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The effective treatment of diabetes with comorbid depression is a big challenge so far. Honokiol, a bioactive compound from the dietary supplement Magnolia officinalis extract, possesses multiple health benefits. The present study aims to propose a network pharmacology-based method to elucidate potential targets of honokiol in treating diabetes with comorbid depression and related mechanisms. The antidepressant-like efficacy of honokiol was evaluated in high-fat diet (HFD) induced diabetic mice using animal behavior testing, immuno-staining and western blotting assay. Through network pharmacology analysis, retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRα) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) were identified as potential targets related to diabetes and depression. The stable binding conformation between honokiol and RXR/VDR was determined by molecular docking simulation. Moreover, hononkiol effectively alleviated depression-like behaviors in HFD diabetic mice, presented anti-diabetic and anti-neuroinflammatory functions, and protected the hippocampal neuroplasticity. Importantly, honokiol could activate RXR/VDR heterodimer in vivo. The beneficial effects of honokiol on HFD mice were significantly suppressed by UVI3003 (a RXR antagonist), while enhanced by calcitriol (a VDR agonist). Additionally, the disruption of autophagy in the hippocampus of HFD mice was ameliorated by honokiol, which was attenuated by UVI3003 but strengthened by calcitriol. Taken together, the data provide new evidence that honokiol exerts the antidepressant-like effect in HFD diabetic mice via activating RXR/VDR heterodimer to restore the balance of autophagy. Our findings indicate that the RXR/VDR-mediated signaling might be a potential target for treating diabetes with comorbid depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the strategies of "high-quality development" and "dual carbon goals", the manufacturing industry in China is confronted with the simultaneous challenges of ensuring the production of high-quality goods and adopting environmentally friendly production practices. The integration of cleaner production and quality management has received widespread attention; however, existing research cannot comprehensively identify the interactive factors between quality management and cleaner production and analyze their mechanism of action. This research employed a multi-faceted approach involving meetings, interviews, and online data to access primary materials, and complemented by grounded theory and quality tool (5M1E), a total of 18 quality factors that exert a substantial impact on the attainment of clean production objectives were ultimately identified. To meticulously assess the interrelationships among factors, this study employed the interval value hesitant preference relationship DEMATEL-AISM technique. The findings of the study emphasize the significance of Employee Quality Skill Level (F1) and Production Environment Quality (F15) as critical quality factors that should be given priority and careful consideration by managers aiming for a cleaner production process. The results of this study have the potential to enhance the manufacturing industry's ability to predict and prevent quality and environmental issues, thereby ensuring the long-term sustainability of clean production and effective quality management. • Ensuring clean production and quality is a challenge for manufacturing sector. • Aimed to identify interactive influencing factors for both in the context of China. • Used multi-method approach using primary data, grounded theory, and quality tool. • Employed the interval value hesitant preference relationship DEMATEL-AISM. • Results expand knowledge on integrating quality tools and sustainable initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of durable and nonprecious nanocomposite photocatalysts with efficient charge separation and abundant active sites is still a grand challenge for photocatalytic hydrogen production from water reduction. Herein, a novel ternary nanocomposite, MoO 2 decorated Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/Cu 2 O p-n heterojunction has been constructed via a facile two-step route employing the energy band engineering theory. Impressively, the optimized ternary Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/Cu 2 O/MoO 2 nanocomposite displays a robust photocatalytic H 2 -evolution rate of 733.24 μmol h−1 under simulated solar light irradiation, more 4.2 times higher than pure Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S. The results demonstrated that the p-n heterojunction formed between n-type Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S and p-type Cu 2 O could markedly promote the interfacial charge transfer/separation through the internal electric field, whereas the MoO 2 cocatalyst with low overpotential could effectively collect photoinduced electrons and dramatically facilitate the H 2 -evolution kinetics. Moreover, both Cu 2 O and MoO 2 could improve the light-harvesting ability of pristine Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, further contributing to the boosted hydrogen generation activity. [Display omitted] • MoO 2 decorated Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/Cu 2 O p-n heterojunction synthesized for H 2 -production. • Multichannel charge-carrier transfer between Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, Cu 2 O and MoO 2 discussed. • High H 2 -production rate achieved over composite, 4.2 folds higher than Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of efficient semiconductor/cocatalyst heterojunction is a promising strategy to promote the photocatalytic H 2 -production efficiency from water reduction. Herein, a novel Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 /Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S heterojunction composite with superior photocatalytic H 2 -generation activity and stability was prepared via a facile in situ synthetic route, in which Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 served as cocatalyst stimulating the photocatalytic H 2 -evolution performance of Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S. The Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 /Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S heterojunction photocatalyst containing 5 wt% of Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 exhibited a prominent H 2 -evolution efficiency of 275.7 μmol h−1, which is superior to the noble metal Pt-modified Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S photocatalyst (237.3 μmol h−1) and much higher than bare Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S (90.8 μmol h−1). The active Cu+/Cu0 species generated during the photoreaction process is responsible for the prominent H 2 -production activity of the heterojunction photocatalyst, which plays triple roles in enhancing the photoactivity of Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S via accelerating the charge separation, decreasing the overpotential of H 2 -generation and improving the reduction ability of photoinduced electrons. Moreover, the formed Cu+/Cu0 species during photoreaction can be readily oxidized back to Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 upon exposure to air, thus restores the photoactivity and therefore enables good reusability of the Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 /Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S heterojunction photocatalysts. This work provides a new insight into the fabrication of Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 -assisted heterojunction photocatalysts with the highly stable and efficient performances for solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Unlabelled Image • A novel binary Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 /Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S composite