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In the field of synthesis and processing of noble metal nanoparticles, the study of the bottom-up method, called Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis (USP), is becoming increasingly important. This review analyses briefly the features of USP, to underline the physical, chemical and technological characteristics for producing nanoparticles and nanoparticle composites with Au and Ag. The main aim is to understand USP parameters, which are responsible for nanoparticle formation. There are two nanoparticle formation mechanisms in USP: Droplet-To-Particle (DTP) and Gas-To-Particle (GTP). This review shows how the USP process is able to produce Au, Ag/TiO2, Au/TiO2, Au/Fe2O3 and Ag/(Y0.95 Eu0.05)2O3 nanoparticles, and presents the mechanisms of formation for a particular type of nanoparticle. Namely, the presented Au and Ag nanoparticles are intended for use in nanomedicine, sensing applications, electrochemical devices and catalysis, in order to benefit from their properties, which cannot be achieved with identical bulk materials. The development of new noble metal nanoparticles with USP is a constant goal in Nanotechnology, with the objective to obtain increasingly predictable final properties of nanoparticles.

The present study reports on the effect of substrate temperature on structural, morphological and optical properties of MoO 3 thin films. MoO 3 thin films were deposited on pre-heated glass substrate using spray pyrolysis technique. The substrate temperature was varied from 300 °C to 400°C with a step interval of 50 °C. Structural studies were studied using X-ray diffraction technique. It is observed that all the diffraction peaks exactly match with JCPDS card No. 05-0508. The as –deposited MoO 3 thin films exhibits orthorhombic crystal structure. It is found that the crystalline nature increases with the increases of substrate temperature. FESEM micrographs show that the grains are distributed uniformly over the surface without any void. An optical property reveals that the transmission of MoO 3 thin film in the visible region increases with increases of deposition temperature.

In this present work, we have studied the effect of organic solvents and acetylacetone (Acac) molar ratio on several properties of TiO 2 thin films prepared by pneumatic spray pyrolysis (SP). The TiO 2 thin films were characterized by the following techniques including the following: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV–visible spectrophotometer. The XRD results showed pure anatase TiO 2 thin films with preferential orientation (101) plan, the crystallite size varying between 14.72 and 35.12 nm. The Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of the only phase of TiO 2 (anatase). The morphological properties were investigated by SEM. The UV–Visible spectrophotometer showed the semiconducting properties of anatase TiO 2 , and the optical band gap was ranged between 3.17–3.34 eV. The refraction index, the extinction coefficient and the porosity were estimated using transmittance values. The TiO 2 thin films have had good properties. They were prepared by low-cost technique, spray pyrolysis, by saving energy and time because the samples were synthesized using air pulverization without using any oxygen sources and without any annealing requires the following: CVD room, low pressure and more time for annealing (Sahoo et al. 2019 in Phys Chem Chem Phys 21: 6198–6206).

Submicron and nanosized powders have gained significant attention in recent decades due to their broad applicability in various fields. This work focuses on ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, an efficient and flexible method that employs an aerosol process to synthesize titanium-based nanoparticles by transforming titanium oxy-sulfate. Various parameters are monitored to better optimize the process and obtain better results. Taking that into account, the influence of temperature on the transformation of titanium oxy-sulfate was monitored between 700 and 1000 °C. In addition to the temperature, the concentration of the starting solution was also changed, and the flow of hydrogen and argon was studied. The obtained titanium-based powders had spherical morphology with different particle sizes, from nanometer to submicron, depending on the influence of reaction parameters. The control of the oxygen content during synthesis is significant in determining the structure of the final powder.

This study presents findings related to the characterization of cubic SnS (π-SnS) thin films and p-SnS/n-Si heterojunction structures produced simultaneously using the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. In this context, the impact of different spray solution flow rates on the morphological, structural, optical, and electrical characteristics of the films was examined. Morphological analyses revealed that higher flow rates resulted in films with denser and smoother surfaces, approximately 6 nm in roughness. Additionally, it was observed that both the thickness and the growth rate of the films could be adjusted through the modulation of the flow rate. Structural analyses determined that the crystallite size increased and micro-strain values decreased with increasing flow rates. Optical evaluations indicated a decline in the optical band gap of the thin films from about 1.8 eV to 1.7 eV as the flow rates increased. This trend was consistently observed in the data obtained using the Tauc method and the derivative of transmission with respect to wavelength versus photon energy graphs. Electrical analyses revealed that the resistivity values of the thin films increased from 5.24 × 10 5 Ωcm to 1.64 × 10 6 Ωcm with increasing flow rates. Furthermore, I-V analyses of the Au/p-SnS/n-Si/Ag heterojunction structures indicated significant variability in key electrical properties. The saturation currents displayed a broad range, suggesting varying efficiencies in charge carrier collection across different samples. Similarly, the change of ideality factors pointed to differences in charge transport mechanisms, while the shifts in barrier heights indicated changes in junction properties with different fabrication conditions. The results of this study offer valuable perspectives for future research.

Among all the transition metal oxides, iron oxide-based materials are excellent for supercapacitor performance. Here, Mn-incorporated α-Fe2O3 (Mn:α-Fe2O3) nanostructured thin films (with 3%, 5%, and 7% Mn) are prepared via spray pyrolysis. All the synthesized nanostructured thin films are characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), optical study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and contact angle for the structural, optical, morphological and wettability analysis, respectively. The band gap of Mn:α-Fe2O3 nanostructured thin films is tuned by changing Mn concentration. The increasing Mn concentration shifts the valance band edge towards the conduction band edge, reducing the band gap. The linear band gap decrease of 0.44 eV with the addition of Mn concentration, along with the band gap reduction, affects supercapacitive performance. The prepared 7% Mn:α-Fe2O3 nanostructured electrode exhibits excellent specific capacitance of 688.6 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1 in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte, energy density (6 Wh kg−1), and power density (12 kW kg−1) at a current density of 5 mA g−1.

