In the modern world, gas sensors play a crucial role in sectors such as high-tech industries, medicine, and environmental monitoring. Among these fields, oxygen sensors are the most important. There are several types of oxygen sensors, including optical, magnetic, Schottky diode, and resistive (or chemoresistive) ones. Currently, most oxygen-resistive sensors (ORSs) described in the literature are fabricated as thick layers, typically deposited via screen printing, and they operate at high temperatures, often exceeding 700 °C. This work presents a novel approach utilizing atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create very thin layers. Combined with appropriate doping, this method aims to reduce the energy consumption of the sensors by lowering both the mass requiring heating and the operating temperature. The device fabricated using the proposed process demonstrates a response of 88.21 at a relatively low temperature of 450 °C, highlighting its potential in ORS applications based on doped ALD thin films.

This study investigates the simultaneous recovery of noble metal ions using commercially available activated carbon (AC). Adsorption was carried out in a closed batch reactor enhanced by microwave radiation, creating high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. The effects of AC mass, process time, temperature, pH, and ionic strength of the solution were examined. High-temperature, high-pressure, and microwave radiation proved to be effective means of chemical activation, resulting in nearly 100% adsorption efficiency. It is proposed that microwave radiation significantly increases the local temperature at the surface of activated carbon, altering the adsorption mechanism. This enhancement led to higher recovery yields compared to traditional batch reactors without microwave support. The results demonstrate the significant potential of this method for efficient metal recovery.

The enduring interest in carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as photoluminescent material arises from their significant advantages over inorganic quantum dots (QDs), such as low toxicity and biocompatibility, which enables their application in bioimaging and drug delivery. This review is focused on the use of CQDs for light emitting devices (LED) technology and provides a guide on how to synthesize CQDs that emit blue, green, and red light, which is necessary to produce RGB LEDs. Consideration was given to the precursors, solvents, methods, and conditions of the processes, the excitation wavelength, the emission wavelength, and the photoluminescence quantum yield (QY). These unique, organic nanoparticles have the potential to revolutionize lighting and, above all, the electronics market due to their low cost and eco-friendliness, as well as the possibility of using various precursors, including waste.

This work addresses the problem of obtaining of Ca3Co4O9+δ-based ceramics with enhanced thermoelectric performance. Phase-inhomogeneous layered calcium cobaltite ceramics with cationic nonstoichiometry were prepared by solid-state reactions method and a field assisted sintering technology (FAST). Comprehensive experimental characterizations were conducted on the prepared bulk samples, focusing on their phase composition, as well as thermal (including thermal expansion, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity), electrical (encompassing electrical conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient), and functional properties (such as power factor and figure-of-merit). The FAST technique allowed to obtain ceramics with low porosity and high electrical conductivity, which increased as the Ca:Co ratio within the samples decreased, while sample phase inhomogeneity considerably increased the Seebeck coefficient. The best thermoelectric performance was demonstrated for cationic nonstoichiometric Ca3Co4.4O9+δ, which power factor and figure-of-merit values at 825°C reached 427μW⋅m–1⋅K–2 and 0.146, respectively.

The aim of this study was to determine the electronic properties of as-deposited ALD-grown Ge-doped zinc oxide thin films annealed at 523 K or 673 K. SEM, EDS, and ellipsometry measurements confirmed that the Ge-doped zinc oxide films with a thickness of around 100 nm and uniform composition were successfully obtained. GI-XRD measurements did not reveal phases other than the expected Wurtzite structure of the ZnO. The electronic properties, i.e., conductivity, charge carrier concentration, and mobility of the films, were evaluated using Hall effect measurements and explained based on corresponding XPS measurements. This work supports the theory that oxygen vacancies act as electron donors and contribute to the intrinsic n-type conductivity of ZnO. Also, it is shown that the effect of oxygen vacancies on the electronic properties of the material is stronger than the effect introduced by Ge doping.

