Investigation of helicity-dependent photocurrent of surface states in(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplate

Helicity-dependent photocurrent(HDPC)of the surface states in a high-quality topological insulator(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplate grown by chemical vapor deposition(CVD)is investigated.By investigating the angle-dependent HDPC,it is found that the HDPC is mainly contributed by the circular photogalvanic effect(CPGE)current when the incident plane is perpendicular to the connection of the two contacts,whereas the circular photon drag effect(CPDE)dominates the HDPC when the incident plane is parallel to the connection of the two contacts.In addition,the CPGE of the(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplate is regulated by temperature,light power,excitation wavelength,the source–drain and ionic liquid top-gate voltages,and the regulation mechanisms are discussed.It is demonstrated that(Bi_(0.7)Sb_(0.3))_(2)Te_(3)nanoplates may provide a good platform for novel opto-spintronics devices.

Substrate-dependent photoreactivities of BiOBr nanoplates prepared at different pH values

In this study,we showed that BiO Br nanoplates prepared at different pH values have substratedependent photocatalytic activities under visible-light irradiation. The BiO Br nanoplates synthesized at pH 1（BOB-1） degraded salicylic acid more effectively than did those obtained at pH 3（BOB-3）,but the order of their photocatalytic activities in rhodamine B（RhB） degradation were reversed. Electrochemical Mott–Schottky and zeta-potential measurements showed that BOB-1 had a more positive valence band and lower surface charge,leading to superior photocatalytic activity in salicylic acid degradation under visible light. However,BOB-3 was more powerful in RhB degradation because larger numbers of superoxide radicals were generated via electron injection from the excited RhB to its more negative conduction band under visible-light irradiation; this was confirmed using active oxygen species measurements and electron spin resonance analysis. This study deepens our understanding of the origins of organic-pollutant-dependent photoreactivities of semiconductors,and will help in designing highly active photocatalysts for environmental remediation.

Convenient synthesis of silver nanoplates with adjustable size through seed mediated growth approach

Silver nanoplates,with average thickness about 5 nm and average tunable size from 40 to 500 nm,were synthesized via a simple room-temperature solution-phase chemical reduction method in the presence of appropriate concentration of trisodium citrate and silver seeds.The optical in-plane dipole plasmon resonance bands of these silver plates could be tuned from 520 to 1100 nm.Control experiments were explored for understanding of the growth mechanism.It is found that both the amount of citrate ions and the small silver seeds added to the growth solution are the key to controlling the silver nanoplates without changing their thickness and crystal structure.Small silver seeds are found to play an important role in the formation of large thin silver nanoplates when poly（vinylpyrrolidone）（PVP） are used as capping agent.

Capping effect of reducing agents and surfactants in synthesizing silver nanoplates

The effect of reducing agents and surfactants on controlling the silver nanoplates was studied. Two reducing agents, trisodium citrate dehydrate (TSC) and potassium tartrate, were used to reduce the AgNO3 solution. In this redox system, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and arabic gum were served as surfactants. The results showed that reducing agents and surfactants both act as the capping agent adhering to the certain facets of silver seeds to block this surface to grow. The relative intensity of reducing agents also takes an active part in influencing the growth rate and direction of silver seeds. It was also found that halides can accelerate the speed of Ostwald ripening by adding Cl?, Br? and I?into the aqueous and have some effects on the morphology of the nanoplates.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of ADC12 composites reinforced with graphene nanoplates prepared by ultrasonic assisted casting

Microstructure and mechanical properties of ADC12 composites reinforced with graphene nanoplates(GNPs)prepared by high-intensity ultrasonic assisted casting were investigated.The results indicated that high-intensity ultrasound can promote the uniform distribution of GNPs in the melt,resulting in refining theα(Al)phase and Si phase.The optimal addition of GNPs was 0.9 wt.%,and the optimal ultrasonic time was 12 min.The tensile strength,the yield strength and the hardness of the composite produced under the optimal parameters were 256.8 MPa,210.6 MPa and HV 126.0,respectively,which increased by 30.5%,42.7%,and 34.8%compared with those of the matrix,respectively.After adding the GNPs,the fracture mechanism gradually turned from a brittle fracture to a ductile fracture.The good interface and distribution allowed GNPs to play the role in fine grain strengthening,dislocation strengthening and load transfer strengthening effectively.

