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This paper reports the photoluminescence and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of Ce2O3–TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized via sol–gel process with different concentrations of cerium. The physical characterization studies by means of XRD indicated for the successful incorporation of Ce into the lattice of TiO2, while the UV-visible spectra for an absorption edge shift of TiO2 to the higher wavelength side following the Ce addition, and FESEM analysis for the morphology and particles sizes of the synthesized materials. On testing of the photoluminescence properties recorded through time-resolved fluorescence (TCSPC) technique, a decrease in the intensity of TiO2 with that of increased Ce concentration was observed and is due to an escalation in the number of oxygen vacancies. Further, the observation NLO properties for Ce2O3–TiO2 was done by a Z-scan technique of 5ns continuous wave (cw) laser at 532 nm, where the involvement of active mechanisms in the nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption are due to the saturable absorption (SA) and nonlinear thermal effects.

Herein, we report a facile hydrothermal synthesis of MnO2 nanoparticles anchored multi walled carbon nanotubes (MnO2@MWCNTs) as potential anode materials for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The prepared MnO2@MWCNTs were characterized by several techniques which confirmed the formation of MnO2 nanoparticles anchored MWCNTs. The X-ray diffraction and Raman-scattering analyses of the prepared material further revealed the effective synthesis of MnO2@MWCNTs. The fabricated Li-ion battery based on MnO2@MWCNTs exhibited a reversible capacity of ~823 mAhg−1 at a current density of 100 mAg−1 for the first cycle, and delivered a capacity of ~421 mAhg−1 for the 60 cycles. The coulombic efficiency was found to be ~100% which showed excellent reversible charge–discharge behavior. The outstanding performance of the MnO2@MWCNTs anode for the Li-ion battery can be attributed to the distinctive morphology of the MnO2 nanoparticles anchored MWCNTs that facilitated the fast transport of lithium ions and electrons and accommodated a broad volume change during the cycles of charge/discharge.

Herein, we report a successful synthesis of supramolecularly assembled polyaniline/silver oxide/graphene oxide composite (PANI/Ag2O/GO) for enhanced NO2 gas sensing application. The PANI/Ag2O/GO composite was synthesized by facile stirring followed by an ultrasonication process. The prepared material was characterized by different techniques such as x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman-scattering spectroscopy. The detailed analysis revealed that the average crystallite sizes of PANI/Ag2O and PANI/Ag2O/GO composites were found to be 37.37 nm and 41.55 nm, respectively. FESEM and TEM analysis showed coral-like rough-surfaced and extensively agglomerated morphology for PANI and ultrathin flexible sheet-like morphology for GO. Ag2O nanoparticles with diameters 20–30 nm were well incorporated in the GO sheets and PANI matrix in the case of PANI/Ag2O/GO composites. The synthesized materials were used to make resistive sensor devices that had a high response to NO2 gas. The fabricated sensors were examined at various temperatures to obtain the optimal sensing temperature. The fabricated NO2 gas sensor device based on PANI/Ag2O/GO composite exhibited a highest sensitivity of 5.85 for 25 ppm at an optimized temperature (100 °C) as compared to the pure PANI (2.5) and PANI/Ag2O composite (3.25). Further, the fabricated sensor device based on PANI/Ag2O/GO composite was also examined at different NO2 gas concentrations.

In this study, the deposition parameters of the SU8 2000.5 negative photoresists have been investigated and optimized for the photolithographic technique. Then, applied the inductive coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP RIE) to produce V-shaped groove diffraction grating on a silicon substrate. Spin coater (speed: 1000 rpm) was used to coat the photoresist over the Si substrate. The observed photoresist film thickness was measured by ellipsometry and found to be 800 nm. Interestingly, the film exhibited some stability with increasing the spin speed. The thermogravimetric analysis was used to optimize the baking temperature which was found to be ~105 °C. Contrast curves were obtained experimentally and used to optimize the exposure energy along with the images obtained from the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The optimized energy fluence was found to be 17 mJ/cm2. It was interesting to observe that the thickness of the photoresists film was increasing with the elevation of the exposure energy fluence. The FESEM images were used to optimize the ICP RIE etching process and the best etching conditions for the Si substrate were ICP power: 150 W, bias power: 100 W, and SF6 gas flow rate: 32 SCCM (standard cubic centimeters per minute), O2 gas flow: 8 SCCM, and Ar gas flow of 8 SCCM. It is worth to mention that well-defined V-shaped grooves were observed with a depth of 2 μm under the same experimental conditions.

ZnO–SnO2 nanocubes were used as promising material for efficient sensing of p-nitrophenol and faster photocatalytic degradations of dyes like methyl orange (MO), methylene Blue (MB) and acid orange 74 (AO74). ZnO–SnO2 nanocubes were prepared by the facile solution process at 50 °C using Zn(NO3)2·6H2O and SnCl2·2H2O as a precursor in the presence of ethylenediammine. The synthesized material was examined for its morphological, structural, crystalline, optical, vibrational, and compositional studies by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and photoluminescence spectroscopy. FESEM studies revealed the formation of well-defined ZnO–SnO2 nanocubes where the structural examinations revealed the formation of a crystalline tetragonal rutile phase for SnO2 with some crystal sites doped with Zn. The as-synthesized nanocubes were explored for their photocatalytic activities towards three different dye viz. MO, MB, and AO74. Practically, complete degradation of AO74 was seen within 4 minutes of photo-irradiation in the presence of 0.05 g ZnO–SnO2 nanocubes. However, 97.17% and 41.63% degradations were observed for MB and MO within 15 and 60 minutes, respectively. All the dye degradation processes followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Moreover, the as-synthesized nanocubes were utilized to fabricate highly sensitive and selective fluorescent chemical sensor for the detection of p-nitrophenol (PNP). ZnO–SnO2 nanocubes showed a very low detection limit of 4.09 μM for the detection of PNP as calculated according to the 3σ IUPAC criteria. Further, the as-synthesized ZnO–SnO2 nanotubes were found to be highly selective for p-nitrophenol as compared to the other two isomers.

