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Micromachines
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Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources
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Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "E：Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 12035

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Milan Žunić

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Guest Editor
Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: material science; physics; nanotechnology; renewable energy
Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Dapčević

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11120 Beograd, Serbia
Interests: study of crystal structure of polycrystalline materials (application of X-ray powder diffraction and Rietveld method); investigation of thermal behavior of various materials (application of thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis); synthesis and characterization of ceramic materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the development of nanostructures has revolutionized how we think about energy production, storage, and utilization. Using nanoscale materials and devices allows us to create efficient, high-performance, and cost-effective electronic systems that can be integrated into an extensive field of applications, from energy harvesting and storage to sensors and actuators.

This Special Issue of Micromachines is focused on the exciting field of nanostructures for application in electronics and renewable energy sources. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers and scientists to publish their cutting-edge work and foster interdisciplinary collaboration in this rapidly evolving area.

To this end, we welcome submissions that explore the latest advances in the synthesis and characterization of nanostructures, their integration into energy-harvesting devices and energy storage systems, as well as their application in the fields of electronics, renewable energy, and sustainable energy technologies.

We are particularly interested in articles that showcase the interdisciplinary nature of this field and its impact on a wide array of industries and applications, from aerospace and defense to biomedical devices. In this issue, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art nanostructures for electronics and renewable energy sources, highlighting the key challenges and opportunities facing this field.

Dr. Milan Žunić
Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Dapčević
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. Micromachines 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

  • nanotechnology
  • electronics
  • renewable energy
  • interdisciplinary
  • innovative
  • design
  • fabrication

