Anupam Midya

Chemically Reduced Graphene Oxide for Ammonia Detection at Room Temperature

Chemically reduced graphene oxide (RGO) has recently attracted growing interest in the area of chemical sensors because of its high electrical conductivity and chemically active defect sites. This paper reports the synthesis of chemically reduced GO using NaBH4 and its performance for ammonia detection at room temperature. The sensing layer was synthesized on a ceramic substrate containing platinum electrodes. The effect of the reduction time of graphene oxide (GO) was explored to optimize the response, recovery, and response time. The RGO film was characterized electrically and also with atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sensor response was found to lie between 5.5% at 200 ppm (parts per million) and 23% at 2800 ppm of ammonia, and also resistance recovered quickly without any application of heat (for lower concentrations of ammonia). The sensor was exposed to different vapors and found to be selective toward ammonia. We believe such chemically reduced GO could potentially be used to manufacture a new generation of low-power portable ammonia sensors.

Hydrothermal growth of few layer 2H-MoS2 for heterojunction photodetector and visible light induced photocatalytic applications

The present low yielding growth techniques of semiconducting 2H phase molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) hamper its widespread applications. In this article, we report a novel hydrothermal chemical approach to synthesize micron sized few layer 2H-MoS2 on a large scale. Sodium molybdate and ammonium thiocyanate have been used as precursors to obtain template-free 2H-MoS2 in solution. Detailed microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations reveal that the bottom-up synthesized few layer MoS2 flakes are highly crystalline having the hexagonal 2H phase. Photodetector devices comprising a p-type silicon (p-Si)/n-MoS2 heterostructure have been fabricated for the first time using solution processed 2H-MoS2 synthesized by the bottom up approach. The heterojunction diode exhibits a high rectification ratio (>103) with broad band photoresponse over the visible range. Because of the visible light photoresponse, as-synthesized MoS2 along with reduced graphene oxide (MoS2–RGO hybrids) have been utilized to study the potential of this two dimensional (2D) heterostructure for visible light driven photocatalytic Rhodamine B dye degradation. This study demonstrates the potential of solution processed MoS2 for integration with silicon and growth of 2D heterostructures for visible light induced multifunctional applications.

Tunable optical properties of graphene oxide by tailoring the oxygen functionalities using infrared irradiation.

The modification of individual oxygen functional groups and the resultant optical properties of a graphene oxide suspension were investigated using a controlled photothermal reduction by infrared irradiation. The evolution of the structural and optical characteristics of GO suspensions was obtained from Raman spectra, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical absorption, and steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results suggest the gradual restoration of sp(2) clusters within the sp(3) matrix with an increase of the reduction time and power density. The yellow-red emission (∼610 nm) originated from the defect-assisted localized states in GO due to epoxy/hydroxyl (C-O/-OH) functional groups and that of the blue emission (∼500 nm) was ascribed to the carbonyl (C=O)-assisted localized electronic states. With an increase in the reduction time and IR power density, the intensity of the yellow-red emission was found to decrease, with the blue emission being prominent. These experimental findings open up a new dimension for controlling the optical absorption and emission properties of graphene oxide by tailoring the oxygen functional groups, which may lead to the potential application of graphene-based optoelectronic devices.

Synthesis and Superior Optical‐Limiting Properties of Fluorene‐Thiophene‐Benzothiadazole Polymer‐Functionalized Graphene Sheets

A polymer based on fluorene, thiophene, and benzothiadazole as the donor-spacer-acceptor triad is covalently coupled to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets via diazonium coupling with phenyl bromide, followed by Suzuki coupling. These polymer-graphene hybrids show good solubility in organic solvents, such as chloroform, tetrahydrofuran (THF), toluene, dichlorobenzene, and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and exhibit an excellent optical-limiting effect with a 532-nm laser beam. The optical-limiting threshold energy values (0.93 J cm(-2) for G-polymer 1 and 1.12 J cm(-2) for G-polymer 2) of these G-polymer hybrids are better than that of carbon nanotubes (3.6 J cm(-2)).

Diamond-Based Molecular Platform for Photoelectrochemistry

Boron doped diamond (BDD) thin film was found to exhibit higher photocurrent conversion efficiencies and photostability compared to commonly used transparent conducting oxides (ITO and FTO) owing to the matching energy levels and strong C-C bonding at the organic/diamond interface.

