بحوث سكوبس — مصطفى كريم عبد محمد

One important component of high-performing perovskite solar cells PSCs is the electron transport layer (ETL). Nevertheless, the electrical conductivity and surface defects of the majority of ETL are insufficient to match perovskite materials. In the current study, we synthesized a modified reduced graphene oxide (m-rGO) with a simple method by employing 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane and 1,4-diaminophenyl molecules. Then, to increase the performance and operational durability of PSCs, we used m-rGO material as a dopant for the mesoporous titanium dioxide (mp-TiO2) film. The findings exhibited that molecular additives improve the crystallinity of perovskite film and charge transport at the ETL/perovskite interface. Besides, the formed perovskite layer on the m-rGO-based ETL had compact and low-defect morphology, resulting in reduced non-radiative recombination carriers and increased operational stability. Overall, the m-rGO-based PSCs obtained a champion PCE of 21.4 % and kept 87 % of their original efficacy after 960h of storage time. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.

Grain boundaries and surface defect states in perovskite films damage the charge transport mechanism by acting as nonradiative recombination centers, thus resulting in poor device performance and unsatisfactory long-term stability. For this aim, we added 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine hydrochloride (3,4-DpACl) as an effective additive to chlorobenzene antisolvent and used it during perovskite fabrication. The characterization results infer that the 3,4-DpACl material not only assists in forming a smoother perovskite film along with the reduction of residual lead iodide but also brings a passivation effect from the possible chemical interaction between the C═O of 3,4-DpACI molecules and uncoordinated Pb2+ ions of the perovskite material. In addition, employing the 3,4-DpACl tailors the energy levels of the perovskite layer and reduces mismatch energy between the valence band of the perovskite layer and hole transport layer (HTL). Overall, the 3,4-DpACl-contained antisolvent records a champion efficiency of 21.17% for optimized perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The optimized triple-cation PSCs show a higher stability against humidity and irradiance. They maintain 83% of their original power conversion efficiency (PCE) after 1600 h of exposure to ambient air with a humidity level of 35-40%. Furthermore, after 1056 h of irradiance with simulated sunlight in an ambient air environment, they retain 81.6% of their initial PCE. © 2024 American Chemical Society.

It is essential and challenging to develop green and cost-effective solar cells to meet the energy demands. Solar cells with a perovskite light-harvesting layer are the most promising technology to propel the world toward next-generation solar energy. Formamidinium lead tri-iodide (FAPbI3)-based perovskite solar cells (F-PSCs), with their considerable performance, offer cost-effective solar cells. One of the major issues that the PSC community is now experiencing is the stability of α-FAPbI3 at relatively low temperatures. In this study, we fabricated FAPbI3-PSCs using cyclohexane (CHX) material via a two-step deposition method. For this purpose, CHX is added to the formamidinium iodide:methylammonium chloride (FAI:MACl) solution as an additive and used to form a better FAPbI3 layer by controlling the reaction between FAI and lead iodide (PbI2). The CHX additive induces the reaction of undercoordinated Pb2+ with FAI material and produces an α-FAPbI3 layer with low charge traps and large domains. In addition, the CHX-containing FAPbI3 layers show higher carrier lifetimes and facilitate carrier transfer in F-PSCs. The CHX-modified F-PSCs yield a high champion efficiency of 22.84% with improved ambient and thermal stability behavior. This breakthrough provides valuable findings regarding the formation of a desirable FAPbI3 layer for photovoltaic applications and holds promise for the industrialization of F-PSCs. © 2024 American Chemical Society.

This research explores the feasibility of using a nanocomposite from multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) for thermal engineering applications. The hybrid nanocomposites were suspended in water at various volumetric concentrations. Their heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics were analyzed using computational fluid dynamics and artificial neural network models. The study examined flow regimes with Reynolds numbers between 5000 and 17,000, inlet fluid temperatures ranging from 293.15 to 333.15 K, and concentrations from 0.01 to 0.2% by volume. The numerical results were validated against empirical correlations for heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop, showing an acceptable average error. The findings revealed that the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop increased significantly with higher inlet temperatures and concentrations, achieving approximately 45.22% and 452.90%, respectively. These results suggested that MWCNTs-GNPs nanocomposites hold promise for enhancing the performance of thermal systems, offering a potential pathway for developing and optimizing advanced thermal engineering solutions. © The Author(s) 2024.

Background: Single-walled (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) can pose risks in biological systems leading to harmful effects, such as, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and ultimately, the cell death through apoptosis. Objectives: The study assessed the nephrotoxicity of the SWCNTs and SWCNTs-Ag-TiO2 nanocomposites through in vitro and in vivo experiments, assessing oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and safety for biomedical applications. Methodology: In vitro, HK-2 cell lines were utilized to evaluate the effects of nanomaterials on cellular activity, apoptosis, ROS generation, and micronuclei formations. In the in vivo study, twenty male mice were divided into five groups: the first received a control injection of phosphate-buffer saline (PBS), while the second, and third groups received daily intraperitoneal injections of SWCNTs at doses of 50 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg, respectively, for ten days. The fourth and fifth groups received the SWCNTs-Ag-TiO2 at 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively, for ten days in sequence. Results: SWCNTs and SWCNTs-Ag-TiO2 significantly promoted the micronuclei formations in HK-2 cells, with rates of 48 % and 79 %, respectively, as compared to the 12.67 % of the control group. The analysis of renal tissues revealed increased levels of ROS, DNA-protein crosslinks (DPC), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), creatinine, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, while the GSH levels decreased. These findings indicated renal tissue injury, and oxidative damages. Conclusions: The study demonstrated the cellular toxicity of these nanomaterials, highlighting the need for caution regarding their widespread use, particularly the use of carbon nanotubes and their metallic composites at higher exposure doses in occupational, environmental, or therapeutic contexts. © 2024 Elsevier GmbH

CsSnI3 is considered to be a viable alternative to lead (Pb)-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its suitable optoelectronic properties. The photovoltaic (PV) potential of CsSnI3 has not yet been fully explored due to its inherent difficulties in realizing defect-free device construction owing to the nonoptimized alignment of the electron transport layer (ETL), hole transport layer (HTL), efficient device architecture, and stability issues. In this work, initially, the structural, optical, and electronic properties of the CsSnI3 perovskite absorber layer were evaluated using the CASTEP program within the framework of the density functional theory (DFT) approach. The band structure analysis revealed that CsSnI3 is a direct band gap semiconductor with a band gap of 0.95 eV, whose band edges are dominated by Sn 5s/5p electrons After performing the DFT analysis, we investigated the PV performance of a variety of CsSnI3-based solar cell configurations utilizing a one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) with different competent ETLs such as IGZO, WS2, CeO2, TiO2, ZnO, PCBM, and C60. Simulation results revealed that the device architecture comprising ITO/ETL/CsSnI3/CuI/Au exhibited better photoconversion efficiency among more than 70 different configurations. The effect of the variation in the absorber, ETL, and HTL thickness on PV performance was analyzed for the above-mentioned configuration thoroughly. Additionally, the impact of series and shunt resistance, operating temperature, capacitance, Mott-Schottky, generation, and recombination rate on the six superior configurations were evaluated. The J-V characteristics and the quantum efficiency plots for these devices are systematically investigated for in-depth analysis. Consequently, this extensive simulation with validation results established the true potential of CsSnI3 absorber with suitable ETLs including ZnO, IGZO, WS2, PCBM, CeO2, and C60 ETLs and CuI as HTL, paving a constructive research path for the photovoltaic industry to fabricate cost-effective, high-efficiency, and nontoxic CsSnI3 PSCs. © 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.

