Optoelectronic characterization of CuInGa(S)2 thin films grown by spray pyrolysis for photovoltaic application

[EN] Copper-indium gallium disulfide (CIGS) is a good absorber for photovoltaic application. Thin films of CIGS were prepared by spray pyrolysis on glass substrates in the ambient atmosphere. The films were characterized by different techniques, such as structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of CIGS films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectrophotometer and Hall effect, respectively. After optimization, the deposited films structure, grain size, and crystallinity became more important with an increase of annealing time at 370 degrees C for 20 min. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis shows that the interface sheets are well crystallized and the inter planer distance are 0.25 nm, 0.28 nm, and 0.36 nm. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) observation shows that the grain size and roughness can be tolerated by optimizing the annealing time. The strong absorbance and low transmittance were observed for the prepared films with a suitable energy bandgap about 1.46 eV. The Hall effect measurement system examined that CIGS films exhibited optimal electrical properties, resistivity, carrier mobility, and carrier concentration which were determined to be 4.22 x 10(6) omega cm, 6.18 x 10(2) cm(2) V-1 S-1 and 4.22 x 10(6) cm(-3), respectively. The optoelectronic properties of CIGS material recommended being used for the photovoltaic application.Prof. Bouchaib HARTITI, The Senior Associate at ICTP, is very grateful to ICTP for permanent support. Prof. Mohamed Ebn Touhami, Director of the University Center for Analysis, Expertise, Transfer of Technology and Incubation, Kenitra, Morocco, is very grateful to CUA2TI for financial support. Thanks to Doctor Diogo M.F. Santos for the supervision of Amal Bouich's work during her research in CeFEMA research center. 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Colonial Traumas, Indigenous Survivance: A Trans-Indigenous Literary Study

This research explores representations of colonial trauma and Indigenous heal-ings in a selection of twenty-first-century Indigenous novels from different Indigenous cultural and geopolitical contexts and distinct literary traditions and genres across what is known today as North America and Australia. The four core chapters are divided into two interrelated, over-arching axes centred on Indige¬nous representations of colonial traumas and healing. The first, comprising chap¬ters One and Two, investigates literary representations of colonial traumas in Indigenous fiction by considering the structural/material and subjec-tive/psychological dimensions of colonial domination within particularities of set-tler-colonial structures and histories of dispossession. Chapter One explores There There (2018) by Cheyenne novelist Tommy Orange and Taboo (2017) by Noongar writer and activist Kim Scott. It investigates narrative registers and aes-thetic techniques employed by the authors to inscribe traumas of colonial moder-ni¬ty experienced by the Indigenous communities represented in their nov¬els within the broader settler-colonial structures and histories of dispossession. Chapter Two examines representations of the psycho-affective dimension of co-loni¬al oppression in Indian Horse (2012) by Ojibwe writer and journalist Richard Wagamese and Swallow the Air (2006) by Wiradjuri writer Tara June Winch, fo-cus¬ing on the registration of the traumatic impact of racism. The second part, comprising chapters Three and Four, addresses representations of healing in Indige¬nous futurisms and wonderworks, attending to their aesthetic mobilisation of specific Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies, and worldviews to present nar-ra¬tives of Indigenous survivance that reflect Indigenous decolonial perspec¬tives on sovereignty in its material, cultural, and subjective dimensions. Chapter Three approaches two works of Indigenous futurisms: Killer of Enemies (2013) by Abenaki writer Joseph Bruchac and The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf (2012) by Palyku writer and scholar Ambelin Kwaymullina. It explores the aesthetics of surviv¬ance inscribed through the ethical and aesthetical engagements with and deploy¬ment of aspects pertaining to the authors’ respective Indigenous knowledge sys¬tems, worldviews, and storytelling traditions in futuristic narratives. This, the chap¬ter argues, reflects the novels’ endeavours to create sites of healing by asserting visions of Indigenous cultural and territorial sovereignties and agen¬cies. Chapter Four reads two Indigenous wonderworks: Catching Teller Crow (2018) by Palyku siblings and writers Ambeline and Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Aus¬tralia) and Split Tooth (2018) by Inuk throat-singer and writer Tanya Tagaq (Inu¬it/Canada). It explores representations of healing from a psychological/subjective perspective, focusing on how healing, resilience, and psychological survivance are anchored within specific Indigenous worldviews and perspectives. This thesis contributes to the growing field of trans-Indigenous literary studies and aims to enrich the ongoing project of decolonising trauma studies

Hydrothermally engineered Eriobotrya japonica leaves/MgO nanocomposites with potential applications in wastewater treatment

