Electrode Modifications for Polymer Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells

The influence of different modification methods on the surface properties of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrodes were investigated by measurements of chemical composition,surface roughness,sheet resistance,contact angle and surface free energy.Experimental results demonstrate that oxygen plasma treatment more effectively optimizes the surface properties of ITO electrodes compared with the other treatments.Furthermore,the polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells (PLECs) with the differently treated ITO substrates as device electrodes were fabricated and characterized.It is found that oxygen plasma treatment on the ITO electrode enhances injection current,luminance and efficiency,thereby improves the device characteristics of the PLECs.

Multicomponent mixed metallic hierarchical ZnNi@Ni@PEDOT arrayed structures as advanced electrode for high-performance hybrid electrochemical cells

Engineering multicomponent nanomaterials as an electrode with rationalized ordered structures is a promising strategy for fulfilling the high-energy storage needs of supercapacitors(SCs).Even now,the fundamental barrier to utilizing hydroxides/hydroxyl carbonates is their poor electrochemical performance,resulting from the significantly poor electrical conductivity and sluggish charge storage kinetics.Hence,a multilayered structural approach is primarily and successfully used to construct electrodes as one of the efficient approaches.This method has made it possible to develop well-ordered nanostructured electrodes with good performance by taking advantage of tunable approach parameters.Herein,we report the design of multilayered heterostructure porous zinc-nickel nanosheets@nickel flakes hydroxyl carbonates and/or hydroxides integrated with conductive PEDOT fibrous network(i.e.,ZnNi@Ni@PEDOT) via facile synthesis methods.The combined hybrid electrode acquires the features of high electrical conductivity from one part and various valance states from another one to develop a well-organized nanosheet/flake/fibrous-like heterostructure with decent mechanical strength,creating robust synergistic results.Thus,the designed binder-free ZnNi@Ni@PEDOT electrode delivers a high areal capacity value of 1050.1 μA h cm^(-2) at 3 mA cm^(-2) with good cycling durability,significantly outperforming other individual electrodes.Moreover,its feasibility is also tested by constructing a hybrid electrochemical cell(HEC).The assembled HEC exhibits a high areal capacity value of 783.8 μA h cm^(-2) at5 mA cm^(-2).and even at a high current density of 100 mA cm^(-2)(484.6 μA h cm^(-2)),the device still retains a rate capability of 61,82%,Also,the HEC shows maximum energy and power densities of0.595 mW h cm^(-2) and 77.23 mW cm^(-2),respectively,along with good cycling stability.The obtained energy storage capabilities effectively power various electronic components.These results provide a viable and practical way to construct a positive electrode with innovative heterostructures for highperformance energy storage devices and profoundly influence the development of electrochemical SCs.

Synthesis of phosphonated graphene oxide by electrochemical exfoliation to enhance the performance and durability of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The doping of functionalized graphene oxide(GO)in the membranes becomes a promising method for improving the performance of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells(HT-PEMFC).Phosphonated graphene oxide(PGO)with a P/O ratio of 8.5%was quickly synthesised by one-step electrochemical exfoliation based on a three-dimensiaonal(3D)printed reactor and natural graphite flakes.Compared with the GO prepared by the two-step electrochemical exfoliation method,the PGO synthesized by the one-step electrochemical exfoliation can better improve the performance of the membrane-electrode-assembly(MEA)based on the polybenzimidazole(PBI)membrane in the HTPEMFC.The doping of 1.5 wt%GO synthesised by electrochemical exfoliation with the 2-step method or reactor method in PBI increased the peak power density by 17.4%or 35.4%compared to MEA based on pure PBI membrane at 150℃,respectively.In addition,the doping of PGO in PBI improves its durability under accelerated stress test(AST).

Growth,leaf anatomy,and photosynthesis of cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.)seedlings in response to four light-emitting diodes and high pressure sodium lamp

