Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110400
Maxwell F.L. Garcia , Luis C.C. Arzuza , Allan J.M. Araújo , Rafael A. Raimundo , Gelmires A. Neves , Daniel A. Macedo , Francisco J.A. Loureiro , Romualdo R. Menezes
Electrochemical water splitting (EWS) into hydrogen and oxygen is essential for clean energy and a sustainable future. However, the most significant obstacle is the several anode oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes, which limit practical applications. Nanofibers are one-dimensional materials with a large surface area, making them ideal to produce electrodes. By adjusting their secondary morphology (porosity, roughness, or grooves), their catalytic properties can be improved. This work emphasizes the production of porous ceramic fibers by solution blow spinning (SBS) method in conjunction with a cryogenic bath and phase separation by freeze-drying. Co3O4 Cryo-SBS nanofibers enhance the OER properties by altering their surface morphology, creating more porosity for better access to active sites and improved surface reactivity. The significant performance of the cryogenic nanofibers required an overpotentials of η10 = 320 mV in solution 1M KOH, whereas SBS-produced nanofibers typically require 353 mV for the same current density. At high current densities, Cryo-SBS nanofibers showed good performance for OER at an industrial scale. The overpotential values are like those of many metal oxides/hydroxides and reference materials like commercial IrO2 and RuO2. The results show that the modification of the nanofibers surface by freezing was effective in increasing the OER activity.
{"title":"Solution blow spun porous cobalt oxide nanofibers via cryogenic bath as oxygen evolution catalysts","authors":"Maxwell F.L. Garcia , Luis C.C. Arzuza , Allan J.M. Araújo , Rafael A. Raimundo , Gelmires A. Neves , Daniel A. Macedo , Francisco J.A. Loureiro , Romualdo R. Menezes","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110400","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110400","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrochemical water splitting (EWS) into hydrogen and oxygen is essential for clean energy and a sustainable future. However, the most significant obstacle is the several anode oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes, which limit practical applications. Nanofibers are one-dimensional materials with a large surface area, making them ideal to produce electrodes. By adjusting their secondary morphology (porosity, roughness, or grooves), their catalytic properties can be improved. This work emphasizes the production of porous ceramic fibers by solution blow spinning (SBS) method in conjunction with a cryogenic bath and phase separation by freeze-drying. Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Cryo-SBS nanofibers enhance the OER properties by altering their surface morphology, creating more porosity for better access to active sites and improved surface reactivity. The significant performance of the cryogenic nanofibers required an overpotentials of η<sub>10</sub> = 320 mV in solution 1M KOH, whereas SBS-produced nanofibers typically require 353 mV for the same current density. At high current densities, Cryo-SBS nanofibers showed good performance for OER at an industrial scale. The overpotential values are like those of many metal oxides/hydroxides and reference materials like commercial IrO<sub>2</sub> and RuO<sub>2</sub>. The results show that the modification of the nanofibers surface by freezing was effective in increasing the OER activity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 110400"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145895938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110399
Fangzhou Wu , Yonglei Xing , Huijuan Liu , Xiaoyong Jin , Gang Ni
Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)–based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are promising for pollutant removal, whereas metal-doped carbons risk ion leaching. Here we report a metal-free selenium–nitrogen co-doped porous carbon (Se–N/C) that efficiently activates PMS for phenol (Ph) degradation. Selenium was chosen for its larger atomic radius and high polarizability, which modulate electronic structure and create active sites. Se–N/C achieved complete removal of parent Ph (Ph peak disappearance) within 10 min with a total organic carbon (TOC) reduction of 52 %, and a pseudo-first-order rate constant about twentyfold higher than nitrogen-doped carbon. Radical scavenging tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) confirm a dual pathway involving radical (O2•−) and non-radical (1O2) species. Density functional theory (DFT) indicates that co-doping tailors the electronic configuration, strengthens PMS adsorption (adsorption energy −3.07 eV), and enhances electron transfer. The catalyst remains active in the presence of common anions (SO42−, Cl−, NO3−, and H2PO4−) and humic acid, evidencing environmental tolerance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy identify graphitic nitrogen and C–Se–C as key centers, while selenium's antioxidative character supports cycling stability. This work provides a scalable, environmentally benign route for wastewater treatment and clarifies structure–activity relationships in PMS activation.