The hydrothermal method as the eco-friendly environmental method was used in this study to prepare a high efficient nanocomposite adsorbent based on the biochar (BC) derived from Eriobotrya japonica leaves and magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs). The prepared materials were characterized using FTIR, BET, SEM-EDX, TEM, and XRD. The adsorption of tartrazine (TZ) on BC, MgO NPs, and BC@MgO NPs was better described by the kinetic pseudo 2nd order model and followed the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum uptake (Qm) was 643.50 mg g−1 at 25 ± 1 °C for BC@MgO NPs. The calculated thermodynamic suggests that the TZ dye adsorption on BC, MgO NPs, and BC@MgO NPs was spontaneous and endothermic. The TZ-loaded BC@MgO NPs was recycled and regenerated in six cycles with better adsorption efficiency. Under conditions optimal (C0 = 50 mg L−1, BC@MgO NPs dose = 0.4 g L−1, and pH = 4), the TZ removal was 99.51% with Box–Behnken design (BBD)-based optimization. The synthesis of BC@MgO NPs showed great potential adsorbent for dye removal from wastewaters

Biosynthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles using extract of Nerium oleander leaves for the removal of tetracycline antibiotic

Tetracycline (TC) is one of the antibiotics that is found in wastewaters. TC is toxic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic. In this study, the tetracycline was removed from water by adsorption using dioxide silicon nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) biosynthesized from the extract of Nerium oleander leaves. These nanoparticles were characterized using SEM-EDX, BET-BJH, FTIR-ATR, TEM, and XRD. The influences of various factors such as pH solution, SiO2 NPs dose, adsorption process time, initial TC concentration, and ionic strength on adsorption behaviour of TC onto SiO2 NPs were investigated. TC adsorption on SiO2 NPs could be well described in the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and followed the Langmuir isotherm model with a maximum adsorption capacity was 552.48 mg/g. At optimal conditions, the experimental adsorption results indicated that the SiO2 NPs adsorbed 98.62% of TC. The removal of TC using SiO2 NPs was 99.56% at conditions (SiO2 NPs dose = 0.25 g/L, C0 = 25 mg/L, and t = 40 min) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD) combined with response surface methodology (RSM) modelling. Electrostatic interaction governs the adsorption mechanism is attributed. The reusability of SiO2 NPs was tested, and the performance adsorption was 85.36% after the five cycles. The synthesized SiO2 NPs as promising adsorbent has a potential application for antibiotics removal from wastewaters

Multifunctional cobalt oxide nanocomposites for efficient removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions

In this study, co-precipitation synthesis of natural clay (NC) with Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) is carried out to elaborate the super NC@Co3O4 nanocomposites with admirable salinity confrontation, environmental stability and reusability, to eliminate heavy metal pollution such as toxic Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions. The advantages of using the NC@Co3O4 adsorbent are easy synthesis and biocompatibility. In addition, NC@Co3O4 can keep an excellent adsorption capacity by taking into account various environmental parameters such as the pH solution, NC@Co3O4 dose, adsorption process time and the initial heavy metals concentration. Furthermore, FTIR, XRD, TGA, SEM-EDS, TEM and AFM analyses were performed to confirm NC@Co3O4 nanocomposites synthesis and characterisation. The adsorption efficiencies of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions by NC@Co3O4 nanocomposites were demonstrated to be up to 86.89% and 82.06% respectively. Regarding the adsorption from water onto the NC@Co3O4 nanocomposites, kinetics data were well fitted with PSO kinetic model, whereas a good agreement was found between the equilibrium adsorption and theoretical Langmuir isotherm model leading to maximum adsorption capacities of 55.24 and 52.91 mg/g, for Pb(II) and Cd(II) respectively. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations confirmed the spontaneous of this adsorption based on the negative values of Eads. The MC simulations were performed to highlight the interactions occurring between heavy metal ions and the surface of NC@Co3O4 nanocomposites, these were well correlated with the experimental results. Overall the study showed that NC@Co3O4 nanoadsorbents have strongly versatile applications and are well designed for pollutant removal from wastewater due to their unique adsorptive properties

Impact of Sn doping on the hydrogen detection characteristics of ZnO thin films: Insights from experimental and DFT combination

The development of efficient chemical sensors based on semiconductor oxides is a major challenge. Low-cost equipment fabrication with a high sensor response towards H2 was the aim of our work. Chemical sensors were elaborated using zinc oxide, aluminum- and tin-doped zinc oxide. The samples were synthesized with a cost-effective chemical spray pyrolysis technique. Sn-doped ZnO response to hydrogen gas is the highest followed by ZnO and Al-doped ZnO, with a high sensitivity reaching 200 at 500 ppm, for 400 °C. DFT calculations revealed that O2 is strongly adsorbed on the ZnO-Al surface, resulting in the cancellation of the electrical conductance. Consequently, the approaching H2 gas will not possess sufficient energy to extract the strongly adsorbed oxygen from the surface, and no trapped electrons can be released back to the surface. In contrast, DFT calculations highlighted the potential of ZnO and Sn-doped ZnO to be used as hydrogen gas sensors. Charge transfer analysis revealed that only a small release of the trapped electrons occurs on the pure ZnO surface (0.14|e|), compared to Sn doped ZnO, in which a full release of free electrons was observed, resulting in a more favorable response to H2 and confirming the experimental results