was successfully synthesized. • The trifunctional roles of Cu 2 (OH) 2 CO 3 cocatalyst were discussed. • Mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic activity was illuminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 heterojunction photocatalysts with varying content of ZnFe 2 O 4 were constructed by modifying Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 nanosheets with mesoporous ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. The photoactivity of the products was investigated by decomposing RhodamineB (RhB) and it was found that the photoactivity of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 composite was closely related to the loading amount of ZnFe 2 O 4 . Under simulant sunlight irradiation, the optimum photoactivity of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 composite was almost 2.3 and 2.1 times higher than that by bare ZnFe 2 O 4 and Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 , respectively. The improved photoactivity resulted from the synergistic effect of Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 and ZnFe 2 O 4 , which not only extended the photoabsorption region but also significantly facilitated the interfacial charge transfer. Besides the high photocatalytic performance, Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 composite also exhibited excellent stable and recycling properties, which enabled it have great potential in a long-term practical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To more thoroughly characterize the mechanism regulating the conversion of red maple tree ( Acer rubrum L. ‘Brandywine’) foliar coloration in autumn, we analyzed the leaf coloration process using the Lab color space scale, and compared the anthocyanin concentrations, photosynthetic pigment contents, soluble sugar contents, and the phenylalanine ammonia lyase and polyphenol oxidase activities between control and band-treated red maple seedlings. We observed that stem banding enhanced the development of leaves exhibiting brilliant red coloration in the upper treated branches, and weakened the brightness of yellow leaves. Additionally, studies also revealed that leaf anthocyanin contents increased significantly. Moreover, carotenoid contents and polyphenol oxidase activity decreased considerably by banding. In contrast, the chlorophyll pigment, phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity and soluble sugar contents were only minimally affected by the long-term banding of trees. Our results indicate that the Lab color model is appropriate for quantifying leaf coloration changes, and for revealing the relationship between leaf coloration and internal physiological changes. Changes to leaf coloration are a consequence of the actions of photosynthetic pigments and anthocyanins. Our results also demonstrate that anthocyanin accumulation influences the underlying biochemical mechanism. The successful manipulation of leaf coloration changes highlights the significance of anthocyanins in this process, and is consistent with the possibility that anthocyanin accumulation influences the underlying biochemical activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the preservative effects of the active ingredients in the leaves of Liquidambar formosana Hance, the present study assessed the antioxidant activity of ellagic acid using various antioxidant assays; 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity and reducing power. The results of these assays were combined with principal component analysis to analyze the effect of ellagic acid treatment on the overall quality of kumquat. Whole kumquat fruit were immersed in different concentrations of ellagic acid (0, 100 and 300 mg L −1 ) for 5 min, naturally dried then stored at room temperature (14–16 °C) for 18 days. During storage, the percentage weight loss and decay, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acid and contents of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and vitamin C were measured every 3 days. The results showed that, by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity and reducing power, the antioxidant activity of ellagic acid was more effective than butylated hydroxyanisole or ascorbic acid. Compared with untreated kumquat fruit, ellagic acid treatments can delay the decline in fruit firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acid and vitamin C contents, inhibit increases in malondialdehyde and enhance superoxide dismutase activity. The comprehensive evaluation of the results using principal component analysis was consistent with the experimental results, namely that ellagic acid treatment can significantly reduce the rate of deterioration in the quality of kumquat fruit, with the 300 mg L −1 treatment being better than the 100 mg L −1 treatment. The results show that ellagic acid has good prospects as a preservative treatment for kumquat fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photodegradation of organic pollutants is an attractive green chemistry technology for water pollution control. Here we prepared a new composite material consisting of BiPO 4 nanocrystals grown on layered graphene and MoS 2 as a high-performance photocatalyst for the photodegradation of organic pollutants. This composite material was synthesized by a facile one-pot microwave-assisted hydrothermal technique in the presence of layered graphene and MoS 2 . Through optimizing the loading content of each component, the BiPO 4 -MoS 2 /graphene nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine (RhB) when the content of MoS 2 and graphene was 2 wt% and 7 wt%, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the new composite photocatalyst was attributed to the positive synergetic effect of the layered graphene and MoS 2 as cocatalyst, which acted as electron collector and transporter for the interfacial electron transfer from BiPO 4 to electron acceptor in the aqueous solution and thus suppressed the charge recombination and made the photogenerated holes more available to participated in the oxidation process. Moreover, the presence of layered MoS 2 /graphene hybrid could offer more reactive sites and activated the O 2 molecular in water to form superoxide radical, thereby resulting in the enhanced photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current consensus is exploring and optimizing the sensing performance of plasmonic transmission structure. The theory used is always trying to reduce the size of the structure, enhance the transmission efficiency, and improve the sensitivity. Here the polarization insensitive transmission and refractive index sensing performance enhanced by staggered metal disk array are investigated at infrared regime. With the metal disks being periodically staggered on both sides of a dielectric layer, there is a great improvement of the transmission efficiency at a specific operating wavelength. Compared with the extraordinary optical transmission on one-dimensional gratings, it is found that the transmission phenomenon is insensitive to the polarization of the incident light. Moreover, the sensing performances at each mode peak are enhanced by the staggered design, and the highest sensitivity reaches more than 5000 nm per refractive index unit (RIU). This work is beneficial for biosensing and extraordinary optical transmission research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solid - liquid equilibrium solubility of β -Alanine in three different binary solvent mixtures, including (methanol + water), (ethanol + water) and (DMF + water), was measured by a gravimetric method at temperatures ranging from 288.15 K to 323.15 K. It is found that the solubility of β -Alanine is positively correlated with temperatures at a given solvent composition and negatively correlated with the molar fraction of organic solvents. The solid - liquid equilibrium data of β -Alanine was fitted by the modified Apelblat equation, CNIBS/R-K equation and NRTL