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Nanomaterials
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Current Research in Nanocrystals and Their Implications for Electrochemical Energy...
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Current Research in Nanocrystals and Their Implications for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Conversion, and Optoelectronic Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanophotonics Materials and Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 12 September 2025 | Viewed by 3024

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Atanu Jana

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Physics and Semiconductor, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, Republic of Korea
Interests: fluorescent nanomaterials; light-emitting diodes; X-ray scintillator and detector; X-ray imaging; thermally activated delayed fluorescence; circularly polarized luminescence; energy conversion and storage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tarak Nath Mandal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu 603203, India
Interests: photoactive nanomaterials; perovskite nanocrystals; perovskite nanocomposites; porous materials; solar energy convesion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Aleksey Yekimov highlights the transformative impact of nanocrystals in science and technology. The advancement of nanocrystals has marked a significant milestone in the realm of materials science, heralding transformative possibilities across various technological sectors. This Special Issue explores the latest research on the synthesis, characterization, and application of nanocrystals, highlighting their crucial roles in electrochemical energy storage and conversion, as well as optoelectronic applications.

Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion:

Nanocrystals exhibit unique electrical, optical, and chemical properties that are advantageous for electrochemical applications. Their high surface area-to-volume ratio, tunable electronic properties, and enhanced ionic conductivity make them ideal candidates for next-generation energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors. This Issue explores innovations in nanocrystal-based materials that offer improved energy density, charge/discharge rates, and cycling stability. Moreover, the role of nanocrystals in catalytic processes, crucial for energy conversion technologies such as fuel cells and electrolyzers, is examined, highlighting advancements that enhance efficiency and sustainability.

Optoelectronic Applications:

In the realm of optoelectronics, nanocrystals are pivotal due to their size-dependent optical properties, which can be finely tuned through quantum confinement effects. This Special Issue features cutting-edge research on nanocrystal applications in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), photovoltaic cells, and photodetectors. The integration of nanocrystals into these devices promises significant improvements in performance, including increased brightness, higher conversion efficiencies, and greater sensitivity. The potential of nanocrystals to revolutionize display technologies and enable new forms of photonic devices is also explored.

Key Highlights:

(i) Advanced synthesis techniques for high-quality nanocrystals with controlled size, shape, and surface properties;

(ii) Novel strategies to enhance the performance and stability of nanocrystal-based energy storage systems;

(iii) Breakthroughs in nanocrystal catalysis for efficient electrochemical energy conversion;

(iv) Innovations in optoelectronic devices leveraging the unique properties of nanocrystals;

(v) Theoretical insights and computational models that deepen the understanding of nanocrystal behavior and guide experimental efforts.

This Special Issue aims to offer a thorough overview of the latest research trends, technological advancements, and future directions in the field of nanocrystals. By bridging fundamental science and practical applications, it seeks to inspire further innovation and collaboration among researchers, paving the way for the next generation of energy and optoelectronic technologies. We look forward to receiving your contributions and contributing to the discourse on this transformative topic.

Dr. Atanu Jana
Dr. Tarak Nath Mandal
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 2400 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

  • nanocrystals
  • energy conversion and storage
  • optoelectronics
  • device fabrication
  • materials engineering
  • water-splitting
  • supercapacitor
  • battery
  • solar cells
  • light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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13 pages, 3544 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Catalytic Activity of CuO@CuS Core–Shell Structure for Highly Efficient HER Application
by Abu Talha Aqueel Ahmed, Sangeun Cho, Hyunsik Im and Atanu Jana
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(23), 1941; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14231941 - 3 Dec 2024
Viewed by 964
Abstract
Using electrocatalytic water reduction to produce hydrogen fuel offers significant potential for clean energy, yet its large-scale adoption depends on developing cost-effective, non-precious, and efficient catalysts to replace expensive Pt-based state-of-the-art HER catalysts. The catalytic HER performance of an active catalyst largely depends [...] Read more.
Using electrocatalytic water reduction to produce hydrogen fuel offers significant potential for clean energy, yet its large-scale adoption depends on developing cost-effective, non-precious, and efficient catalysts to replace expensive Pt-based state-of-the-art HER catalysts. The catalytic HER performance of an active catalyst largely depends on the available catalytic active sites, conductivity, and intrinsic electrochemical kinetics, all of which can be altered by incorporating a heteroatom into the active catalyst structure. Herein, we synthesized a unique nitrogen-doped CuO@CuS (NCOS) core–shell-structured catalyst through a facile hydrothermal process followed by an efficacious nitrogenation process, and its electrochemical performance for the HER was systematically analyzed. The NCOS core–shell-structured catalyst exhibits a reduced overpotential (55 mV) and Tafel slope (107 mV dec−1) compared to the pure CuS (CS; 179 mV and 201 mV dec−1) catalyst at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Moreover, the NCOS core–shell-structured catalyst demonstrates excellent endurance for up to 50 h of chronopotentiometric testing at a driving current density rate of 10 and 100 mA cm−2. This excellent catalytic HER activity is a result of an increased electron transfer rate and a greater number of accessible active sites, attributed to a change in structural properties and the high electronic conductivity aroused from nitrogen incorporation, as evidenced from the TOF and EIS curve analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Nanocrystals and Their Implications for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Conversion, and Optoelectronic Applications)
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12 pages, 2448 KiB  
Article
Highly Efficient CoFeP Nanoparticle Catalysts for Superior Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance
by Abhishek Meena, Abu Talha Aqueel Ahmed, Aditya Narayan Singh, Vijaya Gopalan Sree, Hyunsik Im and Sangeun Cho
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(17), 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14171384 - 24 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1618
Abstract
Developing effective and long-lasting electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for increasing sustainable hydrogen production. This paper describes the production and characterization of CoFeP nanoparticles (CFP NPs) as high-performance electrocatalysts for OER. The CFP NPs were produced using a simple hydrothermal [...] Read more.
Developing effective and long-lasting electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for increasing sustainable hydrogen production. This paper describes the production and characterization of CoFeP nanoparticles (CFP NPs) as high-performance electrocatalysts for OER. The CFP NPs were produced using a simple hydrothermal technique followed by phosphorization, yielding an amorphous/crystalline composite structure with improved electrochemical characteristics. Our results reveal that CFP NPs have a surprisingly low overpotential of 284 mV at a current density of 100 mA cm−2, greatly exceeding the precursor CoFe oxide/hydroxide (CFO NPs) and the commercial RuO2 catalyst. Furthermore, CFP NPs demonstrate exceptional stability, retaining a constant performance after 70 h of continuous operation. Post-OER characterization analysis revealed transformations in the catalyst, including the formation of cobalt–iron oxides/oxyhydroxides. Despite these changes, CFP NPs showed superior long-term stability compared to native metal oxides/oxyhydroxides, likely due to enhanced surface roughness and increased active sites. This study proposes a viable strategy for designing low-cost, non-precious metal-based OER catalysts, which will help advance sustainable energy technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research in Nanocrystals and Their Implications for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Conversion, and Optoelectronic Applications)
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