Nanostructured ZnO doped with different Ce precursor concentrations (1, 5 and 10 mol%) has been prepared via co-precipitation method and tested for their photocatalytic and chemical sensing performances toward methyl orange (MO) and picric acid (PA) chemicals, respectively. After addition of Ce dopant, the spherical morphology of ZnO particles changed to a cone-like structure and exhibited the single-phase wurtzite structure, except for the 10 mol % dopant concentration. Blue-shift was detected in 5 mol% Ce doping, and this was found to be the optimum concentration for achieving the maximum dye degradation and sensing performances. The 5 mol% Ce doped ZnO expressed the complete MO degradation under UV light illumination, but the decrease in MO degradation with 10 mol% Ce doped ZnO was suggested to suppress the Ce3+ character in the sample. Facile redox couple Ce3+/Ce4+ appeared to improve the charge separation of Ce-doped ZnO upon UV illumination, forming the basis for release of O2, leading to increased catalytic and PA sensing performances.

Herein, we report the facile solution phase precipitation synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles doped with various concentrations, i.e. 1, 5 and 10 mol% of lanthanum (La). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized in detail by several techniques which confirmed the high-density growth and well-crystalline nature of La-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The XRD results revealed the successful incorporation of 1 mol% La ions in the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO; however, small XRD peaks of La2O3 were detected in 5 and 10 mol% La-doped samples. All the La-doped nanoparticles were found to be UV responsive. For the application prospective, all the synthesized nanoparticles were used as photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of three toxic dyes, i.e. methyl orange (MO), Rhodamine B (Rh B) dyes and picric acid (PA). By detailed photocatalytic investigations, interestingly, 1 mol% La-doped ZnO was found to be most efficient photocatalyst towards the degradation of all three organic dyes. Further, the synthesized nanoparticles were also used as fluorescent probe for the fluorescence sensing of picric acid (PA). Remarkably, the 1 mol% nanoparticles exhibited highest sensitivity, i.e. lowest limit of detection (LOD) value (1.05 µM L−1) towards PA compared to 5 and 10 mol% (1.38 µM L−1) La-doped ZnO nanoparticles.

2D SnO2 disks with excellent purity and crystallinity were synthesized through a low cost, facile hydrothermal process and were characterized in terms of their morphological, structural, optical and electrochemical properties. The 2D disk-like morphology of synthesized SnO2 presented the average thickness of ∼1 μm and possessed the typical rutile tetragonal phase for the SnO2 with preferred growth along (100) plane. As-synthesized SnO2 disks were used for the fabrication of gas sensors for reducing gases like H2, CO, and C3H8. With the optimized temperature at 400 °C, the as-synthesized SnO2 electrode expressed the gas responses of 14.7, 9.3 and 8.1 for H2, CO, and C3H8, respectively. Contrary, the reasonable response times of 4 s, 3 s, and 8 s and the recovery times of 331 s, 201 s, and 252 s were recorded for H2, CO, and C3H8 gases, respectively. The DFT studies conducted herein suggest that the adsorbed oxygenated species act as a primary redox mediator for gas sensing reaction between reductive gases like H2, CO and C3H8, and SnO2 sensor. From DFT analysis, a very low heat of adsorption (≤0.2 eV) estimated which suggested the physisorption of the H2 molecules on the surface of the sensing material (i.e. SnO2). In contrast, the deposited oxygen atom forms strong chemical bonds with O2c and O3c sites. The oxygen atom bonded to O2c site control the conductivity of the sensor better than the O3c sites.

For gas sensing applications, most of the reported two-dimensional (2D) materials are suffering from relative low sensitivity and high limit of detection (LOD) at room temperature. In this work, we...

Photocatalysts provide excellent potential for the full removal of organic chemical pollutants as an environmentally friendly technology. It has been noted that under UV-visible light irradiation, nanostructured semiconductor metal oxides photocatalysts can degrade different organic pollutants. The Sn6SiO8/rGO nanocomposite was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The Sn6SiO8 nanoparticles hexagonal phase was confirmed by XRD and functional groups were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The bandgap of Sn6SiO8 nanoparticles (NPs) and Sn6SiO8/GO composites were found to be 2.7 eV and 2.5 eV, respectively. SEM images of samples showed that the flakes like morphology. This Sn6SiO8/rGO nanocomposite was testing for photocatalytic dye degradation of MG under visible light illumination and excellent response for the catalysts. The enhancement of photocatalytic performance was mainly attributed to the increased light absorption, charge separation efficiency and specific surface area, proved by UV-vis DRS. Further, the radical trapping experiments revealed that holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O−2) were the main active species for the degradation of MG, and a possible photocatalytic mechanism was discussed.

In this paper, Ag doped MnO2-CNT nanocomposite was fabricated by using simple co-precipitation route. The synthesized nanocomposite was employed as adsorbent for elimination of Acridine Orange dye. The structural analysis of as synthesized Ag doped MnO2-CNT nanocomposite confirms the presence of (111) plane of Ag, (104) of carbon and (110) plane of MnO2. Processing of operational variable parameters such as, pH, adsorbent dose, and initial dye concentration with respect to contact time on adsorption of Acridine Orange was optimized and evaluated using Response Surface Methodology. The fit of the predictive model for the removal of dye was in good agreement with the experimental value. Isotherm data was modelled by means of Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin- Radushkevich isotherm. Langmuir isotherm offered the best fit to experimental data proposing homogeneous dispersion of adsorption sites. Furthermore, the suitability of the adsorbent was also investigated by fitting the adsorption data with pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The recuperation and reusability of the adsorbent and adsorbate has made this process inexpensive and appropriate for large scale applications.

Herein, we report the effect of synthesis temperature on the morphologies, optical and electronic properties of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanostructures. The MgO nanostructures were synthesized at different temperatures, i.e., 100 °C, 300 °C, and 600 °C by simple chemical reaction process and their morphology, particle size, optical, and electrical properties were examined by different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and UV-Vis. spectroscopy. The morphological investigations revealed that various morphologies of MgO nanostructures, i.e., nanoparticles, nanosheet networks, and nanoneedles were synthesized at 100 °C, 300 °C, and 600 °C. The XRD results confirmed that with increasing the synthesis temperature, the crystallinity of the synthesized nanostructures increases. Further, the dielectric properties and AC conductivity at various frequencies for MgO nanostructures were studied which revealed that the dielectric losses decrease with increase in frequency and temperature. In addition, the observed band gap decreases from 4.89 eV to 4.438 eV (100 °C to 600 °C) representing its increase in the conductivity.

