RSC Applied Interfaces Blog

RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Kauê Santos and Fabiano Bernardi from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Engineering Pt–CeO2 interfaces for reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction’.

Discover the full article here

Engineering Pt–CeO2 interfaces for reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction

Kauê G. G. dos Santos, Alisson S. Thill, Livia P. Matte, Gustavo Z. Girotto, Mateus V. Costa, Denise R. Bohn, Fernanda Poletto and Fabiano Bernardi

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, 1, 992-1000. DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00064A

Meet the authors

Bernardi group

Kauê Santos

Kauê Santos completed his undergraduate Bachelor’s in Physics and his Master’s degree in Physics at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in 2020 and 2023, respectively. During this period, he investigated the dissociation of CO2 molecules through the RWGS reaction. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Physics, also at UFRGS. Now, his focus remains on environmental issues, but this time dedicated to hydrogen storage in solid materials.

Fabiano Bernardi

Fabiano Bernardi is Associate Professor and Head of the Physics of Nanostructures Lab at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). He was Director of the Centro de Nanociência e Nanotecnologia (CNANO), and is currently Deputy Director of the CNANO and Centro de Microscopia e Microanálise (CMM) at UFRGS. He earned his PhD in Physics at UFRGS. The main research line is Surface and Interface Physics and it is devoted to study metal/metal oxide nanoparticles used in the hydrogen storage, heterogeneous catalysis (mainly but not restricted to CO2 dissociation), photocatalytic hydrogen production, artificial photosynthesis, and photodegradation of dyes.

RSC Applied Interfaces publishes interdisciplinary work with an applied focus, which can be read for free here. To celebrate the excellent articles that have been published so far in our journal, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Michael Dooley from Professor Shubham Vyas’ group at the Colorado School of Mines, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Light-driven interfaces for PFAS detection and destruction’.

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RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Scott E. Crawford. Dr Scott Crawford is a research physical scientist at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, where he researches materials for luminescent and quantum sensing of various energy relevant analytes, including economically critical metals. He discusses his recently published article entitled ‘Zinc adeninate metal–organic framework-coated optical fibers for enhanced luminescence-based detection of rare earth elements’.

Discover the full article here

Zinc adeninate metal–organic framework-coated optical fibers for enhanced luminescence-based detection of rare earth elements

Scott E. Crawford, Ward A. Burgess, Ki-Joong Kim, John P. Baltrus and Nathan A. Diemler

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024,1, 689-698, DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00001C

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our recent articles
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RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Miss Pranoti Patil and Dr Sushilkumar Jadhav from Shivaji University Kolhapur, India, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Manganese dioxide (MnO₂) and biomass-derived carbon-based electroactive composite materials for supercapacitor applications’.

Discover the full article here

Manganese dioxide (MnO₂) and biomass-derived carbon-based electroactive composite materials for supercapacitor applications

Pranoti H. Patil and Sushilkumar A. Jadhav

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, 1, 624-647. DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00085D

Insights from the authors

Our review article contains a compilation of the latest research and developments in the synthesis of manganese dioxide and biomass-derived, carbon-based composites to be used as electrode materials in energy storage devices.

With the growing demand for high-performance energy storage devices, supercapacitors have gained significant attention. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how MnO₂-biomass-derived carbon composites as electroactive materials are advancing the capabilities of supercapacitors. The review outlines different types of MnO₂ and their characteristic features, as well as different biomasses used for the synthesis of carbons with desired properties. It offers a detailed examination of the various methods used for synthesizing biomass-derived carbon materials and provides insights into the sustainability and environmental benefits of using biomass-derived carbon materials.

It also contains information about different morphologies of MnO₂ and biomass-derived carbon-based composites that contain MnO₂ in forms such as nanosheets, nanowires, nanorods, nanoflakes, nanoneedles, nanowrinkles, nanoplates, nanowalls etc. We have provided corresponding reproduced structural characterization images with our discussion.

The discussion covers several latest reports and provides a comparative analysis of the electrochemical performance of various MnO₂-carbon-based composite materials, such as their specific capacitance and power densities, cyclic stability, and electrolytes used in the devices.

Our review provides insights into the advancement and future research directions in this field. These insights can guide the development of more efficient and sustainable energy storage devices. Our latest research focuses on the development of new carbons from cheap or no-cost biomasses, a timely subject considering the economic aspects of energy storage devices.

