The present framework reports the structural, fundamental parameters, and crystallization kinetics of the melt-quenched As30Te64Ga6 chalcogenide glass. The energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the  As30Te64Ga6 glassy system reveals that the constituent element ratio of the investigated bulk sample agrees with the nominal composition. Also, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize structural properties, and crystallization kinetics; respectively. Four characteristic temperatures related to various phenomena are observed in the investigated DSC traces. The first one is Tg that corresponds to the glass transition temperature. The second one is (  Tc1, and Tc2) that corresponds to the onset of the double crystallization temperatures. The third one (  TP1, and TP2) identifies the double peak crystallization temperatures. The last characteristic temperature (  Tm ) is the melting point. The XRD analysis indicates the amorphous structure of the as-prepared glassy alloy, while the annealed samples are polycrystalline. The crystallization kinetics of the As30Te64Ga6 bulk are studied under non-isothermal conditions. In addition, the values of various kinetic parameters such as the glass transition activation energy, weight stability standard, and Avrami exponent were determined. The activation energy of the crystallization process for  As30Te64Ga6glass alloy was calculated using classical methods. The results indicated that the rate of crystallization is related to thermal stability and the ability to form glass. Kinetic parameters have been estimated with some conventional methods and found to be dependent on heating rates (β).

In this study, xLiNbO3- 25 wt% CaO-35 wt% PbO-(40-x) waste glasses (where x =8, 16, 20, 24, and 32 wt%) 
were synthesized using the traditional solid-state method. The formed glasses were post annealed at 623 K, 
thereafter, exposed to 10, and 40 kGy doses using γ-radiation source. The optical characteristics of the glasses were investigated with optical transmittance spectra. The structural investigations utilized X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to obtain the structural characteristics, while hardness was measured via a Vickers hardness tester. Annealing xLiNbO3-25CaO-35PbO-(40-x) waste glasses at 623 K forms crystalline glass-ceramics and their structural parameters are not affected by either radiation dose or composition. The studied glasses are highly transparent at wavelengths greater than 350 nm. The optical bandgaps for direct and indirect allowed transitions were evaluated. The optical bandgap, Urbach energy, thermal emissivity, surface resistance, refractive index, and susceptibility are affected by the LiNbO3/waste ratios and the γ-radiation dose. The Vickers hardness is influenced by glass composition and radiation dose, with the estimated values varying between 353 and 396 kg/nm2. Changes in the LiNbO3/waste ratio and the radiation dose can improve the optoelectronic properties of xLiNbO3-25CaO-35PbO-(40-x) waste, allowing this to be applied as an optical material for various technologies. 

A nanostructured Pd-Cr catalyst was deposited on a supported carbon surface using the modified borohydride reduction method for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to be utilized as an efficient catalyst in the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell. The crystal structure and feature nanostructure of the Pd-Cr@carbon were established through the use of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Meanwhile, its catalytic activity was studied using the cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical polarization techniques. Based on the XRD analysis, it was observed that the Pd phase with the fcc crystal structure was dominant, while the Pd-Cr phase with tetragonal crystal structure was detected only for the as-prepared sample and samples calcined at 573 K. The estimated average crystallite size of the Pd phase increased from 9.66 to 37.54 nm as the calcination temperature increased to 973 K, and the calcination time had a slight effect on the crystallite size. On the other side, the average crystallite size for the formed Pd-Cr phase slightly increased from 43.74 nm for the as-prepared sample to 44.90 nm for the sample calcined at 573 K for 3 h. The TEM examination revealed the uniform distribution of the Pd and Pd-Cr nanoparticles upon the carbon surface. The calcination temperature and time played an important role in controlling the structural and morphology parameters of Pd-Cr@carbon. The adsorption/desorption potentials were found to be dependent on the calcination temperature and time and hence the particle and crystallite sizes. The optimum ORR activity and chemical stability were observed for samples calcined at 773 K for 3 h.

