Materials Processing for Structural Evolution, Energy and Environmental Implications Exemplify in the 4th Issue, Volume 12, April 2021 of Advanced Materials Letters

The study of the formation of the specific structure during the materials processing has been attracting a lot of interest among professionals to develop advanced materials. The promotion of materials for energy and environmental applications have been extensively investigated in the academic and industrial fields from a long time, and substantial improvements have been achieved recently. 

Advanced Materials Letters (AML) is an international journal dedicated to publishing exceptionally important materials research article free of cost under its Diamond Open Access (DOA) publishing policy. Since June 2010, it is an official journal of International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM) - a nonprofit European Scientific Organization. The fourth issue, April 2021 of Advanced Materials Letters demonstrated energy and environmental implications of materials processing via agenda-setting research tackling the key trends in structural evolution.

IAAM invited research professional to submit their articles for publication in the Advanced Materials Letters (AML). The peer-review process of submitted articles in the journal is done by manuscript central, ScholarOne – Web of Science Group – Clarivate Analytics, USA.

The objective of April 2021 issue is to focus on materials evolution for creating advancement in terms of improved functionality. The present issue represents 09 outstanding articles describing the materials research for global illustration. In this issue, emphasis is given on the discussion of the processing strategies to produce advanced materials, having enhanced physical and chemical properties. The first article discusses the progress and photodetectors research perspectives. The second and third article define materials processing via synthesis, characterization based on morphological aspects. Another four important articles (from article number four to seven) highlighted the importance of structural evolution in materials field based on magnetic, thermal, photocatalytic and electric properties via several integrating approaches. The eighth article is based on design of graphite materials while ninth article described the environmental issues. Overall, all articles represent progress of the materials-based methods to investigate photocatalytic, magnetic, thermal, and electric properties with their structural evolution for enhanced energy and environment applications.

International Association of Advanced Materials, IAAM is engaged in the promotion of not-for-profit Diamond Open Access Publishing Practices with the aim of “Advancement of Materials to Global Excellence”.

About Cover

Photodetectors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials and their heterostructures have been attracting immense research interests due to their excellent device performances, such as ultrahigh photoresponsivity, ultrafast and broadband photodetection, polarized sensitivity, flexibility, and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility. The cover image of the current issue is inspired from article number 21041616, Zhu et al. It provides an overview of the recent progress on 2D material-based photodetectors, emerging strategies to improve device performances by structure optimization and bandgap engineering, as well as discuss the challenges for future application in electronics and optoelectronics.

Article 1. Progress and Perspectives of Photodetectors Based on 2D Materials

The first article of the issue is published by the Wenkai Zhu et al, from Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences of China. This article described about the photodetectors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials and their heterostructures have been attracting immense research interests due to their excellent device performances, such as ultrahigh photoresponsivity, ultrafast and broadband photodetection, polarized sensitivity, flexibility, and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility. Here, authors discuss the challenges and perspectives on the exploration of 2D materials and their heterostructures for future application in electronics and optoelectronics.

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041616. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 2. Synthesis and Characterization of Platinum and Platinum Based Alloy Nanoparticles Anchored on Various Carbon Materials for Methanol Oxidation in A DMFC 

The second article is published by the Richa Baronia et al, from AcSIR-Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and CSIR-National Physical Laboratory of India. This article presents a perspective of the fabrication of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) having high performance. In this article, authors report some of important results of the synthesis of different Pt and Pt based anode electro-catalysts (Pt, PtCo alloys, PtCu alloys) anchored on different support materials such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO), Nitrogen doped rGO and a hybrid of rGO/CNTs for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and compared with few of those already reported recently. A detailed characterization of raw materials and the electro-catalysts synthesized in this work is also discussed using XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM etc.

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041617. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 3. Influence of Processing Induced Morphology on the Performance of PP Injected Intricate Pieces Modified with MWCNT as a Painting Aide

The third article of this issue is published by Alejandra Costantino et al, from CONICET-University of Mar Del Plata, Argentina and University of Minho, Portugal. This article describes about carbon nanotubes, polymers and the electrostatic painting process. In this work, boxes of polypropylene (PP) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were injection molded. Here, it was confirmed that the nanocomposite has high dielectric permittivity, low dielectric losses and relatively good DC conductivity. Regarding mechanical properties, MWCNT induced a slight improvement in flexural elastic modulus. Differences in both electrical and mechanical behavior were found trough out the PP/MWCNT pieces as result of distinct MWCNT orientation and distribution. It was then concluded that processing has a great influence on parts performance.

