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Crystals
Special Issues
Nanostructured Crystalline Materials
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Nanostructured Crystalline Materials

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Crystalline Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 17432

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ewa Wierzbicka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institut für Chemie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Brook-Taylor-Str. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
Interests: anodic oxide layers; metal nanostructures; corrosion; photocatalysis; plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Karolina Syrek

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Physical Chemistry, Electrochemistry Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
Interests: synthesis and applications of nanomaterials; titania nanostructures; electrochemical synthesis; photoelectrochemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanostructuring (the fabrication of materials with nanometer-size grains or with nanometer-scale structures) has become a very important branch of modern materials science. The development of systems made of units with nanometric proportions has been essential to attaining new properties that differ from those of bulk materials.

The remarkable properties of nanomaterials provide them with a broad range of applications in energy science, mechanics, optics, biomedical sciences, chemical industries, electronics, photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, nonlinear optical devices, health care, cosmetics, and food.

The correlation between the size/shape and functional properties of nanomaterials has attracted the most attention from the scientific community; nevertheless, the influence of the crystal phase has been found to be a no less important parameter. For many applications, the material must be in crystal form (e.g., to ensure efficient electron transport). Moreover, the modification of lattice parameters by tuning the polymorph ratio allows us to change chemical, electrical, or optical properties and to adjust the properties for target applications.

Nanoscience has to deal with the design and synthesis of materials that require special processing. The development of methods for successfully synthesizing crystal nanomaterials would represent an important milestone in this pursuit. Known methods consider either the direct synthesis of crystalline species (e.g., by the hydrothermal synthesis of nanopowders) or an additional post-treatment process (e.g., by high-temperature annealing). Nanomaterial instability at elevated temperatures is a common problem that usually interferes with the crystallization process. Such nanoscale architecture elements are much more susceptible to thermal decomposition; therefore, preserving the original morphology is often a challenge.

This Special Issue on Nanostructured Crystalline Materials is focused on current trends in modern material science and nanotechnology for the fabrication of crystalline materials. We invite the submission of original research articles on any topic related to the synthesis, characterization, or application of nanostructured crystalline materials.

Dr. Ewa Wierzbicka
Dr. Karolina Syrek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Crystals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanocrystals
  • crystalline nanoparticles
  • crystalline nanostructured thin films
  • nanostructured materials
  • applications of crystalline nanomaterials
  • nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing
  • characterization of crystal nanostructures