An analytical study of vibration in functionally graded piezoelectric nanoplates: nonlocal strain gradient theory

In this paper,we analytically study vibration of functionally graded piezoelectric(FGP)nanoplates based on the nonlocal strain gradient theory.The top and bottom surfaces of the nanoplate are made of PZT-5H and PZT-4,respectively.We employ Hamilton’s principle and derive the governing differential equations.Then,we use Navier’s solution to obtain the natural frequencies of the FGP nanoplate.In the first step,we compare our results with the obtained results for the piezoelectric nanoplates in the previous studies.In the second step,we neglect the piezoelectric effect and compare our results with those obtained for the functionally graded(FG)nanoplates.Finally,the effects of the FG power index,the nonlocal parameter,the aspect ratio,and the lengthto-thickness ratio,and the nanoplate shape on natural frequencies are investigated.

Free vibration of size-dependent magneto-electro-elastic nanoplates based on the nonlocal theory

In this paper, the free vibration of magneto- electro-elastic （MEE） nanoplates is investigated based on the nonlocal theory and Kirchhoff plate theory. The MEE nanoplate is assumed as all edges simply supported rectan gular plate subjected to the biaxial force, external electric potential, external magnetic potential, and temperature rise. By using the Hamilton＇s principle, the governing equations and boundary conditions are derived and then solved analytically to obtain the natural frequencies of MEE nanoplates. A parametric study is presented to examine the effect of the nonlocal parameter, thermo-magneto-electro-mechanical loadings and aspect ratio on the vibration characteristics of MEE nanoplates. It is found that the natural frequency is quite sensitive to the mechanical loading, electric loading and magnetic loading, while it is insensitive to the thermal loading.

Nonlocal vibration and buckling of two-dimensional layered quasicrystal nanoplates embedded in an elastic medium

A mathematical model for nonlocal vibration and buckling of embedded two-dimensional(2 D) decagonal quasicrystal(QC) layered nanoplates is proposed. The Pasternak-type foundation is used to simulate the interaction between the nanoplates and the elastic medium. The exact solutions of the nonlocal vibration frequency and buckling critical load of the 2 D decagonal QC layered nanoplates are obtained by solving the eigensystem and using the propagator matrix method. The present three-dimensional(3 D) exact solution can predict correctly the nature frequencies and critical loads of the nanoplates as compared with previous thin-plate and medium-thick-plate theories.Numerical examples are provided to display the effects of the quasiperiodic direction,length-to-width ratio, thickness of the nanoplates, nonlocal parameter, stacking sequence,and medium elasticity on the vibration frequency and critical buckling load of the 2 D decagonal QC nanoplates. The results show that the effects of the quasiperiodic direction on the vibration frequency and critical buckling load depend on the length-to-width ratio of the nanoplates. The thickness of the nanoplate and the elasticity of the surrounding medium can be adjusted for optimal frequency and critical buckling load of the nanoplate.This feature is useful since the frequency and critical buckling load of the 2 D decagonal QCs as coating materials of plate structures can now be tuned as one desire.

EBSD characterization of Al7075/graphene nanoplates/carbon nanotubes composites processed through post-deformation annealing

The effects of the post-deformation annealing on the microstructural evolution of hot rolled Al7075 matrix composites reinforced with CNTs and GNPs were investigated.The multi-pass hot rolling was applied on the stir cast samples.Annealing was then applied to the composites at 450℃ for 4 h.Microstructural evolution was examined by SEM,EDS,and EBSD techniques.EBSD data showed that the addition of 0.87 vol.%(GNPs+CNTs)significantly inhibited the occurrence of recrystallization.Also,in the composite with 0.96 vol.%CNTs,recrystallization was partially inhibited.Whereas,in composites with 0.92 vol.%of GNPs,the occurrence of recrystallization through particle stimulated nucleation(PSN)mechanism was significantly accelerated.The volume fraction of recrystallized grains depends significantly on the occurrence of PSN in the presence of reinforcements.The intensity and type of the main components of the texture as well as the FCC fibers depend on the type of reinforcement.

In-situ transformation of Bi_2WO_6 to highly photoreactive Bi_2WO_6@Bi_2S_3 nanoplate via ion exchange

As a two dimensional(2D)visible‐light‐responsive semiconductor photocatalyst,the photoreactivity of Bi2WO6 is not high enough for practical application owing to its limited response to visible light and rapid recombination of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs.In this paper,2D core‐shell structured Bi2WO6@Bi2S3 nanoplates were prepared by calcination of a mixture of Bi2WO6(1.3 g)and a certain amount of Na2S·9H2O(0–3.0 g)at 350°C for 2 h.The reactivity of the resulting photocatalyst materials was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of Brilliant Red X‐3B(X3B),an anionic dye,under visible light irradiation(?>420 nm).As the amount of Na2S·9H2O was increased from 0 to 1.5 g,the degradation rate constant of X3B sharply increased from 0.40×10?3 to 6.6×10?3 min?1.The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6@Bi2S3 was attributed to the photosensitization of Bi2S3,which greatly extended the light‐responsive range from the visible to the NIR,and the formation of a heterojunction,which retarded the recombination rate of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs.However,further increases in the amount of Na2S·9H2O(from 1.5 to 3.0 g)resulted in a decrease of the photocatalytic activity of the Bi2WO6@Bi2S3 nanoplates owing to the formation of a photo‐inactive NaBiS2 layer covering the Bi2WO6 surface.

Improving visible-light-driven photocatalytic NO oxidation over BiOBr nanoplates through tunable oxygen vacancies

In this work,a series of BiOBr nanoplates with oxygen vacancies(OVs)were synthesized by a solvothermal method using a water/ethylene glycol solution.The number of OVs and facets of BiOBr were tuned by changing the water/ethylene glycol ratio.Although the role of OVs in photocatalysis has been investigated,the underlying mechanisms of charge transfer and reactant activation remain unknown.To unravel the effect of OVs on the reactant activation and photocatalytic NO oxidation process,in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy,so‐called DRIFTS,and theoretical calculations were performed and their results combined.The photocatalytic efficiency of the as‐prepared BiOBr was significantly increased by increasing the amount of OVs.The oxygen vacancies had several effects on the photocatalysts,including the introduction of intermediate energy levels that enhanced light absorption,promoted electron transfer,acted as active sites for catalytic reaction and the activation of oxygen molecules,and facilitated the conversion of the intermediate products to the final product,thus increasing the overall visible light photocatalysis efficiency.The present work provides new insights into the understanding of the role of OVs in photocatalysts and the mechanism of photocatalytic NO oxidation.

Investigation of in situ Growth of SrMoO_4 Nanoplates by Microcalorimetry

SrMoO4 nanoplates were synthesized by a facile reverse microemulsion method at room temperature.Energy evolution of this in situ growth process was monitored by means of a microcalorimeter.A sharp exothermic peak for the initial reaction and two discontinuous relatively weak exothermic peaks for the subsequent crystal growth emerged on the microcalorimetric heat flow curve.Based on the in situ thermokinetic data,the rate constants of the nucleation process and crystallization process at 298.15 K were calculated to be 4.078×10-3 and 5.033×10-4 s-1,respectively.The growth mechanism and energy evolution were investigated.