Lead-free Cs2BiAgI6 has garnered a lot of research interest recently due to its suitability as a potential absorber layer in the solar cell (SC) architecture owing to its low cost, good stability, and high efficiency. The main highlight of this research work includes the photovoltaic (PV) performance enhancement of Cs2BiAgI6 double perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by optimizing the optoelectronic parameters of the absorber, electron transport layer (ETL), hole transport layer (HTL), and various interface layers. Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator One dimension (SCAPS-1D) numerical simulation was used to optimize the performance of Cs2BiAgI6 absorber-based SCs consisting of copper barium thiostannate (CBTS) as the HTL and TiO2, PCBM, ZnO, IGZO, SnO2, and WS2 as ETLs. The role of the non-lead cesium-based halide perovskite absorber layer in the improvement of the SC performance was systematically investigated through a variation in the thickness, doping density, and defect density of the absorber layer, ETL, and HTL. The performance of the investigated device architectures is largely dependent on the thickness of the absorber layer, acceptor density, defect density, and the combination of different ETLs and HTLs. We found that TiO2, PCBM, ZnO, IGZO, SnO2, and WS2 ETL-based optimized devices recorded a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.14, 23.71, 23.69, 22.97, 23.61, and 21.72%, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of series and shunt resistances, temperature, capacitance, and Mott-Schottky for the six optimized devices was estimated along with the computation of the corresponding generation and recombination rates, current density-voltage (J-V), and quantum efficiency (QE) characteristics. The PV parameters obtained from this comprehensive analysis are finally compared with the earlier published theoretical and experimental reports on Cs2BiAgI6 absorber-based SCs. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

In this study, we investigated the potential of CsPbI3 as an absorber material to be used in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To optimize the device, we used TiO2 as the electron transport layer and copper barium thiostannate (CBTS) as the hole transport layer in the CsPbI3-based PSC, and employed SCAPS-1D software. We initially tested 10 different back metal contacts (BMCs) to identify the most suitable one for the primary device. After optimization of the BMC, the best-optimized device structure, ITO/TiO2/CsPbI3/CBTS/Ni, achieved a power conversion efficiency of 17.91%. We then evaluated the impact of the absorber thickness, acceptor density, and defect density on the device performance. We also analyzed the effect of changing the thickness, charge-carrier density, and defect density of the CsPbI3, TiO2, and CBTS layers, as well as the interfacial defect densities at the CBTS/CsPbI3 and CsPbI3/TiO2 interfaces, to further optimize device performance. This resulted in an improved efficiency of 19.06% for the ITO/TiO2/CsPbI3/CBTS/Ni device with HTL, compared to 18.17% without HTL. We also analyzed the impacts of operating temperature, series resistance, and shunt resistance on the final optimized device performance, as well as its capacitance-voltage, generation and recombination rate, current density-voltage (J-V), and quantum efficiency (QE) features. The results of these simulations provide valuable insights for the experimental fabrication of an efficient CsPbI3-based inorganic PSC. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Cs3Bi2I9 as a solar absorber material is a strong contender for lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The presence of bismuth (Bi) in Cs3Bi2I9 leads to the origin of interesting optoelectronic properties along with a suitable optical band gap and high absorption coefficient. However, further analysis of the crystal structure, optical, and electronic properties of this material is required for efficient photovoltaic (PV) applications. The potential of Cs3Bi2I9 perovskite as an absorber layer for solar cells (SCs) was first analyzed by performing density functional theory (DFT) calculations to observe its structural, optical, and electronic properties. Band structure reveals an indirect band gap (2.42 eV), and density of states (DOS) data show good conductivity primarily contributed by the 5p and 6s orbital electrons of I and Bi atoms. Strong electronic charge buildup is seen in the electronic charge density map surrounding the I atom, as well as the covalent bonds between the I and Bi atoms. The frequency-dependent dielectric function and absorption calculations reveal that Cs3Bi2I9 might be a potential material in optoelectronic and photovoltaic systems. We also performed numerical simulations using the one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) for 49 different PSC configurations with Cs3Bi2I9 absorber, electron transport layers (ETLs) comprising WS2, indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO), SnO2, ZnO, C60, TiO2, and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and hole transport layers (HTLs) like Cu2O, CuSCN, NiO, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), Spiro-MeOTAD, and CuI. Simulation results reveal that the Cu2O HTL exhibited the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) for all of the ETLs. Of the 49 configurations, the six best configurations with the Cu2O HTL and different ETLs were analyzed to study the effect of absorber and ETL thickness, series and shunt resistances, operating temperature, capacitance, Mott-Schottky, generation, and recombination rate on the PV performance. Current-voltage (J-V) characteristics and quantum efficiency (QE) were computed for all of these configurations to understand the impact of the absorber, ETL, and HTL on the PV parameters. This comprehensive simulation study will assist researchers in the fabrication of cheap and efficient PSCs without lead and open new horizons in the field of solar technology. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

Since the conversion efficiency of silicon (Si)-based solar cells stagnates at 26.7% in the literature, extensive research and development activities are carried out on perovskite silicon-based tandem solar cells. However, the presence of lead (Pb) and the instability of perovskite prevent their large-scale implementation in the photovoltaic industry. Therefore, it is important to replace the hazardous material (Pb) in perovskite top cells to design non-toxic perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. The current work yields much-needed studies to develop a non-toxic perovskite-silicon-based tandem solar cell. For the first time, methylammonium tin mixed halide (MASnI3-xBrx)-based materials are comprehensively investigated and optimized with respect to different halide compositions, absorber layer thickness, and bulk defect density in standalone configurations, followed by the development of a lead-free MASnI2Br1-Si-based tandem solar cell. The transfer matrix method and current matching techniques are used to design the two-terminal monolithic tandem cell, which showed a maximum conversion efficiency of 30.7% with an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 2.14 V. The results outlined in this manuscript will pave the way for the progress of highly efficient, non-toxic perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

