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Hydrogen is regarded as one of the most promising energy sources of the future, due to its low-cost, zero-pollution, and high-heat value. Nevertheless, traditional methods of storing hydrogen are commonly accompanied by the risk of leaks and explosions, so how to store and transport hydrogen safely and efficiently is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. Solid-state hydrogen storage is the most attractive way to store hydrogen in nanomaterials by chemical or physical adsorption, which has the advantages of high energy density and good safety. Here, a rational Ni–Zn bimetallic MOF has been constructed by a straightforward synthetic technique, in which the Zn atom was partially replaced by the Ni atom. The micropore rate of the Ni–Zn bimetallic MOFs is higher than that of ZIF-8. In addition, the presence of Ni provides more unsaturated metal sites and strengthens the bonding between hydrogen molecules and Ni, effectively improving the hydrogen storage capacity of Ni–Zn bimetallic MOFs. The experimental results show that the hydrogen adsorption capacity of Ni–Zn bimetallic MOFs can reach 1.35 wt% at 77 K and 1 bar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2/SiO2-Based nanocomposites with highly porous structures have received increasing attention due to their excellent photocatalytic activity. In this work, a TiO2/SiO2/Ag ternary composite aerogel with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity has been successfully synthesized through a facile sol–gel method combined with a supercritical drying technique. The specific surface area and pore structure of TiO2/SiO2/Ag aerogel could be controlled by adjusting the Si content. The TiO2/SiO2/Ag aerogel with pore size of 9.2 nm achieved the maximum adsorption capacity of oxytetracycline. The presence of SiO2 in TiO2/SiO2/Ag improved the compression strength of the aerogel and thus achieved long-term stability in photocatalysis. Furthermore, the addition of Ag particles in TiO2/SiO2/Ag effectively decreased the recombination of photo-electrons and holes. The photocatalytic degradation rates of oxytetracycline over the TiO2/SiO2/Ag aerogel with a mole ratio of Ag : Si : Ti = 0.1 : 10 : 4 were 3.1 and 2.3 times those over P25 and a TiO2/SiO2 aerogel. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the TiO2/SiO2/Ag aerogel is attributed to the large specific surface area, 3-D porous structure, high electrical conductivity and compression strength of this novel composite aerogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]