ACS Nano

Tailored TiO2-SrTiO3 Heterostructure Nanotube Arrays for Improved Photoelectrochemical Performance

pkamat — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:46:56 -0800

TiO2 nanotube arrays formed on Ti substrate by electrochemical anodization have been converted into TiO2-SrTiO3 heterostructures by controlled substitution of Sr under hydrothermal conditions. The growth of SrTiO3 crystallites on the nanotube array electrode was probed by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. As the degree of Sr substitution increases with the duration of hydrothermal treatment, an increase in the size of SrTiO3 crystallites was observed.

ACS Nano

Ternary Self-Assembly of Ordered Metal Oxide-Graphene Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Energy Storage

liu.aksay — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:42:22 -0800

Surfactant or polymer directed self-assembly has been widely investigated to prepare nanostructured metal oxides, semiconductors, and polymers, but this approach is mostly limited to two-phase materials, organic/inorganic hybrids, and nanoparticle or polymer-based nanocomposites. Self-assembled nanostructures from more complex, multiscale, and multiphase building blocks have been investigated with limited success. Here, we demonstrate a ternary self-assembly approach using graphene as fundamental building blocks to construct ordered metal oxide?graphene nanocomposites.

ACS Nano

Scalable Coating and Properties of Transparent, Flexible, Silver Nanowire Electrodes

yuanyang — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:58:28 -0800

We report a comprehensive study of transparent and conductive silver nanowire (Ag NW) electrodes, including a scalable fabrication process, morphologies, and optical, mechanical adhesion, and flexibility properties, and various routes to improve the performance. We utilized a synthesis specifically designed for long and thin wires for improved performance in terms of sheet resistance and optical transmittance.

ACS Nano

Graphene and Mobile Ions: The Key to All-Plastic, Solution-Processed Light-Emitting Devices

NateRobinson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:31:35 -0800

The emerging field of “organic” or “plastic” electronics has brought low-voltage, ultrathin, and energy-efficient lighting and displays to market as organic light-emitting diode (OLED) televisions and displays in cameras and mobile phones. Despite using carbon-based materials as the light-emitting layer, previous efficient organic electronic light-emitting devices have required at least one metal electrode.

ACS Nano

Interaction of Blood Plasma Proteins with Gold Nanoparticles

LacerdaS — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:35:09 -0800

In this video, we discuss our motivations to study the interactions of common human blood plasma proteins with gold nanoparticles; we also briefly discuss the photophysical techniques utilized to characterize the protein-nanoparticle interactions.

Interaction of Blood Plasma Proteins with Gold Nanoparticles

Supercapacitors Based on Flexible Graphene/Polyaniline Nanofiber Composite Films

qwu — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:19:54 -0800

Composite films of chemically converted graphene (CCG) and polyaniline nanofibers (PANI-NFs) were prepared by vacuum filtration the mixed dispersions of both components. The composite film has a layered structure, and PANI-NFs are sandwiched between CCG layers. Furthermore, it is mechanically stable and has a high flexibility; thus, it can be bent into large angles or be shaped into various desired structures. The conductivity of the composite film containing 44% CCG (550 S/m) is about 10 times that of a PANI-NF film.

ACS Nano

P25-Graphene Composite as a High Performance Photocatalyst

Jinghong_Li — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:12:38 -0800

Herein we obtained a chemically bonded TiO2 (P25)-graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst
with graphene oxide and P25, using a facile one-step hydrothermal method. During the hydrothermal reaction,
both of the reduction of graphene oxide and loading of P25 were achieved. The as-prepared P25-graphene
photocatalyst possessed great adsorptivity of dyes, extended light absorption range, and efficient charge
separation properties simultaneously, which was rarely reported in other TiO2-carbon photocatalysts. Hence, in

ACS Nano

Two-Dimensional Graphene Bridges Enhanced Photoinduced Charge Transport in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

zhaijin — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:53:14 -0800

As a novel two-dimensional (2D) material, graphene shows great benefits in electric and material science. Compared to 1D nanomaterials, it may show more excellent properties. Here, we introduced graphene as 2D bridges into the nanocrystalline electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells, which brought a faster electron transport and a lower recombination, together with a higher light scattering.

Two-Dimensional Graphene Bridges Enhanced Photoinduced Charge Transport in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Improved Synthesis of Graphene Oxide

mikewilliams — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:42:35 -0800

An improved method for the preparation of graphene oxide (GO) is described. Currently, Hummers’ method (KMnO4, NaNO3, H2SO4) is the most common method used for preparing graphene oxide. We have found that excluding the NaNO3, increasing the amount of KMnO4, and performing the reaction in a 9:1 mixture of H2SO4/H3PO4 improves the efficiency of the oxidation process. This improved method provides a greater amount of hydrophilic oxidized graphene material as compared to Hummers’ method or Hummers’ method with additional KMnO4.

ACS Nano