Tandem solar cells have higher efficiency than single-junction devices owing to their wide photon absorption range. A wide band gap (Eg) absorber absorbs the higher-energy photons in the top cell. In contrast, a comparatively low band gap absorber material is utilized in the bottom cell to absorb the filtered low-energy photons. Consequently, thermalization and transparent energy losses are overshadowed by the top subcell (Topsc) and the bottom subcell (Bottomsc), respectively. However, to achieve the best efficiency from a tandem design, the choice of active material in the Topsc and the Bottomsc plays an important role. Therefore, in this proposed study, a tandem solar cell comprising a perovskite (Eg 1.68 eV)-based top cell and a copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS, Eg 1.1 eV)-based Bottomsc has been designed and analyzed. A state-of-the-art Me-4PACz ([4-(3,6-dimethyl-9H-carbazol-9-yl)butyl] phosphonic acid) hole transport layer (HTL) in the perovskite solar cell reported in the previous literature has been considered for the top cell, whereas a calibrated CIGS-based Bottomsc with 16.50% efficiency is designed. Both the Topsc and the Bottomsc are examined for the tandem configuration using filtered spectra and current-matching techniques. In perovskite/CIGS tandem design, an ideal tunnel recombination junction uses Me-4PACz and ITO layers. In a tandem configuration with matched current density at an absorber thickness of 347 nm for Topsc and 2.0 μm for Bottomsc, the device delivered an open-circuit voltage (VOC), current density (JSC), and fill factor (FF) of 1.92 V, 20.04 mA/cm2, and 77%, respectively, resulting in an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 29.7%. The results reported in this work would be beneficial for the development of perovskite-CIGS-based monolithic tandem solar cells in the future. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

To meet the increasing demand for power sources, scientists are continuously trying to improve the efficiency of solar cells. In these circumstances, Cs-based perovskites have attracted attention due to their intriguing performance. In this paper, eight different solar cells based on Cs-halide perovskite absorbers (CsPbI3, CsPbBr3, CsSnI3, CsSnCl3, Cs2BiAgI6, Cs3Bi2I9, CsSn0.5Ge0.5I3, and Cs3Sb2I9) are investigated using the SCAPS-1D simulation program. Besides, ZnO and CFTS materials are proposed as promising candidates for charge transport material application, along with gold as the back contact. Initially, the impact of the absorber and the electron transport layer (ETL) thickness on the photovoltaic performance was evaluated. In addition, various parameters, such as the thickness, the donor and acceptor densities and the defect density, are investigated to locate the final optimized Cs-based structures. From this optimization, it is evident that among all the optimizing features, absorber materials and the hole transport layer (HTL) thickness, the HTL acceptor density enhanced the performance much more than the other optimizing features. Furthermore, to evaluate the characteristics of these devices, the series resistance, shunt resistance, working temperature, current-voltage density, and quantum efficiency are also simulated. Among all eight Cs-based perovskites, the ITO/ZnO/CsPbBr3/CFTS/Au and ITO/ZnO/Cs3Bi2I9/CFTS/Au devices achieved the best performance, with a conversion efficiency of 19.28% and 19.23%, respectively. Lastly, the performance of the SCAPS-1D simulator software is verified using the wxAMPS simulation program, where both yield results that are in excellent agreement. In conclusion, this research provides useful information for optimizing solar cell architectures and understanding the effects of various device components. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The goal of the current work was to create an antibacterial agent by using polycaprolactone/chitosan (PCL/CH) nanofibers loaded with Cordia myxa fruit extract (CMFE) as an antimicrobial agent for wound dressing. Several characteristics, including morphological, physicomechanical, and mechanical characteristics, surface wettability, antibacterial activity, cell viability, and in vitro drug release, were investigated. The inclusion of CMFE in PCL/CH led to increased swelling capability and maximum weight loss. The SEM images of the PCL/CH/CMFE mat showed a uniform topology free of beads and an average fiber diameter of 195.378 nm. Excellent antimicrobial activity was shown towards Escherichia coli (31.34 ± 0.42 mm), Salmonella enterica (30.27 ± 0.57 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (21.31 ± 0.17 mm), Bacillus subtilis (27.53 ± 1.53 mm), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.17 ± 0.12 mm) based on the inhibition zone assay. The sample containing 5 wt% CMFE had a lower water contact angle (47 ± 3.7°), high porosity, and high swelling compared to the neat mat. The release of the 5% CMFE-loaded mat was proven to be based on anomalous non-Fickian diffusion using the Korsmeyer–Peppas model. Compared to the pure PCL membrane, the PCL-CH/CMFE membrane exhibited suitable cytocompatibility on L929 cells. In conclusion, the fabricated antimicrobial nanofibrous films demonstrated high bioavailability, with suitable properties that can be used in wound dressings. © 2023 by the authors.

In this study, NiO thin films are prepared on Ni foil using thermal evaporation method and the effect of deposition conditions on structural, morphological and H2S gas sensing properties of NiO thin films is investigated. Structural analysis of the NiO films are conducted by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the films are found to have the FCC phase with preferred (111) and (200) Bragg reflections. Based on XRD and scanning electron microscopy results, it is shown that the crystallite size and the size of homogeneous nanoclusters on the surface of the films increase after increasing oxidation temperature. Also, the EDS patterns of NiO films demonstrate a rise in the intensity of O peak upon increasing the oxidation temperature due to the enhancement of oxygen in the NiO films. The Raman spectrum of NiO thin films several bands correspond to Ni–O vibrations. The obtained gas sensing results demonstrate the sensing response to 20 ppm of hydrogen sulfide at 700 °C. Upon increasing the amount of hydrogen sulfide gas to more than 20 ppm, the fabricated sensors show no significant change in their response, indicating that no additional active sites were exist to interplay with hydrogen sulfide molecules for the higher concentration of hydrogen sulfide. The response of the sensors, recorded 10 s after H2S gas exposure, depended on the deposition temperature. The current study shows that NiO thin films-based sensors prepared by a simple thermal evaporation method are potentially useful for the detection of H2S gas. © 2022

One of the potential photovoltaic possibilities for generating renewable energy is organometallic perovskite-based solar cell. However, the presence of grain boundaries and defects in the bulk or interfacial sites of perovskites prevents future device efficiency increases. In this work, a green EA solvent was utilized to enhance the crystallization of triple-cation perovskite polycrystals, enlarge the perovskite grain size, and minimize the density of trap states, resulting in high-quality films. Under AM 1.5G irradiation, perovskite solar cell with an efficiency of 18.63% and a fill factor of 79.78% were obtained. This photovoltaic outperformed standard cells in terms of efficiency, stability, and reproducibility, which was attributable to the high-quality perovskite merits. The environmental and thermal stabilities of unsealed cells are also improved, with only 8% and 9% degradation of the original efficiency after storage for 50 days and 350 hours in environment (50% RH) and thermal (80 °C) conditions, respectively. Our research established a simple and practical method for developing photovoltaic cells with good stability and high efficiency for commercialization. © 2022

