In this study, a novel fabrication method for a bilayer film consisting of the Bi2Mo3O12:Eu3+ and CaF2 was developed. Bi2Mo3O12:Eu3+ film was prepared using the chemical solution method, eliminating the need for separate phosphor preparation. The excitation spectra of Bi2Mo3O12:Eu3+ displayed a broad band within the range of 300 and 420 nm. Under ultraviolet (UV) excitation, the material emitted strong red luminescence, with a dominant peak around 615 nm, which coincides with the absorption range of silicon solar cells. Additionally, a CaF2 anti-reflection layer was introduced to enhance optical transmittance. The average transmittance of the Bi2Mo3O12:Eu3+@CaF2 bilayer film reached 92.3%, representing a 0.7% increase compared to the bare glass substrate (91.6%). As a proof-of-concept, applying Bi2Mo3O12:Eu3+@CaF2 to this bilayer film on photovoltaic modules resulted in an absolute enhancement of 0.19% in power conversion efficiency.

Solar-driven cogeneration of freshwater and electricity addresses global water-energy challenges but is hindered by complex fabrication and inefficient energy utilization. Herein, we propose a buried-interface engineering strategy to ultrafast construct an all-carbon fabric evaporator through a straightforward solution immersion process (<10 min), which is enabled by an O-2 plasma pretreatment that creates a superhydrophilic and oxygen-functionalized buried interface on carbon cloth. The activated interface imparts a high surface charge and directs dense graphene nanosheets adsorption, forming a continuous network that provides abundant nanoconfined channels and enhanced electrical conductivity. The resulting hierarchical device delivers an evaporation rate of 2.62 kg m(-2) h(-1) with robust salt rejection and cycling stability, a solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 159.5%, and an evaporation-driven power density of 50.03 & micro;W cm(-2). These achievements originate from the synergistic effects of the buried interface, which collectively enable efficient light absorption, rapid water transport, high zeta potential, effective electrical double layer overlap, and superior bulk conductivity. Outdoor experiments validate the durability of the cogeneration system, producing freshwater at similar to 11.7 L m(-2) day(-1) while maintaining stable electricity generation. This work establishes a feasible and ultrafast strategy for constructing high-performance cogeneration architectures, demonstrating the universal potential of buried-interface engineering for scalable and sustainable water-energy solutions.

ZnO-quantum dots (QDs) have recently emerged as an attractive material system for photodetection, owing to their size-dependent band structure and pronounced surface effects. Their capability to alleviate interfacial strain at the nanoscale further supports their integration into self-powered devices. In this study, a heterojunction photodetector (PD) based on an ITO/ZnO-QDs/Si/Ag configuration was developed. The device was constructed on a p-type Si substrate featuring an inverted pyramid (IPA) texture, obtained through metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE). A ZnO-QDs layer was subsequently deposited via spin coating, followed by the formation of ITO and Ag electrodes using magnetron sputtering. Under zero-bias conditions and 365 nm illumination (3 mW/cm2), the device delivers a responsivity (R) of 110 mA/W and a specific detectivity (D*) of 3.5 & times; 1013 Jones, together with a response time of 76.1 ms. Notably, stable photoresponse can still be resolved at light intensities as low as 500 mu W/cm2. This behavior is closely related to the internal electric field established at the heterojunction interface. In addition, the textured Si surface increases the effective contact area, while the modified junction properties reduce carrier transport barriers. These factors jointly facilitate the separation and extraction of photogenerated carriers without the need for external bias. The present device architecture therefore provides a viable route toward broadband, self-powered photodetection with high sensitivity.

Silicon solar modules would increase the temperature of the device while generating electricity, which would lead to a reduction in power generation. This would limit the industrial application of silicon solar modules. In this paper, we describe the preparation of ZnO/Ag/ZnO (ZAZ) infrared (IR) blocking films and ZAZ/PDMS stacked film to reduce the temperature and increase the power generation of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The ZAZ film exhibited the optimal IR-blocking performance with an Ag thickness of 9 nm, and the average transmittance (Tave), average reflectance (Rave), and average emissivity (Eave) of the ZAZ film were 78.8 %, 81.8 %, and 48.9 %, respectively. The PV module covered with the ZAZ IR-blocking film exhibited a reduction in temperature of 12.4 degrees C and an increase in power generation of 5.1 %. The ZAZ film was fabricated into a stacked structure with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film, and a textured structure was created on the PDMS film (t-PDMS), which resulted in a substantial increase in the emissivity of the film. The Tave, Rave, and Eave of the ZAZ/t-PDMS film were found to be 78.3 %, 83.7 %, and 90.6 %, respectively. In comparison to the control sample, the PV module covered with the ZA9Z/t-PDMS stacked film exhibited a reduction in temperature of 21.3 degrees C. This resulted in a 9.7 % enhancement of power generation in one hour. Therefore, it could be concluded that applying the ZAZ/t-PDMS stacked film can significantly decrease the temperature and increase the generated power of PV modules. This method provides a feasible way to improve the generated power of solar cell modules.