model. It turned out that all the selected thermodynamic models could give satisfactory results. Moreover, the apparent thermodynamic properties of the dissolution process, including the standard Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy were calculated based on the van't Hoff analysis. The corresponding results indicate that these dissolving processes of β -Alanine in the selected solvents are endothermic and entropy-driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To conquer the disadvantage of low photocatalytic efficiency resulted from narrow photoresponse range and electron-hole recombination, a 2D nanoplate-like MoS 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction photocatalyst was designed and prepared by a facile two-step hydrothermal technique. Compared with pure Bi 2 WO 6 , the MoS 2 / Bi 2 WO 6 composite displayed an enhanced photoabsorption in the whole visible light region. Through the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation (λ>400 nm), the photocatalytic activities of the obtained products were evaluated and the MoS 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 composite exhibited higher photocatalytic performance than that of pure Bi 2 WO 6 . The enhanced photocatalytic performance was attributed to the broad photoabsorption and low charge recombination driven by the photogenerated potential difference formed at the MoS 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Arbitrary polarization rotating angle generation. • High-efficient linear polarization conversion. • Easy customization of polarization angle. • High degree of freedom. Polarization converters are essential components of optical systems. Here we propose an all-dielectric metasurface linear-polarization converter composed of silicon diatomic nanopillar arrays. The two nanopillars are identical except for the azimuthal angle. The converter can orient the linear polarization to arbitrary angles by changing the two orientation angles of the nanopillars. And the polarization conversion efficiency remains above 90%. The mentioned metasurface is analyzed theoretically and demonstrated by numerical simulation. The results show that the polarization angle of the output wave is exactly equal to the sum of two orientation angles. Thus, the polarization angle of the output wave can be easily controlled. The proposed metasurface breaks the limitation of traditional line polarization converters and may have broad application prospects in wireless communications, imaging systems, and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bragg gratings, because of their favored surface plasmon coupling characteristic, are widely applied in nano-optics. We propose a periodic staggered Bragg gratings structure as a refractive index sensor by the finite element method. The optimized extraordinary optical transmission based on staggered gratings can excite surface plasmon resonance for much larger wavelength. The refractive index can be obtained by detecting the resonant wavelength shift of transmittance peak. This sensor exhibits high sensitivity and favorable linear characteristic in a wide variation interval of refractive index. The simulation results provide a further insight into nano optical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatase TiO 2 ultra-thin nanosheets (TiO 2 -NS) are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. Several merits are realized when employing the prepared TiO 2 -NS as lithium ion battery anode material, compared to TiO 2 nanoparticles. Firstly, the as-prepared TiO 2 -NS has high charge capacities and a specific surface area up to 98.8 m 2 g −1 , which is beneficial for the insertion of lithium ion. Secondly, the large specific surface area is helpful in enlarging the electrode/electrolyte interfacial area. Finally, the EIS result verifies short electron transfer paths. More importantly, the stability of the nanosheet structure is indirectly confirmed by the excellent cycling performance of charge capacity and the curve of charge capacities versus cycle number at different current densities. After galvanostatic charge/discharge of the batteries for 1000 cycles, the HRTEM images of post-mortem batteries directly reveal a good reversibility of the lithium ion insertion/extraction process aided by TiO 2 -NS. Thus, all these advantages and the special structure facilitate an excellent cycling performance: the charge capacity with the maximum value of 250 mAh g −1 keeps half after 2000 cycles at a current density of 840 mA g −1 (5 C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel three dimensional metamaterial design with eight-fold rotational symmetry that shows a polarization-insensitive, wide-angle and broadband perfect absorption in the microwave band. By simulation, the polarization-insensitive absorption is over 90% between 26.9 GHz to 32.9 GHz, and the broadband absorption remains a good absorption performance to a wide incident angles for both TE and TM polarizations. The magnetic field distribution are investigated to interpret the physical mechanism of broadband absorption. The broadband absorption is based on overlapping the multiple magnetic resonances at the neighboring frequencies by coupling effects of multiple metallic split-ring resonators (SRRs). Moreover, it is demonstrate that the designed structure can be extended to other frequencies by scale down the size of the unit cell, such as the visible frequencies. The simulated results show that the absorption of the smaller absorber is above 90% in the frequency range from 467 THz to 765 THz(392–642 nm), which include orange to purple light in visible region(400–760nm). The wide-angle and polarization-insensitive stabilities of the smaller absorber is also demonstrated at visible region. The proposed work provides a new design of realization of a polarization-insensitive, wide-angle and broadband absorber ranging different frequency bands, and such a structure has potential application in the fields of solar cell, imaging and detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized optical resonances in silicon nanostructures have been increasingly used in color printing. By changing the geometric parameters of the silicon nanostructures to obtain different structural colors, it is possible to get a larger coverage range than the sRGB color gamut in the CIE color space, and achieve ultra-high-resolution color printing. However, the design of specific colors involves iterative optimization of geometric parameters, which is computationally expensive. Thus, it is very challenging to obtain millions of different colors in the color space. In this paper, we trained a feature-crossed neural network with attention mechanism to predict the structural color produced by random silicon nano truncated cones with high accuracy. On the problem of inverse design, we improve the loss function of the tandem network, which solves the non-uniqueness problem in the inverse design process and avoids the tandem net from falling into the wrong solution space. Our model can accurately predict millions of different color points in the CIE color gamut. In addition, the proposed methods can be easily extended to solve the optimization design problems in the field of nanophotonics. • A truncated cone silicon metasurface covering a wide color gamut. • More accurate metasurface forward prediction. • More reliable metasurface inverse design. • A new loss function for metasurface inverse design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesized highly uniform Au-decorated core-shell β -NaYF 4 :Er/Yb@SiO 2 microprisms and investigated its coupling effects on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The incorporation of upconversion phosphors (UCPs) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) arising from Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) was beneficial to achieve a higher photocurrent and power conversion efficiency of the