Conductive polymer composites (CPCs) have attracted intensive attention for several decades because they can endow the materials with not only good processability but also various functionalities e...

Herein, we report the facile microwave-assisted synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic degradation applications of Bismuth ferrite heterostructures composed of interconnected nanosheets (BHNs). The synthesized materials were subjected to several analytical studies such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and UV-visible spectroscopy in order to examine the morphological, structural, optical and photo catalytic properties. The structural and morphological characterizations confirmed the rhombohedral perovskite crystal structure and the formation of heterostructures composed of interconnected nanosheets for the synthesized material. The compositional characterization revealed that the synthesized material is bismuth ferrite with high purity. The BHNs were further used as efficient photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of highly hazardous pollutant methyl orange under sunlight irradiation. The sunlight driven photocatalytic experiments revealed ~86% photodegradation of methyl orange dye in 150 min. The presented work revealed that the synthesized BHNs are excellent material for the photocatalytic degradation of various organic contaminants and hazardous pollutants.

Herein, we report the synthesis and analysis of fern shaped La2O3 nanostructures as potential scaffolds for efficient hydroquinone chemical sensing application. A facile, low-cost hydrothermal method was applied for the synthesis of 3D fern shaped La2O3 nanostructures. Several techniques were employed to characterize the synthesized La2O3 nanostructures. XRD analysis confirmed the hexagonal phase for the La2O3 nanostructures with an average crystallite size of 35.18 nm. FESEM and TEM analysis established the 3D fern shaped structures for La2O3 nanostructures with dendritic arms of different lengths alongside triangular-ovate outlines. Purity, composition and vibrational features were confirmed by EDS, FTIR and Raman spectroscopic studies. The fabricated 3D fern shaped La2O3 nanostructures modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) showed remarkable electron mediating properties towards hydroquinone even at very low analyte concentrations. The linear dynamic range (LDR), experimental limit of detection (LOD) and sensitivity for 3D fern shaped La2O3 nanostructures modified GCE in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) were found to be 0.0781–0.625 mM, 0.0781 mM and 463.3 μA mM−1cm−2, respectively. Finally, a mechanism was also proposed for the electrochemical sensing of the hydroquinone. The presented work thus, confirms that the 3D fern shaped La2O3 nanostructures may be the future potential candidates for fabricating efficient and reproducible electrochemical sensors.

Herein, we report a simple synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic degradation application of composite NiO-WO₃ nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were synthesized by facile low-temperature method and characterized by several techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The synthesized NiO-WO₃ nanoparticles were used as efficient photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of Eosin yellow (EY) dye. Interestingly, the synthesized photocatalytic exhibited a significant visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation of Eosin yellow (EY) dye. Under optimized conditions (pH = 5, catalyst dosage = 3 μM and initial dye concentration= 1.0 g/L), the obtained photo degradation of EY dye was above 95% in 180 min under visible light irradiation. Remarkably, reusability of the prepared photocatalyst was also observed and the photo-degradation reactions follow the pseudo-first-order model.

Herein, we report the facile synthesis of Iron oxide@Pt core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) by facile two step synthesis process. The first step follows the growth of iron oxide nanoparticle by thermal decomposition process while the second step deals with the formation of iron oxide@Pt core-shell nanoparticles by the chemical reduction method. The synthesized core-shell nanoparticles were characterized by several techniques and used for the catalytic reductive translation of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) in the presence of formic acid by a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The UV photo-spectrometer analysis confirmed the conversion efficiency from 12% to as high as 98.8% at the end of 30 minutes. Thus, the presence of Iron oxide @Pt core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) can be effectively used as a catalyst for the reducion of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) ions. Additionally, antibacterial studies were performed for the prepared core-shell nanoparticles against two bacterial strains, i.e., gram (+ve) Staphylococcus Aureus (S. Aureus) and gram (-ve) Escherichia Coli (E. Coli).

We demonstrate the preparation of nanostructures cobalt oxide/reduced graphene oxide (Co3O4/rGO) nanocomposites by a simple one-step cost-effective hydrothermal technique for possible electrode materials in supercapacitor application. The X-ray diffraction patterns were employed to confirm the nanocomposite crystal system of Co3O4/rGO by demonstrating the existence of normal cubic spinel structure of Co3O4 in the matrix of Co3O4/rGO nanocomposite. FTIR and FT-Raman studies manifested the structural behaviour and quality of prepared Co3O4/rGO nanocomposite. The optical properties of the nanocomposite Co3O4/rGO have been investigated by UV absorption spectra. The SEM/TEM images showed that the Co3O4 nanoparticles in the Co3O4/rGO nanocomposites were covered over the surface of the rGO sheets. The electrical properties were analyzed in terms of real and imaginary permittivity, dielectric loss and AC conductivity. The electrocatalytic activities of synthesized Co3O4/rGO nanocomposites were determined by cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge cycle to evaluate the supercapacitive performance. The specific capacitance of 754 Fg-1 was recorded for Co3O4/rGO nanocomposite based electrode in three electrode cell system. The electrode material exhibited an acceptable capability and excellent long-term cyclic stability by maintaining 96% after 1000 continuous cycles. These results showed that the prepared sample could be an ideal candidate for high-energy application as electrode materials. The synthesized Co3O4/rGO nanocomposite is a versatile material and can be used in various application such as fuel cells, electrochemical sensors, gas sensors, solar cells, and photocatalysis.

Vanadium dioxide (VO2(M)) is a first order reversible thermochromic material which changes its phase at particular temperature and thus can be used as a thermochromic smart material for window coating. Similarly, the cerium dioxide (CeO2) is a well-known photo catalyst which can be applied on vanadium dioxide for self-cleaning. This paper reports a successful direct synthesis and detailed characterizations of core-shell VO2(M)@CeO2 spherical nanoparticles. In the core-shell nanoparticles, the vanadium dioxide core exhibits a solar light modulation property while cerium dioxide shell shows dye degradation through a facile photocatalytic process. Addition of ceria facilitates the VO2 (B) to VO2 (M) transformation and also improves its optical properties. With reduced transition temperature, the thermal stability was enhanced due to core –shell structure. To the extent of our knowledge, the synthesis of core-shell VO2@CeO2 nanoparticles is reported for the first time. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited improved thermochromic and photocatalytic properties.

