| 1. |
- Adam, Rania Elhadi, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Graphene-based plasmonic nanocomposites for highly enhanced solar-driven photocatalytic activities
- 2019
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - Cambridge : Royal Meteorological Society. - 2046-2069. ; 9:52, s. 30585-30598
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-efficiency photocatalysts are crucial for the removal of organic pollutants and environmental sustainability. In the present work, we report on a new low-temperature hydrothermal chemical method, assisted by ultrasonication, to synthesize disruptive plasmonic ZnO/graphene/Ag/AgI nanocomposites for solar-driven photocatalysis. The plasmonic nanocomposites were investigated by a wide range of characterization techniques, confirming successful formation of photocatalysts with excellent degradation efficiency. Using Congo red as a model dye molecule, our experimental results demonstrated a photocatalytic reactivity exceeding 90% efficiency after one hour simulated solar irradiation. The significantly enhanced degradation efficiency is attributed to improved electronic properties of the nanocomposites by hybridization of the graphene and to the addition of Ag/AgI which generates a strong surface plasmon resonance effect in the metallic silver further improving the photocatalytic activity and stability under solar irradiation. Scavenger experiments suggest that superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are responsible for the photodegradation of Congo red. Our findings are important for the fundamental understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism of ZnO/graphene/Ag/AgI nanocomposites and can lead to further development of novel efficient photocatalyst materials.
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| 2. |
- Adam, Rania E., et al.
(författare)
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Graphene-based plasmonic nanocomposites for highly enhanced solar-driven photocatalytic activities
- 2019
-
Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2046-2069. ; 9:52, s. 30585-30598
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- High-efficiency photocatalysts are crucial for the removal of organic pollutants and environmental sustainability. In the present work, we report on a new low-temperature hydrothermal chemical method, assisted by ultrasonication, to synthesize disruptive plasmonic ZnO/graphene/Ag/AgI nanocomposites for solar-driven photocatalysis. The plasmonic nanocomposites were investigated by a wide range of characterization techniques, confirming successful formation of photocatalysts with excellent degradation efficiency. Using Congo red as a model dye molecule, our experimental results demonstrated a photocatalytic reactivity exceeding 90% efficiency after one hour simulated solar irradiation. The significantly enhanced degradation efficiency is attributed to improved electronic properties of the nanocomposites by hybridization of the graphene and to the addition of Ag/AgI which generates a strong surface plasmon resonance effect in the metallic silver further improving the photocatalytic activity and stability under solar irradiation. Scavenger experiments suggest that superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are responsible for the photodegradation of Congo red. Our findings are important for the fundamental understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism of ZnO/graphene/Ag/AgI nanocomposites and can lead to further development of novel efficient photocatalyst materials.
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| 3. |
- Bakoglidis, Konstantinos, et al.
(författare)
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Self-Healing in Carbon Nitride Evidenced As Material Inflation and Superlubric Behavior
- 2018
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 10:19, s. 16238-16243
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- All known materials wear under extended mechanical contacting. Superlubricity may present solutions, but is an expressed mystery in C-based materials. We report negative wear of carbon nitride films; a wear-less condition with mechanically induced material inflation at the nanoscale and friction coefficient approaching ultralow values (0.06). Superlubricity in carbon nitride is expressed as C-N bond breaking for reduced coupling between graphitic-like sheets and eventual N-2 desorption. The transforming surface layer acts as a solid lubricant, whereas the film bulk retains its high elasticity. The present findings offer new means for materials design at the atomic level, and for property optimization in wear-critical applications like magnetic reading devices or nanomachines.
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| 4. |
- Belaineh, Dagmawi, et al.
(författare)
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Controlling the Organization of PEDOT:PSS on Cellulose Structures
- 2019
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Ingår i: ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 2637-6105. ; 1:9, s. 2342-2351
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Composites of biopolymers and conducting polymers are emerging as promising candidates for a green technological future and are actively being explored in various applications, such as in energy storage, bioelectronics, and thermoelectrics. While the device characteristics of these composites have been actively investigated, there is limited knowledge concerning the fundamental intracomponent interactions and the modes of molecular structuring. Here, by use of cellulose and poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), it is shown that the chemical and structural makeup of the surfaces of the composite components are critical factors that determine the materials organization at relevant dimensions. AFM, TEM, and GIVVAXS measurements show that when mixed with cellulose nanofibrils, PEDOT:PSS organizes into continuous nanosized beadlike structures with an average diameter of 13 nm on the nanofibrils. In contrast, when PEDOT:PSS is blended with molecular cellulose, a phase-segregated conducting network morphology is reached, with a distinctly relatively lower electric conductivity. These results provide insight into the mechanisms of PEDOT:PSS crystallization and may have significant implications for the design of conducting biopolymer composites for a vast array of applications.
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| 5. |
- Chen, Jr-Tai, et al.
(författare)
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Room-Temperature mobility above 2200 cm2/V.s of two-dimensional electron gas in a sharp-interface AlGaN/GaN heterostructure
- 2015
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Ingår i: Applied Physics Letters. - : American Institute of Physics (AIP). - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 106:25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A high mobility of 2250 cm2/V·s of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition-grown AlGaN/GaN heterostructure was demonstrated. The mobility enhancement was a result of better electron confinement due to a sharp AlGaN/GaN interface, as confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis, not owing to the formation of a traditional thin AlN exclusion layer. Moreover, we found that the electron mobility in the sharp-interface heterostructures can sustain above 2000 cm2/V·s for a wide range of 2DEG densities. Finally, it is promising that the sharp-interface AlGaN/GaN heterostructure would enable low contact resistance fabrication, less impurity-related scattering, and trapping than the AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure, as the high-impurity-contained AlN is removed.
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| 6. |
- Fallqvist, Amie, et al.
