Wuhan University of Technology

About: Wuhan University of Technology is a education organization based out in Wuhan, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Microstructure & Catalysis. The organization has 40384 authors who have published 36724 publications receiving 575695 citations. The organization is also known as: WUT.

Slow Photons for Photocatalysis and Photovoltaics.

Abstract: Solar light is widely recognized as one of the most valuable renewable energy sources for the future. However, the development of solar-energy technologies is severely hindered by poor energy-conversion efficiencies due to low optical-absorption coefficients and low quantum-conversion yield of current-generation materials. Huge efforts have been devoted to investigating new strategies to improve the utilization of solar energy. Different chemical and physical strategies have been used to extend the spectral range or increase the conversion efficiency of materials, leading to very promising results. However, these methods have now begun to reach their limits. What is therefore the next big concept that could efficiently be used to enhance light harvesting? Despite its discovery many years ago, with the potential for becoming a powerful tool for enhanced light harvesting, the slow-photon effect, a manifestation of light-propagation control due to photonic structures, has largely been overlooked. This review presents theoretical as well as experimental progress on this effect, revealing that the photoreactivity of materials can be dramatically enhanced by exploiting slow photons. It is predicted that successful implementation of this strategy may open a very promising avenue for a broad spectrum of light-energy-conversion technologies.

Structure and electrical properties of lead-free Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-based ceramics for energy-storage applications

Abstract: A new energy-storage ceramic system based on (1 − x)(Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–BaTiO3)–xNaTaO3 ((1 − x)(BNT–BT)–xNT) is reported in this study. XRD refinement indicated a composition induced rhombohedral to tetragonal phase transition. All the samples exhibited a dense microstructure with an average grain size of 1.2–1.9 μm. The introduction of NT greatly improved the temperature stability of the dielectric properties for the BNT–BT system. For compositions x = 0.03–0.15, the working temperature range spanned over 260 °C satisfying TCC150 °C ≤ ±15%. The electric conductivity as a function of frequency followed the double power law. In the temperature region of 325–500 °C, the activation energy of DC conduction ranged from 1.47 eV to 1.71 eV, indicating intrinsic band-type electronic conduction. The optimum energy-storage properties were obtained in 0.90(BNT–BT)–0.10NT with an energy-storage density of 1.2 J cm−3 and energy-storage efficiency of 74.8% at 10 kV mm−1. The results demonstrate that (1 − x)(BNT–BT)–xNT ceramics are promising candidates for high-temperature energy-storage applications.