A tetraphenylethylene (TPE) derivative (N,N-dimethyl-N′-(4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)phenyl)acetimidamide, TPE-amidine) was designed and synthesized, and used to prepare visible CO2 chemosensors, TPE-amidine-L (liquid) and TPE-amidine-S (solid). The hydrophilicity of TPE-amidine thoroughly changed because of the unique reversible reaction between the amidine group and CO2, which controlled the molecular aggregation extent in water by CO2. Combining with the well-known aggregate-induced emission effect, the highly selective CO2 chemosensor TPE-amidine-L was developed, which has the lowest CO2 detection limit of 24.6 ppm compared with other reported CO2 chemosensors, and can be regenerated within 10 s by adding triethylamine. With the aim of being safer and more convenient to use, a polyacrylamide hydrogel containing TPE-amidine was prepared as a renewable CO2 sensing “tape” (TPE-amidine-S). The flexibility, adhesivity, CO2 sensitivity and reversibility of the “tape” is systematically investigated, showing great potential for “on-site” and “real-time” CO2 detection in practical applications.

This review seeks to explore the literature pertaining to the applicability of nano-photocatalysts in fine chemical synthesis of organic compounds. The current methods of preparation of organic compounds in laboratories and industries are highly demanding on the non-renewable sources of energy. These conventional methods also generally require extreme conditions of temperature and pressure. Owing to deeper global awareness toward conservation of non-renewable sources of energy, there has been a shift of focus toward photocatalysis in the recent years. Photocatalysts are long known to catalyze various organic reactions such as oxidation, reduction, addition, cyclization and decomposition. The advent of nanotechnology made it possible to scale down these photocatalytic materials from bulk- to nano-scale and thereby further widen their scope and efficiency. Advances in material chemistry and nanotechnology have also made it possible to synthesize nanophotocatalysts of new genres, properties of which can be controlled and designed at molecular level. In this review, an attempt has been made to classify these diverse nanophotocatalysts into different groups, based on their composition and mechanism. Since the literature survey revealed that the chemoselectivity and efficiency of the nanophotocatalysts depend on their method of preparation, an overview of their common synthesis protocols is included. The review also highlights the various organic conversions for which these nanomaterials can be used under UV/visible irradiation. Nanophotocatalysts hold a great promise for environmentally-benign synthesis of highly useful organic compounds. We believe that this review can provide insights into research done in this field so far, which can pave way for further progress in this topic of far-fetched social significance. Keywords: Photocatalysis, Nano-photocatalysis, Organic synthesis, Green Chemistry, Photosensitization

Well crystalline Ag/CeO2 nano-structured material being utilized for its photocatalytic and antibacterial activities was synthesized via simple solution combustion synthesis (SCS) approach using tartaric acid as a fuel. Interconnection of Ag with CeO2 was investigated to determine its morphological, structural, crystalline, surface and optical properties using common characterization tools. The synthesized Ag–CeO2 materials are of high purity and well-crystalline, having a porous nature with an average pore size of ∼5–7 nm. As-synthesized Ag–CeO2 materials were utilized as photocatalyst for catalytic Rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation under UV irradiation, showing the almost full degradation of RhB dye molecules in 150 min. As-synthesized Ag/CeO2 nanostructured materials were also investigated for their antibacterial activity toward gram positive (S. aureus) and gram negative (P. aeruginosa) strains of bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration for inhibiting the growth of S. aureus (gram positive) and P. Aureginosa (gram negative) were found to be 3.125 μg/ml and 6.25 μg/ml in the presence of Ag/CeO2 materials. The results obtained for Ag/CeO2 materials clearly displayed the significantly improved catalytic and antibacterial properties in comparison with pure CeO2.

Herein, we report the successful synthesis of different phases of VO2 nanomaterials via a facile hydrothermal method by simply varying the molar ratio of the reducing agent (citric acid monohydrate) to vanadium precursor (vanadium (V) oxide). Six samples were synthesized with corresponding variation in molar ratio of vanadium (V) oxide to citric acid monohydrate as 1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5, respectively. The synthesized nanomaterials were characterized by phase identification, morphologies, compositional, optical, thermal, and electrical properties. The detailed characterizations confirmed the formation of single phase VO2 (B), VO2 (M) and amorphous VO2 by the mere variation of relative concentrations of reducing agent. Even though the synthesis of single phase VO2 is challenging and interestingly, a simple, one-step hydrothermal process procedure was used to produce pure phaseVO2 without the use of inert environment or post-synthesis heat treatments.

Carbon dioxide (CO2), an important gas molecule metabolite produced by the tricarboxylic acid cycle, is a direct signal for identifying cancers in cells and tissues. Herein, design and synthesis of a novel "breathable" block polymer supramolecular assembly probe consisting of a hydrophilic block, an amidine-containing CO2-responsive block, and an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminescence block to detect CO2 metabolized by cancer cells is reported. The triblock copolymer poly-(4-undecoxy tetraphenyl ethylene methacrylate)-b-poly-((N-amidino)-(2,3-dihydro-1H-1, 4-methyl-1, 2,3-triazole)-(ethenylbenzene))-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PTPE-b-PAD-b-PEO) was successfully synthesized and characterized. This triblock copolymer could be self-assembled into "breathable" aqueous solution vesicles. In the presence of CO2, the amidine-containing CO2-responsive block (PAD block) of the vesicle "inhales" an amount of CO2, which causes the volume of the vesicle to expand. The expansion of the vesicle induces the aggregation of the AIE luminescence block (PTPE block), which resulted in the fluorescence intensity enhancement. The supramolecular vesicles "exhale" CO2, and the volume and AIE phenomenon of the vesicles decrease when N2 is passed into the solution. On the basis of this reversible change of fluorescence intensity, HeLa cervical cancer cells, CNE1 nasopharynx cancer cells, 5-8F nasopharynx cancer cells, 16HBE human bronchial epithelial cells, and GES-1 human gastric mucosa epithelial cells have all been successfully detected and identified.

