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Photoelectric and Catalytic Properties of Nanomaterials and Low-Dimensional Structures

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 14 June 2025 | Viewed by 1401

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, International School of Materials Science and Engineering (ISMSE), Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: ordered porous materials; self-assembly;two-dimensional semiconductor heterojunction; photoelectronic thin film devices; catalyst; energy storage

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore advanced research and innovative developments in the photoelectric and catalytic properties of nanomaterials and low-dimensional structures. Nanomaterials and low-dimensional structures, such as quantum dots, nanowires, and 2D materials, exhibit unique photoelectric and catalytic properties due to their reduced dimensions and enhanced surface-to-volume ratios. These properties are pivotal for applications in energy conversion, storage, sensors, and environmental remediation.

We welcome the submission of articles that address the synthesis, characterization, and application of these materials. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Novel synthesis methods for nanomaterials and low-dimensional structures.
  • The use characterization techniques to probe their photoelectric and catalytic properties.
  • The design and optimization of nanomaterials for improved photoelectric performance in solar cells, LEDs, and photodetectors.
  • Catalytic applications in water splitting, OER/HER/ORR and CO2 reduction, and organic transformations.
  • Theoretical and computational studies that provide insights into the mechanisms governing these properties.

This Special Issue aims to connect researchers from diverse fields to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and advance our understanding of the fundamental and applied aspects of nanomaterials and low-dimensional structures.

Prof. Dr. Yong Liu
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. 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

  • nanomaterials
  • low-dimensional structure
  • photoelectric properties
  • catalytic properties
  • energy conversion

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1759 KiB  
Article
One-Pot Synthesis of Pd@Pt Core-Shell Icosahedron for Efficient Oxygen Reduction
by Zisheng Tang, Dafu Zhao, Xiaoqian Wang, Yanhui Jiao, Manrui Liu, Chengqi Liu, Qi Zhang, Shujing Ren and Yong Liu
Materials 2025, 18(6), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18061279 - 13 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Enhancing the limited utilization and overall yield of Pt-based catalysts is essential for advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology. Herein, we report a facile one-pot method that utilizes TEG as both a solvent and a reductant to efficiently synthesize a Pd@Pt core-shell [...] Read more.
Enhancing the limited utilization and overall yield of Pt-based catalysts is essential for advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell technology. Herein, we report a facile one-pot method that utilizes TEG as both a solvent and a reductant to efficiently synthesize a Pd@Pt core-shell icosahedron. By controlling the surface energy between Pd and Pt precursors, we achieved the formation of Pd@Pt core-shell icosahedra, resulting in a fourfold reduction in reaction time and an eightfold increase in yield. Moreover, the core-shell structures exhibited a significant enhancement in electrocatalytic activity, stability, and Pt utilization efficiency. In comparison to commercial Pt/C, the Pd@Pt core-shell icosahedron exhibited efficient mass activity (MA, 1.54 A mg−1Pt) and specific activity (SA, 2.24 mA cm−2Pt) at 0.9 V (vs. RHE), while demonstrating excellent stability with minimal loss of activity even after 10,000 potential cycles. The Pd@Pt icosahedra configuration integrates the advantages of multiply twinned nanostructures, leading to rich electrochemical active surface sites and fast charge transport, thereby improving its catalytic performance and long-term stability during electrocatalytic reactions. Full article
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12 pages, 4612 KiB  
Article
Molecular Beam Epitaxial Growth and Optical Properties of InN Nanostructures on Large Lattice-Mismatched Substrates
by Rongtao Nie, Yifan Hu, Guoguang Wu, Yapeng Li, Yutong Chen, Haoxin Nie, Xiaoqiu Wang, Mengmeng Ren, Guoxing Li, Yuantao Zhang and Baolin Zhang
Materials 2024, 17(24), 6181; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17246181 - 18 Dec 2024
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Abstract
Narrow-gap InN is a desirable candidate for near-infrared (NIR) optical communication applications. However, the absence of lattice-matched substrates impedes the fabrication of high-quality InN. In this paper, we employed Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) to grow nanostructured InN with distinct growth mechanisms. Morphological and [...] Read more.
Narrow-gap InN is a desirable candidate for near-infrared (NIR) optical communication applications. However, the absence of lattice-matched substrates impedes the fabrication of high-quality InN. In this paper, we employed Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) to grow nanostructured InN with distinct growth mechanisms. Morphological and quality analysis showed that the liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) growth of hexagonal InN nanopillar could be realized by depositing molten In layer on large lattice-mismatched sapphire substrate; nevertheless, InN nanonetworks were formed on nitrided sapphire and GaN substrates through the vapor-solid process under the same conditions. The supersaturated precipitation of InN grains from the molten In layer effectively reduced the defects caused by lattice mismatch and suppressed the introduction of non-stoichiometric metal In in the epitaxial InN. Photoluminescence and electrical characterizations demonstrated that high-carrier concentration InN prepared by vapor-solid mechanism showed much stronger band-filling effect at room temperature, which significantly shifted its PL peak to higher energy. LPE InN displayed the strongest PL intensity and the smallest wavelength shift with increasing temperature from 10 K to 300 K. These results showed enhanced optical properties of InN nanostructures prepared on large lattice mismatch substrates, which will play a crucial role in near-infrared optoelectronic devices. Full article
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