Abstract: A method for coating a substrate with a Co-Pi modified BiVO4/WO3 heterostructure film includes direct current reactive sputtering tungsten (W) onto a substrate in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a tungsten trioxide (WO3) film, direct current reactive sputtering bismuth (Bi) onto the tungsten trioxide (WO3) film in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a dibismuth trioxide (Bi2O3) film, drop-casting a vanadyl acetylacetonate solution onto the Bi2O3 film and heating at a temperature of at least 450° C. in ambient air to convert the Bi2O3 film to a BiVO4 film, and photoelectrochemically coating the BiVO4 film with a cobalt-phosphate (Co-Pi) to form a modified film on the surface of the substrate. A photoanode containing the Co-Pi modified BiVO4/WO3 heterostructure film prepared by the method, and its application in water splitting.

Abstract: A method of forming an alkali metal-doped calcium-SiAlON material is provided. The method includes mixing calcium-SiAlON powder and an alkali metal hydroxide to form a reaction mixture. The mixture further includes spark plasma sintering (SPS) the reaction mixture at 800 to 940 degrees Celsius (° C.) to form the alkali metal-doped calcium-SiAlON material. The alkali metal hydroxide is present in an amount of 0.1 to 10 weight percentage (wt. %), based on a total weight of the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A plasmonic scattering nanomaterial comprising a substrate layer, a metal oxide layer in continuous contact with the substrate layer and silver nanoparticles with a diameter of 25-300 nm deposited on the metal oxide layer is disclosed. The silver nanoparticles have a broad size distribution and interparticle distances such that the silver nanoparticles plasmonically scatter light throughout the metal oxide layer with a near electric field strength of 1-30 V/m when excited by a light source having a wavelength in the range of 300-500 nm and/or 1000-1200 nm. In addition, a method for producing the nanomaterial by sputter deposition is disclosed as well as an appropriate thin film plasmonic solar cell comprising the nanomaterial with a solar efficiency of at least 10%.

Abstract: A plasmonic scattering nanomaterial comprising a substrate layer, a metal oxide layer in continuous contact with the substrate layer and silver nanoparticles with a diameter of 25-300 nm deposited on the metal oxide layer is disclosed. The silver nanoparticles have a broad size distribution and interparticle distances such that the silver nanoparticles plasmonically scatter light throughout the metal oxide layer with a near electric field strength of 1-30 V/m when excited by a light source having a wavelength in the range of 300-500 nm and/or 1000-1200 nm. In addition, a method for producing the nanomaterial by sputter deposition is disclosed as well as an appropriate thin film plasmonic solar cell comprising the nanomaterial with a solar efficiency of at least 10%.

Abstract: A plasmonic scattering nanomaterial comprising a substrate layer, a metal oxide layer in continuous contact with the substrate layer and silver nanoparticles with a diameter of 25-300 nm deposited on the metal oxide layer is disclosed. The silver nanoparticles have a broad size distribution and interparticle distances such that the silver nanoparticles plasmonically scatter light throughout the metal oxide layer with a near electric field strength of 1-30 V/m when excited by a light source having a wavelength in the range of 300-500 nm and/or 1000-1200 nm. In addition, a method for producing the nanomaterial by sputter deposition is disclosed as well as an appropriate thin film plasmonic solar cell comprising the nanomaterial with a solar efficiency of at least 10%.

Abstract: A plasmonic scattering nanomaterial comprising a substrate layer, a metal oxide layer in continuous contact with the substrate layer and silver nanoparticles with a diameter of 25-300 nm deposited on the metal oxide layer is disclosed. The silver nanoparticles have a broad size distribution and interparticle distances such that the silver nanoparticles plasmonically scatter light throughout the metal oxide layer with a near electric field strength of 1-30 V/m when excited by a light source having a wavelength in the range of 300-500 nm and/or 1000-1200 nm. In addition, a method for producing the nanomaterial by sputter deposition is disclosed as well as an appropriate thin film plasmonic solar cell comprising the nanomaterial with a solar efficiency of at least 10%.

Abstract: The method for detection of cyanide in water is a method for the detection of a highly toxic pollutant, cyanide, in water using ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesized locally by an elegant Pulsed Laser Ablation technique. ZnO2 nanoparticles having a median size of 4 nm are synthesized from pure zinc metal target under UV laser irradiation in a 1-10% H2O2 environment in deionized water. The synthesized ZnO2 nanoparticles are suspended in dimethyl formamide in the presence of Nafion, and then ultrasonicated to create a homogenous suspension, which is used to prepare a thin film of ZnO2 nanoparticles on a metal electrode. The electrode is used for cyanide detection.

Abstract: The method for detection of cyanide in water is a method for the detection of a highly toxic pollutant, cyanide, in water using ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesized locally by an elegant Pulsed Laser Ablation technique. ZnO2 nanoparticles having a median size of 4 nm are synthesized from pure zinc metal target under UV laser irradiation in a 1-10% H2O2 environment in deionized water. The synthesized ZnO2 nanoparticles are suspended in dimethyl formamide in the presence of Nafion, and then ultrasonicated to create a homogenous suspension, which is used to prepare a thin film of ZnO2 nanoparticles on a metal electrode. The electrode is used for cyanide detection.

Abstract: The method for detection of cyanide in water is a method for the detection of a highly toxic pollutant, cyanide, in water using ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesized locally by an elegant Pulsed Laser Ablation technique. ZnO2 nanoparticles having a median size of 4 nm are synthesized from pure zinc metal target under UV laser irradiation in a 1-10% H2O2 environment in deionized water. The synthesized ZnO2 nanoparticles are suspended in dimethyl formamide in the presence of Nafion, and then ultrasonicated to create a homogenous suspension, which is used to prepare a thin film of ZnO2 nanoparticles on a metal electrode. The electrode is used for cyanide detection.