Elevating Supercapacitor Performance of Co3O4-g-C3N4 Nanocomposites Fabricated via the Hydrothermal Method.

The hydrothermal method has been utilized to synthesize graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) polymers and cobalt oxide composites effectively. The weight percentage of g-C3N4 nanoparticles influenced the electrochemical performance of the Co3O4-g-C3N4 composite. In an aqueous electrolyte, the Co3O4-g-C3N4 composite electrode, produced with 150 mg of g-C3N4 nanoparticles, revealed remarkable electrochemical performance. With an increase in the weight percentage of g-C3N4 nanoparticles, the capacitive contribution of the Co3O4-g-C3N4 composite electrode increased. The Co3O4-g-C3N4-150 mg composite electrode shows a specific capacitance of 198 F/g. The optimized electrode, activated carbon, and polyvinyl alcohol gel with potassium hydroxide were used to develop an asymmetric supercapacitor. At a current density of 5 mA/cm2, the asymmetric supercapacitor demonstrated exceptional energy storage capacity with remarkable energy density and power density. The device retained great capacity over 6k galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles, with no rise in series resistance following cyclic stability. The columbic efficiency of the asymmetric supercapacitor was likewise high.

Biphenyl-rGO composite room temperature gas sensor for enhanced amine sensing.

Amines, which are classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), serve a variety of purposes in the fields of environmental monitoring, food safety, and healthcare diagnosis. The present technique for detecting amine levels involves sophisticated setups and bulky equipment. Here. In this study, a chemoresistive gas sensor is developed that is cost-effective and easy to operate at room temperature (RT). The sensor is designed specifically for the detection of Ammonia, dimethylamine (DMA), trimethylamine (TMA), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N). Using biphenyl-reduced graphene oxide (B-rGO) composite gas sensors effectively addresses the issues of low sensitivity-selectivity and long-term instability commonly observed in conventional amine sensors. B-rGO sensor produced sensitivity of ∼3500 and selectivity above 30 for TVB-N sensing. The sensor is stable for temperature fluctuations below 50 °C and shows stable sensing response for period of over 3 months. A Chemoresistive B-rGO sensor was developed using an ultrasonic spray deposition system with optimized flow rate of 50 mL/h. Rapid evaporation of solvent using hot plate has resulted in unique morphology for B-rGO film sensors. The highest sensitivity, ∼836, is obtained for 100 ppm of ammonia with ammonia > DMA > TMA as a sensitivity order. B-rGO showed almost seven times higher amine sensitivity than rGO which highlights the importance of biphenyl in the B-rGO composite. Sensor calibration curve has been presented in the study to understand change in the sensitivity of sensor with increasing analyte gas concentration. The calibration curve has an average R-squared value of 0.98.

Effect of Pd-Sensitization on Poisonous Chlorine Gas Detection Ability of TiO2: Green Synthesis and Low-Temperature Operation.

Ganoderma lucidum mushroom-mediated green synthesis of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) is explored via a low-temperature (≤70 °C) wet chemical method. The role of Ganoderma lucidum mushroom extract in the reaction is to release the ganoderic acid molecules that tend to bind to the Ti4+ metal ions to form a titanium-ganoderic acid intermediate complex for obtaining TiO2 nanocrystallites (NCs), which is quite novel, considering the recent advances in fabricated gas sensing materials. The X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements etc., are used to characterize the crystal structure, surface morphology, and surface area of as-synthesized TiO2 and Pd-TiO2 sensors, respectively. The chlorine (Cl2) gas sensing properties are investigated from a lower range of 5 ppm to a higher range of 400 ppm. In addition to excellent response-recovery time, good selectivity, constant repeatability, as well as chemical stability, the gas sensor efficiency of the as-synthesized Pd-TiO2 NC sensor is better (136% response at 150 °C operating temperature) than the TiO2 NC sensor (57% at 250 °C operating temperature) measured at 100 ppm (Cl2) gas concentration, suggesting that the green synthesized Pd-TiO2 sensor demonstrates efficient Cl2 gas sensing properties at low operating temperatures over pristine ones.

Nano-functionalized paper-based IoT enabled devices for point-of-care testing: a review.

Over the last few years, the microfluidics phenomenon coupled with the Internet of Things (IoT) using innovative nano-functional materials has been recognized as a sustainable and economical tool for point-of-care testing (POCT) of various pathogens influencing human health. The sensors based on these phenomena aim to be designed for cost-effectiveness, make it handy, environment-friendly, and get an accurate, easy, and rapid response. Considering the burgeoning importance of analytical devices in the healthcare domain, this review paper is based on the gist of sensing aspects of the microfabricated paper-based analytical devices (µPADs). The article discusses the various used design methodologies and fabrication approaches and elucidates the recently reported surface modification strategies, detection mechanisms viz., colorimetric, electrochemical, fluorescence, electrochemiluminescence, etc. In a nutshell, this article summarizes the state-of-the-art research work carried out over the nano functionalized paper-based analytical devices and associated challenges/solutions in the point of care testing domain.

Electric field controlled near-infrared high-speed electro-optic switching modulator integrated with 2D MgO.