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 4043 KiB  
Article
Bridging Nanowires for Enhanced Gas Sensing Properties
by Mohammad R Alenezi and Abdullah M. Almeshal
Crystals 2021, 11(7), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11070743 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1536
Abstract
It is crucial to develop new bottom-up fabrication methods with control over the physical properties of the active materials to produce high-performance devices. This article reports well-controlled, without seed layer and site-selective hydrothermal method to produce ZnO bridging nanowires sensors. By controlling the [...] Read more.
It is crucial to develop new bottom-up fabrication methods with control over the physical properties of the active materials to produce high-performance devices. This article reports well-controlled, without seed layer and site-selective hydrothermal method to produce ZnO bridging nanowires sensors. By controlling the growth environment, the performance of the sensor became more efficient. The presented on-chip bridging nanowire sensor enhanced sensitivity toward acetone gas (200 ppm) around 63 and fast response time (420 ms) and recovery time (900 ms). The enhancement in the speed of response and recovery is ascribed to the exceptional NW-NW junction barrier that governs the sensor’s conductivity, and the excellent contact between ZnO nanowires and Au electrodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Crystalline Materials)
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11 pages, 2761 KiB  
Article
Formation of CuOx Nanowires by Anodizing in Sodium Bicarbonate Solution
by Damian Giziński, Anna Brudzisz, Mohammad Ramadan Alzahrani, Kuo-Kuang Wang, Wojciech Z. Misiołek and Wojciech J. Stępniowski
Crystals 2021, 11(6), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11060624 - 31 May 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2726
Abstract
Mechanism of copper nanostructuring by oxides and hydroxide formation during anodizing is not fully understood. At the same time, the search for novel copper anodizing regimes and electrolytes is ongoing due to multiple potential applications. In this work copper anodizing in two electrode [...] Read more.
Mechanism of copper nanostructuring by oxides and hydroxide formation during anodizing is not fully understood. At the same time, the search for novel copper anodizing regimes and electrolytes is ongoing due to multiple potential applications. In this work copper anodizing in two electrode setups, in stirred 0.01 M solution of NaHCO3 at 20 °C and at voltages ranging from 5 to 40 V was explored. The morphology and composition of prepared materials were studied using FE-SEM imaging and XRD measurements. Anodizing at potentials in a range of 15–30 V led to formation of nanowires composed of crystalline Cu2O, CuO, Cu(OH)2 and malachite Cu2CO₃(OH)2. The latter was formed due to anion incorporation from the electrolyte. The diameter of nanowires strongly depended on the applied voltage, and was 35 ± 6 nm for samples prepared at 15 V, and 45 ± 9 nm for 30 V. At higher applied voltages oscillations of current density were observed, suggesting partial delamination of the formed oxidized layer, with subsequent self-healing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Crystalline Materials)
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14 pages, 2957 KiB  
Article
Hydrothermal Synthesis, Characterization and Exploration of Photocatalytic Activities of Polyoxometalate: Ni-CoWO4 Nanoparticles
by Fahad A. Alharthi, Hamdah S. Alanazi, Amjad Abdullah Alsyahi and Naushad Ahmad
Crystals 2021, 11(5), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11050456 - 21 Apr 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2805
Abstract
This study demonstrated the hydrothermal synthesis of bimetallic nickel-cobalt tungstate nanostructures, Ni-CoWO4 (NCW-NPs), and their phase structure, morphology, porosity, and optical properties were examined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), high resolution [...] Read more.
This study demonstrated the hydrothermal synthesis of bimetallic nickel-cobalt tungstate nanostructures, Ni-CoWO4 (NCW-NPs), and their phase structure, morphology, porosity, and optical properties were examined using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), high resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Raman instruments. It was found that as-calcined NCW-NPs have a monoclinic phase with crystal size ~50–60 nm and is mesoporous. It possessed smooth, spherical, and cubic shape microstructures with defined fringe distance (~0.342 nm). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and rose bengal (RB) dye in the presence of NCW-NPs was evaluated, and about 49.85% of MB in 150 min and 92.28% of RB in 90 min degraded under visible light. In addition, based on the scavenger’s study, the mechanism for photocatalytic reactions is proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Crystalline Materials)
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11 pages, 2628 KiB  
Article
Photocatalytic Decolorization of Methyl Red on Nanoporous Anodic ZrO2 of Different Crystal Structures
by Ewa Wierzbicka, Karolina Syrek, Klaudia Mączka and Grzegorz D. Sulka
Crystals 2021, 11(2), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11020215 - 21 Feb 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3071
Abstract
High surface area, self-organized nanoporous ZrO2 arrays with perfect adhesion to the Zr substrate were synthesized by anodization in an aqueous electrolyte containing (NH4)2SO4 and NH4F. The obtained semiconductor materials were tested as photocatalysts for [...] Read more.
High surface area, self-organized nanoporous ZrO2 arrays with perfect adhesion to the Zr substrate were synthesized by anodization in an aqueous electrolyte containing (NH4)2SO4 and NH4F. The obtained semiconductor materials were tested as photocatalysts for decolorization of the methyl red (MR) as a model azo dye pollutant. It was demonstrated that as-synthesized anodic ZrO2 anodic layers are already crystalline and, therefore, do not require further thermal treatment to provide a high photocatalytic performance. However, photocatalytic efficiency could be improved by annealing at a relatively low-temperature of 350 °C. Higher annealing temperatures caused a gradual drop of photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic behavior was correlated with the crystal phase transformation in anodic ZrO2. It was found that higher photocatalytic activity was observed for the tetragonal phase over the monoclinic phase (predominant at elevated temperatures). It results from the optimal and complex electronic structure of annealed ZrO2 with three different energy states having absorption edges at 2.0, 4.01 and 5.28 eV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Crystalline Materials)
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14 pages, 4332 KiB  
Article
Crystal Structure and Some Thermodynamic Properties of Ca7MgSi4O16-Bredigite
by Xinjian Bao, Mingyue He, Zhigang Zhang and Xi Liu
Crystals 2021, 11(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11010014 - 26 Dec 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2116
Abstract
Bredigite with the composition Ca7MgSi4O16 (Ca7MgSi4O16-Bre) has been synthesized by a solid-state reaction method at 1.2 GPa and 1373 K for 7 days, and its structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray [...] Read more.
Bredigite with the composition Ca7MgSi4O16 (Ca7MgSi4O16-Bre) has been synthesized by a solid-state reaction method at 1.2 GPa and 1373 K for 7 days, and its structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Following a relevant genealogy analysis in the literature, we have refined the structure into two space groups, Pnnm and Pnn2, and found that Ca7MgSi4O16-Bre belongs to the space group Pnnm, which can be essentially derived from the space group Pnn2 via an atomic coordinate transformation (with an average deviation of 0.039 Å only). Furthermore, some thermodynamic properties of the Ca7MgSi4O16-Bre have been obtained in this study. Using first-principles simulations based on density functional theory, the isothermal bulk modulus has been determined as 90.6(4) GPa with a pressure derivative of 5.7(1). Using density functional perturbation technique, the phonon dispersions and vibrational density of the states (VDoS) have been calculated. The VDoS has been combined with a quasi-harmonic approximation to compute the isobaric heat capacity (Cp) and standard vibrational entropy (S2980), yielding Cp = 8.22(2) × 102 − 3.76(6) × 103T−0.5 − 1.384(4) × 107T−2 + 1.61(8) × 109T−3 J mol−1 K−1 for the T range of 298-1000 K and S2980 = 534.1 (22) J mol−1 K−1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Crystalline Materials)
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Review

