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Advanced Functional Nanostructured Films and Coatings for Energy Applications, 2nd...
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Advanced Functional Nanostructured Films and Coatings for Energy Applications, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 3563

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gianfranco Carotenuto

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Guest Editor
Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB-CNR), National Research Council, Piazzale E. Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, Italy
Interests: functional materials; graphene; nanocomposites; polymer-embedded nanostructures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At present, the topic of energy represents a real emergency for humankind, and therefore must be considered a priority in scientific research. The natural resources of energy are not inexhaustible, and the use of those more immediately accessible (i.e., fossil fuels) is not free of drawbacks such as environmental pollution. Energy is required in any industrial/domestic technology, and, consequently, finding a solution for these energy needs is a matter of universal relevance. Material science plays a key role in this process of renewing the type of energy resources we can exploit. The direct transformation of matter to energy, since it is based on a chemical reaction, inevitably produces byproducts, and therefore always has a high environmental impact. Conversely, the energy transduction (i.e., transformation from one form to another one) is based exclusively on physical phenomena, meaning it does not generate chemical byproducts and could be a technological solution worth studying. Advanced materials surely have a strategic role in this energy transition process. Physical phenomena always occur at interfaces between different solid phases. Interfaces have a key role because their extension only amplifies the physical phenomenon. Finally, surfaces, interfaces, coatings, and thin films will have a significant role in this energy transition. For these reasons, we propose a Special Issue highlighting the overlap among energy-related issues, surface science/technology, and nanostructuration

Dr. Gianfranco Carotenuto
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • advanced energy materials
  • functional materials
  • nanocomposites
  • nanostructured materials
  • smart materials
  • polymeric coatings
  • hybrid coatings

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1981 KiB  
Article
Substrate-Dependent Characteristics of CuSbS2 Solar Absorber Layers Grown by Spray Pyrolysis
by Samaneh Shapouri, Elnaz Irani, Payam Rajabi Kalvani, Stefano Pasini, Gianluca Foti, Antonella Parisini and Alessio Bosio
Coatings 2025, 15(6), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15060683 - 6 Jun 2025
Viewed by 480
Abstract
Copper antimony sulfide (CuSbS2) is an affordable and eco-friendly solar absorber with an optimal bandgap and high absorption coefficient, and it stands out as a promising candidate for thin-film solar cells. This study investigates the effects of indium tin oxide (ITO), [...] Read more.
Copper antimony sulfide (CuSbS2) is an affordable and eco-friendly solar absorber with an optimal bandgap and high absorption coefficient, and it stands out as a promising candidate for thin-film solar cells. This study investigates the effects of indium tin oxide (ITO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), and glass substrates on the microstructural, morphological, and optical properties of CuSbS2 (CAS) layers synthesized via spray pyrolysis. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy analyses revealed that CAS phases formed on ITO and FTO substrates exhibited a phase composition without additional copper phases. However, the CAS layer on glass contained a copper sulfide (CuS) phase, which can be detrimental for solar cell applications. Furthermore, the influences of the substrate morphology and contact angle on the growth mechanisms of CAS layers was examined, highlighting the relationship between the substrate micromorphology and the resultant film characteristics. Advanced image processing techniques applied to Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) images of the substrate surfaces facilitated a comprehensive comparison with the surface characteristics of the CAS films grown on those substrates. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) indicated that CAS layers on ITO possessed larger grains than FTO, whereas those on FTO exhibited lower roughness with a more uniform grain distribution. Notably, the optical properties of the CAS layers correlated strongly with their microstructural and morphological characteristics. This work highlights the critical influence of substrate choice on the growth and characteristics of CAS layers through a comparative analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Nanostructured Films and Coatings for Energy Applications, 2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 2844 KiB  
Article
Solvent Engineering and Molecular Doping Synergistically Boost CsPbIBr2 Solar Cell Efficiency
by Yani Lu, Jinping Ren and Jinke Kang
Coatings 2025, 15(4), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15040448 - 10 Apr 2025
Viewed by 447
Abstract
Perovskite solar cells have garnered significant attention due to their outstanding optoelectronic properties, ease of fabrication, and cost-effectiveness, making them a promising candidate for next-generation photovoltaic technologies. However, CsPbIBr2-based perovskites currently face critical challenges regarding their limited efficiency and relatively poor [...] Read more.
Perovskite solar cells have garnered significant attention due to their outstanding optoelectronic properties, ease of fabrication, and cost-effectiveness, making them a promising candidate for next-generation photovoltaic technologies. However, CsPbIBr2-based perovskites currently face critical challenges regarding their limited efficiency and relatively poor long-term stability, hindering their broader commercial applications. In this study, we systematically investigated the morphological effects induced by different solvents, including dimethylformamide (DMF), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), on the formation and characteristics of lead bromide (PbBr2) complexes. Further optimization was achieved through the innovative incorporation of trimesoyl chloride (TMC) doping into the perovskite precursor solution. The optimized precursor solution was subsequently processed using a spin-coating and annealing method, resulting in high-quality CsPbIBr2 perovskite thin films with improved morphological and optoelectronic properties. The experimental results demonstrated a remarkable enhancement in power conversion efficiency (PCE), with an increase from an initial value of 6.2% up to 10.2%. Furthermore, the optimized CsPbIBr2 solar cells exhibited excellent stability, maintaining over 80% of their initial efficiency after continuous aging for 250 h in ambient air conditions. This study presents an effective strategy for the controlled morphological and compositional engineering of wide-bandgap perovskite materials, providing a significant step forward in the advancement of perovskite photovoltaic technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Nanostructured Films and Coatings for Energy Applications, 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 2359 KiB  
Article
Polyacetylene Prepared by Chemical Dehydration of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)
by Gianfranco Carotenuto and Luigi Nicolais
Coatings 2024, 14(9), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14091216 - 20 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1619
Abstract
Recently, polyacetylene (PA) has been receiving renewed scientific attention due to its electrical properties, potentially useful for energy applications (e.g., fabrication of electrodes for rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors), and unique functional characteristics (e.g., gas trap, oxygen scavenger, EMI shielding, etc.). This chemical compound [...] Read more.
Recently, polyacetylene (PA) has been receiving renewed scientific attention due to its electrical properties, potentially useful for energy applications (e.g., fabrication of electrodes for rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors), and unique functional characteristics (e.g., gas trap, oxygen scavenger, EMI shielding, etc.). This chemical compound can be obtained in the form of polyacetylene–PVOH copolymers simply through the chemical dehydration of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH), which is a very common type of polymer, widely used in packaging and other technological areas. This very inexpensive chemical reaction for the large-scale synthesis of PA/polyvinylenes is investigated by reacting PVOH with sulfuric acid at room temperature. In this process, PVOH, shaped in the form of a film, is dipped in sulfuric acid (i.e., H2SO4 at 95%–97%) and, after complete chemical dehydration, it is mechanically removed from the liquid phase by using a nylon sieve. The reduction process leads to a substantial PVOH film conversion into PA, as demonstrated by infrared spectroscopy (ATR mode). Indeed, the ATR spectrum of the reaction product includes all the characteristic absorption bands of PA. The reaction product is also characterized through the use of UV–Vis spectroscopy in order to evidence the presence in the structure of conjugated carbon–carbon double bonds of various lengths. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis are used to investigate the PA solid-state cis–trans isomerization and thermal stability in air and nitrogen, respectively. XRD is used to verify the polymer amorphous nature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Nanostructured Films and Coatings for Energy Applications, 2nd Edition)
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