Background Light is a critical factor in plant growth and development,particularly in controlled environments.Light-emitting diodes(LEDs)have become a reliable alternative to conventional high pressure sodium(HSP)lamps because they are more efficient and versatile in light sources.In contrast to well-known specialized LED light spectra for vegetables,the appropriate LED lights for crops such as cotton remain unknown.Results In this growth chamber study,we selected and compared four LED lights with varying percentages(26.44%–68.68%)of red light(R,600–700 nm),combined with other lights,for their effects on growth,leaf anatomy,and photosynthesis of cotton seedlings,using HSP lamp as a control.The total photosynthetic photon flux density(PPFD)was(215±2)μmol·m-2·s-1 for all LEDs and HSP lamp.The results showed significant differences in all tested parameters among lights,and the percentage of far red(FR,701–780 nm)within the range of 3.03%–11.86%was positively correlated with plant growth(characterized by leaf number and area,plant height,stem diameter,and total biomass),palisade layer thickness,photosynthesis rate(Pn),and stomatal conductance(Gs).The ratio of R/FR(4.445–11.497)negatively influenced the growth of cotton seedlings,and blue light(B)suppressed stem elongation but increased palisade cell length,chlorophyll content,and Pn.Conclusion The LED 2 was superior to other LED lights and HSP lamp.It had the highest ratio of FR within the total PPFD(11.86%)and the lowest ratio of R/FR(4.445).LED 2 may therefore be used to replace HPS lamp under controlled environments for the study of cotton at the seedling stage.

ITO-free silicon-integrated perovskite electrochemical cell for light-emission and light-detection

Halide perovskite light-emitting electrochemical cells are a novel type of the perovskite optoelectronic devices that differs from the perovskite light-emitting diodes by a simple monolayered architecture.Here,we develop a perovskite electrochemical cell both for light emission and detection,where the active layer consists of a composite material made of halide perovskite microcrystals,polymer support matrix,and added mobile ions.The perovskite electrochemical cell of CsPbBr3:PEO:LiTFSI composition,emitting light at the wavelength of 523 nm,yields the luminance more than 7000 cd/m2 and electroluminescence efficiency of 4.3 lm/W.The device fabricated on a silicon substrate with transparent single-walled carbon nanotube film as a top contact exhibits 40%lower Joule heating compared to the perovskite optoelectronic devices fabricated on conventional ITO/glass substrates.Moreover,the device operates as a photodetector with a sensitivity up to 0.75 A/W,specific detectivity of 8.56×1011 Jones,and linear dynamic range of 48 dB.The technological potential of such a device is proven by demonstration of 24-pixel indicator display as well as by successful device miniaturization by creation of electroluminescent images with the smallest features less than 50μm.

A review of understanding electrocatalytic reactions in energy conversion and energy storage systems via scanning electrochemical microscopy

To address climate change and promote environmental sustainability,electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems emerge as promising alternative to fossil fuels,catering to the escalating demand for energy.Achieving optimal energy efficiency and cost competitiveness in these systems requires the strategic design of electrocatalysts,coupled with a thorough comprehension of the underlying mechanisms and degradation behavior occurring during the electrocatalysis processes.Scanning electrochemical microscopy(SECM),an analytical technique for studying surface electrochemically,stands out as a powerful tool offering electrochemical insights.It possesses remarkable spatiotemporal resolution,enabling the visualization of the localized electrochemical activity and surface topography.This review compiles crucial research findings and recent breakthroughs in electrocatalytic processes utilizing the SECM methodology,specifically focusing on applications in electrolysis,fuel cells,and metal–oxygen batteries within the realm of energy conversion and storage systems.Commencing with an overview of each energy system,the review introduces the fundamental principles of SECM,and aiming to provide new perspectives and broadening the scope of applied research by describing the major research categories within SECM.

Influence of Cathode Modification by Chitosan and Fe^(3+)on the Electrochemical Performance of Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell

The electrochemical performances of cathode play a key role in the marine sediment microbial fuel cells(MSMFCs)as a long lasting power source to drive instruments,especially when the dissolved oxygen concentration is very low in seawater.A CTS-Fe^(3+)modified cathode is prepared here by grafting chitosan(CTS)on a carbon fiber surface and then chelating Fe^(3+)through the coordination process.The electrochemical performance in seawater and the output power of the assembled MSMFCs are both studied.The results show that the exchange current densities of CTS and the CTS-Fe^(3+)group are 5.5 and 6.2 times higher than that of the blank group,respectively.The potential of the CTS-Fe^(3+)modified cathode increases by 138 mV.The output power of the fuel cell(613.0 mW m^(-2))assembled with CTS-Fe^(3+)is 54 times larger than that of the blank group(11.4 mW m^(-2))and the current output corresponding with the maximum power output also increases by 56 times.Due to the valence conversion between Fe^(3+)and Fe^(2+)on the modified cathode,the kinetic activity of the dissolved oxygen reduction is accelerated and the depolarization capability of the cathode is enhanced,resulting higher cell power.On the basis of this study,the new cathode materials will be encouraged to design with the complex of iron ion in natural seawater as the catalysis for oxygen reduction to improve the cell power in deep sea.