In the present work, gallium oxide nanoparticles  (nGa2O3) are synthesized via the thermal microwave combustion method, while nanocomposites of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer with various concentrations (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 wt%) of nGa2O3 are prepared by the casting technique. The structural characterization of nGa2O3, PVA, and films of PVA-Ga2O3 nanocomposites are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The HRTEM and XRD examinations showed that the prepared   nGa2O3 has an average crystallite size of ~ 5.6 nm and particle size of ~ 0.9 µm. The FTIR analysis reveals the occurrence of some interactions between  nGa2O3 and the functional groups of the PVA structure. On another side, the refractive index, absorption coefficient, and optical bandgap (Eg) were determined using the Wemple-DiDomenico single oscillator model. It was shown that Eg slightly reduced from 3.61 to 3.55 eV with increasing the  Ga2O3 content to 3 wt%, while raised again up to 3.58 eV for 5 wt%   Ga2O3. Other optical characteristics such as the optical density, extinction coefficient, optical susceptibility, thermal emissivity, optical sheet resistance for the PVA−Ga2O3 nanocomposites are investigated. The linear and nonlinear optical parameters together with their dependencies on the doping ratio reveals the qualification of PVA−Ga2O3 nanocomposites for nonlinear optical applications.

Films of Se80Te20xSnx (where x= 6 at.%, 12 at.%, and 15 at.%) were prepared by thermal evaporation in a certain thickness of450 nm. Both the structural and electrical properties of as-prepared and annealed Se80-Te20xSnxfilms were studied. The annealing process was performed at 373 K, 393 K, and 413 K to cover the amorphous-crystalline region. Structural analyses show an improvement of film crystallinity with increasing both Sn content and annealing temperature. On the other hand, the electrical conductivity also shows significant enhancement with increasing Sn content and annealing temperature. The electrical results reveal that, at low temperature, conduction takes place through variable range hopping in localized states close to the Fermi level. Consequently, it has been shown in high temperature was explained by thermal charge carrier activation tunneling in the band tails of localized states. More structural and electrical parameters were evaluated
for the Se80Te20xSnx films to increase the understanding of the electronic properties of the Se-Te-Sn system.

The impact of thermal annealing on the structural, linear, and nonlinear optical characteristics of the thermal evaporated As30Te64Ga6 thin films (thickness of 150 nm) was investigated. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope results indicated that the thermally evaporated film was noncrystalline, while the annealed  As30Te64Ga6 films were crystalline. The optical constants and parameters were evaluated using a spectrophotometer and measurements were performed at a wavelength of 200–2400 nm. The optical bandgap showed direct and indirect transitions which decreased as the annealing temperature increased up to 433 K and thereafter increased; while the change in the Urbach energy showed a contrary attitude. Linear and nonlinear refractive index, extension coefficient, optical density, optical and electrical conductivities, nonlinear susceptibility and optical surface resistance were found to be greatly influenced by annealing temperature and were also dependent on the energy of the incident waves. The obtained results were needed for a better basic understanding revealing possible optoelectronic applications of the thermally evaporated  As30Te64Ga6.

Porous anodic alumina (PAA), comprising arranged pores in hexagonal cells obtained by anodizing aluminum
(Al), has been studied and is usually used as a template for synthesizing one-dimensional nanostructure.
However, there is growing interest in more effective applications with tunable pores and more complex structures with reasonable cost. For example, the branching and interconnected pores are obtained in multiple bifurcations under certain anodizing conditions. From manufacturing perspectives, large-area anodization on
special substrates, such as Si, is extremely significant and required. Herein, we present a robust analysis of
the different types of branched and modulated pores in the PAA templates; the newly developed methodology
and the morphological evolution of each type are discussed. The proposed anodizing strategies help reduce
anodizing time and result in smaller pore sizes than those obtained by the traditional methods. Therefore, they
be effectively implemented for separation science technology. Furthermore, the work was extended to anodize
a full Al wafer (200 mm in diameter) on a Si wafer without lithography or pretemplating. Additionally, the
required anodizing conditions to prevent PAA from burning were followed. The opportunities for this PAA template to serve as generic templates for potential applications will be explored and discussed. The anodization of
annealed Al/SiO2films can be used to create highly hexagonal ordered arrays of alumina nanodots between
alumina and SiO2 substrate, which were observed when the anodized sample was cleaved. Therefore, the
obtained results could help, from manufacturing perspectives, modulate pores and a large area of the PAA
on special substrates, such as Si, for many technological applications.

