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Nanomaterials
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Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application
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Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 12302

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiangfeng Gong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Science, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
Interests: semiconductor film solar cell; semiconductor nanodevice (field effect transistors and sensors); nano energy materials (supercapacitors and lithium batteries)
Prof. Dr. Min Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
Interests: controllable synthesis and assembly of metal/semiconductor nanocrystals and construction of multifunctional heterogeneous nanostructures; preparation and physicochemical properties of novel quasi-one-dimensional metal-dielectric nanocomposites; design, synthesis, and biosensing properties of complex and graded "artificial crystal" materials
Prof. Dr. Chunmei Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Science, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
Interests: energy storage nanomaterials; environmental nanomaterials; civil engineering nanomaterials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thin film technology is a mature field, encompassing a wide range of applications such as electronics, optical communications, and biosystems. The list of potential applications is practically endless, with an impact in nearly every industrial sector. Many thin film applications are linked to developments in the semiconductor industry, such as thin-film transistors, large-area displays, microelectromechanical/nanoelectromechanical systems, electrochemical energy storage and conversion, planar waveguides, and magnetic data storage.

The present Special Issue of Nanomaterials provides novel insights into nanostructured thin films. It aims to highlight the state of knowledge in the synthesis, characterization, and potential applications of thin films for advanced manufacturing. We invite contributions from leading groups in the field with the aim of providing a balanced view of the current state-of-the-art in this discipline.

Dr. Jiangfeng Gong
Prof. Dr. Min Han
Prof. Dr. Chunmei Tang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • magnetoelectric heterostructures
  • photovoltaics
  • electrical insulator
  • functional thin films
  • advanced thin-film batteries
  • advanced thin-film supercapacitors
  • synthesis, characterization, modification, and devices

