Kootak Hong

Wafer-scale transferable molybdenum disulfide thin-film catalysts for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production

We demonstrate that wafer-scale, transferable, and transparent thin-film catalysts based on MoS2, which consists of cheap and earth abundant elements, can provide a low onset potential of 1 mA cm−2 at 0.17 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode and the high photocurrent density of 24.6 mA cm−2 at 0 V for a p-type Si photocathode. c-Domains with vertically stacked (100) planes in the transferable 2H-MoS2 thin films, which are grown via a thermolysis method, act as active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and photogenerated electrons are efficiently transported through the n-MoS2/p-Si heterojunction.

Organolead Halide Perovskites for Low Operating Voltage Multilevel Resistive Switching

Organolead halide perovskites are used for low-operating-voltage multilevel resistive switching. Ag/CH3 NH3 PbI3 /Pt cells exhibit electroforming-free resistive switching at an electric field of 3.25 × 10(3) V cm(-1) for four distinguishable ON-state resistance levels. The migration of iodine interstitials and vacancies with low activation energies is responsible for the low-electric-field resistive switching via filament formation and annihilation.

Drastically enhanced hydrogen evolution activity by 2D to 3D structural transition in anion-engineered molybdenum disulfide thin films for efficient Si-based water splitting photocathodes

We synthesized transferrable and transparent anion-engineered molybdenum disulfide thin-film catalysts through a simple thermolysis method by using [(NH4)2MoS4] solution and powder precursors with different sulphur/phosphorus weight ratios. The synthesized sulphur-doped molybdenum phosphide (S:MoP) thin film changed from a two-dimensional van der Waals structure to a three-dimensional hexagonal structure by introduction of phosphorus atoms in the MoS2 thin film. The S:MoP thin film catalyst, which is composed of cheap and earth abundant elements, could provide the lowest onset potential and the highest photocurrent density for planar p-type Si photocathodes. The density functional theory calculations indicate that the surface of S:MoP thin films absorb hydrogen better than that of MoS2 thin films. The structurally engineered thin film catalyst facilitates the easy transfer of photogenerated electrons from the p-Si light absorber to the electrolyte. Anion-engineering of the MoS2 thin film catalyst would be an efficient way to enhance the catalytic activity for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Low-dimensional halide perovskites: review and issues

Halide perovskites are emerging materials for future optoelectronics and electronics due to their remarkable advantages such as a high light absorption coefficient, long charge carrier diffusion length, facile synthesis method, and low cost. As polycrystalline halide perovskite thin films, which have been studied so far, have crucial limitations, low-dimensional halide perovskites have attracted attention due to their unique optical properties and charge transport properties, which have not been observed before. This review highlights the limitations of polycrystalline halide perovskites thin films and the unique characteristics of low-dimensional halide perovskite nanostructures including their electrical, optical, and chemical properties. After introducing the recent developments of various low-dimensional halide perovskite nanostructures including the synthesis methods, their properties, and applications, a brief overview of the challenges of low-dimensional halide perovskites as candidates for future optoelectronics and electronic devices is provided.

Toward High-Performance Hematite Nanotube Photoanodes: Charge-Transfer Engineering at Heterointerfaces

Vertically ordered hematite nanotubes are considered to be promising photoactive materials for high-performance water-splitting photoanodes. However, the synthesis of hematite nanotubes directly on conducting substrates such as fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/glass is difficult to be achieved because of the poor adhesion between hematite nanotubes and FTO/glass. Here, we report the synthesis of hematite nanotubes directly on FTO/glass substrate and high-performance photoelectrochemical properties of the nanotubes with NiFe cocatalysts. The hematite nanotubes are synthesized by a simple electrochemical anodization method. The adhesion of the hematite nanotubes to the FTO/glass substrate is drastically improved by dipping them in nonpolar cyclohexane prior to postannealing. Bare hematite nanotubes show a photocurrent density of 1.3 mA/cm(2) at 1.23 V vs a reversible hydrogen electrode, while hematite nanotubes with electrodeposited NiFe cocatalysts exhibit 2.1 mA/cm(2) at 1.23 V which is the highest photocurrent density reported for hematite nanotubes-based photoanodes for solar water splitting. Our work provides an efficient platform to obtain high-performance water-splitting photoanodes utilizing earth-abundant hematite and noble-metal-free cocatalysts.