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 5056 KiB  
Article
Area-Selective Growth of Zinc Oxide Nanowire Arrays for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting
by Frank Eric Boye Anang, Xuanwei Wei, Jiushuai Xu, Markys Cain, Zhi Li, Uwe Brand and Erwin Peiner
Micromachines 2024, 15(2), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15020261 - 10 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1504
Abstract
In this work, we present the area-selective growth of zinc oxide nanowire (NW) arrays on patterned surfaces of a silicon (Si) substrate for a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG). ZnO NW arrays were selectively grown on patterned surfaces of a Si substrate using a devised [...] Read more.
In this work, we present the area-selective growth of zinc oxide nanowire (NW) arrays on patterned surfaces of a silicon (Si) substrate for a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG). ZnO NW arrays were selectively grown on patterned surfaces of a Si substrate using a devised microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-compatible chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The fabricated devices measured a maximum peak output voltage of ~7.9 mV when a mass of 91.5 g was repeatedly manually placed on them. Finite element modeling (FEM) of a single NW using COMSOL Multiphysics at an applied axial force of 0.9 nN, which corresponded to the experimental condition, resulted in a voltage potential of −6.5 mV. The process repeated with the same pattern design using a layer of SU-8 polymer on the NWs yielded a much higher maximum peak output voltage of ~21.6 mV and a corresponding peak power density of 0.22 µW/cm3, independent of the size of the NW array. The mean values of the measured output voltage and FEM showed good agreement and a nearly linear dependence on the applied force on a 3 × 3 µm2 NW array area in the range of 20 to 90 nN. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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14 pages, 3392 KiB  
Article
Green Anisole as Antisolvent in Planar Triple-Cation Perovskite Solar Cells with Varying Cesium Concentrations
by Vera La Ferrara, Antonella De Maria and Gabriella Rametta
Micromachines 2024, 15(1), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15010136 - 15 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1552
Abstract
The feasibility of replacing toxic chlorobenzene antisolvents with environmentally friendly anisole in the fabrication of planar triple-cation perovskite solar cells was explored here. The successful integration of anisole not only ensures comparable device performance but also contributes to the development of more sustainable [...] Read more.
The feasibility of replacing toxic chlorobenzene antisolvents with environmentally friendly anisole in the fabrication of planar triple-cation perovskite solar cells was explored here. The successful integration of anisole not only ensures comparable device performance but also contributes to the development of more sustainable and green fabrication processes for next-generation photovoltaic technologies. Nevertheless, to ensure the possibility of achieving well-functioning unencapsulated devices whose working operation depends on outdoor atmospheric conditions, we found that adjusting the cesium concentrations in the perovskite layers enabled the electrical characterization of efficient devices even under high relative humidity conditions (more than 40%). We found that 10% of CsI in the precursor solution will make devices with low hysteresis indexes and sustained performance stability over a 90-day period both with cholorobenzene and anisole antisolvent. These results further confirm that green anisole can replace chlorobenzene as an antisolvent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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13 pages, 3741 KiB  
Article
Untreated vs. Treated Carbon Felt Anodes: Impacts on Power Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells
by Abdelghani Ghanam, Sebastien Cecillon, Andrei Sabac, Hasna Mohammadi, Aziz Amine, François Buret and Naoufel Haddour
Micromachines 2023, 14(12), 2142; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14122142 - 23 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2424
Abstract
This research sought to enhance the efficiency and biocompatibility of anodes in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs), with an aim toward large-scale, real-world applications. The study focused on the effects of acid-heat treatment and chemical modification of three-dimensional porous [...] Read more.
This research sought to enhance the efficiency and biocompatibility of anodes in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs), with an aim toward large-scale, real-world applications. The study focused on the effects of acid-heat treatment and chemical modification of three-dimensional porous pristine carbon felt (CF) on power generation. Different treatments were applied to the pristine CF, including coating with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) dispersed using dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) surfactant and biopolymer chitosan (CS). These processes were expected to improve the hydrophilicity, reduce the internal resistance, and increase the electrochemically active surface area of CF anodes. A high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) analysis confirmed successful CNF coating. An electrochemical analysis showed improved conductivity and charge transfer toward [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− redox probe with treated anodes. When used in an air cathode single-chamber MFC system, the untreated CF facilitated quicker electroactive biofilm growth and reached a maximum power output density of 3.4 W m−2, with an open-circuit potential of 550 mV. Despite a reduction in charge transfer resistance (Rct) with the treated CF anodes, the power densities remained unchanged. These results suggest that untreated CF anodes could be most promising for enhancing power output in BESs, offering a cost-effective solution for large-scale MFC applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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12 pages, 1390 KiB  
Article
Microbial Fuel Cells as Effective Tools for Energy Recovery and Antibiotic Detection in Water and Food
by Giulia Massaglia, Giacomo Spisni, Candido F. Pirri and Marzia Quaglio
Micromachines 2023, 14(12), 2137; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14122137 - 22 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1262
Abstract
This work demonstrates that microbial fuel cells (MFCs), optimized for energy recovery, can be used as an effective tool to detect antibiotics in water-based environments. In MFCs, electroactive biofilms function as biocatalysts by converting the chemical energy of organic matter, which serves as [...] Read more.
This work demonstrates that microbial fuel cells (MFCs), optimized for energy recovery, can be used as an effective tool to detect antibiotics in water-based environments. In MFCs, electroactive biofilms function as biocatalysts by converting the chemical energy of organic matter, which serves as the fuel, into electrical energy. The efficiency of the conversion process can be significantly affected by the presence of contaminants that act as toxicants to the biofilm. The present work demonstrates that MFCs can successfully detect antibiotic residues in water and water-based electrolytes containing complex carbon sources that may be associated with the food industry. Specifically, honey was selected as a model fuel to test the effectiveness of MFCs in detecting antibiotic contamination, and tetracycline was used as a reference antibiotic within this study. The results show that MFCs not only efficiently detect the presence of tetracycline in both acetate and honey-based electrolytes but also recover the same performance after each exposure cycle, proving to be a very robust and reliable technology for both biosensing and energy recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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11 pages, 4404 KiB  