High operating temperatures and limited responsiveness pose significant challenges for the application of TiO2 based gas sensors. In this study, low-temperature thermal reduction was utilized to generate oxygen vacancies on the surface of TiO2. Combining it with SnS2 nanosheets using a simple hydrothermal process, a B-TiO2/SnS2 heterostructure was fabricated to enhance its detection of acetone at room temperature. Experimental results demonstrate the B-TiO2/SnS2 sensor's ability to detect acetone at room temperature under green light irradiation. In comparison to pure TiO2, the B-TiO2/SnS2 gas sensor shows significantly enhanced performance in detecting acetone, with higher response (15.1/20 ppm), faster response and recovery times (6.7 s/9.8 s), and a lower limit of detection (757 ppb). The mechanisms underlying the enhancement and light-sensing ability of the B-TiO2/SnS2 sensor are elucidated, emphasizing the impact of light absorption, specific surface area, and carrier separation facilitated by the heterojunction. Furthermore, the gas-sensing mechanism of the B-TiO2/SnS2 structure for superior acetone sensing is attributed to its larger adsorption energy according to density-functional theory (DFT) calculation. These findings provide valuable insights for developing room temperature gas sensors based on TiO2.

Enhancing the electrical properties of Sb2Se3 thin films through elemental doping is a crucial strategy to improve its potential applications in photodetectors. In this study, thin films of Co-doped Sb2Se3 were fabricated through electrochemical deposition. When the doping concentration reached x=0.05, Sb2Se3 thin films were effectively fabricated exhibiting [hk1] orientation and a large average grain size. Consequently, the electrical characteristics of the films were improved. Following the incorporation of an Al2O3 barrier layer and CdCl2 treatment of CdS layer, the photodetector utilizing a thin film of Sb2Se3 with x=0.05 demonstrates a significant response within the visible to near-infrared spectrum under 0 bias conditions. The optimal results were achieved at a wavelength of 635 nm, where the dark current (Idark) was measured at 5.9 x 10-7 mA, responsivity (R) at 92 mA/W, detectivity (D*) at 2.11 x 1012 Jones, and the fitting ideal factor (0) was determined to be 0.959. The selectivity within the visible wavelength range, coupled with the excellent values of D* and 0, position the device as having significant potential for various applications.

The development of conventional acetone gas detectors that rely on TiO2 is restricted by two significant factors: the higher operating temperature and insufficient response limit. This study addressed these limitations by utilizing nanoflower TiO2, prepared using a simple hydrothermal method, and Ti3+ self-doped B-TiO2, which was later synthesized by the NaBH4 thermal reduction method. The B-TiO2/CeO2 heterostructure was prepared by hydrothermal method to further improve its acetone detection capability. Experimental findings revealed that the conversion of Ti3+ and CeO2 significantly improved the material's optoelectronic properties, as demonstrated through the optical absorbance test and Hall effect results. By reducing the B-TiO2 band gap from 3.25 eV to 2.64 eV, more electrons could participate in the gas-sensitive reaction on the material's surface. The resultant device not only exhibits excellent acetone response performance at room temperature (13.5-20 ppm) but also possesses an ultra-low detection limit of 871 ppb. The device's remarkable performance suggests its potential application in non-invasive blood glucose monitoring.

