11. Cost-effective Green Synthesis of Boron rich Carbide Coatings for IR Windows and Night Vision OpticsMohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: The increasing demand for infrared (IR) window materials for various applications in optical imaging systems necessitates the development of cost-effective green techniques. Herein, the synthesis of refractory boron carbide (BC) using castor oil, as carbon precursor, and the preparation of IR transparent films by thermal vapor deposition technique is reported. Films are prepared with 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5 ratios of boric acid and castor oil, respectively. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform IR (FTIR) analyses reveal the structure of films prepared to be BC. The morphology of the films is analyzed by the atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique, and its dependence on precursor’s ratio is also studied. The spectroscopic characterization by the ultraviolet–visible–near IR (UV–vis–NIR) transmittance study reveals the potential of the films for IR window applications. The bandgap energy of the BC films determined from the Tauc plot yields a value of 2.33 eV. The absorption coefficient, extinction coefficient, refractive index, dissipation factor, and optical conductivity are also studied from the reflectance and transmittance data. Keywords: Green Synthesis, Boron rich Carbide, coatings, IR Windows Published in RUNG: 05.07.2022; Views: 1239; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
12. Concentration-dependent thermal duality of hafnium carbide nanofluid for heat transfer applications : a mode mismatched thermal lens studyVijayakumar Gokul, Mohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna, Vimal Raj, H. V. Saritha Devi, Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: he mode mismatch dual-beam thermal lens technique is a sensitive tool for studying the nanofuids’ thermal difusivity in thermal engineering. The work reports
the low-temperature green synthesis of hafnium carbide (HfC) using rice four as a natural carbon precursor and its potential in heat transfer nanofuids by studying the concentration-dependent thermal difusivity. The structure characterisations confirm the formation of HfC, whose refractory nature is revealed through the high thermal stability observed in the thermogravimetric analysis. The Tauc plot analysis shows direct bandgap energy of 2.92 eV. The fuorescence study suggests bluish-pink emission with CIE coordinates (0.271, 0.263). The existence of the critical concentration of HfC in the nanofuid decides its suitability for heat transfer or heat trap applications indicating a concentration-dependent thermal duality. Thus, the study is signifcant as it overcomes the major drawbacks of the existing methods of the synthesis of refractory HfC, using toxic chemical and costly equipment for heat transfer applications. Keywords: hafnium carbide, hydrothermal synthesis, rice flour, thermal lens spectroscopy Published in RUNG: 04.07.2022; Views: 1324; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
13. Boron carbide Nanowires from castor oil for optronic applications: A low-temperature greener approachMohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: The development of one-dimensional nanostructures has revolutionized electronic and photonic industries because of their unique properties. The present paper reports the low-temperature green synthesis of boron carbide nanowires, of diameter 14 nm and length 2 lm, by the condensation method using castor oil as the carbon precursor. The nanowires synthesized exhibit beaded chain morphology, and bandgap energy of 2.08 eV revealed through the Tauc plot analysis. The structure of boron carbide nanowires is revealed by micro-Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic, and X-ray diffraction analyses. The thermogravimetric analysis of the sample reveals the excellent thermal stability. The photoluminescence study reveals the nanowire’s blue light emission capability under ultraviolet excitation, which is substantiated by the CIE plot suggesting its potential in photonic applications. Keywords: Boron carbide, Nanowires, castor oil, green synthesis Published in RUNG: 04.07.2022; Views: 1266; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
14. Natural precursor based hydrothermal synthesis of sodium carbide for reactor applicationsMohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna, 2017, original scientific article Abstract: Carbides are a class of materials with high mechanical strength and refractory nature which finds a wide range of applications in industries and nuclear reactors. The existing synthesis methods of all types of carbides have problems in terms of use of toxic chemical precursors, high-cost, etc. Sodium carbide (Na2C2) which is an alkali metal carbide is the least explored one and also that there is no report of low-cost and low-temperature synthesis of sodium carbide using the eco-friendly, easily available natural precursors. In the present work, we report a simple low-cost, non-toxic hydrothermal synthesis of refractory sodium carbide using the natural precursor—Pandanus. The formation of sodium carbide along with boron carbide is evidenced by the structural and morphological characterizations. The sample thus synthesized is subjected to field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet (UV)—visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, and photoluminescent (PL) spectroscopic techniques. Keywords: sodium carbide, pandanus, hydrothermal synthesis, porous materials Published in RUNG: 30.06.2022; Views: 2175; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
15. Boron‑rich boron carbide from soot : a low-temperature green synthesis approachMohanachandran Nair Sindhu Swapna, H. V. Saritha Devi, Sankaranarayana Iyer Sankararaman, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: Boron carbide is a promising super-hard semiconducting material for refractory applications ranging from the nuclear industry to spacecraft. The present work is the frst report of not only turning futile soot, containing carbon allotropes in varying
composition, into boron-rich boron carbide (BC), but also developing it by a low-cost, low-temperature, and green synthesis
method. The BC synthesised from gingelly oil soot is subjected to structural, morphological, and optical characterisations.