(författare)
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Resolving the debated atomic structure of the metastable cubic SiNx tissue phase in nanocomposites with TiN
- 2018
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Ingår i: Physical Review Materials. - : American Physical Society. - 2475-9953. ; 2:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The TiN/SiNx nanocomposite and nanolaminate systems are the archetype for super if not ultrahard materials. Yet, the nature of the SiNx tissue phase is debated. Here, we show by atomically resolved electron microscopy methods that SiNx is epitaxially stabilized in a NaCl structure on the adjacent TiN(001) surfaces. Additionally, electron energy loss spectroscopy, supported by first-principles density functional theory calculations infer that SiNx hosts Si vacancies.
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| 7. |
- Fashandi, Hossein, et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis of Ti3AuC2, Ti3Au2C2 and Ti3IrC2 by noble metal substitution reaction in Ti3SiC2 for high-temperature-stable Ohmic contacts to SiC
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nature Materials. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 1476-1122 .- 1476-4660. ; 16:8, s. 814-818
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The large class of layered ceramics encompasses both van der Waals (vdW) and non-vdW solids. While intercalation of noble metals in vdW solids is known, formation of compounds by incorporation of noble-metal layers in non-vdW layered solids is largely unexplored. Here, we show formation of Ti3AuC2 and Ti3Au2C2 phases with up to 31% lattice swelling by a substitutional solid-state reaction of Au into Ti3SiC2 single-crystal thin films with simultaneous out-diffusion of Si. Ti3IrC2 is subsequently produced by a substitution reaction of Ir for Au in Ti3Au2C2. These phases form Ohmic electrical contacts to SiC and remain stable after 1,000 h of ageing at 600 degrees C in air. The present results, by combined analytical electron microscopy and ab initio calculations, open avenues for processing of noble-metal-containing layered ceramics that have not been synthesized from elemental sources, along with tunable properties such as stable electrical contacts for high-temperature power electronics or gas sensors.
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| 8. |
- Filippov, Stanislav, et al.
(författare)
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Strongly polarized quantum-dot-like light emitters embedded in GaAs/GaNAs core/shell nanowires
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 8:35, s. 15939-15947
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent developments in fabrication techniques and extensive investigations of the physical properties of III-V semiconductor nanowires (NWs), such as GaAs NWs, have demonstrated their potential for a multitude of advanced electronic and photonics applications. Alloying of GaAs with nitrogen can further enhance the performance and extend the device functionality via intentional defects and heterostructure engineering in GaNAs and GaAs/GaNAs coaxial NWs. In this work, it is shown that incorporation of nitrogen in GaAs NWs leads to formation of three-dimensional confining potentials caused by short-range fluctuations in the nitrogen composition, which are superimposed on long-range alloy disorder. The resulting localized states exhibit a quantum-dot like electronic structure, forming optically active states in the GaNAs shell. By directly correlating the structural and optical properties of individual NWs, it is also shown that formation of the localized states is efficient in pure zinc-blende wires and is further facilitated by structural polymorphism. The light emission from these localized states is found to be spectrally narrow (similar to 50-130 mu eV) and is highly polarized (up to 100%) with the preferable polarization direction orthogonal to the NW axis, suggesting a preferential orientation of the localization potential. These properties of self-assembled nano-emitters embedded in the GaNAs-based nanowire structures may be attractive for potential optoelectronic applications.
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| 9. |
- Folkenant, Matilda, et al.
(författare)
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Structure and properties of Cr–C/Ag films deposited by magnetron sputtering
- 2015
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Ingår i: Surface & Coatings Technology. - : Elsevier. - 0257-8972 .- 1879-3347. ; 281, s. 184-192
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cr–C/Ag thin films with 0–14 at.% Ag have been deposited by magnetron sputtering from elemental targets. The samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study their structure and chemical bonding. A complex nanocomposite structure consisting of three phases; nanocrystalline Ag, amorphous CrCx and amorphous carbon is reported. The carbon content in the amorphous carbide phase was determined to be 32–33 at.% C, independent of Ag content. Furthermore, SEM and XPS results showed higher amounts of Ag on the surface compared to the bulk. The hardness and Young's modulus were reduced from 12 to 8 GPa and from 270 to 170 GPa, respectively, with increasing Ag content. The contact resistance was found to decrease with Ag addition, with the most Ag rich sample approaching the values of an Ag reference sample. Initial tribological tests gave friction coefficients in the range of 0.3 to 0.5, with no clear trends. Annealing tests show that the material is stable after annealing at 500 °C for 1 h, but not after annealing at 800 °C for 1 h. In combination, these results suggest that sputtered Cr–C/Ag films could be potentially applicable for electric contact applications.
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| 10. |
- Ghafoor, Naureen, et al.
(författare)
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Self-structuring in Zr1-xAlxN films as a function of composition and growth temperature
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2045-2322. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nanostructure formation via surface-diffusion-mediated segregation of ZrN and AIN in Zr1-xAlxN films during high mobility growth conditions is investigated for 0 amp;lt;= x amp;lt;= 1. The large immiscibility combined with interfacial surface and strain energy balance resulted in a hard nanolabyrinthine lamellar structure with well-defined (semi) coherent c-ZrN and w-AlN domains of sub-nm to similar to 4 nm in 0.2 amp;lt;= x amp;lt;= 0.4 films, as controlled by atom mobility. For high AlN contents (x amp;gt; 0.49) Al-rich ZrN domains attain wurtzite structure within fine equiaxed nanocomposite wurtzite lattice. Slow diffusion in wurtzite films points towards crystal structure dependent driving force for decomposition. The findings of unlikelihood of isostructural decomposition in c-Zr1-xAlxN, and stability of w-Zr1-xAlxN (in large x films) is complemented with first principles calculations.
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