{"title":"Metal-free peroxymonosulfate activation for phenol degradation using selenium–nitrogen co-doped porous carbon nanosheets","authors":"Fangzhou Wu , Yonglei Xing , Huijuan Liu , Xiaoyong Jin , Gang Ni","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110399","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110399","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)–based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are promising for pollutant removal, whereas metal-doped carbons risk ion leaching. Here we report a metal-free selenium–nitrogen co-doped porous carbon (Se–N/C) that efficiently activates PMS for phenol (Ph) degradation. Selenium was chosen for its larger atomic radius and high polarizability, which modulate electronic structure and create active sites. Se–N/C achieved complete removal of parent Ph (Ph peak disappearance) within 10 min with a total organic carbon (TOC) reduction of 52 %, and a pseudo-first-order rate constant about twentyfold higher than nitrogen-doped carbon. Radical scavenging tests and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) confirm a dual pathway involving radical (O<sub>2</sub><sup>•−</sup>) and non-radical (<sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) species. Density functional theory (DFT) indicates that co-doping tailors the electronic configuration, strengthens PMS adsorption (adsorption energy −3.07 eV), and enhances electron transfer. The catalyst remains active in the presence of common anions (SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup>, Cl<sup>−</sup>, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, and H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub><sup>−</sup>) and humic acid, evidencing environmental tolerance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy identify graphitic nitrogen and C–Se–C as key centers, while selenium's antioxidative character supports cycling stability. This work provides a scalable, environmentally benign route for wastewater treatment and clarifies structure–activity relationships in PMS activation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 110399"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145940937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-04DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110407
MeiLin Wu , Tao Zhang , Hongmin Xue , ZhiLong Deng , TianTian Yang
Interface-type resistive switching (RS) devices are promising candidates for next-generation non-volatile memory and neuromorphic computing. However, conventional metal/Nb:SrTiO3(NSTO) structures often exhibit pronounced performance instability due to interface disorder, which complicates the investigation of underlying RS mechanisms and hinders device optimization. To address this challenge, this study utilizes the low lattice mismatch between the high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (Bi-2212) and NSTO. High-quality Bi-2212 superconducting films were epitaxially grown on NSTO substrates via pulsed laser deposition. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy confirms the formation of an atomically sharp and coherent interface. Electrical characterization reveals a distinctive “clockwise” RS hysteresis, where the device switches initially from a low-resistance state to a high-resistance state under positive bias, demonstrating excellent non-volatility and retention properties. Comparative current-voltage measurements under UV illumination, alongside electron energy loss spectrum and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, suggest an RS mechanism driven by the electric-field-induced migration and subsequent accumulation of oxygen vacancies from the Bi-2212 layer toward the interface. This process induces a localized resistance increase (insulating transition) within the Bi-2212 layer near the interface, a mechanism distinct from the Schottky barrier modulation typically observed in metal/NSTO systems. Temperature-dependent measurements demonstrate stable RS operation over a broad temperature range (10–280 K). Notably, the switching ratio and a defined figure-of-merit are enhanced at lower temperatures, highlighting the structure's potential for cryogenic electronics applications. Analysis of the current transport mechanism indicates that Ohmic conduction dominates at low electric fields, while space-charge-limited conduction prevails at higher fields. This transition exhibits a clear temperature dependence. This work provides valuable experimental insights for developing high-performance RS devices based on coherent oxide hetero-interfaces.