We invite you to read our review article to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and prospects of this exciting and interesting field of research.

Meet the authors

Miss Pranoti Patil obtained her Master of Science degree from Shivaji University Kolhapur, India, with excellent academic records. Her research works are focused on the synthesis and electrochemical testing of biomass-derived carbon, manganese dioxide, conducting polymers, and carbonaceous materials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, and reduced graphene oxide-based binary as well as ternary nanocomposites as electrode materials to be used in energy storage devices like supercapacitors and battery type supercapacitors.

Dr Sushilkumar Jadhav obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Genova, Italy. He has extensive research experience in Europe. At present, he is working as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the School of Nanoscience and Technology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur. His research works are focused on the synthesis of various hybrid, porous, and polymer-grafted nanomaterials for energy storage, drug delivery, environmental remediation, and nanocatalysis applications. He is involved in various multidisciplinary research projects. He is also a member of important scientific organizations at the national and international levels.

RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first few issues which can be read for free here. To celebrate our recently-published articles, we asked our authors to share some comments on their work.

In this post, we hear from Dr Yabu and their team, providing some insight into their recently published article entitled Rare-metal-free high-performance water-activated paper battery: a disposable energy source for wearable sensing devices.

Comments from the authors

“The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 caused widespread devastation, including in Sendai, where Tohoku University is located. We witnessed many people being swept away by the tsunami during the disaster. If the exact location of those caught in the tsunami or lost at sea could have been known immediately, some lives might have been saved.
We have successfully developed a metal-air paper battery that generates electricity by absorbing water, using our unique catalyst technology, which can be utilized as a power source for global positioning system (GPS). The smart life jacket, equipped with this battery and GPS, can instantly transmit location information via GPS when it gets wet, allowing for precise identification of the position of individuals in need of rescue.
Our group aims to contribute to the safety of people working at sea and to rescue efforts during disasters through the manufacturing of this smart life jackets equipped with the high-performance batteries, and the integration of sensor components such as GPS.”

Meet the authors

From left to right: Prof Yabu, Mr Ishibashi, Prof Ono, and Mr Ito discussing application of a metal-air paper battery to a smart life jacket equipped with a GPS sensor.

Want to find out more? Read the full paper below!

Rare-metal-free high-performance water-activated paper battery: a disposable energy source for wearable sensing devices

Kosuke Ishibashi, Shimpei Ono, Jun Kamei, Koju Ito and Hiroshi Yabu

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, 1, 435-442 DOI: 10.1039/D3LF00258F

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our recent articles
              • Submit your manuscript today
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RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Kaori Sánchez-Carrillo from Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada – Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Polyvinylpyrrolidone-mediated synthesis of ultra-stable gold nanoparticles in a nonaqueous choline chloride–urea deep eutectic solvent‘.

Discover the full article here

Polyvinylpyrrolidone-mediated synthesis of ultra-stable gold nanoparticles in a nonaqueous choline chloride–urea deep eutectic solvent

Raúl Ortega-Córdova, Kaori Sánchez-Carrillo, Saúl Carrasco-Saavedra, Gonzalo Ramírez-García, María G. Pérez-García, J. Félix Armando Soltero-Martínez and Josué D. Mota-Morales

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024,1, 600-611, DOI: 10.1039/D3LF00261F

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our first issues
              • Submit your manuscript today
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RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Ana Paula Mártire from Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Ferrocene-labelled surfactants enhance the supercapacitor performance in PANI-PSS/nanocarbon layer-by-layer nanoarchitectonics electrodes‘.

Discover the full article here

Ferrocene-labelled surfactants enhance the supercapacitor performance in PANI-PSS/nanocarbon layer-by-layer nanoarchitectonics electrodes

Ana Paula Mártire, Gonzalo E. Fenoy, Omar Azzaroni, Matías Rafti and Waldemar A. Marmisollé

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024,1, 511-521, DOI: 10.1039/D3LF00236E

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our first issues
              • Submit your manuscript today
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RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Jaewon Kim from the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) in Singapore, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Improved transparency and conductivity in copper chromium oxide coatings through aliovalent doping and stoichiometry control‘.

Discover the full article here

Improved transparency and conductivity in copper chromium oxide coatings through aliovalent doping and stoichiometry control

Jaewon Kim, Owen Kendall, Triet Thien Huu Nguyen, Joel van Embden and Enrico Della Gaspera

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, Advance Article. DOI: D3LF00227F

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our first issue
              • Submit your manuscript today
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RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first few issues which can be read for free here. To celebrate our recently-published articles, we asked our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Zong-Xuan She and Professor Sheng-Hsiung Yang from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘Interfacial modification between NiO_x and perovskite layers with hexafluorophosphate salts for enhancing device efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells‘.