Harvesting electricity from natural water evaporation has emerged as a promising alternative to realize the environmental energy conversion directly and sustainably. However, most reported water evaporation-induced electric generators (WEIGs) still involve a tedious preparation process and exhibit a low electric output, which hinders their practical applications. In this study, a facile fabrication of WEIG by depositing three-dimensional (3D) graphene on carbon fiber (CF) fabric by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) was developed. By simply modulating the growth time during PECVD process, the precise control of crystalline quality, chemical bonding, morphology and electrical conductivity of 3D graphene/CF composite fabric was fulfilled. Benefited from the favorable structure with high specific surface area, small nanochannel size and large oxygen content, the 3D graphene/CF composite fabric-based WEIG prepared for 60 min presented a champion output of 0.78 V, 43.36 mu A cm-2 and 10.93 mu W cm-2, which exceeds those of reported WEIGs. The prominent electrokinetic effect was attributed to the high zeta potential for efficient surface charge generation, the large electron double layer overlap for significant counter ions induction and the good conductivity for facile electrical conduction. This work paves a new alternative way for material construction toward efficient and sustainable electricity harvesting from environment.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved remarkable performance advancements over the past decade. In inverted p-i-n PSCs, commonly utilized electron transport layers (ETL), such as C60 and PCBM, are associated with notable stability challenges and high production costs. This study reports on a novel and highly stable perovskite solar cell that employs iron-doped zinc oxide (FZO) nanoparticles as the ETL and nickel oxide (NiOx) as the hole transport layer, demonstrating a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ∼12%. In comparison with PSCs that utilize zinc oxide (ZnO) as the ETL, those incorporating FZO demonstrated a maximum PCE enhancement of 18.3%. The incorporation of iron doping mitigates the basicity of the ZnO ETL, thereby reducing the deprotonation at the FZO/perovskite interface and enhancing the stability of the PSCs. The unpackaged FZO device maintained an initial PCE of 90% after 400 h at a relative humidity of 45% ± 5%. (2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl)phosphonic acid and 2-phenylethylamine hydroiodide were used to passivate the NiOx/perovskite and perovskite/ZnO(FZO) interfaces, respectively, which further improved the PSC performance. Ultimately, FZO-based PSCs with a PCE of 13.65%, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.04 V, a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 20.79, and a fill factor (FF) of 63.1% were obtained, and the PCE demonstrated a notable increase of over 35% compared to pristine ZnO-based devices. Results indicate that high device performance, low fabrication costs, and excellent stability can be attained through the use of simple chemically synthesized oxides as inorganic selective charge transport layers in PSCs.

Integration of solar steam production and water-evaporation-induced electricity generation has become a promising strategy to optimize the existing water-energy nexus. However, owing to the different requirement of material design for water management, satisfying solar steam and water-evaporation-induced electricity cogeneration at high efficiency with a facile and controllable material construction still faces a great challenge. Herein, oxygen-doped vertical graphene (OVG), which possesses vertical structure with high light absorption and abundant nanoconfined channels, was directly deposited on macroporous carbon cloth (CC) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) to induce strong electrokinetic effect and ensure rapid water evaporation. The creative OVG/CC with different conformal graphene skinned was controllably constructed in PECVD system with the change of deposition temperature and the aid of in-situ carbon-dioxide plasma post-treatment. Benefited from the favorable structure prepared at 800 degrees C with intense light absorption on surface and strong electrical interaction at solid-water interface, the OVG/CC-based device presented efficient outputs with an evaporation rate of 2.78 kg m- 2 h- 1 , a voltage of 0.75 V and a current of 2.67 mu A in DI water, and with an evaporation rate of 2.69 kg m- 2 h- 1 , a voltage of 0.52 V and a current of 24.11 mu A in real seawater respectively, accompanied with the good cycling stability and long-term durability. Moreover, the device could also purify various water sources and drive electron components for practical applications. This work provides a promising CVD strategy for constructing carbon-based composite materials toward efficient clean water and electricity cogeneration.

Conventional TiO2-based acetone sensors typically require high operating temperatures and exhibit slow recovery times, which limit their applicability. In this study, Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 was prepared through the reduction of TiO2, subsequently constructing heterostructures with CuS. These heterostructures leverage visible light to lower the operating temperature, effectively addressing the aforementioned limitations. Sensing tests conducted on acetone demonstrated that B-TiO2/CuS exhibited a responsiveness of 15.8 for 20 ppm acetone under blue light irradiation, representing an enhancement of 4.8 times compared to pure TiO2. The sensor also showcased rapid response (5.2 s) and recovery (11.6 s) times, along with a low detection limit (912 ppb), as well as good selectivity, repeatability, and linearity in response. The sensing mechanism for acetone and the enhancement mechanism of B-TiO2/CuS under visible light were elucidated from various perspectives, including specific surface area, carrier concentration, and heterogeneous structure. Furthermore, density-functional theory (DFT) calculations provided insights into the enhanced response and excellent selectivity of the B-TiO2/CuS structure toward acetone, based on adsorption energy analysis.

