promising approach for synthesis of inexpensive and efficient OER electrocatalysts.

During the past few years, a considerable attention has been devoted to the development of textile- based energy storage devices and wearable electronics applications. In this paper, for the first time, we report a flexible high performance graphene-based supercapacitor using silver fiber fabric as the current collector. The silver fiber fabric offers remarkable advantages such as light weight, mechanical flexibility and ease of integration with electronic textiles, which well-suited for wearable energy storage devices. A new hybrid material of graphene-silver fiber fabric (rGO/SFF) was prepared through a facile electrophoretic deposition of graphene and being used as a binder-free flexible supercapacitor electrode. In order to obtain the optimum condition, the effect of deposition time was investigated and a duration time of 10 minute was selected as an optimum condition. The as-prepared binder-free electrode based on rGO/SFF-10 showed excellent electrochemical performance in the three-electrode configuration using KOH (3 M) as the supporting electrolyte, with the highest capacity of 172 mF/cm2 at 4 mA/cm2 and a capacitance retention of 97% after 5000 charge−discharge cycles. The high performance of rGO/SFF electrode is associated to the superior conductivity, high mechanical flexibility as well as good electrochemical stability of the silver fiber fabrics. The results suggest that the prepared electrode is a promising candidate for wearable energy storage applications due to its advantageous properties and the ease of preparation.

Hybrid light emitting diodes (HyLED) with a structure of FTO/ZnO/F8BT/MoO 3 /Au/Ag is fabricated and the influence of surface roughness of cathode (FTO/ZnO) is investigated. The roughness of FTO could be decreased from 9.2 nm to 2.2 nm using a mild polishing process. The ZnO film, deposited by spray pyrolysis, functions as an electron injection layer. The roughness of the FTO/ZnO surface is found also highly dependent on the ZnO thickness. For thin ZnO films (20 nm), polishing results in better efficacy and power efficiency of LED devices, with nearly a two times improvement. For thick ZnO films (210 nm), the overall FTO/ZnO roughness is almost independent of the FTO roughness, hence both polished and unpolished substrates exhibit identical performance. Increasing ZnO thickness generally improves the electron injection condition, leading to lower turn on voltage and higher current and power efficiencies. However, for too large ZnO thickness (210 nm) the ohmic loss across the film dominates and deteriorates the performance. While the polished substrates show less device sensitivity to ZnO thickness and better performance at thin ZnO layer, best performance is obtained for unpolished substrates with 110 nm ZnO thickness. Larger interface area of ZnO/F8BT and enhanced electric filed at sharp peaks/valleys could be the reason for better performance of devices with unpolished substrates.

Pd–WO3 nanostructures were incorporated on graphene oxide (GO) and partially reduced graphene oxide (PRGO) sheets using a controlled hydrothermal process to fabricate effective hydrogen gas sensors. Pd–WO3 nanostructures showed ribbon-like morphologies and Pd–WO3/GO presented an irregular nanostructured form, while Pd–WO3/PRGO exhibited a hierarchical nanostructure with a high surface area. Gas sensing properties of thin films of these materials were studied for different hydrogen concentrations (from 20 to 10,000 ppm) at various temperatures (from room temperature to 250 °C). Although adding GO in the Pd–WO3, after hydrothermal process could increase the film conductivity, gas sensitivity was reduced to half, due to lower surface area of the irregular morphology in comparison with the ribbon-like morphology. The Pd–WO3/PRGO films showed an optimum sensitivity (∼10 folds better than the sensitivity of Pd–WO3/GO), and a fast response and recovery time (

