Nanomaterials and 2D Materials Based on Semiconductors and Metals

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "2D and Carbon Nanomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 August 2023) | Viewed by 8581

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
URT LAB SENS, Beyond Nano—CNR, c/o Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 5, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: nanomaterials; Si nanostructures; luminescence; sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Physics and Astronomy “E. Majorana”, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: nanowires; nanostructures; 2D materials; optoelectronics; microelectronics; sensors; fractals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Novel results on nanomaterials and 2D materials of semiconductors and metals are pushing the realization of advanced devices for nanoelectronics, photonics, and sensors. This Special Issue will focus on aspects of nanotechnology associated with different types of nanomaterials, 2D materials, and their composites. Different issues relevant to low-dimensional structures, such as nanowires, nanotubes, 2D flakes and films, nanocrystals, and nanopores, are topics that will potentially be covered. This Special Issue includes all fabrication approaches that can be used to engineer matter at the micro-/nanoscale such as (but not limited to): lithography, reactive ion etching, physical and chemical vapor deposition, dry and wet etching, physical exfoliation, and other different routes for nanofabrication. Moreover, defect engineering and characterization with regard to the impact of crystal quality on the properties of electronic and photonic devices are topics of this Special Issue.

The photonics, microelectronics, and sensing applications of synthesized nanomaterials and 2D materials are interesting topics in this Special Issue. Photonic devices such as detectors, light-emitting sources, waveguides, and optical modulators as well as heterojunction, MOSFET and other transistor devices are included. Another research interest is the application of nanomaterials in the field of biological and chemical sensing and their impact on sensing performances.

To summarize, this Special Issue of Nanomaterials will attempt to cover the most recent advances in the fabrication of nanomaterials and 2D materials as building blocks of novel devices for photonics, electronics, and sensing and how their morphological and structural properties are related to device performance.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:
  • The fabrication and characterization of several nanostructures, 2D materials, nanodevices, and nanosensors;
  • Nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, 2D materials, and nanocluster synthesis and characterization;
  • Carrier transport in nanodevices;
  • Optoelectronic materials and nanodevices using Si-based heterostructures and other different types of nanostructures;
  • Defect characterization and engineering;
  • Integration of photonics with Si CMOS technology;
  • Strain band-gap engineering and carrier transport in CMOS;
  • Si-based waveguide technology and nanodevices;
  • Light-emitting devices, detectors, waveguides, and optical modulators;
  • Luminescence in nanostructure-based materials;
  • Integrated waveguide sensing;
  • Nanomaterials for life science applications;
  • Nanoscale biosensors;
  • Rare earth doping of Si nanostructures;
  • Sensors based on Surface Enhancement Raman Scattering;
  • Plasmonic effect;
  • Antibacterial nanomaterial platform;
  • Environmental sensing.

Dr. Alessia Irrera
Dr. Antonio Alessio Leonardi
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. Nanomaterials 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 2900 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

  • nanotechnology
  • nanomaterials
  • 2D materials
  • photonics
  • sensors
  • junctions
  • semiconductors
  • metals