Insights from the authors

Could you please introduce yourself and give us a brief summary of the research?

“The first author of this research is Zong-Xuan She who received guidance from Prof. Sheng-Hsiung Yang and obtained his Master of Science degree from National Yang Ming Chiao University in 2024, specializing in the fabrication and evaluation of perovskite solar cells. In this work, Zong-Xuan discovered that three hexafluorophosphate salts can serve as interfacial modifiers for reducing surface defects on NiO_x, improving contact between NiO_x and perovskite layers, and enhancing photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells.”

What aspect of your work are you most excited about?

“As the main author of the research, Zong-Xuan is delighted to present an effective and inexpensive way to augment the performance of perovskite solar cells, especially prolonged device lifetimes over 108 days or longer. Considering the low price and processability of the proposed hexafluorophosphate salts, our results may help to boost the development of perovskite-related products.”

What do you find most challenging about your research?

“Detailed analysis and interpretation of various unknown data are always challenging in scientific researches. For example, the XPS spectra of NiO_x before and after salt modification looked alike at first sight; by deconvoluting the original XPS signals carefully and calculating the Ni³⁺/Ni²⁺ ratio, we realized that the conductivity of NiO_x was improved by introducing those hexafluorophosphate salts, especially NH₄PF₆.”

What’s next for you?

“The three hexafluorophosphate salts are proven to modify the surface properties of NiO_x effectively. We speculate that those salts may also work on other types of metal oxides, such as CuO, WO₃, and V₂O₅. We will also seek for other hexafluorophosphate salts with different cations to further improve the performance of NiO_x-based perovskite solar cells.”

Meet the authors

Mr Zong-Xuan She received his Bachelor of Science degree from the Department of Optoelectronic Physics at Chinese Culture University in 2021. He obtained his Master of Science degree from the Institute of Lighting and Energy Photonics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in 2024. His research focuses on the fabrication and evaluation of perovskite solar cells using NiOx as the hole transport layer.

Professor Sheng-Hsiung Yang received his dual Ph.D. degrees in materials science from University of Nantes, France and in applied chemistry from National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), Taiwan in 2004. He joined the Institute of Lighting and Energy Photonics at NCTU in 2009 as an assistant professor and was promoted to full professor in 2022. Merging with National Yang Ming University in 02/2021, NCTU is now known as National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU). Prof Yang is currently Director of the Institute of Lighting and Energy Photonics at NYCU since 02/2022. His research interests include the synthesis of ionic conjugated polymers and perovskite nanocrystals, preparation of nanostructured metal oxides, and fabrication of optoelectronic devices for photovoltaic and light-emitting applications.

Want to find out more? Read the full paper below!

Interfacial modification between NiOx and perovskite layers with hexafluorophosphate salts for enhancing device efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells

Zong-Xuan She and Sheng-Hsiung Yang

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/D3LF00258F

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our first issue
              • Submit your manuscript today
              • Sign up for email alerts
              • Follow us on social media

RSC Applied Interfaces has published its first articles which can be read for free here. To celebrate publishing our first articles, we asked some of our authors to discuss their work in more detail.

In this post, we hear from Dr Saikat Dutta from Amity University, India, as they discuss their recently published article entitled ‘A metallated graphene oxide foam with a carbon nanotube shell for an enhanced capacitance device‘.

Want to find out more? Read the full paper here!

A metallated graphene oxide foam with a carbon nanotube shell for an enhanced capacitance device

Rahul Patil, Lingaraj Pradhan, Babasahab M. Matsagar, Rahul R. Salunkhe, Kevin C.-W. Wu, Bikash Kumar Jena and Saikat Dutta

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/D3LF00226H

RSC Applied Interfaces is a dedicated, interdisciplinary reference journal for cutting-edge research on the applications of surfaces and interfaces. In addition to the applied focus, work considered for publication in RSC Applied Interfaces is expected to be highly original and of top quality. The journal seeks to report major scientific advances beyond the state of the art, at the cutting edge of this interdisciplinary field.

• • • • • • • • Find out more about the journal
              • Read our first issue
              • Submit your manuscript today
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