Wenwen Kong

Formation of Mn‐Co‐Ni‐O Nanoceramic Microspheres Using In Situ Ink‐Jet Printing: Sintering Process Effect on the Microstructure and Electrical Properties

Mn-Co-Ni-O nanoceramic microspheres with high density, uniformity, and size tunability are successfully fabricated using in situ ink-jet printing and two step sintering (TSS) techniques. The microspheres, synthesized by an effective and facile reverse microemulsion method, consist of uncalcined Mn-Co-Ni-O nanocrystallines that show a well formed single tetragonal spinel phase and an average particle size distribution of ≈20 nm. The sintering behavior, microstructure, and electrical properties of the Mn-Co-Ni-O nanoceramic microspheres are systematically investigated and characterized. The results indicate that the sintered Mn-Co-Ni-O nanoceramic microspheres show high density and improved electrical properties. The highest R25 , B25/50 , Ea , and α25 values achieved at sintering temperature of 1150 °C are 4846.7 KΩ, 4320 K, 0.401 eV, and -5.24% K-1 , respectively for these Mn-Co-Ni-O nanoceramic microspheres. Furthermore, the formation mechanism of uncalcined Mn-Co-Ni-O nanocrystallines and an analysis of the TSS procedure of the nanoceramic microspheres are discussed.

Calcium manganate: A promising candidate as buffer layer for hybrid halide perovskite photovoltaic-thermoelectric systems

We have systematically studied the feasibility of CaMnO3 thin film, an n-type perovskite, to be utilized as the buffer layer for hybrid halide perovskite photovoltaic-thermoelectric device. Locations of the conduction band and the valence band, spontaneous polarization performance, and optical properties were investigated. Results indicate the energy band of CaMnO3 can match up well with that of CH3NH3PbI3 on separating electron-hole pairs. In addition, the consistent polarization angle helps enlarge the open circuit voltage of the composite system. Besides, CaMnO3 film shows large absorption coefficient and low extinction coefficient under visible irradiation, demonstrating high carrier concentration, which is beneficial to the current density. More importantly, benign thermoelectric properties enable CaMnO3 film to assimilate phonon vibration from CH3NH3PbI3. All the above features lead to a bright future of CaMnO3 film, which can be a promising candidate as a buffer layer for hybrid halide perovskite photovoltaic-thermoelectric systems.

Growth mode and properties of Mn-Co-Ni-O NTC thermistor thin films deposited on MgO (100) substrate by laser MBE

Mn1.56Co0.96Ni0.48O4-δ thin films were deposited on MgO (100) substrate using laser molecular beam epitaxy (LMBE) technique at the temperature range of 300–600°C under oxygen partial pressure of 5 × 10-3 Pa. The effect of growth temperature on microstructure and electrical properties as well as the growth mode were studied using XRD, RHEED, AFM and resistance–temperature measurements. The results showed that all prepared thin films underwent epitaxial growth along the single-(100) orientation direction of the MgO substrate from 3D-island mode to 2D layer-by-layer mode, and exhibited good crystallinity and NTC thermistor behavior. Their resistance at room temperature can be in the range of 10–50 MΩ together with a B-value of about 3300 K, which are desirable for a wide range of practical applications of the NTC thermistors.