The ambient stability of copper oxide layers produced through thermal oxidation is a critical factor for their application in advanced photovoltaic devices. This study investigates the long-term stability of thermally grown sodium-doped copper oxides fabricated at 300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C. The structural, optical, and electronic properties of these oxide layers were examined after a 30-day period to understand how thermal oxidation temperature and sodium doping influence the durability and properties of copper oxide films. The results indicate that the stability of thermal copper oxide increases with oxidation temperature. The film produced at 700 °C maintained consistent optical properties, work function value, and structural integrity over time, demonstrating their robustness against environmental degradation. In contrast, the layers produced at lower temperatures (300 °C and 500 °C) showed more significant changes due to continued oxidation and adsorption from ambient.

Zinc oxide, due to its unique physicochemical properties, including dual piezoelectric and semiconductive ones, demonstrates a high application potential in various fields, with a particular focus on nanotechnology. Among ZnO nanoforms, nanorods are gaining particular interest. Due to their ability to efficiently transport charge carriers and photoelectric properties, they demonstrate significant potential in energy storage and conversion, as well as photovoltaics. They can be prepared via various methods; however, most of them require large energy inputs, long reaction times, or high-cost equipment. Hence, new methods of ZnO nanorod fabrication are currently being sought out. In this paper, an ultrasound-supported synthesis of ZnO nanorods with zinc acetate as a zinc precursor has been described. The fabrication of nanorods included the treatment of the precursor solution with ultrasounds, wherein various sonication times were employed to verify the impact of the sonication process on the effectiveness of ZnO nanorod synthesis and the sizes of the obtained nanostructures. The morphology of the obtained ZnO nanorods was imaged via a scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, while the particle size distribution within the precursor suspensions was determined by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS). Additionally, the dynamic viscosity of precursor suspensions was also verified. It was demonstrated that ultrasounds positively affect ZnO nanorod synthesis, yielding longer nanostructures through even reactant distribution. Longer nanorods were obtained as a result of short sonication (1–3 min), wherein prolonged treatment with ultrasounds (4–5 min) resulted in obtaining shorter nanorods. Importantly, the application of ultrasounds increased particle homogeneity within the precursor suspension by disintegrating particle agglomerates. Moreover, it was demonstrated that ultrasonic treatment reduces the dynamic viscosity of precursor suspension, facilitating faster particle diffusion and promoting a more uniform growth of longer ZnO nanorods. Hence, it can be concluded that ultrasounds constitute a promising solution in obtaining homogeneous ZnO nanorods, which is in line with the principles of green chemistry.

In this work, we report on the fabrication of ZnO thin films doped with Ge via the ALD method. With an optimized amount of Ge doping, there was an improvement in the conductivity of the films owing to an increase in the carrier concentration. The optical properties of the films doped with Ge show improved transmittance and reduced reflectance, making them more attractive for opto-electronic applications. The band gap of the films exhibits a blue shift with Ge doping due to the Burstein–Moss effect. The variations in the band gap and the work function of ZnO depend strongly on the carrier density of the films. From the surface studies carried out using XPS, we could confirm that Ge replaces some of the Zn in the wurtzite structure. In the films containing Ge, the concentration of oxygen vacancies is also high, which is somehow related to the poor electrical properties of the films at higher Ge concentrations.

Oleogels are semi-solid materials that consist primarily of liquid oil immobilized in a network of organized structural molecules, which provide stability and maintain the oil in the desired shape. Due to their structure, oleogels can stabilize large amounts of liquid, making them excellent carriers for active substances, both lipophilic and hydrophilic. This study presents the synthesis methodology and investigations of olive oil-based oleogels, which are among the healthiest and most valuable vegetable fats, rich in unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants such as vitamin E. Two types of surfactants were used: TWEEN 80, which lowers surface tension and stabilizes emulsions, and SPAN 80, which acts in oil-dominated phases. The oleogels were enriched with lidocaine, an active substance commonly used as a pain reliever and local anesthetic. This research characterized the obtained oleogels regarding their medical applications, paying particular attention to the influence of surfactant type and amount as well as the active substance on their physicochemical properties. Structural analyses were also conducted using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, alongside rheological and sorption studies, and the wettability of the materials was evaluated. The stability of the obtained oleogels was verified using the MultiScan MS20 system, allowing for an assessment of their potential suitability for long-term pharmaceutical applications. The results indicated that SPAN-stabilized oleogels exhibited better stability and favorable mechanical properties, making them promising candidates for medical applications, particularly in pain relief formulations.

