Nanostructured Metal Oxides: From Growth to Application

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2024) | Viewed by 3487

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
Interests: high entropy alloy/high entropy oxide; biomaterials; synthesis of ceramics and characterization; composites; mechanical properties; electrical properties; amorphous; nuclear materials

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Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Alagappa University, Karikudi 630003, India
Interests: nanostructured materials; electrochemical; photo electrochemical; photo catalytic application

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Guest Editor
Nanoresearch Institute, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
Interests: amorphous; high entropy oxides; battery materials; nanostructure; ceramic nanoparticles; mechanical properties; magnetic properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metal oxides and hydroxides are electrically and mechanically stable compounds and are also considered as stable energy storage and conversion materials. A wide variety of physicochemical properties of metal oxides and hydroxides have been studied to explore the possibilities of various technological applications. The physical/chemical properties of metal oxides or hydroxides may make them effective and applicable in energy conversion and storage devices, solar cells, acoustics and optoelectronics, gas sensors, optoelectronic devices, passive optics, catalysis, corrosion prevention, environmental protection and biological applications. Furthermore, a reduction in the microstructural length scale to the nanoscale was found to alter their physical and chemical properties significantly, including their dielectric, thermal, catalytic, magnetic, biochemical, electronic, electrochemical and mechanical properties. Considering their potential for industrial application, studies on nanostructured metal oxides/hydroxides could be a topic of high interest. In recent years, these materials have shown significant progress in various fields, especially in medical, information technology, catalysis, energy storage, and sensor industries. This Special Issue will present comprehensive research that outlines the progress in in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of nanostructured metal oxides and hydroxides. Leading scientists and engineers that are currently working on the growth, synthesis, nanostructural analysis, deterioration, mechanical or functional property characterizations, theoretical analyses and applications of nanostructured metal oxides and/or metal hydroxides are invited to submit original research and review articles to this Special Issue “Nanostructured Metal Oxides/Hydroxides”. Original research articles and review articles that cover the current progress in nanostructured metal oxides and metal hydroxides are welcome. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Nanostructures of metal oxides or metal hydroxides.
  • Functional properties of nanostructured metal oxides and hydroxides.
  • Structural/mechanical properties of nanostructured metal oxides and hydroxides.
  • Growth, synthesis and/or processing of nanostructured metal oxides and hydroxides.
  • Nanostructure/property or nanostructure/processing relationships.
  • Characterization, and/or applications of nanostructured metal oxides and hydroxides.
  • Metal oxides and hydroxides in energy storage and/or batteries.
  • Metal oxides and hydroxides in bio-systems.
  • High-entropy oxides.

Prof. Dr. Sun Ig Hong
Dr. Rathinam Yuvakkumar
Dr. Hossein Minouei
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • energy generation/storage materials
  • magnetic properties
  • electrochemical application
  • biomaterials
  • thin films or coatings
  • electronic/electrical properties
  • high-entropy oxides
  • mechanical/structural properties
  • catalysts
  • metal oxides/hydroxides

