Tunable Conductivity and Conduction Mechanism in a UV light activated electronic conductor

A tunable conductivity has been achieved by controllable substitution of a novel UV light activated electronic conductor. The transparent conducting oxide system H-doped Ca12-xMgxAl14O33 (x = 0; 0.1; 0.3; 0.5; 0.8; 1.0) presents a conductivity that is strongly dependent on the substitution level and temperature. Four-point dc-conductivity decreases with x from 0.26 S/cm (x = 0) to 0.106 S/cm (x = 1) at room temperature. At each composition the conductivity increases (reversibly with temperature) until a decomposition temperature is reached; above this value, the conductivity drops dramatically due to hydrogen recombination and loss. The observed conductivity behavior is consistent with the predictions of our first principles density functional calculations for the Mg-substituted system with x=0, 1 and 2. The Seebeck coefficient is essentially composition- and temperature-independent, the later suggesting the existence of an activated mobility associated with small polaron conduction. The optical gap measured remains constant near 2.6 eV while transparency increases with the substitution level, concomitant with a decrease in carrier content.Comment: Submitted for publicatio

Tunable Conductivity and Conduction Mechanism in an Ultraviolet Light Activated Electronic Conductor

A tunable conductivity has been achieved by controllable substitution of an ultraviolet light activated electronic conductor. The transparent conducting oxide system H-doped Ca12-xMgxAl14O33 (x=0,0.1,0.3,0.5,0.8,1.0) presents a conductivity that is strongly dependent on the substitution level and temperature. Four-point dc-conductivity decreases with x from 0.26 S/cm (x=0) to 0.106 S/cm (x=1) at room temperature. At each composition the conductivity increases (reversibly with temperature) until a decomposition temperature is reached; above this value, the conductivity drops dramatically due to hydrogen recombination and loss. The observed conductivity behavior is consistent with the predictions of our first principles density functional calculations for the Mg-substituted system with x=0, 1, and 2. The Seebeck coefficient is essentially composition and temperature independent, the later suggesting the existence of an activated mobility associated with small polaron conduction. The optical gap measured remains constant near 2.6 eV while transparency increases with the substitution level, concomitant with a decrease in carrier content

Synthesis-Dependent First-Order Raman Scattering in SrTiO 3 Nanocubes at Room Temperature

Raman spectroscopy was used to demonstrate that the lattice dynamics of SrTiO 3 (STO) nanoparticles strongly depends on their microstructure, which is in turn determined by the synthetic approach employed. First-order Raman modes are observed at room temperature in STO single-crystalline nanocubes with average edge lengths of 60 and 120 nm, obtained via sol-precipitation coupled with hydrothermal synthesis and a molten salt procedure, respectively. First-order Raman scattering arises from local loss of inversion symmetry caused by surface frozen dipoles, oxygen vacancies, and impurities incorporated into the host lattice. The presence of polar domains is suggested by the pronounced Fano asymmetry of the peak corresponding to the TO2 polar phonon, which does not vanish at room temperature. These noncentrosymmetric domains will likely influence the dielectric response of these nanoparticles

Epitaxial Stabilization of Face Selective Catalysts

Abstract Selective, active, and robust catalysts are necessary for the efficient utilization of new feedstocks. Faceselective catalysts can precisely modify catalytic properties, but are often unstable under reaction conditions, changing shape and losing selectivity. Herein we report a method for synthesizing stable heterogeneous catalysts in which the morphology and selectivity can be tuned precisely and predictably. Using nanocrystal supports, we epitaxially stabilize specific active phase morphologies. This changes the distribution of active sites of different coordination, which have correspondingly different catalytic properties. Specifically, we utilize the different interfacial free-energies between perovskite titanate nanocube supports with different crystal lattice dimensions and a platinum active phase. By substituting different sized cations into the support, we change the lattice mismatch between the support and the active phase, thereby changing the interfacial free-energy, and stabilizing the active phase in different morphologies in a predictable manner. We correlate these changes in active phase atomic coordination with changes in catalytic performance (activity and selectivity), using the hydrogenation of acrolein as a test reaction. The method is general and can be applied to many nanocrystal supports and active phase combinations. Keywords Epitaxy Á Perovskite Á Platinum Á Heterogeneous catalysis Á Hydrogenation Á Acrolein Controlling the morphology of catalytic metal nanoparticles has incredible potential for improving selectivity and yield. This is because catalytic properties often depend upon the coordination of active site atoms We have recently observed that oriented oxide nanocrystal supports can epitaxially stabilize a specific orientation and morphology of the active phas