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2924 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Metallic CoS-Based Supercapacitor by Cathodic Exfoliation
by Ye Tian, Yuxin Ma, Ruijin Sun, Weichao Zhang, Haikun Liu, Hao Liu and Libing Liao
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(8), 1411; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13081411 - 19 Apr 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2355
Abstract
Two-dimensional nanomaterials hold great promise as electrode materials for the construction of excellent electrochemical energy storage and transformation apparatuses. In the study, metallic layered cobalt sulfide was, firstly, applied to the area of energy storage as a supercapacitor electrode. By a facile and [...] Read more.
Two-dimensional nanomaterials hold great promise as electrode materials for the construction of excellent electrochemical energy storage and transformation apparatuses. In the study, metallic layered cobalt sulfide was, firstly, applied to the area of energy storage as a supercapacitor electrode. By a facile and scalable method for cathodic electrochemical exfoliation, metallic layered cobalt sulfide bulk can be exfoliated into high-quality and few-layered nanosheets with size distributions in the micrometer scale range and thickness in the order of several nanometers. With a two-dimensional thin sheet structure of metallic cobalt sulfide nanosheets, not only was a larger active surface area created, but also, the insertion/extraction of ions in the procedure of charge and discharge were enhanced. The exfoliated cobalt sulfide was applied as a supercapacitor electrode with obvious improvement compared with the original sample, and the specific capacitance increased from 307 F∙g−1 to 450 F∙g−1 at the current density of 1 A∙g−1. The capacitance retention rate of exfoliated cobalt sulfide enlarged to 84.7% from the original 81.9% of unexfoliated samples while the current density multiplied by 5 times. Moreover, a button-type asymmetric supercapacitor assembled using exfoliated cobalt sulfide as the positive electrode exhibits a maximum specific energy of 9.4 Wh∙kg−1 at the specific power of 1520 W∙kg−1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application)
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15 pages, 4312 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Structural, Optical and Photoelectrochemical Properties of n−Cu2O Thin Films with K Ions Doping toward Biosensor and Solar Cell Applications
by Mahmoud Abdelfatah, Nourhan Darwesh, Mohamed A. Habib, Omar K. Alduaij, Abdelhamid El-Shaer and Walid Ismail
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(7), 1272; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13071272 - 4 Apr 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2109
Abstract
n-type Cu2O thin films were grown on conductive FTO substrates using a low-cost electrodeposition method. The doping of the n−Cu2O thin films with K ions was well identified using XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX, UV-vis, PL, photocurrent, Mott–Schottky, and EIS [...] Read more.
n-type Cu2O thin films were grown on conductive FTO substrates using a low-cost electrodeposition method. The doping of the n−Cu2O thin films with K ions was well identified using XRD, Raman, SEM, EDX, UV-vis, PL, photocurrent, Mott–Schottky, and EIS measurements. The results of the XRD show the creation of cubic Cu2O polycrystalline and monoclinic CuO, with the crystallite sizes ranging from 55 to 25.2 nm. The Raman analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups corresponding to the Cu2O and CuO in the fabricated samples. Moreover, the samples’ crystallinity and morphology change with the doping concentrations which was confirmed by SEM. The PL results show two characteristic emission peaks at 520 and 690 nm which are due to the interband transitions in the Cu2O as well as the oxygen vacancies in the CuO, respectively. Moreover, the PL strength was quenched at higher doping concentrations which reveals that the dopant K limits e−/h+ pairs recombination by trapped electrons and holes. The optical results show that the absorption edge is positioned between 425 and 460 nm. The computed Eg for the undoped and K−doped n−Cu2O was observed to be between 2.39 and 2.21 eV. The photocurrent measurements displayed that the grown thin films have the characteristic behavior of n-type semiconductors. Furthermore, the photocurrent is enhanced by raising the doped concentration, where the maximum value was achieved with 0.1 M of K ions. The Mott–Schottky measurements revealed that the flat band potential and donor density vary with a doping concentration from −0.87 to −0.71 V and 1.3 × 1017 to 3.2 × 1017 cm−3, respectively. EIS shows that the lowest resistivity to charge transfer (Rct) was attained at a 0.1 M concentration of K ions. The outcomes indicate that doping n−Cu2O thin films are an excellent candidate for biosensor and photovoltaic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application)
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13 pages, 9199 KiB  
Article
Luminescent Amorphous Silicon Oxynitride Systems: High Quantum Efficiencies in the Visible Range
by Pengzhan Zhang, Leng Zhang, Fei Lyu, Danbei Wang, Ling Zhang, Kongpin Wu, Sake Wang and Chunmei Tang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(7), 1269; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13071269 - 3 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1931
Abstract
In recent years, researchers have placed great importance on the use of silicon (Si)-related materials as efficient light sources for the purpose of realizing Si-based monolithic optoelectronic integration. Previous works were mostly focused on Si nanostructured materials, and, so far, exciting results from [...] Read more.
In recent years, researchers have placed great importance on the use of silicon (Si)-related materials as efficient light sources for the purpose of realizing Si-based monolithic optoelectronic integration. Previous works were mostly focused on Si nanostructured materials, and, so far, exciting results from Si-based compounds are still lacking. In this paper, we have systematically demonstrated the high photoluminescence external quantum efficiency (PL EQE) and internal quantum efficiency (PL IQE) of amorphous silicon oxynitride (a-SiNxOy) systems. Within an integration sphere, we directly measured the PL EQE values of a-SiNxOy, which ranged from approximately 2% to 10% in the visible range at room temperature. Then, we calculated the related PL IQE through temperature-dependent PL measurements. The obtained PL IQE values (~84% at 480 nm emission peak wavelength) were very high compared with those of reported Si-based luminescent thin films. We also calculated the temperature-dependent PL EQE values of a-SiNxOy systems, and discussed the related PL mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application)
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12 pages, 5841 KiB  
Article
Dandelion-Like CuCo2O4@ NiMn LDH Core/Shell Nanoflowers for Excellent Battery-Type Supercapacitor
by Wenhua Zhao, Xingliang Xu, Niandu Wu, Xiaodie Zhao and Jiangfeng Gong
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(4), 730; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13040730 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2710
Abstract
Dandelion-like CuCo2O4 nanoflowers (CCO NFs) with ultrathin NiMn layered double hydroxide (LDH) shells were fabricated via a two-step hydrothermal method. The prepared CuCo2O4@NiMn LDH core/shell nanoflowers (CCO@NM LDH NFs) possessed a high specific surface area (~181 [...] Read more.
Dandelion-like CuCo2O4 nanoflowers (CCO NFs) with ultrathin NiMn layered double hydroxide (LDH) shells were fabricated via a two-step hydrothermal method. The prepared CuCo2O4@NiMn LDH core/shell nanoflowers (CCO@NM LDH NFs) possessed a high specific surface area (~181 m2·g−1) with an average pore size of ~256 nm. Herein, the CCO@NM LDH NFs exhibited the typical battery-type electrode material with a specific capacity of 2156.53 F·g−1 at a current density of 1 A·g−1. With the increase in current density, the rate capability retention was 68.3% at a current density of 10 A·g−1. In particular, the 94.6% capacity of CCO@NM LDH NFs remains after 2500 cycles at 5 A·g−1. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) with CCO@NM LDH NFs//activated carbon (AC) demonstrates a remarkable capacitance of 303.11 F·g−1 at 1 A·g−1 with excellent cycling stability. The coupling and synergistic effects of multi-valence transition metals provide a convenient channel for the electrochemical process, which is beneficial to spread widely within the realm of electrochemical energy storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application)
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11 pages, 2185 KiB  
Communication
The Synthesis of Manganese Hydroxide Nanowire Arrays for a High-Performance Zinc-Ion Battery
by Jiangfeng Gong, Bingxin Zhu, Zhupeng Zhang, Yuanyuan Xiang, Chunmei Tang, Qingping Ding and Xiang Wu
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(15), 2514; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12152514 - 22 Jul 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2303
Abstract
The morphology, microstructure as well as the orientation of cathodic materials are the key issues when preparing high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). In this paper, binder-free electrode Mn(OH)2 nanowire arrays were facilely synthesized via electrodeposition. The nanowires were aligned vertically on a [...] Read more.
The morphology, microstructure as well as the orientation of cathodic materials are the key issues when preparing high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). In this paper, binder-free electrode Mn(OH)2 nanowire arrays were facilely synthesized via electrodeposition. The nanowires were aligned vertically on a carbon cloth. The as-prepared Mn(OH)2 nanowire arrays were used as cathode to fabricate rechargeable ZIBs. The vertically aligned configuration is beneficial to electron transport and the free space between the nanowires can provide more ion-diffusion pathways. As a result, Mn(OH)2 nanowire arrays yield a high specific capacitance of 146.3 Ma h g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. They also demonstrates ultra-high diffusion coefficients of 4.5 × 10−8~1.0 × 10−9 cm2 s−1 during charging and 1.0 × 10−9~2.7 × 10−11 cm−2 s−1 during discharging processes, which are one or two orders of magnitude higher than what is reported in the studies. Furthermore, the rechargeable Zn//Mn(OH)2 battery presents a good capacity retention of 61.1% of the initial value after 400 cycles. This study opens a new avenue to boost the electrochemical kinetics for high-performance aqueous ZIBs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Thin Films: From Synthesis to Application)
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