Herein, we have developed a novel sensing electrode to detect the eco-toxic 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Ag-doped-ZnO nanoflowers were synthesized by facile hydrothermal method and examined by several characterization techniques in order to understand the morphology, crystal structure, composition, and surface properties. Morphological results were confirmed by the formation of Ag-doped ZnO nanoflowers decorated with nanosheets. Ag-doped ZnO/glassy carbon electrode (GCE) electrode-material-matrix was used for electrochemical sensing of toxic 4-NP. Under optimized conditions, Ag-doped ZnO/GCE modified electrode exhibits high-sensitivity and selectivity compared to the bare GCE electrode. The Ag-doped ZnO/GCE modified electrode exhibits high electrocatalytic oxidation towards 4-NP. Anodic peak current of 4-NP is increased linearly by increasing the concentration of nitrophenol. Additionally, Ag-doped ZnO/GCE shows a wide range of sensitivity from 10 µM to 500 µM, and a linear calibration plot with a good detection limit of 3 µM (S/N = 3). The proposed Ag-doped ZnO/GCE modified electrode showed high sensing stability. In addition, the oxidation mechanism was studied. The obtained results revealed that the Ag-ZnO/GCE electrode could be the promising sensing electrode for 4-NP sensing.

Herein, we report a chemi-resistive sensing method for the detection of formaldehyde (HCHO) gas. For this, α-MnO2 nanowires were synthesized hydrothermally and examined for ascertaining their chemical composition, crystal phase, morphology, purity, and vibrational properties. The XRD pattern confirmed the high crystallinity and purity of the α-MnO2 nanowires. FESEM images confirmed a random orientation and smooth-surfaced wire-shaped morphologies for as-synthesized α-MnO2 nanowires. Further, the synthesized nanowires with rounded tips had a uniform diameter throughout the length of the nanowires. The average diameter of the α-MnO2 nanowires was found to be 62.18 nm and the average length was ~2.0 μm. Further, at an optimized temperature of 300 °C, the fabricated HCHO sensor based on α-MnO2 nanowires demonstrated gas response, response, and recovery times of 19.37, 18, and 30 s, respectively.

A low-cost and simple drop-casting method was used to fabricate a carbon nanodot (C-dot)/all-inorganic perovskite (CsPbBr3) nanosheet bilayer heterojunction photodetector on a SiO2/Si substrate. The C-dot/perovskite bilayer heterojunction photodetector shows a high performance with a responsivity (R) of 1.09 A/W, almost five times higher than that of a CsPbBr3-based photodetector (0.21 A/W). In addition, the hybrid photodetector exhibits a fast response speed of 1.318/1.342 µs and a highly stable photocurrent of 6.97 µA at 10 V bias voltage. These figures of merits are comparable with, or much better than, most reported perovskite heterojunction photodetectors. UV–Vis absorption and photoluminescent spectra measurements reveal that the C-dot/perovskite bilayer heterojunction has a band gap similar to the pure perovskite layer, confirming that the absorption and emission in the bilayer heterojunction is dominated by the top layer of the perovskite. Moreover, the emission intensity of the C-dot/perovskite bilayer heterojunction is less than that of the pure perovskite layer, indicating that a significant number of charges were extracted by the C-dot layer. The studied band alignment of the C-dots and perovskites in the dark and under emission reveals that the photodetector has a highly efficient charge separation mechanism at the C-dot/perovskite interface, where the recombination rate between photogenerated electrons and holes is significantly reduced. This highly efficient charge separation mechanism is the main reason behind the enhanced performance of the C-dot/perovskite bilayer heterojunction photodetector.

A label free electrochemical sensor based on pure titanium oxide and manganese (Mn)-doped titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are fabricated and characterized for the sensitive detection of myoglobin (Mb) levels to analyze the cardiovascular infarction. Pristine and Mn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized via the sol-gel method and characterized in order to understand their structure, morphologies, composition and optical properties. The structural properties revealed that the pure- and doped-TiO2 nanoparticles possess different TiO2 planes. FTIR studies confirm the formation of metal oxide nanoparticles by exhibiting a well-defined peak in the range of 600–650 cm−1. The values of the optical band gap, estimated from UV-Vis spectroscopy, are decreased for the Mn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectra in the presence of myoglobin (Mb) indicated interaction between the TiO2 nanoparticles and myoglobin. The SPE electrodes were then fabricated by printing powder film over the working electrode and tested for label-free electrochemical detection of myoglobin (Mb) in the concentration range of 0–15 nM Mb. The fabricated electrochemical sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 100.40 μA-cm−2/nM with a lowest detection limit of 0.013 nM (0.22 ng/mL) and a response time of ≤10 ms for sample S3. An interference study with cyt-c and Human Serum Albumin (HSA) of the sensors show the selective response towards Mb in 1:1 mixture.

Here, we report the biogenic preparation of luminescent copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles via peel extracts of Musa acuminate. The current methodology provides the sustainable alternative of using agricultural fritter as effective stabilizing and reducing agent during the synthesis of CuO particles. The parameters governing the optimization of CuO nanoparticles were scrutinized by varying the concentrations of copper salt, stirring rate and pH of the reaction media. The toxicity profiling of CuO nanoparticles over the germination of Vigna radiate. Allium cepa genotoxicity and antibacterial assay were also examined to verify the biocompatibility of prepared CuO particles. The in-vitro biocompatibility of the developed nanoparticles was tested against mouse L929 fibroblastic cell lines by using MTT assay in range of 1–80 μg/mL. The distinctive optical and luminescence properties have been employed for sensing application for heavy metal ions using UV–vis. and fluorescence spectrophotometric analysis. The value of detection of limit for the developed sensor was found to be 2 μg/L. The low values of detection limits facilitate the practical utilization of CuO nanoparticles for sensing applications. As prepared CuO nanoparticles can act as a biocompatible fluorophore nominee to substitute existing dyes. The current study provides the additional advancement towards the sensing of toxic metal using green and safe CuO nanoparticles.

