Shan Yuan^1,2, Fei Wang^2,*, Jinping Zhang^2,*, Yuxin Jiang², Kaibo Gu², Chenhao Qiao², Yutong Bai², Jie Yu², Quan Chen¹, Dedi Han³

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.082805 - 09 May 2026

Abstract Sodium metal batteries stand as a highly promising electrochemical energy storage system; however, their commercialization is severely impeded by challenges such as anode dendrite formation, the shuttle effect of highly reactive intermediates at the cathode, electrode volume expansion, and interfacial instability. Owing to their high electronic conductivity, high theoretical specific capacity, and superior sodiumphilic affinity, tellurium and its tellurides have emerged as pivotal functional materials for enhancing the performance of sodium metal batteries. This study reviews the advancements in their applications within sodium metal batteries, elaborates rational design strategies carbon-based composites, alloying, and heterostructure construction More >

Mohsin Sayeed^1,*, O. P. Singh¹, Vishal Singh Chandel², Azam Raza³, Kamal Batcha Mohamed Ismail⁴, Mayur Khan⁵, Navshad Alam^6,7, Mohammad Shariq⁸

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.079721 - 09 May 2026

Abstract An eco-friendly one-pot hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize molybdenum disulfide/graphene oxide (MoS₂/GO) nanocomposites for high-performance supercapacitor applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of the MoS₂ crystalline phase, with reduced peak intensities upon GO incorporation, indicating suppressed crystallite growth. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed rod-like MoS₂ structures uniformly distributed across layered GO sheets, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the presence of Mo, S, C, and O elements. Raman and FTIR analyses verified strong interfacial interactions between MoS₂ and GO. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements revealed a mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of ~31.7 m² g⁻¹ and… More >

Bushra A. Hasan¹, Ameer J. Fadhl², Ahmad A. Hasan¹, Yasser A. Jebbar^3,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.079634 - 09 May 2026

Abstract Copper zinc tin sulfide selenide, Cu₂ZnSn(S_1−xSe_x)₄, absorbers are promising earth-abundant and environmentally benign materials for low-cost photovoltaic applications. This study investigates the structural and optical properties of Cu₂ZnSn(S_1−xSe_x)₄ nanostructured thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition using melt-quenched targets with selenium compositions x = 0.0–1.0. X-ray diffraction revealed that films with low selenium content remained amorphous, whereas higher selenium incorporation promoted the formation of polycrystalline kesterite–stannite phases with preferred orientations along (112), (200), (220), and (312). The crystallite size increased from 12.3 to 17.9 nm as selenium reached x = 1.0, indicating enhanced crystal growth. Atomic force… More >

A. A. Orujova¹, T. F. Yusibova¹, R. Sh. Agayeva¹, G. A. Ismayilbeyli¹, N. I. Guliyev^2,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.077900 - 09 May 2026

Abstract Warburg impedance models the process of diffusion of mobile ions from the electrode to the diffusion layer under a sinusoidal voltage applied at one polarity of an electrochemical cell, and the diffusion of mobile ions to the electrode at the other polarity. As a result, the process does not go beyond the diffusion layer. In this case, the diffusion of Tl⁺¹ ions in the T l I n S 2 crystal (as well as in solid solutions) after 25 Mrad irradiation is considered to be responsible for the formation of the Warburg diffusion impedance. More >

Mammadov Israil Musa^*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.4, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.075947 - 09 May 2026

Abstract Erbium-doped SnTe (Sn_1−xEr_xTe) single crystals were synthesized to investigate the influence of erbium incorporation on phase stability, crystal structure, and thermophysical behavior relevant to thermoelectric applications. Single crystals with nominal compositions x = 0.00–0.10 were grown using the vertical Bridgman technique under controlled thermal conditions. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that at low erbium concentrations (x ≤ 0.02–0.03), erbium is substitutionally incorporated into the cubic NaCl-type SnTe lattice without detectable secondary phases. At higher erbium contents (x ≥ 0.05), Er-rich secondary phases such as ErTe and Er₂Te₃ precipitate within the SnTe matrix, indicating a limited solubility of… More >

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 - 03 April 2026

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 >

Yuzhe Gu¹, Wenwu Wang^1,2, Guanggen Zeng^1,2, Xia Hao^2,3, Lili Wu^1,2, Jingquan Zhang^1,2,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.079159 - 03 April 2026

Abstract Doping the absorber layer is a critical process for enhancing the performance of polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells. Replacing traditional Cu doping with Group V dopants offers a pathway to fabricate devices with improved efficiency and stability. However, the dopant activation rate in polycrystalline structures remains low, typically only a few percent. While rapid thermal annealing (RTA) has been successfully employed to achieve high activation rates in single-crystal CdTe devices, its application to polycrystalline CdSeTe solar cells has been scarcely reported. In this study, we systematically applied multi-step annealing to investigate the dopant activation of in-situ As-doped More > Graphic Abstract

Ruqayah A. Ulwali, Nada K. Abbas^*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.078934 - 03 April 2026

Abstract In this study, zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) and zinc sulfide @ Silver sulfide core-shells (ZnS@Ag₂S NPs) were prepared using the green method with mint leaf extract as a reducing and coating agent, at varying concentrations of silver nitrate (AgNO₃) (0.005, 0.01, and 0.02 M). X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) results showed the formation of a cubic phase of ZnS NPs and a monoclinic phase of Ag₂S with increasing silver nitrate concentration. The average crystalline size of ZnS NPs was calculated to be 2.01 nm and (2.78, 2.65, and 2.13 nm) after Ag₂S formation, while the shell (Ag₂S) was… More >

Wei Kang^1,*, Juan Jin²

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.077859 - 03 April 2026

Abstract A sulfate–chloride electrolyte was used to deposit alloy layers on AISI 1018 coupons while co-introducing ZnS nanoparticles (5–20 g/L) to tune microstructure and durability under combined saline exposure and dry sliding. Cross-sectional SEM confirmed continuous deposits of ~24–26 μm, and XRD indicated γ-phase dominance with pronounced grain refinement: crystallite size decreased from 42 ± 3 nm (particle-free) to 28 ± 2 nm at 15 g/L. In 3.5 wt% NaCl, polarization data showed a progressive ennoblement of E_corr from −1.032 to −0.981 V (vs. SCE) together with a reduction of i_corr from 8.47 to 1.82 μA/cm² at 15… More >

Soheib Dakhelullah Alsahafi^*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.077336 - 03 April 2026

Abstract In this study, a novel double-heterojunction perovskite solar cell (DHPSC) with the following structure: FTO/ZnO/CH₃NH₃PbI_3−xCl_x/CH₃NH₃SnI₃/p⁺⁺ZnTe/Au was designed. It was optimized using the wxAMPS simulation software. A systematic parametric analysis was performed to investigate the influence of electron transport layer (ETL) ZnO and hole transport layer (HTL) thicknesses on photovoltaic performance. That includes short-circuit current density (J_sc), open-circuit voltage (V_oc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). The results indicate that once a minimum ZnO thickness is achieved, further increases have a negligible effect on performance. Whereas variations in ZnTe thickness markedly influence V_oc and η. The optimal configuration More >