Among oxygen sensors, types such as polymer-, ceramic-, or carbon-based ones may be distinguished. Particular interest in semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) sensors has recently been observed. This is due to their easy fabrication process, high control over the final product (dopants, posttreatment, etc.), and high concentration of oxygen vacancies, by which they show significant changes in electrical properties when exposed to analyte. In this review, different types of sensors are described and categorized. Importantly, their limitations, challenges and principles of sensing mechanism are also discussed, wherein attention is primarily paid to semiconductor metal oxide (SMO) oxygen sensors. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the existing literature on planar SMO oxygen sensors, focusing on various materials, fabrication techniques, and sensing mechanisms. It also critically assesses the challenges and limitations in current research, offering insights into future directions for developing highly efficient and reliable sensors. Currently, most oxygen resistive sensors are a few micrometers thick and operate at high temperatures, which leads to high power consumption. To highlight importance of this topic, a market overview is also presented.

After certain time of operation, the cross-section of cooling channels in injection molds may decrease due to fouling, i.e. the formation and growth of a layer of sediment on the walls of the channels. This phenomenon can decrease heat transfer or ultimately completely block the flow of coolant in the channel. The build-up of the sediment layer increases the temperature of the mold, which may consequently reduce the quality of the plastic products. In the paper, the pressure drop in a typical cooling channel of an injection mold is investigated, as well as the effect of the sediment layer on the coolant flow in an example channel with a diameter of 10 mm. A novelty is the developed analytical model that allows determining the pressure drop in the case when two perpendicular channels do not intersect centrally due to manufacturing inaccuracies that often happen when drilling long channels in hard materials. The proposed hydraulic model allows for calculation of the coolant pressure drop in real injection molds and can be an alternative to time-consuming CFD simulations. The presented results of measurements and the hydraulic model calculations show that the thickness of the sediment layer in the tested channel of the actual injection mold can be up to 1.7 mm. The hydraulic model proposed in this work allows for the estimation of the thickness of the sediment layer and the identification of places of local increase in the coolant velocity, where self-cleaning of the channels in injection molds may take place.

Ceramic electrolytes based on Yb and Sc stabilized zirconia enable efficient heat transfer and effective ionic conductivity. Here, the design and synthesis of Yb and Sc stabilized zirconia electrolyte is presented for inter-mediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Yb0.12Sc0.08Zr0.8O2-8 was synthesized using the sol-gel method, and a thorough characterization of the electrolyte properties was conducted including structural and electrical properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the composition of the electrolyte. A single-phase cubic structure with a density of 6.7041 +/- 0.0008 g cm-3 was obtained. The thermal expansion coefficient in the temperature range from 25 degrees C to 800 degrees C is equal to 1.17 x 10-6 K-1. The activation energy of 1.06 eV and 1.15 eV was obtained for the bulk and grain boundary conductivity, respectively. The ionic conductivity of approx. 2.10 S m- 1 was achieved at 667 degrees C, thus it is suitable for efficient ionic conduction at intermediate temperatures.