devices. Furthermore, the contribution and interaction between upconversion and LSPR on the performance of DSCs were identified by UV–vis spectroscopy, upconversion fluorescence spectroscopy, and J - V characterization under different simulated illuminations. The presence of AuNPs increased the optical absorption of dye molecules in the visible region, but decreased the emission of UCPs. Thorough analysis showed that the energy of upconversion emission was transferred to the upconversion induced LSPR of AuNPs, that resulted from the incorporation between the SPR band of AuNPs and a matched emission bands of UCPs. These results validated the advantages of incorporation between upconversion and LSPR for DSC applications and revealed the underlying enhancement mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical flower-like Bi 2 WO 6 microspheres assembled from 2D nanosheets were successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal route using the non-ionic surfactant F127 (EO 100 –PO 65 –EO 100 ) as the morphology director. On the basis of the evolution of the morphologies as a function of reaction time, a possible formation mechanism for the hierarchical architecture was proposed. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared Bi 2 WO 6 samples were evaluated for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation. Due to the combined effects of large surface area and efficient separation of charge carriers, the hierarchical flower-like Bi 2 WO 6 microspheres exhibited improved photocatalytic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, novel TiO 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction photocatalysts with hollow microsphere structures were successfully fabricated by a one-pot glucose-assisted hydrothermal route followed by the calcination at 450 °C. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared photocatalysts were evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution under visible light irradiation and the results indicated that the as-prepared TiO 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 composite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than bare TiO 2 and Bi 2 WO 6 . In addition, the TiO 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 composite with TiO 2 loading of 20 wt.% showed the highest photocatalytic activity and retained the high photocatalytic performance after four recycles for the photodegradation of RhB, confirming its stability and practical usability. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 /Bi 2 WO 6 composite was attributed to well matched energy band positions of TiO 2 and Bi 2 WO 6 , which facilitated the efficient separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and thereby led to the increasing photocatalytic activity. On the basis of calculated energy band positions, the results of photoluminescence (PL) and active species trapping experiments, the mechanism of the obviously enhanced photocatalytic performance was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) temperature sensor which consists of two metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguides coupled to each other by an ethanol-sealed rectangular cavity is proposed. The transmission characteristics of the nanodevice are theoretically analyzed and numerically simulated by two-dimension finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. The temperature sensing characteristics of the SPPs waveguide sensor are systematically analyzed by investigating the transmission spectra. The results indicate that the position of the transmission peak wavelengths has a linear relationship with the ambient temperature. The temperature sensitivity increases with the increase of the cavity length and decrease of the cavity height. The temperature sensitivity of the nanometeric sensor can reach as high as −0.65 nm/°C. It could be utilized to develop ultracompact temperature sensor for high integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel two-dimensional nanoscale structure for sensing which consists of a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide with a defect, is designed and numerically simulated by using the finite element method (FEM). Both of the refractive index sensing characteristics and the temperature sensing characteristics of the structure are analyzed systematically by investigating the transmission spectrum. The numerically simulated results show that the dip positions of the transmission spectrum have linear relationships with the refractive index of the material under sensing and the ambient temperature, respectively. Based on the relationships, the refractive index of the material under sensing or the ambient temperature can be obtained from the dip wavelength shift detection. When the width and the height of the defect are set to be 50nm, 300nm, respectively, the refractive index sensitivity can be obtained as high as 1736nmRIU−1 and the temperature sensitivity is about 0.51nm/°C with a FOM of 9.79. This work has a certain significance for designing nanoscale refractive index sensors and temperature sensors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Self-assembled three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical Bi2WO6 microspheres built from 2D nanoplates alignment were successfully prepared by the sol–gel–hydrothermal route. Based on X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy observation of the products at different reaction time periods, the formation mechanism of 3D hierarchical Bi2WO6 microspheres was proposed. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra indicated that the obtained 3D hierarchical Bi2WO6 microspheres had enhanced absorption in both UV and visible light regions. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared products were evaluated by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue solution under visible light irradiation. Due to the structural feature and good optical quality, Bi2WO6 prepared by the sol–gel–hydrothermal route possessed the highest photocatalytic activity than those of Bi2WO6 samples prepared by hydrothermal and sol–gel routes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: ZnO with hierarchical microspheres and hexagonal prisms structures were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal microemulsion route. Based on X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy observation of the products at the different reaction time periods, the formation mechanism of three-dimensional hierarchical ZnO microspheres was proposed. Ultraviolet and visible diffuse reflectance spectra indicated that as-synthesized ZnO microspheres had enhanced absorption in both ultraviolet and visible light areas. The photocatalytic activities of as-synthesized products were evaluated by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue solution. Due to the synergistic effects of the high crystallization and special hierarchical structure, the hierarchical ZnO microsphere exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bi2WO6 samples with hierarchical microspheres structures built by higher order 2D nanoplate alignment were successfully synthesized by sol–gel-hydrothermal route. The structures and morphologies of the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra indicated that as-prepared Bi2WO6 with hierarchical microspheres structures had enhanced absorption in both UV and visible light areas. Photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. Due to the unique morphology and porous structure, the hierarchical Bi2WO6 microspheres exhibited better photocatalytic activities than that of the Bi2WO6 prepared by hydrothermal routes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Single crystalline ZnO with hexagonal cylinder-like bipods morphologies were successfully synthesized via a cationic surfactant-assisted hydrothermal microemulsion route. The structure, morphologies and properties of the as-prepared