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The Gd-doped In2O3 nanocrystalline powder was synthesized via a solid-state reaction process, with varying gadolinium concentration, and is well-suited for spintronic applications. Detailed spectroscopy techniques were employed to investigate the structural, morphological, optical, and magnetic characteristics of nanocrystalline powder composed of In2O3 doped with Gd. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis has confirmed the presence of the cubic bixbyite structure in Gd-doped In2O3 material, with the (2 2 2) plane and a lattice constant ranging from 10.06 to 10.18 Å. The samples exhibit crystallite sizes below 60 nm and maintain good crystallinity when the Gd content fluctuates. The energy band gap of Gd-doped In2O3 was determined using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer to be within the range of 2.89 and 2.96 eV. The emission spectrum was analyzed using photoluminescence spectral measurements with an excitation wavelength of 410 nm. Peaks in the spectrum were detected in the violet, green, and red regions. The magnetic hysteresis loop exhibited the presence of weak ferromagnetism in Gd-doped In2O3, while pure In2O3 is paramagnetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to synthesize strontium titanate (Sr1‐xCexTiO3) doped with Ce3+ by solid state method. Its crystalline structure is Sr1‐xCexTiO3, and its bandgap ranges from ~3.3 to ~2.7 eV. In the photoluminescence of samples excited at 288 nm, the maximum emission of blue light was observed at 380 and 390 nm. Photocatalytic results show that dye molecules have a high absorbance, whereas their surface area is large. According to a line sweep voltammetric plot (LSV), illumination increases the current density by 0.4 μA cm−2 compared with dark conditions. It was demonstrated that the material changed from n‐type to p‐type under doping. Chronoamperometry spectra were obtained for sample Sr1‐xCexTiO3 (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05) when an electrical voltage of 0.8 V was applied versus NHE. The plots indicate an increase in the current density under "light ON" conditions and a decrease under "light OFF" conditions. As Ce3+ concentration increases, the photocurrent increases until about 3 mol%, after which it decreases abruptly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-rich transition metal-based oxide materials have excellent electrochemical properties that make their specific discharge capacity and voltages suitable as cathodes in Li-ion batteries. The current investigation uses solid-state synthesis to create a variety of Ni-rich metal oxide cathode materials, including vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn) co-doped LiNiO2. XRD analysis demonstrates that the synthesized materials exhibit a stable hexagonal structure with an R3m space group. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) reveal the production of well-shaped particles with different doping concentrations, while energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping validates the presence of Ni, V, Zn, and O with the appropriate compositions. Selected area electron diffraction (SEAD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirm that the synthesized polycrystalline LiNi0.80Zn0.06V0.14O2 cathode material has crystals organized in a hexagonal phase. Structural properties are also calculated by density functional theory (DFT) using Wien2K code. The spin-polarised electronic band structures and density of states (DOS) are calculated for all given compounds showing the ferromagnetic nature. The theoretical discharge capacity and intercalation voltages are determined by adding up the total energies of the optimized compounds. It claimed that LiNi0.52Zn0.16V0.32 O2 has a discharge capacity of 48–246 mAhg−1 with an intercalation voltage of 5.77–3.35 V, proving significant improvement in the redox properties. Theoretical calculations and experimental results both examined Ni-rich co-doped V and Zn transition metal oxides as potential materials for the fabrication of coin cells in future batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area of commercial battery innovation to replace safer batteries in widely used secondary batteries offers promising research into solid-state electrolytes (SSEs). Compared to lithium-ion electrolytes, solid-state electrolytes are inherently safer because they replace solvents with non-flammable materials. One of the promising materials for electrolytes today is based on inorganic materials, especially ceramics. Ceramics with superior mechanical, chemical and electrochemical stability and stability against high temperatures are of great interest. NASICON structured Li 1.3 Al 0.3 Ti 1.7 (PO 4) 3 (LATP) is the most studied type of solid electrolyte due to its stability against air and humidity and high ionic conductivity. In this study, LATP samples were synthesized by solid-state synthesis method. The structural, morphological and charge transport properties (ionic conductivities) of the synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Since the modifications applied during the sample preparation process can change the crystal structure and size of the target material, in this study, in order to minimize the formation of impurity phases and to achieve high ionic conductivity it was applied the different synthesis steps (temperature, time, grinding speed, etc.) from the literature. While the ionic conductivity value obtained is among the best values obtained by LATP synthesis methods in the literature, it is the best ionic conductivity value (1.3 × 10−3 S cm−1) obtained by the solid state synthesis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-centrosymmetric (NCS) structure is an indispensable prerequisite for second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) material. Currently, the mainstream approach for designing new NCS structures still relies on chemical substitution, necessitating an urgent infusion of fresh ideas. In this work, two isomorphic sulfides AeMn6Ga6S16 (Ae = Ca, 1; Sr, 2) are afforded by modifying the skeleton of centrosymmetric (CS) Mn2Ga2S5via introducing strong electropositive alkaline-earth cations. Concretely, the incorporation of Ca2+/Sr2+ cations allows the elementary [MnGaS9]∞ chains to reconfigure into bumpy [MnS6]-[GaS4] layers in a new engagement manner, thus enabling the conversion from CS to NCS structure. Such modifications cause not only strong second-harmonic generation (SHG) responses (∼1.5 × benchmark AgGaS2 @1,700 nm), but also significantly feasible bandgaps (2.60–2.64 eV) compared to the sulfide Mn2Ga2S5 (1.36 eV), which ultimately facilitate ultrahigh laser-induced damage thresholds (4.4–6.6 × AgGaS2 @1,064 nm for compounds 1 and 2). The present study offers an ingenious approach for the transformation of CS to NCS structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Na 4 Fe 3 (PO 4) 2 (P 2 O 7) is regarded as a promising cathode material for sodium-ion batteries due to its