HighlightsIndustrially viable bottom-up spray pyrolysis deposition technique was used to prepare the highly compact TiO2 film, which is a vital element for the multi-layer front contact.The optimization of the front contact is presented by fabricating reproducible and efficient perovskite solar cellsMulti-layer front contact is applied to realize efficient perovskite single-junction and perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells, where optics and electrical effects of solar cells are studied by optically coupled 3D electromagnetic simulations.The photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can be improved by utilizing efficient front contact. However, it has always been a significant challenge for fabricating high-quality, scalable, controllable, and cost-effective front contact. This study proposes a realistic multi-layer front contact design to realize efficient single-junction PSCs and perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs). As a critical part of the front contact, we prepared a highly compact titanium oxide (TiO2) film by industrially viable Spray Pyrolysis Deposition (SPD), which acts as a potential electron transport layer (ETL) for the fabrication of PSCs. Optimization and reproducibility of the TiO2 ETL were discreetly investigated while fabricating a set of planar PSCs. As the front contact has a significant influence on the optoelectronic properties of PSCs, hence, we investigated the optics and electrical effects of PSCs by three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and finite element method (FEM) rigorous simulations. The investigation allows us to compare experimental results with the outcome from simulations. Furthermore, an optimized single-junction PSC is designed to enhance the energy conversion efficiency (ECE) by > 30% compared to the planar reference PSC. Finally, the study has been progressed to the realization of all-perovskite TSC that can reach the ECE, exceeding 30%. Detailed guidance for the completion of high-performance PSCs is provided.

For industrial processes—like waste incineration—it is necessary to reduce solid components (like dust or fly ash) as well as gaseous components (like dioxins, CO and other harmful hydrocarbons) to fulfill legal requirements. Therefore, catalytically functionalized filters based on polymers already exist. However, it is known that such filters are always constructed in multiple layers to prevent the migration of catalyst particles. This study demonstrates that it is possible to prepare a stable catalytic functionalized single-layer filter based on polyester needle felt by using flame spray pyrolysis. The catalyst is a low temperature active Pt/TiO 2 with a loading weight of 38 g/l on the filter. Via SEM images the uniform distribution of the catalytic particles even in the deeper regions of the single-layer filter was proven. The structure was confirmed after experiments under realistic conditions—migration could not be obtained. Likewise, it was obtained that the oxidative conversion of carbon monoxide (CO) to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is completely even at temperatures below 100 °C. Furthermore, comparative studies with catalysts on a honeycomb and a ceramic foam have shown that the conversion on the polyester needle felt textile catalyst is comparable.

This work focuses on the effect of La-doping on the structure, morphological and optical properties of CuO nanostructured films prepared by spray pyrolysis technique for optoelectronic applications. Undoped and La-doped CuO nanostructured films were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, SEM and UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometer. Bonds’ vibrations and changes have been investigated using FT-IR transmittance measurements. The phase structure, crystallite size and dislocation density have been determined by the XRD measurements. The XRD analysis reveals the monoclinic phase structure of all prepared samples. The crystallite size of La-doped CuO nanostructures increases from 19.8 to 26.1 nm as La wt% is increased from 0 to 8 wt%. The surface morphology of the sample has been examined using a scanning electron microscope. The optical properties have been explored via a UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometer. La-doped CuO nanostructured films show that the optical bandgap varies from 1.61 to 1.04 eV as La wt% is increased up to 8%. Optical bandgap tuning of CuO nanostructured films has been achieved via La-doping using the spray pyrolysis technique. Doping CuO with binary elements or more could be achieved to tune its physical properties via spray pyrolysis technique. The prepared La-doped CuO nanostructured films are recommended for optoelectronic applications.

Thin films FexSi1−xO, with iron (Fe) content between 0 to 20% have been applied to substrates made of soda lime glass by means of the spray pyrolysis process. Annealing the films allowed us to test their thermal stability. Both the as-depositedFexSi1−xO thin film and annealed FexSi1−xOthin film were analyzed by. Researchers analyzed the structure of the films and its composition using these methods. The XRD study demonstrated that the FexSi1−xOthin films, even if they are deposited or annealed, have a wurtzite structure in the plane orientation. The result shows that the films’ crystalline structure is not affected by the heating process. In addition to that, the good indicator of film quality and consistency were no signs of pinholes or cracks in the films. An iron deficiency was identified by following the annealing process, according to the compositional analysis done by EDAX. Annealing affects the integration of Fe in the film’s matrix, according to these changes occur in the composition. The band gap changes to red for FexSi1−xOthin films was observed in the optical characteristics of these films while tested using Ultra Violet -Visible spectroscopy. Integrating Fe into films alters their electronic structure, and it is one important indicator for band gap change. The incorporation of Fe resulted in a reduction in resistance and it is measured by the electrical properties using the two-probe method which in turn indicates an improvement in the films’ electrical conductivity. In conclusion, the outcomes if this research supports the feasibility of incorporating iron into the silicon carbide thin films. There are major structural changes to the films’ electrical characteristics and optical properties due to this incorporation. The outcomes of this research have significant implications for the advancement of electronic and optoelectronic devices that could make use of these alterations to enhance their performance.