In this study, the sensitivity and the linearity of the un-coated and TiO2-coated microfiber knot resonator (MKR) have been analyzed. The MKR is very sensitive to humidity changes since its refractive index is strongly humidity dependent. As a result, shifts occur in the resonance wavelength and there are also changes in output power. The un-coated MKR showed a sensitivity of 1.3 pm/%RH, in ter...

Co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles containing 0.0085, 0.017, 0.0255, 0.034, and 0.085 mol % Co(III) ion dopant were synthesized via sol-gel and dip-coating techniques. The effects of metal ion doping on the transformation of anatase to the rutile phase have been investigated. Several analytical tools, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectros...

The nonlinear optical properties of coumarin 343 (C343) dye-attached TiO2 nanoparticles in the size range 5–8 nm adsorbed at the interface of water/1,2-dichloroethane have been studied by using the surface second harmonic generation technique. No second harmonic (SH) response was observed from the bare TiO2 nanoparticles adsorbed at the interface, however, a strong SH response was measured from...

We have prepared single crystalline SnO2 and ZnO nanowires and polycrystalline TiO2 nanotubes (1D networks) as well as nanoparticle-based films (3D networks) from the same materials to be used as photoanodes for solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. In general, superior photovoltaic performance can be achieved from devices based on 3-dimensional networks, mostly due to their higher short circ...

The quartz-crystal microbalance is a sensitive and versatile tool for measuring adsorption of a variety of compounds (e.g. small molecules, polymers, biomolecules, nanoparticles and cells) to surfaces. While the technique has traditionally been used for measuring adsorption to flat surfaces and thin ridged films, it can also be extended to study adsorption to nanoparticle surfaces when the nano...

Nanoparticle-covered electrodes have altered properties as compared to conventional electrodes with same chemical composition. The changes originate from the large surface area and enhanced conduction. To test the mineralization capacity of such materials, TiO2 nanoparticles were deposited on titanium and gold substrates. The electrochemical properties were investigated using cyclic voltammetry...

Adsorb and shuttle (A/S) and interfacial charge transfer are the two major strategies for overcoming recombination in photocatalysis in this era of nanoparticle composites. Their relationships are considered here. A review of key literature is accompanied by a presentation of three new experiments within the overall aim of assessing the relation of these strategies. The cases presented include:...

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are photoactive and produce reactive oxygen species under natural sunlight. Reactive oxygen species can be detrimental to many organisms, causing oxidative damage, cell injury, and death. Most studies investigating TiO2 nanoparticle toxicity did not consider photoactivation and performed tests either in dark conditions or under artificial lighting that did not sim...

In this study, the P25 titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle (NP) thin film was coated on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate by a doctor blade method. The film then compressed mechanically to be the photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Various compression pressures on TiO2 NP film were tested to optimize the performance of DSSCs. The mechanical compression reduces Ti...