As a bi-functional cancer treatment agent, a new hybrid nanostructure is presented which can be used for photothermal therapy by exposure to one order of magnitude lower laser powers compared to similar nanostructures in addition to substantial enhancment in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast. This gold-iron oxide hybrid nanostructure (GIHN) is synthesized by a cost-effective and high yield water-based approach. The GIHN is sheilded by PEG. Therefore, it shows high hemo and biocompatibility and more than six month stability. Alongside earlier nanostructures, the heat generation rate of GIHN is compareable with surfactnat-capped gold nanorods (GNRs). Two reasons are behind this enhancement: Firstly the distance between GNRs and SPIONs is adjusted in a way that the surface plasmon resonance of the new nanostructure is similar to bare GNRs and secondly the fraction of GNRs is raised in the hybrid nanostructure. GIHN is then applied as a photothermal agent using laser irradiation with power as low as 0.5 W.cm−2 and only 32% of human breast adenocarcinoma cells could survive. The GIHN also acts as a dose-dependent transvers relaxation time (T2) MRI contrast agent. The results show that the GINH can be considered as a good candidate for multimodal photothermal therapy and MRI.

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was used to improve the hydrogen sensing properties of Pd and Pt-decorated TiO2 nanoparticles by facile production routes. The TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method and coupled on GO sheets via a photoreduction process. The Pd or Pt nanoparticles were decorated on the TiO2/RGO hybrid structures by chemical reduction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that GO reduction is done by the TiO2 nanoparticles and Ti–C bonds are formed between the TiO2 and the RGO sheets as well. Gas sensing was studied with different concentrations of hydrogen ranging from 100 to 10,000 ppm at various temperatures. High sensitivity (92%) and fast response time (less than 20 s) at 500 ppm of hydrogen were observed for the sample with low concentration of Pd (2 wt.%) decorated on the TiO2/RGO sample at a relatively low temperature (180 °C). The RGO sheets, by playing scaffold role in these hybrid structures, provide new pathways for gas diffusion and preferential channels for electrical current. Based on the proposed mechanisms, Pd/TiO2/RGO sample indicated better sensing performance compared to the Pt/TiO2/RGO. Greater rate of spill-over effect and dissociation of hydrogen molecules on Pd are considered as possible causes of the enhanced sensitivity in Pd/TiO2/RGO.

The high temperature superconductor thin films Cu1−xTlxBa2Ca3Cu4O12−δ (Cu1−xTlx- 1234) are post-annealed in a nitrogen atmosphere. The zero-resistivity critical temperature (Tc(R = 0)) of these thin films is increased from 92.3 to 104 K. The grain size is enhanced and their morphology is improved with the post-annealing. The enlargement of grain size is linked to fluctuation-induced conductivity (FIC) in the light of Aslamazov–Larkin (AL) theory. The FIC measurements have shown that the cross-over of three-dimensional (3D) to two-dimensional (2D) behaviour of fluctuations is shifted to higher temperature values with an increase of post-annealing temperature. These results have shown that the removal of oxygen and the increased grain size are the most likely sources of the increase in the cross-over temperature, T* to higher values.

We present an investigation on the optimisation of solid-state dye sensitized solar cells (SDSCs) comprising mesoporous tin oxide photoanodes infiltrated with poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) hole conductor and sensitized with an organic dye. We chose both the SnO(2) and P3HT for their high charge carrier mobilities and conductivities, but as a result preclude conventional device configurations because of high leakage current and low shunt-resistance. To minimize the "hole leakage current" through the FTO anode, we employed a double compact layer structure, and to minimize "electron leakage current" at the silver cathode, we developed a protocol for depositing an optimal P3HT "capping layer". After optimisation of cell fabrication, the electron lifetime is increased considerably and the solar cells exhibited simulated AM1.5 full sun solar power conversion efficiencies in excess of 1%.

The promise of graphene for use as a vapor sensor motivated exploration of the vapor responses of graphene nanomesh (GNM) functionalized with single stranded DNA. Devices detected different vapor types, including carboxylic acids, aldehydes, organophosphates, and explosives. As-fabricated GNM field effect transistors (FETs) had larger vapor responses than standard graphene FETs due to the effect of oxidized edges and lattice defects. DNA-GNM devices discriminated between homologous species with detection limits of a few parts per million, with fast response and recovery. Responses varied significantly when the base sequence of the DNA was changed, making the sensor class an intriguing candidate for use in an electronic nose system.