Biomaterial research has been going on for several years, and many companies are heavily investing in new product development. However, it is a contentious field of science. Biomaterial science is a field that combines materials science and medicine. The replacement or restoration of damaged tissues or organs enhances the patient’s quality of life. The deciding aspect is whether or not the body will accept a biomaterial. A biomaterial used for an implant must possess certain qualities to survive a long time. When a biomaterial is used for an implant, it must have specific properties to be long-lasting. A variety of materials are used in biomedical applications. They are widely used today and can be used individually or in combination. This review will aid researchers in the selection and assessment of biomaterials. Before using a biomaterial, its mechanical and physical properties should be considered. Recent biomaterials have a structure that closely resembles that of tissue. Anti-infective biomaterials and surfaces are being developed using advanced antifouling, bactericidal, and antibiofilm technologies. This review tries to cover critical features of biomaterials needed for tissue engineering, such as bioactivity, self-assembly, structural hierarchy, applications, heart valves, skin repair, bio-design, essential ideas in biomaterials, bioactive biomaterials, bioresorbable biomaterials, biomaterials in medical practice, biomedical function for design, biomaterial properties such as biocompatibility, heat response, non-toxicity, mechanical properties, physical properties, wear, and corrosion, as well as biomaterial properties such surfaces that are antibacterial, nanostructured materials, and biofilm disrupting compounds, are all being investigated. It is technically possible to stop the spread of implant infection. © 2023, Zhejiang University Press.

This study investigated the effect of novel zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) biosynthesized employing Papaver somniferum leaf on oxidative stress, necrosis, and apoptosis in the leukemia cancer THP-1 cell. The obtained ZnO was examined using SEM, AFM, and TEM microscopy, which revealed an irregular spherical morphology with a size ranging from 20 to 30 nm, and the UV–vis absorbance revealed a strong absorption peak in the range of 360–370, nm confirming the production of ZnO NPs. THP-1 cells were subjected to an MTT, an EdU proliferation, a lactate dehydrogenase release tests, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction experiment, a DAPI staining detection assay, and a flow cytometric analysis for Annexin V to measure the effects of ZnO NPs on cancer cell growth inhibition, apoptosis, and necrosis. Our results show that ZnO NPs inhibit THP-1 line in a concentration-dependent pattern. It was observed that ZnO NPs triggered necrosis (cell death) and apoptosis in the cell line. ZnO NPs massively improved the formation of intracellular ROS, which is crucial in deactivating the development of leukemic cells. In conclusion, ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using Papaver somniferum extract have the ability to inhibit proliferation leukemic cancer cells, making them potential anticancer agents. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Perovskites composed of inorganic cesium (Cs) halide provide a route to thermally resistant solar cells. Nevertheless, the use of hole-transporting layers (HTLs) with hydrophobic additives is constrained by moisture-induced phase deterioration. Due to significant electrical loss, dopant-free HTLs are unable to produce practical solar cells. In this article, we designed a two-dimensional 1,3,6,8-tetrakis[5-(N,N-di(p-(methylthio)phenyl)amino-p-phenyl)-thiophen-2-yl]pyrene (termed SMe-TATPyr) molecule as a new HTL to regulate electrical loss in lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We optimized the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs based on mixed tin (Sn)/germanium (Ge) halide perovskite (CsSn0.5Ge0.5I3) by exploring different factors, such as the deep and shallow levels of defects, density of states at the valence band (NV), thickness of the perovskite film, p-type doping concentration (NA) of HTL, the series and shunt resistances, and so on. We carried out comparative research by employing the 1D-SCAPS (a solar cell capacitance simulator) analysis tool. Through optimization of the PSC, we obtained the highest parameters in the simulated solar cell structure of fluorine tin oxide (FTO)/titanium dioxide (TiO2)/CsSn0.5Ge0.5I3/SMe-TATPyr/gold (Au), and the PCE reached up to 20% with a fill factor (FF) of 81.89%. © 2024 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted significant interest as potential photovoltaic technologies for the next generation. The 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis[N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9′-spirobifluorene (spiro-OMeTAD) compound is commonly employed as a hole-transporting layer (HTL) in efficient PSC devices. Nevertheless, spiro-OMeTAD in its natural state exhibits limited hole mobility and conductivity. Consequently, the incorporation of chemical additives becomes necessary to enhance the conductivity and, subsequently, efficiency. Unfortunately, the presence of hygroscopic additives has been found to significantly deteriorate the quality of the perovskite layer and impair the stability of the PSCs. Herein, the novel dopant-free compound 4,4′,5,5′-tetrakis(5′-hexyl-[2,2′-bithiophen]-5-yl)-2,2′-bi(1,3-dithiolylidene) coded MS-1 was designed with a symmetrical shape, with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) as a core and two thiophene molecules with long alkyl chains substituted in positions 4, 4′, 5, and 5′. TTF has remarkable non-aromatic 14 π electrons, and it is easy to oxidize through the reversible process to form cation and dication species (TTF+ and TTF2+, respectively). Numerical optimization of the proposed PSC with respect to several important parameters, involving thickness, total defect density of perovskite, energy bandgap, effective density of states at the valence band, and acceptor concentration of the MS-1 layer, was conducted using SCAPS-1D software. Moreover, the existence of imperfections in the electron-transporting layer (ETL)/perovskite and HTL/perovskite interfaces was taken into account, and their influence on performance was also analyzed. The designed PSC after optimization has a practically achievable efficiency of 19.91%. By conducting more investigations into this aspect of design and persisting in research endeavors within this domain, we may reveal the full capabilities of FAPbI3-based solar cells as a very promising technology for the production of green and sustainable power. © 2023 American Chemical Society.