Thin films of tin (II) sulfide (SnS) were deposited onto a 500 µm thick copper substrate by a chemical bath method. The effect of sodium (Na) doping in these films was studied. The synthesis of the films was performed at temperatures of 60, 70, and 80 °C for 5 min. The microstructure of the SnS films analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a compact morphology of the films deposited at 80 °C. The edges of the SnS grains were rounded off with the addition of a commercial surfactant. The thickness of different SnS layers deposited on the copper substrate was found to be 230 nm from spectroscopic ellipsometry and cross-section analysis using SEM. The deposition parameters such as temperature, surfactant addition, and sodium doping time did not affect the thickness of the layers. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the size of the SnS crystallites was found to be around 44 nm. Depending on the process conditions, Na doping affects the size of the crystallites in different ways. A study of the conductivity of SnS films provides a specific conductivity value of 0.3 S. The energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) equipped with the SEM revealed the Sn:S stoichiometry of the film to be 1:1, which was confirmed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The determined band-gap of SnS is equal to 1.27 eV and is in good agreement with the literature data.

The paper presents the research results on synthesizing silver nanoparticles in aqueous solutions and their extraction into the organic phase. Studies have shown that it is best to perform the extraction process using n-hexane > cyclohexane > toluene > chloroform > ethyl acetate. The results show a correlation between the dielectric constant of the organic phase and its ability to extract nanoparticles. The lower the dielectric constant is, the higher the extractability. The hydrodynamic radius of the silver nanoparticles changes after transfer to the organic phase, depending greatly on the organic phase used. The extraction mechanism is complex and multi-step. As the first step, the Ag nanoparticles are transferred to the phase boundary. As the second step, the octadecylamine (ODA) molecules adsorb on the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) surface. The change in particle shape was also noted. This suggests that the interfacial processes are more complex than previously reported. Below the initial concentration of ODA 2 × 10−4 M, the formation of a third phase has been observed. In a one-stage experiment, the concentration of silver nanoparticles after transferring to the organic phase was increased 500 times in about 10 s. The role of the concentration of ODA, therefore, is not only a measure of the extraction efficiency and productivity but functions as an enabler to maintain favorable biphasic processing, which underlines the role of the solvent again.

Deposition of Al-doped ZnO (AZO) and Al/F co-doped ZnO (FAZO) thin films in an ALD "batch-type" reactor at temperature of 200 degrees C was presented. AZO films with various Al content were investigated in terms of their morphological, textural, optical and electrical properties, leading to assessment of the most suitable ALD process parameters, which enabled fabrication of high quality AZO films. For the best performance of AZO-20 sample containing 5 % of cycles of Al precursor, the lowest resistivity of 1.36 x 10-3 omega center dot cm was achieved, proving that obtained film can be used in photovoltaic applications. This was correlated with increased share of preferred crystallites growth orientation along c-axis. Moreover, all AZO samples exhibited high transparency in the visible light (>80 %), and optical band gap energy values ranging from 3.32 eV to 3.75 eV. The latter increased with raising Al doping level. The potential of further improvement by addition of fluorine was investigated as well. Simultaneous incorporation of Al and F ions into ZnO, aiming to obtain FAZO thin films of constant Al content and ascending fluorine concentrations, resulted in slight increase of resistivities of FAZO samples compared to AZO-20. Raising the fluorine content in FAZO samples caused simultaneous decrease of carrier concentration and decrease of their mobility, which may arise from enhanced formation of lattice defects due to F- ions substitution. In the case of highly doped FAZO sample, HF etching was observed, which resulted in the reduction of the overall film thickness. Al/F co-doped ZnO films retained the optical properties of original AZO-20 film, as confirmed by measured high transparency and band gap energies of 3.53 - 3.58 eV. It was shown that simultaneous Al/F codoping of zinc oxide at temperature of 200 degrees C and batch type reactor, is is not the process of choice, when considering simple pulses sequences.

In this work, ZnO/SnS/indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass functional heterostructures have been developed using a combined approach of electrodeposition of a SnS x layer and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) of the ZnO layer. The high-quality 400 nm-thick orthorhombic SnS 0.9–0.95 films were formed on the ITO substrates with a thickness of 130 nm and an electrical conductivity of less than 40 Ω/□. Chemical deposition of ZnO thin films by the SILAR method allowed to deposit hexagonal films with a thickness of about 200 nm. The morphology, elemental and phase composition of the films were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The band gap (1.4 eV for SnS x and 3.3 eV for ZnO), as well as the high light absorption coefficient of SnS x films (1–2) × 10 4 cm –1 were determined. The obtained ZnO/SnS x /ITO heterostructures formed by the electrodeposition–SILAR cycle showed a photoEMF value of 198 mV. These properties make ZnO/SnS heterostructure promising for low-cost solar cells based on affordable materials.