Magnetically retrievable nanocomposite adorned with Pd nanocatalysts: efficient reduction of nitroaromatics in aqueous media

Herein, we describe the fabrication of a magnetically retrievable nanocomposite adorned with highly active Pd nanoparticles (NPs) (MRN-Pd), which is useful for the efficient reduction of nitroaromatics in aqueous solution. The polymerization of pyrrole as the monomer in the presence of Pd salt and iron nanopowder generates Pd nanocatalysts and localizes the resultant Pd NPs discretely and uniformly on the polypyrrole framework comprising strongly magnetic MRN-Pd catalyst without the need for any reducing agent. The nitrogen-containing polymer enhances the interaction between the decorated Pd nanocatalysts and the polymer scaffold, endowing stability to the Pd NPs and maintaining their monodispersity. This prevents the possible aggregation of the MRN-Pd catalyst and promotes its reactivity for fast reduction processes. The unique features exhibited by the MRN-Pd catalyst result in excellent catalytic activity for the expeditious reduction of nitroaromatics under green reaction conditions at room temperature. Furthermore, the pronounced magnetic characteristics of the MRN-Pd catalyst allow its convenient separation and recycling from the reaction mixture. In addition, the MRN-Pd catalyst can be completely separated and recycled using a small magnet and reused for seven consecutive cycles of high-yield reduction of nitrobenzene (99–95%) in water, thus affording a highly retrievable and sustainable magnetic nanocomposite catalyst suitable for environmentally friendly processes. The MRN-Pd catalyst also presents high catalytic activity in other typical catalytic transformations requiring Pd nanocatalysts, such as the Suzuki and Heck cross-coupling reactions.

Facile synthesis of monodispersed Pd nanocatalysts decorated on graphene oxide for reduction of nitroaromatics in aqueous solution

We synthesized the reproducible heterogeneous catalyst of graphene oxide (GO)-supported palladium nanoparticles (NPs) via a simple and green process. The structure, morphology and physicochemical properties of the synthesized heterogeneous catalyst were characterized by the latest techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The GO-supported Pd NPs (Pd/GO nanocatalyst) exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the reduction of nitroaromatics to aminoaromatics in aqueous sodium borohydride. The nitroaromatics were converted to corresponding aminoaromatics with high yields (up to 99%) using Pd/GO nanocatalyst in aqueous solution. The hybrid heterogeneous catalyst showed 83% of conversion after six cycles in the reduction of nitrobenzene to aminobenzene. These features ensured the high catalytic activity of the introduced graphene oxide supported Pd nanocatalysts.Graphical abstract

Synthesis of Numerous Edge Sites in MoS2 via SiO2 Nanorods Platform for Highly Sensitive Gas Sensor

The utilization of edge sites in two-dimensional materials including transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is an effective strategy to realize high-performance gas sensors because of their high catalytic activity. Herein, we demonstrate a facile strategy to synthesize the numerous edge sites of vertically aligned MoS2 and larger surface area via SiO2 nanorod (NRs) platforms for highly sensitive NO2 gas sensor. The SiO2 NRs encapsulated by MoS2 film with numerous edge sites and partially vertical-aligned regions synthesized using simple thermolysis process of [(NH4)2MoS4]. Especially, the vertically aligned MoS2 prepared on 500 nm thick SiO2 NRs (500MoS2) shows approximately 90 times higher gas-sensing response to 50 ppm NO2 at room temperature than the MoS2 film prepared on flat SiO2, and the theoretical detection limit is as low as ∼2.3 ppb. Additionally, it shows reliable operation with reversible response to NO2 gas without degradation at an operating temperature of 100 °C. The use of the proposed facile approach to synthesize vertically aligned TMDs using nanostructured platform can be extended for various TMD-based devices including sensors, water splitting catalysts, and batteries.