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ARTICLE

Environmentally Benign ZnS/RGO Nanocomposite Buffer Layers for High-Performance Cu₂O/CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells

Ahmed Mostafa^1,*, Samar Al-Shehri², Azzah A. Alshehri³, A. Ashour⁴

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.083336 - 12 October 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Chalcogenide Thin Films and Solar Cells for Optoelectronic Applications)
Abstract ABSTRACT: Interface engineering is an effective strategy for improving the efficiency and operational stability of thin-film photovoltaic devices. In this work, zinc sulfide/reduced graphene oxide (ZnS/RGO) nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized using environmentally benign methods and incorporated as buffer layers into Glass/ITO/Cu₂O/CdTe/ZnS–RGO/Al solar cells. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements confirmed the formation of phase-pure hexagonal ZnS, with crystallite sizes ranging from 18 to 26 nm. The introduction of RGO resulted in lattice microstrain values of (3.1–6.4) × 10⁻⁴, suggesting effective interfacial coupling within the composite structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provided further evidence for the successful integration of… More >

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192

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REVIEW

Can Chalcogenide Alloys Replace Traditional Photocatalysts for Sustainable Dye Degradation: Review

Chandresh Kumari^1,*, Y. B. Saddeek², K. A. Aly^3,4, Ishu Sharma⁵, Pankaj Sharma^6,*, Sandeep Chhoker^7,*, Sunanda Sharda⁸

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.087503 - 12 October 2026
Abstract Water contamination by synthetic dyes, a pressing environmental and health concern, is primarily attributed to industrial wastewater discharge. Traditional dye removal methods, while effective, often suffer from high energy consumption and secondary pollution. Photocatalysis, a green and energy-efficient approach, offers a promising solution by completely mineralizing dyes into harmless byproducts. Chalcogenide alloys have emerged as innovative photocatalysts for dye degradation. Their narrow bandgap allows them to absorb a broader range of sunlight, while their cost-effectiveness and superior photocatalytic activity make them attractive for practical applications. This review delves into the potential of binary, ternary, and More >

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133

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REVIEW

Research Progress of Sulfide-Based Gas Sensors for the Detection of Volatile Compounds in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Jiantong Li^1,*, Haiqiong Huang²

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.087705 - 12 October 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Research and Application of Chalcogenide Semiconductor Materials in Gas Sensors)
Abstract This paper systematically introduces the latest research results on sulfide-based gas sensors for the detection of volatile substances in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). WS₂, SnS₂ and MoS₂ are 2D transition metal sulfides that have recently shown good results in the field of volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing, and particular attention is being paid to them. Based on relevant local and international studies, the gas-sensing mechanism, structural control strategy and application prospects of these materials in TCM volatile compound analysis have been carefully studied. Based on the above research, sulfide materials have a high specific surface area, many More >

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162

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ARTICLE

Synthesis and Characterization of Nanostructured Nickel Tellurides for Exploring Their EMI Shielding Behavior and Thermoelectric Properties

Deevanshi Bhatt¹, Naeem Mohammad¹, Abhijit Dey², Pawan K. Khanna^1,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.088486 - 12 October 2026
Abstract Amongst the promising transition-metal chalcogenides, nickel tellurides at nanoscale are widely recognized for their distinctive structural and electronic properties and multifunctional behavior that enables their use in a broad range of modern technologies. Nickel tellurides with customized properties can be produced by various techniques that include hydrothermal and solvothermal routes, being the most popular, etc. The present findings are based on direct synthesis of phase-pure nickel telluride, with varying nonstoichiometric compositions. The progress of the experiment was assessed by UV-visible spectroscopy, and the so-synthesized samples were named as DB-4 (NiTe₂), DB-6 (Ni₂Te₃), and DB-7 (NiTe). The… More >

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162

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ARTICLE

Facile Electrodeposition of WS₂/Ni₃S₂ Heterostructure on Nickel Mesh as Binder-Free Electrocatalyst for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Xiaomeng Chu¹, Yihui Wu^2,*, Guangyuan Wang³

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.088086 - 12 October 2026
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Functional Chalcogenides Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)
Abstract Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) underpins the scalable synthesis of renewable green hydrogen, yet conventional catalytic systems are constrained by overreliance on scarce noble metals, sluggish mass transport kinetics, and inefficient intermediate modulation. In this work, an efficient HER electrocatalyst with a WS₂/Ni₃S₂ heterostructure was constructed through an electrodeposition strategy on nickel mesh. The WS₂/Ni₃S₂ electrocatalyst shows an overpotential of 52 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm⁻², a small Tafel slope of 52.1 mV·dec⁻¹, and a reduced charge transfer resistance (Rct = 22.80 Ω) in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte, as well as excellent stability. The More >

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ARTICLE

Construction of Molybdenum-Doped Cobalt-Sulfide as Environmentally Friendly Catalyst for Boosting Urea Oxidation in the Alkaline Seawater Electrolyte

