Novel reversibly switchable wettability of superhydrophobic–superhydrophilic surfaces induced by charge injection and heating

• Xiangdong Ye,
• Junwen Hou and
• Dongbao Cai

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 840–847, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.84

• by an electrochemical process. The surface wettability could be controlled from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic. When the sample was dried at room temperature or heated at 100 °C, the wettability could be reversed. Compared with the electrowetting phenomenon caused by electric-field-driven solid

An efficient electrode material for high performance solid-state hybrid supercapacitors based on a Cu/CuO/porous carbon nanofiber/TiO₂ hybrid composite

• Mamta Sham Lal,
• Thirugnanam Lavanya and
• Sundara Ramaprabhu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 781–793, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.78

• pseudo-capacitance behavior. Electrochemical measurements were performed by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The highest specific capacitance value of 530 F g−1 at a current density of 1.5 A g−1 was obtained for the Cu/CuO/PCNF/TiO2 composite

• density of 45.83 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 1.27 kW kg−1 was also realized. The developed electrode material provides new insight into ways to enhance the electrochemical properties of solid-state supercapacitors, based on the synergistic effect of porous carbon nanofibers, metal and metal oxide

• nanoparticles, which together open up new opportunities for energy storage and conversion applications. Keywords: composite; electrochemical performance; porous carbon nanofiber; solid-state hybrid supercapacitor; supercapacitor; TiO2 nanoparticles; Introduction To meet the rapidly growing demand for energy

Trapping polysulfide on two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide for Li–S batteries through phase selection with optimized binding

• Sha Dong,
• Xiaoli Sun and
• Zhiguo Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 774–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.77

• as an efficient approach to improve the electrochemical performance. Due to the polarity of LPSs species, the interaction between LPSs and anchoring materials can be enhanced through polar–polar interactions. Graphene-based materials have been considered as anchoring materials due to their high

• composed of 1T'-phases and 2H-phases [33]. The composites of 1T'-MoS2 with other active materials, such as graphene [34], carbon nanotubes [35], Mxene [36], and SnO2 [37], have received much attention regarding the use as cathodes for Li–S batteries. The electrochemical performance including the capacity

• , rate capability and stability can be greatly improved by using these cathodes. The phase structure has a profound influence on physical and chemical properties such as electron conductivity and catalytic behavior [38]. The mechanism of 1T MoS2 enhancing the electrochemical behavior is not well

Renewable energy conversion using nano- and microstructured materials

• Harry Mönig and
• Martina Schmid

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 771–773, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.76

• : materials and devices” covers the photo-electrochemical growth of platinum catalysts at plasmonic hot spots [6], the laser-assisted local growth of chalcopyrite absorbers [4], the preferential reactive ion etching of silicon by morphological anisotropies [5], the oxidation of copper nanoparticles resulting

An iridescent film of porous anodic aluminum oxide with alternatingly electrodeposited Cu and SiO₂ nanoparticles

• Menglei Chang,
• Huawen Hu,
• Haiyan Quan,
• Hongyang Wei,
• Zhangyi Xiong,
• Jiacong Lu,
• Pin Luo,
• Yaoheng Liang,
• Jianzhen Ou and
• Dongchu Chen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 735–745, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.73

• sealing the pores with hot water was to close the pores in the anodic oxide film and hence to avoid impurities entering the film. Electrochemical properties Electrochemical impedance testing was carried out by applying a small-amplitude AC voltage to the system and measuring the ratio of the signal

• voltage to the current (this ratio was defined as the system impedance) with the change of the sinusoidal-wave frequency, or the variation of the phase angle of the impedance with the change in frequency. Nyquist and Bode diagrams can be obtained by the electrochemical impedance measurements. The

• approximately 5.7 cm2. After being allowed to stand for 24 h, the sample was exposed to the electrochemical impedance measurements. A three-electrode system was adopted for the measurements, and a Pt wire and a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) were employed as the auxiliary electrode and reference electrode

Ultrathin hydrophobic films based on the metal organic framework UiO-66-COOH(Zr)

• Miguel A. Andrés,
• Clemence Sicard,
• Christian Serre,
• Olivier Roubeau and
• Ignacio Gascón

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 654–665, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.65

• homogeneity [11]. Therefore, several strategies have been used for the deposition of MOF films [12], including direct growth [13][14], electrochemical deposition [15], inkjet-printing [16], dip-coating [17], layer-by-layer [18][19][20], Langmuir–Blodgett [21][22], chemical vapor deposition [23], spin-coating