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4757 KiB  
Article
Facile Synthesis of Ni-MgO/CNT Nanocomposite for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
by Panneerselvam Mohana, Melkiyur Isacfranklin, Rathinam Yuvakkumar, Ganesan Ravi, Lakshmanan Kungumadevi, Sundaramoorthy Arunmetha, Jun Hyun Han and Sun Ig Hong
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(3), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14030280 - 29 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1422
Abstract
In this study, the pristine MgO, MgO/CNT and Ni-MgO/CNT nanocomposites were processed using the impregnation and chemical vapor deposition methods and analyzed for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using the electrochemical water splitting process. Furthermore, the effect of nickel on the deposited carbon was [...] Read more.
In this study, the pristine MgO, MgO/CNT and Ni-MgO/CNT nanocomposites were processed using the impregnation and chemical vapor deposition methods and analyzed for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using the electrochemical water splitting process. Furthermore, the effect of nickel on the deposited carbon was systematically elaborated in this study. The highly conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) deposited on the metal surface of the Ni-MgO nanocomposite heterostructure provides a robust stability and superior electrocatalytic activity. The optimized Ni-MgO/CNT nanocomposite exhibited hierarchical, helical-shaped carbon nanotubes adorned on the surface of the Ni-MgO flakes, forming a hybrid metal–carbon network structure. The catalytic HER was carried out in a 1M alkaline KOH electrolyte, and the optimized Ni-MgO/CNT nanocomposite achieved a low (117 mV) overpotential value (ɳ) at 10 mA cm−2 and needed a low (116 mV/dec) Tafel value, denotes the Volmer–Heyrovsky pathway. Also, the high electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) value of the Ni-MgO/CNT nanocomposite attained 515 cm2, which is favorable for the generation of abundant electroactive species, and the prepared electrocatalyst durability was also performed using a chronoamperometry test for the prolonged duration of 20 h at 10 mA cm−2 and exhibited good stability, with a 72% retention. Hence, the obtained results demonstrate that the optimized Ni-MgO/CNT nanocomposite is a highly active and cost-effective electrocatalyst for hydrogen energy production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Metal Oxides: From Growth to Application)
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13 pages, 10800 KiB  
Article
Oxygen Vacancy Ordering and Molten Salt Corrosion Behavior of ZnO-Doped CeYSZ for Solid Oxide Membranes
by Hwanseok Lee and Heesoo Lee
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(20), 2790; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13202790 - 18 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1164
Abstract
Although 4Ce4YSZ has high corrosion resistance, it faces challenges concerning its sinterability and ionic conductivity. Therefore, we studied destabilization behavior caused by corrosion and oxygen vacancy ordering according to ZnO doping. Powders of (4Ce4YSZ)1−x(ZnO)x (x = 0.5, 1, 2, 4 [...] Read more.
Although 4Ce4YSZ has high corrosion resistance, it faces challenges concerning its sinterability and ionic conductivity. Therefore, we studied destabilization behavior caused by corrosion and oxygen vacancy ordering according to ZnO doping. Powders of (4Ce4YSZ)1−x(ZnO)x (x = 0.5, 1, 2, 4 mol%) were synthesized using the sol-gel method. With the addition of ZnO, the cubic phase increased, and secondary phases were not observed. The (111) peak showed a higher angle shift in ZnO-doped 4Ce4YSZ compared to 4Ce4YSZ, and TEM-SAED revealed a reduction in the spacing of the (011)t plane, suggesting lattice contraction due to the substitution of the smaller Zn2+ (60 Å) for Zr4+ (84 Å) in the lattice. The local atomic structure analysis was conducted using EXAFS to investigate the oxygen vacancy ordering behavior. Zr K-edge Fourier transform data revealed a decrease in the Zr-O1 peak intensity with an increasing amount of ZnO doping, indicating an increase in oxygen vacancies. The Zr-O1 peak position shifted to the right, leading to an increase in the Zr-O1 interatomic distance. In the Y K-edge Fourier transform data, the Y-O1 peak intensity did not decrease, and there was little variation in the Y-O1 interatomic distance. These results suggest that the oxygen vacancies formed due to ZnO doping are located in the neighboring oxygen shell of Zn, rather than in the neighboring oxygen shells of Y and Zr. Impedance measurements were conducted to measure the conductivity, and as the amount of ZnO doping increased, the total conductivity increased, while the activation energy decreased. The increase in oxygen vacancies by ZnO doping contributed to the enhancement of conductivity, and it is considered that these created oxygen vacancies did not interact with Zn2+ and did not form defect associations. Fluoride-based molten salts were introduced to the specimens to assess the corrosion behavior in a molten salt environment. Yttrium depletion layers (YDLs) were formed on the surfaces of all specimens due to the leaching of yttrium. However, Ce remained relatively stable at the interface according to EDS line scans, suggesting a reduction in the phase transformation (cubic, tetragonal to monoclinic) typically associated with yttrium leaching in YSZ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Metal Oxides: From Growth to Application)
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