Electrochemical Machining Analysis on Grid Cathode Composed of Square Cells

During the electrochemical machining (ECM), the cathodes designed by the existing methods are mainly unitary cathodes, which can be only used to produce the workpieces with the same shapes. However, there are few researches on designing cathodes for machining the different workpieces with the different surfaces. This paper presents the grid cathode composed of the square cells to produce the workpieces with different shapes. Three types of the square cells, 2.5 mm′2.5 mm, 3 mm′3 mm, and 4 mm′4 mm, are utilized to construct the plane, the slant, and the blade cathode. The material of the cathode and the anode is CrNi 18 Ti 9 , and the ingredient of electrolyte is 15% NaCl and 15% NaNO 3 . The machining equilibrium machining current and time are acquired and analyzed, the machining process and the workpiece quality are compared between using the grid cathode and the unitary cathode. Moreover, the machining errors on the workpiece surface are measured and analyzed, and the error reasons are traced and discussed to obtain the better surface quality of the workpiece. The experiment and analysis results show that the grid cathode can be used to manufacture the workpieces with complex shapes in certain range of the error. The workpiece quality improves with the size of the square cell being reduced, and if the square element is small enough, the workpiece quality is almost equal to the one machined by the unitary cathode. The proposed research realizes a single cathode machining the different workpieces with the different surfaces.

Assay of Histamine in Single Mast Cells by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection

Capillary zone electrophoresis was employed for the analysis of histamine in single rat peritoneal mast cells using an amperometric detector. In this method, individual mast cells and then 0.02 mol/L NaOH as a lysing solution are injected into the front end of the separation capillary. A cell injector was constructed for easy injection of single cells. Histamine in single mast cells has been identified and quantified.

Enhancing The Efficiency of White Organic Light-emitting Diode Using Energy Recyclable Photovoltaic Cells

We demonstrate that power recycling is feasible by using a semi-transparent stripped Al electrode as interconnecting layer to merge a white organic light-emitting devices(WOLED) and an organic photovoltaic(OPV) cell.The device is called a PVOLED.It has a glass / ITO / CuPc / m-MTDATA ∶ V 2 O 5 / NPB / CBP ∶ FIrpic ∶ DCJTB / BPhen / LiF / Al / P3HT∶ PCBM / V 2 O 5 / Al structure.The power recycling efficiency of 10.133% is achieved under the WOLED of PVOLED operated at 9 V and at a brightness of 2 110 cd / m 2,when the conversion efficiency of OPV is 2.3%.We have found that the power recycling efficiency is decreased under high brightness and high applied voltage due to an increase input power of WOLED.High efficiency(18.3 cd / A) and high contrast ratio(9.3) were obtained at the device operated at 2 500 cd / m 2 under an ambient illumination of 24 000 lx.Reasonable white light emission with Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage(CIE) color coordinates of(0.32,0.44) at 20 mA / cm 2 and slight color shift occurred in spite of a high current density of 50 mA / cm 2.The proposed PVOLED is highly promising for use in outdoors display applications.

High-Entropy Perovskite Oxide: A New Opportunity for Developing Highly Active and Durable Air Electrode for Reversible Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cells

Reversible proton ceramic electrochemical cell(R-PCEC)is regarded as the most promising energy conversion device,which can realize efficient mutual conversion of electrical and chemical energy and to solve the problem of large-scale energy storage.However,the development of robust electrodes with high catalytic activity is the main bottleneck for the commercialization of R-PCECs.Here,a novel type of high-entropy perovskite oxide consisting of six equimolar metals in the A-site,Pr_(1/6)La_(1/6)Nd_(1/6)Ba_(1/6)Sr_(1/6)Ca_(1/6)CoO_(3−δ)(PLN-BSCC),is reported as a high-performance bifunctional air electrode for R-PCEC.By harnessing the unique functionalities of multiple ele-ments,high-entropy perovskite oxide can be anticipated to accelerate reaction rates in both fuel cell and electrolysis modes.Especially,an R-PCEC utilizing the PLNBSCC air electrode achieves exceptional electrochemical performances,demonstrating a peak power density of 1.21 W cm^(−2)for the fuel cell,while simultaneously obtaining an astonishing current density of−1.95 A cm^(−2)at an electrolysis voltage of 1.3 V and a temperature of 600℃.The significantly enhanced electrochemical performance and durability of the PLNBSCC air electrode is attributed mainly to the high electrons/ions conductivity,fast hydration reactivity and high configurational entropy.This research explores to a new avenue to develop optimally active and stable air electrodes for R-PCECs.

