Improving the interfacial properties of CZTS photocathodes by Ag substitution

Ying Fan Tay; Shreyash Sudhakar Hadke; Mengyuan Zhang; Nathan Lim; Sing Yang Chiam; Lydia Helena Wong

doi:10.1039/d0ta02042g

Interfacial properties of GaSb/InAs superlattices

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100149969 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 826-827

Author(s):

M. E. Twigg ◽

B. R. Bennett ◽

J. R. Waterman ◽

J. L. Davis ◽

B. V. Shanabrook ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gaas Substrate ◽

Molecular Beam ◽

Infrared Detector ◽

Interfacial Properties ◽

Ex Situ ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Absorption Coefficients ◽

X Ray ◽

Short Period ◽

High Optical Absorption

Recently, the GaSb/InAs superlattice system has received renewed attention. The interest stems from a model demonstrating that short period Ga1-xInxSb/InAs superlattices will have both a band gap less than 100 meV and high optical absorption coefficients, principal requirements for infrared detector applications. Because this superlattice system contains two species of cations and anions, it is possible to prepare either InSb-like or GaAs-like interfaces. As such, the system presents a unique opportunity to examine interfacial properties.We used molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to prepare an extensive set of GaSb/InAs superlattices grown on an GaSb buffer, which, in turn had been grown on a (100) GaAs substrate. Through appropriate shutter sequences, the interfaces were directed to assume either an InSb-like or GaAs-like character. These superlattices were then studied with a variety of ex-situ probes such as x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. These probes confirmed that, indeed, predominantly InSb-like and GaAs-like interfaces had been achieved.

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A Pyridinic Fe-N4 Macrocycle Effectively Models the Active Sites in Fe/N-Doped Carbon Electrocatalysts

10.26434/chemrxiv.10008545.v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Travis Marshall-Roth ◽

Nicole J. Libretto ◽

Alexandra T. Wrobel ◽

Kevin Anderton ◽

Nathan D. Ricke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Reduction ◽

Active Sites ◽

Catalytic Properties ◽

Reduction Reaction ◽

Iron Phthalocyanine ◽

Electrochemical Studies ◽

Onset Potential ◽

Nitrogen Doped Carbon ◽

Iron Active Sites

Iron- and nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) materials are leading candidates to replace platinum in fuel cells, but their active site structures are poorly understood. A leading postulate is that iron active sites in this class of materials exist in an Fe-N4 pyridinic ligation environment. Yet, molecular Fe-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) generally feature pyrrolic coordination and pyridinic Fe-N4 catalysts are, to the best of our knowledge, non-existent. We report the synthesis and characterization of a molecular pyridinic hexaazacyclophane macrocycle, (phen2N2)Fe, and compare its spectroscopic, electrochemical, and catalytic properties for oxygen reduction to a prototypical Fe-N-C material, as well as iron phthalocyanine, (Pc)Fe, and iron octaethylporphyrin, (OEP)Fe, prototypical pyrrolic iron macrocycles. N 1s XPS signatures for coordinated N atoms in (phen2N2)Fe are positively shifted relative to (Pc)Fe and (OEP)Fe, and overlay with those of Fe-N-C. Likewise, spectroscopic XAS signatures of (phen2N2)Fe are distinct from those of both (Pc)Fe and (OEP)Fe, and are remarkably similar to those of Fe-N-C with compressed Fe–N bond lengths of 1.97 Å in (phen2N2)Fe that are close to the average 1.94 Å length in Fe-N-C. Electrochemical studies establish that both (Pc)Fe and (phen2N2)Fe have relatively high Fe(III/II) potentials at ~0.6 V, ~300 mV positive of (OEP)Fe. The ORR onset potential is found to directly correlate with the Fe(III/II) potential leading to a ~300 mV positive shift in the onset of ORR for (Pc)Fe and (phen2N2)Fe relative to (OEP)Fe. Consequently, the ORR onset for (phen2N2)Fe and (Pc)Fe is within 150 mV of Fe-N-C. Unlike (OEP)Fe and (Pc)Fe, (phen2N2)Fe displays excellent selectivity for 4-electron ORR with <4% maximum H2O2 production, comparable to Fe-N-C materials. The aggregate spectroscopic and electrochemical data establish (phen2N2)Fe as a pyridinic iron macrocycle that effectively models Fe-N-C active sites, thereby providing a rich molecular platform for understanding this important class of catalytic materials.

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2,2’-Dipyridylamine as Organic Molecular Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Acidic Electrolytes

10.26434/chemrxiv.8273627.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xi Yin ◽

Ling Lin ◽

Hoon T. Chung ◽

Ulises Martinez ◽

Andrew M. Baker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Evolution ◽

Hydrogen Evolution Reaction ◽

Density Functional ◽

Low Cost ◽

Membrane Electrode Assembly ◽

Carbon Surface ◽

Membrane Electrode ◽

Durability Test ◽

Onset Potential ◽

Precious Metal Catalysts

Finding a low-cost and stable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as a replacement for scarce and expensive precious metal catalysts has attracted significant interest from chemical and materials research communities. Here, we demonstrate an organic catalyst based on 2,2’-dipyridylamine (dpa) molecules adsorbed on carbon surface, which shows remarkable hydrogen evolution activity and performance durability in strongly acidic polymer electrolytes without involving any metal. The HER onset potential at dpa adsorbed on carbon has been found to be less than 50 mV in sulfuric acid and in a Nafion-based membrane electrode assembly (MEA). At the same time, this catalyst has shown no performance loss in a 60-hour durability test. The HER reaction mechanisms and the low onset overpotential in this system are revealed based on electrochemical study. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the pyridyl-N functions as the active site for H adsorption with a free energy of -0.13 eV, in agreement with the unusually low onset overpotential for an organic molecular catalyst.

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2,2’-Dipyridylamine as Organic Molecular Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Acidic Electrolytes

10.26434/chemrxiv.8273627 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Xi Yin ◽

Ling Lin ◽

Hoon T. Chung ◽

Ulises Martinez ◽

Andrew M. Baker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydrogen Evolution ◽

Hydrogen Evolution Reaction ◽

Density Functional ◽

Low Cost ◽

Membrane Electrode Assembly ◽

Carbon Surface ◽

Membrane Electrode ◽

Durability Test ◽

Onset Potential ◽

Precious Metal Catalysts

Finding a low-cost and stable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as a replacement for scarce and expensive precious metal catalysts has attracted significant interest from chemical and materials research communities. Here, we demonstrate an organic catalyst based on 2,2’-dipyridylamine (dpa) molecules adsorbed on carbon surface, which shows remarkable hydrogen evolution activity and performance durability in strongly acidic polymer electrolytes without involving any metal. The HER onset potential at dpa adsorbed on carbon has been found to be less than 50 mV in sulfuric acid and in a Nafion-based membrane electrode assembly (MEA). At the same time, this catalyst has shown no performance loss in a 60-hour durability test. The HER reaction mechanisms and the low onset overpotential in this system are revealed based on electrochemical study. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the pyridyl-N functions as the active site for H adsorption with a free energy of -0.13 eV, in agreement with the unusually low onset overpotential for an organic molecular catalyst.

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