Bitter gourd shaped ytterbium oxide (Yb2O3) doped ZnO nanostructures were synthesized through hydrothermal method and analyzed using various techniques including field energy emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) accompanied with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Yb2O3 doped ZnO product showed long oblong shaped structures with distinct crunchy and warty exterior texture similar to the bitter gourd fruit. The average length of the bitter-gourd fruit shaped structures was ∼3.5 μm. The calculated average crystallite size and band gap energy of Yb2O3 doped ZnO nanostructures were 18.75 nm and 3.34 eV, respectively. The silver electrode (AgE) modified electrochemical sensor fabricated using bitter gourd shaped Yb2O3 doped ZnO nanostructures exhibited excellent sensitivity of 117.6 μA.mM−1cm−2, measured LOD of 0.39 mM, linear dynamic range (LDR) of 0.39 mM–6.25 mM and regression correlation coefficient (R2) = 0.94892.

This study reports the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using methanolic leaf extract of Pogostemon cablin Benth. (Patchouli) as a reducing agent, and their potent biological (antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer) activities. The P. cablin extract when exposed to silver nitrate reduced silver ions to form crystalline AgNPs within 1 h of incubation at room-temperature. UV-visible spectra showed a sharp surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at around 430 nm for the biosynthesized AgNPs and the XRD pattern indicated the crystalline planes of the face centered cubic silver. The FE-SEM analysis revealed the occurrence of predominant spherical shaped AgNPs with a huge disparity in their particle size distribution with an average size of 25 nm, while, the FTIR data confirmed the bio-reduction and capping of AgNPs by several phytocompounds present in the methanolic leaf extract. AgNPs effectively inhibited the growth of all the tested human pathogenic bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli), while, the methanolic leaf extract failed to inhibit the growth of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. AgNPs showed the highest free radical scavenging activity (79.0 ± 0.76%) compared to methanolic leaf extract (68.3 ± 0.68%) at 100 μg/ml. Further, the cytotoxicity study using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) confirmed that AgNPs successfully inhibited the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) in a dose dependent manner. At higher concentrations (500 μg/ml), only 4% of cells survived after 72 hrs of exposure with IC50 value of 120 μg/ml. Thus, these findings offer a new source of biomolecules with diverse biological activities.

Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization and picric acid chemical sensing application of samarium (Sm) doped ZnO nanorods. The Sm-doped ZnO nanorods were synthesized by facile hydrothermal process and characterized using various analytical methods which confirmed the large-scale synthesis and wurtzite hexagonal crystal structure for the synthesized nanorods. The doping of Sm ions in the lattices of the synthesized nanorods was evaluated by the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The synthesized Sm-doped ZnO nanorods were used as potential scaffold to fabricate high sensitive and reproducible picric acid chemical sensor based on I–V technique. The fabricated picric acid chemical sensor based on Sm-doped ZnO nanorods exhibited a high sensitivity of 213.9 mA mM−1 cm−2 with the limit of detection of ∼0.228 mM and correlation coefficient of R═0.9889. The obtained results revealed that the facile grown Sm-doped ZnO nanorods can efficiently be used to fabricate high sensitive and reproducible chemical sensors.

Silver embedded banana peel biochar (Ag-BBc) composite was tailored effectively by green synthetic route. Azadirachta indica leaf extract was employed for preparation of Ag nanoparticles as reducing agent and biochar was derived from the of banana peel via pyrolysis. The multi-functionality of the fabricated nanocomposite was investigated through its application towards energy storage and environmental remediation. The prepared composite was characterized in detail by various analytical techniques and the electro-chemical aspects were examined by cyclic-voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge methods. The improved specific capacitance of Ag-BBc composite was measured as 655 Fg-1 in 1 M Na2SO4 at a current density of 0.35 Ag-1. The Ag-BBc modified electrode exhibited an excellent cyclic stability of 79.3% after 5000 charge/discharge cycles and displayed high energy and power density of 40 Wh/kg and 490 Wkg−1 respectively, at 1 Ag-1. Furthermore, Ag-BBc composite was used for the ultrasonic assisted adsorption of Congo Red dye with appreciable adsorption efficacy of ∼98% within 5 min of contact time. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were considered to describe the equilibrium of dye using ultrasonic assisted adsorption process.

Recently, because of excellent electrical conductivities and many active sites, transition metal sulfides have been utilized as efficient electrodes for supercapacitors. Herein, we synthesize hierarchical MoS2/Ni3S2 structures grown on nickel foam by a facile one-pot hydrothermal process. The as-fabricated asymmetric hybrid capacitor based on hierarchical MoS2/Ni3S2 electrode exhibit a specific capacitance of ∼1.033 C/cm2 at 1 mA/cm2. Furthermore, the hybrid capacitor unveils an energy density of 35.93 mWh/cm3 at a power density of 1064.76 mW/cm3. The observed results clearly revealed that the synthesized MoS2/Ni3S2 structure might be used as potential electrode material for future energy storage devices.

Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of rGO-CdS heterostructure and their utilization as an efficient material for sensing and visible-light driven photocatalytic degradation applications. The heterostructure was synthesized by facile hydrothermal process and characterized by several techniques which exhibited intriguing compositional, morphological, structural, thermal, textural and photo-physical properties. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images of the prepared rGO-CdS heterostructure showed the successful deposition of CdS nanoparticles (CdS NPs) on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. The synthesized rGO-CdS heterostructure was employed as an outstanding fluorescent sensor for the selective and sensitive detection of heavy transition metal ion; Ag(I) and a synthetic food colorant; sunset yellow (SY). The detection limit of 12.35 μM and 7.89 μM was found to be for Ag(I) and SY, respectively. The prepared rGO/CdS heterostructure was also successfully applied for the photocatalytic degradation of fluoroquinoline antibiotic, levofloxacin (LVX), and food colorant SY under visible-light irradiation. The removal efficiency of 82.7% was obtained for LVX (10 mg/L) using rGO-CdS heterostructure in 60 min under visible-light irradiation. The synthesized heterostructure displayed enhanced photocatalytic decomposition (82.7%) than pure CdS NPs (67.5%) under optimized reaction conditions (0.50 g/L photocatalyst amount, 10 mg/L LVX initial concentration and pH 9.0). Approximate 66% of SY was degraded in 270 min under visible-light using the prepared heterostructure. The scavenger study confirmed the pivotal role of e, O2 , OHs and OH in the photocatalytic decomposition process. The amended photocatalytic behaviour of the rGO-CdS heterostructure could be accredited to the enhanced visible light harvesting capability, effective charge separation and transportation of photogenerated charge carriers across the heterojunctional interface. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report till date on the utilization of rGO-CdS heterostructure for the fluorescence sensing of Ag(I) and SY as well as photocatalytic degradation of LVX and SY.