samples were determined using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectrum and Ultraviolet and Visible absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the obtained products were evaluated by the degradation of Reactive Brilliant Red K-2BP in aqueous solution under a variety of conditions. Under the optimum condition, approximately 99.5% decolorization efficiency within 45 min and 65.3% TOC removal efficiency within 3 h were achieved, which were higher than that by the commercial ZnO. Moreover, the degradation products were analyzed by a gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry system and the probable pathways for the formation of the intermediates were proposed. The photocatalytic results indicated that the as-prepared ZnO showed good photocatalytic activity and it could be considered as a promising photocatalyst for dyes wastewater treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Manganese dioxides octahedral molecular sieve nanowires with 2×2 tunnels (designated OMS-2) and amorphous manganese dioxides were synthesized via a hydrothermal treatment and a sol–gel method, respectively. Amorphous MnO2 nanoparticles were incorporated into the matrix of OMS-2 nanowires to form homogenous nanocomposites. The structures and morphologies of as-synthesized OMS-2 nanowires and amorphous MnO2 nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical behaviors of the as-prepared nanocomposites with varying ratios were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge and potentiostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using a three-electrode system in a 0.5M Na2SO4 aqueous solution. Pure OMS nanowires exhibit a specific capacitance of about 37Fg−1, and amorphous MnO2 nanoparticles demonstrate relatively higher specific capacitance of about 106Fg−1 at a scan rate of 2mVs−1. The enhancement of specific capacitance can be carried out by mixing OMS-2 nanowires and amorphous MnO2 nanoparticles to form nanocomposites and the optimized mole ratio of OMS-2 nanowires to amorphous MnO2 as 1:5 can be achieved. The improved specific capacitance can be attributed to the increase of electrode conductivity and the effective interfaces between MnO2 active materials and electrolyte. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A thermodynamic equilibrium approach is used to simulate the stress field and calculate the total strain energy of InAs/GaAs quantum dots in the framework of anisotropic elasticity, before and after the onset of dislocation. The model can directly calculate the strain energy in the incoherent system with the dislocation forms at any position. Taking the influence of dislocation positions into consideration and based on the energy balance between the coherent and dislocated states, the equilibrium critical size of InAs quantum dots is determined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Three-dimensional LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 (3D-LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2) nanostructures are in situ prepared using cryptomelane-type octahedral molecular sieve manganese dioxide (OMS-2) in the form of dendritic nanostructures as templates. The complete conversion of the OMS-2 precursor to layered α-NaFeO2-type LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 and the retention of the 3D dendritic nanostructures have been confirmed by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, and HR-TEM. The as-synthesized nanostructured positive electrode exhibits a significant improvement in rate performance and cycling reversibility due to its unique nanostructures composed of single-crystalline LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 nanorods. And the influence of the assembly mode of nanosize LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 positive electrode material to its electrochemical performances has been investigated. The battery based on 3D-LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 retains a discharge capacity of 151.6mAhg−1 (93% of the first discharge capacity) after 50 cycles. A specific discharge capacity of 141.8mAhg−1 was retained at a rate of 3.2C, which is about 80% of the capacity at a rate of 0.2C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The interaction between ZnO compact layer and TiCl4 post-treatment on TiO2 photoelectrode for dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is investigated. Photoelectrode combined the two modifications is designated as ZnO+2l+TiCl4. It is found that after the TiCl4 treatment the ZnO compact layer transforms to a bi-functional layer, which suppresses back electrons transfer from FTO to electrolyte and reduces the FTO/TiO2 interfacial resistance. In addition, the newly formed TiO2 coating generated by TiCl4 post-treatment contains abundant and well dispersed Zn element, which further facilitates electron transfer at TiO2 layer. Meanwhile, the electron lifetime in ZnO+2l+TiCl4 is the longest. Consequently, the overall energy conversion efficiency of the cell with ZnO+2l+TiCl4 is significantly enhanced to 8.9%, which is 8.8% higher than that with pure TiCl4 post-treatment and 17.7% higher than that without any treatment. These results are verified by material characterization and corresponding opto-electrical properties measurements. Experimental results demonstrate this facile method is a more promising alternative to the conventional interface and surface modification in high efficient DSSCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High crystalline ZnO with hexagonal dumbbell-like bipods morphology was successfully synthesized via N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)-assisted hydrothermal microemulsion route. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectrum and Ultraviolet and Visible absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure, morphologies and properties of the as-prepared samples. The results demonstrated that the hydrothermal reaction time had obvious influence on the shape and size of the ZnO products. The Ultraviolet and Visible absorption spectra indicated that the as-prepared ZnO had a strong and broad absorption band from ultraviolet to visible region. The photoluminescence spectra of the synthesized ZnO exhibited a very strong UV emission at ∼380nm, indicative of their high crystal quality. Meanwhile, the possible growth mechanism for the formation of hexagonal dumbbell-like ZnO microstructures was proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Arrays of TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated by the anodization of Ti foils and then used in assembling dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The role of the morphologies of the TiO2 nanotubes in the photovoltaic performances of the DSSCs was studied in terms of the surface topography and the tube length. The necessity of removing the nanoporous films from the surface of the nanotube arrays for good DSSC performance has been demonstrated. Also, it has been shown that appropriately increasing the tube length was an effective measure for enhancing both the short-circuit current density and the conversion efficiency of the DSSCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An effective ZnO compact film (ZCF) has been introduced at the interface of fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate and mesoporous TiO2 layer, and its effect on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has been compared to that of conventional TiO2 compact film (TCF). The ZCF and TCF prepared by spin-coating method on FTO are characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV–vis spectrophotometer. The existence of TiO2 can suppress the recombination occurring at the interface of FTO/electrolyte, resulting in a higher J sc and V oc than bare FTO. The ZCF creates an energy barrier between FTO substrate and mesoporous TiO2 layer, which not only reduces the electron back transfer from FTO to I3 − in the electrolyte, but also leads to the accumulation of photogenerated electrons, and increases the electron density in the conduction band of TiO2. The device based on FTO/ZCF substrate remarkably improves V oc and FF, finally increases energy conversion efficiency by 13.1% compared to the device based on bare FTO and 4.7% compared to the counterpart based on FTO/TCF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hexagonal cylinder-like ZnO with a regular twinning microstructure was successfully synthesized via a cationic surfactant-assisted hydrothermal microemulsion route. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Ultraviolet and Visible absorption spectroscopy were employed to characterize the structure, morphologies and properties of the as-prepared samples. The results showed that the reaction temperature, reaction time and molar ratio (w) between water and CTAB exhibited obvious influences on the morphologies and sizes of the products. The Ultraviolet and Visible absorption spectra revealed a strong and broad absorption band from ultraviolet to visible region and the maximum absorption peak appeared at 376nm. Moreover, the possible growth mechanism for the ZnO microstructures was also discussed in this study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel and thin ZnO compact blocking film is employed at the interface of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate and mesoporous TiO2, and its influence on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is investigated. The ZnO film prepared by spin-coating method on FTO is characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV–vis spectrophotometer. The ZnO film is firstly employed as an energy barrier between FTO and mesoporous TiO2 film in DSSCs, which improves open-circuit photovoltage (V oc) and fill factor (FF) with compensation of J sc decrease, finally increasing energy conversion efficiency from 5.85% to 6.70%. Electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) analysis and open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) technique reveal that the existence of the energy barrier not only resulted in the effect of suppressing back electrons transfer from FTO to electrolyte but also blocking the electrons injection from the conductive band of TiO2 to FTO. The former effect effectively reduces the recombination which occurs in the region of FTO substrate, and the latter leads to remarkable increment of electron density in the TiO2, thus resulting in enhanced V oc and FF. These results suggest that the methodology of introducing the semiconductor with a more negative conduction band edge than TiO2 as the compact blocking film in DSSCs may be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Brilliant Blue KN-R has been investigated under UV irradiation in aqueous suspension of titanium dioxide under a variety of conditions. The degradation was studied by monitoring the change in dye concentration using UV spectroscopic technique. The effects of key operation parameters such as initial dye concentration, catalyst loading, hydrogen peroxide dosage as well as initial pH value on the decolorization extents were studied. The decolorization of the organic molecule followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics according to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. Under the optimum operation conditions, approximately 97.7% color removal was achieved with significant reduction in TOC (57.6%) and COD (72.2%) within 3h. Moreover, the degradation products were analyzed by GC–MS technique and probable pathways for the formation of products were proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Alumina-coated rutile TiO2 samples were prepared starting from NaAlO2 by the chemical liquid deposition method. The alumina nanofilms existed in amorphous hydrated alumina phase and anchored at the surfaces of TiO2 particles via Ti–O–Al bonding. The formation of continuous and dense alumina nanofilms on the TiO2 surface depended on the pH value of the reaction solution and the alumina loading. After coated by alumina nanofilms, the whiteness and brightness of the alumina-coated TiO2 samples increased with the increase of the alumina loading while the relative light scattering index was found to depend upon the alumina loading. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The evolution of alumina coating layers on rutile TiO2 particle surfaces was investigated starting from aluminum sulfate by a chemical liquid deposition method. The morphology of the alumina coating layers was determined by transmission electron microscopy. The chemical structure and the evolution mechanism of the alumina coating layers on TiO2 surfaces were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction techniques. The dispersibility of the alumina-coated TiO2 powders was determined by dynamic laser scattering (DLS) mode. The alumina coating layers existed in boehmite phase, AlOOH, and anchored at the surfaces of TiO2 via Ti–O–Al bond. The formation of alumina coating layers on TiO2 surfaces depended on the pH value of the deposition solution and the alumina loading. After coated by alumina layer, the dispersibility, whiteness, brightness, and light scattering index of the resultant samples were promoted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on the nucleation kinetics of 4-(Methylsulfonyl)benzaldehyde in different solvents obtained by induction time method, the effects of different solvents on the nucleation rate of 4-(Methylsulfonyl)benzaldehyde were explored by the combination of solution chemistry and molecular simulation, which reveals that the competition between solute–solvent interaction and solvent–solvent interaction play an important role in the nucleation process. [Display omitted] • The nucleation kinetics of MSBZ in four solvents was obtained by induction time. • The A and γ were derived under the framework of classical nucleation theory. • Analyze the roles of the conformation and building unit in the nucleation process. • The mechanism for the solvent effect on MSBZ nucleation was proposed. The role of solvent in the process of crystal nucleation is crucial for crystallization process investigate, design and control. In this work, the influence of solvents on the nucleation of 4-(Methylsulfonyl)benzaldehyde (MSBZ) has been studied. An array of induction time experiments covering a range of supersaturations were carried out in four solvents. Given the same induction time, the driving forces of MSBZ for nucleation was found ranking as toluene (1784.56 J‧mol−1) > methanol (1653.93 J‧mol−1) > acetonitrile (1309.89 J‧mol−1) > acetic acid (1052.09 J‧mol−1), which is consistent with the order of the pre-exponential factor A calculated by classical nucleation theory. The binding energies of solute–solvent at site 1 increase according to the following order: acetonitrile (−19.89 kJ‧mol−1) < methanol (−26.21 kJ‧mol−1) < toluene (−27.78 kJ‧mol−1) < acetic acid (−42.09 kJ‧mol−1), which confirm that the stronger the binding of solvent and solute, the more difficult for nucleation except for acetic acid. By comparing the binding energy of solute–solvent at site 3 and the solution infrared spectroscopy, it was found that the larger the binding energy, the smaller the location of asymmetrical stretching peaks of sulfonyl group except acetic acid. The anomalous excursion of infrared spectra (1322 cm−1), the maximum attachment frequency (26.59 ln(m−3‧s−1)) and the strongest solvent–solvent interaction (−42.09 kJ‧mol−1) in acetic acid solution suggest that the competition of molecular interactions between the solvent–solvent and solute–solvent may play a big role in the nucleation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Co-modified HZSM-5 zeolite catalysts were prepared by ion exchange with Co(CH3COO)2 solution, and incipient wetness impregnation with aqueous solutions of Co(NO3)2 and Co(CH3COO)2, respectively. The catalysts were characterized