{"title":"Resistive switching characteristics of a Bi-2212/NSTO heterostructure","authors":"MeiLin Wu , Tao Zhang , Hongmin Xue , ZhiLong Deng , TianTian Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2026.110407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interface-type resistive switching (RS) devices are promising candidates for next-generation non-volatile memory and neuromorphic computing. However, conventional metal/Nb:SrTiO<sub>3</sub>(NSTO) structures often exhibit pronounced performance instability due to interface disorder, which complicates the investigation of underlying RS mechanisms and hinders device optimization. To address this challenge, this study utilizes the low lattice mismatch between the high-temperature superconductor Bi<sub>2</sub>Sr<sub>2</sub>CaCu<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8+x</sub> (Bi-2212) and NSTO. High-quality Bi-2212 superconducting films were epitaxially grown on NSTO substrates via pulsed laser deposition. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy confirms the formation of an atomically sharp and coherent interface. Electrical characterization reveals a distinctive “clockwise” RS hysteresis, where the device switches initially from a low-resistance state to a high-resistance state under positive bias, demonstrating excellent non-volatility and retention properties. Comparative current-voltage measurements under UV illumination, alongside electron energy loss spectrum and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, suggest an RS mechanism driven by the electric-field-induced migration and subsequent accumulation of oxygen vacancies from the Bi-2212 layer toward the interface. This process induces a localized resistance increase (insulating transition) within the Bi-2212 layer near the interface, a mechanism distinct from the Schottky barrier modulation typically observed in metal/NSTO systems. Temperature-dependent measurements demonstrate stable RS operation over a broad temperature range (10–280 K). Notably, the switching ratio and a defined figure-of-merit are enhanced at lower temperatures, highlighting the structure's potential for cryogenic electronics applications. Analysis of the current transport mechanism indicates that Ohmic conduction dominates at low electric fields, while space-charge-limited conduction prevails at higher fields. This transition exhibits a clear temperature dependence. This work provides valuable experimental insights for developing high-performance RS devices based on coherent oxide hetero-interfaces.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110407"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110396
Renwei Guo , Yang Liu , Xianbin Zhang
Two-dimensional ferroelectric heterostructures demonstrate significant application potential in novel optoelectronic devices due to their unique spontaneous polarization and outstanding external field response characteristics. This work employs first-principles calculations to investigate the effects of applied electric fields and biaxial strain on the electronic and optical properties of α-In2Se3/HfS2 heterostructures. Calculations reveal that flipping the ferroelectric polarization of In2Se3 enables the heterostructure to switch between two distinct operating modes: the upward polarization mode exhibits high responsiveness to external fields, where a small electric field (−0.1 eV/Å) or strain (±2 %) induces II-I band structure transformation, 0–1eV bandgap tuning, and dynamic switching between the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum layer distribution; The downward polarization mode exhibits outstanding interference resistance, maintaining a stable Type-II band structure even under strong external perturbations (electric field ±0.5 eV/Å, strain −6 %–4 %). More intriguingly, the optical absorption intensity changes under identical strain conditions show completely opposite trends between the two polarization states, reflecting complex interactions between the ferroelectric field and strain effects. This study provides new insights into the external field regulation physics of ferroelectric heterostructures and points the way toward designing novel optoelectronic devices that combine high performance with multifunctionality.
二维铁电异质结构由于其独特的自发极化和出色的外场响应特性,在新型光电器件中具有重要的应用潜力。本文采用第一性原理计算研究了外加电场和双轴应变对α-In2Se3/HfS2异质结构的电子和光学性质的影响。计算表明,翻转In2Se3的铁电极化使异质结构在两种不同的工作模式之间切换:向上极化模式对外部场具有高响应性,其中小电场(−0.1 eV/Å)或应变(±2%)诱导i - i - i带结构转变,0-1eV带隙调谐,并在导带最小和价带最大层分布之间动态切换;下极化模式表现出优异的抗干扰性,即使在强的外部扰动(电场±0.5 eV/Å,应变−6% - 4%)下也能保持稳定的ii型能带结构。更有趣的是,在相同应变条件下,两种极化状态下的光吸收强度变化呈现完全相反的趋势,反映了铁电场与应变效应之间复杂的相互作用。该研究为铁电异质结构的外场调节物理提供了新的见解,并为设计高性能与多功能相结合的新型光电器件指明了方向。
{"title":"Switchable external field response properties induced by ferroelectric polarization in α-In2Se3/HfS2 heterostructures","authors":"Renwei Guo , Yang Liu , Xianbin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110396","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110396","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two-dimensional ferroelectric heterostructures demonstrate significant application potential in novel optoelectronic devices due to their unique spontaneous polarization and outstanding external field response characteristics. This work employs first-principles calculations to investigate the effects of applied electric fields and biaxial strain on the electronic and optical properties of α-In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>/HfS<sub>2</sub> heterostructures. Calculations