Review of time-resolved non-contact electrostatic force microscopy techniques with applications to ionic transport measurements

• Aaron Mascaro,
• Yoichi Miyahara,
• Tyler Enright,
• Omur E. Dagdeviren and
• Peter Grütter

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 617–633, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.62

• -domain EFM to measure ionic transport [7][12], time-resolved electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) to measure ionic transport [8][13], various time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) techniques that utilize either optical pump-probe or advanced signal processing to measure time-resolved

Mo-doped boron nitride monolayer as a promising single-atom electrocatalyst for CO₂ conversion

• Qianyi Cui,
• Gangqiang Qin,
• Weihua Wang,
• Lixiang Sun,
• Aijun Du and
• Qiao Sun

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 540–548, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.55

• CRR. This work not only provides insight into the mechanism of CRR on the single-atom catalyst (Mo-doped BN monolayer) at the atomic level, but also offers guidance in the search for appropriate earth-abundant TMs as electrochemical catalysts for the efficient conversion of CO2 to useful fuels under

• and commodity chemicals [6]. For example, CO2 can be converted to methane, methanol and formic acid, and all of which can be used as energy sources and chemical materials at the global scale [7][8][9][10][11]. In this sense, the CO2 reduction reaction (CRR) by electrochemical methods is promising

A porous 3D-RGO@MWCNT hybrid material as Li–S battery cathode

• Yongguang Zhang,
• Jun Ren,
• Yan Zhao,
• Taizhe Tan,
• Fuxing Yin and
• Yichao Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 514–521, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.52

• network and the porous spherical RGO. Moreover, such a 3D structure can buffer the volume expansion/shrinkage of the sulfur cathode during charge and discharge cycles. Lastly, the electrochemical performance of the resulting S-3D-RGO@MWCNT cathode was evaluated in Li–S batteries. Results and Discussion

• the shuttle effect by acting as a lithium polysulfide reservoir, and iii) additional empty spaces to buffer the volume expansion/shrinkage in the charge and discharge processes enhancing the cycling performance of the battery. The electrochemical performance of the S-3D-RGO@MWCNT composite will be

• discussed later in the electrochemical analysis. Figure 4a presents the XRD patterns for pure S, 3D-RGO@MWCNT and the S-3D-RGO@MWCNT composite. The XRD pattern of 3D-RGO@MWCNT exhibits two broad characteristic peaks of RGO at around 22° and 43°. Moreover, a diffraction peak around 26° for 3D-RGO@MWCNT

Widening of the electroactivity potential range by composite formation – capacitive properties of TiO₂/BiVO₄/PEDOT:PSS electrodes in contact with an aqueous electrolyte

• Konrad Trzciński,
• Mariusz Szkoda,
• Andrzej P. Nowak,
• Marcin Łapiński and
• Anna Lisowska-Oleksiak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 483–493, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.49

• counter ions. Each stage of modification and deposition affected the overall capacitance and allowed for an expansion of the potential range of electroactivity. Multiple charge/discharge cycles were performed to characterize the electrochemical stability of the inorganic–organic hybrid electrode

• . Capacitance values higher than 10 mF·cm−2 were maintained even after 10000 galvanostatic cycles (ic = ia = 0.5 mA·cm−2). Keywords: bismuth vanadate (BiVO4); electrochemical activity; PEDOT:PSS; supercapacitors; titania nanotubes; Introduction Energy-storage technologies and sustainable energy production are

• currently important challenges. There are many ways for energy storage, among them, electrical, chemical and electrochemical storage technologies are of great interest [1][2]. Among the various energy storage devices, such as batteries [3] and supercapacitors [4], supercapacitors are the most promising

Integration of LaMnO_3+δ films on platinized silicon substrates for resistive switching applications by PI-MOCVD

• Raquel Rodriguez-Lamas,
• Dolors Pla,
• Odette Chaix-Pluchery,
• Benjamin Meunier,
• Fabrice Wilhelm,
• Andrei Rogalev,
• Laetitia Rapenne,
• Xavier Mescot,
• Quentin Rafhay,
• Hervé Roussel,
• Michel Boudard,
• Carmen Jiménez and
• Mónica Burriel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 389–398, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.38

• , by modifying a number of controlled parameters on the process, such as pulse frequency, oxygen partial pressure and temperature, the structure of the LMO thin films can be tuned during growth. In memristors, the electrodes play a crucial role in the RS response. For example, in electrochemical