The feld emission scanning electron microscope shows beautiful fower-like morphology, and the thermogravimetric analysis reveals the high-temperature stability of the sample synthesised. The Tauc plot of the sample indicates a 2.38 eV direct
bandgap. The formation of BC and boron-rich carbide evidenced by X-ray difraction studies is confrmed through Raman
and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic signatures of B–C and C–B–C bonds. The fuorescence, power spectrum, and
CIE analyses carried out suggest the blue light emission for excitation at 350 nm Keywords: boron carbide, soot, carbon nanoparticle, refractory, allotropes, green synthesis Published in RUNG: 30.06.2022; Views: 1419; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
16. Resolving the dilemma of Fe-N-C catalysts by the selective synthesis of tetrapyrrolic active sites via an imprinting strategyDavide Menga, Jian Liang Low, Yan-Sheng Li, Iztok Arčon, Burak Koyutürk, Friedrich Wagner, Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda, Miran Gaberšček, Beate Paulus, Tim-Patrick Fellinger, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Combining the abundance and inexpensiveness of
their constituent elements with their atomic dispersion, atomically
dispersed Fe−N−C catalysts represent the most promising
alternative to precious-metal-based materials in proton exchange
membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Due to the high temperatures
involved in their synthesis and the sensitivity of Fe ions toward
carbothermal reduction, current synthetic methods are intrinsically
limited in type and amount of the desired, catalytically active Fe−
N4 sites, and high active site densities have been out of reach
(dilemma of Fe−N−C catalysts). We herein identify a paradigm
change in the synthesis of Fe−N−C catalysts arising from the
developments of other M−N−C single-atom catalysts. Supported
by DFT calculations we propose fundamental principles for the synthesis of M−N−C materials. We further exploit the proposed
principles in a novel synthetic strategy to surpass the dilemma of Fe−N−C catalysts. The selective formation of tetrapyrrolic Zn−N4
sites in a tailor-made Zn−N−C material is utilized as an active-site imprint for the preparation of a corresponding Fe−N−C catalyst.
By successive low- and high-temperature ion exchange reactions, we obtain a phase-pure Fe−N−C catalyst, with a high loading of
atomically dispersed Fe (>3 wt %). Moreover, the catalyst is entirely composed of tetrapyrrolic Fe−N4 sites. The density of
tetrapyrrolic Fe−N4 sites is more than six times as high as for previously reported tetrapyrrolic single-site Fe−N−C fuel cell catalysts Keywords: Fe-N-C catalysts, selective synthesis, tetrapyrrolic active sites, EXAFS, XANES, single atom, DFT Published in RUNG: 25.10.2021; Views: 2127; Downloads: 54 Link to full text This document has many files! More... |
17. Photo-Chemically-Deposited and Industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 Catalyst Material Surface Structures During CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol: EXAFS, XANES and XPS Analyses of Phases After Oxidation, Reduction, and ReactionMaja Pori, Iztok Arčon, Venkata Dasireddy, Blaž Likozar, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Industrial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 or novel rate catalysts, prepared with a photochemical deposition method, were studied under functional CH3OH synthesis conditions at the set temperature (T) range of 240–350 °C, 20 bar pressure, and stoichiometric carbon dioxide/hydrogen composition. Analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray adsorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) methods were systematically utilized to investigate the interfaces, measured local geometry, and chemical state electronics around the structured active sites of commercially available Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 material or synthesized Cu/ZnO. Processed Cu K-edge EXAFS analysis suggested that various Cu atom species, clusters, metallic fcc Cu, Cu oxides (Cu2O or CuO) and the Cu0.7Zn2 alloy with hexagonal crystalline particles are contained after testing. It was proposed that in addition to the model’s Cu surface area, the amount, ratio and dispersion of the mentioned bonded Cu compounds significantly influenced activity. Additionally, XPS revealed that carbon may be deposited on the commercial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3, forming the inactive carbide coating with Cu or/and Zn, which may be the cause of basicity’s severe deactivation during reactions. The selectivity to methanol decreased with increasing T, whereas more Cu0.7Zn2 inhibited the CO formation through reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) CO2 reduction. Keywords: CH3OH synthesis, Cu/ZnO-based catalyst, XPS, XANES, EXAFS analyses, Catalyst selectivity and activity Published in RUNG: 03.06.2021; Views: 2431; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
18. Solvothermal synthesis of iron phosphides and their application for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolutionTakwa Chouki, Manel Machreki, Saim Emin, 2020, published scientific conference contribution abstract Abstract: We report the solvothermal synthesis of iron phosphide electrocatalysts using a low-cost phosphorus precursor [1]. The synthetic protocol allows for the preparation of a Fe2P phase at 300°C and FeP phase at 350°C. To enhance the catalytic activities of obtained iron phosphide particles, heat-treatments were carried out at elevated temperatures. Annealing at 500°C induced structural changes in the samples: (i) Fe2P provided a pure Fe3P phase (Fe3P−500°C) and (ii) FeP transformed into a mixture of iron phosphide phases (Fe2P/FeP−500°C). The electrocatalytic activities of heat-treated Fe2P−450°C, Fe3P−500°C, and Fe2P/FeP−500°C catalysts were studied for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in 0.5 M sulfuric acid (H2SO4). The HER activities of the iron phosphide catalyst were found to be phase dependent. The lowest recorded overpotential of 110 mV at 10 mA cm−2 vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode was achieved with Fe2P/FeP−500°C catalyst. The present approach allows the preparation of immobilized iron phsphide catalyst onto carbon support which is essential for application purpose. The procedure developed by us is an elegant approach to tune the composition of iron phosphide catalyst and control the morphology of particles. Keywords: solvothermal synthesis, iron phosphide, electrocatalyst, hydrogen evolution, overpotential Published in RUNG: 13.05.2021; Views: 2342; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |
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20. Microwave-assisted synthesis of a viologen-based covalent organic polymer with redox-tunable polarity for dye adsorptionGobinda Das, Tina Škorjanc, Thirumurugan Prakasam, Selbi Nuryyeva, John-Carl Olsen, Ali Trabolsi, 2017, original scientific article Keywords: viologen, microwave synthesis, phosphazene, dye adsorption, redox chemistry Published in RUNG: 02.09.2020; Views: 2608; Downloads: 0 This document has many files! More... |