Nanoscale Materials and Devices for Electronics, Photonics and Energy Conversion

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2023) | Viewed by 9988

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National Institute of Scientific Research, Energy, Materials and Telecommunications, University of Quebec, 1650, Lionel Boulet boulevard, Varennes, QC J3X1S2, Canada
Interests: 2D nanomaterials; metal oxides; materials science; applied physics; energy applications; organic photovoltaics; perovskite solar cells; Si solar cells; self healing materials; nanocomposites; optoelectronic devices; energy reliability; MXenes based material; plasmonics and metamaterials
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Progress in information technology and renewable energy applications requires miniaturization of devices and reduction in costs, energy and material consumption. The latest generation of electronic devices is now approaching nanometer-scale dimensions; new materials are being introduced into electronics manufacturing at an unprecedented rate; and alternative technologies to mainstream CMOS are evolving. The low cost of natural energy sources has created economic barriers to the development of alternative and more efficient solar energy systems, fuel cells and batteries. Nanotechnology is widely accepted as a source of potential solutions in securing future progress for information and energy technologies. Nanoscale materials and devices for electronics, photonics and energy conversion aim at covering the following areas: atomic-scale material design, biomolecular and molecular electronics, high-frequency electronics, fabrication of nanodevices, magnetic materials and spintronics, materials and processes for integrated and subwave optoelectronics, nanoCMOS, new materials for FETs and other devices, nanoelectronics system architecture, nano-optics and lasers, non-silicon materials and devices, chemical sensors and biosensors, quantum effects in devices, nanoscience and technology applications in the development of novel solar energy devices, and fuel cells and batteries.

Prof. Dr. Brahim Aïssa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nanomaterials
  • nanotechnology
  • photonic devices
  • nanoelectronics
  • renewable energy
  • beyond CMOS
  • Moore’s law

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3529 KiB  
Article
Polyoxometalate-Modified Amphiphilic Polystyrene-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) Membranes for Heterogeneous Glucose to Formic Acid Methyl Ester Oxidation
by Yurii Utievskyi, Christof Neumann, Julia Sindlinger, Konstantin Schutjajew, Martin Oschatz, Andrey Turchanin, Nico Ueberschaar and Felix H. Schacher
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(18), 2498; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13182498 - 05 Sep 2023
Viewed by 821
Abstract
Herein, we present a new heterogeneous catalyst active toward glucose to formic acid methyl ester oxidation. The catalyst was fabricated via electrostatic immobilization of the inorganic polyoxometalate HPA-5 catalyst H8[PMo7V5O40] onto the pore surface of [...] Read more.
Herein, we present a new heterogeneous catalyst active toward glucose to formic acid methyl ester oxidation. The catalyst was fabricated via electrostatic immobilization of the inorganic polyoxometalate HPA-5 catalyst H8[PMo7V5O40] onto the pore surface of amphiphilic block copolymer membranes prepared via non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS). The catalyst immobilization was achieved via wet impregnation due to strong coulombic interactions between protonated tertiary amino groups of the polar poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) block and the anionic catalyst. Overall, three sets of five consecutive catalytic cycles were performed in an autoclave under 90 °С and 11.5 bar air pressure in methanol, and the corresponding yields of formic acid methyl ester were quantified via head-space gas chromatography. The obtained results demonstrate that the membrane maintains its catalytic activity over multiple cycles, resulting in high to moderate yields in comparison to a homogeneous catalytic system. Nevertheless, presumably due to leaching, the catalytic activity declines over five catalytic cycles. The morphological and chemical changes of the membrane during the prolonged catalysis under harsh conditions were examined in detail using different analytic tools, and it seems that the underlying block copolymer is not affected by the catalytic process. Full article
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14 pages, 480 KiB  
Article
Tunable Heat-Flux Rectification in Graded Nanowires in Non-Linear Guyer-Krumhansl Regime
by Isabella Carlomagno, Vito Antonio Cimmelli and David Jou
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(9), 1442; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13091442 - 23 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 822
Abstract
We study heat rectification in composition-graded nanowires, with nonlocal and nonlinear effects taken into account in a generalized Guyer-Krumhansl equation. Using a thermal conductivity dependent on composition and temperature, the heat equation is solved. Introducing a non-vanishing heat supply (as for instance, a [...] Read more.
We study heat rectification in composition-graded nanowires, with nonlocal and nonlinear effects taken into account in a generalized Guyer-Krumhansl equation. Using a thermal conductivity dependent on composition and temperature, the heat equation is solved. Introducing a non-vanishing heat supply (as for instance, a lateral radiative heat supply), we explore the conditions under which either nonlocal or nonlinear effects or both contribute to heat rectification and how they may be controlled by means of the external radiative flux. The corresponding rectification coefficients are calculated as well, and the physical conditions under which the system becomes a thermal diode are pointed out. Full article
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Review

