1. Lattice-matched ▫$Ta_3N_5/Nb_5N_6$▫ interface enables a bulk charge separation efficiency of close to 100%Yitong Liu, Zeyu Fan, Ronghua Li, Andraž Mavrič, Iztok Arčon, Matjaž Valant, Gregor Kapun, Beibei Zhang, Chao Feng, Zemin Zhang, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The interface between the semiconductor light absorber
and the metal electrode is critical for facilitating the extraction of photogenerated charges in photoelectrodes. Achieving a lattice-matched
semiconductor/electrode interface with low defect density is highly desirable but remains a challenge for Ta3N5 photoanodes. In this study, we synthesized niobium nitride thin film electrodes with controllable crystallographic phases to achieve a lattice-matched Ta3N5/Nb5N6 back contact. This results in an enhanced crystallinity of the Ta3N5 film and
reduced interfacial defect density. Consequently, the photoanode with the lattice-matched back contact attains a record half-cell solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 4.1%, attributed to the bulk carrier separation efficiency of nearly 100%. This work highlights lattice-matching as an effective strategy to enhance the efficiency of thin film-based solar energy conversion devices.
Keywords: photoelectrochemistry, photoanode, interface, semiconductors
Published in RUNG: 28.03.2025; Views: 464; Downloads: 8
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2. A comparative study of nanolaminate CrN/Mo2N and CrN/W2N as hard and corrosion resistant coatingsMarco Beltrami, Andraž Mavrič, Simone Dal Zilio, Mattia Fanetti, Gregor Kapun, Marco Lazzarino, Orfeo Sbaizero, Miha Čekada, 2013, original scientific article Abstract: Nanolaminate coatings (NLC) consisting of alternated CrN coupled with either cubic tungsten nitride (β-W2N) or molybdenum nitride (γ-Mo2N) were deposited on cold worked tool steel substrates using reactive DC reactive magnetron sputtering for improved mechanical and corrosion resistance. The CrN/γ-Mo2N and CrN/β-W2N nanolaminate systems were found to perform better than the corresponding single-layer systems, with both mechanical and electrochemical properties improving by decreasing the individual layer thickness from 100 to 5 nm. The CrN/β-W2N NLC combined the high hardness value of W2N with the low corrosion current of CrN. The CrN/γ-Mo2N NLC showed synergistic improvements consisting of both higher hardness and lower corrosion currents with respect to the constituent materials alone. The dependence of mechanical and corrosion properties on the bilayer period is discussed in terms of the grain size, residual stresses and texture of the constituent materials and the nanostructured character of the multilayer architecture.
Keywords: Nanolayered coatings, Transition metal nitrides, Sputtering, Nanoindentation, Corrosion resistance, Mechanical properties
Published in RUNG: 12.01.2023; Views: 2775; Downloads: 0
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3. Effects of a Mixed O/F Ligand in the Tavorite-Type LiVPO4O StructureSorour Semsari Parapari, Jean-Marcel Ateba Mba, Elena Tchernychova, Gregor Mali, Iztok Arčon, Gregor Kapun, Mehmet Ali Gülgün, Robert Dominko, 2020, original scientific article Abstract: We report the synthesis and detailed structural
and chemical characterization including electrochemical
properties of a lithium vanadium oxy/fluoro-phosphate
material. To the best of our knowledge, we have for the first
time synthesized a LiVPO4O-type phase with a mixed O/F
ligand. In the synthesis procedure, the LiVPO4O precursor
compound was fluorinated via LiF incorporation, with
preservation of the LiVPO4O framework structure. The
operating potential of the synthesized material is increased
compared to that of the LiVPO4O precursor (4.12 V vs 3.95 V
versus metallic lithium, respectively). The related increase in
operating potential was assigned to the effect of the
intermixing O/F ligand, which is attained via the successful
fluorine incorporation into the LiVPO4O structure. A characterization of the investigated materials was performed using
microscale-covering XRD, XANES, and NMR techniques as well as nanoscale spatially resolved imaging and analytical STEM
techniques. The obtained oxy/fluoro-phosphate phase is isostructural to LiVPO4O; however, the presence of the mixed O/F
ligand promoted a higher symmetry of vanadium octahedra. These variations of the vanadium local environment along with the
observed inhomogeneous distribution of the incorporated fluorine gave rise to the minor local deviations in vanadium valence.
Our results clearly emphasize the connection among the fluorine ligand incorporation, its local distribution, and the
electrochemical properties of the material.
Keywords: LiVPO4O, XRD, SEM, V XANES, Tavorite-Type, electrochemical properties
Published in RUNG: 17.02.2020; Views: 4335; Downloads: 0
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