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Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications
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Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical and Photonic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 2726

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cheng Zou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
Interests: micro and nano processing technology of liquid crystal composites and preparation of photoelectric devices; liquid crystal/polymer composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Yanzi Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
Interests: polymer dispersed liquid crystal films with wide temperature range and wide viewing angle for automobile; electric control color changing smart film for camouflage; anti-counterfeiting traceability materials and technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qian Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
Interests: molecular design and preparation of liquid crystal materials; preparation and properties of liquid crystal/nano-composite materials
Dr. Meina Yu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, China
Interests: liquid crystal; polymer; display devices; optics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled “Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications”, aims to collect research on recent advances in material science toward photoelectric applications. At present, photoelectric devices have widespread applications in our daily lives. With the rapid development of application scenarios, the miniaturization, integration, and multi-functionalization of devices are required. Thus, novel functional materials as well as cost-efficient fabrication methods will maintain sustained and rapid development in the coming years. For the following Special Issue, we welcome submissions on any advances concerning the materials and micro/nanotechnology used for the varying types of photoelectric applications. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

Organic or inorganic materials for FETs, solar cells, and LEDs, such as perovskite materials, organic single crystals, conducting polymers, etc.;

Novel applications of functional materials, such as smart sensors, flexible photoelectric devices, wearable/implantable devices, novel displays, dimming films, smart windows, etc.;

Novel fabrication and patterning methods for photoelectric devices, such as 3D printing, lithography, inkjet printing, imprinting technology, etc.

Dr. Cheng Zou
Dr. Yanzi Gao
Dr. Qian Wang
Dr. Meina Yu
Guest Editors

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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • photoelectric applications
  • flexible electronic devices
  • semiconducting materials
  • functional materials
  • patterning

