Betavoltaic Enhancement Using Defect-Engineered TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanotube Arrays through Electrochemical Reduction in Organic Electrolytes

Chen

Chemical Engineering Journal

et al. 2020

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Section: Synthesis Of Dtio 2 Nbasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Defective titanium dioxide nanobamboo arrays architecture for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation up to 780 nm

Chen

Chemical Engineering Journal

et al. 2020

“…Betavoltaic batteries have broad applications in many fields including space exploration, polar exploration, and implantable medical devices, 1−4 due to their unique features of the superlong lifetime, high energy density, and environmental stability. However, the highest overall efficiency of betavoltaic batteries is still less than 4%, 5 and the maximum output power is not more than 500 μW, 6 which is much lower than the theoretical predictions and hinders the potential application.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…It is a great challenge to find proper materials satisfying the match between the electron penetration depth and the carrier diffusion length. One strategy to minimize the mismatch is to employ microand nanostructures including nanotubes, 5 a pyramidal shape, 15 to increase the surface area of the rectifying PN junction and the Schottky junctions. In 2003, Guo's group demonstrated a betavoltaic battery with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.23%, consisting of a silicon PN junction with a pyramidal shape and a 63 Ni source.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-Performance Perovskite Betavoltaics Employing High-Crystallinity MAPbBr₃ Films

Zhao

Liu

et al. 2021

ACS Omega

Long-life and self-powered betavoltaic batteries are extremely attractive for many fields that require a long-term power supply, such as space exploration, polar exploration, and implantable medical technology. Organic lead halide perovskites are great potential candidate materials for betavoltaic batteries due to the large attenuation coefficient and the long carrier diffusion length, which guarantee the scale match between the penetration depth of β particles and the carrier diffusion length. However, the performance of perovskite betavoltaics is limited by the fabrication process of the thick and high-crystallinity perovskite film.In this work, we demonstrated high-performance perovskite betavoltaic cells using thick, high-quality, and wide-band-gap MAPbBr 3 polycrystalline films. The solvent annealing method was adopted to improve the crystallinity and eliminate the pinholes in the MAPbBr 3 film. The optimal MAPbBr 3 betavoltaic cell achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.35% and a maximum output power of 1.203 μW under radiation of electrons of 15 keV with an equivalent activity of 253 mCi. These results are a nearly 50% improvement from previous reports. Effects of the MAPbBr 3 perovskite layer thickness on the device performance were also discussed. The mechanisms of film-growth processes and device physics could provide insights for the research community of perovskites and betavoltaics.

“…The TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) were prepared on titanium foil surfaces through electrochemical anodization as reported previously . Typically, 1 cm × 4 cm titanium foils were polished with 800 and 1200 mesh sandpapers and then ultrasonically (40 kHz, 240 W) cleaned in acetone, isopropanol, and ethanol for 10 min, respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) were prepared on titanium foil surfaces through electrochemical anodization as reported previously. 52 Typically, 1 cm × 4 cm titanium foils were polished with 800 and 1200 mesh sandpapers and then ultrasonically (40 kHz, 240 W) cleaned in acetone, isopropanol, and ethanol for 10 min, respectively. With the use of the well-cleaned titanium foil as an anode and platinum foil as a cathode, electrochemical anodization was carried out in a mixed solution of 100 mL of ethylene glycol and deionized water (v/v = 9:1) with 0.5 g of NH 4 F dissolved at a 30 V constant potential for 2 h. The electrode distance was maintained at 3 cm, and the temperature of the electrolyte was constant at 25 °C.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterostructure Cu₂O@TiO₂Nanotube Array Coated Titanium Anode for Efficient Photoelectrocatalytic Oxidation of As(III) in Aqueous Solution

Wang

et al. 2021

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

Addressing the ever-growing arsenite pollution in groundwater has become an essential and urgent issue for ensuring the safety of human beings and the environment. It is highly attractive to preoxidize As(III) to relatively low toxic As(V) for further efficient arsenic removal by adsorption, ion exchange, or coagulation. In this study, a novel heterostructure Cu2O@TiO2 nanotube array coated titanium anode (CTNTA) was fabricated by combination of electrochemical anodization and electrodeposition and used for the highly efficient photoelectrocatalytic oxidation conversion of As(III) to As(V) in aqueous solution. The morphology, composition, and photoelectric performances of the CTNTA anode were systematically characterized. The effect of the loading amount of Cu2O nanoparticles on the photoelectrocatalytic oxidation kinetics of As(III) was investigated, and the comparison study among photocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and photoelectrocatalytic oxidations of As(III) was also explored to demonstrate the synergistic effect of As(III) oxidation conversion performance. The heterostructure CTNTAs-1.00 delivered a substantially enhanced photoelectrocatalytic oxidation ratio of As(III) at 95% within 30 min at a current density of 10 mA·cm–2 under visible-light irradiation. The electrochemical deposition amount of Cu2O nanoparticles on TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) was found to be positively correlated with the achievement of boosted As(III) oxidation efficiency. The high photoelectrocatalytic oxidation performance of the CTNTA was ascribed to the favored separation efficiency of photoinduced carriers and electron–hole pairs under both visible light irradiation and electric potential conditions. The photoelectrocatalytic oxidation reaction mechanism was proven to be ascribed to the active species of holes (h+), superoxide radicals (•O2 –), and hydroxyl radicals (•OH). These results highlight the high conversion rate of As(III) by the photoelectrocatalytic oxidation reaction on such a nanostructured anode, which offers a promising methodology for further in-depth oxidation of As(III) in aqueous solution.