?
Optimal Design of Copper-Doped ZnO Heterostructures for Photocatalytic and Photoeletrochemical Performance: A Combined Experimental and DFT Study
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 2026. Vol. 17. No. 17. P. 5099–5107.
Wary R. R., Mahato B., Sharma N., Choudhury S. P., Kazakova E., Ostovari Moghaddam A., Prezhdo O., Andrey S. Vasenko, Das A.
Development of heterojunction materials is an efficient approach for enhancing photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical processes. We develop a ZnO/CuO heterojunction via Cu doping into a ZnO matrix. Structural characterization confirmed that Cu was effectively incorporated into ZnO without any structural changes. The improved optical properties and reduced charge carrier recombination of the doped samples were confirmed by PL, EIS, and TRPL analyses. DFT was used to characterize the modified electronic properties of the materials. The optimal sample (ZnO with 3 wt % Cu) exhibited a photocurrent density of 2.05 mA/cm2 at the onset potential of 0.60 V vs Ag/AgCl (1.21 V vs RHE), which is four times superior to that of bare ZnO. As an application, a complete photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye was observed by the optimal sample, attributed to synergy between ZnO and CuO, induced by appropriate Cu-doping.
Language:
English
Publication based on the results of:
Kobtsev Danil, Albert J., Nitzan M. et al., Applied Sciences (Switzerland) 2026 Vol. 16 No. 17 Article 8577
AIVBVI semiconductors, particularly lead chalcogenides, remain key materials for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetection due to their narrow bandgap and exceptional carrier transport properties. However, the realization of high-quality p-type PbTe thin films, suitable for p–n junction devices, remains a technological challenge. In this work, we report the fabrication of high-mobility p-type PbTe thin films grown on ...
Added: August 30, 2026
Belousov Y., Кискин М. А., Sidoruk A. et al., Australian Journal of Chemistry 2022 Vol. 75 No. 9 P. 572–580
Four new complexes [Ln(pfaa)3(H2O)2]n (Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2)) and [Ln2Cd2(pfaa)10 (phen)2(EtOH)2]·2MeCN (Ln = Eu (3), Tb (4), phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) based on pentaphorphenylacetic acid (Hpfaa) have been prepared and completely investigated. The structures of compounds 1 and 3 were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis: the isostructural complexes 1 and 2 represent ...
Added: August 26, 2026
Mazur D., Brandyshev P., Doronin S. V. et al., Electrochimica Acta 2026 Vol. 577 Article 149729
The electric double layer (EDL) at a single-crystal metal surface is controlled not only by the electrolyte composition and the electrode potential, but also by the atomic structure of the surface itself. This makes the Ag(hkl)/NaF interface a stringent test for continuum theories of the EDL. In the third part of our series, we examine ...
Added: August 20, 2026
Budkov Y., Kalikin N., Journal of Chemical Physics 2026 Vol. 165 Article 064506
A self-consistent statistical-mechanical theory of the Hall effect in electrolyte solutions is developed by extending the self-consistent Debye–Hückel–Onsager (SCDHO) framework to crossed electric and magnetic fields. The theory incorporates non-local ionic charge distributions via Slater-type form factors, regularizing the Coulomb interaction at short range, and accounts for dielectric friction through ion-specific coefficients, employing experimental values ...
Added: August 12, 2026
Novikov A., New Journal of Chemistry 2026 Vol. 50 P. 13931–13957
The rational design of coinage metal nanocarriers requires a mechanistic understanding of metal-drug binding and predictive descriptors that translate molecular interactions into design rules. Using DFT (B3LYP-D3BJ/def2-TZVP, SMD water), we systematically investigated the binding of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and levodopa (l-DOPA) to neutral and cationic homo- and heteronuclear dimers of Au, Ag, and Cu (Au2, Ag2, ...
Added: August 12, 2026
G. G. Bondarenko, Kristya V. I., Savichkin D. O. et al., Journal of Surface Investigation: X-Ray, Synchrotron and Neutron Techniques 2026 Vol. 20 No. 2 P. 417–423
A model of a glow gas discharge in a mixture of argon and mercury vapor is formulated in the presence
of a thin insulating film on the cathode surface. Dependences of the discharge characteristics on the
mixture temperature are calculated in the range of its variation, in which a noticeable contribution to ionization
of the working gas is ...