affordability, non-toxic nature, and excellent structural stability. However, its electrochemical performance is hampered by its poor electronic conductivity. Meanwhile, most of the previous studies utilized spray-drying and sol–gel methods to synthesize Na 4 Fe 3 (PO 4) 2 (P 2 O 7), and the large-scale synthesis of the cathode material is still challenging. This study presents a composite cathode material, Na 4 Fe 2.94 Al 0.04 (PO 4) 2 (P 2 O 7)/C, prepared via a straightforward ball-milling technique. By substituting Al3+ minimally into the Fe2+ site of NFPP, Fe defects are introduced into the structure, hindering the formation of NaFePO 4 and thereby enhancing Na-ion diffusion kinetics and conductivity. Additionally, the average length of Al O bonds (2.18 Å) is slightly smaller than that of Fe O bonds (2.19 Å), contributing to the superior structural stability. The smaller ionic radii of Al3+ induce lattice contraction, further enhancing the structural stability. Moreover, the surface of material particles is coated with a thin layer of carbon, ensuring excellent electrical conductivity and outstanding structure stability. As a result, the Na 4 Fe 2.94 Al 0.04 (PO 4) 2 (P 2 O 7)/C cathode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance, leading to high discharge capacity (128.1 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C), outstanding rate performance (98.1 mAh g−1 at 10 C), and long cycle stability (83.7 % capacity retention after 3000 cycles at 10 C). This study demonstrates a low-cost, ultra-stable, and high-rate cathode material prepared by simple mechanical activation for sodium-ion batteries which has application prospects for large-scale production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 P 2 O 12 (NZSP) has potential use as a solid electrolyte in Na-ion solid-state batteries due to its high ionic conductivity (10−3–10−4 Scm−1) at room temperature. It is established that all previous preparations involving the solid-state method for NZSP compositions contain m -ZrO 2 as a secondary phase. Here, the solid-state method is used to prepare single-phase NZSP by modifying the mole fractions of the ZrO 2 reactant. Reducing ZrO 2 concentration may also create Zr and O vacancies and potentially increase the hopping sites for Na-ion conduction. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, dilatometry and impedance spectroscopy were used to characterise the structure, morphology and electrical properties of single-phase NZSP, and the results were compared with samples that have m -ZrO 2 secondary phase (Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12). The role of m -ZrO 2 impurities on the conductivity of NZSP is investigated and compared with available literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work explores the significance of charge transfer band (CTB) excitation, with large absorption capacity, of Pr3+ doped Sr 3 LiSbO 6 phosphor materials for bluish-green emission. Phosphor materials were synthesized via the conventional high-temperature solid-state method. The formation of phase structure was confirmed by XRD. The structural parameter was estimated from Rietveld refinement. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) coupled with mapping and EDX spectroscopy were employed to get high-resolution images of morphologic structure. Raman and FTIR spectra were investigated to detect the presence of different vibrational levels and functional groups respectively. The elemental compositions were further confirmed via XPS survey scan spectrum and their oxidation state was also explored. The optical band-gap was found to increase first with doping concentration and then start to decrease after doping of 2 mol%, this result was further supported by photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra. PL emission spectra presented the characteristic peaks of Pr3+ due to f-f transitions. PL emission spectra illustrated that the concentration quenching took place at 2 mol% doping of Pr3+, which was governed by dipole-dipole coupling. The decay curves of each sample were recorded for specific excitation and emission wavelengths of 262 nm and 490 nm respectively. All the decay curves were well-fitted with single exponential function. The observed average decay time was 10.5 μs. Afterward, photometric studies including Chromaticity International d'Eclairage (CIE), correlated color temperature (CCT) and color purity (CP) were performed. Calculated CIE values were found to lie in bluish-green regions with lower CP and higher CCT. These results obtained from various characterizations conclude that the proposed Sr 3 LiSbO 6 phosphor, doped with various concentrations of Pr3+ (0 mol% to 7 mol% of Pr3+), reveal their applicability in the field of solid-state lighting for white light emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we prepared (1 − x)Bi12CeO20–xBiFeO33 ceramics using conventional solid-state methods with various material compositions and sintering temperatures. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were employed to analyze the composition of the ceramic microstructures. In experiments, as x increased, the dielectric constant and τf value increased, and the Q × f value decreased. We also investigated the correlation between the relative proportions of two ceramic substances and their microwave dielectric properties. The Bi12CeO20–BiFeO33 ceramic system is suitable for use as a substrate in low-temperature cofired ceramic antenna temperature sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solid-state reaction technique was employed to synthesize lead-free ceramics, specifically (1-x-y)(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-xBaTiO3-y(K0.5Bi0.5)TiO3. For attaining a pure perovskite phase, it was found that the optimal calcination temperature is 1000 °C, maintained for a duration of 4 h. Through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) was detected in (1-x-y)NBT-xBT-yKBT ceramics for certain molar compositions, specifically in 0.95NBT-0.05BT, 0.84NBT-0.16KBT, and 0.79NBT-0.05BT-0.16KBT. For 4 h, the sintering temperature was fixed at 1100 °C in order to improve densification. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images exhibited homogeneous distribution and dense packing of the grains in the ceramics, indicating a uniform microstructure. These materials exhibited favorable characteristics, including high dielectric permittivity, low dielectric loss, and diffused phase transition behavior. The ceramics composed of 0.79NBT-0.05BT-0.16KBT exhibited the highest piezoelectric constant (d33 = 148 pC/N) and electromechanical coupling factor (kp = 0.292) among all compositions studied. This enhancement in piezoelectric properties can be attributed to the presence of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in the material. This study introduces an interesting approach to enhance the performance of lead-free ferroelectric systems with formula 0.79(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3-0.05 BaTiO3-0.16 (K0.5Bi0.5) TiO3.