Glass transition features of chalcogenides are important for the broad and increasing industrial
applications of these glassy semiconductors. Hence, differential scanning calorimetry was applied at
different scanning rates onAs30Te64Ga6preparedby conventional melt quenching technique in order
to study their glass transition and fragility. TheKauzmann temperature was estimated to about 136K
while its glass transition is about 397Kat 10Kmin−1.Different experimental evaluation methods
gave the same fragility index m=25orD=71which is typical of a strong liquid corresponding to the
prepared glass. Four iso-conversional methods were then applied to monitor the change in the
activation energy for the temperature range corresponding to the transition from glass to liquid. All
methods give a small monotonic decrease of the activation energy during transition from108 to
99 kJmol−1 confirming the strong character.

Hydride materials have good performance for hydrogen (H₂) gas storage and release. The release of H₂ gas from hydrides via the hydrolysis process can be improved or controlled using a catalyst. Herein, benzoic acid (BA) and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) modulate the synthesis of hierarchical porous zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (HFZIF-8, Zn-based metal-organic frameworks [MOFs]), ZIF-67 (Co-based MOFs), and leaf-like ZIF (ZIF-L). The mechanistic study for the synthesis procedure of ZIF-8 revealed an in situ synthesis of zinc hydroxide nitrate nanosheets (100- to 150-nm thickness) with an interplanar distance of 0.97 nm between the layers of zinc hydroxide, Zn₅(OH)₈²⁺. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data indicated that benzoate ions replaced nitrate ions (2NO₃⁻) between Zn₅(OH)₈²⁺ layers leading to an increase in the interplanar distance (from 0.97 nm to 1.9 nm). Zinc hydroxide benzoate nanosheets showed a fast conversion into HPZIF-8 at room temperature. The concentration of BA and HMTA tuned the porosity of HPZIF-8, offering a hierarchical micropore–mesopore structure. The prepared materials increased the hydrolysis rate of sodium borohydride. ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 prepared using BA showed high catalytic performance in terms of efficiency and reaction time compared with other materials. The result's findings open new avenues for the synthesis of adequate materials for hydrogen generation via the hydrolysis of hydrides.

Water splitting via photocatalysis using titanium dioxide (TiO₂) holds great potential for hydrogen gas generation. Herein, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) was used as a sacrificial precursor for the synthesis of cobalt oxide embedded nitrogen doped carbon (Co₃O₄@C) that was used as a co-catalyst with TiO₂ for the hydrogen generation via photocatalytic water splitting. The optimal loading of Co₃O₄@C (7 wt%) exhibited a photocatalytic hydrogen production rate (HGR) of 11,400 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹. It demonstrated a 75-fold and 110-fold increase for cumulative (5 h) and initial hydrogen generation rates, respectively. The electrochemical measurements such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear scan voltammetry (LSV), electrochemical independence spectroscopy (EIS) using Nyquist plots, and photocurrent response were conducted to evaluate the catalytic performance of Co₃O₄@C/TiO₂. Transient photocurrent response showed significant enhancement (4-fold) in photocurrent density of TiO₂. Co₃O₄@C promoted the photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ and improved the HGR. The photocatalysis using Co₃O₄@C/TiO₂ is recyclable for more than four cycles without significant loss of their performance. The results of our study may open the door for further exploration toward effective photocatalyst.