Structural, morphological, optical and electrochemical characterization of Ag2O/ZnO and ZnO/Ag2O nanocomposites

In this paper, well-crystalline Ag2O/ZnO and ZnO/Ag2O nanocomposites were prepared by a facile chemical method. Structural, morphological and optical properties of the nanocomposite were studied using various advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Visible (UV-Vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The Ag2O and ZnO were clearly identified in the composite from SEM and TEM. Significant shifting observed in the both UV-Vis and PL spectroscopy. In addition, electrocatalytic activity of the Ag2O/ZnO and ZnO/Ag2O nanocomposites studied by an electrochemical workstation. The ZnO/Ag2O nanocomposites showed better optical and electrochemical properties due to decorating the low-band gap Ag2O on the surface of hexagonal structure ZnO nanoparticles. © 2022, S.C. Virtual Company of Phisics S.R.L. All rights reserved.RSP-2021/293; King Saud University, KSU: 40/is2Dr. G. Murugadoss would like to acknowledge to the management of Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India for provided lap facilities. The author (Wahidah H. Al-Qahtani) thank and This work was funded by the Researchers Supporting Project Number (RSP-2021/293) King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. One of author (Manavalan Rajesh Kumar) thanks to the contract no. 40/is2

Analysis of Sn Concentration Effect on Morphological, Optical, Electrical and Photonic Properties of Spray-Coated Sn-Doped CdO Thin Films

Tin-doped cadmium oxide (Sn:CdO) transparent thin films with different Sn concentrations were deposited on glass and p-silicon substrates by the chemical spray method at 250 °C. Different concentrations of stannic chloride were used to prepare Sn:CdO thin films. The prepared doped and un-doped CdO films were subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, optical absorption, and electrical analyses to characterize their structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties, respectively. XRD analysis demonstrated the growth of polycrystalline and cubic CdO with preferential orientation along the (111) plane. Sn-doping shifted the XRD peaks slightly towards a higher Bragg angle and increased the band gap of CdO thin films. Variation in doping concentration also affected the morphology of the films. Optimum Sn-doping increased the electrical conductivity of CdO thin films. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, the photoresponse analyses of the fabricated un-doped and doped n-CdO/p-Si heterostructures were performed for the first time in this study

A Rapid One-Pot Synthesis of Novel High-Purity Methacrylic Phosphonic Acid (PA)-Based Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Frameworks via Thiol-Ene Click Reaction

Herein, we demonstrate a facile methodology to synthesis a novel methacrylic phosphonic acid (PA)-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) via thiol-ene click reaction using octamercapto thiol-POSS and ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP) monomer. The presence of phosphonic acid moieties and POSS-cage structure in POSS-S-PA was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H, 29Si and 31P-NMR) analyses. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrum of POSS-S-PA acquired in a dithranol matrix, which has specifically designed for intractable polymeric materials. The observed characterization results signposted that novel organo-inorganic hybrid POSS-S-PA would be an efficacious material for fuel cells as a proton exchange membrane and high-temperature applications due to its thermal stability of 380 °C

An enhanced electrochemical and cycling properties of novel boronic Ionic liquid based ternary gel polymer electrolytes for rechargeable Li/LiCoO2 cells

A new generation of boronic ionic liquid namely 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium difluoro(oxalate) borate (EMImDFOB) was synthesized by metathesis reaction between 1-ethyl-3-methylimiazolium bromide and lithium difluoro(oxalate) borate (LiDFOB). Ternary gel polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared using electrolyte mixture EMImDFOB/LiDFOB with poly vinylidenefluoride-cohexafluoropropylene (PVdF-co-HFP) as a host matrix by facile solvent-casting method and plausibly demonstrated its feasibility to use in lithium ion batteries. Amongst ternary gel electrolyte membrane, DFOB-GPE3, which contained 80 wt% of EMImDFOB/LiDFOB and 20 wt% PVdF-co-HFP, showed excellent electrochemical and cycling behaviors. The highest ionic conductivity was found to be 10-3 Scm(-1) at 378 K. Charge-discharge profile of Li/DFOB-GPE3/LiCoO2 coin cell displayed a maximum discharge capacity of 148.4 mAhg(-1) at C/10 rate with impressive capacity retention capability and columbic efficiency at 298 K