A Ni(OH)₂ nanopetals network for high-performance supercapacitors synthesized by immersing Ni nanofoam in water

• Donghui Zheng,
• Man Li,
• Yongyan Li,
• Chunling Qin,
• Yichao Wang and
• Zhifeng Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 281–293, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.27

• characterized. It is found that the Ni(OH)2 nanopetals interweave with each other and grow vertically on the surface of Ni nanofoam to form an “ion reservoir”, which facilitates the ion diffusion in the electrode reaction. Electrochemical measurements show that the Ni(OH)2/Ni-NF/MG electrode, after immersion in

• ) [16][17][18][19]. However, this fabrication strategy is complicated and unsafely [20]. In addition, the presence of non-conductive binders not only increases the internal resistance but also the total mass of electrode, thus reducing the electrochemical performance. Therefore, the in situ synthesis of

• diffusion distance and facilitates the electrolyte transport. The as-synthesized Ni(OH)2/Ni-NF/MG electrodes demonstrate an excellent flexibility due to the ductile MG matrix and a good electrochemical performance. Moreover, the influence of immersion time in deionized water on the evolution of the Ni(OH)2

Site-specific growth of oriented ZnO nanocrystal arrays

• Rekha Bai,
• Dinesh K. Pandya,
• Sujeet Chaudhary,
• Veer Dhaka,
• Vladislav Khayrudinov,
• Jori Lemettinen,
• Christoffer Kauppinen and
• Harri Lipsanen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 274–280, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.26

• was kept at 60 °C. For the growth of ZnO, the precursor solution was obtained from the 1 mM Zn(NO3)3·6H2O. The electrochemical deposition of ZnO was carried out in solution having pH ≈5.6 at deposition potential −1.0 V (vs SCE) for 15 minutes using an electrochemical analyzer (CHI1104A). After

Nanoporous water oxidation electrodes with a low loading of laser-deposited Ru/C exhibit enhanced corrosion stability

• Sandra Haschke,
• Dmitrii Pankin,
• Vladimir Mikhailovskii,
• Maïssa K. S. Barr,
• Adriana Both-Engel,
• Alina Manshina and
• Julien Bachmann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 157–167, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.15

• , microscope cover glasses provided with approx. 700 nm of heat-treated indium tin oxide (ITO, which serves as the electrical contact in subsequent electrochemical measurements) are placed for laser-induced coating on a microcuvette filled with the precursor solution. An unfocused He-Cd laser beam irradiates

• ruthenium catalyst as prepared is present as oxidized Ru(IV). This observation is consistent with the XPS analyses presented above. The consecutive cycles yield a rather constant hysteresis area, which indicates a low loss of material in electrochemical conditions. This relative stability of our nanoporous

• each spectrum into individual mixed Gaussian–Lorentzian peaks using a Shirley background subtraction over the energy range of the fit. Finally, all spectra were shifted to give a C 1s binding energy position of 284.4 eV to correct for a slight overcompensation in the neutralization. Electrochemical

Scanning probe microscopy for energy-related materials

• Rüdiger Berger,
• Benjamin Grévin,
• Philippe Leclère and
• Yi Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 132–134, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.12

• , investigated and optimized. Energy-related materials often include electrochemical reactions and (opto-)electronic transport phenomena at their interfaces. In particular, material properties on the nanometer scale play a major role. The understanding of these nanoscale phenomena occurring at material

• covalently grafted with a monolayer of poly(3-hexylthiophene) functionalized with carboxylic groups [8]. Their study unravels the physical mechanisms taking place locally during the photovoltaic process and its correlation to the nanoscale morphology. Electrochemical energy storage (i.e., in a battery) is a

• relationship between Li-ion conductivity and the microstructure of the solid-state electrolyte lithium aluminum titanium phosphate films [10]. Furthermore, dielectric properties play a role for the storage of electrochemical energy. Ying Wang and co-workers report on a novel method for the characterization of

Amorphous Ni_xCo_yP-supported TiO₂ nanotube arrays as an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst in acidic solution

• Yong Li,
• Peng Yang,
• Bin Wang and
• Zhongqing Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 62–70, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.6

• , transmission electron microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the physiochemical properties of the samples. The electrochemical performance was investigated

• by cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. We show that after incorporating Co into Ni–P, the resulting NixCoyP/TNAs present enhanced electrocatalytic activity due to the improved electron transfer and increased electrochemically active surface area