Added: August 1, 2026
Voropaeva D., S. Novikova, I. Stenina et al., Solid State Ionics 2026 Vol. 445 Article 117288
Composite gel polymer electrolytes based on a perfluorinated sulfonic acid cation-exchange MF-4SC membrane
containing surface-sulfonated nanoparticles of aluminum oxide, cerium (IV) oxide, and titanium oxide (sAl2O3,
sCeO2, and sTiO2, respectively) were prepared by casting from a dispersion in N,N-dimethylformamide and
plasticized with a 1,3-dioxolane/1,2-dimethoxyethane mixture. The influence of the filler nature on ionic conductivity,
solvent uptake, activation energy, lithium ...
Added: July 30, 2026
Dmitry Vasilyev, Gorev V., Ikhsanov R. et al., Journal of Materials Science 2026 No. 61 P. 25452–25470
The orthorhombic phase of 𝛼-Mo2 C is a key component in electrocatalytic applications, as Mo2C-based catalysts can exhibit catalytic performance comparable to or exceeding that of noble metals. Despite its technological relevance, theoretical understanding of the anisotropy in the thermal expansion and related thermoelastic properties of 𝛼-Mo2 C remains limited. In this work, first-principles calculations ...
Added: July 23, 2026
Borovitskaya I. V., Pimenov V. N., Korshunov S. N. et al., Physics of Atomic Nuclei 2026 Vol. 89 No. 1 P. S48–S55
The effect of high-power pulsed laser radiation (LR) generated in the GOS 1001 setup in the
Q-modulated mode (with a flux power density q equal to 1 × 1014 W/m2, pulse duration t = 50 ns, and the
number of pulses N from 1 to 8 in vacuum) on the structure and microhardness of the surface of ...
Added: July 22, 2026
Korogod D., Shapeev A., Ivan S. Novikov, Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 2026 Vol. 114 No. 2 Article 024104
We present two models with explicit long-range electrostatics in the form of Coulomb interactions. Both models include point charges depending on their local atomic environments, and the second model also conserves a total charge of an atomic system. We combine the proposed long-range models with the local moment tensor potential (MTP) and demonstrate that they ...
Added: July 22, 2026
Kilinc N., ALI I., Economies 2026 Vol. 14 No. 7 Article 277
The increasingly rapid process of de-dollarization in the context of growing geopolitical fragmentation has significantly altered the monetary dynamics of the global economy, thereby posing important questions about economic resilience and sustainable development in the emerging world. This research investigates de-dollarization-related macro-financial conditions and their association with economic resilience in the BRICS+ countries during the ...
Added: July 14, 2026
Moshkina E., Molokeev M., Zolotov A. et al., Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2026 Vol. 1077 Article 189412
A wide series of substitutions in a subsystem of small radii cations M = Al, Cr, Fe, Ga, Sc is possible in rare-earth borates ReM3(BO3)4 with the huntite structure. However, the existence of these compounds where M = Mn still raises doubts. The study presents a synthetic approach developed in the framework of the flux method allowing for the required ...
Added: June 29, 2026
Schneider M., Zaripov D., Dokin R. et al., Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation 2026 Vol. 22 No. 9 P. 4405–4414
Density functional theory (DFT) is the workhorse of modern reactions and materials modeling. While the exact functional remains unknown, many approximations to it have been constructed either by hand-crafting functional forms to satisfy exact constraints or by machine learning. In this work, we show how both of these approaches can be fused to build both ...
Added: June 26, 2026
Laurinavichyute V., Levin E. E., Mironkova A. A. et al., Surfaces and Interfaces 2026 Vol. 81 Article 108389
In this work we characterize mixed Mo-W acidic deposition solutions with Mo content ranging from 0 to 100 mol.% by Raman and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The obtained distribution diagram of mixed isopolyanions allows one to explain the observed change in film deposition rate with increase in Mo content. It was found that the initial decrease in ...
Added: June 24, 2026
Г. Г. Бондаренко, Кристя В. И., Савичкин Д. О. et al., Поверхность. Рентгеновские, синхротронные и нейтронные исследования 2026 № 4 С. 29–36
Сформулирована модель тлеющего газового разряда в смеси аргона и паров ртути при наличии
на поверхности катода тонкой диэлектрической пленки. Рассчитаны зависимости характеристик
разряда от температуры в интервале ее изменения, в котором заметный вклад в ионизацию
рабочей газовой смеси дает ионизация атомов ртути метастабильными возбужденными атомами
аргона (реакция Пеннинга). Показано, что в случае катода без диэлектрической пленки при
повышении температуры до ...
Added: June 20, 2026
Filippova A. V., Yurchenko N. Y., Smirnov S. A. et al., Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2026 No. 1074 Article 189162
This study investigates the effects of post-processing heat treatment at 300–500 °C on the microstructure, hardness, and tensile properties of laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) processed Al-bronze processed with energy densities (ED) in the range of 125–938 J/mm3. In the as-printed state, sharp needle-like α + β′ laths form at lower ED whereas with increasing ED, the β′ ...