Zn-Al eutectoid alloy (ZA22) has ultra-high damping property, but its mechanical properties are still relatively low. In order to simultaneously improve the tensile strength and plasticity, a novel Al matrix composite inoculant containing in-situ formed Al2O3 and Al3Zr particles was designed and used to reinforce the ZA22 alloy. The microstructure of the ZA22 alloy was significantly refined. Fine Al2O3 particles were uniformly distributed in the alpha phase and the lamellar eutectoid structure, whereas Al3Zr particles were distributed in the alpha phase and at the alpha/eta interface. Property tests showed that the tensile mechanical properties of the reinforced ZA22 alloys were significantly improved. The maximum tensile strength and elongation reached 355 MPa and 7.62%, which were 1.50 and 1.89 times those of the original ZA22 alloy, respectively. The increase in mechanical properties is attributed to the multiple strengthening and toughening factors constructed in the refined microstructure.

In recent years, flexible pressure sensors have been seen widespread adoption in various fields such as electronic skin, smart wearables, and human-computer interaction systems. Owing to the electrical conductivity and adaptability to flexible substrates, vertical graphene nanowalls (VGNs) have recently been recognized as promising materials for pressure-sensing applications. Our study presented the synthesis of high-quality VGNs via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and the incorporation of a metal layer by electron beam evaporation, forming a stacked structure of VGNs/Metal/VGNs. Metal nanoparticles attached to the edges and surfaces of graphene nanosheets can alter the charge transport paths within the material to enhance the responsiveness of the sensor. This layered structure effectively fulfilled the requirements of flexible pressure sensors, exhibiting high sensitivity (40.15 kPa-1), low response time (88 ms), and short recovery time (97 ms). The pressure sensitivity remained intact even after 1000 bending cycles. Additionally, the factors contributing to the impressive pressure-sensing performance of this composite were found and its capability to detect human pulse and finger flexion signals was demonstrated, making it a promising candidate for applications of wearable electronics devices.

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cells occupy an important direction in the field of clean energy research due to their environmental friendliness, low cost, and industrial technology compatibility. The complex and variable usage environment also accelerates the development of flexible CZTS solar cells. However, the inferior flexibility of ITO films limited their development. ZnO/Ag/ZnO (ZAZ) films are potential choices for transparent conductive layers of CZTS solar cells due to their high transmittance, conductivity, and flexibility. To further enhance the photovoltaic performance and mechanical durability of ZAZ films and solar cells, Ag2O was introduced into ZAZ film by magnetron sputtering. An ultra-high average transmittance of 96.6% in 400-800nm was achieved for ZnO/Ag-Ag2O/ZnO (ZAAZ) films at Ag2O sputtering power of 40W, which was attributed to the fact that Ag2O effectively inhibited the growth of 3D islands of Ag film, and formed a more uniform Ag film. ZAAZ films offered a superior figure of merit value of 0.1041 Ω-1. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ZAAZ solar cells was 6.94%, higher than that of ZAZ solar cells (6.69%). Remarkably, the PCE of ZAAZ solar cells was 7.9% higher than that of ZAZ solar cells after 1,000 bending cycles. Therefore, Therefore, this approach may provide a promising way to improve the photovoltaic performance and mechanical durability of flexible solar cells.

The development of flexible humidity sensors is essential for the advancement of wearable devices and electronic skin. However, the process of preparing these sensors is typically complex, and they often suffer from poor stability and a limited sensing range, which fails to meet the requirements for practical applications. Here, we prepared SnS2 with nanoflower morphology by hydrothermal method, and successfully prepared a high-performance flexible humidity sensor with a high response range (20-95%) by compositing it with B-TiO2 nanoparticles with oxygen defects after sodium borohydride reduction and coating it on a PET flexible substrate. This sensor demonstrates an exceptional response (753.2 at 90% RH) in high humidity environments and exhibits rapid response (13 s) and recovery times (19 s). Moreover, the sensor accurately detects human breathing patterns and frequencies, making it suitable for non-contact sensing applications. This research offers valuable insights into the simplified preparation and advancement of flexible humidity sensors.