In the paper, the wettability of different phases of TiO2 thin films (anatase, brookite, and rutile) have been studied using molecular-dynamics simulation. The principle of micro-wetting is discussed. The simulation results show that the contact angle decreases upon increasing the interaction energy between the water and the titanium dioxide interface during the wetting process. The values of contact angles from large to small are: rutile, brookite and anatase. The calculated equilibrium contact angles are 73.9°, 59.2°, and 43.7°, respectively. The reason is that the structural connection and the arrangement of the surface microtopography directly affect the movement of water droplets on the surface of the material, thus affecting the wettability. In addition, the amount of the interaction energy and the radial distribution function between these three interfaces and the droplets are calculated, and the density change of the droplet is analyzed further which indicate the difference in wetting between the three crystal structures. At the same time, by simulating and comparing the wettability of the trench surface and the original surface of anatase, it is inferred that the rough interface increases the contact angle with the droplet and reduces the wettability. © 2022

The purpose of this work was to develop a molybdenum (Mo)-doped WO3/ZnO and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) novel nanocomposite and then analyze and assess its photocatalytic performance. The resulting composite was employed in a laboratory photoreactor to decompose methyl orange (OM) dye from synthetic wastewater. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) were utilized to analyze the prepared nanocomposite. The impact of Mo dopant and PVA addition upon crystallinity, optical bandgap, and morphology was investigated. It was shown that 92 % of MO dye can be degraded by Mo-WO3/ZnO@PVA after 120 min of visible light irradiation. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Hybrid nanomaterials with unique physiochemical properties have received a lot of attention, making them attractive for application in different fields like cancer treatment. This study was designed to investigate the combined effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) hybridized with silver titanium dioxide composite (SWCNTs@Ag-TiO2). Transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated the accumulation of SWCNTs with Ag-TiO2 due to an increased main grain size with functionalization to 40 nm. The D and G bands in SWCNTs @Ag-TiO2 shifted to 1,366 and 1,534 cm-1, respectively. SWCNTs@Ag-TiO2 were assessed for their cytotoxicity and autophagy induction in liver cancer cells (Hep-G2) using the lactate dehydrogenase assay, MTT assay, and flow cytometry methods. The results showed that SWCNTs and SWCNTs@Ag-TiO2 exhibited strong anti-cancer activity in vitro against Hep-G2 cells by inducing apoptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells via controlling the AKT and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. The results show that SWCNTs and SWCNTs coated with silver/titanium dioxide (SWCNTs@Ag-TiO2) reduce the cells' viability and proliferation. It was shown that an excessive amount of reactive oxygen species was a crucial mediator of both the cell death caused by SWCNTs and the cell death caused by SWCNTs combined with Ag-TiO2. Based on these findings, it appears that SWCNTs and SWCNTs@Ag-TiO2 have the potential to be developed as nanotherapeutics for the treatment of liver cancer cells. © 2023 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.

Colored dyes are major sources of environmental pollution. Mineralization using heterogeneous catalysts is the method to remove such environmental pollutants. Herein, a green approach is used to prepare the nanocomposites, in which pulsed laser ablation of liquid (PLAL) is used. The synthesis of a ternary nanocomposite of ZnO/CuO/Al2O3 as a photocatalyst to degrade methylene blue (MB) dye is performed in an optimized ratio of 3:1:1 at pH = 10.37. To evaluate the structural, morphological, and optical features of the synthesized ternary nanocomposite, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDS, atomic force microscope (AFM), and UV–vis spectroscopy are used. The XRD pattern confirms that the ternary nanocomposite is highly crystalline in nature. The Raman spectra confirm the formation of the ternary ZnO/CuO/Al2O3 heterostructures. The AFM images of the ratio 3:1:1 show less agglomeration than the 1:3:1 and 1:1:3 ratios. The SEM images show agglomerated spheroids with rice-like morphologies and a mean particle size of around 40 nm. The energy bandgap (Eg) values lie in the UV region at 5.05, which means that the photocatalyst has enhanced its photocatalytic activity under sunlight. The degradation efficiency of 3:1:1 at pH = 10.37 achieves the highest value of 98.55% with a rate constant of 0.2265 min−1 after 15 min of illumination. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

The flat-plate solar collector (FPSC) three-dimensional (3D) model was used to numerically evaluate the energy and economic estimates. A laminar flow with 500 ≤ Re ≤ 1900, an inlet temperature of 293 K, and a solar flux of 1000 W/m2 were assumed the operating conditions. Two mono nanofluids, CuO-DW and Cu-DW, were tested with different shapes (Spherical, Cylindrical, Platelets, and Blades) and different volume fractions. Additionally, hybrid nanocomposites from CuO@Cu/DW with different shapes (Spherical, Cylindrical, Platelets and Blades), different mixing ratios (60% + 40%, 50% + 50% and 40% + 60%) and different volume fractions (1 volume%, 2 volume%, 3 volume% and 4 volume%) were compared with mono nanofluids. At 1 volume% and Re = 1900, CuO-Platelets demonstrated the highest pressure drop (33.312 Pa). CuO-Platelets achieved the higher thermal enhancement with (8.761%) at 1 vol.% and Re = 1900. CuO-Platelets reduced the size of the solar collector by 25.60%. Meanwhile, CuO@Cu-Spherical (40:60) needed a larger collector size with 16.69% at 4 vol.% and Re = 1900. CuO-Platelets with 967.61, CuO–Cylindrical with 976.76, Cu Platelets with 983.84, and Cu-Cylindrical with 992.92 presented the lowest total cost. Meanwhile, the total cost of CuO–Cu–Platelets with 60:40, 50:50, and 40:60 was 994.82, 996.18, and 997.70, respectively. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The invention of novel light-harvesting materials is one of the primary reasons behind the acceleration of current scientific advancement and technological innovation in the solar sector. Organometal halide perovskite (OHP) has recently attracted a great deal of interest because of the high-energy conversion efficiency that has reached within a few years of its discovery and development. Modern machine learning (ML) technology is quickly advancing in a variety of fields, providing blueprints for the discovery and rational design of new and improved material properties. In this paper, we apply ML to optimize the material composition of OHPs, propose design methods and forecast their performance. Our ML model is built using 285 datasets that were taken from about 700 experimental articles. We have developed two different ML models to predict the bandgap and performance parameters of solar cell. In the first model, we employed three ML algorithms to investigate the relationship between bandgap and perovskite material composition. We estimated the performance characteristics using projected and actual bandgap. Second, ML models are used to predict the performance parameters employing the bandgap of perovskite and energy difference between electron transport layer (ETL) and hole transport layer (HTL) with perovskite as an input parameter. Simulation results suggest that the artificial neural network (ANN) technique, which predicts the bandgap by taking into consideration how cations and halide ions interact with one another, demonstrates a better degree of accuracy (with a Pearson coefficient of 0.91 and root mean square error of 0.059). The constructed ML model closely fits the theoretical prediction made by Shockley and Queisser, and that is almost hard for a person to discover from an aggregation of datasets. © World Scientific Publishing Company.

