@article { ISI:000337123100037, title = {Nanophase CulnS(2) nanosheets/CuS composite grown by the SILAR method leads to high performance as a counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells}, journal = {RSC Advances}, volume = {4}, number = {42}, year = {2014}, month = {MAY}, pages = {21989-21996}, publisher = {ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY}, address = {THOMAS GRAHAM HOUSE, SCIENCE PARK, MILTON RD, CAMBRIDGE CB4 0WF, CAMBS, ENGLAND}, abstract = {

Single phase CulnS(2) (CIS) nanosheets are synthesized on TiO2 coated FTO by the simple technique of Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption Reaction (SILAR) followed by annealing at 500 degrees C. Annealing at a lower temperature of 250 degrees C is found to yield CuS nanoparticles in addition to the CIS phase. Both single phase CIS and the CuS/CIS nanocomposite were examined as counter electrodes for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The CIS-CuS composite is found to have a synergistic effect on the catalytic performance toward the reduction of tri-iodide, yielding a power conversion efficiency of 6.3\% as compared to pristine CIS (5\%) or CuS (3.5\%). The possible reasons behind the high performance of the composite are elucidated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c4ra01740d}, author = {Bhosale, Reshma K. and Agarkar, Shruti A. and Agrawal, Ishita and Naphade, Rounak A. and Ogale, Satishchandra} } @article { ISI:000361501700023, title = {NiS1.97: a new efficient water oxidation catalyst for photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation}, journal = {ACS Applied Materials \& Interfaces}, volume = {7}, number = {36}, year = {2015}, month = {SEP}, pages = {20053-20060}, publisher = {AMER CHEMICAL SOC}, address = {1155 16TH ST, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USA}, abstract = {

NiS1.97, a sulfur-deficient dichalcogenide, in nanoscale form, is shown to be a unique and efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) catalyst for H-2 generation by water splitting. Phase pure NiS1.97 nanomaterial is obtained by converting nickel oxide into sulfide by controlled sulfurization method, which is otherwise difficult to establish. The defect states (sulfur vacancies) in this material increase the carrier density and in turn lead to favorable band line-up with respect to redox potential of water, rendering it to be an effective photoelectrochemical catalyst. The material exhibits a remarkable PEC performance of 1.25 mA/cm(2) vs NHE at 0.68 V in neutral pH, which is almost 1000 times superior as compared with that of the stoichiometric phase of NiS2. The latter is well-known to be a cocatalyst but not as a primary PEC catalyst.

}, keywords = {dichlacogenide, Faradaic efficiency, Hydrogen generation, NiS1.97, nonstoichiometric, photoelectrochemical catalyst, sulfurization}, issn = {1944-8244}, doi = {10.1021/acsami.5b05077}, author = {Bhosale, Reshma and Kelkar, Sarika A. and Parte, Golu and Fernandes, Rohan and Kothari, Dushyant and Ogale, Satishchandra} } @article {43807, title = {Nanotubular hard carbon derived from renewable natural seed gel for high performance sodium-ion battery anode}, journal = {Chemistryselect}, volume = {2}, year = {2017}, month = {AUG}, pages = {6909-6915}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Electrical energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors are perhaps the most researched topic today in view of its critical implications for the successful implementations of various renewable energy harvesting initiatives. Amongst the various battery systems being currently examined, the Li-battery continues to be a main player, but the Na-ion battery has been attracting significant attention lately due to the concerns about the limited reserves and high cost of Li. Hard carbon is recognized to be a good anode material for Na-battery. In this work we present a novel approach to synthesize such hard carbon from a natural gel derived from the commonly used Basil seeds (Osimum Basilicum) which swell 30 times their weight by absorbing water. The hard carbon obtained by pyrolysis of the freeze-dried mucilage possesses sheet-like and tubular morphology with decorated surface defects attributed to the presence of oxygen functionalities. This hard carbon shows a good reversible capacity of 195 mAh g(-1) at 0.1A g(-1) with an impressive approximate to 91\% retention of initial capacity after 300 cycles and sustains high current densities with not much change in capacity value.

}, doi = {10.1002/slct.201701123}, author = {Sharma, Neha and Gawli, Yogesh and Ahmad, Absar and Muhammed, Musthafa and Ogale, Satishchandra} }