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 4236 KiB  
Article
Capacitance and Dielectric Properties of Spin-Coated Silk Fibroin Thin Films for Bioelectronic Capacitors
by Jongyun Choi, Seung Hun Lee, Taehun Kim, Kyungtaek Min and Sung-Nam Lee
Materials 2025, 18(7), 1408; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071408 - 22 Mar 2025
Viewed by 394
Abstract
Silk fibroin, a biocompatible and flexible biopolymer derived from Bombyx mori silkworms, has shown promise in bioelectronics, due to its adjustable dielectric properties. This study investigates the influence of spin coating parameters on the optical, electrical, and dielectric properties of thin silk fibroin [...] Read more.
Silk fibroin, a biocompatible and flexible biopolymer derived from Bombyx mori silkworms, has shown promise in bioelectronics, due to its adjustable dielectric properties. This study investigates the influence of spin coating parameters on the optical, electrical, and dielectric properties of thin silk fibroin films. Silk fibroin solutions were spin coated onto indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass substrates at speeds ranging from 1000 to 7000 revolutions per minute (RPM), resulting in films with thicknesses that varied from 264.8 nm to 81.9 nm. Atomic force microscopy analysis revealed that the surface roughness remained consistent at approximately 1.5 nm across all the spin coating speeds, while the film thickness decreased with the increasing spin speed. Ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectroscopy showed that the transmittance at 550 nm increased from 81.2% at 1000 RPM to 93.8% at 7000 RPM, and the optical bandgap widened from 3.82 eV at 1000 RPM to 3.92 eV at 7000 RPM, which was attributed to reduced molecular packing and quantum confinement effects. Electrical characterization showed that thinner films (a spin speed of 5000–7000 RPM) exhibited a 15-fold increase in the leakage current, rising from 2.99 pA at 1000 RPM to 44.9 pA at 7000 RPM, and a decrease in resistance from 334 GΩ at 1000 RPM to 22.2 GΩ at 7000 RPM. The capacitance–voltage measurements indicated a 4-fold increase in voltage-dependent capacitance for thinner films, with capacitance values increasing from 36 pF at 1000 RPM to 176 pF at 7000 RPM. Dielectric loss analysis revealed that thinner films experienced higher energy dissipation at low frequencies (tan δ of 0.041 at 0.01 MHz for 7000 RPM), but lower losses at high frequencies (tan δ of 0.123 at 1 MHz for 7000 RPM). These findings emphasize the importance of film thickness control in optimizing the performance of silk fibroin-based bioelectronic devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications)
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11 pages, 3461 KiB  
Article
Effects of Multi-Fluorinated Liquid Crystals with High Refractive Index on the Electro-Optical Properties of Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals
by Yunxiao Ren and Wei Hu
Materials 2025, 18(7), 1406; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18071406 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 312
Abstract
Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) are composite materials, in which LCs are dispersed in the form of microdroplets in a polymer matrix. As a composite material, its electro-optical properties are affected by many factors such as molecular structure, composition, and the microstructure of the [...] Read more.
Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) are composite materials, in which LCs are dispersed in the form of microdroplets in a polymer matrix. As a composite material, its electro-optical properties are affected by many factors such as molecular structure, composition, and the microstructure of the LCs and polymers. In this work, PDLC films were prepared based on the thiol-ene click reaction, and effects of refractive indexes of polymers and LCs on their electro-optical properties were studied. The refractive indexes of the polymer matrix are adjusted by controlling the content of sulfur element, and those of the LCs are adjusted by adding multi-fluorinated LCs with high refractive index. By regulating the refractive indexes of the polymer matrix and LCs, the maximum transmittance of the film is raised and the viewing angle of the film is also extended. This work could afford some ideas for the directional regulation of the viewing angles and the electro-optical properties of the PDLC film. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications)
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13 pages, 9659 KiB  
Article
Highly Efficient Color Tuning of Lithium Niobate Nanostructures on Flexible Substrate
by Weiming Zhang, Shifeng Dai, Fengji Wu, Shifa Pan, Jianzhi Su, Pinghui Wu and Lina Cui
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1006; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051006 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 393
Abstract
Nanostructures based on flexible material are essential for modulating reflected colors by actively changing the unit structure. However, current nanostructures face challenges in achieving active and efficient modulation across a broader spectral range. Here, we propose a stretchable color management method. The structure [...] Read more.
Nanostructures based on flexible material are essential for modulating reflected colors by actively changing the unit structure. However, current nanostructures face challenges in achieving active and efficient modulation across a broader spectral range. Here, we propose a stretchable color management method. The structure consists of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) flexible substrate and cross-shaped lithium niobate (LiNbO3). This study achieves reflection color changes, continuous adjustment, and automatic switching of solar spectrum reflectance by optimizing the geometric structure. It shows that the spectral tuning range is larger, benefiting from the special nanostructures and the stretchability of PDMS, which result in a larger tunable period range and a maximum wavelength shift of nearly 180 nm. Moreover, this unique design has been effectively balanced and optimized to respond to different polarization waves. Finally, the sensing characteristics of the nanostructure are studied through its response to changes in the refractive index (RI). The results demonstrate a method with implications for flexible electronic devices, color generation, and biochemical sensing, contributing to progress in flexible wearable technology and green building. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications)
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12 pages, 2433 KiB  
Article
High-Performance Sol–Gel-Derived CNT-ZnO Nanocomposite-Based Photodetectors with Controlled Surface Wrinkles
by Hee-Jin Kim, Seung Hun Lee, Dabin Jeon and Sung-Nam Lee
Materials 2024, 17(21), 5325; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215325 - 31 Oct 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 965
Abstract
We investigate the effects of incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into sol–gel-derived ZnO thin films to enhance their optoelectronic properties for photodetector applications. ZnO thin films were fabricated on c-plane sapphire substrates with varying CNT concentrations ranging from 0 to 2.0 wt%. Characterization [...] Read more.
We investigate the effects of incorporating single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into sol–gel-derived ZnO thin films to enhance their optoelectronic properties for photodetector applications. ZnO thin films were fabricated on c-plane sapphire substrates with varying CNT concentrations ranging from 0 to 2.0 wt%. Characterization techniques, including high-resolution X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and atomic force microscopy, demonstrated the preferential growth of the ZnO (002) facet and improved optical properties with the increase in the CNT content. Electrical measurements revealed that the optimal CNT concentration of 1.5 wt% resulted in a significant increase in the dark current (from 0.34 mA to 1.7 mA) and peak photocurrent (502.9 µA), along with enhanced photoresponsivity. The rising and falling times of the photocurrent were notably reduced at this concentration, indicating improved charge dynamics due to the formation of a p-CNT/n-ZnO heterojunction. The findings suggest that the incorporation of CNTs not only modifies the structural and optical characteristics of ZnO thin films but also significantly enhances their electrical performance, positioning CNT-ZnO composites as promising candidates for advanced photodetector technologies in optoelectronic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced and Smart Materials in Photoelectric Applications)
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