reveal that flipping the ferroelectric polarization of In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> enables the heterostructure to switch between two distinct operating modes: the upward polarization mode exhibits high responsiveness to external fields, where a small electric field (−0.1 eV/Å) or strain (±2 %) induces II-I band structure transformation, 0–1eV bandgap tuning, and dynamic switching between the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum layer distribution; The downward polarization mode exhibits outstanding interference resistance, maintaining a stable Type-II band structure even under strong external perturbations (electric field ±0.5 eV/Å, strain −6 %–4 %). More intriguingly, the optical absorption intensity changes under identical strain conditions show completely opposite trends between the two polarization states, reflecting complex interactions between the ferroelectric field and strain effects. This study provides new insights into the external field regulation physics of ferroelectric heterostructures and points the way toward designing novel optoelectronic devices that combine high performance with multifunctionality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110396"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110404
Chu-Chu Hu , Jian-Tao Jiang , Yan Pan, Guo-Qing Zhao, Qi-E Zhang, Meng-Ting He, A-Li Yu, Xun-Kuan Ye, Limin Lu
The sluggish surface reaction kinetics and the unclear synergistic catalytic mechanism of oxygen vacancies and Fe2+/Fe3+ cycles were the bottleneck issues that restricted the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for pollutant removal. Herein, an effective alternative catalyst of natural cheap mineral materials (G-0.05) with oxygen vacancies and Fe2+/Fe3+ cycle properties was fabricated and applied it as a PMS activation for ofloxacin (OFX) degradation. As a result, 91.1 % of OFX can be eliminated within 40 min in G-0.05/PMS/Vis system, which was 4.29 times higher than the pristine goethite (GT). According to the EPR and quenching tests, several species (SO4∙-, ∙OH, ∙O2- and 1O2) could be contemporaneously generated in G-0.05/PMS/Vis system and SO4∙-, ∙O2- and 1O2 proved to be the crucial active species in the degradation of OFX. Moreover, in order to enhance the photocatalytic stability of the aimed catalysts, G-0.05 was assembled with an ordinary hydrogel and the fabricated G-0.05/Ca-alginate spherical hydrogel exhibited the elimination efficiency of over 80 % for OFX after five cycles. Catalytic mechanism revealed that the synergistic effects of the Fe2+/Fe3+ and oxygen vacancies were conductive to the PMS activation and OFX degradation. Furthermore, a possible degradation mechanism of OFX in the G-0.05/PMS/Vis system was proposed. All in all, the G-0.05/PMS/Vis system revealed its effectiveness as an eco-friendly technology for purifying organic contaminants wastewater.
{"title":"Fabrication of novel goethite analogues photocatalyst with enriched oxygen vacancies and Fe2+/Fe3+ cycle sites for peroxymonosulfate activation: A synergistic catalytic for ofloxacin degradation","authors":"Chu-Chu Hu , Jian-Tao Jiang , Yan Pan, Guo-Qing Zhao, Qi-E Zhang, Meng-Ting He, A-Li Yu, Xun-Kuan Ye, Limin Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110404","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mssp.2025.110404","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sluggish surface reaction kinetics and the unclear synergistic catalytic mechanism of oxygen vacancies and Fe<sup>2+</sup>/Fe<sup>3+</sup> cycles were the bottleneck issues that restricted the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for pollutant removal. Herein, an effective alternative catalyst of natural cheap mineral materials (G-0.05) with oxygen vacancies and Fe<sup>2+</sup>/Fe<sup>3+</sup> cycle properties was fabricated and applied it as a PMS activation for ofloxacin (OFX) degradation. As a result, 91.1 % of OFX can be eliminated within 40 min in G-0.05/PMS/Vis system, which was 4.29 times higher than the pristine goethite (GT). According to the EPR and quenching tests, several species (SO<sub>4</sub><sup>∙-</sup>, ∙OH, ∙O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> and <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>) could be contemporaneously generated in G-0.05/PMS/Vis system and SO<sub>4</sub><sup>∙-</sup>, ∙O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> and <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> proved to be the crucial active species in the degradation of OFX. Moreover, in order to enhance the photocatalytic stability of the aimed catalysts, G-0.05 was assembled with an ordinary hydrogel and the fabricated G-0.05/Ca-alginate spherical hydrogel exhibited the elimination efficiency of over 80 % for OFX after five cycles. Catalytic mechanism revealed that the synergistic effects of the Fe<sup>2+</sup>/Fe<sup>3+</sup> and oxygen vacancies were conductive to the PMS activation and OFX degradation. Furthermore, a possible degradation mechanism of OFX in the G-0.05/PMS/Vis system was proposed. All in all, the G-0.05/PMS/Vis system revealed its effectiveness as an eco-friendly technology for purifying organic contaminants wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18240,"journal":{"name":"Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing","volume":"205 ","pages":"Article 110404"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
IF 4.6 3区 工程技术Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC