A highly crystalline mesoporous boron and fluoride (B/F) co-doped TiO2 nanomaterial is successfully synthetized using a facile process, followed by chemical bath deposition (CBD) in an organic solution to prepare the QD-cell to ensure high wettability and superior penetration ability of the B/F co-doped TiO2 films. A modified polysulfide redox couple, ((CH3)4N)2S/((CH3)4N)2Sn, was employed in a cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dot (QD)-sensitized B/F co-doped TiO2 solar cell covered with ZnS passivation layers with cobalt sulfide (CoS) as a counter electrode; then, an open-circuit photovoltage of 1.223 V, a high FF of 85.9%, a short-circuit photocurrent (Jsc) of 4.52 mA cm−2, and a high overall energy conversion of 4.74% were obtained.

Although epoxy resin was developed from liquefied sustainable resources, such as wood, corn bran, bagasse, etc., the use of liquefied biomass for manufacturing high performance epoxy resin has been limited because of the effects of these materials on properties of epoxy resin were unclear. Thus, the liquefied reed-based epoxy resin was synthesized by glycidyl etherification between liquefied reed and epichlorohydrin in this study. The relationship between reed liquefaction behavior and thermodynamic properties of liquefied reed-based epoxy resin was investigated by Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), as well as by determination of residue content, phenol content, epoxy index and mechanical performance. The results indicated that not only high content of bound phenol, but also broad molecular weight distribution of liquefied reed would widen molecular weight distribution of synthetic epoxy resin, which was a major cause of low adhesive shear strength and great thermal stability of cured resin.

Mesoporous carbon (MC)-imbedded tungsten carbide (W2C) composites are synthesized via a simple methodology and subsequently used as flexible counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The W2C/MC composite possesses remarkable electrochemical properties for both novel organic disulfide/thiolate and conventional triiodide/iodide redox couples, with a performance that surpasses those of W2C and MC separate components. Thus, the iodide electrolyte based-DSCs involving W2C/MC as a flexible CE shows a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 7.61%. Remarkably, the W2C/MC composite is also found to be suitable as a CE for organic sulfide redox couple electrolyte based-DSCs, showing a much higher PCE (5.96%) as compared to their separate W2C and MC component counterparts (5.08 and 4.38%, respectively).

•The composite of Co3S4/ECs was used as counter electrode for DSCs.•A new electrolyte with Co3+/2+ redox couple was employed in DSCs.•The DSCs using composite CE yield a high average PCE value of 9.23%.The composite of cobaltosic sulfide/electrospun carbon nanofibers (Co3S4/ECs) with high catalytic activity have been successfully synthesized by combining the versatility of the electrospunning technique and following a hydrothermal synthesis method. And the composite of Co3S4/ECs was introduced into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) as counter electrode (CE) for the first time. Combining a new electrolyte with iodide free redox couples involving Co3+/2+, the Co3S4/ECs composite demonstrated good performance in DSCs. Under AM 1.5G illuminations, the DSCs based on Co3S4/ECs composite CE achieved a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.23%, which increased by 10.1% compared to the DSCs based on Pt CE (8.38%).

Surface-doped Pt3Ni on carbon nanofibers (Pt3Ni/CN) with molybdenum (Mo-Pt3Ni/CN) was used as counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) for the first time. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Tafel polarization results indicate that Mo-Pt3Ni/CN has a high electrocatalytic activity and facilitates rapid charge transfer. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the DSSCs with Mo-Pt3Ni/CNs as counter electrode increased to 9.47%, which is significantly higher than the Pt counter electrode (7.1%), measured with simulated full solar intensity (AM1.5 G).

Incorporation of nanophase ceria into the cathode catalyst Pt/C was used as alternative cathode catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in an air-cathode single-chamber microbial fuel cell (SCMFC) for the first time. Electrochemical results reveal that the ceria doped Pt/C catalysts exhibited a higher catalytic performance than the pure Pt/C catalyst. The highest voltage of 580 mV and the maximum power density of 840 ± 24 mW m−2 were achieved from the 3 wt% CeO2 doped Pt/C cathode, which was larger than that of the pure Pt/C cathode.