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041618. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 4. Inhibitive Effect on the Rate of Hydrolysis of Tetracaine By the Surfactant-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles

The fourth article of the issue describes the influence of the magnetic nanoparticles and surfactant coated nanoparticles on the rate of alkaline hydrolysis of tetracaine were investigated spectrophotometrically. This article is published by Mohd Shaban Ansari et al, from Aligarh Muslim University, India. The magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method. These synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by physical techniques. The SEM and TEM studies confirmed the spherical structure of nanoparticles. Here, the binding constant and rate constant were found to be lower in SDS coated nanoparticles than the CTABr coated particles. The observed results for - [surfactant] in the presence of magnetic nanoparticles and surfactant coated nanoparticles were treated using the pseudophase kinetic model.

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041619. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 5. Multi-Energy System Based on Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion

The fifth article reported by the Zhihao Li et al, from Ningbo University, China. The ocean thermal energy is abundant. The ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is clean and renewable, the power generation is stable, and the energy storage has high capacity. Active exploitation of ocean thermal energy resources is of great significance to realize the strategy of maritime power. In view of the efficiency limit of a traditional OTEC, authors propose an approach of a multi-energy complementary OTEC system that they can improve the efficiency of this system. In this article, the basic principle and working process of the approach are analyzed, and the system efficiency is calculated. The results show that, in comparison to the traditional OTEC, the complementary system of OTEC can improve the ratio of power generation output efficiency, stability and ocean energy utilization.  

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041620. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 6. Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Materials with Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

In the sixth article, anion doping is one of the efficient ways to tailor the bandgap of photocatalysts for the treatment of polluted water. This article is reported by the Mannepalli Sudheera et al, from multi organizations of India such as RVR & JC College of Engineering, Osmania University, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology and Andhra University. The present work describes the improved photocatalytic activity of defect pyrochlore, upon nitrogen doping, towards the degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation. Techniques such as the XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, FE-SEM/EDX/EDS elemental mapping, TEM-HRTEM, UV-Vis DRS, XPS, Raman, and PL were employed to characterize the physicochemical properties of photocatalysts. The N-doping in KTTO has resulted in enlarged surface area, narrowed the bandgap, and reduced the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to parent KTTO. 

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041621. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 7. Structural Evolution and Enhanced Energy Density, Ferroelectric Property Investigation in Gd Substituted NBT – BT Lead Free Ferroelectric Ceramics

The seventh article of the issue investigates the ferroelectric ceramics. This article is published by K.S.K.R. Chandra Sekhar et al, from multi organizations of India such as Andhra University, Defense Metallurgical Research Laboratory and Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, IIIT.  Here, room temperature XRD reveals the formation of perovskite structure without secondary impurity peaks. Here, a collective Gd substitution stimulates the transition of PE loop shape from square to slim with slanted leads to suit for high energy density storage applications. The optimum energy storage properties can be achieved for x = 0.03 ceramic showed a recoverable energy density 1.59 J/cm3 and a remarkably best energy efficiency of 67% under 65 kV/cm at room temperature.

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041622. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 8. Designing of Graphite Particulate Hot Forged AA7075 Composites and Its Loss Factor Analysis

In the eighth article, author described the composite material is an emerging opportunity for improving the loss factor. This article is published by N.B. Dhokey et al, from College of Engineering Pune and Naval Materials Research Laboratory, DRDO of India. In the present context, AA7075 was fabricated in induction furnace using elemental addition such as Zn, Mg and Cu and ex-situ reinforcement of 10wt. % graphite particulates with three types of composites viz 3 to 10 μm (C1), 53 to 66 μm (C2) and 106 to 150 μm (C3). Here, a threshold value of the volume to the surface of graphite reinforcement has arrived for an improved loss factor. A generalized experimental model formulated to account for 12 influencing parameters and the significance of damping capacity with the response to graphite content has been established.

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041623. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Article 9. Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy of Basaltic Rocks from Plio-Qaternary Volcanics, Sana’a-Amran Volcanic Field, Yemen

The ninth article focus on a new application of positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and Doppler broadening techniques from inactive volcano related to Sana’a-Amrana volcanic Field (SAVF). This article is published by K. R. Mahmoud et al, from Kafrelsheikh University and Tanta University of Egypt. Here, a brief geologic set up and the main petrographic signature of this inactive volcano are given. Here analysis of the lifetime spectra yielded two lifetime components. The overall defect (vacancy) concentration and its variation in the samples were estimated using the mean positron lifetime (τm). The Doppler broadening parameters (S and W-Parameters) were measured. A little variation of the S-parameter values has been observed for all the studied samples indicating that the valance electron contribution to annihilation is not significant.  

Citation of the article: Adv. Mater. Lett., 2021, 12(4), 21041624. [Download Full Text in PDF]

Advanced Materials Letters (AML), April 2021 issue demonstrate various emerging technologies, which is employed for the structural, optical, morphological and magnetic properties research. This issue shows how real‐time investigation of materials processing can help to establish enhanced functionality. Advanced Materials Letters publishes articles under not-for-profit, Diamond Open Access (DOA) policy of International Association of Advanced Materials.