The composites Au/SiO2, Au/TiO2, Au/Al2O3, ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/Al2O3 and Eu2O3/SiO2, Eu2O3/TiO2 and Eu2O3/Al2O3 were prepared using a solid-state method. The effect of the polymer precursors was investigated using two precursor polymers, Chitosan and Poly(styrene-co-4vinylpyridine), (PS-co-4-PVP) in the M/MxLy•Chitosan//M’xO’y as well as M/MxLy•PS-co-4-PVP//M’xO’y with M’xO’y = SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3. The effects on the particle size and morphology were observed. The new composites were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, SEM-EDS mapping and HRTEM analysis. The distribution of the metallic nanoparticles as well as the metal oxide nanoparticles inside the matrices depend on the matrix. Marked optical and photocatalytic effects of the Au, ZnO and Eu2O3 inside the SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 matrices are expected. An experiment is in course.

A facile tartaric acid assisted method using metatitanic acid, barium hydroxide and tartaric acid as starting materials is proposed to prepare tetragonal BaTiO 3 fine powders. Owing to the ultrafine character of the as-formed BaCO 3 with high chemical activity, and its arrangement coating the surface of intermediate TiO 2 nanoscale needles, pure cubic phase BaTiO 3 homogeneous powders with size of about 50 nm was obtained via calcining treatment at 650 ℃, which subsequently transformed as tetragonal BaTiO 3 uniform powders with size of about 240 nm and high tetragonality (c/a=1.0095) after calcining treatment at 1050 ℃. The BaTiO 3 ceramic prepared from the BaTiO 3 uniform powders displayed much improvement performances with high permittivity of about 5980 and low dielectric loss of about 0.014 at room temperature in comparison to the BaTiO 3 ceramic prepared respectively from the BaTiO 3 synthesized via a traditional solid-state method, and commercial BaTiO 3 , suggesting it's compatible in application of MLCCs with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn2+ -activated Ba2MgWO6 phosphors are prepared via the high-temperature solid-state method. The synthesized phosphors have been characterized by various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) and photoluminescence (PL), etc. The PL excitation and emission spectra of the synthesized phosphors show interesting results. The excitation spectrum showed a broad excitation band in the range of 300 nm to 400 nm, covering the entire ultraviolet (UV) and near UV regions. This shows its suitability for lighting applications. Under 380 nm excitation, the emission spectrum emits a broad emission band in the range of 400 nm to 650 nm. The center of the emission band is approximately 510 nm and the optimum emission intensity is observed for 1.5 mol% concentration of Mn2+ ions. At concentrations higher than 1.5 mol% Mn2+ the emission intensity decreases due to a concentration quenching mechanism of the luminescence. Furthermore, the synthesized phosphor exhibits extreme thermal stability. The investigation indicates that our prepared samples may have potential applications in WLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel, the main raw material for lithium-ion batteries (LIB), is currently the most in-demand metal. The rising need for nickel and current environmental concerns have underscored the importance of recycling waste metal to recover its value. Meanwhile, a significant secondary source with a high metal value is spent catalyst. In this context, the acid leaching method was used to recover nickel from spent catalyst. This study aimed to synthesize Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide 622 (NMC622) from spent catalyst. To determine the optimal method, a comparative analysis was conducted between solidstate and co-precipitation methods. Recycled spent nickel catalyst to be used for cathode material was examined by analytical methods, i.e., XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, and electrochemical performance testing. The XRD, FTIR, and SEM-EDX tests produced similar outcomes, consistent with previous reports. However, in the electrochemical test, the co-precipitation method showed a specific capacity two times higher than the solid-state method. The NMC622 from the co-precipitation method (NMC622-CP) yielded a specific discharge capacity of 132.82 mAh.g-1 at 0.1C, while the retention capacity was 70% for 50 cycles at 0.5C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composites Au/SiO2, Au/TiO2, Au/Al2O3, ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/Al2O3 and Eu2O3/SiO2, Eu2O3/TiO2 and Eu2O3/Al2O3 were prepared using a solid-state method. The effect of the polymer precursors was investigated using two precursor polymers, Chitosan and Poly(styrene-co-4vinylpyridine), (PS-co-4-PVP) in the M/MxLy•Chitosan//M'xO'y as well as M/MxLy•PS-co-4-PVP//M'xO'y with M'xO'y = SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3. The effects on the particle size and morphology were observed. The new composites were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, SEM-EDS mapping and HRTEM analysis. The distribution of the metallic nanoparticles as well as the metal oxide nanoparticles inside the matrices depend on the matrix. Marked optical and photocatalytic effects of the Au, ZnO and Eu2O3 inside the SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 matrices are expected. An experiment is in course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly conductive and stable β″-Al2O3 electrolyte powder is achieved via the solid-state reaction technique when sintered at 1200 °C, 1250 °C, 1300 °C, 1350 °C, and 1400 °C temperature, correspondingly. The findings show that the ionic conductivity has improved slightly from 1200 °C to 1400 °C. As the sintering temperature is increased, the EIS curve shows a short curve of resistance. A maximum ionic conductivity of 7.07 × 10−4 S cm−2 is achieved at 1400 °C (1800 Ω). This is caused by the large β″ contents in Al2O3, as inspected by the X-ray diffraction results. Furthermore, the morphology of Al2O3 shows less porosity and denser particles within the powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium titanate (Li2TiO3) is one of the promising