The paper presents the results concerning the influence of the thickness of the ITO and In2O3 layers deposited by the magnetron sputtering method on the physical parameters characterising their surface properties. The characterisation parameters were obtained by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Kelvin probe. The increase in the layers' thickness related to the time of their fabrication causes an increase in the surface roughness and the value of the work function, followed by a decrease in the concentration of elements and compounds in the near-surface area.

Formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI(3))-based perovskite solar cells have gained immense popularity over the last few years within the perovskite research community due to their incredible opto-electronic properties and the record power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) achieved by the solar cells. However, FAPbI(3) is vulnerable to phase transitions even at room temperature, which cause structural instability and eventual device failure during operation. We performed post-treatment of the FAPbI(3) surface with octyl ammonium iodide (OAI) in order to stabilize the active phase and preserve the crystal structure of FAPbI(3). The formation of a 2D perovskite at the interface depends on the stoichiometry of the precursor. By optimizing the precursor stoichiometry and the concentration of OAI, we observe a synergistic effect, which results in improved power conversion efficiencies, reaching the best values of 22% on a glass substrate. Using physical and detailed optical analysis, we verify the presence of the 2D layer on the top of the 3D surface of the perovskite film.

This paper presents the potential use of carbon sorbents in recovering rhenium(VII) from highly diluted elec-trolytes. Tests were performed using synthetic solutions containing selenium(VI) as an impurity. Adsorption of Re(VII) is selective with respect to selenium(VI). Activated carbon is a suitable sorbent for rhenium recovery because unlike ion-exchange resins, it has high chemical resistance and osmotic-shock resistance. The results show that the sorption mechanism is complex. Two follow-up processes occurred-physical adsorption and the reduction of Re(VII) to Re(VI). The processes were strongly influenced by the temperature. The lower the temperature, the higher the process efficiency. The observed sorption capacity was as high as 7.6 mg/g at 298 K and decreased as the temperature increased. The adsorption was a mixed-control process. Increasing the tem-perature altered the rate-limiting process. The activation parameters were determined using rate constant (k) and Arrhenius equation. In the first step, the activation energy was approximately 0 kJ mol-1. In the second step, the activation energy for k2,obs and k3,obs was determined as 57.3 kJ mol-1. The pre-exponential factors were calculated; their value was 2.98 x 107 min-1. For k1,obs, the activation energy was nearly 0 kJ mol- 1.

Porous clay heterostructured composites (PCH) derived from layered hydrous magnesium silicate, Laponite, were functionalized by Fe(NO3)3x9H2O with the use of mechano-chemical impregnation followed by microwave irradiation or hydrothermal treatment to evoke new base properties, active in CO2 sorption. It resulted in the progressive leaching of the Mg2+ from the octahedral sheets of the Laponite structure and their capture on the surface of PCH composites increasing the Mg/Si ratio. The increase of Mg/Si ratio was accompanied by the decline of the (Mg3OH) absorption bands intensity attributed to Laponite and discussed regarding the formation of dispersed nanostructured MgO moieties capable of adsorbing CO2. CO2-TPD temperature-programmed desorption technique revealed that sorption and stabilization of CO2 molecules are related to the coordination of oxygen sites in the formed MgO lattice and that edge and corner sites facilitate the interaction of CO2 mol-ecules with O2-sites on MgO. Doping of PCH resulted also in the nucleation of nanocrystalline alpha-Fe2O3 able to capture CO2 with strength and stability higher than MgO. Microwave irradiation resulted in significant devel-opment of the surface basicity as part of the transformation of clay structure. This study confirms the importance of clay minerals in the uptake and retention of CO2.