MnO_(2) cathode materials with the improved stability via nitrogen doping for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

The research and exploration of manganese-based aqueous zinc-ion batteries have been controversial of cycle stability and mechanism investigation,thus improving the stability and exploring storage mechanism are still the most main issue.Defect engineering has become an effective method to improve cycle stability.Herein,a nitrogen-doped ε-MnO_(2)(MnO_(2)@N)has been prepared using electrochemical deposition and heat treatment under nitrogen atmosphere.As the cathode for zinc-ion batteries,the capacity retention rate of MnO_(2)@N cathode is close to 100%after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g^(-1),while the capacity retention rate for the initial MnO_(2) cathode is 62%.At 5 A g^(-1),the capacity retention rate of MnO_(2)@N cathode is 83%after 1000 cycles,which is much higher than the 27%capacity retention rate for the original MnO_(2) cathode.And it can be found that the oxygen vacancies increase after nitrogen doping,which can improve the conductivity of the MnO_(2)@N cathode.Also,there is Mn-N bond in MnO_(2)@N,which can enhance the electrochemical stability of MnO_(2)@N cathode.In addition,the electrochemical mechanism of MnO_(2)@N cathode has been explored by the CV,GCD and GITT tests.It is found that nitrogen doping promotes the intercalation of H^(+) and the corresponding capacity contribution.Compared with the original MnO_(2) cathode,the diffusion coefficient of H^(+) and Zn^(2+) in MnO_(2)@N cathode increases.Also,the reactions during the charging and discharging process are explored through the ex-situ XRD test.And this work may provide some new ideas for improving the stability of manganese-based zinc-ion batteries.

The effect of Mn-doped ZnSe passivation layer on the performance of CdS/CdSe quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

ZnSe as a surface passivation layer in quantum dot-sensitized solar cells plays an important role in preventing charge recombination and thus improves the power conversion efficiency(PCE).However, as a wide bandgap semiconductor, ZnSe cannot efficiently absorb and convert long-wavelength light.Doping transition metal ions into ZnSe semiconductors is an effective way to adjust the band gap, such as manganese ions.In this paper, it is found by the method of density functional theory calculation that the valence band of ZnSe moves upward with manganese ions doping, which leads to acceleration of charge separation, wider light absorption range, and enhancing light harvesting.Finally, by using ZnSe doped with manganese ions as the passivation layer, the TiO2/CdS/CdSe co-sensitized solar cell has a PCE of 6.12%, and the PCE of the solar cell increases by 9% compared with the undoped one(5.62%).

长余辉荧光结构层增强CdS/CdSe量子点敏化太阳能电池（英文）

光吸收在提高量子点敏化太阳能电池(QDSSCs)的功率转换效率(PCE)方面起着至关重要的作用.本研究采用简单的刮涂法将多功能长余辉荧光层(LPP)引入到CdS/CdSe QDSSCs中.LPP层不仅可以增强光的捕获,还可以加速CdS/CdSe QDSSCs的电荷转移.因此,LPP层的引入有效地提高了CdS/CdSe QDSSCs的短路电流密度和相应的PCE.当采用橄榄绿荧光层时,PCE高达5.07%,与常规CdS/CdSe QDSSCs(4.08%)的功率转换效率相比,PCE提高了24%.此外,经过一分钟的太阳光照射(AM 1.5G,100 mW cm^-2),由于LPPs的储能特性,太阳能电池可在黑暗中继续工作.本研究不仅为QDSSCs提供了提高PCE的有效方法,而且为全天候QDSSCs的制备提供了可能.