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 7891 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Sunlight-Powered Photocatalysis and Methanol Oxidation Activities of Co3O4-Embedded Polymeric Carbon Nitride Nanostructures
by Surya Veerendra Prabhakar Vattikuti, J. Pundareekam Goud, P. Rosaiah, P. Reddy Prasad, Ammar M. Tighezza and Jaesool Shim
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(18), 2508; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13182508 - 06 Sep 2023
Viewed by 689
Abstract
The contamination of water by organic substances poses a significant global challenge. To address these pressing environmental and energy concerns, this study emphasizes the importance of developing effective photocatalysts powered by sunlight. In this research, we achieved the successful synthesis of a novel [...] Read more.
The contamination of water by organic substances poses a significant global challenge. To address these pressing environmental and energy concerns, this study emphasizes the importance of developing effective photocatalysts powered by sunlight. In this research, we achieved the successful synthesis of a novel photocatalyst comprised of polymeric carbon nitride (CN) nanosheets embedded with Co3O4 material, denoted as CN-CO. The synthesis process involved subjecting the mixture to 500 °C for 10 h in a muffle furnace. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed the formation of CN-CO nanostructures, which exhibited remarkable enhancements in photocatalytic activity for the removal of methylene blue (MB) pollutants under replicated sunlight. After 90 min of exposure, the degradation rate reached an impressive 98.9%, surpassing the degradation rates of 62.3% for pure CN and 89.32% for pure Co3O4 during the same time period. This significant improvement can be attributed to the exceptional light captivation capabilities and efficient charge separation abilities of the CN-CO nanostructures. Furthermore, the CN-CO nanostructures demonstrated impressive photocurrent density-time (j-t) activity under sunlight, with a photocurrent density of 2.51 μA/cm2 at 0.5 V. The CN-CO nanostructure exhibited excellent methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity with the highest current density of 83.71 mA/cm2 at an optimal 2 M methanol concentration, benefiting from the synergy effects of CN and CO in the nanostructure. Overall, this study presents a straightforward and effective method for producing CN-based photocatalysts decorated with semiconductor nanosized materials. The outcomes of this research shed light on the design of nanostructures for energy-related applications, while also providing insights into the development of efficient photocatalytic materials for addressing environmental challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and 2D Materials Based on Semiconductors and Metals)
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11 pages, 3280 KiB  
Article
Temperature-Dependent Phonon Scattering and Photoluminescence in Vertical MoS2/WSe2 Heterostructures
by Wajid Ali, Ye Liu, Ming Huang, Yunfei Xie and Ziwei Li
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(16), 2349; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13162349 - 16 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1285
Abstract
Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers and their heterostructures have attracted considerable attention due to their distinct properties. In this work, we performed a systematic investigation of MoS2/WSe2 heterostructures, focusing on their temperature-dependent Raman and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics in the range [...] Read more.
Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers and their heterostructures have attracted considerable attention due to their distinct properties. In this work, we performed a systematic investigation of MoS2/WSe2 heterostructures, focusing on their temperature-dependent Raman and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics in the range of 79 to 473 K. Our Raman analysis revealed that both the longitudinal and transverse modes of the heterostructure exhibit linear shifts towards low frequencies with increasing temperatures. The peak position and intensity of PL spectra also showed pronounced temperature dependency. The activation energy of thermal-quenching-induced PL emissions was estimated as 61.5 meV and 82.6 meV for WSe2 and MoS2, respectively. Additionally, we observed that the spectral full width at half maximum (FWHM) of Raman and PL peaks increases as the temperature increases, and these broadenings can be attributed to the phonon interaction and the expansion of the heterostructure’s thermal coefficients. This work provides valuable insights into the interlayer coupling of van der Waals heterostructures, which is essential for understanding their potential applications in extreme temperatures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and 2D Materials Based on Semiconductors and Metals)
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11 pages, 2631 KiB  
Article
Bismuth Sulfide Doped in Graphitic Carbon Nitride Degrades Nitric Oxide under Solar Irradiation
by Adnan Hussain, Chitsan Lin, Nicholas Kiprotich Cheruiyot, Wen-Yen Huang, Kuen-Song Lin and Abrar Hussain
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(19), 3482; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12193482 - 05 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1801
Abstract
This study developed and examined the application of bismuth sulfide doped on graphitic carbon nitride (Bi2S3@g-C3N4) in the degradation of NO under solar irradiation. Bi2S3@g-C3N4 was prepared through [...] Read more.
This study developed and examined the application of bismuth sulfide doped on graphitic carbon nitride (Bi2S3@g-C3N4) in the degradation of NO under solar irradiation. Bi2S3@g-C3N4 was prepared through the calcination method. The morphological structure and chemical properties of the synthesized photocatalyst were analyzed before the degradation tests. After doping with Bi2S3@g-C3N4, the bandgap was reduced to 2.76 eV, which increased the absorption of solar light. As a result, the Bi2S3@g-C3N4 achieved higher NO degradation (55%) compared to pure Bi2S3 (35%) and g-C3N4 (45%). The trapping test revealed that the electrons were the primary species responsible for most of the NO degradation. The photocatalyst was stable under repeated solar irradiation, maintaining degradation efficiencies of 50% after five consecutive recycling tests. The present work offers strong evidence that Bi2S3@g-C3N4 is a stable and efficient catalyst for the photocatalytic oxidation of NO over solar irradiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and 2D Materials Based on Semiconductors and Metals)
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15 pages, 3412 KiB  
Article
Molecular Fingerprinting of the Omicron Variant Genome of SARS-CoV-2 by SERS Spectroscopy
by Antonio Alessio Leonardi, Emanuele Luigi Sciuto, Maria Josè Lo Faro, Dario Morganti, Angelina Midiri, Corrado Spinella, Sabrina Conoci, Alessia Irrera and Barbara Fazio
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(13), 2134; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12132134 - 21 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2151
Abstract
The continuing accumulation of mutations in the RNA genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus generates an endless succession of highly contagious variants that cause concern around the world due to their antibody resistance and the failure of current diagnostic techniques to detect them in [...] Read more.
The continuing accumulation of mutations in the RNA genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus generates an endless succession of highly contagious variants that cause concern around the world due to their antibody resistance and the failure of current diagnostic techniques to detect them in a timely manner. Raman spectroscopy represents a promising alternative to variants detection and recognition techniques, thanks to its ability to provide a characteristic spectral fingerprint of the biological samples examined under all circumstances. In this work we exploit the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties of a silver dendrite layer to explore, for the first time to our knowledge, the distinctive features of the Omicron variant genome. We obtain a complex spectral signal of the Omicron variant genome where the fingerprints of nucleobases in nucleosides are clearly unveiled and assigned in detail. Furthermore, the fractal SERS layer offers the presence of confined spatial regions in which the analyte remains trapped under hydration conditions. This opens up the prospects for a prompt spectral identification of the genome in its physiological habitat and for a study on its activity and variability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and 2D Materials Based on Semiconductors and Metals)
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Review

