Here we provide the first report on several compositions of ternary Sn–Ge–Sb thin film alloys for application as sodium ion battery (aka NIB, NaB or SIB) anodes, employing Sn50Ge50, Sb50Ge50, and pure Sn, Ge, Sb baselines. Sn33Ge33Sb33, Sn50Ge25Sb25, Sn60Ge20Sb20, Sn50Ge50 all demonstrate promising electrochemical behavior, with Sn50Ge25Sb25 being best overall. This alloy has an initial reversible specific capacity 833 mAhg–1 (at 85 mAg–1) 662 after 50 charge–discharge cycles. also shows...

Most discoveries in materials science have been made empirically, typically through one-variable-at-a-time (Edisonian) experimentation. The characteristics of materials-based systems are, however, neither simple nor uncorrelated. In a device such as an organic photovoltaic, for example, the level complexity is high due to sheer number components and processing conditions, thus, changing one variable can multiple unforeseen effects their interconnectivity. Design Experiments (DoE) ideally...

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are promising energy storage candidates for grid deployment of intermittent renewable sources such as wind power and solar energy. Various new redox-active materials have been introduced to develop cost-effective high-power-density next-generation RFBs. Electrochemical kinetics play critical roles in influencing RFB performance, notably the overpotential cell density. Thus, determining kinetic parameters employed species is essential. In this Perspective, we...

A simple methodology is developed to directly synthesize three-dimensional (3D) electrochemically supercapacitive arrays, consisting of multiwalled carbon nanotubes conformally covered by nanocrystalline vanadium nitride, firmly anchored glassy or Inconel electrodes. These nanostructures demonstrate a respectable specific capacitance 289 F g–1, which achieved in 1 M KOH electrolyte at scan rate 20 mV s–1. The well-connected highly electrically conductive structures exhibit superb capability;...

The cycling stability of Sb-based anodes for sodium-ion batteries can be greatly improved by adding Sn and Bi atoms in a substitutional solid solution with the host Sb lattice.

Research into organic photovoltaics (OPVs) is rapidly growing worldwide because it offers a route to low temperature, inexpensive processing of lightweight, flexible solar cells that can be mass manufactured cheaply. Unlike silicon or other inorganic semiconductors (e.g., CdTe, CIGs), OPVs are complicated by the requirement having multiple materials and layers must integrated enable cell function. The enormous number research hours required optimize all aspects integrate them successfully...

The self-assembly of block copolymers to generate nanopatterns is great interest as an inexpensive approach sub-20 nm lithography. Compared thermal annealing, solvent vapor annealing has several intriguing advantages with respect the thin films copolymers, particularly for polymers high interaction parameters, χ, and molecular weights. In this methods paper, we describe a controlled flow system integrated in situ microscopy laser reflectometry, well feedback loop that automatically controls...

Short-chain aminosilanes, namely, bis(N,N-dimethylamino)dimethylsilane (DMADMS) and (N,N-dimethylamino)trimethylsilane (DMATMS), have been used as Si precursors for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of SiO2. In this work, the DMADMS DMATMS are utilized inhibitors area-selective ALD (AS-ALD). The selectively adsorb on a SiO2 surface but not H–Si, so that becomes deactivated toward subsequent ALD. deactivation by was investigated using various experimental theoretical methods, including potential...

β-SnSb is known to be a highly stable anode for sodium ion batteries during cycling, but its sodiation–desodiation alloying reactions are poorly understood. Combining in situ TEM with electroanalytical methods, we demonstrate that forms Na3Sb and Na15Sn4 sequence upon sodiation re-forms as desodiation. The negative enthalpy of mixing Sn Sb sufficient cause sequentially deposited bilayers Sn/Sb transform into β-SnSb, resulting comparable cycling stability. good stability results from the...

We employed an in situ electrochemical cell the transmission electron microscope (TEM) together with ex time-of-flight, secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) depth profiling, and FIB–helium ion scanning (HIM) imaging to detail structural compositional changes associated Na/Na+ charging/discharging of 50 100 nm thin films Sb. TOF-SIMS on a partially sodiated Sb film gives Na signal that progressively decreases toward current collector, indicating sodiation does not proceed uniformly....

Zinc phosphide (Zn3P2) is a promising earth-abundant material for thin film photovoltaic applications, due to strong optical absorption and near ideal band gap. In this work, crystalline zinc nanoparticles are synthesized using dimethylzinc tri-n-octylphosphine as precursors. Transmission electron microscopy X-ray diffraction data show that these have an average diameter of ∼8 nm adopt the structure tetragonal α-Zn3P2. The gap found increase by 0.5 eV relative bulk Zn3P2, while there...

Silicon has a theoretical sodium-storage capacity of 954 mAh/g, which even exceeds that tin (847 mAh/g). However, this never been reached in practice. Antimony is one the best-performing Na-storage materials terms both and cycling stability. By combining silicon antimony, either by cosputtering or depositing multilayers with bilayer thickness down to 2 nm, we can achieve capacities exceeding Sb (660 Minor addition silicon, 7 at. % wt (25 %), increases measured reversible from 625 mAh/g for...