Heterostructure Solar Cells Based on Sol-Gel Deposited SnO₂and Electrochemically Deposited Cu₂O

To fabricate a heterostructure solar cell using environmentally friendly materials and low cost techniques, tin oxide (SnO2) and cuprous oxide (Cu2O) were deposited by the sol-gel method and the electrochemical deposition, respectively. The SnO2 films were deposited from a SnCl2 solution containing ethanol and acetic acid. The Cu2O films were deposited using a galvanostatic method from an aqueous bath containing CuSO4 and lactic acid at a temperature of 40°C. The Cu2O/SnO2 heterostructure solar cells showed rectification and photovoltaic properties, and the best cell showed a conversion efficiency of 6.6 × 10-2 % with an open-circuit voltage of 0.29 V, a short-circuit current of 0.58 mA/cm2, and a fill factor of 0.39.

Thermo-Electrochemical Cells Based on Carbon Nanotube Electrodes by Electrophoretic Deposition

Drawbacks of low efficiency and high cost of the electrode materials have restricted the wide applications of the thermo-electrochemical cells(TECs). Due to high specific areas and electrical conductivities, the low cost multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWNTs) are promising alternative electrode materials. In this work, the MWNT films of up to 16 cm^2 were synthesized on stainless steel substrates by the electrophoretic deposition(EPD) to make the thermo-electrochemical electrodes. MWNT electrodes based on TECs were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and the long-term stability tests with the potassium ferri/ferrocyanide electrolyte. The TECs reached the current density of 45.2 A m^(-2) and the maximum power density of 0.82 W m^(-2). The relative power conversion efficiency of the MWNT electrode is 50 % higher than that for the Pt electrode. Meanwhile, the TECs was operated continuously for 300 h without performance degradation. With the priorities of low cost and simple fabrication, EPD-based MWNT TECs may become commercially viable.

Electrochemical study of the effect of functionalized nickel nanoparticles on cellular uptake of leukemia cancer cells in vitro

In this study, we have fabricated the functionalized nickel nanoparticles and investigated their effects on cellular uptake of quercetin in leukemia K562 cancer cells by using electrochemical assay. The results indicate that nickel nanoparticles could efficiently enhance the quercetin uptake and increase the intracellular accumulation in cancer cells, implying the great potential of functionalized nickel nanoparticles in target cancer therapy.

Pyrolyzed Iron Phthalocyanine-Modified Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Composite Anode in Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells and Its Electrochemical Performance

Improving the performance of anode is a crucial step for increasing output power of marine sediment microbial fuel cells(MSMFCs)to drive marine monitor to work for a long term on the ocean floor.A pyrolyzed iron phthalocyanine modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite(FePc/MWCNTs)has been utilized as a novel nodified anode in the MSMFC.Its structure of the composite modified anode and electrochemical performance have been investigated respectively in the paper.There is a substantial improvement in electron-transfer efficiency from the bacteria biofilm to the modified anode via the pyrolyzed FePc/MWCNTs composite based on their cyclic voltammetry(CV)and Tafel curves.The electron transfer kinetic activity of the FePc/MWCNTs-modified anode is 1.86 times higher than of the unmodified anode.The maximum power density of the modified MSMFC was 572.3±14 m W m^-2,which is 2.6 times larger than the unmodified one(218.3±11 m W m^-2).The anodic structure and cell scale would be greatly minimized to obtain the same output power by the modified MSMFC,so that it will make the MSMFC to be easily deployed on the remote ocean floor.Therefore,it would have a great significance for us to design a novel and renewable long term power source.Finally,a novel molecular synergetic mechanism is proposed to elucidate its excellent electrochemical performance.

