Weiyou Yang

Bio: Weiyou Yang is an academic researcher from Ningbo University of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Materials science & Nanowire. The author has an hindex of 39, co-authored 270 publications receiving 5288 citations. Previous affiliations of Weiyou Yang include Zhejiang University & Peking University.

Superior Photodetectors Based on All-Inorganic Perovskite CsPbI3 Nanorods with Ultrafast Response and High Stability

Abstract: Currently, one-dimensional all-inorganic CsPbX3 (X = Br, Cl, and I) perovskites have attracted great attention, owning to their promising and exciting applications in optoelectronic devices. Herein, we reported the exploration of superior photodetectors (PDs) based on a single CsPbI3 nanorod. The as-constructed PDs had a totally excellent performance with a responsivity of 2.92 × 103 A·W–1 and an ultrafast response time of 0.05 ms, respectively, which were both comparable to the best ones ever reported for all-inorganic perovskite PDs. Furthermore, the detectivity of the PDs approached up to 5.17 × 1013 Jones, which was more than 5 times the best one ever reported. More importantly, the as-constructed PDs showed a high stability when maintained under ambient conditions.

Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Ternary Hybrid TiO2/CuO/Cu Thoroughly Mesoporous Nanofibers.

Abstract: Development of novel hybrid photocatalysts with high efficiency and durability for photocatalytic hydrogen generation is highly desired but still remains a grand challenge currently. In the present work, we reported the exploration of ternary hybrid TiO2/CuO/Cu thoroughly mesoporous nanofibers via a foaming-assisted electrospinning technique. It is found that by adjusting the Cu contents in the solutions, the unitary (TiO2), binary (TiO2/CuO, TiO2/Cu), and ternary (TiO2/CuO/Cu) mesoporous products can be obtained, enabling the growth of TiO2/CuO/Cu ternary hybrids in a tailored manner. The photocatalytic behavior of the as-synthesized products as well as P25 was evaluated in terms of their hydrogen evolution efficiency for the photodecomposition water under Xe lamp irradiation. The results showed that the ternary TiO2/CuO/Cu thoroughly mesoporous nanofibers exhibit a robust stability and the most efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution with the highest release rate of ∼851.3 μmol g–1 h–1, which was profound...

General strategy for fabricating thoroughly mesoporous nanofibers

Abstract: Recently, preparation of mesoporous fibers has attracted extensive attentions because of their unique and broad applications in photocatalysis, optoelectronics, and biomaterials. However, it remains a great challenge to fabricate thoroughly mesoporous nanofibers with high purity and uniformity. Here, we report a general, simple and cost-effective strategy, namely, foaming-assisted electrospinning, for producing mesoporous nanofibers with high purity and enhanced specific surface areas. As a proof of concept, the as-fabricated mesoporous TiO2 fibers exhibit much higher photocatalytic activity and stability than both the conventional solid counterparts and the commercially available P25. The abundant vapors released from the introduced foaming agents are responsible for the creation of pores with uniform spatial distribution in the spun precursor fibers. The present work represents a critically important step in advancing the electrospinning technique for generating mesoporous fibers in a facile and univers...

Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4)-Based Photocatalysts for Artificial Photosynthesis and Environmental Remediation: Are We a Step Closer To Achieving Sustainability?

Abstract: As a fascinating conjugated polymer, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has become a new research hotspot and drawn broad interdisciplinary attention as a metal-free and visible-light-responsive photocatalyst in the arena of solar energy conversion and environmental remediation. This is due to its appealing electronic band structure, high physicochemical stability, and “earth-abundant” nature. This critical review summarizes a panorama of the latest progress related to the design and construction of pristine g-C3N4 and g-C3N4-based nanocomposites, including (1) nanoarchitecture design of bare g-C3N4, such as hard and soft templating approaches, supramolecular preorganization assembly, exfoliation, and template-free synthesis routes, (2) functionalization of g-C3N4 at an atomic level (elemental doping) and molecular level (copolymerization), and (3) modification of g-C3N4 with well-matched energy levels of another semiconductor or a metal as a cocatalyst to form heterojunction nanostructures. The constructi...

Electrospinning and Electrospun Nanofibers: Methods, Materials, and Applications

Abstract: Electrospinning is a versatile and viable technique for generating ultrathin fibers. Remarkable progress has been made with regard to the development of electrospinning methods and engineering of electrospun nanofibers to suit or enable various applications. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of electrospinning, including the principle, methods, materials, and applications. We begin with a brief introduction to the early history of electrospinning, followed by discussion of its principle and typical apparatus. We then discuss its renaissance over the past two decades as a powerful technology for the production of nanofibers with diversified compositions, structures, and properties. Afterward, we discuss the applications of electrospun nanofibers, including their use as "smart" mats, filtration membranes, catalytic supports, energy harvesting/conversion/storage components, and photonic and electronic devices, as well as biomedical scaffolds. We highlight the most relevant and recent advances related to the applications of electrospun nanofibers by focusing on the most representative examples. We also offer perspectives on the challenges, opportunities, and new directions for future development. At the end, we discuss approaches to the scale-up production of electrospun nanofibers and briefly discuss various types of commercial products based on electrospun nanofibers that have found widespread use in our everyday life.

g-C3N4-Based Heterostructured Photocatalysts

Abstract: Photocatalysis is considered as one of the promising routes to solve the energy and environmental crises by utilizing solar energy. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has attracted worldwide attention due to its visible-light activity, facile synthesis from low-cost materials, chemical stability, and unique layered structure. However, the pure g-C3N4 photocatalyst still suffers from its low separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers, which results in unsatisfactory photocatalytic activity. Recently, g-C3N4-based heterostructures have become research hotspots for their greatly enhanced charge carrier separation efficiency and photocatalytic performance. According to the different transfer mechanisms of photogenerated charge carriers between g-C3N4 and the coupled components, the g-C3N4-based heterostructured photocatalysts can be divided into the following categories: g-C3N4-based conventional type II heterojunction, g-C3N4-based Z-scheme heterojunction, g-C3N4-based p–n heterojunction, g-C3N4/metal heterostructure, and g-C3N4/carbon heterostructure. This review summarizes the recent significant progress on the design of g-C3N4-based heterostructured photocatalysts and their special separation/transfer mechanisms of photogenerated charge carriers. Moreover, their applications in environmental and energy fields, e.g., water splitting, carbon dioxide reduction, and degradation of pollutants, are also reviewed. Finally, some concluding remarks and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for exploring advanced g-C3N4-based heterostructured photocatalysts are presented.