candidate breeders for tritium self‐sufficiency of deuterium(D)‐tritium(T) fusion reaction. The differences in powder synthesis methods have a great impact on the properties of Li2TiO3 powders and the performance of Li2TiO3 ceramic pebbles. In this study, the Li2TiO3 powders were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method and solid‐state method, and then the pebbles were fabricated by the agar‐based wet method. The mechanism of hydrothermal synthesis of Li2TiO3 powder was discussed. For the hydrothermal method, the Li2TiO3 powder with single phase can be obtained when the rate of Li/Ti = 2.4, and the powder presented two different morphology, which involved two reaction mechanisms, including in‐situ phase transformation mechanism and dissolution‐precipitation mechanism, the phase transformation from α‐Li2TiO3 to β‐Li2TiO3 accomplished at 400°C, which is lower than that of 750°C for solid‐state method. Li2TiO3 pebbles prepared by the hydrothermal‐wet method had a uniform pore distribution, an optimal grain size of 2.7 μm, a crushing load of 58.6 N, and relative density of 90.2%, respectively. In comparison, pebbles prepared by the solid‐state‐wet method also had better mechanical properties, which the crushing load and relative density were 53.9 N and 86.9% respectively under the optimal fabrication conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pechini sol–gel and solid-state methods were used to prepare La0.7Sr0.3Mn0.95Ni0.05O3 specimens for analysis of their microscopic morphology, magnetic and magnetocaloric effect properties. The results showed that the average particle size of the sample made by the Pechini sol–gel method was 127.7 nm, smaller than 444.6 nm using the solid-state method. The Curie temperature (TC) of Pechini sol–gel (S–G) and solid-state (S-S) samples was 321.7 K and 334 K; the ΔSM was 4.15 J kg−1 K−1 and 3.11 J kg−1 K−1 under an applied magnetic field of 5 T. The samples were all second-order phase transition materials, indicating that the phase transition order was independent of the synthesis method. The TC of the S–G sample shifted to a lower temperature and the ΔSM was significant, which is desired for magnetic refrigeration. This shows that the synthesis path strongly impacts the morphology and physical properties, explaining the physical mechanism of these property changes in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the impact of co-doping BaTiO3 ceramics with Ca2+ and Y3+ using solid-state reactions to improve its dielectric constant and decrease losses. The oxide BCTYO (Ba0.95Ca0.05Ti0.95Y0.05O2.975) exhibits a tetragonal crystal structure, characterized by a space group of P4mm. By examining the behavior of the doped BaTiO3 sample and performing simulations, researchers can better understand the underlying mechanisms and optimize material properties for specific applications. DFT study shows a semiconductor behavior with an indirect gap (Eg = 2.5 eV). The partial DOS proves that the hybridization between the orbitals Ti 3d, Y 3d, and O 2p is responsible for the band gap and the hopping processes. The analysis of conductivity curves provides evidence for the semiconductor characteristics of the material under investigation. By determining the activation energy (Ea) through analyzing Ln(fmax) and conductivity as a function of 1000/T, the interconnection between conduction and relaxation phenomena is demonstrated. The study of the real part of the dielectric permittivity (ε′) shows a transition at Tc = 380 K. The obtained results are promising and indicate that the studied material has the potential for various electronic applications (energy storage and diode fabrication …). Moreover, the thermal, electrical, and thermoelectric characteristics were examined utilizing the semi-classical Boltzmann theory. The findings revealed an intriguing result, suggesting that Ba0.95Ca0.05Ti0.95Y0.05O2.975 holds promise as a potential candidate for application in thermoelectric devices.

Lithium-ion batteries using zinc oxide (ZnO) as anode material had a high theoretical capacity of about 987 mAh/g. Unfortunately, ZnO capacity can drop below 200 mAh/g after only a few cycles. For that reason, graphite was added in this study due to its stable theoretical capacity of around 348-374 mAh/g to maintain the stability of lithium-ion battery capacity. Zinc oxide/graphite (ZnO/Graphite) was prepared using a solid-state method, in which ZnO and graphite were mortared until homogeneous with the mass ratio of (2:1), (1:1), and (1:2). The SEM images of all samples showed the agglomerate morphology between ZnO and graphite which affect the results of the battery performance test. The final result of the ZnO/Graphite anode can be considered a continuous anode material due to the stable cycle performance obtained in the range of 219.72–371.27 mAh/g with a decreased value of 40% after 55 cycles.

The complex impedance spectroscopy method was applied to evaluate the profound characteristics of the electrical transport capacity of lead-free ferroelectric ceramic solid solutions of (1-x) (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO₃-xBa TiO₃ (NBT-xBT) (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.10). The elaboration of NBT-xBT, via a solid-state reaction between (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO₃ and BaTiO₃, was determined using X-ray diffraction. Refinements, at room temperature, identified a rhombohedral phase, space group R3c for x=0.0 and 0.03, which possesses an antiphase, corresponding to the tilting system ā ā ā with an angle of inclination of 8.24° according to Glazers notation. We used the complex impedance, complex electric Cole-Cole diagram and frequency-dependent AC conductivity analysis to examine the relaxation and conduction mechanism in these samples, which exhibit non-Debye type behaviour. In addition, using an equivalent circuit composed of resistance and capacitance, we examined the different contributions (grains and grain boundaries) in our samples. (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO₃ exhibits a dielectric resonance, which manifests itself as negative permittivity. The resonance development of NBT-xBT in the range (500Hz-2MHz) is discussed in this paper.