Shanghao Zhang¹, Jingkui Zhao², Jianyi Qiao¹, Liang Chen², Jing Xiao¹, Wenda Zhu², Yihui Wu^3,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.9, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.089661 - 12 October 2026
Abstract Electrocatalytic urea oxidation in alkaline seawater electrolytes presents a compelling, carbon-neutral strategy for grid-scale hydrogen generation. Yet, the broader deployment of this process is fundamentally hindered by the inherently sluggish kinetics of the urea oxidation reaction (UOR). In this work, we developed a robust and highly efficient Co-S-Mo electrocatalyst for UOR in 1 M KOH + 0.33 M urea seawater via a facile and binder-free electrodeposition strategy. The as-synthesized Co-S-Mo electrocatalyst requires only 1.384 V and 1.521 V (vs. RHE, reversible hydrogen electrode) to deliver 10 and 100 mA·cm⁻², respectively, with a low Tafel slope of… More >

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132

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ARTICLE

Modeling and optimization of a CZT(S,Se)-based tandem solar cell

B. Yassine, B. Tahar^*, G. Fathi, B. Meriem, B. Ibtissem

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.7, pp. 637-648, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.227.637
Abstract In this paper, we designed a two-junction (tandem) solar cell model (tandem solar cell), consisting of an top and bottom subcell with absorber layers of Cu₂SnZnS₄ (CZTS) and Cu₂SnZnSe₄ (CZTSe) materials, respectively, for each subcell with a ZnS buffer layer and a ZnO window layer. This model was validated using the SCAPS-1D numerical simulation program. We also optimized the performance of the tandem cell as a whole using the simulation by studying the effect of the thickness of the absorber layer of the top subcell and the thickness of the absorber layer of the bottom subcell More >

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2086

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589

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ARTICLE

Advanced chalcogenide Ga_₂S₃ coatings for reducing reflective loss and boosting efficiency in silicon photovoltaics

R. M. Reddy^a, J. A. Prakash^b, A. Tonk^c, S. Karvendhan^d, G. Sivaraman^e, D. K. Patel^f, S. P. Dillibabu^g, S. Karthikeyan^h,*, T. Thirugnanasambandhamⁱ

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.9, pp. 797-806, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.229.797
Abstract The current situation necessitates advancements in renewable energy as an alternative for conventional energy sources. Reflection loss in solar cells is a contributing factor to diminish the power conversion efficiency, which can be reduced by employing antireflective coatings. The current investigation focuses on improvement in photocurrent generation of monocrystalline silicon solar cells by employing Gallium sulfide (Ga_₂S₃) as anti-reflective coatings (ARC). The RF sputter coating method has been used for Ga_₂S₃ deposition at different coating durations (10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes). The transmittance, reflectance, I-V characteristics, electrical properties, and thermal behaviour of the Ga2S3 coatings… More >

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547

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ARTICLE

Influence of heat treatment on microwave dielectric properties of erbium doped borotellurite glass ceramics

S. Othman^a, Y. H. Lua^b, E. S. Sazali^a,, Y. S. Yap^b,, R. Hisam^c

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.5, pp. 451-459, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.225.451
Abstract High-performance glass-ceramics are increasingly explored for their suitability in high-frequency dielectric applications, presenting a significant challenge in materials science. A primary focus has been allocated to investigating borotellurite glasses operating at frequencies below 15 MHz. Borotellurite glasses with the composition 69TeO_₂-10B_₂O₃-10PbO-10ZnO-1Er_₂O₃ were fabricated via the melt-quenching method. This study examines the effects of heat treatment durations (1–24 hours) on these glasses. Variations in density, molar volume, structure, and dielectric properties were attributed to changes in non-bridging oxygen bonding resulting from the heat treatments. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the amorphous nature of the as-quenched glass. Morphological changes More >

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638

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ARTICLE

Spin-Coated Kesterite Based CZTS (Cu₂ZnSnS₄) Thin Films: Structural, Optical, and Compositional Analysis for Photovoltaic Applications

Md. Rakib Hasan¹, Afrina Sharmin², Mimi Mondal^1,3, Md. Ahasan Habib¹, Rinku Majumder¹, Muhammad Shahriar Bashar^2,*, Md. Salahuddin Mina^1,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.079270
Abstract In this work, spin-coated Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) thin films with systematically varied thicknesses were investigated to understand their influence on structural, compositional, and optical properties relevant to high-performance photovoltaic applications. CZTS absorber layers were fabricated using a sol-gel spin-coating technique, which offers simplicity, low cost, and excellent thickness control, followed by annealing at 450°C under a nitrogen atmosphere to promote crystallization and phase formation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that films with a thickness of approximately 608 nm exhibited the highest crystallinity and a preferred orientation along the (112) plane, indicating enhanced structural order and improved grain… More >

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1669

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789

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ARTICLE

Study of CdSe thin films using the spectroscopic ellipsometry method

L. N. Ibrahimova^a,b, Kh. N. Ahmadova^c,d,e, M. E. Aliyev^b, Y. I. Aliyev^f,g,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.21, No.12, pp. 1035-1039, 2024, DOI:10.15251/CL.2024.2112.1035
Abstract In this research, we investigated the optical properties of CdSe thin films on glass substrates using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The samples were analysed using an M-2000 rotation compensator spectroscopic ellipsometer at room temperature, covering a photon energy range of 1.5-7.0 eV. We used an appropriate dispersion model to obtain the spectral dispersion of the optical constants. We calculated the thickness, dielectric permittivity (real and imaginary parts), refraction, and extinction coefficients of the thin layers. The results showed high transparency that varied with the size of the CdSe thin films. Additionally, we determined the bandgap width for More >

