Ultrathin-Walled 3D Inorganic Nanostructured Networks Templated from Cross-Linked Cellulose Nanocrystal Aerogels

Arto Hiltunen; Tyler Or; Kimmo Lahtonen; Harri Ali-Löytty; Nikolai Tkachenko; Mika Valden; Essi Sarlin; Emily D. Cranston; Jose M. Moran-Mirabal; Jaana Vapaavuori

doi:10.1002/admi.202001181

Ultrathin-Walled 3D Inorganic Nanostructured Networks Templated from Cross-Linked Cellulose Nanocrystal Aerogels

Arto Hiltunen
, Tyler Or
, Kimmo Lahtonen
, Harri Ali-Löytty
, Nikolai Tkachenko
, Mika Valden
, Essi Sarlin
, Emily D. Cranston
, Jose M. Moran-Mirabal
, Jaana Vapaavuori^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

101 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A key challenge in the development of materials for applications in the fields of opto- and nanoelectronics, catalysis, separation, and energy conversion is the ability to fabricate 3D inorganic semiconductive nanostructures in a precisely-controlled and cost-effective manner. This work describes the fabrication of 3D nanostructured TiO₂ monoliths by coating ultraporous cross-linked cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aerogel templates with TiO₂ layers of controlled thickness via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Following calcination, the resulting hollow inorganic ultraporous 3D networks form the thinnest self-supporting semiconductive structure (7 nm) fabricated directly on a conductive substrate. The CNC-templated ALD–TiO₂ electrodes are applied toward photoelectrochemical water splitting. The results show that a TiO₂ coating as thin as 15 nm produces a maximum water splitting efficiency, resulting in materials savings and reduced fabrication time.

Original language	English
Article number	2001181
Number of pages	6
Journal	Advanced Materials Interfaces
Volume	8
Issue number	11
Early online date	7 May 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202001181
Publication status	Published - 9 Jun 2021
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

All the co‐authors acknowledge Dr. Ayodele Fatona with gratitude for the assistance with TGA measurements. This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (Decision Nos. 141481, 286713, and 309920). T.O. was partially supported through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC‐USRA). J.M.M. and E.D.C. are recipients of Early Researcher Awards from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation and J.M.M. holds the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Micro‐ and Nanostructured Materials. Funding from NSERC through Discovery Grants to J.M.M. and E.D.C. is gratefully acknowledged. This research made use of instrumentation in the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy and Biointerfaces Institute at McMaster University. This work is part of the Academy of Finland Flagship Programme, Photonics Research, and Innovation (PREIN) (Decision No. 320 165).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

3D network structure
atomic layer deposition
nanocellulose
templating
water splitting

Access to Document

10.1002/admi.202001181Licence: CC BY

CHEM_Hiltunen_et_al_Ultrathin-Walled_3D_Inorganic_2021_Advanced_Materials_InterfacesFinal published version, 925 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{94bef098177a46f1b80e02d16daefdb2,

title = "Ultrathin-Walled 3D Inorganic Nanostructured Networks Templated from Cross-Linked Cellulose Nanocrystal Aerogels",

abstract = "A key challenge in the development of materials for applications in the fields of opto- and nanoelectronics, catalysis, separation, and energy conversion is the ability to fabricate 3D inorganic semiconductive nanostructures in a precisely-controlled and cost-effective manner. This work describes the fabrication of 3D nanostructured TiO2 monoliths by coating ultraporous cross-linked cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aerogel templates with TiO2 layers of controlled thickness via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Following calcination, the resulting hollow inorganic ultraporous 3D networks form the thinnest self-supporting semiconductive structure (7 nm) fabricated directly on a conductive substrate. The CNC-templated ALD–TiO2 electrodes are applied toward photoelectrochemical water splitting. The results show that a TiO2 coating as thin as 15 nm produces a maximum water splitting efficiency, resulting in materials savings and reduced fabrication time.",

keywords = "3D network structure, atomic layer deposition, nanocellulose, templating, water splitting",

author = "Arto Hiltunen and Tyler Or and Kimmo Lahtonen and Harri Ali-L{\"o}ytty and Nikolai Tkachenko and Mika Valden and Essi Sarlin and Cranston, \{Emily D.\} and Moran-Mirabal, \{Jose M.\} and Jaana Vapaavuori",