Buckling and post-buckling analyses of size-dependent piezoelectric nanoplates

This paper attempts to investigate the buckling and post-buckling behaviors of piezoelectric nanoplate based on the nonlocal Mindlin plate model and yon Karman geometric nonlinearity. An external electric voltage and a uniform temperature rise are applied on the piezoelectric nanoplate. Both the uniaxial and biaxial mechanical compression forces will be considered in the buckling and post-buckling analysis. By substituting the energy functions into the equation of the minimum total potential energy principle, the governing equations are derived directly, and then discretized through the differential quadrature （DQ） method. The buckling and post-buckling responses of piezoelectric nanoplates are calculated by employing a direct iterative method under different boundary conditions. The numerical results are presented to show the influences of different factors including the nonlocal parameter, electric voltage, and temperature rise on the buckling and post-buckling responses.

Surface elemental distribution effect of Pt-Pb hexagonal nanoplates for electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction

Bimetallic Pt-based catalysts have been extensively investigated to enhance the performance of direct methanol fuel cells(DMFCs) because CO, a by-product, reduces the activity of the pure Pt catalysts. Herein, we synthesized Pt-Pb hexagonal nanoplates as a model catalyst for the methanol oxidation reaction(MOR) and further controlled the Pt and Pb distributions on the surface of the nanoplates through acetic acid(HAc) treatment. As a result, we obtained Pt-Pb nanoplates and HAc-treated Pt-Pb nanoplates with homogeneous and heterogeneous distributions of the Pt-Pb alloy surfaces, respectively. We showed that the MOR activity and stability of the Pt-Pb nanoplates improved compared to those of the HAc-treated Pt-Pb nanoplates, mainly due to the enhanced CO tolerance and the modified electronic structure of Pt under the influence of the oxophilic Pb.

Modulating absorption band of triangular silver nanoplates in aqueous solvent and on substrates using tannin as reducing agent

Triangular silver nanoplates in aqueous solvent and on the surface of quartz substrate have been synthesized by seed-mediated growth approach in the presence of tannin.It was found that both the amount of tannin and the small triangular silver nanoplate seeds added to the growth solution are the key factors to modulation absorption band of triangular silver nanoplates.The optical in-plane dipole surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands of these Ag nanoplates can be tuned from 608 nm to 980 nm via tannin deoxidization method.The formation mechanism of triangular silver nanoplates was proposed.The tannin deoxidization method realizes a convenient modulation of the absorption band of Ag nanostructures within the visible near-infrared (IR) region both in aqueous solvent and on substrates under mild conditions.

Study on wave dispersion characteristics of piezoelectric sandwich nanoplates considering surface effects

In this study,the wave propagation properties of piezoelectric sandwich nanoplates deposited on an orthotropic viscoelastic foundation are analyzed by considering the surface effects(SEs).The nanoplates are composed of a composite layer reinforced by graphene and two piezoelectric surface layers.Utilizing the modified Halpin-Tsai model,the material parameters of composite layers are obtained.The displacement field is determined by the sinusoidal shear deformation theory(SSDT).The Euler-Lagrange equation is derived by employing Hamilton’s principle and the constitutive equations of piezoelectric layers considering the SEs.Subsequently,the nonlocal strain gradient theory(NSGT)is used to obtain the equations of motion.Next,the effects of scale parameters,graphene distribution,orthotropic viscoelastic foundation,and SEs on the propagation behavior are numerically examined.The results reveal that the wave frequency is a periodic function of the orthotropic angle.Furthermore,the wave frequency increases with the increase in the SEs.

