Self-cleaning properties of TiO2/palygorskite and TiO2/halloysite nanocomposite coatings

Tubular halloysite and microfibrous palygorskite clay mineral combined with nanocrystalline TiO 2 are involved in the preparation of nanocomposite films on glass substrates via sol-gel route at 450°C. The synthesis employing nonionic surfactant molecule as pore directing agent along with the acetic acid-based sol-gel route without addition of water molecules. Drying and thermal treatment of composite films ensure elimination of organic material lead to the formation of TiO 2 nanoparticles homogeneously distributed on the palygorskite and halloysite surfaces. Nanocomposite films without cracks of active anatase crystal phase on palygorskite and halloysite surfaces are characterized by microscopy techniques, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and porosimetry methods in order to examine their structural properties. The composite palygorskite- TiO 2 and halloysite/ TiO 2 films with variable quantities of palygorskite and halloysite were tested as photocatalysts in the photo-oxidation of Basic Blue 41 azo dye in water. These nanocomposite films proved to be most promising photocatalysts and highly effective to dye’s decoloration in spite of small amount of palygorskite/ TiO 2 or halloysite/ TiO 2 catalyst immobilized onto glass substrates

In situ Evolved Gas Analysis of TMOS-based Gel Electrolytes Containing Guanidinium Thiocyanate for Quasi-solid-state Dye-sensitized Solar Cells by TG-FTIR and TG-MS

A comparative study on thermal stability of hybrid (organic / inorganic) electrolytes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in various ethylene oxide oligomers / silica based gelly matrices, containing also some efficiency-promoter additives is presented. Using thermogravimetry combined with two evolved gas analytical (EGA-FTIR and EGA-MS) techniques, the released gases and volatile decomposition products from the composite electrolytes during dynamic heating programs have been identified and monitored. First methanol (arising from condensation of tetramethoxysilane, TMOS) and acetonitrile (solvent) are evolved followed by elongated release of 4-tert-butylpyridine, than carbonyl sulfide, which is one of the degradation products of guanidinium thiocyanate, and various alkyl iodides, as well as iodine, later various oxidized species with >C=O groups (arising from oxidative degradation of oligo(ethylene glycolic) parts, ammonia (originated from guanidine) have been observed and traced during the accelerated heating tests, before final burning out of the organic residue with CO2 evolution. Thermal behavior of pure guanidinium thiocyanate, one of the most important additives improving thermal stability of Grätzel type solar cells (DSSCs), combined with identification of its eight gaseous decomposition products and their release pattern is also reported

Metal-free dual-phase full organic carbon nanotubes/g-C 3 N 4 heteroarchitectures for photocatalytic hydrogen production

Hydrogen generation from water using solar energy has grown into a promising approach for sustainable energy production. Over the last years, graphitic carbon nitrides (g-C3N4, CN), polymers based on the heptazine-group, have been widely applied as photocatalysts for H2 evolution. The poor charge separation efficiency of CN is considered the major drawback. Here, we investigated the effect of coupling CN with different types of carbon nanotubes on the charge transfer properties and the photocatalytic H2 evolution. We used carbon nanotubes (CNTs) of different wall number (single (SWCNTs), double (DWCNTs) and multi-walled (MWCNTs) CNTs) for the development of full-organic CN based composite photocatalysts. Photoactivity was drastically affected by the content but more importantly by the nature of the CNTs. The SWCNTs functionalized CN composites were the most active presenting approximately 2\u20135 times higher H2 evolution than the corresponding DWCNTs and MWCNTs functionalized CN under both solar and pure visible light irradiation. Photoactivity was primarily controlled by the improved electronic properties linked with the abundance and stability of photogenerated charges as evidenced by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Transient absorption spectroscopy verified the transfer of reactive electrons from CN to CNTs. CNTs functioned as electron acceptors improving charge separation. The data suggest that charge transfer is inversely proportional to the wall number of the CNTs and that photoactivity is directly controlled by the size at the nanoscale of the CNTs used. In the CNTs/CN nanocomposites, photogenerated electrons are transferred more efficiently from CN when SWCNTs are used, providing more available electrons for H2 production

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