Developing biomaterials based on the natural biomacromolecule silk sericin from Bombyx mori cocoon is of great interest for biomedical application. Dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) is derived from periodate oxidation of carboxy- methyl cellulose. Here, we developed a novel strategy of cross-linking of sericin with DCMC via the Schiff's base reaction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy indicated the formation of Schiff's base via the blending of sericin and DCMC. The mechanical properties tests suggested the covalent cross-linking effectively enhanced the tensile strength of sericin. The swelling test and water contact angle indicated the DCMC/SS film had excellent hydrophilicity, swellability. Additionally, we demonstrated the DCMC/SS film had excellent blood compatibility, cytocompatibility and promoting cell proliferation activity by the hemolysis ratio analysis, cell adhesion, cells viability and proliferation assays. The prepared DCMC/SS film has shown great promise in biomedical applications such as wound dressing, artificial skin and tissue engineering.

Herein, we report the successful synthesis of BiF3 octahedrons via facile hydrothermal process as potential solar light active catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in aqueous phase. The synthesized BiF3 octahedrons were characterized by several techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques in order to observe the structural, morphological, optical and luminescence properties. The synthesized octahedrons possess the high density growth, pure and well-crystalline with cubic phase structure and band gap of 3.98 eV. As a potential solar light active photocatalyst , the synthesized BiF 3octahedrons exhibited ˜95.7% degradation of RhB in 50 min. The effect of different process parameters such as pH and catalyst dose on the degradation of RhB was also explored. Interestingly, the synthesized BiF3 octahedrons demonstrated better photocatalytic performance compared to several commercially available photocatalysts such as TiO2 (PC-500), SnO2 and ZnS. Further, it was observed that the degradation of RhB over the prepared BiF3 octahedrons obeyed the pseudo first-order reaction kinetics with rate constant of 0.06393 min−1. The scavenger experiments verified the role of h+, e, O2 , OH and OHs in the photocatalytic degradation process and a plausible photocatalytic mechanism has also been proposed.

Reduced graphene oxide modified by hyperbranched polyamine-ester (RGO-HBPE) liquids was successfully fabricated through the surface chemical engineering and tested for serving as a solvent-free novel lubricant. Structural characterization, dispersibility and rheology behavior of the lubricant and the related frication performance on steel plate were investigated thoroughly. The results manifest that the RGO-HBPE exhibited good dispersity in distilled water and liquid behavior without any solvent at ambient temperature. And this RGO-HBPE liquids could be directly introduced onto the surface of steel plate as lubricants without any additional base oil. Tribological results and the proposed lubricating mechanism of RGO-HBPE imply that the fluidity of RGO-HBPE is favorable for lubrication and is crucial to reduce the friction coefficient. The spontaneous flow of RGO-HBPE provide a spreading effect to form the lubricating film. The specific spreading effect of RGO-HBPE and the synergistic lubricating effect between HBPE and graphene demonstrate that RGO-HBPE could be directly used as promising candidates for lubricants in nowadays moving machines.

Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were successfully synthesized using rice residue and glycine as carbon and nitrogen sources by one-step hydrothermal method. High quantum yield (23.48%) originated from the effective combination of nitrogen with various functional groups (C O, N H, C N, COOH and C O C). The N-CQDs showed a fluorescence with the wavelength varied from 420 to 500 nm and the maximum emission wavelength being at 440 nm. N-CQDs have been importantly applied as probe to detect Fe3+ and tetracycline (TCs) antibiotics with remarkable performance. Using the linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and Fe3+ concentration, the N-CQDs could be employed as a simple, efficient sensor for ultrasensitive Fe3+ detection ranging from 3.32 to 32.26 µM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.7462 µM. The N-CQDs showed the applicability to detect TCs. The detection limits of tetracycline, terramycin and chlortetracycline were 0.2367, 0.3739 and 0.2791 µM, respectively. The results of TC by fluorescence method in real water samples were in good agreement with standard Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) method. The N-CQDs have various potential applications including sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ and TCs, and cellular imaging with low cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility and high permeability.

B, N-codoped titania mesoporous crystals were prepared by the sol-gel method followed by a molten nitrate process to modify the sample morphology. The composition, morphology and microstructure of the obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoemission spectroscope (XPS), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed weak complex vibrations between the Ti-O oxide species and the unsaturated sites (Ti3+) through the incorporation of hydroxyl groups, which was not observed in the bulk titania (B-N-TiO₂). The photocatalytic reactivity of boron-nitrogen codoped TiO₂ was examined for the removal of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The nitrates treated B-doped TiO₂ exhibited better photocatalytic activity for dye degradation than that of B-doped TiO₂ and nitrates treated TiO₂. The best performance was obtained in the sample treated at a calcination temperature of 550 °C.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocoating was electrodeposited on the surface mechanical attrition treated (SMATed) AZ31 magnesium alloy. Phases, morphologies and the adhesion of coating were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3D optical profiler. The corrosion resistance of the HA coating was tested by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that the HA coating on SMATed sample had a better crystallization than that on original one. The thickness of HA coating increased from 25 to 40 μm. The bonding strength between HA coating and SMATed substrate was higher than that between the coating and untreated counterpart. Potentiodynamic polarization and EIS demonstrated that the corrosion current density of HA coating on SMATed substrate decreased by 30.84% than that on original. The corrosion potential shifted 80.3 mV to the positive direction. The corrosion resistance of coatings on SMATed sample was significantly enhanced. The immersion experiments showed that the HA coatings on SMATed sample exhibited a better biological activity.

Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization and enhanced adsorption studies of porous octahedral shaped Cu-BTC (copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) metal organic frameworks (MOFs). The Cu-BTC MOFs were synthesized by facile hydrothermal process and characterized by various techniques in order to examine the structural, morphological, thermal and adsorption-desorption properties. The synthesized Cu-BTC MOFs were used as potential scaffold for the adsorption of highly toxic azo dye, i.e. methylene blue (MB). Detailed adsorption studies on the effect of initial pH, concentration, reaction time and temperature on adsorption of MB were analysed and it was observed that the removal of MB followed pseudo-2nd order kinetic model. Freundlich model fitted well as compared to Langmuir model with R2 of 0.975 and thereby signifying a multilayer adsorption of MB on the surface of Cu-BTC MOFs. The observed maximal adsorption capacity for MB removal (200 mg/L) was ∼101.21 mg/g using Langmuir isotherm. The Cu-BTC MOFs exhibited 42.3 mg/g adsorption capacity after fourth cycle of MB dye adsorption. These features exhibited that Cu-BTC MOF have potential for the adsorption of MB and can efficiently be used to treat wastewater.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is an extremely promising electrode material for supercapacitors due to its superior electrochemical performance and conductivity. In this study, polypyrrole (PPy) modified MoS2/Ni3S2 (MNS@PPy) assemblies grown directly on the Ni foam (NF) substrate are prepared by a facile hydrothermal route and a subsequent electrodeposition process. The as-obtained products show a specific capacitance of 845 C g−1 at 1 A g−1 with outstanding cycling stability after 10 000 cycles. Using the as-synthesized products as positive materials, an assembled hybrid capacitor delivers an energy density of 280.5 W h kg−1 at a power density of 2845 W kg−1, demonstrating its promising application in portable micro-/nanoscale energy storage devices.

The scarcity of available drinking water has led the researchers to develop novel and cost-effective ways of bioremediation process for wastewater treatment. Bioremediation is a cost-effective and environmentally sound method for the removal of toxic compounds. Such approach is not only a chemical-less effort but also an energy savior. In the present work Phlebia acerina, a white rot wood rotting fungi have been used to degrade the toxic wastewater pollutants. Congo Red (CR) and Eriochrome Black T (EBT) have been selected as model pollutants to test the wastewater cleaning ability of the fungus. The Lignin modifying enzyme (LME) and Cellulolytic enzyme assays (CMC) potential of Phlebia acerina helped in understanding the dye degradation mechanism. Under the optimum conditions, the fungi was able to degrade as high as 92.4% CR while the EBT was degraded to a maximum of 50%. Phlebia acerina was found to show first-order kinetics of dyes degradation. Further, the seed germination and antimicrobial assay of treated and untreated water were carried out in order to establish the formation of non-toxic end product after degradation.

Herein, we present the synthesis, characterization and optical ammonia gas sensing of pure and Sn-doped vanadium oxide (V2O5) nanoparticles prepared by the sol-gel process. The V2O5 nanoparticles were doped with Sn concentrations of 2 wt%–6 wt%, and characterized using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy which confirmed the orthorhombic crystal structure. The crystalline size was found to decrease with enhancing the doping concentrations of Sn. The lattice-strain and crystalline size with the peak-broadening of pure and Sn doped V2O5 nanoparticles were analyzed by William-Hall (W-H) method and size-strain plot. The UV–vis absorption showed a decrease in the energy band gap (3.27 eV–3.07 eV) with an increase in the Sn doping concentration. The Sn-doped V2O5 nanoparticles were used to detect ammonia gas (5–50 ppm) through photoluminescence based detection method. Interestingly, it was observed that the optical response for the 2 wt% Sn doped V2O5 nanoparticles was maximum (77.84%) towards 50 ppm ammonia compared to other V2O5nanoparticles based samples.

Europium oxides (Eu2O3) nanoparticles are extensively employed in diverse areas ranging from bioimaging to chemical sensing. However, still there is significant lack of information regarding their toxic behaviour on humans and the environment. The endeavor of this work is to develop structural/toxicity correlations for bare and surface functionalized Eu2O3 nanoparticles synthesized by low-temperature colloidal route. The detailed investigations revealed that Eu2O3 nanoparticles concentration have significant effect on the in vitro toxicity. On the basis of antibacterial, antimicrobial assays and assessment of the genotoxicity using Allium cepa and molecular studies on human blood DNA, it was discovered that surface modification of nanoparticles is an important parameter for reducing the toxicity of Eu2O3 nanoparticles. The phytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticles has also been compared by the seed germination assay with wheat, green grams, and black chickpeas. The detailed results revealed the mechanism of Eu2O3 nanoparticles in vitro toxicity.

Spindle-like α-Fe2O3 and reduced graphene (rGO) composites have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The synthesized samples exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with high specific capacitance and good cycling life of about 87.5% reserved after 10,000 cycles. A solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) with 1.5 V Voltage has been assembled using α-Fe2O3/rGO composite anode and the NiCo2O4 nanowires cathode. The ASCs exhibit outstanding capacitance performance with maximum energy density of 73 Wh kg−1 at the power density of 1357 W kg−1, and more than 219% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles.

The interfacial shear bond strength is a key factor determining the ultimate mechanical properties and performances of laminated metallic composites. Conventional test method is hard to accurately obtain the interfacial shear bond strength of the thin laminated metallic composites (TLMCs) because of the thin thickness and low rigidity. In this paper, an improved uniaxial tensile testing specimen to overcome the difficulty is designed by removing a portion of the cladding of the tensile specimen. The delaminated fracture strain of the cladding peeling off from the substrate can be obtained accurately during a uniaxial tensile test. The relationships among interfacial microstructures, delaminated fracture strain and the interfacial shear bond strength were studied. The research revealed that the delaminated fracture strain and the interfacial shear bond strength are all increased with increasing the thickness of interfacial diffusion layer. A formula available for calculating the shear bond strength was derived by analyzing the relationship of shear stress and delamination. As examples, the interfacial shear bond strengths of Al/Mg/Al TLMCs fabricated by different rolling reduction ratios were tested and investigated.