Bending and vibration of two-dimensional decagonal quasicrystal nanoplates via modified couple-stress theory

Based on the modified couple-stress theory,the three-dimensional(3D)bending deformation and vibration responses of simply-supported and multilayered twodimensional(2D)decagonal quasicrystal(QC)nanoplates are investigated.The surface loading is assumed to be applied on the top surface in the bending analysis,the tractionfree boundary conditions on both the top and bottom surfaces of the nanoplates are used in the free vibration analysis,and a harmonic concentrated point loading is applied on the top surfaces of the nanoplates in the harmonic response analysis.The general solutions of the extended displacement and traction vectors for the homogeneous QC nanoplates are derived by solving the eigenvalue problem reduced from the final governing equations of motion with the modified couple-stress effect.By utilizing the propagator matrix method,the analytical solutions of the displacements of bending deformation for the phonon and phason fields,the natural frequency of free vibration,and the displacements of the harmonic responses of the phonon and phason fields are obtained.Numerical examples are illustrated to show the effects of the quasiperiodic direction,the material length scale parameter,and the the stacking sequence of the nanoplates on the bending deformation and vibration responses of two sandwich nanoplates made of QC and crystal materials.

Growth and Stabilization of Silver Nanoplates in Aqueous Solvent Monitored Through UV-Vis Spectra

Sliver nanoplates were prepared through a visible light induced reduction process by a reaction between sodium citrate and silver nitrate in an aqueous solvent at room temperature. UV-Vis spectra were employed to monitor the growth of the silver nanoplates. The resulting spectra indicated that, at an early stage, the products were spherical particles with planar nanoparticles appearing and growing subsequently. In the last stages of the process, some spherical particles were consumed by the growth of the nanoparticles, through an Ostwald ripening mechanism. Furthermore, it was found that the addition of either Poly（Vinyl Pyrrolidone） （PVP） or excessive citrate could stabilize the colloidal system effectively, and that rigorous stirring was necessary for the anticipant products, Introduction of a large quantities of sodium hydroxide can dramatically accelerate the reactive rate of the photoreduction process.

On the Out-of-Plane Vibration of Rotating Circular Nanoplates

A rotating axisymmetric circular nanoplate is modeled by the Mindlin plate theory.The Mindlin plate theory incorporates the nonlocal scale and strain gradient effects.The shear deformation of the circular nanoplate is considered and the nonlocal strain gradient theory is utilized to derive the governing differential equation of motion that describes the out-of-plane free vibration behaviors of the nanoplate.The differential quadrature method is used to solve the governing equation numerically,and the natural frequencies of the out-of-plane vibration of rotating nanoplates are obtained accordingly.Two kinds of boundary conditions are commonly used in practical engineering,namely the fixed and simply supported constraints,and are considered in numerical examples.The variations of natural frequencies with respect to the thickness to radius ratio,the angular velocity,the nonlocal characteristic scale and the material characteristic scale are analyzed in detail.In particular,the critical angular velocity that measures whether the rotating circular nanoplate is stable or not is obtained numerically.The presented study has reference significance for the dynamic design and control of rotating circular nanostructures in current nano-technologies and nano-devices.

Controllable Biosynthesis and Properties of Gold Nanoplates Using Yeast Extract

Biosynthesis of gold nanostructures has drawn increasing concerns because of its green and sustainable synthetic process. However, biosynthesis of gold nanoplates is still a challenge because of the expensive source and difficulties of controllable formation of morphology and size. Herein, one-pot biosynthesis of gold nanoplates is proposed, in which cheap yeast was extracted as a green precursor. The morphologies and sizes of the gold nanostructures can be controlled via varying the pH value of the biomedium. In acid condition, gold nanoplates with side length from 1300 ± 200 to 300 ± 100 nm and height from 18 to 15 nm were obtained by increasing the pH value. Whereas, in neutral or basic condition, only gold nanoflowers and nanoparticles were obtained. It was determined that organic molecules, such as succinic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, and glutathione, which are generated in metabolism process, played important role in the reduction of gold ions. Besides, it was found that the gold nanoplates exhibited plasmonic property with prominent dipole infrared resonance in near-infrared region, indicating their potential in surface plasmon-enhanced applications, such as bioimaging and photothermal therapy.