Added: June 12, 2026
Hazarika A. P., Das A., Das S. K. et al., Physica B: Condensed Matter 2026 Vol. 738 Article 418803
Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus, LG-SiO2), horsetail (Equisetum debile, SG-SiO2), and cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta, CL-SiO2) were used to green-synthesize silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (NPs). While LG-SiO2 and SG-SiO2 had strong (101) peaks and a large 22° amorphous peak, XRD of CL-SiO2 verified crystallinity. LG-SiO2 (agglomerated porous), SG-SiO2 (rectangular-cube agglomerates), and CL-SiO2 (flake agglomerates) had different morphologies. The TEM image of LG-SiO2 revealed agglomerated ...
Added: June 4, 2026
Fortuna A. S., A.I. Kartsev, Gorshenkov M. V. et al., Journal of Alloys and Compounds 2026 Vol. 1070 Article 188711
The τ-phase in Mn-Al-Ga alloys is a promising candidate for rare-earth-free permanent magnets. This study re-veals that the τ(γ₂)-phase in rapidly quenched Mn55Al36Ga9 ribbons contains a high density of dislocations, which
form antiphase boundaries (APBs). Using transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory, we
demonstrate that Mn atoms at these APBs couple antiferromagnetically. This antiferromagnetic interaction is
identified ...
Added: June 2, 2026
Das A., Saikia J., Maji N. et al., ChemNanoMat 2026 Vol. 12 No. 5 Article e202500733
Developing efficient photoactive materials from bio-derived resources is vital yet challenging for achieving effective water splitting performance. In this work, nano carbon dots (CDs) of zero-dimensional (0D) were synthesized from papaya peel through a simple and eco-friendly process and subsequently anchored onto the two-dimensional (2D) layered structure of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4, GCN) at various ...
Added: June 2, 2026
Dikhtievskaya K., Argunov E., Alexey I. Kartsev et al., The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2026 Vol. 17 No. 17 P. 4999–5004
In this study we revealed the effect of scandium doping on the electronic and superconducting properties of the MgB2 compound. Calculations demonstrate that Sc substitutes for Mg atoms, acting as an electron donor. Mg substitution diminishes the density of states in the σ-band and attenuates the electron–phonon coupling, thereby elucidating the reduction in critical temperature. Simultaneously, ...
Added: June 2, 2026
T.V. Pavlova, Shevlyuga V. M., Applied Surface Science 2026 Vol. 736 Article 166813
The objective of miniaturizing doped areas in silicon, with the ultimate goal of achieving atomic-precision doping, requires a fundamental understanding of the dopant incorporation process at the atomic level. We present a combined scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) investigation of single phosphorus atom incorporation into the Si(100) surface. Phosphorus was supplied ...
Added: May 19, 2026
Rathish S., Andrey S. Vasenko, Thazhathenair A. et al., The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2026 Vol. 17 No. 18 P. 5386–5394
We demonstrate and rationalize the effect of Au nanoparticles (NPs) on the hierarchical g-C3N4/CeO2 heterojunction. g-C3N4/CeO2 decorated with monodispersed plasmonic Au NPs was synthesized. Detailed analyses showed that CeO2 nanocubes and monodispersed Au NPs were evenly distributed over the 2D g-C3N4 surface, forming a robust interface enriched with abundant active sites. The structure enabled efficient separation of photogenerated charge ...
Added: May 16, 2026
Paul R., Das A., Sharma N. et al., Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 2026 Vol. 728 Article 138830
Niobium-doped TiO2 (Nb-TiO2), demonstrates dual functionality as an efficient photocatalyst for dye degradation and a promising photoelectrocatalyst for water oxidation. Nb incorporation via a facile hydrothermal method was confirmed by XRD (Rietveld refinement), XPS, TEM, FT-IR, Raman, and BET analyses, indicating successful lattice doping and structural modification. Photocatalytic dye degradation experiments were conducted using a model ...
Added: May 16, 2026
Kartsev A., Сафронов А. А., Радиотехника и электроника 2024 Т. 69 № 10 С. 989–995
The first-principle modeling of two different quasi-two-dimensional phases based on the volume phases Cr2Te3 and CrTe3 is carried out. Structural relaxation of the obtained 2D compounds and their volumetric prototypes was performed within the framework of the density functional method and the projection plane wave method. Magnetic anisotropy in various crystallographic planes of quasi-two-dimensional structures and corresponding ...
Added: March 17, 2026