• , which is an improvment of 79% over that of 1.07 V at 10 mA cm−2. Keywords: electrocatalysis; electrodeposition; HER; NiCoP bimetallic phosphides; Introduction Significant research efforts have been invested in the electrochemical splitting of water using renewable energy to attempt to overcome the

Electrolyte tuning in dye-sensitized solar cells with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) iron(II) sensitizers

• Mariia Karpacheva,
• Catherine E. Housecroft and
• Edwin C. Constable

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 3069–3078, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.285

• achieved giving η in the range of 0.47 to 0.57% which represents 7.8 to 9.3% relative to an N719 reference DSC set at 100%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been used to understand the role of the MBI additive in the electrolytes. Keywords: dye-sensitized solar cell; electrolyte; nanoparticles

• mV (no TBP) to 541 mV (0.5 M TBP). However, this gain is not sufficient to enhance the global efficiency which drops from 0.51% to 0.26% (Table 4). The trends are reproduced for duplicate DSCs (Table S2, Supporting Information File 1). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) Electrochemical

Hydrogen-induced plasticity in nanoporous palladium

• Markus Gößler,
• Eva-Maria Steyskal,
• Markus Stütz,
• Norbert Enzinger and
• Roland Würschum

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 3013–3024, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.280

• , Austria 10.3762/bjnano.9.280 Abstract The mechanical strain response of nanoporous palladium (npPd) upon electrochemical hydrogenation using an in situ dilatometric technique is investigated. NpPd with an average ligament diameter of approximately 20 nm is produced via electrochemical dealloying. A

• counterparts considering the increasing importance of surface effects. The high surface-to-volume ratios in such materials allow for the control of bulk features by surface modifications. Electrostatic charging or electrochemical (surface) reactions are possible ways to influence metal surfaces in a well

• -defined manner. Therefore, open nanoporous network structures are particularly suitable for property-tuning experiments in an electrochemical environment, due to a large contact area with the electrolyte and macroscopic sample dimensions. In nanoporous metals, the electrochemical control of actuation [1

Ternary nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide, polyaniline and hexaniobate: hierarchical architecture and high polaron formation

• Claudio H. B. Silva,
• Maria Iliut,
• Christopher Muryn,
• Christian Berger,
• Zachary Coldrick,
• Vera R. L. Constantino,
• Marcia L. A. Temperini and
• Aravind Vijayaraghavan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2936–2946, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.272

• Nanostructured systems, such as nanocomposites, are potential materials for usage as electrochemical (bio)sensors for analytical purposes, electronics, energy storage devices and corrosion protection because the synergistic effects of their components at the nanoscale range may improve physical/chemical

• the preparation of nanocomposites that exhibit improved electrochemical, mechanical or thermal behaviour [8][26][27]. Hexaniobate (hexNb) is a semiconducting metal oxide composed of negatively charged layers of [NbO6] octahedral units and interlayer cations, such as potassium ions (precursor form

• [62][63][64]. The peaks at intermediate potentials (between +0.40 and +0.70 V) are attributed to oxidative electrochemical reactions initiated when PANI is cycled at higher potentials than +0.70 V. The CV curve for rGO sample confirms the absence of significant faradaic processes due to a very low

Nanostructure-induced performance degradation of WO₃·nH₂O for energy conversion and storage devices

• Zhenyin Hai,
• Mohammad Karbalaei Akbari,
• Zihan Wei,
• Danfeng Cui,
• Chenyang Xue,
• Hongyan Xu,
• Philippe M. Heynderickx,
• Francis Verpoort and
• Serge Zhuiykov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2845–2854, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.265

• their 3D counterparts. Herein, WO3·nH2O (n = 0, 1, 2), as the most common and important electrochemical and electrochromic active nanomaterial, is synthesized in 3D and 2D structures through a facile hydrothermal method, and the disadvantages of the corresponding 2D structures are examined. The weakness

• under electrochemical cycling experiments. The proposed degradation mechanism is confirmed by the morphology changes. The work provides strong evidence for and in-depth understanding of the weakness of 2D layered nanomaterials and paves the way for further interlayer reinforcement, especially for 2D

• nanoscience and nanotechnology with their exotic properties and versatility of applications [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Among all 2D nanomaterials, 2D transition metal oxides (TMOs) are the group with the highest electrochemical activities for energy conversion and storage [11][12][13][14][15]. As the

Controlling surface morphology and sensitivity of granular and porous silver films for surface-enhanced Raman scattering, SERS