•Synthesized nanosized flower-like NiO by a hydrothermal method.•(CH3)4N2S/((CH3)4N)2Sn was employed in CdSe/NiO solar cell.•The PCE of 1.06% (Voc 0.755 V, ff 0.27%, Jsc 5.21 mA cm−2) had been achieved.Flower-like NiO nanoparticles was successfully synthetized by homogeneous precipitation. A novelty modified (CH3)4N)2S/((CH3)4N)2Sn electrolyte was introduced in solar cell successfully and NiS was used as the counter electrode. Moreover, CdSe sensitized p-type NiO was synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD) in a precursor solution to ensure the nanosized flower-like NiO films obtain a better uniformity and high penetration. Meanwhile, a series of parallel experiment were designed to investigate the effect of different CdSe deposition layers on the photoelectric characteristic of the cell. The result showed that when the film was eight layers, the maximum efficiency of 1.06% had been achieved, with a significantly open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.755 V, a fill factor (ff) of 0.27% and a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 5.21 mA cm−2.

The highly crystalline mesoporous B/N co-doped TiO2 nanomaterial is successfully synthetized using a facile process. A modified polysulfide redox couple, (CH3)4N)2S/((CH3)4N)2Sn, was employed in CdS quantum dots (QDs) sensitized B/N co-doped TiO2 solar cell with ZnS passivation layers and NiS as counter electrode, followed by chemical bath deposition (CBD) in an organic solution to prepare the QDs-cell to ensure high wettability and superior penetration ability of the B/N co-doped TiO2 films, then obtained an open-circuit photovoltage of 1.23 V, a high ff of 89%, a short-circuit photocurrent (Jsc) of 4.46 mA cm−2, and yielding a high overall energy conversion of 4.88%.

•Reed hemicellulose-based hydrogels were prepared by glow discharge electrolysis plasma.•The hydrogels had a double sensitivity to temperature and pH.•Hydrogel of 600 V was more sensitive to temperature and pH and had higher deswelling ratio.•The phase transition temperatures of hydrogels were all approximately 33 °C.•The deswelling dynamics of hydrogels all met the first model.The temperature/pH dual sensitivity reed hemicellulose-based hydrogels have been prepared through glow discharge electrolysis plasma (GDEP). The effect of different discharge voltages on the temperature and pH response performance of reed hemicellulose-based hydrogels was inspected, and the formation mechanism, deswelling behaviors of reed hemicellulose-based hydrogels were also discussed. At the same time, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning differential thermal analysis (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were adopted to characterize the structure, phase transformation behaviors and microstructure of hydrogels. It turned out to be that all reed hemicellulose-based hydrogels had a double sensitivity to temperature and pH, and their phase transition temperatures were all approximately 33 °C, as well as the deswelling dynamics met the first model. In addition, the hydrogel (TPRH-3), under discharge voltage 600 V, was more sensitive to temperature and pH and had higher deswelling ratio.

Mesoporous carbon (MC)-imbedded tungsten carbide (W2C) composites are synthesized via a simple methodology and subsequently used as flexible counter electrodes (CEs) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The W2C/MC composite possesses remarkable electrochemical properties for both novel organic disulfide/thiolate and conventional triiodide/iodide redox couples, with a performance that surpasses those of W2C and MC separate components. Thus, the iodide electrolyte based-DSCs involving W2C/MC as a flexible CE shows a power conversion efficiency (PCE) as high as 7.61%. Remarkably, the W2C/MC composite is also found to be suitable as a CE for organic sulfide redox couple electrolyte based-DSCs, showing a much higher PCE (5.96%) as compared to their separate W2C and MC component counterparts (5.08 and 4.38%, respectively).