In this work we have investigated the interaction of Li with beryllium (Be) doped zigzag stanene nanoribbon (Be-ZSnNR). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to analyse the interaction of lithium (Li) on Be-ZSnNR and as investigate the Li adsorption process on Be-ZSnNR at the microscopic level. Different figures of merits such as formation energy Efor, adsorption energy (Eads), storage capacity, and open circuit voltage (OCV) are explored for Be atom doped ZSnNR for Lithium ion battery (LIBs). When Be atom doped on zigzag stanene nanoribbon (ZSnNR) Fermi level shift towards the valance band indicating that doping results in p-type characteristics. The band structure of Li adsorbed Be doped stanene nanoribbons (Be-ZSnNR) shows its metallic nature after the adsorption. Charge density difference indicates that Li atom gives more electrons towards the Be-ZSnNR as compared to the pristine ZSnNR, this implies that Li and Be-ZSnNR have a strong electronic interaction. Calculated value of Efor of Be-ZSnNR of 6 atom width is −1.123 eV, it reveals that the considered structure is more stable compare to ZSnNR of same width. When adsorption of Li atoms increases, adsorption energy increases from minimum value of −2.17 eV to −1.24 eV. When all the hole position of Be-ZSnNR are adsorbed by Li atoms storage capacity reached to the maximum value. Our findings reveals that the storage capacity reaches the maximum (200 mAhg−1) value and OCV reduces from 2.17 V to 1.24 V when both sides of the substrate are adsorbed by Li atoms. The OCV of Be-ZSnNR is 1.16 V less the OCV of pristine ZSnNR. The reported finding suggested that Be-ZSnNR can be considered as potential candidate for LIBs. © 2022

The SC (solution casting) method was used for the preparation PVA/sodium alginate (NaAlg)-based solid-blend electrolytes with different wt % of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). XRD, FTIR, and AC impedance technique were used to analyse the prepared solid-blend polymer electrolytes. XRD studies revealed amorphous phase of the prepared electrolytes and was due to the addition of NH4Cl. NH4Cl complexation with hybrid PVA/NaAlg blend was confirmed by FTIR. PVA/NaAlg/15-wt. % NH4Cl system observed to have better amorphous phase with a maximum ionic conductivity of 1.014 × 10 - 6 S/cm. The temperature-dependent ionic conductivity obeys Arrhenius behaviour. Transference number analysis implies that the charge transport was due to ions. LSV and CV studies exhibited an electrochemical behaviour. The findings of the results infers that the present SBPEs has the potentiality to be applied for electrochemical applications. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

In this research article, a junctionless FET is reported to be deployed as a biosensor for the label-free electrical detection of biomolecules with the help of modulation of dielectric constant and modulation of charge density. As structurally JLFET is a singly doped device it does not has any doping gradient or junction. Hence, it abolishes the need for complex processing steps to create ultra-steep doping profiles with very high doping concentrations gradient and other lithography related challenges. This makes the fabrication easier as well as cost effective. The immobilization of biomolecules controls the device surface potential according to the biomolecules’ dielectric constant and charge density and controls the device performance parameters in accordance. These changes in device performance parameters are calibrated to detect the different biomolecules. There are double cavities of 80 nm each to immobilize the biomolecule and the cavities are 3 nm thick making it suitable for detecting larger sized biomolecules and polymers. The effect of biomolecules dielectric constant modulation and charge density modulation has been studied and the sensitivity of the device has been analyzed in terms of ΔION,ΔVTH,Δgm, and ΔSS. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Using an ab initio framework and non-equilibrium Green's function technique, the effect of hydrogen and fluorine atom passivation on the electronic and transport properties of borophene nanoribbons (BNRs) are explored. For zigzag edge states, we have explored all potentially stable combinations of hydrogen and fluorine passivation. Fluorine passivation leads to thermodynamically stable structures with improved stability for the increased concentration of F atoms, according to our binding energy (Eb) calculations. Furthermore, density-of-states and dispersion relation (E-k structures) computations indicate that fluorine-passivated BNRs are primarily metallic in nature. We proposed these nanostructures for their use in metal interconnects because of their increased metallicity. We have used the typical two-probe setup to calculate the critical parameters like quantum resistance (RQ), kinetic inductance (LK), and quantum capacitance (CQ) to evaluate their performance as metal interconnects. Because they have the lowest estimated values of LK = 26.1 nH μm−1, and CQ = 399 pF cm−1, the zigzag BNRs (ZBNRs) with two edge fluorinated (F-BNR-F) nanostructures may be considered as a promising candidate for nanoscale interconnect applications. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

In this study, combined DFT, SCAPS-1D, and wxAMPS frameworks are used to investigate the optimized designs of Cs2BiAgI6 double perovskite-based solar cells. First-principles calculations are employed to investigate the structural stability, optical responses, and electronic contribution of the constituent elements in Cs2BiAgI6 absorber material, where SCAPS-1D and wxAMPS simulators are used to scrutinize different configurations of Cs2BiAgI6 solar cells. Here, PCBM, ZnO, TiO2, C60, IGZO, SnO2, WS2, and CeO2 are used as ETL, and Cu2O, CuSCN, CuSbS2, NiO, P3HT, PEDOT:PSS, spiro-MeOTAD, CuI, CuO, V2O5, CBTS, CFTS are used as HTL, and Au is used as a back contact. About ninety-six combinations of Cs2BiAgI6-based solar cell structures are investigated, in which eight sets of solar cell structures are identified as the most efficient structures. Besides, holistic investigation on the effect of different factors such as the thickness of different layers, series and shunt resistances, temperature, capacitance, Mott-Schottky and generation-recombination rates, and J-V (current-voltage density) and QE (quantum efficiency) characteristics is performed. The results show CBTS as the best HTL for Cs2BiAgI6 with all eight ETLs used in this work, resulting in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.99%, 21.55%, 21.59%, 17.47%, 20.42%, 21.52%, 14.44%, 21.43% with PCBM, TiO2, ZnO, C60, IGZO, SnO2, CeO2, WS2, respectively. The proposed strategy may pave the way for further design optimization of lead-free double perovskite solar cells. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

This study investigated for the first time a simple bio-synthesis approach for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using Annona muricata L (A. muricata) plant extract to test their anti-cancer effects. The presence of CuONPs was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Transmission electron microscope (TEM). The antiproliferative properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated against (AMJ-13), (MCF-7) breast cancer cell lines, and the human breast epithelial cell line (HBL-100) as healthy cells. This study indicates that CuONPs reduced cell proliferation for AMJ-13 and MCF-7. HBL-100 cells were not significantly inhibited for several concentration levels or test periods. The outcomes suggest that the prepared copper oxide nanoparticles acted against the growth of specific cell lines observed in breast cancer. It was observed that cancer cells had minor colony creation after 24 h sustained CuONPs exposure using (IC50) concentration for AMJ-13 was (17.04 µg mL−1). While for MCF-7 cells was (18.92 µg mL−1). It indicates the uptake of CuONPs by cancer cells, triggering apoptosis. Moreover, treatment with CuONPs enhanced Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) production, probably caused by cell membrane damage, creating leaks comprising cellular substances like lactate dehydrogenase. Hence, research results suggested that the synthesized CuONPs precipitated anti-proliferative effects by triggering cell death through apoptosis. © 2022, The Author(s).

