A polymeric nanocomposite film, composed of PMMA/PVDF and different amounts of CuO NPs, was successfully prepared using the casting method to enhance its electrical conductivity. Various techniques were employed to investigate their physicochemical properties. The addition of CuO NPs causes a noticeable difference in the intensities and locations of vibrational peaks in all bands, confirming the incorporation of CuO NPs inside the PVDF/PMMA. In addition, the broadening of the peak at 2θ = 20.6° becomes more intense with increasing amounts of CuO NPs, confirming the increase in the amorphous characteristic of PMMA/PVDF incorporated with CuO NPs in comparison with PMMA/PVDF. Furthermore, the image of the polymeric structure exhibits a smoother shape and interconnection of pore structure associated with spherical particles that agglomerate and give rise to a web-like organization that becomes a matrix. Increasing surface roughness is responsible for an increasing surface area. Moreover, the addition of CuO NPs in the PMMA/PVDF leads to a decrease in the energy band gap, and further increasing the additional amounts of CuO NPs causes the generation of localized states between the valence and conduction bands. Furthermore, the dielectric investigation shows an increase in the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and electric conductivity, which may be an indication of an increase in the degree of disorder that confines the movement of charge carriers and demonstrates the creation of an interconnected percolating chain, enhancing its conductivity values compared with that without the incorporation of a matrix.
Graphitic carbon nitride (G-C3N4) was synthesized through the direct combustion of urea in the air. The CoS-Co2O3/G-C3N4 composite was synthesized via the hydrothermal method of G-C3N4 using cobalt salts. The morphological and chemical structures were determined through XRD, XPS, SEM, and TEM. XRD and XPS analyses confirmed the chemical structure, function groups, and elements percentage of the prepared nanocomposite. SEM measurements illustrated the formation of G-C3N4 sheets, as well as the flower shape of the CoS-Co2O3/G-C3N4 composite, evidenced through the formation of nano appendages over G-C3N4 sheets. TEM confirmed the 2D nanosheets of G-C3N4 with an average width and length of 80 nm and 170 nm, respectively. Two symmetric electrodes for the supercapacitor from the CoS-Co2O3/G-C3N4 composite. Electrochemical measurements were carried out to determine the charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, stability, and impedance of the prepared supercapacitor. The measurements were carried out under acid (0.5 M HCL) and basic (6.0 M NaOH) mediums. The charge and discharge lifetime values in the acid and base medium were 85 and 456 s, respectively. The cyclic voltammetry behavior was rectangular in a base medium for the pseudocapacitance feature. The supercapacitor had 100% stability retention up to 600 cycles; then, the stability decreased to 98.5% after 1000 cycles. The supercapacitor displayed a specific capacitance (CS) of 361 and 92 F/g, and an energy density equal to 28.7 and 30.2 W h kg−1 in the basic and acidic mediums, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the capabilities of supercapacitors to become an alternative solution to batteries, owing to their easy and low-cost manufacturing technique.
Chromium (Cr)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods with wurtzite hexagonal structure were prepared through a thermal decomposition technique. The concentration effect of the Cr doping on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the ZnO nanorods was established by correlating various measurements: transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and several UV-visible studies. The obtained nanorods were investigated as photocatalysts for the photodegradation process of methyl orange (MO), under UV-vis light illumination. Different weights and time intervals were studied. A 99.8% photodegradation of MO was obtained after 100 min in the presence of 1 wt.% Cr III acetate hydroxide and zinc acetate dehydrate “ZnO-Cr1”. The kinetic rate constant of the reaction was found to be equal to 4.451 × 10−2 min−1 via a pseudo-first order rate model. Scavenger radicals demonstrated the domination of radicals by those of superoxide species during the photodegradation. The interstitial oxygen site Oi is proposed to play a key role in the generation of holes in the valence band under visible irradiation. The ZnO-Cr1 photocatalyst displayed good cycling stability and reusability.
Magnesium-doped zinc oxide “ZnO:Mg” nanocrystals (NCs) were fabricated using a sol gel method. The Mg concentration impact on the structural, morphological, electrical, and dielectric characteristics of ZnO:Mg NCs were inspected. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns display the hexagonal wurtzite structure without any additional phase. TEM images revealed the nanometric size of the particles with a spherical-like shape. The electrical conductivity of the ZnO NCs, thermally activated, was found to be dependent on the Mg content. The impedance spectra were represented via a corresponding circuit formed by a resistor and constant phase element (CPE). A non-Debye type relaxation was located through the analyses of the complex impedance. The conductivity diminished with the incorporation of the Mg element. The AC conductivity is reduced by raising the temperature. Its plot obeys the Arrhenius law demonstrating a single activation energy during the conduction process. The complex impedance highlighted the existence of a Debye-type dielectric dispersion. The various ZnO:Mg samples demonstrate high values of dielectric constant with small dielectric losses for both medium and high-frequency regions. Interestingly, the Mg doping with 3% content exhibits colossal dielectric constant (more than 2 × 104) over wide temperature and frequency ranges, with Debye-like relaxation. The study of the electrical modulus versus the frequency and at different temperatures confirms the non-Debye relaxation. The obtained results reveal the importance of the ZnO:Mg NCs for device applications. This encourages their application in energy storage.
Graphitic carbon nitride (G-C3N4) and NiS-NiO/G-C3N4 nanocomposite have been synthesized via combustion and hydrothermal techniques, respectively. The chemical and morphological properties of these materials were confirmed using different analytical methods. SEM confirms the formation of G-C3N4 sheets containing additional petal-like shapes of NiS-NiO nanoparticles. The electrochemical testing of NiS-NiO/G-C3N4 symmetric supercapacitors is carried out from 0.6 M HCl electrolyte. Such testing includes charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, impedance, and supercapacitor stability. The charge/discharge time reaches 790 s at 0.3 A/g, while the cyclic voltammetry curve forms under a high surface area. The produced specific capacitance (CS) and energy density values are 766 F/g and 23.55 W.h.kg−1, correspondingly.
MoO3 thin films are fabricated using nebulizer spray pyrolysis technique, which is doped with Fe at various concentrations of 1, 2, 3, and 4% for ammonia gas sensors application at room temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirms the growth of the crystal by Fe doping up to 3%, nano rods shape morphology of the thin film samples observed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), reduction in bandgap is evidenced via UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Gas sensing study is performed using gas analyzing chamber attached with Keithley source meter. Since 3% Fe doped MoO3 sample displayed nano rods over the film surface which exhibits highest sensitivity of 38,500%, in a short period of raise and decay time 54 and 6 s. Our findings confirms that the 3% Fe doped MoO3 films suitability for ammonia gas sensing application.