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32 pages, 9174 KiB  
Review
Metamaterials and Metasurfaces: A Review from the Perspectives of Materials, Mechanisms and Advanced Metadevices
by Adnan Ali, Anirban Mitra and Brahim Aïssa
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(6), 1027; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12061027 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 7801
Abstract
Throughout human history, the control of light, electricity and heat has evolved to become the cornerstone of various innovations and developments in electrical and electromagnetic technologies. Wireless communications, laser and computer technologies have all been achieved by altering the way light and other [...] Read more.
Throughout human history, the control of light, electricity and heat has evolved to become the cornerstone of various innovations and developments in electrical and electromagnetic technologies. Wireless communications, laser and computer technologies have all been achieved by altering the way light and other energy forms act naturally and how to manage them in a controlled manner. At the nanoscale, to control light and heat, matured nanostructure fabrication techniques have been developed in the last two decades, and a wide range of groundbreaking processes have been achieved. Photonic crystals, nanolithography, plasmonics phenomena and nanoparticle manipulation are the main areas where these techniques have been applied successfully and led to an emergent material sciences branch known as metamaterials. Metamaterials and functional material development strategies are focused on the structures of the matter itself, which has led to unconventional and unique electromagnetic properties through the manipulation of light—and in a more general picture the electromagnetic waves—in widespread manner. Metamaterial’s nanostructures have precise shape, geometry, size, direction and arrangement. Such configurations are impacting the electromagnetic light waves to generate novel properties that are difficult or even impossible to obtain with natural materials. This review discusses these metamaterials and metasurfaces from the perspectives of materials, mechanisms and advanced metadevices in depth, with the aim to serve as a solid reference for future works in this exciting and rapidly emerging topic. Full article
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37 pages, 55908 KiB  
Review
Research Progress of Plasmonic Nanostructure-Enhanced Photovoltaic Solar Cells
by Adnan Ali, Fedwa El-Mellouhi, Anirban Mitra and Brahim Aïssa
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(5), 788; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12050788 - 25 Feb 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4265
Abstract
Enhancement of the electromagnetic properties of metallic nanostructures constitute an extensive research field related to plasmonics. The latter term is derived from plasmons, which are quanta corresponding to longitudinal waves that are propagating in matter by the collective motion of electrons. Plasmonics are [...] Read more.
Enhancement of the electromagnetic properties of metallic nanostructures constitute an extensive research field related to plasmonics. The latter term is derived from plasmons, which are quanta corresponding to longitudinal waves that are propagating in matter by the collective motion of electrons. Plasmonics are increasingly finding wide application in sensing, microscopy, optical communications, biophotonics, and light trapping enhancement for solar energy conversion. Although the plasmonics field has relatively a short history of development, it has led to substantial advancement in enhancing the absorption of the solar spectrum and charge carrier separation efficiency. Recently, huge developments have been made in understanding the basic parameters and mechanisms governing the application of plasmonics, including the effects of nanoparticles’ size, arrangement, and geometry and how all these factors impact the dielectric field in the surrounding medium of the plasmons. This review article emphasizes recent developments, fundamentals, and fabrication techniques for plasmonic nanostructures while investigating their thermal effects and detailing light-trapping enhancement mechanisms. The mismatch effect of the front and back light grating for optimum light trapping is also discussed. Different arrangements of plasmonic nanostructures in photovoltaics for efficiency enhancement, plasmonics’ limitations, and modeling performance are also deeply explored. Full article
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