by N2-adsorption, NH3–TPD, FTIR and adsorption of m- and p-cresol. The catalytic performance for the synthesis of pyridine and picolines from aldehyde-ammonia condensation was tested. It shows that Co disperses in the zeolite pores for the ion exchanged samples, while Co deposits mainly on the external surface for the samples prepared by impregnation of Co(CH3COO)2, which results in a narrowing of the pore mouth. NH3–TPD and pyridine-FTIR measurements indicate that the total acidity and the Lewis acidity of the catalysts increased with the decrease of Brönsted acidity among the samples. The samples prepared by impregnation with Co(CH3COO)2 have the highest yield of the desired products among all the samples tested. This is attributed to the change of surface acidity and the reduction of the pore-mouth of the zeolite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: SiO2-coated TiO2 powders were prepared by the chemical deposition method starting from rutile TiO2 and Na2SiO3. The SiO2-coated TiO2 powders were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Zeta-potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The evolution of island-like and uniform coating layers was found to depend upon the ratio of Na2SiO3 to TiO2, reaction temperature, and pH. The whiteness and brightness of the SiO2-coated TiO2 powders increased in response to an increase in the SiO2 loading, but there was a maximum value among the light scattering indexes. The SiO2-coated TiO2 powders possessed more negative Zeta potentials than the naked TiO2. The dispersibility of the SiO2-coated TiO2 powders with the continuous and uniform SiO2 coating layers was higher than that of the naked TiO2 and the SiO2-coated TiO2 powders with the island-like SiO2 coating layers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hexatitanate (K2Ti6O13) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) fibers were synthesized by ion-exchange method using fibrous potassium titanate (K4Ti3O8) as initial material. Fibrous K4Ti3O8 was prepared by treating TiO2 with 80wt.% concentrated KOH solution at 220°C for 2h under atmospheric pressure. Then, high qualities of K2Ti6O13 and TiO2 fibers were formed by a thermal treatment of the hydrolytic intermediates K4−b H b Ti3O8 (1.2≤ b ≤3.0) and H4Ti3O8, which were quantitatively obtained by controlling the pH value ranging from 10.9 to 12.0 and from 2.0 to 5.0 in the hydrolytic process of K4Ti3O8, respectively. Based on the experimental results, the possible ion-exchange and phase transformation mechanisms in the reaction process were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new process was provided for decomposition of ilmenite by concentrated KOH solution under atmospheric pressure. The significant effects of reaction temperature, KOH concentration, stirring speed, particle size, and alkali-to-ilmenite mass ratios on titanium extraction were studied. The temperature and initial particle size showed significant influence on titanium extraction. The experimental data of the extraction rates under the relevant operating variables were well interpreted with the shrinking core model under chemically controlled process. The apparent activation energy of the reaction was evaluated using the Arrhenius expression. Approximately 80–85% of the titanium could be leached from the ilmenite ore under the optimal conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We gave an analysis about the wavelength-division multiplexing isolation filter consisted of two concatenated long period fiber grating (LPFG), and the numerical simulation was performed by transfer matrix method. The key factors in design this high performance filter was proposed. Based on the key factors, flat transmission spectrum of the LPFG in range of 80nm was obtained by the particle swarm optimization algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate that such type of isolation filters have equal frequency spacing, high isolation, and neglectable dispersion in the pass band, and the channel spacing can be tuned by tuning the fiber length between the two concatenated LPGs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Combinatorial methodologies are emerging as powerful tools in heterogeneous catalysis. Previously, we have established a strong correlation between catalysts prepared as thin films for high-throughput primary screening to those prepared in bulk for secondary screening in a multi-channel fixed bed (MCFB) microreactor for the ethane oxidative dehydrogenation process [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 96 (1999) 11077]. Numerous catalysts with improved performance over literature compositions were also reported. With this high-throughput technology, tens of thousands of new compositions have been synthesized and tested. In this paper, we describe in detail the discovery of a new class of catalysts with extraordinary performance improvements. These catalysts contain Ni, Nb, and Ta or Co mixed oxides. The respective ternary systems were first screened in a thin film form (∼200 μg catalyst loading). Then they were scaled up to 50 mg level and screened in an MCFB microreactor. The optimal compositions were Ni0.62Ta0.10Nb0.28Ox and Ni0.62Ta0.20Nb0.18Ox. They convert 20.5% of ethane with 86.2% selectivity to ethylene and 20.0% of ethane with 86.1% selectivity to ethylene at 300 °C, respectively, as compared to 3.3% conversion of ethane with 82.9% selectivity to ethylene for the state-of-the-art catalyst Mo0.72V0.26Nb0.02Ox under identical testing conditions. One of these compositions, Ni0.62Ta0.10Nb0.28Ox, was further scaled up to 5 g and tested in a conventional bench scale reactor. The performance improvement is consistent with measurements made on the MCFB microreactor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Solubility of KFM in five mono-solvents and three binary solvents was determined. • KFM solubility was correlated with the modified Apelblat, λh equation, and van't Hoff equation. • Statistical method was used to analyze impact of physicochemical parameters of solvents on solubility of KFM. • The COSMO-RS model was used to explore effects of solvent-solute interactions on solubility of KFM. The solubility of kaempferol monohydrate (KFM) in five mono-solvents (ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol) and three binary solvents (ethanol + water, 1-propanol + water, 2-propanol + water) was measured by gravimetric method from 283.15 K to 323.15 K at the pressure of 0.1 MPa. It is concluded that solubility of KFM is a function of temperature and solvent composition. Statistical method was used to analyze the impact of physicochemical parameters of solvents on solubility of KFM, indicating that comprehensive factors, such as the hydrogen bonding donor capacity and cohesive energy density would influence on solubility of KFM. In addition, the COSMO-RS model was used to explore the effects of solvent-solute interactions on solubility of KFM. Further, the solubility data was correlated by the modified Apelblat equation, λh equation, and van't Hoff equation, in which the modified Apelblat equation showed the best correlation result. In the final, the apparent thermodynamic properties ( Δ sol H 0 , Δ sol G 0 , Δ sol S 0) of KFM were derived through the van't Hoff equation, demonstrating the dissolution process of KFM in the selected solvents was endothermic. We hope the solubility of KFM determined in this work provides data can support for its further purification. Solubility of kaempferol monohydrate (KFM) in five mono-solvents and three binary solvents was measured and correlated. Statistical method was used to analyze the impact of physicochemical parameters of solvents on the solubility of KFM, and the COSMO-RS model was used to explore the effects of solvent-solute interactions on solubility of KFM. Also, the apparent thermodynamic properties of KFM were derived through the van't Hoff equation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S