The traditional hydrothermal synthesis strategy of ZSM‐5 zeolite is energy‐consumption accompanying by pollution issues. Herein, phosphorus‐modified layered ZSM‐5 zeolites (PZ) were obtained by one‐pot synthesis under solvent‐free conditions. The synthesized samples were fully characterized by XRD, SEM, BET, NH3‐TPD and FTIR. The effect of phosphorus addition on the morphology and catalytic activity of ZSM‐5 was investigated. The results showed that phosphorus‐modified ZSM‐5 zeolites exhibited higher light olefin (ethylene and propylene) selectivity (above 50 %) and longer catalytic lifetime (33 h) in methanol to olefin (MTO) reaction when the weight hourly space velocity was 4 h−1. Phosphorus‐modified ZSM‐5 zeolite synthesized by in situ solvent‐free method, which not only reduced the discharge of sewage but also showed a simple method to realize the introduction of phosphorous species, which provided a new idea for phosphorus modification of ZSM‐5 zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, Dy doped In2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized using solid-state reaction with different concentrations of 2 at.%, 5 at.%, and 9 at.%. From the X-ray diffraction studies, it was observed the powder samples have a cubic bixbyite crystal structure, and crystallites size was in the range of 31 nm to 82 nm. From the scanning electron microscope images, grain size it was measured and it was in the range of 100 nm to 300 nm. The energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) spectra revealed that the synthesized nanoparticles are free from impurities. Using diffuse reflectance spectra, the optical band gap was calculated and it increased from 2.89 eV to 2.96 eV with increase of Dy3+ ions concentration. Photoluminescence spectra shown emission peaks in the visible region of the spectrum when samples were excited with a light source of wavelength 410 nm. At ambient temperature, the pure In2O3 exhibited paramagnetic nature whereas (In1 – xDyx)2O3 nanoparticles shown ferromagnetism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Alkali metals were decorated on active sites of optimized arsenene. • Bonding interactions among layer and metal atoms were explored by PDOS and CDD. • Binding energies computation of H 2 adsorbed on alkali metal decorated arsenene. • The decoration of more Li atoms and H 2 molecules on efficient active sites. • The dynamic stability for each substrate was verified by phonon dispersion graphs. Owing to high industrial demand, H 2 stocking display of alkali metals (AMs) including Li, Na, and K decorated arsenene is investigated utilizing DFT. The structure integrity for Li, Na, and K decorated arsenene is confirmed through geometry optimization and phonon dispersions. The firm bindings confirmations are noted for Li, Na and K above arsenene with binding energy values i.e. −2.607 eV, −2.263 eV and −1.993 eV respectively depicting Li as most stable with maximum hydrogen adsorption. A single Li atom decoration can adsorb three H 2 molecules with average value of adsorption energy −0.125 eV per H 2. While in the case of multiple Li atom adsorption, each Li atom is competent to physically capture two H 2 with mean adsorption energy −0.131 electron volt per H 2 with the reversible gravimetric capacity of 3.85 %. The present endeavor intends to provide insight into potential hydrogen storage materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Na 3 Mn 1- x Zr 1- x V 2 x (PO 4) 3 @C-N is firstly prepared by a simple solid-phase method. • The capacity of ∼ 3.5 V platform (V3+/V4+ & Mn2+/Mn3+) is increased by 135.3 %. • V-substitution can diminish the proportion of Mn3+/Mn4+ in the redox process. • The Jahn-Teller effect of Na 3 MnZr(PO 4) 3 is effectively restrained. • V-substitution is beneficial to the rapid transformation of electron and Na+. Na 3 MnZr(PO 4) 3 , a manganese-based NASICON phosphate cathode material, is recognized for its significant research value, characterized by an appropriate voltage window, affordability, and friendly environmentally attributes. Nevertheless, Na 3 MnZr(PO 4) 3 shares a common drawback with other Mn-based NASICON materials, namely the detrimental Jahn-Teller effect and lower electronic conductivity, alongside its particular sodium de-intercalation process, which further diminishes the cycling stability. Furthermore, the material featuring a dual voltage platform is susceptible to considerable voltage fluctuations within the battery module during backend applications, adversely affecting the stability of overall performances. This study proposes the incorporation of vanadium (V) to refine the valence state structure, thereby mitigating the above limitations. Elemental substitution of V3+ at the transition metal site diminishes the proportion of Mn3+/4+ in the redox process, meanwhile, the V3+/4+ and Mn2+/3+ voltage platforms can be integrated, thus the capacity contribution in the 3.5 V range (135.3 % increase in capacity contribution) is enhanced. This alteration in the desodiation process lessens the tendency of sodium ions to relax from Na1 to Na3 and then back to Na1, thereby minimizing volume changes during charge and discharge cycles. The optimized sample, Na 3 Mn 0.8 Zr 0.8 V 0.4 (PO 4) 3 , demonstrates a commendable initial discharge capacity (104.6 mAh/g at 0.1C) and exceptional cycling stability, with a capacity retention rate of 70.0 % after 2000 cycles at 2C. This investigation offers effective strategies for the allocation of capacity and rational utilization of multi-electron reaction materials, facilitating their practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have prepared Bi2S3 nanostructures as it has good thermoelectric characteristics, and to enhance the thermoelectric effects, we doped the pure Bi2S3 nanostructures with two different concentrations of copper (Cu). These nanostructures were synthesized at 450 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the successful synthesis of all samples with an orthorhombic crystal structure. The average crystallite size of Bi2S3 was 26 nm, and after doping of Cu of two different concentrations, reduced crystallite sizes, i.e., 21 nm and 16 nm, were recorded. UV–visible spectroscopy showed that the band gap of Bi2S3 nanostructures increased after doping it with Cu. The electrical conductivity measured by the LCR meter showed an increasing trend with increasing doping concentration. DC conductivity was increased, and resistivity is observed to be decreased after doping of Cu in Bi2S3 nanostructures. This might be due to the contribution