• Sherif Okeil and
• Jörg J. Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2813–2831, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.263

• not permit the analysis of low concentrations, the SERS signal dramatically enhances the sensitivity typically by orders of magnitude and allows for the analysis of low analyte concentrations [5][7]. The fabrication of SERS substrates began with electrochemical oxidation/reduction cycles especially of

• silver electrodes. This is the most widely studied synthesis and is still subject to further investigation and optimization to obtain more efficient SERS substrates [2][8][9][10][11]. One modification of the electrochemical fabrication of SERS substrates involves the electrochemical etching of silver to

• , it enables a quick chemical modification under ambient conditions in the gas phase [64][66][67][68][69][70][71]. Thus, plasma treatment could present a straightforward and affordable alternative to the electrochemical roughening of silver and can be even used as a technological reliable alternative

Comparative biological effects of spherical noble metal nanoparticles (Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au) with 4–8 nm diameter

• Alexander Rostek,
• Marina Breisch,
• Kevin Pappert,
• Kateryna Loza,
• Marc Heggen,
• Manfred Köller,
• Christina Sengstock and
• Matthias Epple

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2763–2774, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.258

• noble character of gold, palladium, platinum, or rhodium in comparison to silver, oxidation by dissolved oxygen is not expected from an electrochemical point of view. Conclusion Spherical nanoparticles of noble metals (Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au) with an average diameter between 4 and 8 nm were prepared in

Accurate control of the covalent functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes for the electro-enzymatically controlled oxidation of biomolecules

• Naoual Allali,
• Veronika Urbanova,
• Mathieu Etienne,
• Xavier Devaux,
• Martine Mallet,
• Brigitte Vigolo,
• Jean-Joseph Adjizian,
• Chris P. Ewels,
• Sven Oberg,
• Alexander V. Soldatov,
• Edward McRae,
• Yves Fort,
• Manuel Dossot and
• Victor Mamane

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2750–2762, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.257

• surface of the CNTs. This system can be applied to biosensing, as exemplified for glucose detection. The well-controlled and well-characterized functionalization of essentially clean SWCNTs enabled us to establish the maximum level of impurity content, below which the f-SWCNT intrinsic electrochemical

• activity is not jeopardized. Keywords: biosensing; carbon nanotubes; covalent functionalization; electrocatalysis; ferrocene; Introduction Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been recognized as interesting candidates for developing electrochemical sensors for almost two decades [1][2][3]. They have been used to

• CNT chemistry is now well developed, it can still remain somewhat challenging depending on the quality of the nanotube sample. Indeed, if the sample contains many carbonaceous impurities, these can also be functionalized and contribute to the final electrochemical signal. Several studies have

Oriented zinc oxide nanorods: A novel saturable absorber for lasers in the near-infrared

• Pavel Loiko,
• Tanujjal Bora,
• Josep Maria Serres,
• Haohai Yu,
• Magdalena Aguiló,
• Francesc Díaz,
• Uwe Griebner,
• Valentin Petrov,
• Xavier Mateos and
• Joydeep Dutta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2730–2740, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.255

• epitaxy, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, pulsed laser deposition), or by wet-chemical processes (e.g., the hydrothermal method, electrochemical deposition) [4]. The hydrothermal growth of ZnO NRs is a relatively simple, versatile and low temperature process [5]. ZnO NRs are used in gas sensors

Low cost tips for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy fabricated by two-step electrochemical etching of 125 µm diameter gold wires

• Antonino Foti,
• Francesco Barreca,
• Enza Fazio,
• Cristiano D’Andrea,
• Paolo Matteini,
• Onofrio Maria Maragò and
• Pietro Giuseppe Gucciardi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2718–2729, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.254

• spectroscopy (TERS) has become a well-applied technique for nanospectroscopy, allowing for single molecule sensitivity with sub-nanometer spatial resolution. The demand for efficient, reproducible and cost-effective probes for TERS is increasing. Here we report on a new electrochemical etching protocol to

• tip [29][30]. TERS tips are nowadays produced by the chemical/electrochemical etching of metal wires [31][32][33][34][35], metal coatings of AFM tips [36][37][38], electroless deposition, [39] galvanic displacement [40] or by advanced nanostructuration techniques such as electron beam induced

• addition, all the above-cited methods require very expensive lab equipment and skilled operators. Electrochemical etching, although suffering from surface roughness issues (mainly for silver), reproducibility issues and lack of tip dimension control, is a technique that is easy to implement, accessible to