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26 pages, 1565 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances on Properties and Utility of Nanomaterials Generated from Industrial and Biological Activities
by Virendra Kumar Yadav, Parth Malik, Afzal Husain Khan, Priti Raj Pandit, Mohd Abul Hasan, Marina M. S. Cabral-Pinto, Saiful Islam, R. Suriyaprabha, Krishna Kumar Yadav, Pedro A. Dinis, Samreen Heena Khan and Luisa Diniz
Crystals 2021, 11(6), 634; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11060634 - 1 Jun 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4269
Abstract
Today is the era of nanoscience and nanotechnology, which find applications in the field of medicine, electronics, and environmental remediation. Even though nanotechnology is in its emerging phase, it continues to provide solutions to numerous challenges. Nanotechnology and nanoparticles are found to be [...] Read more.
Today is the era of nanoscience and nanotechnology, which find applications in the field of medicine, electronics, and environmental remediation. Even though nanotechnology is in its emerging phase, it continues to provide solutions to numerous challenges. Nanotechnology and nanoparticles are found to be very effective because of their unique chemical and physical properties and high surface area, but their high cost is one of the major hurdles to its wider application. So, the synthesis of nanomaterials, especially 2D nanomaterials from industrial, agricultural, and other biological activities, could provide a cost-effective technique. The nanomaterials synthesized from such waste not only minimize pollution, but also provide an eco-friendly approach towards the utilization of the waste. In the present review work, emphasis has been given to the types of nanomaterials, different methods for the synthesis of 2D nanomaterials from the waste generated from industries, agriculture, and their application in electronics, medicine, and catalysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Crystalline Materials)
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