Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films were potentiostatically deposited on indium tin oxide substrates. The influence of the doping level of the ZnO:Al films was investigated. The results of the X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that the structural properties of the AZO films were found polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite-type structure along the (002) plane. The grain size of the AZO films was observed as approximately 3 lm in the film doping with 4 mol% ZnO:Al concentration. The thin films also exhibited an optical transmittance as high as 90 % in the wavelength range of 100-1,000 nm. The optical band gap increased from 3.33 to 3.45 eV. Based on the Hall studies, the lowest resistivity (4.78 9 10-3 X cm) was observed in the film doping with 3 mol% ZnO:Al concentration. The sheet resistant, carrier concentration and Hall mobility values were found as 10.78 X/ square, 9.03 9 10 18 cm-3 and 22.01 cm 2 /v s, respectively, which showed improvements in the properties of AZO thin films. The ZnO:Al thin films were used as a buffer layer in thin-film solar cells with the structure of soda-lime glass/Mo/Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 /ZnS/ ZnO/Al grid. The best solar cell efficiency was 2.3 % with V OC of 0.430 V, J SC of 8.24 mA cm-2 and FF of 68.1 %.

Regenerative medicine is a field that aims to influence and improvise the processes of tissue repair and restoration and to assist the body to heal and recover. In the field of hard tissue regeneration, bio-inert materials are being predominantly used, and there is a necessity to use bioactive materials that can help in better tissue–implant interactions and facilitate the healing and regeneration process. One such bioactive material that is being focused upon and studied extensively in the past few decades is bioactive glass (BG). The original bioactive glass (45S5) is composed of silicon dioxide, sodium dioxide, calcium oxide, and phosphorus pentoxide and is mainly referred to by its commercial name Bioglass. BG is mainly used for bone tissue regeneration due to its osteoconductivity and osteostimulation properties. The bioactivity of BG, however, is highly dependent on the compositional ratio of certain glass-forming system content. The manipulation of content ratio and the element compositional flexibility of BG-forming network developed other types of bioactive glasses with controllable chemical durability and chemical affinity with bone and bioactivity. This review article mainly discusses the basic information about silica-based bioactive glasses, including their composition, processing, and properties, as well as their medical applications such as in bone regeneration, as bone grafts, and as dental implant coatings.

We report growth of quaternary Cu2 ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin films prepared by the electrochemical deposition from salt precursors containing Cu (II), Zn (II) and Sn (IV) metals. The influence of different sulfurization times t (t = 75, 90, 105, and 120 min) on the structural, compositional, morphological, and optical properties, as well as on the electrical properties is studied. The films sulfurized 2 hours showed a prominent kesterite phase with a nearly stoichiometric composition. Samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Raman and UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer at different stages of work. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy analyses confirmed the formation of phase-pure CZTS films. (FESEM) shows that compact and dense morphology and enhanced photo-sensitivity. STEM - EDS elemental map of CZTS cross-section confirms homogeneous distribution. From optical study, energy gap was enlarged with a changed sulfurization times in the range of 1.37–1.47 eV.

Supercapacitors are energy storage devices with high power density, rapid charge/discharge rate, and excellent cycle stability. Carbon-based supercapacitors are increasingly attracting attention because of their large surface area and high porosity. Carbon-based materials research has been recently centered on biomass-based materials due to the rising need to maintain a sustainable environment. Cellulose and lignin constitute the major components of lignocellulose biomass. Since they are renewable, sustainable, and readily accessible, lignin and cellulose-based supercapacitors are economically viable and environmentally friendly. This review aims to systematically analyze published research findings on electrospun lignin, cellulose, and lignin/cellulose nanofibers for use as supercapacitor electrode materials. A rigorous scientific approach was employed to screen the eligibility of relevant articles to be included in this study. The research questions and the inclusion criteria were clearly defined. The included articles were used to draw up the research framework and develop coherent taxonomy of literature. Taxonomy of research literature generated from the included articles was classified into review papers, electrospun lignin, cellulose, and lignin/cellulose nanofibers for use as supercapacitor electrode materials. Furthermore, challenges, recommendations, and research directions for future studies were equally discussed extensively. Before this study, no review on electrospun lignin/cellulose nanofiber-based supercapacitors has been reported. Thus, this systematic review will provide a reference for other researchers interested in developing biomass-based supercapacitors as an alternative to conventional supercapacitors based on petroleum products.

No abstract