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1182

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ARTICLE

The GGA-mBJ analysis of Ni modified SrS alloys for magnetic ordering and energy harvesting applications

I. Sajjad^a, U. Parveen¹, H. Al-Ghamdi^b,*, M. Yaseen^a, S. Saleem^a, Nasarullah^a

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.9, pp. 829-845, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.229.829
Abstract Herein, we employed modified Becke-Johson (mBJ) potential based first principles method to investigate the structural, optoelectronic, and magnetic properties of pure SrS and Ni doped Sr_1-xNi_xS alloys at varying doping concentrations. Formation enthalpy analysis predicts thermodynamical stability of resultant alloys. Geometry optimization was performed in order to optimize the super cells to obtain ground state energy state. After confirming their stability, we investigated their magnetic, electronic, and optical attributes. Pure SrS exhibits an indirect band gap of 3.53 eV (which is in good agreement with experiments), while nickel doping in SrS results in lowering the bandgap… More >

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517

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ARTICLE

Investigation of stable dielectric permittivity with superior EMI shielding capabilities of a multifunctional NiFe₂O₄@MoS₂ nanomaterial

U. Anwar^a,, M. Rafi^b, N. A. Noor^c, S. Mumtaz^d,, Hosam O. Elansary^e

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.4, pp. 293-311, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.224.293
Abstract This study presents a multifunctional NiFe₂O₄@MoS₂ nanomaterial synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal methods. The highly magnified Field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) images expose an excellent interconnected network of MoS₂ petals and NiFe₂O₄ cores. NiFe₂O₄@MoS₂ nanomaterial's crystalline arrangement and phase purity are explored using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. A comprehensive analysis of the NiFe₂O₄@MoS₂ nanomaterial, focusing on its dynamic electrical properties across a temperature zone of 183 K to 373 K. The temperature-dependent impedance and modulus plots versus frequency reveal insights into the material’s conduction and relaxation. Electrical characteristics verify the contribution of electroactive regions, such as grains… More >

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1597

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472

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ARTICLE

Cohesive energy model for the optical properties in nanostructured materials of zinc sulfide and cadmium selenide

A. Mustafa^*, S. Turki Al-Rashid

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.21, No.5, pp. 407-411, 2024, DOI:10.15251/CL.2024.215.407
Abstract Applying the cohesive energy model, this research theoretically studies how the size of nanoparticles affects their optical characteristics. The findings demonstrate that optical characteristics are size-dependent for nanoparticles, with an exponentially growing energy gap for nanoparticles on a scale of less than 4 nm. As the size of nanoparticles is reduced, the absorption wavelength also decreases. Compounds undergo a transition to a higher energy spectral area (blue shift) when their wavelength decreases; this change can make these compounds effective in certain optical nanodevices. More >

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549

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ARTICLE

Impedance spectroscopy insights into (NiO)(_0.5)/(Fe₂O₃)(_0.5)@C@MoS₂ nanofibers composite for tunable EMI shielding applications

U. Anwar^a, N. A. Noor^b, S. Mumtaz^c,*, I. M. Moussad¹

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.3, pp. 261-276, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.223.261
Abstract The combination of two-step synthesis processes is employed for the fabrication of (NiO)(_0.5)/(Fe₂O₃)(_0.5)@C@MoS₂ (NFCM) nanofibers composite through electrospinning and hydrothermal techniques. This nanofiber composite is designed for tunable dielectric materials and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. Using impedance spectroscopy, the electrical properties of an NFCM pellet are analyzed using an equivalent circuit model (R₁1<), with a primary focus on the variation of relaxation time with frequency at different temperatures. Utilizing the Mott. variable range hopping (MVRH) model, and small polaronic hopping model, the localization length of the hoping carriers is determined to be 0.98 Å and More >

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1502

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493

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ARTICLE

Influence of neodymium doping on radiation shielding properties of yttrium lead borotellurite glass system

M. R. S. Nasuha^a,*, H. Azhan^b,c, L. Hasnimulyati^c, W. A. W. Razali^c, Y. Norihan^c

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 23-31, 2025, DOI:10.15251/CL.2025.221.23
Abstract The need for effective shielding materials has grown as radiation-based technologies have been more widely used. Glasses doped with rare earth elements like neodymium oxide, are promising candidates due to their enhanced radiation attenuation properties. Using Phy-X software, this research examines how neodymium oxide doping affects the shielding properties of yttrium lead borotellurite glass. X-ray diffraction confirmed the amorphous structure, while density measurements showed increased density with neodymium oxide addition. The Phy-X software calculated radiation shielding parameters for gamma energies from 10^⁻³ to 10^⁵ MeV. The results demonstrate that neodymium oxide improves gamma irradiation attenuation and More >

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881