note = "Funding Information: All the co‐authors acknowledge Dr. Ayodele Fatona with gratitude for the assistance with TGA measurements. This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (Decision Nos. 141481, 286713, and 309920). T.O. was partially supported through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC‐USRA). J.M.M. and E.D.C. are recipients of Early Researcher Awards from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation and J.M.M. holds the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Micro‐ and Nanostructured Materials. Funding from NSERC through Discovery Grants to J.M.M. and E.D.C. is gratefully acknowledged. This research made use of instrumentation in the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy and Biointerfaces Institute at McMaster University. This work is part of the Academy of Finland Flagship Programme, Photonics Research, and Innovation (PREIN) (Decision No. 320 165). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Advanced Materials Interfaces published by Wiley-VCH GmbH Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = jun,

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doi = "10.1002/admi.202001181",

language = "English",

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AU - Or, Tyler

AU - Lahtonen, Kimmo

AU - Ali-Löytty, Harri

AU - Tkachenko, Nikolai

AU - Valden, Mika

AU - Sarlin, Essi

AU - Cranston, Emily D.

AU - Moran-Mirabal, Jose M.

AU - Vapaavuori, Jaana

N1 - Funding Information: All the co‐authors acknowledge Dr. Ayodele Fatona with gratitude for the assistance with TGA measurements. This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (Decision Nos. 141481, 286713, and 309920). T.O. was partially supported through a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC‐USRA). J.M.M. and E.D.C. are recipients of Early Researcher Awards from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation and J.M.M. holds the Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Micro‐ and Nanostructured Materials. Funding from NSERC through Discovery Grants to J.M.M. and E.D.C. is gratefully acknowledged. This research made use of instrumentation in the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy and Biointerfaces Institute at McMaster University. This work is part of the Academy of Finland Flagship Programme, Photonics Research, and Innovation (PREIN) (Decision No. 320 165). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Materials Interfaces published by Wiley-VCH GmbH Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/6/9

Y1 - 2021/6/9

N2 - A key challenge in the development of materials for applications in the fields of opto- and nanoelectronics, catalysis, separation, and energy conversion is the ability to fabricate 3D inorganic semiconductive nanostructures in a precisely-controlled and cost-effective manner. This work describes the fabrication of 3D nanostructured TiO2 monoliths by coating ultraporous cross-linked cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aerogel templates with TiO2 layers of controlled thickness via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Following calcination, the resulting hollow inorganic ultraporous 3D networks form the thinnest self-supporting semiconductive structure (7 nm) fabricated directly on a conductive substrate. The CNC-templated ALD–TiO2 electrodes are applied toward photoelectrochemical water splitting. The results show that a TiO2 coating as thin as 15 nm produces a maximum water splitting efficiency, resulting in materials savings and reduced fabrication time.

AB - A key challenge in the development of materials for applications in the fields of opto- and nanoelectronics, catalysis, separation, and energy conversion is the ability to fabricate 3D inorganic semiconductive nanostructures in a precisely-controlled and cost-effective manner. This work describes the fabrication of 3D nanostructured TiO2 monoliths by coating ultraporous cross-linked cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) aerogel templates with TiO2 layers of controlled thickness via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Following calcination, the resulting hollow inorganic ultraporous 3D networks form the thinnest self-supporting semiconductive structure (7 nm) fabricated directly on a conductive substrate. The CNC-templated ALD–TiO2 electrodes are applied toward photoelectrochemical water splitting. The results show that a TiO2 coating as thin as 15 nm produces a maximum water splitting efficiency, resulting in materials savings and reduced fabrication time.

KW - 3D network structure

KW - atomic layer deposition

KW - nanocellulose

KW - templating

KW - water splitting

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U2 - 10.1002/admi.202001181

DO - 10.1002/admi.202001181

M3 - Article

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SN - 2196-7350

VL - 8

JO - Advanced Materials Interfaces

JF - Advanced Materials Interfaces

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M1 - 2001181

ER -

Ultrathin-Walled 3D Inorganic Nanostructured Networks Templated from Cross-Linked Cellulose Nanocrystal Aerogels

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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PREIN: Photonics Research and Innovation

Cite this

Ultrathin-Walled 3D Inorganic Nanostructured Networks Templated from Cross-Linked Cellulose Nanocrystal Aerogels

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

PREIN: Photonics Research and Innovation

Cite this