of charge carriers from Cu. Enhanced Seebeck coefficients measured in the temperature range of 303–366 K were recorded after every doping concentration. In the end, the power factor was calculated for all three materials, and a surprising increase in power factor was recorded for Bi1.85Cu0.15S3 as compared to Bi2S3 and Bi1.95Cu0.05S3 nanostructures. Power factors were recorded as ∼ 0.15 μ W / mK 2 , ∼ 0.58 μ W / mK 2 , and ∼ 1.50 μ W / mK 2 for Bi2S3, Bi1.95Cu0.05S3, and Bi1.85Cu0.15S3 nanostructures, respectively. These all-recorded data prove the suitability of Cu-doped Bi2S3 nanostructures for the conversion of heat into electricity, i.e., for thermoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides have attracted extensive attention in lithium-ion battery cathode materials due to their high specific capacity, wide operating voltage, and low cost. However, the large-scale production of single-crystal Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides remains a significant challenge. Herein, the morphology, structure, and electrochemical properties of a series of samples (Li 1.2 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 Mn 0.54 O 2 ) prepared by the solid-state method and the molten-salt flux method were assessed. Single-crystal particles exactly could be prepared by potassium chloride (KCl), but its electrochemical performance was inferior and the molten-salt flux method was too complicated for industry. Surprisingly, we found that water washing and annealing processes could enhance the cycling performance. Furthermore, single-crystal Li 1.2 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 Mn 0.54 O 2 with a particle size of 536 nm was successfully prepared by simple stepwise sintering (950 °C for 7 h, 1000 °C for 1 h, and 850 °C for 2 h), which delivered a specific capacity of 274.9 mAh·g -1 between 2.0 and 4.8 V at 0.1 C with 77.4% initial Coulombic efficiency and 82.1% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 0.1 C. This study may provide theoretical guidance for the industrial production of single-crystal Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides.

The objective of this study was to synthesize strontium titanate (Sr 1-x Ce x TiO 3 ) doped with Ce 3+ by solid state method. Its crystalline structure is Sr 1-x Ce x TiO 3 , and its bandgap ranges from ~3.3 to ~2.7 eV. In the photoluminescence of samples excited at 288 nm, the maximum emission of blue light was observed at 380 and 390 nm. Photocatalytic results show that dye molecules have a high absorbance, whereas their surface area is large. According to a line sweep voltammetric plot (LSV), illumination increases the current density by 0.4 μA cm -2 compared with dark conditions. It was demonstrated that the material changed from n-type to p-type under doping. Chronoamperometry spectra were obtained for sample Sr 1-x Ce x TiO 3 (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05) when an electrical voltage of 0.8 V was applied versus NHE. The plots indicate an increase in the current density under "light ON" conditions and a decrease under "light OFF" conditions. As Ce 3+ concentration increases, the photocurrent increases until about 3 mol%, after which it decreases abruptly., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Lanthanum strontium cobalt ferum (LSCF) with addition of copper oxide (CuO) can serve as an alternate cathode material in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (IT-SOFC) due to its strong catalytic activity for oxygen reduction process at intermediate temperatures and great chemical compatibility. This study was done to determine the viability of LSCF--CuO composite as a material for the IT-SOFC cathode. The cathode powder was synthesised using the conventional solid-state process at intermediate temperatures range (600ºC--900ºC). The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that when LSCF was calcined at temperatures over 600ºC, the weight loss curve flattened. In the meantime, x-ray diffraction revealed that the perovskite structure of LSCF-CuO was completely formed after calcined at 800ºC. Moreover, the Brunauer--Emmett--Teller (BET) and scanning electron microscope investigations demonstrated that as the calcination temperature rose, the LSCF--CuO particles tended to grow. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigation revealed polarisation resistance of samples calcined at 800ºC (0.41 Ωcm2) was significantly lower than that of samples calcined at 600ºC (29.57 Ωcm²). Judging from chemical, physical and electrochemical properties, it is evidence that LSCF-CuO prepared via simple solid-state reaction has a potential to be used as cathode material for IT-SOFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, La-doped bismuth titanate (Bi4-xLaxTi3O12) ceramics were prepared using a solid-state reaction method. The structures, morphologies and vibrational modes of the obtained ceramics were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The prepared Bi4-xLaxTi3O12 showed higher photocatalytic rhodamine B (RhB) degradation in water under UV light irradiation than the pure materials (Bi4Ti3O12). The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the presence of O–Ti–O and the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs and/or to the particle size. The results of this work show that multiple photocatalysts can degrade RhB. Moreover, RhB was eliminated in an aqueous solution via the photocatalytic activity of La-doped bismuth titanate with different dopant loadings, based on the activation of these powders by UV–Vis light irradiation. Photocatalytic tests showed that the degradation of RhB was higher for Bi4Ti3O12 doped with 0.75 of La, demonstrating approximately 96% efficiency after 200 min of UV irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower-like molybdenum disulfide was synthesized from molybdenum trioxide and sulfur by argon protection solidstate method. The structure and morphology of the products were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. The effects of raw material ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time and heating rate on the purity of the product were investigated, and molybdenum disulfide with high purity was prepared. The results show that when the molar ratio of MoO3: S is 1: 7. 5, the reaction temperature is 450 t and the reaction time is 4 h, heating rate is 15 t/min, the flower-like molybdenum disulfide with purity of 99. 4% can be obtained. The flower-like structure is composed of warped thin plate with thickness of about 10 nm. 0. 