Amina S. Aljaber

Self-assembled zirconia nanotube arrays: fabrication mechanism, energy consideration and optical activity†

We present a comprehensive roadmap for the precise control of the dimensions and optical properties of anodically fabricated zirconia nanotubes. The effects of anodization time, applied voltage, solvent composition, as well as fluoride and water content are investigated. The length of the resulting nanotubes showed a strong dependence on the concentration and mobility of F− ions, whilst O2− ion content was found to play a key role in controlling the nanotube wall thickness. A new insight into the formation of Zirconia nanotubes is introduced and discussed based on the Point Defect Model (PDM). Also, the energy consumption in the fabrication process of the nanostructured electrodes is modelled based on the involved thermodynamics and kinetic aspects. The effect of the dimensions of the nanotubes on the optical characteristics of the arrays was studied using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD). The results show a decrease in transmittance with increasing length and wall thickness, and decreasing pore size of the nanotubes. The reported results provide deep insight into the structure–property relationships of ZrO2 nanotubes, which will be of great help in large-scale industrial applications.

Silver Nanoparticles-Decorated Titanium Oxynitride Nanotube Arrays for Enhanced Solar Fuel Generation

We demonstrate, for the first time, the synthesis of highly ordered titanium oxynitride nanotube arrays sensitized with Ag nanoparticles (Ag/TiON) as an attractive class of materials for visible-light-driven water splitting. The nanostructure topology of TiO2, TiON and Ag/TiON was investigated using FESEM and TEM. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses confirm the formation of the oxynitride structure. Upon their use to split water photoelectrochemically under AM 1.5 G illumination (100 mW/cm2, 0.1 M KOH), the titanium oxynitride nanotube array films showed significant increase in the photocurrent (6 mA/cm2) compared to the TiO2 nanotubes counterpart (0.15 mA/cm2). Moreover, decorating the TiON nanotubes with Ag nanoparticles (13 ± 2 nm in size) resulted in exceptionally high photocurrent reaching 14 mA/cm2 at 1.0 VSCE. This enhancement in the photocurrent is related to the synergistic effects of Ag decoration, nitrogen doping, and the unique structural properties of the fabricated nanotube arrays.

Activation and stabilization of gallium arsenide anode in an aqueous photoelectrochemical cell

The formation of a porous layer on the surface of gallium arsenide anode, n-GaAs, increases photogenerated currents significantly. This layer was formed as a result of an anodic polarization of illuminated n-GaAs in acidified chloride electrolytes. The formation of the porous layer was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy micrographs. The porous layer increases the reflectivity of GaAs to light, thus enhances the photogenerated current density. In addition, the formation of the porous layer enriches GaAs surface with arsenic. As a result of this enrichment, the positions of the energy levels on the semiconductor surface might have been changed in favor of oxidizing the electrolyte rather than consuming electron–hole pairs in recombination processes within surface states. The n-GaAs with porous surface layer was employed as the working electrode in a photoelectrochemical cell with dimethylviologen as a reversible electrolyte. The rates of the anodic reaction, at GaAs, and cathodic reaction, at a Pt counter electrode, are about equal, only when the surface area of the Pt counter electrode is approximately 20 times greater than that of the n-GaAs. Equal rates of reduction and oxidation of the dimethlviologen redox couples reveals that the number of the photogenerated electrons and holes getting into the electrolyte are the same. Therefore, the photogenerated holes formed at GaAs surface are consumed totally as a result of the electrolyte oxidation rather than GaAs corrosion. The deposition of a thin layer of gold on the top of the porous surface doubles the magnitude of the photocurrent density due to suppressing electron–hole recombination process. � 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tailoring the reducibility and catalytic activity of CuO nanoparticles for low temperature CO oxidation

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles have received considerable interest as active and inexpensive catalysts for various gas–solid reactions. The CuO reducibility and surface reactivity are of crucial importance for the high catalytic activity. Herein, we demonstrate that the reducibility and stability of CuO nanoparticles can be controlled and tailored for the high catalytic activity of CO oxidation. The synthesized CuO nanoparticles possessed enhanced reducibility in CO atmosphere at lower reduction temperature of 126 °C compared to 284 °C for that of reference CuO particles. Moreover, the CuO catalysts with tailored reducibility demonstrated a reaction rate of 35 μmol s−1 g−1 and an apparent activation energy of 75 kJ mol−1. Furthermore, the tailored catalysts exhibited excellent long-term stability for CO oxidation for up to 48 h on stream. These readily-reducible CuO nanoparticles could serve as efficient, inexpensive and durable catalysts for CO oxidation at low temperatures.