Compared to traditional physical and chemical approaches, nanobiotechnology and plant-based green synthesis procedures offer significant advantages, as well as having a greater range of medical and biotechnological applications. Nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO NPs) have recently been recognized as a promising option for many industries, including optics, electrics, packaged foods, and medicine, due to their biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and cost-effectiveness. Several studies have shown that zinc ions are important in triggering cell apoptosis by promoting the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and releasing zinc ions (Zn2+), which are toxic to cells. The toxic nature of the chemicals used in the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles limits their clinical utility. An overview of recent developments in green ZnO NP synthesis is presented in this review, emphasizing plant parts as reducing agents and their medical applications, including their antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as key mechanisms of action for these applications to facilitate further research on the biomedical fields in the future. © 2022 by the authors.

The great demand for renewable energy has greatly contributed to the development of the solar cell industry. Recently, silicon solar cells have dominated the world market. The ease of processing gives perovskite solar cells (PSCs) an advantage over conventional silicon solar cells. Regular silicon photovoltaics require expensive, multi-step processes accomplished in a specialized ultraclean-chamber facility at an elevated temperature (>1000 °C) and highly vacuumed workspace. Hence, researchers and the solar cell industry have focused on PSC as a great rival to silicon solar cells. Despite this, the highest efficiency was obtained from lead-based PSC, which has a considerably high toxicity issue and low stability related to lead content, so the research field pays attention to lead-free perovskite solar cells. In this digital simulation, tin-based perovskite in this paper, methylammonium tin iodide (MASnI3) with the use of cerium oxide (CeOx) as an electron transporting layer (ETL) with varying percentages of oxygen, which means different shallow donor densities (ND). The optimum value for the thickness of the absorber layer (perovskite) was made, and the current-voltage characteristics and efficiency calculations were also accomplished for the best cell. Then an improvement was made by changing the ND value of CeOx, and the best-optimized cell parameters were: open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.92 V, short circuit current density (JSC) of 30.79 mA cm−2, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.77%, and fill factor (FF) of 62.86%. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Zinc oxide-silver (ZnO–Ag), and zinc oxide-gold (ZnO–Au) nano-composites were prepared through wet chemical process and laced into single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to yield ZnO–Ag-SWCNTs, and ZnO–Au-SWCNTs hybrids. These nano-composite-laced SWCNTs hybrids were characterized using Raman spectroscopic, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The hybrids were evaluated for their effects on phagocytic cells and bactericidal activity against the gram-negative bacteria E. coli. Their phagocytic cell activities and intracellular killing actions were found to be significantly increased, as the ZnO–Ag-SWCNTs and ZnO–Au-SWCNTs nano-hybrids induced widespread clearance of Escherichia coli. An increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) also led to upregulated phagocytosis, which was determined mechanistically to involve the phagocyte NADPH oxidase (NOX2) pathway. The findings emphasized the roles of ZnO–Ag- and ZnO–Au-decorated SWCNTs in the prevention of bacterial infection by inhibiting biofilm formation, showing the potential to be utilized as catheter coatings in the clinic. © 2022, The Author(s).

Due to their high resistance to real operational conditions, perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs) with dopant-free inorganic hole transport materials are good candidates for PSC commercialization. It should be noted that these types of PSCs have recorded lower power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to Spiro-OMeTAD-based PSCs, with a recent PCE record of 25.8%. Here, we introduced nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate (NOBF4) into the perovskite precursor to improve hole carriers' transport between the perovskite layer and copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) layer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that NOBF4 additive reduces series resistance in PSC devices, which may be due to a band alignment between the valance band of perovskite and CuPc. In addition, due to a partial BF4− substitution with I− ions during the fabrication process, the crystallinity properties of the perovskite layer are tailored, leading to the formation of a film with larger grains. By employing NOBF4 material, in the obtained perovskite layer, a small unreacted lead iodide (PbI2) amount remained. In total, the NOBF4 additive brings a maximum efficiency of 16.77% for the target solar cell group, higher than the 14.42% for control devices. The target PSCs, compared with the control PSCs, showed improved air stability results from the suppressed PbI2 with enlarged perovskite grains. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Due to their enhanced performance and simplicity in manufacturing, scalability, and versatility, lead-halide perovskite-based solar cells (HPSCs) have received much attention in the domains of energy. Lead is present in nature as a poisonous substance that causes various issues to climate and human health and prevents its further industrialization. Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable interest in exploring some alternative lead-free perovskites. However, owing to some intrinsic losses, the performance that may be achieved from these photovoltaics is not up to standards. Thus, for the purpose of efficiency improvement, a comprehensive simulation is required to comprehend the cause of these losses. In the current research, an investigation into how to employ the promisingly efficient lead-free, all-inorganic cesium tin-germanium iodide (CsSnGeI3) perovskites as the photoactive layer in HPSCs was performed. Results exhibited a high efficiency of 12.95% with a CsSn0.5Ge0.5I3perovskite thickness of 0.6 μm and a band gap of 1.5 eV at room temperature. High efficiency may be achieved using phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as an electron transport material because of its favorable energy-level alignment with the perovskite material. The research further tested the perovskite layer thickness and defect density in depth. The results showed that the carrier diffusion lengths have a big effect on how well the HPSC works. © 2022 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Until now, in all state-of-the-art efficient perovskite solar cells (PSCs), during the fabrication process of the perovskite layer, highly toxic anti-solvents such as toluene, chlorobenzene, and diethyl ether have been used. This is highly concerning and urgently needs to be considered by laboratories and institutes to protect the health of researchers and employees working towards safe PSC fabrication. Green anti-solvents are usually used along with low-performance PSCs. The current study solves the ineptitude of the typical ethyl acetate green anti-solvent by adding a potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) material to it. The KSCN additive causes delay in the perovskite growing process. It guarantees the formation of larger perovskite domains during fabrication. The enlarged perovskite domains reduce the bulk and surface trap density in the perovskite. It enables lower trap-facilitated charge recombination along with efficient charge extraction in PSCs. Overall, the developed method results in a champion performance of 17.12% for PSCs, higher than the 13.78% recorded for control PSCs. The enlarged perovskite domains warrant lower humidity interaction paths with the perovskite composition, indicating higher stability in PSCs. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Due to their remarkable performance and ease of processing in low temperature solutions, organometal hybrid perovskite solar cells (HPSCs) have recently become a hot topic. Current solution processes extensively use hazardous chemicals, such as chlorobenzene, in perovskite and hole-transport material deposition processes. Therefore, the invention of safe and economical solvent technologies is a prerequisite for commercial viability. Herein, ethyl lactate (biodegradable, non-hazardous, and inexpensive solvent) is utilized for the first time as a green solvent to enhance the quality of anti-solvent-assisted solution-engineered perovskite films. The obtained results show that the incorporation of a certain amount of ethyl lactate can produce a homogeneous and highly crystalline perovskite layer with enhanced optoelectronic properties. This method increases the efficiency of 2D/3D tripe-cation HPSCs to 21.78% (against 17.09% for the control cells) with a decreased hysteretic effect and improved moisture stability. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Photovoltaic solar cells based on perovskite materials due to their unique optoelectronic properties are good instruments to develop green energy for worldwide energy demands. In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), a high performance of 25.8% was reported, employing an expensive Spiro-OMeTAD hole transport layer. Here, the study is focused on PSCs without any HTLs (HTL-free PSCs) to reduce the fabrication process costs. The electron transport layers (ETLs) are treated with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH) to improve the efficiency of HTL-free devices. By employing a treatment step, the conductivity of ETLs is increased while their transparency is kept safe. The improved conductivity leads to accelerated charge transport within the device and reduces electron-hole recombination. The perovskite layers fabricated on the treated ETLs showed lower surface defects due to better spreading of the perovskite solution on them. The reduced surface defects cause improvements in the photovoltaic performance of HTL-free PSCs, leading to a stability increment due to lower surface defects for the reaction of humidity with the perovskite layer. TMAOH treatment results in PSCs with a maximum PCE of 13.24%, higher than the 10.88% for control devices. © 2022 American Chemical Society.