Interactions between carbohydrates (glycans) and glycan-binding proteins (GBPs) regulate a wide variety of important biological processes. However, the affinities most monovalent glycan–GBP complexes are typically weak (dissociation constant (Kd) > μM) difficult to reliably measure with conventional assays; consequently, glycan specificities GBPs not well established. Here, we demonstrate how electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), implemented nanoflow ESI emitters inner...

A series of oxide supported mono-, bi-, and trimetallic nanoparticle catalysts were synthesized screened for catalytic activity the hydrogenation poly-, heteroaromatic substrates. Seventy-two different toluene, naphthalene, pyridine, indole, quinoline, thiophene, benzothiophene under mild conditions; five these seven substrates successfully hydrogenated reaction conditions. Bulk kinetic studies, including temperature pressure performed using select one hydrocarbon (naphthalene)...

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are assembled from a complex ensemble of layers disparate materials, each playing distinct role within the device. In this work, interface that bridges transparent anode and bulk heterojunction (BHJ) in an OPV device was investigated. The surface characteristics electrode affect energy level alignment, phase segregation, local composition (BHJ), which is close contact. commonly used ITO/PEDOT:PSS tailored with thin, low-band-gap polymer overlayer, called...

Zinc phosphide may have potential for photovoltaic applications due to its high absorptivity of visible light and the earth abundance constituent elements. Two different solution-phase synthetic strategies phase-pure crystalline Zn3P2 nanoparticles (∼3–15 nm) are described here using dimethylzinc vary with phosphorus source. Use tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) ZnMe2 takes place at temperatures (∼350 °C) appears proceed via rapid in situ reduction Zn(0), followed by subsequent reaction TOP over a...

Mixed nickel–iron oxides are of great interest as electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), kinetically challenging half-reaction required generation hydrogen gas from water via electrolysis. Previously, we had reported synthesis single crystal, soluble oxide nanoparticles over a wide range nickel:iron compositions, with metastable cubic rock salt phase ([Ni,Fe]O) that can be isolated despite low solubility iron in nickel at ambient temperatures. Here, activity OER was...

In this work, native GaOx is positioned between bulk gallium and degenerately doped p-type silicon (p+-Si) to form Ga/GaOx/SiOx/p+-Si junctions. These junctions show memristive behavior, exhibiting large current–voltage hysteresis. When cycled −2.5 2.5 V, an abrupt insulator–metal transition observed that reversible when the polarity reversed. The ON/OFF ratio high low resistive states in these can reach values on order of 108 retain ON OFF for up 105 s with endurance exceeding 100 cycles....

Two isostructural low-band-gap small molecules that contain a one-atom substitution, S for Se, were designed and synthesized. The molecule 7,7'-[4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene]bis[6-fluoro-4-(5'-hexyl-2,2'-bithiophen-5-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole] (1) its selenium analogue 7,7'-[4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxy)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene]bis[6-fluoro-4-(5'-hexyl-2,2'-bithiophen-5-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]selenodiazole] (2) are both based on the electron-rich central unit...

All-small-molecule organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells based upon the small-molecule donor, DRCN5T, and nonfullerene acceptors, ITIC, IT-M, IT-4F, were optimized using Design of Experiments (DOE) machine learning (ML) approaches. This combination enables rational sampling large parameter spaces in a sparse but mathematically deliberate fashion promises economies precious resources time. work focused optimization core layer OPV device, bulk heterojunction (BHJ). Many experimental processing...

Mixed nickel iron oxide nanomaterials have great potential for use in fields as wide-ranging optics, water oxidation catalysis, and biomedical applications; large-scale deployment any of these applications is possible due to the abundance earth's crust. Here, we describe single-crystal mixed nanoparticles with a rocksalt crystal structure an content greater than >10 at%. The were synthesized via thermal decomposition oleates, yielding monodisperse <12 nm size. A range compositions...

Group IV of the periodic table is a promising column with respect to high capacity anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Unlike carbon which relies on interlayer defects, pores, and intercalation store sodium, its heavier cousins—silicon, germanium, tin—form binary alloys sodium. Alloying does lead formation high-capacity compounds, but they are, however, susceptible large volumetric changes upon expansion that results in pulverization electrodes poor cycling stability. Silicon...

Diaryl and dialkyl chalcogenide molecules serve as convenient precursors to silicon–chalcogenide bonds, ≡Si–E–R groups, on silicon surfaces, where E = S, Se, Te. The 254 nm light, coupled with gentle heating melt liquefy the for 15 min, enables formation of resulting bonds. R groups analyzed comprise a long alkyl chain, octadecyl, phenyl group. Quantification substitution levels silicon-hydride starting ≡Si(111)–H surface by an organochalcogen was determined XPS, using linker atom atomic...

We studied the hydrogen absorption and desorption properties of thin Pd-covered Mg1−xAlx alloy films as a function temperature composition. Using neutron reflectometry, we were able to determine content distribution within these MgAl in situ. For all films, was uniformly dispersed film no observable Pd cover layer. The Mg0.7Al0.3 shows an appreciable 4.1wt% stored improved characteristics with complete at 448K.