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- ItemOptical, morphological, and structural properties of green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles as a promising nanomaterial for integration in solar cells(KWASU PRESS AND PUBLISHING, 2026-06-30) Sunday W. Balogun; Sefiu Adekunle Bello; Akeem Sodiq OlalekanGreen - synthesized method for the production of metal oxide nanoparticle for energy conversion has received attraction over physical and chemical routes of synthesis due to its eco-friendliness, energy efficiency, and nontoxicity. Nanotechnology promotes large-scale production of materials for energy conversion, electronics, and optoelectronics. Research on biosynthesis of nanoparticles remains an inexhaustible field. This paper presents bio-synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnONPs) for integration in solar cells from Zinc nitrate hexahydrate using Moringa oleifera extract as capping and reducing agent. Analyses of zinc oxide nanoparticles’ structural, optical, surface morphological, elemental composition, and chemical bond properties were conducted. The SEM analysis indicate a spherical, nanosized grain morphology with a diameter of 36.25 nm. The XRD analysis yielded an average crystallite size diameter of approximately 36.28 nm. XRD result revealed the wurtzite hexagonal nature of ZnO and showed that temperature annealing affects crystallite grain size. FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Optical spectroscopic analysis showed that ZnO nanoparticles properties were influenced by temperature annealing. The band gap varies from 1.1 eV to 1.22 eV, which decreases with increase in annealing temperature. These findings elucidate the potential of extract from Moringa oleifera plant as a green source of capping agent for ZnO-NPs synthesis. The study establishes Moringa oleifera leaf extract as an efficient, eco-friendly precursor for ZnO NP synthesis. The results, also demonstrated the possibility of thermal annealing as a means of tunning ZnO nanoparticles properties. Overall, the potential embedded in these results suggest ZnO nanoparticles as a promising suitable nanomaterial for solar cell photo-anodes.
- ItemSustainable Materials from Wastes for Engineering Applications(Nigerian Institution of Metallurgical, Mining and Materials Engineers (A Division of The Nigerian Society of Engineers), 2025-06-25) Sefiu Adekunle Bello; Abdul Ganiyu Funsho Alabi; Sunday W. Balogun; Mohammed Kayode Adebayo; Suleiman Danjuma Daudu; Aisha Mayowa Akintola; Karimat Aderoju Saba
- ItemProduction of Flamboyant Pod Nanoparticles as Emerging Reinforcements for Structural Composite Materials(Materials Research Forum LLC, Materials Research Proceedings 63 (2026) 64-71, 2026-01-01) Sefiu Adekunle BELLO; Maruf Yinka KOLAWOLE; Musa Opeyemi ABDULLAHI; Blessing OGBONAYA; Ayodele Gabriel IDOWU; John Olu OMOTOSHO; Sunday Wilson BALOGUNDynamic changes in environmental conditions had necessitated continuous research towards the development of innovative structural composites with enhanced properties. To produce functional concrete-based composites, there is a need for structural modification using reinforcing fillers that could improve the strength and toughness of the composites. Agricultural exercise creates many nonedible components which constitute environmental nuisances owing to their little or no economic value. However, processing such components into useful reinforcing fillers in concrete and other matrices for composite development encourages a wealth creation from waste, environmental hygiene and ecofriendly materials for engineering applications. This study focuses only on the production of nanoparticles which can be used as fillers in composite development. Nanoparticles were produced from the flamboyant pods using a disc and optimised ball milling technique. Pods were pulverised using a disc miller and the powders obtained were ball milled at varied charge ratios and velocities to produce reinforcing nanoparticles. Particles obtained in each of the milling exercises were analysed and 2 functional interaction response surface model was developed to optimise the milling parameters and particle sizes. Result obtained indicated a decrease in size of the flamboyant pod particles as milling durations and charge ratios increase. P value of the model <0.0001 which is much less than 0.05 shows that the model is significant in explaining dependence of the particle sizes on the milling parameters. Hence, the developed model affirms that a minimum size of 3.5209 nm of the flamboyant pod particles can be obtained without agglomeration of particles when milling at 10 charge ratios for 17 hours 29 minutes
- ItemTheoretical studies of the suitability of imidazolypyridine as bidentate ligands for copper redox couples in the Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) application(Research Square, 2025-12-19) Wahab Osunniran; Abdullateef Salaudeen; Bolatito E. Olanipekun; Sunday W. Balogun; Sikiru Ahmed; Olusola O. JamesCopper complex redox couples have emerged as alternative redox mediator to iodide/triiodide redox couple for DSSC devices. The copper redox couples enable high and tunable voltage in DSSC devices. However, the Cu(II) species in a typical copper redox couples are strongly electrophilic towards injected electrons in TiO2 thereby promoting recombination and decreases the cell performance. Although 4-tertbutylpyridine (TBP) passivation of TiO2 surface reduces the extent of the recombination, its interaction with Cu(I) complex in a copper redox couples may be detrimental to the cell performance. Therefore, rational selection of ligands of the copper complexes is critical in obtaining high voltage and performance. In this work, Density Functional Theory (DFT) was adopted to screen four imidazoly-pyridine bidentate ligands: 2-(1-methyl-4,5- dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine (MDIP); 2-(1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine (MIP); 2- (1,4,5-trimethyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine (TMIP) and 1-methyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1Hbenzo[ d]imidazole (MPBI). Calculated binding constants of interaction of 4-tertbutylpyridine (TBP) with the imidazoly-pyridine copper complexes indicated Cu(I) complexes of MDIP and MIP interact strongly with TBP. This has adverse effects on device voltage, thus, making MDIP and MIP ligand unsuitable. But Cu(I) complexes of TMIP and MPBI interact very weakly with TBP, indicating they are suitable ligands for copper complex redox couples for DSSC application
- ItemCarbon-Fiber Composites: Development, Structure, Properties, and Applications(Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026, 2026-02-01) Sefiu Adekunle Bello; Sunday Wilson Balogun; Suleiman Danjuman Daudu; Aisha Mayowa AkintolaCarbon fibers are stiff and possess high strength comparable with that of high-strength steel. They are embedded in a ductile low-strength material which binds them together to form a carbon fiber composite. Improved properties are devel-oped from a blend of the carbon fibers and the matrix material which are not achievable from each component used individually. Carbon fiber composites