Broadband photoresponse and rectification of novel graphene oxide/n-Si heterojunctions

We report a novel graphene oxide (GO) based p-n heterojunction on n-Si. The fabricated vertical GO/n-Si heterojunction diode shows a very low leakage current density of 0.25 µA/cm(2) and excellent rectification characteristics upto 1 MHz. The device on illumination shows a broadband (300-1100 nm) spectral response with a characteristic peak at ~700 nm, in agreement with the photoluminescence emission from GO. Very high photo-to-dark current ratio (>10(5)) is observed upon illumination of UV light. The transient photocurrent measurements indicate that the GO based heterojunction diodes can be useful for UV and broadband photodetectors, compatible with silicon device technology.

Highly Luminescent WS2 Quantum Dots/ZnO Heterojunctions for Light Emitting Devices

Sonication induced vertical fragmentation of two-dimensional (2D) WS2 nanosheets into highly luminescent, monodispered, zero-dimensional (0D) quantum dots (QDs) is reported. The formation of 0D structures from 2D sheets and their surface/microstructure characterization are revealed from their microscopic and spectroscopic investigations. Size dependent optical properties of WS2 nanostructures have been explored by UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Interestingly, it is observed that, below a critical dimension (∼2 nm), comparable to the Bohr exciton radius, the tiny nanocrystals exhibit strong emission. Finally, the electroluminescence characteristics are demonstrated for the first time, by forming a heterojunction of stabilizer free WS2 QDs and ZnO thin films. The signature of white light emission in the light emitting device is attributed to the adequate intermixing of emission characteristics of WS2 QDs and ZnO. The observation of white electroluminescence may pave the way to fabricate prototype futuristic efficient light emitting devices.

Self-assembly of a nine-residue amyloid-forming peptide fragment of SARS corona virus E-protein: mechanism of self aggregation and amyloid-inhibition of hIAPP.

Molecular self-assembly, a phenomenon widely observed in nature, has been exploited through organic molecules, proteins, DNA, and peptides to study complex biological systems. These self-assembly systems may also be used in understanding the molecular and structural biology which can inspire the design and synthesis of increasingly complex biomaterials. Specifically, use of these building blocks to investigate protein folding and misfolding has been of particular value since it can provide tremendous insights into peptide aggregation related to a variety of protein misfolding diseases, or amyloid diseases (e.g., Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, type-II diabetes). Herein, the self-assembly of TK9, a nine-residue peptide of the extra membrane C-terminal tail of the SARS corona virus envelope, and its variants were characterized through biophysical, spectroscopic, and simulated studies, and it was confirmed that the structure of these peptides influences their aggregation propensity, hence, mimicking amyloid proteins. TK9, which forms a beta-sheet rich fibril, contains a key sequence motif that may be critical for beta-sheet formation, thus making it an interesting system to study amyloid fibrillation. TK9 aggregates were further examined through simulations to evaluate the possible intra- and interpeptide interactions at the molecular level. These self-assembly peptides can also serve as amyloid inhibitors through hydrophobic and electrophilic recognition interactions. Our results show that TK9 inhibits the fibrillation of hIAPP, a 37 amino acid peptide implicated in the pathology of type-II diabetes. Thus, biophysical and NMR experimental results have revealed a molecular level understanding of peptide folding events, as well as the inhibition of amyloid-protein aggregation are reported.

Humidity Sensing by Chemically Reduced Graphene Oxide

Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) has been synthesized chemically by reducing micron-sized Graphene Oxide (GO) flakes using sodium borohydride solution. Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coated glass was taken as the basic substrate for sensing layer deposition. Sensitivity tests for relative humidity (RH) measurements were carried out at five different concentrations of humid air at room temperature. The response of the sensor was found to vary between 3.8 for 10 % humid air and 20.4 for 100 % humid air. Characterizations of the sensing layer were carried out using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM).

Superior heterojunction properties of solution processed copper-zinc-tin-sulphide quantum dots on Si

CZTS nanocrystals have been synthesized via a new facile and environmentally friendly route using olive oil at a relatively low temperature. Nanocrystals synthesized using olive oil have a smaller average size in comparison to those synthesized with a conventional solvent-like ethylenediamine. Nanocrystals with an average diameter of 40, 20 and 6 nm have been extracted from the olive oil at different centrifugation speeds of 500, 1000 and 2000 rpm, respectively. The photovoltaic characteristics of p-CZTS/n-Si heterojunctions fabricated using the synthesized colloidal quaternary nanocrystals are demonstrated. The device fabricated with smallest sized CZTS nanocrystals, having an average diameter of ∼6 nm, exhibits an enhancement in power conversion efficiency of 61% in comparison to that of the device fabricated with the nanocrystals of 40 nm in diameter. A lower reflectance and higher minority carrier life time along with a larger surface-to-volume ratio resulted in an enhanced power conversion efficiency for smaller sized CZTS nanocrystals.