62 nm monolayer MoS, is observed by TEM. Flower-like molybdenum disulfide has large specific surface area, which has broad application prospects in the fields of energy storage and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ZnO, Mg/Cu/N-ZnO, and Mg/Cu/N/B ZnO were prepared by solid-state method. • Adding dopants to ZnO reduces nanoparticle sizes and band gap. • Doped ZnO efficiently degrades methyl violet and remains stable through five cycles. • Band gap and surface area impact doped ZnO's photocatalytic activity. • Doped ZnO also showed enhanced antibacterial activity. Due to their unique properties and suitability for a wide range of applications, nanometer-scale semiconductors such as ZnO have garnered much attention. We successfully synthesized undoped and doped ZnO (Mg/Cu/N-ZnO and Mg/Cu/N/B-ZnO) using the solid-state method and analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Raman Spectroscopy, UV − Visible Diffuse Reflectance (UV– Vis DRS), and Photoluminescence spectra (PL). The synthesized material exhibited a hexagonal structure in the presence of additional potentially doped ZnO defects, as evidenced by the XRD and Raman spectra. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study showed that the undoped ZnO exhibited a rod-shaped morphology with a non-uniform size distribution. In contrast, the doped ZnO particles had an almost spherical shape. The particle sizes of undoped ZnO are 91.52 nm, while doped ZnO particles are 74.92 nm for Mg/Cu/N-ZnO and 42.28 nm for Mg/Cu/N/B-ZnO. According to BET analysis, Mg/Cu/N- ZnO exhibits the highest specific surface area, measured at 803.009 m2/g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the presence of dopants within the ZnO lattice. The UV-DRS study results showed that doping impacts the bandgap energy. The PL spectrum shows the formation of UV emission (∼400 nm) and visible emission (513–520 nm and ∼ 649 nm) peaks, indicating the inhibition of electron-hole recombination and various types of defects, including intrinsic and extrinsic defects. The photocatalytic activities of undoped ZnO and doped ZnO for methyl violet (MV) degradation were investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy after 120 min of exposure to visible light. Triple and quadruple-doped ZnO showed excellent photocatalytic ability to degrade a 93 – 95 % solution of methyl violet. The material's stability was assessed through five cycles of the photocatalyst, and characterization data (XRD, XPS) for the catalyst utilized are also provided. Antibacterial activity increased against S. aureus and E. coli bacteria in quadruple-doped ZnO samples. The Mg/Cu/N/B-ZnO sample had the most significant antibacterial activity, with an average zone of inhibition measuring 9.85 mm for S. aureus and 11.95 mm for E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The simplest and rapid construction and modulation of CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-120 is achieved. • Coupling reinforcement effect for PMS-motivated TC destruction is obtained. • CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-120 has an optimal performance for TC destruction via activating PMS. • SO 4 •– and 1O 2 were the main active substances for CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-120/PMS system. Due to the synergistic redox coupling between the two metals, cobalt ferrite-based materials demonstrate stable degradation properties for organic pollutants by activating peroxomonosulfate (PMS). However, the challenge lies in developing the simplest and fastest methods to construct and modulate cobalt ferrite composites. In this study, CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticle-integrated carbon black composite catalysts (CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-x) were prepared using an environmentally friendly solid-state microwave method. The CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-120 catalyst showed excellent efficiency in degrading tetracycline (TC) through PMS activation, achieving a removal rate of nearly 90 % in 30 min with an apparent rate constant of 0.1232 min−1. The catalyst also effectively degraded various organic compounds and real-life wastewater by almost 80 %, promising application potential. Furthermore, CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-120 maintained its high activity after five cycles, attributed to its its magnetic properties facilitating good separation and preventing catalyst loss during cycling tests. The degradation mechanism of the CoFe 2 O 4 -CB-120/PMS system was thoroughly investigated, identifying key active species such as SO 4 •−, •OH, and 1O 2 , with proposed pathways for TC degradation. This study presents an innovative, simple, and efficient strategy for producing spinel cobalt ferrite and carbon composites for PMS activation in organic pollutant degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent years, the industries need for low cost, efficient, high-strength to weight ratio and good quality materials has enormously changed the trends from inflexible material (monolithic materials) to composite materials. Metal matrix composites are made up of two or more constituents in which one constituent must be metal and the others may be metallic or any other reinforcing constituents. Metal matrix composite possesses good wear resistance, high-temperature strength which are difficult to achieve by inflexible materials (monolithic), and due to these properties, metal matrix composites are rapidly capturing the commercial markets. Nowadays, various production techniques are used to manufacture metal matrix composites such as solid-state processes and liquid state process. An attempt has been made in this paper to review the production techniques and their application in today's world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a traditional dielectric capacitor material, barium titanate (BaTiO3 ) ceramics have strong ferroelectric property, which leads to low energy storage density. However, the relaxation ferroelectric can be obtained through doping to weaken the ferroelectric property and improve the energy storage performance. In this paper, BaTiO3 -based ceramics modified by BiScO3 and (Sr0. 7Bi 0. 2 )TiO3 , a ternary ceramic material (0. 99 - x)Ba(Zr0. 1Ti 0. 9 )O3 -x(Sr0. 7Bi 0. 2 )TiO3 -0. 