decorated with Au and MoO 2 dual cocatalysts synthesized for H 2 -production. • Synergetic effects between the multifunctional Au NPs and MoO 2 cocatalysts discussed. • High H 2 -production rate achieved over composite, 3.73 folds higher than Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S. The construction of semiconductor-based nanoheterostructures toward achieving high efficient solar-to-fuel conversion is greatly limited by the insufficient electron-hole separation and the narrow spectrum range of light absorption. In this work, a novel Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S solid solution decorated with robust and multifunctional MoO 2 and Au nanoparticles (NPs) has been constructed by a facile two-step route: the deposition of Au NPs via an in situ deposition route and further loading of MoO 2 via an ultrasonic chemical method. Characterization results show that both MoO 2 and Au NPs can be employed as efficient cocatalytic materials to significantly promote the H 2 -production over Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S semiconductor. Particularly, the ternary 2MoO 2 /3Au/Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S nanocomposite containing 3 wt% Au NPs and 2 wt% MoO 2 exhibited the optimum H 2 -production activity (638.83 µmol h−1) under simulated sunlight conditions, more 3.73-, 1.74- and 1.35-fold enhancement relative to pristine Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, binary 3Au/Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S and 2MoO 2 /Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, respectively. Mechanistic characterizations demonstrate that the positive synergetic effects between Au NPs and MoO 2 can simultaneously boost the light absorption capacities, the separation efficiency of the interfacial charge carriers, and the thermodynamic performances of the hydrogen evolution reaction by strengthening the reduction ability of the photogenerated electrons and lowering the hydrogen evolution overpotential, which integratively resulted in the boosted photoactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing heterojunction photocatalytic systems with highly spatial charge separation, strong photoredox ability and rapid surface reaction still remains an enormous challenge. Herein, hollow CoS x polyhedrons decorated hierarchically direct Z-scheme Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/CdWO 4 heterojunction photocatalyst is designed and constructed by a simple sonochemical approach and subsequent in situ deposition route. Such a constructed Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/CdWO 4 /CoS x ternary composite exhibits a significantly boosted photoactivity toward H 2 generation compared to bare Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, binary Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/CdWO 4 , Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/CoS x and Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/Pt samples with optimized composition ratio. Apart from the efficient charge transfer channels and preserved strong photoredox ability within the direct Z-scheme Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/CdWO 4 heterojunction, the hollow structure of CoS x polyhedrons could endow abundant surface-active sites, strengthen the light-harvesting capacity through the internal multilight scattering/reflection and decrease the overpotential for H 2 evolution, which further contributes to the boosted photoactivity toward hydrogen production. This study demonstrates an alternate methodology for constructing high-performance multi-hierarchical Z-scheme/cocatalyst heterojunction photocatalysts for solar energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Au decorated S-scheme Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/WO 3 composite synthesized for H 2 -production. • Mechanism of charge transfer and separation in Au decorated S-scheme discussed. • High H 2 -production rate achieved over composite, 2.74 folds higher than Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S. Spontaneously solar-driven H 2 -production from water reduction provides a promising strategy to solve the aggravating energy and environment crises worldwide, but it is severely limited by the rapid charge-carrier recombination and the slashing redox potentials requirement. Here, a new ternary Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/WO 3 /Au heterostructure photocatalyst has been designed by chemical deposition of Au nanoparticles (NPs) on Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/WO 3 step-scheme (S-scheme) composite matrix to boost the photocatalytic activity through the multichannel-enhanced charge transfer/separation. By optimizing the constituent of the heterostructure photocatalyst, the prepared Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/WO 3 /Au photocatalyst with 30 wt% of WO 3 and 4 wt% of Au exhibits the highest H 2 -evolution rate of 517.13 µmol h−1 under simulated solar light irradiation, more 2.74, 1.63 and 1.45 times higher than bare Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S and Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S loaded with WO 3 and Au alone, respectively. Mechanistic characterizations and control experiments have revealed that the S-scheme charge transfer in Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/WO 3 heterojunction together with the "electron reservoir" resulting from the Au NPs contribute to the superior H 2 -generation activity over Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/WO 3 /Au catalyst, which not only dramatically promotes the charge-carrier separation but also remains the strong redox ability of photoinduced electrons and holes in such photocatalytic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new ternary Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/RGO-MoS 2 composite was successfully synthesized. • The synergetic effect between RGO and MoS 2 cocatalyst were discussed. • Mechanism of the enhanced photocatalytic activity was illuminated. A new solar-light-active ternary heterojunction photocatalyst, consisting of Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S nanoparticles grown on 2D reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-MoS 2 hybrid composite as a nonprecious and highly efficient cocatalyst has been successfully fabricated via a facile in-situ growth process. The optimized Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/RGO-MoS 2 nanocomposite with 2 wt% RGO-MoS 2 cocatalyst displays the highest H 2 -evolution rate of 642.15 µmol h−1, which is about 3.75 times higher than bare Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S and far exceeding other composite photocatalysts, i.e., Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/RGO, Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/MoS 2 and noble Pt-modified Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S. It was revealed that the dramatically improved photoactivity of the ternary Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S/RGO-MoS 2 heterojunction photocatalyst was mainly originated from the positive cooperation between RGO and MoS 2 nanosheets. The RGO nanosheets with high conductivity could serve as an electron transport bridge to collect and transfer the photogenerated electrons effectively, while MoS 2 nanosheets with high electrocatalytic activity could act as an effective H 2 -evolution cocatalyst to facilitate the photoinduced electrons taking part in the hydrogen production reaction from water reduction, thus boosting the H 2 -evolution kinetics. More importantly, the RGO nanosheets could also lead to the downshift of the valence band (VB) of Mn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S, which was beneficial for the rapid oxidation of sacrificial agents and the interfacial charge transfer/separation, thereby helping to improve the photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]