Bi2Mo3O12:Pr3+ phosphors have been successfully synthesized through a one-step solid-state reaction method. The effects of Pr3+ concentration on lattice constants and optical properties were also studied. XRD patterns showed well-crystallized monoclinic structures for the prepared Bi2Mo3O12 and Bi2Mo3O12:Pr3+ samples. The UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra indicated strong absorption in the ultraviolet region. Excitation spectra demonstrated that the Bi2Mo3O12:Pr3+ could be efficiently excited under UV light in the 250-430 nm range and blue light at 450 nm. By varying the excitation wavelength, the emission color could be tuned from orange-red to red region. The strongest emission peak is located at around 597 nm, which is attributed to the 1 D 2 -> 3 H 4 transition of Pr3+. An optical thermometer based on fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) shows a high sensitivity of Sr = 2.02 % K-1, indicating the developed materials have potential applications in the optical temperature sensing field.

Enhancing the electrical properties of Sb2Se3 thin films through elemental doping is a crucial strategy to improve its potential applications in photodetectors. In this study, thin films of Co-doped Sb2Se3 were fabricated through electrochemical deposition. When the doping concentration reached x=0.05, Sb2Se3 thin films were effectively fabricated exhibiting [hk1] orientation and a large average grain size. Consequently, the electrical characteristics of the films were improved. Following the incorporation of an Al2O3 barrier layer and CdCl2 treatment of the CdS layer, the photodetector utilizing a thin film of Sb2Se3 with x=0.05 demonstrated a significant response within the visible to near-infrared spectrum under 0 bias conditions. The optimal results were achieved at a wavelength of 635 nm, where the dark current (Idark) was measured at 5.9×10-7 mA, responsivity (R) at 92 mA/W, detectivity (D*) at 2.11×1012 Jones, and the fitting ideal factor (θ) was determined to be 0.959. The selectivity within the visible wavelength range, coupled with the excellent values of D* and θ, position the device as having significant potential for various applications.

Dion-Jacobson (DJ) quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites have emerged as a potential photovoltaic material due to their versatile n-layer variation and superior stable structure. However, compared to their three-dimensional counterparts, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of quasi-2D perovskite solar cells (PSCs) reported to date still lags behind the detailed balance (DB) limit for single-junction PSCs, which derives from the presence of non-radiative recombination loss. Herein, we demonstrated that the defect/interface-induced recombination loss in DJ quasi-2D PSCs could be significantly suppressed by introducing a green ionic liquid methylammonium acetate (MAAc) into (BDA)(MA)4Pb5I16 (n = 5) (BDA, 1,4-butanediamine) perovskite precursor. Both the film quality of 2D perovskites and the interfacial property of perovskite/charge transporting layer (CTL) were improved after introducing MAAc in precursor solution. Correspondingly, a champion PCE of 18.76 % with a remarkable open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.24 V was achieved. Through the quantitative loss analysis, which involved the calculation of photovoltaic parameters relative to DB limit and quasi-Fermi level splitting values, the improvement of PCE and Voc by introducing MAAc was mainly attributed to the reduction of defects in perovskite films and at perovskite/CTL interfaces, and the optimization of interfacial energy-level alignment. The present work provides a green solvent strategy for improving the performance of quasi-2D PSCs, and offers an insight into the fundamental physics of non-radiative recombination loss tailored by ionic liquid.

A series of red-emitting phosphors, Bi2Mo3O12:xEu(3+) ( x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, and 0.05), were synthesized using the solid-state reaction process. The pure monoclinic single phase was confirmed by XRD analysis and Rietveld refinement. Excitation spectra of Bi2Mo3O12 : x Eu3+ exhibited a broad excitation band in the region of 280 -420 nm and several narrow bands in the blue region. Under the excitation at 355 nm and 465 nm, intense red emission peaking at 615 nm was obtained due to( 5)D(0)- F-7(2) transitions of Eu3+ . The optimal concentration of Eu3+ ions was found to be x =0.04, and the concentration quenching was attributed to dipole-dipole interactions. Commission International De I-Eclairage (CIE) coordinates (0.6503, 0.3473) and high color purity (92.8 %) of red light make the Bi2Mo3O12 :0.04Eu(3+) samples suitable for light-emitting diodes red phosphors. The prepared materials are also expected to enhance solar cell properties as a promising spectral converter. Moreover, the latent fingerprints visualized by Bi2Mo3O12 :Eu3+ phosphors exhibited high resolution and contrast. The Bi2Mo3O12 :Eu3+ security ink was successfully applied to make anti-counterfeit patterns.