01BiScO3 (abbreviated as BZT-xSBT-BS) was designed, owing to the enhanced relaxation properties induced by bismuth series compounds. The phase structure of BZT-xSBT-BS ceramics prepared by traditional solid-state method is not changed due to doping, and they are pure cubic perovskite structure at room temperature. Dielectric and ferroelectric tests and analysis show that BZT-xSBT-BS ceramics have typical relaxor ferroelectric properties. Sr 2 + and Bi 3 + ions substitutions produce thermionic relaxation polarization, which contributes to the polarization and increases the dielectric constant of BZT-xSBT-BS ceramics, but the dielectric loss will increase due to its slow response speed. An appropriate amount of (Sr0. 7 Bi 0. 2 )TiO3 can improve the dielectric, ferroelectric, strain and energy storage properties of BZT-xSBT-BS ceramics. BZT-xSBT-BS ceramics with x = 0. 015 show excellent properties, εr ~10 372, tanδ ~0. 019, Pmax =16. 42 μC/ cm 2 , Ec =1.41 kV/ cm, S + max =0.12% (@40 kV/ cm), WD =0. 181 J/ cm 3 , η = 79. 4% (@ 60 kV/ cm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mathematical model for the synthesis of yttrium aluminium garnet (Y3Al5O12, YAG) is presented in the article. The preparation of YAG by two synthesis methods, namely the sol–gel chemistry approach and the solid-state reaction method is considered. The model of YAG synthesis is based on the system of non-stationary diffusion equations containing the nonlinear terms related to the kinetics of the reaction and diffusion rates. The periodisation of the synthesis space is considered. In this study, the computer simulation tool was developed to solve the system of partial differential equations. The developed software is employed to investigate the influence of the concentration of YAG on diffusion rates and the synthesis duration as well as on the duration when the rate of change in reaction product mass is at a maximum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near zero expansion oxide functional ceramics Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7 was synthesized by the traditional solid-state method and then the thermal expansion properties of the synthesized samples were explored. X-ray diffraction(XRD), Raman spectra and thermal dilatometry were used to investigate the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), isotropy and phase transition of Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7.Hf4+/P5+ double ion doping results in the material has smaller coefficient of thermal expansion. The investigation results show that the samples are single cubic phase with the space group of Pa3 in the crystal structure. The linear expansion coefficient of Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7 is calculated to be - 1. 56 x 10-6 K-1 in the temperature range from 334 K to 673 K and has near-zero thermal expansion characteristic in a wide temperature range. Due to the influence of the internal microstructure of the solid solution, there is a certain gap between the expansion test results and the X-ray diffraction results at variable temperature. The near zero thermal expansion (NZTE) property of Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7 provides a basis for the synthesis of materials with controllable expansion coefficient of negative thermal expansion materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near zero expansion oxide functional ceramics Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7 was synthesized by the traditional solid-state method and then the thermal expansion properties of the synthesized samples were explored. X-ray diffraction(XRD), Raman spectra and thermal dilatometry were used to investigate the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), isotropy and phase transition of Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7.Hf4+/P5+ double ion doping results in the material has smaller coefficient of thermal expansion. The investigation results show that the samples are single cubic phase with the space group of Pa3 in the crystal structure. The linear expansion coefficient of Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7 is calculated to be - 1. 56 x 10-6 K-1 in the temperature range from 334 K to 673 K and has near-zero thermal expansion characteristic in a wide temperature range. Due to the influence of the internal microstructure of the solid solution, there is a certain gap between the expansion test results and the X-ray diffraction results at variable temperature. The near zero thermal expansion (NZTE) property of Zr0.5Hf0.5V1.4P0.6O7 provides a basis for the synthesis of materials with controllable expansion coefficient of negative thermal expansion materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsolidus Bi3.36Fe2.08+xNb2.56−xO14.56−x (BFN) pyrochlores prepared by solid-state reaction at 950°C over 48 h showed a moderate solid solution range of −0.24 ≤ x ≤ 0.48. As to preserve the overall charge electroneutrality of the system, the doping mechanism was proposed to be a one-to-one substitution of Nb5+ by Fe3+ together with oxygen non-stoichiometry, i.e. Nb5+ ↔ Fe3+ − O2–. BFN pyrochlores crystallized in a cubic symmetry, space group Fd$$\bar{3}$$m (No. 227), Z = 4 and their refined lattice constants were found to be in the range 10.5071 (4)–10.5107 (7) Å. The microstructural analyses revealed their grain size range 0.5–8.4 μm and crystallite size range 63−78 nm, respectively. These thermally stable BFN pyrochlores exhibited moderate high dielectric constants, ε’ in the range 141–150 and dielectric losses, tan δ ~ 0.2 at ~30°C and 1 MHz.

To improve the negative thermal expansion (NTE) performance of ln 2 W 3 O 12 , a novel series of NTE (KMg) x ln 2-x W 3 O 12 ceramics were fabricated via the solid-state method. The effects of (KMg)3+ substitution on the phase composition, microstructure and thermal expansion property of the ln 2 W 3 O 12 ceramics were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrometer (Raman), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and thermal mechanical analyzer (TMA). Results indicate that (KMg)3+ can partially replace In3+ in In 2 W 3 O 12 and form a new phase K x Mg x ln 2-x W 3 O 12 with monoclinic symmetry. For x = 0.5, pure monoclinic (KMg) 0.5 ln 1.5 W 3 O 12 ceramics is prepared and shows strong NTE. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is −7.89 × 10−6 °C−1 in 30–700 °C, in addition, no phase transition was observed over the entire testing temperature range. These research results indicate that double cations co-substitution is an effective strategy to improve the NTE property of ln 2 W 3 O 12 through crystal structure modulation. This strategy could be extended to the performance modulation of other NTE materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]