Inverted polymer solar cells with employing of electrochemical-anodizing synthesized TiO_2 nanotubes

An inverted structure of polymer solar cells based on Poly（3-hexylthiophene）（P3HT）：[6-6] Phenyl-（6） butyric acid methyl ester （PCBM） with using thin films of TiO2 nanotubes and nanoparticles as an efficient cathode buffer layer is developed. A total of three cells employing TiO2 thin films with different thickness values are fabricated. Two cells use layers of TiO2 nanotubes prepared via self-organized electrochemical-anodizing leading to thickness values of 203 and 423.7 nm, while the other cell uses only a simple sol-gel synthesized TiO2 thin film of nanoparticles with a thickness of 100 nm as electron transport layer. Experimental results demonstrate that TiO2 nanotubes with these thickness values are inefficient as the power conversion efficiency of the cell using 100-nm TiO2 thin film is 1.55%, which is more than the best power conversion efficiency of other cells. This can be a result of the weakness of the electrochemical anodizing method to grow nanotubes with lower thickness values. In fact as the TiO2 nanotubes grow in length the series resistance （Rs） between the active polymer layer and electron transport layer increases, meanwhile the fill factor of cells falls dramatically which finally downgrades the power conversion efficiency of the cells as the fill factor falls.

Photoactive area modification in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells using optimization of electrochemically synthesized ZnO nanorods

In this work, ZnO nanorod arrays grown by an electrochemical deposition method are investigated. The crucial parameters of length, diameter, and density of the nanorods are optimized over the synthesize process and nanorods growth time. Crystalline structure, morphologies, and optical properties of ZnO nanorod arrays are studied by different techniques such as x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, and UV-visible transmission spectra. The ZnO nanorod arrays are employed in an inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cell of Poly （3-hexylthiophene）：[6- 6] Phenyl-（6） butyric acid methyl ester to introduce more surface contact between the electron transporter layer and the active layer. Our results show that the deposition time is a very important factor to achieve the aligned and uniform ZnO nanorods with suitable surface density which is required for effective infiltration of active area into the ZnO nanorod spacing and make a maximum interfacial surface contact for electron collection, as overgrowing causes nanorods to be too dense and thick and results in high resistance and lower visible light transmittance. By optimizing the thickness of the active layer on top of ZnO nanorods, an improved efficiency of 3.17% with a high FF beyond 60% was achieved.

An Electrochemical Cleaning Technique for Removal of Surface Contamination before Texturization of Silicon Solar Cells

In order to decrease the consumption of reagents and silicon during removal of surface contamination before silicon texturing in solar cell manufacturing industry, a new low-cost surface treatment approach of electrochemical cleaning technique(ECT) is reported. In this technique, a powerful oxidizing electrolyte was obtained from the electrochemical reaction on Boron-doped Diamond(BDD) electrodes, and applied during removal of surface contaminations on silicon wafer surfaces. The slightly polished monocrystalline silicon surfaces after cleaning were compared with the ones of primal silicon wafers. The measurement results show that ECT is quite efficient in removing NaCl and organic contaminants. After cleaning, the contrast test was conducted for the textured silicon wafers with/without pre-treatment(polish) separately. The results show that the size of pyramids on the surface without traditional polishing process is homogeneous and smaller than 4μm, and the average surface reflectance is much lower in the wavelength range from 400nm to 800nm. Therefore, the new technique can save silicon material, and effectively avoid optical losses for improving photoconversion effect of solar cells.

The Electrochemical Impedance Behavior of the Living Cells Escherichia Coli

The semiconductive characteristics of clectron-transfrring proteins in living cells E coli was investigated by electrochemsical impedance spectroscopy(EIS). We found that the electrochemical impedance of living cells as a function of temprature followed the Arrhenius equation for semiconductors. This result shows a strong evidence to prove the semiconductive behavior of proteins

Gas electrodes with nickel based current collectors for molten carbonate electrolyte thermo-electrochemical cells

Thermo-electrochemical cells with inexpensive molten carbonate electrolyte and(CO2|O2) gas electrodes allow the possible conversion of high temperature waste heat from industrial processes into electricity.The cell containing eutectic(Li,Na)2CO3 electrolyte with solid Mg O dispersion delivers a large Seebeck coefficient of-1.7 m V/K. At present, the(CO2|O2) gas electrodes use metallic gold as current collectors in order to avoid the formation of interfering oxide layers during operation. For further reduction in energy generation cost, the gold current collectors should be replaced with an inexpensive and stable alternative.In this study, the suitability of the(molten carbonate fuel cell) MCFC’s nickel-based cathodes to operate the molten-carbonate thermo-electrochemical cell, was investigated. Ni current collectors were examined in two different states, as Ni O and as lithiated Ni O(LixNi1-xO). The Ni O phase shows higher stability than the LixNi1-xO while the Seebeck coefficient remains above-1.2 m V/K.