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34 pages, 3563 KiB  
Review
A Review on Montmorillonite-Based Nanoantimicrobials: State of the Art
by Syed Imdadul Hossain, Ekaterina A. Kukushkina, Margherita Izzi, Maria Chiara Sportelli, Rosaria Anna Picca, Nicoletta Ditaranto and Nicola Cioffi
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(5), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13050848 - 24 Feb 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2162
Abstract
One of the crucial challenges of our time is to effectively use metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) as an alternative way to combat drug-resistant infections. Metal and metal oxide NPs such as Ag, Ag2O, Cu, Cu2O, CuO, and [...] Read more.
One of the crucial challenges of our time is to effectively use metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) as an alternative way to combat drug-resistant infections. Metal and metal oxide NPs such as Ag, Ag2O, Cu, Cu2O, CuO, and ZnO have found their way against antimicrobial resistance. However, they also suffer from several limitations ranging from toxicity issues to resistance mechanisms by complex structures of bacterial communities, so-called biofilms. In this regard, scientists are urgently looking for convenient approaches to develop heterostructure synergistic nanocomposites which could overcome toxicity issues, enhance antimicrobial activity, improve thermal and mechanical stability, and increase shelf life. These nanocomposites provide a controlled release of bioactive substances into the surrounding medium, are cost effective, reproducible, and scalable for real life applications such as food additives, nanoantimicrobial coating in food technology, food preservation, optical limiters, the bio medical field, and wastewater treatment application. Naturally abundant and non-toxic Montmorillonite (MMT) is a novel support to accommodate NPs, due to its negative surface charge and control release of NPs and ions. At the time of this review, around 250 articles have been published focusing on the incorporation of Ag-, Cu-, and ZnO-based NPs into MMT support and thus furthering their introduction into polymer matrix composites dominantly used for antimicrobial application. Therefore, it is highly relevant to report a comprehensive review of Ag-, Cu-, and ZnO-modified MMT. This review provides a comprehensive overview of MMT-based nanoantimicrobials, particularly dealing with preparation methods, materials characterization, and mechanisms of action, antimicrobial activity on different bacterial strains, real life applications, and environmental and toxicity issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials and 2D Materials Based on Semiconductors and Metals)
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