Article
Optoelectronic Effects of Copper–Indium–Gallium–Sulfur (CIGS2)-Solar Cells Prepared by Three-Stage Co-Evaporation Process Technology
by Tzu-Chien Li, Chia-Wen Chang, Chia-Chun Tai, Jyh-Jier Ho, Tung-Po Hsieh, Yung-Tsung Liu and Tsung-Lin Lu
Micromachines 2023, 14(9), 1709; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14091709 - 31 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1247
Abstract
In this paper, the performance of Cu-(In,Ga)-S2 (CIGS2) solar cells with adjusting composite [Cu]/([Ga] + [In]) (CGI)-ratio absorber was explored and compared through an improved three-stage co-evaporation technique. For co-evaporating CIGS2 absorber as a less toxic alternative to Cd-containing [...] Read more.
In this paper, the performance of Cu-(In,Ga)-S2 (CIGS2) solar cells with adjusting composite [Cu]/([Ga] + [In]) (CGI)-ratio absorber was explored and compared through an improved three-stage co-evaporation technique. For co-evaporating CIGS2 absorber as a less toxic alternative to Cd-containing film, we analyzed the effect of the CGI-ratio stoichiometry and crystallinity, and explored its opto-electric sensing characteristic of individual solar cell. The results of this research signified the potential of high-performance CIGS2-absorption solar cells for photovoltaic (PV)-module industrial applications. For the optimal CIGS2-absorption film (CGI = 0.95), the Raman main-phase signal (A1) falls at 291 cm−1, which was excited by the 532 nm line of Ar+-laser. Using photo-luminescence (PL) spectroscopy, the corresponding main-peak bandgaps measured was 1.59 eV at the same CGI-ratio film. Meanwhile, the best conversion efficiency (η = 3.212%) and the average external quantum efficiency (EQE = 51.1% in the visible-wavelength region) of photo-electric properties were achieved for the developed CIGS2-solar cells (CGI = 0.95). The discoveries of this CIGS2-absorption PV research provided a new scientific understanding of solar cells. Moreover, this research undeniably contributes to a major advancement towards practical PV-module applications and can help more to build an eco-friendly community. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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18 pages, 7426 KiB  
Article
Towards High Capacitive Performance of Chemically Deposited β-Ni(OH)2 Nanolamellae Electrode Films
by Kevin Radakishna Moonooswamy and Mohammed Es-Souni
Micromachines 2023, 14(8), 1644; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14081644 - 20 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1224
Abstract
Nickel hydroxide β-Ni(OH)2 nanolamellae with high aspect ratios were grown via chemical bath deposition (CBD) on both smooth and textured nickel foil. Depending on bath composition and/or the presence of an additive, thin foam-like nanolamellae to stacked lamellae were obtained. The used [...] Read more.
Nickel hydroxide β-Ni(OH)2 nanolamellae with high aspect ratios were grown via chemical bath deposition (CBD) on both smooth and textured nickel foil. Depending on bath composition and/or the presence of an additive, thin foam-like nanolamellae to stacked lamellae were obtained. The used CBD method is highly cost-effective, as it is faster and requires less chemicals than typical hydrothermal methods, and it is readily implementable for large-scale production. The influence of surface texture on the final morphology and its effect on capacitive performance was investigated. Herein, we show how subtle changes in the concentration can drastically influence the morphology, which, in turn, drastically impacts the supercapacitive performance of the electrode. Also, the use of a textured surface significantly impacts the morphology, with vastly better cycling performance than samples made on a relatively smooth substrate. The measured specific capacitance values of the best sample were 1961 Fg−1 at 5 mVs−1 and 1998 Fg−1 at 1 Ag−1 under potentiostatic and galvanostatic conditions, respectively. This sample also retained 100% of its initial specific capacitance when discharged at a very high current density of 40 Ag−1. These values are substantially enhanced compared to previously reported data using a nearly analogous method (CBD with higher reagent conc.), with our method, cost-wise, offering economic advantages relative to results obtained with similar materials and other methods (e.g., hydrothermal). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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20 pages, 5265 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Multiple Reactants in a Membrane-Less Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)
by Iesti Hajar Hanapi, Siti Kartom Kamarudin, Azran Mohd Zainoodin, Umi Azmah Hasran and Zulfirdaus Zakaria
Micromachines 2023, 14(6), 1247; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14061247 - 14 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2047
Abstract
Membrane-less fuel cells are a promising power source for portable applications that enable the solving of membrane-related issues, such as water management and high cost, in conventional fuel cells. Apparently, research on this system uses a single electrolyte. This study focused on enhancing [...] Read more.
Membrane-less fuel cells are a promising power source for portable applications that enable the solving of membrane-related issues, such as water management and high cost, in conventional fuel cells. Apparently, research on this system uses a single electrolyte. This study focused on enhancing the performance of membrane-less fuel cells by introducing multiple reactants that are dual electrolytes with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and oxygen as oxidants in membrane-less direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The conditions tested for the system are (a) acidic, (b) alkaline, (c) dual medium with oxygen as an oxidant, and (d) dual medium and dual oxygen and hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. Additionally, the effect of fuel utilization on different electrolyte and fuel concentrations was also studied. It was found that the fuel utilization decreases dramatically with the increasing of the fuel concentration, but it improved with the increasing of the electrolyte concentration until 2M. The performance of the dual oxidants in dual-electrolyte membrane-less DMFCs was 15.5 mW cm−2 of the power density achieved before optimization. Later, the system was optimized, and the power density increased to 30 mW cm−2. Finally, this work presented the stability of the cell using the suggested parameters from the optimization process. This study indicated that the performance of the membrane-less DMFC increased for dual electrolytes with mixed oxygen and hydrogen peroxide as oxidants compared to a single electrolyte. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructures for Application in Electronics and Renewable Energy Sources)
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