The electro-optic effect in two-dimensional (2D) MgO nanoflakes synthesized by a microwave-assisted process is demonstrated using a designed optical fiber modulator. The guiding properties of intense core modes excited by the material cavity are modulated by the external electric field. The feasibility of 2D MgO nanoflakes as an effective electro-optic modulator and switching are experimentally verified for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The proposed optical-fiber-based electro-optic modulator achieves a linear wavelength shift with a high sensitivity of 12.87 pm/V(77.22 nm/kV/mm, in the electric field). The results show that MgO, as a metal oxide 2D material, is a very promising material for electro-optic modulators and switching.

Author Correction: Low-Temperature Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction Grown Anatase TiO2 Nanocrystalline Films for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cell and Gas Sensor Applications.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Low-Temperature Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction Grown Anatase TiO2 Nanocrystalline Films for Efficient Perovskite Solar Cell and Gas Sensor Applications.

A low-temperature (90 °C) and directly grown anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystalline film using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) for perovskite solar cell and gas sensor applications. TiO2 nanocrystalline electron transfer layer (ETL) improves the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells due to faster charge transport kinetics as well as slower charge recombination process. The optimized TiO2 nanocrystalline ETL (15 L) demonstrates as high as ~10% PCE with a short circuit current density of 18.0 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage of 0.81 V and fill factor of 66.3% in perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, room-temperature ammonia sensing characteristics of TiO2 nanocrystalline film (25 L) were  demonstrated for various concentration levels of ammonia in dry air conditions. A high room-temperature response of 80% was achieved at 100 ppm of ammonia with rapid response and recovery signatures of 30 and 85 s, and nearly fifteen days stability, respectively. The response of the sensor to other gases such as formaldehyde, petrol, ethanol acetone, and ammonia etc, indicated a high selectivity towards volatile organic compounds of ammonia gas. The room temperature operation, with high selectivity, repeatability and fast transition times, suggests potentially useful in flexible and cost-effective production in optoelectrochemical device technology.

Natural Carbonized Sugar as a Low-Temperature Ammonia Sensor Material: Experimental, Theoretical, and Computational Studies.

Carbonized sugar (CS) has been synthesized via microwave-assisted carbonization of market-quality tabletop sugar bearing in mind the advantages of this synthesis method, such as being useful, cost-effective, and eco-friendly. The as-prepared CS has been characterized for its morphology, phase purity, type of porosity, pore-size distribution, and so on. The gas-sensing properties of CS for various oxidizing and reducing gases are demonstrated at ambient temperature, where we observe good selectivity toward liquid ammonia among other gases. The highest ammonia response (50%) of a CS-based sensor was noted at 80 °C for 100 ppm concentration. The response and recovery times of the CS sensor are 180 and 216 s, respectively. This unveiling ammonia-sensing study is explored through a plausible theoretical mechanism, which is further well-supported by computational modeling performed using density function theory. The effect of relative humidity on the CS sensor has also been studied at ambient temperature, which demonstrated that the minimum and maximum (20-100%) relative humidity values revealed 16 and 62% response, respectively.

Sprayed zinc oxide films: Ultra-violet light-induced reversible surface wettability and platinum-sensitization-assisted improved liquefied petroleum gas response.

We report the rapid (superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic) transition property and improvement in the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensing response of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs) on UV-irradiation and platinum (Pt) surface sensitization, respectively. The morphological evolution of ZnO NRs is evidenced from the field emission scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope digital images and for the structural elucidation X-ray diffraction pattern is used. Elemental survey mapping is obtained from energy dispersive X-ray analysis spectrum. The optical properties have been studied by UV-Visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements. The rapid (120sec) conversion of superhydrophobic (154°) ZnO NRs film to superhydrophilic (7°) is obtained under UV light illumination and the superhydrophobicity is regained by storing sample in dark. The mechanism for switching wettability behavior of ZnO NRs has thoroughly been discussed. In second phase, Pt-sensitized ZnO NRs film has demonstrated considerable gas sensitivity at 260ppm concentration of LPG. At 623K operating temperature, the maximum LPG response of 58% and the response time of 49sec for 1040ppm LPG concentration of Pt- sensitized ZnO NRs film are obtained. This higher LPG response of Pt-sensitized ZnO NRs film over pristine is primarily due to electronic effect and catalytic effect (spill-over effect) caused by an additional of Pt on ZnO NRs film surface.

Microwave synthesis, characterization, and photoluminescence properties of nanocrystalline zirconia.

We report synthesis of ZrO2 nanoparticles (NPs) using microwave assisted chemical method at 80°C temperature. Synthesized ZrO2 NPs were calcinated at 400°C under air atmosphere and characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, and EDS for their formation, structure, morphology, size, and elemental composition. XRD results revealed the formation of mixed phase monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO2 phases having crystallite size of the order 8.8 nm from most intense XRD peak as obtained using Scherrer formula. Electron microscope analysis shows that the NPs were less than 10 nm and highly uniform in size having spherical morphology. BET surface area of ZrO2 NPs was found to be 65.85 m²/g with corresponding particle size of 16 nm. The band gap of synthesized NPs was found to be 2.49 eV and PL spectra of ZrO2 synthesized NPs showed strong peak at 414 nm, which corresponds to near band edge emission (UV emission) and a relatively weak peak at 475 and 562 nm.