With the increase in the importance of using green energy sources to meet the world's energy demands, attempts have been made to push perovskite solar cell technology toward industrialization all around the world. Improving the properties of perovskite materials as the heart of PSCs is one of the methods to fabricate favorable photovoltaic (PV) solar cells based on perovskites. Here, cadmium chloride (CdCl2) was used as an additive source for the perovskite precursor to improve its PV properties. Results indicated CdCl2 improves the perovskite growth and tailors its crystalline properties, suggesting boosted charge transport processes in the bulk and interfaces of the perovskite layer with electron-hole transport layers. Overall, by incorporation of 1.0% into the MAPbI3 layer, a maximum power conversion efficiency of 15.28% was recorded for perovskite-based solar cells, higher than the 12.17% for the control devices. The developed method not only improved the PV performance of devices but also boosted the stability behavior of solar cells due to the passivated domain boundaries and enhanced hydrophobicity in the CdCl2-based devices. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Hole transport material-free perovskite solar cells (HF-PSCs) offer low-cost photovoltaic devices. For development and commercialization, they are more attractive than the expensive HTL-contained perovskite solar cells. Herein, we focused on enhancing the stability and efficiency of HF-PSCs with the malonic acid (MA) addition to the methylammonium lead iodide. The introduced additive increases the perovskite crystallinity and assembles a perovskite layer with larger grains along with fewer surface defects. In addition, the MA-modified HF-PSCs show suppressed charge recombination within devices, and a lower charge trap density has been obtained for them. A considerable power conversion efficiency of 14.14% is achieved for MA-modified HF-PSCs, higher than the performance of 11.88% for the untreated HF-PSCs. Finally, MA-based HF-PSCs show higher shelf stability than the control HF-PSCs. It is because the MA-modified perovskite layer with passivated grain boundaries is better at repelling water. © 2022 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

The photocatalytic activity of fluorine-doped zinc oxide (ZnO-F) nanoparticles (NPs) is improved with the assistance of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). ZnO-F NPs were synthesized through a co-precipitation reaction of zinc nitrate and ammonium fluoride. The obtained ZnO-F NPs were capped with various amounts of PVA, utilizing a facile solution-based approach. XRD patterns showed that PVA polymer didn't alter the crystallinity properties of ZnO NPs and its hexagonal wurtzite structure with prominent orientations of (1 0 0), (0 0 2), and (1 0 1) was preserved. While UV–Vis spectra revealed that the optical band of nanocomposites varies with increasing amounts of PVA from 2.10 eV for ZnO-F NPs to 2.13 eV for 4% PVA loaded-ZnO-F. The data showed when the weight ratio of PVA polymer with respect to the neat ZnO NPs is fixed at 4% during the synthesis process, the highest photocatalytic activity for hybrid NPs is achieved. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

In the present work, lanthanum oxide (La2O3) was prepared by the refluxing technique using lanthanum nitrate, urea, and double filtered water at 100 °C for various synthesis durations (6, 12, 18, and 24 h) in a water medium. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results suggest that La2O3 belongs to a monoclinic crystalline structure with the average crystallite sizes for La2O3 with 6, 12, 18, and 24 h irradiation samples being determined to be 13.4 nm, 18.7 nm, 22.6 nm, and 27.9 nm, respectively. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to evaluate the morphological merits of the samples. The particle size dimensions of La2O3 are calculated to be 38 nm, 32 nm, 30 nm, and 25 nm for La2O3 with 6, 12, 18, and 24 h irradiation, respectively. The observations of the SEM confirmed that La2O3 was present in nano-sized particles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurement was used to verify the oxygen groups, and UV-visible spectroscopy was also used to measure absorption spectra. The FTIR spectra showed the La-O bending and stretching vibrations at around 530–620 cm− 1 and 950–1100 cm− 1, respectively. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to investigate the temperature response of the as-prepared samples. The initial weight loss around 110 ºC may be due to the removal of the adsorbed water molecules. Two peaks around 350 ºC and 370 ºC are seen in the DTA curve, which is seen through a very high merger weight loss in the sample. © 2022, The Tunisian Chemical Society and Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

In this work, we propose and simulate an ultrasensitive, label-free, and charge/dielectric modulated Si:HfO2 ferroelectric junctionless tunnel field effect transistor (FE-JL-TFET) based biosensor. The proposed sensing device employs a dual inverted-T cavity and uses ferroelectric gate stacking of Si-doped HfO2, a key enabler of negative capacitance (NC) behavior. The two cavities are carved in gate-source underlap regions by a sacrificial etching technique to sense biomolecules such as streptavidin (2.1), bacteriophage T7 (6.3) and gelatin (12). Two dimensional (2D) calibrated simulations have been performed and the impact of various device parameters, including cavity length and height, on various performance measuring parameters has been studied. It has been observed that the biosensor exhibits better sensitivities for both neutral and charged biomolecules. The maximum values of the ION/IOFF sensitivity for the neutral, positively charged and negatively charged biomolecules are as high as 3.77 × 109, 5.85 × 109, and 1.72 × 1010, respectively. It has been observed that optimizing the cavity length and height can significantly improve the sensing capability of the proposed device. The comparative analysis of the proposed biosensor and other state of the art biosensors shows a significant improvement in the sensitivity (101 to 106 times) in the proposed biosensor. The detrimental effect of interface trapped charges on the biosensor performance is also analyzed in detail. © 2022 The Royal Society of Chemistry.